2 . Next-generation fitness equipment and robots help you cook dinner. Those are a few of the countless new products expected to be shown next week at CES, the annual tech conference that typically sets the tone for the biggest trends of the year. Home automation, health and 5G will once again be hot topics, but many companies will also introduce pandemic-specific features to reflect our increased time at home.

Each year, reporters, exhibitors and investors typically explore Las Vegas showrooms filled with giant TVs, smart cars and robots, but CES will be online only for the first time in its 54-year history due to Covid-19.

The Consumer Technology Association, the nonprofit behind the four-day event starting Monday, said 1,800 exhibitors from around the world will fill its "digital venue" this year—a number that's down significantly from 4,000 in-person exhibitors last year. The move will allow tech companies from countries which have never attended before to take part in the online exhibition, but could also make it harder for smaller companies to get noticed without a physical showroom.

Registered attendees will be able to stream and re-watch keynotes from companies such as Verizon (VZ) and General Motors (GM), tune in to breakout sessions — about how, for example, technology is playing a role in vaccine deployment—and search through a registry of exhibitors to watch new product presentations.

It'll lack some of the signature ingredients of the trade show, such as hands-on time with the latest small machines and networking. But the technology that makes our lives more connected and convenient will still gain popularity.

1. What are the new products mainly connected with?

A．People’s daily life.	B．Everyday busy work.
C．The popularity of 5G.	D．Countless housework.

2. What do we know about the tech conference?

A．It takes place every two years.	B．It attracts fewer exhibitors this year.
C．It is held mainly on the Internet.	D．It prohibits small companies to attend.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the move?

A．Supportive.

B．Disappointed.

C．Doubtful.

D．Casual.

4. Where are the text possibly from?

A．A brochure.

B．A textbook.

C．A newspaper.

D．A guidebook.

3 . A city in Netherlands is planning to construct a pretty bike path made of recycled wood.

The first of its kind in the world, the path near the city of Emmen will be surfaced not with the usual asphalt（沥青） but with wood chips packed together with organic resin(有机树脂).

The idea behind the path is to cut the use of conventional, less eco-friendly materials such as concrete, which is very difficult to recycle.And the creation of the wood chips will require no direct cutting down of trees; the company leading the experiment, Grontmij, plans to use waste products from sawmills(锯木厂).

The idea of creating a permanent road from a material that is celebrated for its biodegradability(生物降解性)might seem ridiculous. But the engineers working on the path insist that the wood and resin surfacing will stay in good condition for a long time, with a working life at least as long as concrete or asphalt. Rudi van Hedel, project manager of bio-based economy at Grontmij, explained that the light weight of the material also makes it far easier to move.

However, van Hedal said, “At present, the material costs of the path are higher than those of traditional paths made of asphalt or concrete, but the construction costs are comparable or perhaps slightly cheaper. We expect that as production ability increases, the costs will go down. In the future, we hope to use bio-fibres(生物纤维)that are cheaper than the wood fibres we’re currently experimenting with, and we expect that biodegradable materials will be able to compete with asphalt and concrete.”

1. What can we learn about the path?

A．It uses some asphalt.	B．It aims to protect trees.
C．It is a pioneering project.	D．It is being built by a sawmill.

2. What do the engineers stress about the path in Paragraph 4?

A．Its material is heavy in weight.	B．It can stay in service for long.
C．Its length may break a record.	D．It is environmentally friendly.

3. According to van Hedal, what is a disadvantage of wood fibres?

A．Their production process is complex.	B．They are not as hard as asphalt.
C．They are not always available.	D．Their costs are relatively high.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A diary.

B．A novel.

C．A magazine.

D．A guidebook.

4 . Roboticists at the University of California San Diego have developed an affordable, easy to use system to track the location of flexible surgical robots inside the human body. The system performs as well as current state of the art methods, but the whole system, including the robot, magnets and magnet localization setup, costs around $100. Many current methods also require exposure to radiation, while this system does not.

The system was developed by Tania Morimoto, a professor of mechanical engineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, and mechanical engineering Ph. D. student Connor Watson.

“Continuum medical robots work really well in highly constrained (受限的) environments inside the body,” Morimoto said. “But it becomes a lot harder to track their location and their shape inside the body.” The researchers used existing magnet localization methods, which work very much like GPS, to develop a computer model that predicts the robot’s location.

GPS satellites ping (发送) smartphones and based on how long it takes for the signal to arrive, the GPS receiver in the smartphone can determine where the cell phone is. Similarly, researchers know how strong the magnetic field should be around the magnet placed in the robot. They rely on four sensors that are carefully spaced around the area where the robot operates to measure the magnetic field strength. Based on how strong the field is, they are able to determine where the tip of the robot is.

Morimoto and Watson went a step further. They then trained a neural network to learn the difference between what the sensors were reading and what the model said the sensors should be reading. As a result, they improved localization accuracy to track the tip of the robot. “Ideally we are hoping that our localization tools can help improve these kinds of growing robot technologies. We do want to push this research forward so that we can test our system in a clinical setting and eventually translate it into clinical use,” Morimoto said.

1. What be learnt about the system according to the text?

A．It’s complex.	B．It’s low-cost.
C．It’s delicate.	D．It’s radioactive.

2. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?

A．The system’s working principle.

B．The function of GPS satellites.

C．The reason for inventing the system,

D．The necessity of inventing the system.

3. What do Morimoto and Watson expect of the system?

A．It’ll be environmentally-friendly.	B．It’ll be sold on the Internet soon,
C．I’ll be easy for us to operate.	D．It’ll be tested with real patients.

4. Where is this text most likely from?

A．A diary.	B．A guidebook.
C．A magazine.	D．A novel.

5 . The Palace Museum is limiting the daily number of visitors to 80,000 and recommending both individual visitors and tourist groups to book tickets in, advance online (booking address: https://gugong ktmtech.cn). foreign visitors are required to provide passport numbers during the online booking

ADMISSION

April 1st-October 31st            60 yuan

November 1st-March 31st.        140 yuan

●Free admission(入场费) for children under.2 meters in height.

●Free admission for disabled visitors.

●20 yuan for elementary, middle school, and undergraduate students with student I.D. (not including graduate and adult or continuing education students).     

●50% discount for people over 60 years with valid certificate or proof of age (passport, etc.)'

●Women's Day (March 8): Half-price admission for female visitors.

●Children's Day (June 1): Free admission for children 14 years old and younger. 50% discount on admission for one accompanying parent. legal guardian, or adult,

For detailed information and instruction, please click here.

1. How many people can visit the Palace Museum daily at most?

A．Eight hundred

B．Eighty thousand.

C．Eight million

D．Eighty million.

2. Among the four,who can get the lowest admission price?

A．A middle-aged woman visiting it on 13,Mar.	B．A middle-aged parent visiting it alone on lst, June.
C．A 65-year-old man visiting it on 7th,May.	D．A middle school student visiting it on 6th,Jan.

3. Where do you think the passage most probably comes from?

A．A website.

B．A magazine

C．A book.

D．A newspaper.

6 . Most people feel that dreams are unique to humans, but many dog owners will likely disagree. They have noticed that their dogs at various times during the sleep may shake legs, snort (哼) and sometimes growl (低声吼叫) which gives the impression that they are dreaming. These things may wonder us about whether dogs dream.

Scientists confirm that dogs probably do dream. It turns out that dog brains and human brains have many similarities during sleep cycles. Researchers used special machines to measure electrical activity in a dog’s brain and a human’s brain. Scientists already knew that when humans dream, a certain part of the brain is active during sleep. Researchers discovered that the same part of the brain is active in sleeping dogs. Scientists have other data that back up these findings.

Many people dream that they are trying to move but cannot. Interestingly, part of that experience is not a dream. When people sleep, the brain produces a chemical that causes the dreamer to become temporarily paralyzed (使麻痹). Researchers think this happens so that people cannot physically act out dreams while they are sleeping. Dog brains make the same chemical. In one study during which this chemical was blocked, sleeping test dogs performed physical activities, such as standing up, sniffing around the room for imaginary rabbits, or chasing imaginary balls.

Because of these similarities, researchers believe that the content of a dog’s dream might come from the same source as a human’s dream. “People’s dreams are usually based on things they did that day,” says Dr. Samantha Hudspith. “So we have reasons to believe that dogs dream about the things they’ve done that day. Of course, there will never be a way to prove this. Dogs cannot describe their dreams the way that humans can.”

1. Which statement is TRUE?

A．Only humans dream.

B．The dogs’ shaking legs during the sleep means that they must be dreaming.

C．The contents of dogs’ dream is the same as those of humans.

D．Whether dogs dream of the things they’ve done that day can not be confirmed.

2. What happened to a sleeping dog when this chemical mentioned in paragraph 3 was cut off?

A．It woke up.	B．It stopped dreaming.
C．It acted out its dream.	D．It couldn't move its body.

3. Where is the passage from?

A．The guide

B．The report

C．The magazine

D．The brochure

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Similarities Between Humans and Dogs	B．Do Dogs Dream?
C．Signs of Dog Dreams	D．Why Do Dogs Dream?

7 . SWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNING

Best Time to Go

Like any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).

Rough Budget

Switzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.

Accommodation
Budget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotels
Mid-range: $ 150—200
Splurge: $ 250—350+

Food (Typical Meal For One)
Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25
Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinner
Very nice restaurant: $ 60+

Transport
City Buses: $ 2. 50—5
Intercity Trains: $ 25—50

Exciting Things to Do in Switzerland

With so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!

Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true for any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something we highly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and see all the adventurous activities available in the area this year!

1. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?

A．Choosing hotels for accommodation.	B．Cooking meals as much as you can.
C．Adopting local means of transport.	D．Attempting to travel in peak seasons.

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A．You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland.

B．Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving.

C．Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland.

D．Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous.

3. Where is this article most probably from?

A．A geography book about Switzerland.	B．An English textbook.
C．A composition on Switzerland.	D．A travel brochure.

8 . Welcome to SummerCamps.com; find and book the very best summer camps. Your children are precious so we offer the highest quality of camps that will meet each child’s needs and interests.

Catalina Sea Camp

Sea Camp offers three one-week sessions to boys and girls aged 8-13 and two three-week sessions to teens aged 12-17. Our hand-picked instructors create an atmosphere of fun and excitement while leading campers to a host of ocean adventures, marine(海洋的) biology, and social summer camp activities.

Address: Toyon Way, San Bruno, California 94066

Phone: 800-645-1423

Camp Cayuga

Camp Cayuga is a private summer camp for children aged 6 to 16. The camp is on a 350-acre land in the Pocono Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania, just outside the village of Honesdale. It’s a 3-hour drive from New York City to Philadelphia.

Address: 321 Niles Pond Road-Suite ISC, Honesdale, Pennsylvania 18431

Phone: 908-470-1224

Camp Rockmont

Camp Rockmont is a Christian summer camp for boys, aged 6-16, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Rockmont’s duty of developing boys into healthy young men is accomplished through age-appropriate skills, activities, and challenges that help campers to know themselves better.

Address: 375 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain, North Carolina 28711

Phone: 828-686-3885

Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps

Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps offer week-long Summer Adventure Overnight Camps in New York’s Finger Lakes to your children aged 11-15. Campers experience a week of nature-based skills training, inspiring challenges, and fun activities under the guidance of skilled instructors.

Address: 611 County Rd 13, Van Etten, New York 14889

Phone: 607-272-2292

1. If a boy is curious about sea creatures, which camp should he go to?

A．Catalina Sea Camp

B．Camp Cayuga

C．Camp Rockmont

D．Primitive Pursuits Overnight Camps

2. Where should a girl of 7 go for camping?

A．Toyon Way, San Bruno.

B．611 County Rd 13, Van Etten.

C．375 Lake Eden Road, Black Mountain.

D．321 Niles Pond Road- Suite ISC, Honesdale.

3. You can find this passage from           .

A．a magazine	B．the Internet
C．a textbook	D．a newspaper

9 . Our ships boast a sea of vacation possibilities for every guest. Like the chance to learn Italian, salsa dancing (萨尔萨舞), or the recipe (食谱) for a perfect martini (马提尼酒). To conquer the rock climbing wall and ice skate on the equator. Or slow things down with a hot stone massage (按摩) and duty-free designer shopping. See, do and learn more at sea than you ever thought possible.

North Star

The exclusive North Star promises to heighten your worldview. Simply step into the North Star’s closed, jewel-shaped capsule and gently climb over 300 feet above sea level. Take in breathtaking views of the ocean, the ship, and the exciting destinations that we visit.

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean is teaming up with World Wildlife Fund to save our oceans and protect sea life. Join us in making a difference by symbolically adopting a sea turtle or get involved with numerous other activities both on board and ashore, like the Walk for Sea Turtles. Together we can turn the tide.

SeaPlex

SeaPlex is not only the largest indoor active space at sea, but also the most modern and creative. By day, experience a circus school and flying trapeze (高空秋千), as well as a full-size regulation (正规的) basketball court. By night, the first-ever bumper car (碰碰车) and roller skating offerings at sea will deliver thrills, with music provided by a floating DJ booth that hovers above the activity happening below.

Rock Climbing

Rise to the occasion and take on our signature rock climbing wall. From beginners to speed climbers, everyone can enjoy an unparalleled view from 40 feet above deck. Included in your fare, no reservation required.

1. If you are willing to have a good view of the ocean or sea from above, what should you try?

A．North Star.	B．Royal Caribbean.
C．SeaPlex.	D．Rock Climbing.

2. Who are especially interested in SeaPlex?

A．People who are fond of eating delicious food.

B．People who want to have a turtle as a pet.

C．People who want to save some money.

D．People who want to listen to music while playing.

3. Where is this article probably taken from?

A．A letter.	B．An advertisement.
C．A personal diary.	D．A newspaper article.

10 . Organic food is very popular. It is also expensive. Some organic food costs twice as much as nonorganic food. Some parents and pet owners pay up to 200 percent more for organic food while some people think organic food is a waste of money.

There is one main difference between organic and non-organic food. Organic farms do not use agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides (杀虫剂). This makes sure that the products are natural.

Some people think “organic” means “locally grown”. At the beginning, this was true. Over time organic farming became more difficult. The demand for organic food grew larger than the supply. Small companies had to sell out to large companies. There weren’t enough organic materials. This made it difficult for many organic companies to stay in business. Today, many large companies have an organic line of products.

Is organic food more nutritious? This is part of the debate. Many farmers and consumers believe it is. They think agricultural chemicals cause health problems, such as cancer. Many health experts disagree. Few studies prove that organic food prevents health problems. Health experts worry more about bacteria. These can come into contact with organic and non-organic food. Doctors recommend washing produce very carefully.

Most people agree that naturally grown food tastes better. Is tastier food worth the extra money? This is a matter of opinion. Whether it is healthier or not may require more research. However, organic consumers argue it is better to be safe than sorry.

1. Which is the NOT the advantage of organic food for most people?

A．safe.

B．cheap.

C．healthy.

D．tasty.

2. What is the doctors’ suggestion?

A．Reduce the use of pesticides．	B．Wash the food very carefully．
C．Grow organic food on your own.	D．Buy large companies’ products．

3. Which of the following problems about organic food do people debate on?

A．It is more nutritious.	B．It tastes better．
C．It contains more fat．	D．It has more bacteria．

4. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A chemistry paper．	B．A restaurant menu.
C．An advertisement．	D．A health magazine.