With self-driving vehicle technology rapidly advancing, many companies are turning to autonomous robots for the last mile of the delivery process, from the store to the customer. The latest to join the trend is e-commerce giant Amazon. Following a successful eight-month test run in Snohomish County, Washington, the company’s Scout robots have been making the rounds of Irvine, California, since August 6, 2019.
The six-wheeled Scout is about the size of a large cooler with the capacity to carry small or medium-sized packages. The battery-powered vehicle, which moves at a regular walking pace, has been programmed to stay away from pedestrians, animals, and unexpected obstacles, like garbage cans. Its powerful sensors can also detect the movement of a car backing out of a driveway.
Though Amazon hasn’t revealed how Scout ensures the delivery is picked up by the right person, it most likely requires the customer to apply a unique code, texted to them before the delivery, to unlock the cargo bay. Also unclear is the number of deliveries Scout can complete before its battery needs recharging Though the initial tests are being conducted with a human in tow, the robot will be autonomous in the future. Its location however, will be tracked at all times—if someone attempts to steal Scout, Amazon employees will be instantly alerted.
While Amazon is focusing on home deliveries, food and grocery delivery company Postmates’ bug-eyed robots are currently making their rounds along the busy San Francisco streets. Also in test-mode, the robots can carry up to 50 pounds and travel 30 miles on a single battery charge.
Though the eco-friendly robots will help free our streets of bicycles, motor bikes, and large delivery trucks that typically ferry packages, they can t climb stairs or open gates, which means they can only reach consumers living the ground level. Additionally, the robots are unable to leave packages at the front door if the customers aren’t home. whether these issues get solved remains to be seen. For now, it appears that humans will still be needed to satisfy the ever-growing demand for home and office deliveries.
1.What is the right feature of the Scout robots?
A.They can be powered themselves. B.They know to avoid obstacles ahead.
C.They can run thanks to their six wheels. D.They’re big enough to carry heavy things.
2.What about Scout is still confusing to common people?
A.How long it will take to get it fully charged.
B.Why its cargo bay can open at the right time.
C.How it recognizes the right owner of the things.
D.How many deliveries it can do on a full charge.
3.What is the author’s opinion about delivery robots according to the last paragraph?
A.They are not easily available. B.They’ll replace humans soon.
C.They have some limitations. D.They won’t be well accepted.
4.What should be the best title for the text?
A.Improvements Are Being Made To Delivery robot Technology.
B.Amazon has Planned To Put A Creative Delivery Robot Into Use.
C.Eco-friendly delivery Robots Are Springing Up Around America.
D.Amazon’s delivery Robots May Soon Be Knocking At Your Door.
A Utah man who has been in a wheelchair for more than three decades has created a pheasant hunt for people like him who need help getting into the outdoors.
Clint Robinson broke his neck after being thrown off a horse at a rodeo (竞技) 32 years ago. He’s done his best to keep getting into the outdoors to hunt and fish, the Daily Herald in Provo reports.
The event he calls “Wheelchairs in the Wild” pairs people that have physical disabilities with hunters who help them with whatever they need. Many go in off-road vehicles.
“What we’re trying to do is get new injured people back out into the field trying to get them back out, enjoying the outdoors and wildlife that’s out there and show them that there’s other things that they can do besides sitting in the house doing nothing,” Robinson said.
The youngest hunter at last year’s event was 13-year-old Missy Cowley who has spina bifida (脊柱裂). Her father loves to hunt but didn’t know how to accommodate (安排) her wheelchair. Her mother, Cindy Cowley, said it was amazing to find a program that allowed her daughter to go hunting.
“We always told her when she was little, you can do everything you want to do…but we just got to figure out a way,” Cindy Cowley said. “But we really didn’t know how we were going to get her up there to hunt.”
Missy Cowley said it was a great experience that also allowed her to meet other people who use wheelchairs. “This is wonderful. I can actually do it,” Missy said. “It was really fun. And I love being outdoors.”
Jerry Schlappi, officer from Division of Wildlife resources, who helped with the event, said Robinson is a perfect role model showing other wheelchair users with disabilities that they don’t have to give up what they love.
1.What can we know about Clint Robinson from the text?
A.He began to usea wheelchair thirty years ago.
B.He used to be interested in hunting and fishing.
C.He liked riding horses before getting disabled.
D.He is now more physically active than before.
2.What does Clint Robinson try to talk about in the fourth paragraph?
A.The benefits of his event. B.The purposes of his event.
C.The processes of his even. D.The difficulty with his event.
3.Why is much information about Missy Cowley’s family given in the text?
A.To show the effects of disabilities.
B.To explain the problem with hunters.
C.To show people’s interest in hunting.
D.To think highly of Robinson’s event.
4.What should be the best title for the text?
A.Hope Is brought back To Hunters with Disabilities.
B.Man Organizes hunting Event For Wheelchair Users.
C.Hunting Event Is Benefiting The Physically Disabled.
D.Wheelchair Users Are Supposed To Get Into Nature.
Winners of 2019 Gloria Barron Prize
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes is an award that celebrates young people from across North America who have had a positive impact on people, their communities and the environment, Each year, the Prize honors 25 young leaders from ages 8 to 18. Fifteen top winners each receive S 10,000 to support their service work or higher education. Here are some of the teenagers who have won the prize this year.
Charlie Abrams, 15, and Jeremy Clark, 14, of Oregon, who co-founded Affected Generation, a youth-led nonprofit working to fight climate change, help implement (实施) effective climate policy, and create environmental films.
Anna Du, 13, of Massachusetts, who invented a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that detects micro-plastics on the ocean floor. She also wrote a children’s book, Microplastics and Me, and has raised more than $7,000 to distribute the book free to libraries in high-need communities.
Garyk Brixi, 18, of Maryland, who developed better life-saving relief food for starving children in developing countries. He is now teaming with an NGO (非政府组织) to begin producing his food in Malawi.
Katherine McPhie, 17, and Milan Narula, 16, of California, who co-founded Open Sesame Coding for Kids and have taught computer coding skills to more than 100 children living in homeless and domestic violence shelters.
Will, 14, and Matthew Gladstone, 11, of Massachusetts, who co-founded the blue Feet Foundation to help save the blue-footed booby (鲣鸟). They have sold more than 10, 000 pairs of bright blue socks to raise more than $80,000 to fund research to study the bird’s decline in the Galapagos Islands.
1.What words can best describe the winners of Gloria Barron Prize?
A.Clever and socially active. B.Independent and adventurous.
C.Cooperative and open-minded. D.Inspiring and socially responsible.
2.How many winners are awarded for their contributions to the environment in the text?
A.Three. B.Four.
C.Five. D.Six.
3.What can we know about the winners of the prize?
A.Anna Du made a difference with her writing abilitie.
B.Charlie Abrams has created many environmental films.
C.Milan Narula is teaching computer coding skills at a school.
D.Will is studying the booby’s decrease in the Galapagos Islands.
Directions: Write an English composition in 120 - 150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
假设你是明启中学的王华，你校学生会将举办主题为“Looking for the Chinese Spirit”的英语演讲比赛， 请你作为参赛者写一篇演讲稿，内容包括：
1. 描述生活中最感动你的一个人或一件事，并说明其体现了怎样的中国精神；
2. 你获得的启发及感受
（注意：请勿出现真实的姓名与学校）
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets.
1.学而不思犹如食而不化。(like)
2.年轻人要有雄心壮志，不应安于现状。(satisfy)
3.这部电视剧旨在向观众传递家庭价值观，独立与义务之间的冲突可以通过容忍，理解和爱来解决。(that)
4.正是老一辈人的艰苦奋斗使祖国发生了巨大变化，未来掌握在我们年轻人手中，我们决不辜负期望。(lie)
Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.
Do We Need Art in Our Lives
No one will be surprised to hear that the arts are under fire in this day and age. We view the arts as something of a hobby, something that’s fun but certainly can’t pay the rent. If it’s not a useful skill, no wonder arts funding is being cut in schools. Do we really need art in our lives?
In schools, time and money is at a premium （稀有而珍贵）, now more than ever. With teachers having to fit so many lessons into every day. it’s easy to see why art is dropping more and more by the wayside. Budgets are dropping at an alarming rate, and what school is going to drop teaching in essential subjects such as math or science when they can drop art instead?
It seems as though the loss of art in daily life is sad fact of life, but it doesn’t have to be. There are actually a lot of practical uses for art for many people. For example, art therapy has helped people with a range of illnesses, both mental and physical, cope with their symptoms. Art is found almost anywhere you look in your home. Practical items, such as bedspreads, furniture or clothing, are all art forms in themselves and arouse emotions in the people interacting with them.
Art also gives us insight into the world. History tells us what happened and when it happened, but it can’t tell us how the population at large felt about it, which is where art steps in. We know a lot about how people in the past lived and worded, because their art has given us much a deep insight into their daily lives. We wouldn’t have that insight without it.
Most of all, we need art in our lives as it gives us a form of self-expression. Being able to talk about our feelings is essential to staying healthy. You may not think ou talk about your feelings, but you may express them in other ways. Some like to cook or bake, some like to work machinery, and others may like to paint or draw. Whatever you like to do in your spare time, you’re probably creating art every day.
So, do we need art in our lives? Many people would say no, but the art they’re thinking of is the art you see in galleries. Art is actually much more accessible and it truly needed in everyday life. It helps those in need, gives people in the future an idea of what life was like, and is a vital form of self-expression.
