1 . A robot with a sense of touch may one day feel “pain”, both its own physical pain and sympathy for the pain of its human companions. Such touchy-feely robots are still far off, but advances in robotic touch-sensing are bringing that possibility closer to reality.
Sensors set in soft, artificial skin that can detect both a gentle touch and a painful strike have been hooked up to a robot that can then signal emotions, Asada reported February 15 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This artificial “pain nervous system,” as Asada calls it, may be a small building block for a machine that could ultimately experience pain. Such a feeling might also allow a robot to “sympathize” with a human companion’s suffering.
Asada, an engineer at Osaka University, and his colleagues have designed touch sensors that reliably pick up a range of touches. In a robot system named Affetto, a realistic looking child’s head, these touch and pain signals can be converted to emotional facial expressions.
A touch-sensitive, soft material, as opposed to a rigid metal surface, allows richer interactions between a machine and the world, says neuroscientist Kingson Man of the University of Southern California. Artificial skin “allows the possibility of engagement in truly intelligent ways”.
Such a system, Asada says, might ultimately lead to robots that can recognize the pain of others, a valuable skill for robots designed to help care for people in need, the elderly, for instance.
But there is an important distinction between a robot that responds in a predictable way to a painful strike and a robot that’s able to compute an internal feeling accurately, says Damasio, a neuroscientist also at the University of Southern California. A robot with sensors that can detect touch and pain is “along the lines of having a robot, for example, that smiles when you talk to it,” Damasio says. ‘It’s a device for communication of the machine to a human.” While that’s an interesting development, “it’s not the same thing” as a robot designed to compute some sort of internal experience, he says.
1. What do we know about the “pain nervous system”?| A．It is named Affetto by scientists. | B．It is a set of complicated sensors. |
| C．It is able to signal different emotions. | D．It combines sensors and artificial skin. |
| A．Delivered. | B．Translated. | C．Attached. | D．Adapted. |
| A．Robots can smile when talked to. |
| B．Robots can talk to human beings. |
| C．Robots can compute internal feelings |
| D．Robots can detect pains and respond accordingly. |
| A．Machines Become Emotional | B．Robots Inch to Feeling Pain |
| C．Human Feelings Can Be Felt | D．New Devices Touch Your Heart |
2 . Space exploration has always been the province of
In 1961, when President Kennedy declared that America would send a man to the moon by the
When the dust settled, the space dreamers lost out. There was no grand follow-up to the Apollo missions. The technologically compromised space shuttle program has just come to an end, with no
But human ingenuity struggles on. NASA is developing a series of robotic probes that will get the most bang from a buck. They will serve as modern Magellans,
The space dreamers end up benefiting all of us—not just because of the way they expand human knowledge, or because of the spin-off
| A．dreamers | B．explorers | C．astronomers | D．novelists |
| A．after | B．before | C．until | D．while |
| A．year | B．quarter | C．century | D．decade |
| A．inspiring | B．public | C．dream | D．freedom |
| A．attacked | B．industrialized | C．transformed | D．accessed |
| A．in conflict with | B．in line with | C．in common with | D．keeping pace with |
| A．aims | B．influences | C．concerns | D．terms |
| A．ancestor | B．successor | C．forefather | D．advocate |
| A．situations | B．securities | C．funds | D．schedules |
| A．just like | B．on condition that | C．as if | D．so that |
| A．making | B．figuring | C．sweeping | D．mapping |
| A．reach | B．management | C．control | D．knowledge |
| A．productions | B．chips | C．technologies | D．substitutes |
| A．go beyond | B．go through | C．go after | D．go over |
| A．in ignorance of | B．capable of | C．proud of | D．in favor of |
1. What will happen in 2022?
| A．The first space hotel will open. |
| B．A new space lab will be built. |
| C．Astronauts will live in the space hotel. |
| A．Two. | B．Four. | C．Six. |
| A．Cook food. | B．Watch movies. | C．Have a video chat. |
| A．Expensive. | B．Dangerous. | C．Relaxing. |
4 . The sea could be the food bowl of the future. In Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, seaweed, which is rich in fibre and omega 3, is grown and harvested.
Pia Winberg is a marine scientist who runs Australia's first food-grade fanned seaweed company. Her crop is grown alongside mussels (贻贝)and is used as an additive in pasta (意大利面)and other products.
Seaweed is also raised in large tanks, where it absorbs carbon dioxide waste from a wheat processing factory. The business is small, but could help to reduce the ecological footprint of traditional farming.
“We used ten percent of seaweed instead of wheat in breads and pastas, we've eliminated a million hectares of land, we've eliminated all of the carbon dioxide emissions associated with that, and we've also reduced the pressures on very precious fresh water.” said Pia Winberg.
Spiny sea urchins (多刺海胆虫)are another blue economy resource. They can destroy marine habitats, but a recent competition for environmental start-ups in Australia, saw them not as a pest but a delicacy (美味).
Martina Doblin, CEO of Sydney Institute of Marine Science, said, “By 2050 we will have some ten billion people on the planet, and about half the food they eat will come from the ocean. So, we really do need to pay attention to the way that we manage the blue economy-generating wealth from the ocean but in a sustainable (可持续的)way.”
Farming at sea has its challenges. Infrastructure (基础设施)has to be sound, as do supply chains and biosecurity. But get these things right, and the ocean might just be the next great economic frontier.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the main topic. |
| B．To describe a new kind of seaweed. |
| C．Tell how important the food safety is. |
| D．To explain the meaning of blue economy. |
| A．Ocean exploration has made little progress so far. |
| B．More and more people will die of hunger in the future. |
| C．More work is needed for a better use of the natural resources. |
| D．Sea farming will be a good way to solve the coming world food problem. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Tolerant. | D．Negative. |
| A．How to Protect the Marine Animals |
| B．Measures to Develop Blue Economy |
| C．Farming the Sea for the Future of Food |
| D．Traditional Farming is Gradually Disappearing |
5 . In the 1960s and 1970s, the greatest fear was that the human race, and possibly all advanced life forms on the planet, could be wiped out by nuclear missiles. Today, however, environmental problems have taken over as the greatest risk to life on Earth. Scientists are thinking of ways to lower this risk, such as replacing coal and oil with forms of renewable energy. But they are also preparing for the worst: what can we do if the terrifying scenes in films such as The Day After Tomorrow happen in real life? What is our plan B for Earth?
One option is to explore other planets to see if we could live on them. The most likely choice is Mars, which is relatively close to Earth and has an environment less hostile than that of other planets. Mars has fascinated people since ancient times, and today our interest in Martian exploration is greater than ever before. Besides, more governments are making efforts to educate the public on the Red Planet.
There is no doubt that humankind is drawn towards Mars. However, sending people there will require all the skill, courage and intelligence. While the Moon can be reached within days, it would take months to reach Mars, travelling through dangerous solar radiation. And even if the first settlers do reach Mars safely, they may not be able to return to Earth — ever. Staying alive will be a daily challenge, but as proved by the Biosphere 2 experiment, not impossible. As early as the 1980s, scientists were building Biosphere 2 in the Arizona desert, consisting of a closed space in which people, animals and plants could live together. Although the two-year experiment was not a success, it did provide us with a better understanding of how humans might be able to live on another planet.
For now, human settlement of Mars is still decades away. Until we are finally able to live on another planet, we need to take much better care of our own. Right now, it's the only one we have!
1. What was the biggest threat to humans in the 1960s and 1970s?| A．Human race themselves. | B．All advanced life forms. |
| C．Nuclear missiles. | D．Environmental problems. |
| A．It's closest to the earth. |
| B．It has relatively appropriate living conditions. |
| C．It has drawn the public's attention in recent years. |
| D．It has a more hostile environment. |
| A．Humans have visited Mars. |
| B．The Biosphere 2 experiment proved to be valueless. |
| C．Humans will have to go and live on another planet. |
| D．Our Plan A includes developing renewable energy resources. |
| A．The Traveler. | B．Environmental Concerns. |
| C．All About Space. | D．Biology for Fun, |
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
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7 . After astronaut Rusty Schweickart looked down at the Earth from space for the first time, he described a sense of awe that has become common to almost every space traveler since. “You realize that on that little blue and white thing there is everything that means anything to you, all history and music and poetry and art and death and birth and love, all of it on that little spot out there you can cover with your thumb.” No matter what country you’re from, you return from space with a feeling that our home is tiny, fragile, and something we need to protect.
Anyone who reads the new book Growth by one of my favorite thinkers will come with similar urgency. The author, Czech-Canadian profe Vaclav Smil, approaches things from a scientist’s point of view, but he reaches the same conclusion: The Earth is fragile and “before it is too late, we should launch the most fundamental task of making any future growth consistent with the long-term preservation of our planet.”
Before I get into how Smil came to this conclusion, I should warn you. Although Growth is a brilliant combination of everything we can learn from patterns of growth in the natural and human-made world, it’s not for everyone. Long sections read like a textbook or an engineering guidebook. And it has 99 pages of references!
The book covers everything from agriculture to steel production to smartphone use. Smil’s goal is to show that no matter what field you’re talking about, eventually you hit growth limits. As Smil writes, “My aim is to explain varieties of growth in evolutionary and historical perspectives and to appreciate both the accomplishments and the limits of growth in modern ivilization…”
I don’t agree with all of his analysis. In particular, I'm more optimistic than he is about the degree to which today’s renewable energy technologies carl be used, and the pace at which scientists and engineers will develop new clean sources. In my view, Smil underestimates our accelerating ability to model the physical world using digital technologies equipped with artificial intelligence.
But I've always felt that Smil’s great strength isn’t predicting the future, but documenting the past. There’s great value in that—you can’t see what’s coming next if you don’t understand what’s come before. Nobody sees the big picture with as wide an aperture(光圈孔径) as Vaclav Smil.
1. What does the underlined phrase “similar urgency” refer to in paragraph 2?| A．To protect our home is difficult. |
| B．It’s too late to protect the Earth. |
| C．The Earth means everything to us. |
| D．We need to protect the fragile Earth. |
| A．Causal. | B．Academic. |
| C．Humorous. | D．Straightforward. |
| A．Anxious. | B．Objective. |
| C．Optimistic. | D．Pessimistic. |
| A．Smil intends to document the history. |
| B．Smil sees the world from a great angle. |
| C．Smil shows great concern for the future. |
| D．Smil describes a promising future for us. |
8 . More than a decade ago, I wrote a letter to myself—A Letter to My Future Self.
Dear Sherri,
When
Right now, I hope that you have
If everything goes
Live long, be happy and
Love Sherri “18”
After reading it, I find it
| A．Therefore | B．Besides | C．Otherwise | D．Afterwards |
| A．ruined | B．found | C．wrote | D．delivered |
| A．how | B．when | C．what | D．why |
| A．writing | B．reading | C．sending | D．tapping |
| A．dreams | B．problems | C．aims | D．upsets |
| A．admired | B．track | C．spend | D．cheat |
| A．travelled | B．gone | C．returned | D．moved |
| A．anywhere | B．everywhere | C．nowhere | D．somewhere |
| A．biology | B．art | C．history | D．science |
| A．obviously | B．immediately | C．probably | D．actually |
| A．because of | B．according to | C．due to | D．as a result of |
| A．boys | B．daughters | C．pets | D．children |
| A．at | B．in | C．with | D．or |
| A．work | B．help | C．quit | D．matter |
| A．sadness | B．loneliness | C．happiness | D．fondness |
| A．save | B．welcome | C．enjoy | D．discover |
| A．amusing | B．fascinating | C．disappointing | D．frightening |
| A．ever | B．never | C．even | D．often |
| A．attend | B．help | C．invite | D．follow |
| A．plan | B．lesson | C．schedule | D．experience |
9 . Farms of the Future
Skyscrapers(摩天大楼) are the ultimate symbol of urban life. By 2050, almost 80 percent of the earth’s population could live in cities. The human population could increase to 9.1 billion people yet the amount of land available for farming will be the same.
Vertical farms, where farmers could grow crops in environmentally friendly skyscrapers, could be the solution. In spite of concerns over high costs, experts want to make these urban farms a reality and use these skyscrapers to grow crops.
Vertical farms would have many advantages, experts say. The food would be grown with minimal effects on the environment. Unlike traditional farming, vertical farming would not force animals out of their habitats by taking over large areas of land, nor would it pollute the air with the use of heavy farming equipment.
Growing prosperity has led to many people demanding that all foods are available all year round. Indoor farming could produce crops constantly and crops would not suffer from weather-related problems like drought or flooding. In addition, the use of agricultural chemicals for controlling insects would be minimal.
Experts agree that the new farming practices are needed to support the planet’s need for more and more food at affordable costs, both to the farmer and to the consumer. Vertical farms may be a small-scale answer, but the best ideas could be yet to come.
| A．Still, there are some people who are critical of vertical farms. |
| B．That is where vertical farms are often needed for year-round crops. |
| C．So how to meet the increasing food needs of our planet could be a big problem. |
| D．For these reasons, natural light cannot be a workable solution for vertical farms. |
| E．Vertically grown food is grown in environmentally controlled conditions in big cities. |
| F．Those farms would also reduce the cost and negative effects of transporting food over distances. |
| G．They believe that we can increase the food production by changing our thinking from out to up. |
10 . Fabien Cousteau is the grandson of Jacques Cousteau, an ocean scientist who brought the wonders of the sea to the attention of people around the world. Jacques Cousteau helped invent the Aqua-Lung(水肺) , now used by divers everywhere. Fabien Cousteau has followed a similar path,exploring the sea as a scientist and working to protect the oceans.
Oceans cover more than 70% of our planet. NOAA says we have created maps of less than 20% of the world's oceans, and only 5% have been explored. Space seems to have gotten much more attention , even though it's farther away. The International Space Station( ISS) has been around for more than 20 years , and more people have gone to the moon than have gone to the deepest point in the ocean.
"The ocean is our life support system. It is the very reason why we exist in the first place,'Fabien says.
But though the ocean is all around us , studying it is a challenge. Divers are limited in how far down they can go and how long they can stay below. Returning to the surface can be dangerous. Fabien has announced a plan to build a large research station under the ocean named Proteus,which is designed to deal with many of those problems. The power for the station is expected to come from solar energy and the movement of the ocean. Fabien says that the research base won't just be used to study and help protect the sea, but also to research new ways of creating energy , and perhaps even searching for new medicines. Proteus is also expected to have the first under water greenhouse in the world , so that the lab will be able to grow some of its own food.
Like the ISS , Proteus is designed so that it can grow in the future , as scientists decide to add new sections or equipment to the station. Fabien hopes to have the lab completed and ready to use by 2023.
1. What do we know about Fabien Cousteau?| A．He's doing what Jacques once did. |
| B．He took part in the work in the ISS. |
| C．He built an undersea laboratory. |
| D．He helped invent the Aqua-Lung. |
| A．To show the world's oceans are vast. |
| B．To prove oceans and space are vital. |
| C．To advise people to protect oceans. |
| D．To tell why oceans need exploring. |
| A．Environment-friendly. | B．Water-saving. |
| C．Expensive. | D．Risky. |
| A．Fabien's Ocean Research Achievements |
| B．Proteus: Research Lab Growing Gradually |
| C．Proteus : Plan for Underwater Version of ISS |
| D．Fabien's Dream about Promoting his Station |
