Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr. Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets.
“Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.”
This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don’t have to feed it, you don’t have to walk it, it won’t make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals.
It’s not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It’s the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals.
As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn’t need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said.
So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn’t have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream.
1.What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means?
A. be refused by B. be beneficial to
C. make a difference to D. receive support from
2.What are the advantages of robot pets?
a. They are plastic and feel smooth.
b. Owners needn’t worry about them when going out.
c. They can help cure allergies.
d. They save space and costs.
A. ab. B. bc. C. bd. D. cd.
3.The passage mainly tells us ______.
A. the advantages of robot toys B. the popularity of robot pets
C. living pets are dying out D. robot pets are coming
Hundreds of years ago, news was carried from place to place by people on foot or by horse. It took days, weeks and sometimes months for people to receive news. Now it is possible to send words and pictures around the world in seconds. Billions of people learn about news stories of their own country and all over the world every day, either by watching TV or reading newspapers.
Newspapers have been an important part of everyday life since the 18th century. Many countries have hundreds of different newspapers. How do newspaper editors decide which news stories to print? Why do they print some stories and not others? What makes a good newspaper story?
Firstly, it is important to report new stories. TV stations can report news much faster than newspapers. Yet, newspapers give more about the same story. They may also look at the story in another way, or they may print completely different stories to those on TV.
Secondly, a news story has to be interesting and unusual. People don’t want to read stories about everyday life. As a result, many stories are about some kind of danger and seem to be "bad" news. For example, newspapers never print stories about planes landing safely; instead they print stories about plane accidents.
Another factor is also very important in many news stories. Many people are interested in news in foreign countries, but more prefer to read stories about people, places and events in their own country. So the stories on the front page in Chinese newspapers are usually very different from the ones in British, French and American newspapers.
1.According to the passage, how do people learn about news stories in the world now?
A. They carry news stories and tell others from place to place on foot or by horse.
B. They tell each other what they have seen with their eyes.
C. They watch TV or read newspapers.
D. They listen to the radio every day.
2.The difference between newspaper stories and TV news reports is that _______.
A. people can learn more about the same news story from a newspaper
B. people can read the news story more quickly in a newspaper
C. people can read news stories in other countries
D. people can read news stories about their own country
3.According to the passage, which of the following can you most possibly watch on TV?
A. You often play football with your friends after school.
B. Your teacher has got a cold.
C. A tiger in the city zoo has run out and hasn’t been caught.
D. The bike in front of your house is lost.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How old was the person in the first case?
A. 15. B. 20. C. 40.
2.Where was the Diablo 3 player from?
A. Taiwan. B. New York. C. The UK.
3.What did the man from the UK die from?
A. Thirst. B. Heart attack. C. Blood clot.
4.What does the speaker want to tell the audience?
A. Children should never play video games.
B. Limit the time spent in front of the TV or computer.
C. Go to the hospital after sitting for too long.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What will happen if the man eats the bread right now?
A. He’ll find that the bread is quite cold.
B. The bread will taste disgusting.
C. The bread will be too soft inside.
2.Who will be coming to visit?
A. The woman’s sister. B. The man’s manager. C. The speakers’ friend.
3.How does the man seem to feel about Kay?
A. He thinks she’s a great cook.
B. He isn’t really looking forward to seeing her.
C. He’s very excited about her coming.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the woman’s complaint?
A. It’s too hot in the room. .
B. The speeches are very boring.
C. She only has crossword puzzles to keep her busy.
2.What does the man probably do?
A. A TV show host. B. A newspaper reporter. C. A worker at a charity.
3.Why shouldn’t the woman listen to her iPod?
A. It would seem impolite.
B. It would be too loud.
C. It would make her fall asleep.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Teacher and student. B. Mother and son. C. Husband and wife.
2.When does this conversation probably take place?
A. At night just before bedtime. B. In the early morning. C. In the afternoon.
3.How will the man learn about the exciting part?
A. By asking the woman to skip over the boring parts.
B. By reading the book himself.
C. By listening to the woman read the whole story.
