If you live in Washington, D. C., or Redwood, Calif., you may have glimpsed a small, boxy robot rolling along a local sidewalk, minding its own business, but attracting the attention of many a curious onlooker.
The robots, which look like electric rice cookers with wheels, were part of a pilot program last year by Starship Technologies focused on delivering meals from local restaurants in dozens of cities around the world.
This week, the company revealed plans to broaden it’s delivery service beyond food to include packages, a move that made it “the world’s first robot package delivery service”. The package delivery service is only available in some cities in the US.
The wheeled robots have a top speed of 4 mph and and can detect barriers from as far as 30 feet away. “The robot can operate through just about anything,” says Nick Handrick, head of operations for Starship’s D. C. office, “If you have something in the way, it’s able to climb it.” By giving customers control of when deliveries occur, Starship Technologies is promoting its service as a way to combat package theft.
To sign up for the service, which costs a little more than $10 per month, customers need to download the company’s app. Customers then create a “Starship Delivery Address,” a unique address inside a Starship facility, instead of a home address, where they can have packages sent from places such as Amazon. com.
Once a package is delivered to the Starship address, customers receive a text notice that allows them to schedule a home delivery via robot. The robots are opened by customers with a mobile phone code (代码).
1.What do we know about Starship Technologies company?
A. Packages are delivered by its robots all round America.
B. Its robots have taken on package delivery for a long time.
C. It is the first to provide robot package delivery service.
D. Its delivery service is the best of all in the world.
2.What does the underlined word “combat” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Delay. B. Prevent.
C. Report. D. Discover.
3.What can we learn about robot package delivery service?
A. Customers can’t open the robots without a mobile phone code.
B. Starship Delivery Address is the customer’s home address.
C. Customers have to pay a little more than $10 each time.
D. Robots themselves have control over when to deliver packages.
4.What may be the best title for the passage?
A. Robot Delivery Service Is Taking Off
B. Humans Are Being Replaced by Robots
C. Everything Can Be Done by Robots
D. Packages Can Be Delivered by Robots
According to the International Ecotourism Society, eco-travel is “responsible travel to natural areas that protects the environment, maintains the well-beings and involves education”. Eco-travel is on the rise, as more and more people become conscious about their carbon footprint.
Expert from Boundless Journeys, Matt Holmes, who works-on travel experiences towards conserving areas said, “As scientists and non-scientists learn more about how we human beings are impacting the planet, I think. more people want to do what they can while still exploring the world. Our guests are definitely interested in that aspect of our journeys. Travelers can farm their own food in Italy, managing their use of water and using solar or wind power. They can also visit n family-run camp that cares for retired logging elephants in Myanmar, know a park entry fee goes to a conservation organization in Costa Rica, employ and train members of the local community or partner with a protection group. There are lots of options for seeking out greener holiday.”
Most people believe that eco-travel is expensive and it is true. Matt explained “Anti-poaching patrols (巡逻) need to be paid, solar energy equipment costs a lot to install, building with environmentally friendly, materials is more expensive and so on. The extra cost is necessary, as you re paying to minimize your footprint and protect the places you visit, which is exactly what eco-travel is about. The financial success and sustainability (可持续性) of an eco- focused operation doesn’t come from thin air.” The industry is trying to make eco-travel affordable and make it accessible to the common people.
1.What is the positive influence of eco-friendly travel?
A. It enables travelers to protect the environment while traveling
B. It keeps human beings healthy and happy in a friendly atmosphere.
C. It teaches us to be responsible for the development of economy.
D. It offers some valuable education about the knowledge of gardening.
2.According to Matt Holmes, travelers will be interested in ________.
A. eating delicious food in Italy B. visiting elephants in the zoo
C. working together with a protection group D. raising park entry fee in Costa Rica
3.What will probably be talked about in the next paragraph of the passage?
A. Why eco-travel is expensive.
B. How we can make eco-travel less expensive.
C. What material are used in eco-travel.
D. Where we can go for eco-travel.
Five of the Best Theatre Shows
War Horse
It is possibly the National’s biggest hit, having played in 11 countries to more than seven million people. Now, Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris’s production returns to the venue 11 years after its first show. A Christmas treat.
National Theatre, November 8 to January 5
Christmas Spectacular
The small Norfolk town of Fakenham receives around 110, 000 visitors annually for this seasonal institution, which has been running for 42 years. Even the royal family have come to the show.
Thursford Collection, November 6 to December 23
Company
The trend for gender-change roles continues with Stephen Sondheim’s 1970 musical, in which the hero Bobby—turning 35 and at an emotional crossroads—becomes the female Bobbie. It works. In the updated Company, the plot remains the same and there’s funny acting from Rosalie Craig in the lead. Marianne Elliott directs with her habitual imagination.
Gielgud Theatre, November 7 to March 30
Macbeth
There have been a couple of versions of the Scottish Play this year. The Globe hopes for a better opening for its winter season. The rest of the season includes Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus with Pauline Melynn as Mephistopheles, and Richard Ⅱ with a cast of women of colour.
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, November 7 to February 2
Troilus and Cressida
To present Polonius in Hamlet, the production of this “problem” play is comical-historical in new RSC (英国皇家莎士比亚剧团) staging. There is even the first deaf actor in a mainstream RSC role, Charlotte Arrowsmith, signing her lines as Cassandra.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, November 8 to November 17
1.The following shows can be watched on Christmas Day EXCEPT ________.
A. War Horse B. Christmas Spectacular
C. Company D. Macbeth
2.What can we learn about Company?
A. The hero Bobby becomes a lady in the musical.
B. Bobby falls in love with Bobbie in the story.
C. In 1970, Stephen Sondheim wrote a novel called Company.
D. Marianne Elliott stars in Company and her acting is interesting.
3.Where is Richard Ⅱ on during this winter season?
A. Royal Shakespeare Theatre. B. Gielgud Theatre.
C. Thursford Collection. D. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
4.Which role does the first deaf actor play in RSC?
A. Polonius. B. Charlotte.
C. Cassandra. D. Hamlet.
假设你是李华，你的朋友Mike写信告诉你他在中国北京做交换生，不适应中国的高中生活，学习压力(pressure)很大。请你给他回信并提供一些减压的建议。
内容要点:
1)了解导致压力的原因；
2)设定一个适合自己的目标；
3)学会放松。
注意:1)词数:100词左右
2)信的开头已写好，不计入总词数。
Dear Mike,
I have received your letter saying that…
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
假如英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏词符号∧，并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线＼划掉。
修改:在错词下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1、每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2、只允许修改10处，多者从第11处不计。
My favorite Japanese story “Natsume’s Book of Friends” opens exact in China at Thursday. The story of “Natsume’s Book of Friends” seems describe the daily life of Natsume and his cat teacher, but their relationship is filled with warmth and touched moments. The film received a lot of attentions before its release, as to the story has built a fan base in China over a decade. The promo song is sung by popular Chinese star Wang Yuan, belonged to the popular teen group TFBoys. The Chinese title of a song is translated as “As long as there is people you want to see, you are not alone.”, that conveys the theme of “loneliness and companionship, reunion and farewell.”
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
When I was young, I was not popular 1. my classmates. If you’d asked me, I would have told you I was against bullying(霸凌).
But one day, I was in the classroom, 2.(chat) with my friend Lizzie, when Kristina walked up to me. She was one of the bullies so I prepared 3.(me) for more insults(羞辱). I looked at her, feeling 4.(terrify). But she said that she was sorry for what she 5.(do) to me.
I accepted her apology. Later, we became friends, laughing at people, 6. even pushing them. People were noticing me in 7. way they never had before.
Then one day, Lizzie came up to me and shouted, “you’ve become a bully!” That night I was 8.(wake) thinking for a long time. The next day at school, I apologized to Lizzie and told her I would never hurt her 9.(feel) like that again.
10. took a while to earn back her trust, but eventually we got back to normal.
