1 . The next generation of robots will be able to see objects, will have a sense of touch, and will make critical decisions.
Engineering skilled and computer technology are developing artificial vision for robots. With the ability to “see”, robots can identify and inspect one specific class of objects out of a pile of different kinds of materials. One robot vision system uses of electronic digital cameras containing many rows of lights sensitive materials measure the intensity of light and convert the light rays into a range of numbers. The numbers are part of a gray-scale system in which brightness is measured in a range of values. One scale ranges from 0 to 15, and another from 0 to 255. The 0 is represented by black. The highest number is white. The numbers in between represent different shades of gray. The computer then makes the calculations and converts the numbers into a picture that shows an image of the object in question. It is not yet known whether robots will one day have vision as good as human vision. Technicians believe they will, but only after years of development.
Engineers working on other advances are designing and experimenting with new types of articulated (有关节的) metal hands and fingers, giving robots a sense of touch. Other engineers are writing new programs allowing robots to make decisions such as whether to abandon defective parts in finished products. To do this, the robot will also have to be capable of identifying those perfect and defective parts.
These future robots, assembled (装配，组合) with a sense of touch and the ability to see and make decisions, will have plenty of work to do. They can be used to prospect for minerals on the ocean floor or in deep areas of mines too dangerous for humans to enter.
They will work as gas station attendants, firefighters, house-keepers, and security personnel. The robot business will continue to grow also. Financial analysts believe this business will soar from a $ 100 million-industry at the start of the 1980s to a $5-billion industry by the early 2010s. Anyone wanting to understand the industry of the future will have to know about robots.
1. Why is it so important for robots to be able to “see”?| A．Because they can criticize human factory personnel. |
| B．Because they can make critical decisions. |
| C．Because they can work as human beings. |
| D．Because they have a strong desire. |
| A．Because robot-business will grow rapidly. |
| B．Because robots will be very useful. |
| C．Because robots will become very popular in industry. |
| D．For they can make a lot of money. |
| A．Having a noticeable or desire effect. |
| B．Unquestionable and undoubted. |
| C．Imperfect, having serious errors. |
| D．Not enough in quantity. |
| A．Future Robots Will Have Plenty of Work to Do. |
| B．Future Robots Will See, Touch, and Think. |
| C．Engineers Care Designing New Types of Robots. |
| D．Future Robots Will Have Visions as Good Human Vision. |
How is everything going? I have been in Leeds for more than 3 months. I miss you all so much during this time, especially at this turning of the year. I still remember the Christmas and New Year party we had together last year. It is a pity that I cannot celebrate this great festival with you this year, but I hope I can share my happiness with you through this letter.
After I entered in the British University, I realized that the foundation course I have taken is extremely important and helpful. Actually, most of the content of my present module has already been covered by IFY. Therefore, it is not difficult to follow the lectures and tutorials. Compared to the other Chinese students who took the foundation course in Britain, we are in a better stage in terms of both academic English and the knowledge of re levant subjects. More importantly, the IFY course has fully prepared us for the new style of study here. I would like to thank Juliet, Paul, Net, Scott and Chris with all my heart, because without your help, I wouldn’t be able to cope with the study in Britain.
I would also like to thank Cynthia, Sophia, Cathy and all the other staff in Qingdao ACE Programme. Thanks for your help in the last year, and thanks for your advice on my choice of university. It is you who make studying abroad possible for me.
The last one year’s study in IFY course was one of my most pleasant memories. While coping with the challenges of life in Britain, I always think back to the time when I was with you. I cannot forget every lectures and tutorials, and I cannot forget the times that we played together. You are not only my teachers, but also my good friends . I will miss you all. Hope I can see you when I go back to Chin a in summer.
Wish you every success in your life and keep good mood every day!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Phoebe
1. This letter was written by ________.| A．a Chinese student now in China |
| B．a Chinese student now in Britain |
| C．a Britain student now in China |
| D．a Britain student in Britain |
| A．a course opened in British universities |
| B．a course opened only in summer |
| C．a foundation course taken before going to British universities |
| D．a foundation course taken while in British universities |
| A．start with | B．deal with | C．go on with | D．go with |
| A．happy | B．thankful | C．sorry | D．respectful |
3 . For the first 19 months of her life, Helen Keller was like other pretty happy babies in every way. Then in 1882, a sudden illness destroyed her sight and hearing. Because she could not hear what other people were saying, the child could not learn to speak. For the following 5 years, she lived in a world of darkness, without sounds or words and her parents could do nothing but let her be.
The person who changed Helen’s world was her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who entered her life. Miss Sullivan had accepted a job, which seemed impossible. She had agreed to teach a blind child who had never learned to act like a human being, because no one had ever been able to guide her in any way. No one could control Helen. She acted like a young animal, rushing wildly around, throwing things, and hitting anyone whom she could reach. Who could believe that such a child could be taught?
But Anne Sullivan was a very special kind of teacher. She had been blind during part of her own childhood and had learned to read Braille, a system of writing that uses raised dots which can be felt by the finger of a blind person. She had learned to see again after several operations, but she had never forgotten the experience of being blind.
Miss Sullivan understood Helen. She loved her and believed she could teach her.
Anne Sullivan could not teach Helen Keller to speak until some other important things had been learned. The little girl had to learn to control her actions and feelings. She had to learn that she could not always do what she wished to do. She had always been able to get what she wished by using force. The teacher had to change such habits without breaking the child’s spirit.
Miss Sullivan’s battle began. Sometimes, there was real fighting between the wild child and the strong young teacher. At last, however, the battle was won by Miss Sullivan, who had succeeded in showing Helen that she loved her and wanted to help her. The child and her teacher became friends. They continued to be friends until the teacher’s death, 50 years later.
The day on which Helen finally accepted Miss Sullivan as her friend and teacher was a great day in Helen’s life. After that the teacher could begin to teach the child language.
1. Helen became blind and deaf after ________.| A．an unexpected accident | B．a football match |
| C．a sudden disease | D．fighting with her teacher |
| A．1917 | B．1932 | C．1937 | D．1939 |
| A．to pronounce a few words | B．to control herself properly |
| C．to copy some letters | D．to make different sounds |
| A．Sullivan learned the Braille when she was blind as a child. |
| B．Blind as Sullivan was, he accepted the challenge to teach Helen. |
| C．At first Sullivan and Helen often fought each other. |
| D．Sullivan died when she was fifty years old. |
4 . To Their Own Beat
When Los Lobos perform in concert today, audiences in the thousands cheer them on. It’s hard to believe that the group started out as just another garage band playing popular rock-and-roll tunes from the radio, In 1974 four high school friends from East Los Angeles formed Los Lobos ( Spanish for “The Wolves” ) .
Like many garage bands, these friends might have simply gone their separate ways after high school. But the members of Los Lobos wanted to keep making music together. They decided to change their musical style and began focusing on traditional Mexican music that showed their tradition.
“We pulled out all those records we used to beg our parents not to play around our friends and found an incredible wealth of music,” says Perez. “These guys (on the records) were doing amazing things with their instruments, and we started trying to pick up on it. ”
The group put aside its electric guitars for the acoustic ones used in traditional Mexican music. For several years Los Lobos played at weddings or parties—any event that needed live music. They also landed a regular engagement (合同) at a Mexican restaurant.
By 1978 Los Lobos had made enough money to record their first album (唱片) , and they sold copies of it wherever they performed. They also returned to their electric guitars to get closer to a Tex-Mex sound, which is a mixture of traditional Mexican music, rock and roll, country music, and the blues. This new, louder sound produced one unexpected result: the group was fired from the restaurant.
But it didn’t matter that Los Lobos had lost their one steady job, because they had found a position that no other group took up. They had combined electric and acoustic instruments and blended (混合) musical styles in their own way. Steve Berlin joined the band in 1983 as the saxophone and keyboard player, adding to the band’s unusual sound.
“We didn’t so much want to recycle the music we’d grown up with as much as find the common links between it and all the other styles and sounds that were all around us,” Perez explains. “It became a mission ... bringing music together to bring people together. ”
In the 1980s Los Lobos gained the attention of several record companies. They were hired to perform on the soundtrack to the film La Bamba, which earned them a Golden Eagle Award. They have since earned many awards, including two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award. Their many records have been very successful, and they have toured the world.
Even after 30 years of making music together, Los Lobos continues to experiment with their sound. They never moved far away from their Mexican roots, however. They still include traditional music in their live performances, sharing their history—and their culture—with their fans.
1. Los Lobos recorded their first album after they_______.| A．lost their job at a restaurant |
| B．began playing acoustic guitars |
| C．won an award for a film soundtrack |
| D．added saxophone and keyboards to their sound |
| A．Paragraph 1. | B．Paragraph 4. | C．Paragraph 6. | D．Paragraph 8. |
| A．The way they recorded their first album. |
| B．Their blending of different types of music. |
| C．Their decision to play traditional Mexican music. |
| D．The fact that they performed and toured the world. |
| A．Music is best when played with traditional instruments. |
| B．Music must be recorded to be passed down. |
| C．Music should remain the same over time. |
| D．Music can show many cultures. |
5 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make
Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.
·Doing too much too soon
One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine
·
Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.
·Not wearing the right equipment
•Running through pain
| A．Not taking rest days |
| B．If you’re just starting out |
| C．Comparing yourself to others |
| D．Running can be uncomfortable at times |
| E．It’s important not to use the same muscles |
| F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running |
| G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week |
6 . Joseph Frederick Engelberger, the father of robotics, was born on July 26, 1925, in Brooklyn. He received his B. S. in physics in 1946, and M. S. in Electric Engineering in 1949 from Columbia University. He worked as an engineer with Manning, Maxwell and Moore, and then he met George Devol at a party in 1956, two years after Devol had designed and patented an industrial robotic arm. However, Manning, Maxwell and Moore was sold and Engelberger’s division was closed that year.
Finding himself jobless but with a business partner and an idea, Engelberger co-founded Unimation with Devol, creating the world’s first robotics company. And the introduction of robotics to the manufacturing process effectively transformed the automotive industry. Over the next two decades, the Japanese took the lead by investing heavily in robots to replace people performing certain tasks. In Japan, Engelberger was widely described as a key player in the post-war ascendancy (支配地位，优势) of Japanese manufacturing quality and efficiency.
After observing the help his aging parents needed, Engelberger saw the robotics automation could be used in the medical field. In 1984, Engelberger founded Transitions Research Corporation (TRC). He introduced the HelpMate and hoped to kick-start a new industry for in-home robots, but he started in 1988 by selling his first HelpMate to Danbury Hospital. The medical robot was successful enough that the hospital ended up purchasing another, and within a decade, well over 100 hospitals worldwide operated HelpMates.
After Engelberger was awarded the Japan Prize in 1997, Senator Joseph Lieberman delivered a speech in the U. S. Senate in praise and recognition of the inventor, calling the HelpMate an example that shows the federal investment in science and technology for patients can lead to new products that employ Americans and make for a better quality of life.
Engelberger liked working. So even after he got into his 80s, he remained active in the promotion and development of robots for use in elder care. He died on December 1, 2015, in Newtown, a little more than four months after celebrating his 90th birthday.
1. Which statement about Engelberger may the author agree with?| A．He was most popular among the Japanese. |
| B．He finished his higher education in his twenties. |
| C．He had great admiration for Devol as an inventor. |
| D．He and Devol invented the first robotic arm together. |
| A．His desire to gain wide acceptance. |
| B．The success of founding Unimation. |
| C．The challenge from other companies. |
| D．His parents’ demanding aid from others. |
| A．Concerned. | B．Doubtful. | C．Positive. | D．Opposed. |
| A．The home of robots — Unimation |
| B．The father of robotics — Engelberger |
| C．The strong personality Engelberger had |
| D．The great contribution Engelberger made to medicine |
7 . Following in the footsteps of Morgan Spurlock, who ate only McDonald’s food for one month in the film Super Size Me, an Australian man has undergone a sugar-heavy diet for 60 days to explore sugar’s effect on his health.
Within three weeks, the formerly healthy Gameau became moody and sluggish (迟钝的). A doctor gave him the shocking diagnosis: He was beginning to develop fatty liver disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, the most severe outcome for fatty liver disease is liver failure.
Gameau reportedly consumed 40 teaspoons of sugar per day, or slightly more than the average teenager worldwide. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the average American consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar daily. The AHA’s daily recommendations for sugar consumption are 6 teaspoons for women and 9 teaspoons for men.
Doctors called Gameau’s mental functioning “unstable”, and the father-to-be reportedly put on nearly four inches of visceral (内脏的) fat around his waist. He was on the fast track to obesity. Gameau said his diet left him feeling hungry, no matter how much he ate. His final meal, which consisted of a juice, a jam sandwich, a bar, and a handful of other snacks, is similar to an ordinary child’s school lunchbox. Gameau wrote on his blog. “The last meal is for all the people out there, especially parents, who are led to believe they are doing the right and healthy thing for their children. They are making an effort, yet they are horribly cheated by the lack of integrity in marketing and packaging strategies.”
Gameau told News.com.au that the experiment’s findings don’t suggest a need to completely cut sugar, but rather a need for more awareness about how much sugar has been added to healthy food.
1. What can we learn about Gameau from Paragraph 2?| A．He became mentally unstable after trying the diet. |
| B．He had complicated personality before he tried the diet. |
| C．He developed liver failure in the end because of the diet. |
| D．He knew the harm of the diet well at the very beginning. |
| A．Men usually consume more sugar than women. |
| B．Teenagers worldwide consume too much sugar. |
| C．Americans consume the most sugar in the world. |
| D．Adults should consume more sugar than teenagers do. |
| A．school children often feel hungry at school |
| B．parents know very well what their children need to eat |
| C．schools attach great importance to children’s diet |
| D．school children aren’t eating healthily at school |
| A．Observation. | B．Trust. | C．Honesty. | D．Patience. |
8 . Produced by Hunan Satellite TV, Where Are We Going, Dad? invites five male celebrities from different fields and their children to spend quality time together in new environments while accomplishing various survival tasks.
Since it first aired in January, 2013, Where Are We Going, Dad? has been sweeping the whole nation and has become Chinas most popular show averaging more than 600 million viewers each week and 640 million downloads online. Even the China Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese government praised its success, “The deep affection on display in the show is heart-warming. But what accounts for the show’s popularity?
Part of the appeal is the chance to peek into the lives of popular Chinese celebrities and their children. Audiences are delighted to watch the failed attempts of celebrity dads making dinner, combing hair, and disciplining children. At the same time, the cute kids themselves and their authentic and entertaining behaviors are very impressive and attractive.
“Another reason for the success of the show lies in the fact that it is a reexamination of the father’s role in traditional Chinese culture,” said the general director of the show. In a society. Still influenced by the concept that “men rule outside and women inside”, many Chinese fathers are poor at expressing their feelings toward their children. Usually they appear strict and distant. But on the show, we see fathers are much gentler on their kids and more involved in their upbringing. This show raises an important question for modern Chinese society — what is the role of fathers in today’s China?
A fascinating part of the show is that you can see many parenting styles. The five fathers on the show all have very diverse parenting styles, which is great because it shows people there isn’t just one way to raise a child. But Chinese parents increasingly realize that discussing and respecting their children’s choices may be a more appropriate way to prepare them for modern society. Meanwhile, the show can remind adults of their own childhood and the love of father. For those parents, they will rethink their own responsibility as parents and understand their kids better.
1. The chief function of the underlined sentence (in Paragraph 2) is ________.| A．to sum up the main idea of the paragraph |
| B．to introduce a new topic |
| C．to arouse reader’s interest |
| D．to express strong feelings |
| A．Traditionally children are not to be brought up by mothers alone in China. |
| B．Modern Chinese fathers wonder how to treat their children. |
| C．The role of fathers is changing in China. |
| D．More and more mothers go out to work. |
| A．People are curious about the celebrities’ life and their kids. |
| B．The show makes people reconsider father’s role in today’s China. |
| C．The show displays various parenting styles. |
| D．The audience think highly of the celebrities parenting styles on the show. |
| A．Why Is Where Are We Going, Dad? So Popular? |
| B．The Celebrities in Where Are We Going, Dad. |
| C．What Is the Role of Fathers in Today’s China? |
| D．Various Parenting Styles in China |
9 . University degrees represent a significant financial investment. So, from the very beginning we encourage you to take a long-term review and to think about what you want to do after you graduate. That way, you can construct the most appropriate combination of courses in order to acquire the required knowledge and skills.
Over 70% of our graduate students attain a graduate level position six months after graduating.
What guidance will I receive?
Together with Career Services, we will help you
● find out about the career opportunities available
● choose the most suitable options for you
● make effective job applications
● plan and manage your future career.
What skills will I learn ?
Employers will be looking for highly skilled recruits. A language study course does not just teach you facts, but also a range of skills, for example:
● the practical skills of carefully listening to and transcribing(转录) languages
● the analytical skills of describing and comparing languages or styles of languages
● the intellectual skills of examining and evaluating theories
● various changing skills
Our graduates are well prepared for careers which use these skills and others based on them, such as problem-solving, critical evaluation of evidence, attention to detail.
Lancaster Award
Achieve the Landscape Award, a certificate developed in partnership with employers to help you make the most of your time at Lancaster and to demonstrate the skills you have developed along the way. The Lancaster Award will help you stand out from the crowd and improve your future employment prospects.
What do students go on to do with a degree from our department?
Here are some typical areas that will be of interest to you once you’ve taken a degree from our department:
● Education: teaching in schools, colleges and universities in Britain, and teaching English as a foreign language abroad
● Journalism and media, public relations
● Publishing
● Management
● Higher degrees and research
1. What is the purpose of the Careers Service?| A．To introduce their career courses and level positions. |
| B．To present a significant financial investment |
| C．To help graduates plan and manage future career. |
| D．To make readers interested in their career service |
| A．It will make the graduate earn more money later. |
| B．It will help the graduates have a brighter future in career. |
| C．It will show the graduate’s communicative skills. |
| D．It will keep your work going more easily. |
| A．High income and management. |
| B．Education and employment prospects. |
| C．Future employment prospects. |
| D．Higher degrees and research. |
10 . How to Get Teens to Establish Sleeping Habits
Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere (干预) with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these sleep tips.
1.
2. Keep electronic gadgets(设备) out of your teen’s bedroom. Have your teen leave her phone and other devices in the living room or kitchen when she goes to bed. If your teen brings her phone or tablet to bed with her, she might stay up late checking her social media pages or sending texts.
3. Set up a pre-bedtime schedule.
4. Make your teenager’s room ideal for sleep by keeping it dark and cool.
| A．After this, she will sleep soundly. |
| B．Create a sleep schedule with your teenager. |
| C．Sleeping well is very important for teenagers. |
| D．Stick to the sleep schedule, even on weekends. |
| E．Hang up curtains or blinds to block out light from the windows. |
| F．The bright light from the screen also makes it difficult for people to fall asleep. |
| G．About an hour before a teenager goes to bed, turn off the television, computer and other gadgets. |
