As they reach school age, about 90 percent of children will have experienced a condition in which fluid (液体) fills the middle ear, muffling (使模糊) sound and sometimes causing infection. The fluid usually clears on its own, but if not, it can lead to a painful ear infection called acute otitis (中耳炎) media. In some cases the fluid can persist for more than a year, causing hearing loss during this period, and slowing down their development of language and social skills.
Diagnosis usually requires a visit to a specialist—but researchers have now developed an app that detects this fluid just as accurately, with only a smartphone and a paper funnel (漏斗).
Doctors typically detect the problem by peering into the ear for a visual assessment. Yet, this method has only a 50 percent accuracy rate. “Right now, if you bring your child to a pediatrician, or to any urgent care family doctor, the way they look at whether or not there’s fluid in the middle ear is by looking at the eardrum,” says Sharat Raju, a surgeon in the department of head and neck surgery at the University of Washington.
For a cheaper and more accessible alternative, researchers at the University of Washington turned to smartphones. First the user follows a template to cut and tape a piece of paper into a funnel, which can be placed between a smartphone and the patient’s ear. Next the app plays a chirping sound through the phone’s speaker; the sound waves bounce off the eardrum and hit the phone’s microphone, where they register and are analyzed by the app. An eardrum with fluid behind it will vibrate (振动) differently than if the middle ear is full of air, as it normally is.
To develop the app, the researchers first played chirps for patients with and without fluid in their ears. They recorded the echoes (回音), which indicate the eardrum’s mobility. Then they used a machine learning model to classify the returning sound waves, determining which audio characteristics indicated a normal ear and which suggested the presence of fluid. Once they tested the app on 98 children, ranging from 18 months to 17 years old, at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It correctly detected fluid in 85 percent of cases, and correctly identified fluid-free ears in 82 percent.
The researchers are currently trying to get FDA approval for the app, and have founded a company to commercialize it. They hope to make it available by the end of the year, to help parents track children’s ear health at home.
1.What do we know about the fluid from the first paragraph?
A.It is mostly part of children’s growth. B.It is unavoidable for any child.
C.It is a permanent physical condition. D.It is beyond any medical means.
2.What does the underlined word “pediatrician” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A.A hospital. B.A specialist.
C.A relative. D.An app.
3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.The application of the app. B.The causes of the kid’s ear problem.
C.The purpose of developing the app. D.The experiment of the smartphone.
4.What do the researchers expect of the app?
A.It will upgrade the medical technology. B.It will hit the market in the near future.
C.It will help children do better academically. D.It will save doctors medical operations.
Detroit Hives is a non-profit organization that buys vacant lots in the city to transform into bee farms. Timothy Paul and Nicole Lindsey started the non-profit last year, focused on improving the Motor City’s “left behind” communities and educating people on bees.
Timothy got interested in honey and honeybees because of a cough he couldn’t shake. He was sick for months, until a store owner in nearby Ferndale recommended he try some local honey. Soon Timothy’s cough was gone. And he and Nicole found that abandoned urban sites often became illegal dumping grounds, contributing to an overgrowth of allergens (过敏原) — not to mention the mess. The couple began to think about how to settle that issue by producing local honey on vacant sites, and Detroit Hives was born.
To become certified beekeepers, Timothy and Nicole took two courses. They bought their first vacant lot for $340, with the aid of the Detroit Land Bank Authority community partnership program. From there, they built three hives and vegetable garden plots. Thousands of bees now buzz (嗡嗡) on the lot. “The neighbors say they wish we were there decades of years ago. That area had always been a place where people dumped garbage, so when we came here, we gave that area a sense of purpose. The neighbors keep an eye on the area to make sure that people don’t dump any more,” Lindsey said.
Currently, Detroit Hives has partnered with local Detroit Soup and a homeless shelter to provide local, raw honey and they also sell their sweet product. In addition, Detroit Hives spreads awareness about bees through public tours of the farm. The couple also speak at schools in the area. They aim to expand beyond their first farm this year.
1.What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 2?
A.The method of curing cough.
B.The inspiration for Detroit Hives.
C.The terrible environment in Detroit.
D.The medical value of local honey.
2.What can we learn about the couples’ work?
A.It enriched the variety of vegetables.
B.It disturbed the neighbors’ normal life.
C.It improved the environment in the area.
D.It enabled neighbors to live in harmony.
3.Why does Detroit Hives offer public tours?
A.To appeal to more customers.
B.To help expand their first farm.
C.To promote their honey product.
D.To help people learn more about bees.
4.Which of the following best describes the husband and wife?
A.Optimistic. B.Faithful.
C.Creative. D.Demanding.
The new garbage sorting regulation has taken effect in Shanghai starting July 1. Many citizens are still confused about the classification of the four different types of trash. Thankfully, authorities have released an official guideline to clarify the new rules.
The guideline, published by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, provides a rather clear definition on the four kinds of waste: recyclable waste, hazardous (有害的) waste, household food waste and residual (剩余的) waste.
Hazardous waste, as the name suggests, includes assorted poisonous materials like used batteries, light bulbs, out-of-date medicines, paint and pesticides.
Household food waste, which is translated to “wet trash” in Chinese，refers to food leftovers, rotten food, pet food, fruit peels, remains of TCM herbs (中药) and flowers.
Paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles (纺织品) are counted as recyclable waste.
The definition of residual waste is a little confusing. Anything that is not listed above belongs in this category.
As specific as the new guideline is, residents still have a hard time sorting trash correctly and are finding it challenging to memorize them all. For instance, both plastic bottles and bubble tea or coffee cups are plastic materials. However, the former falls to the category of recyclable waste and the latter belongs to residual waste. To save the hassle, some netizens have come up with their own ways to sort trash.
“We should do this from a pig’s angle,” commented one netizen. “Those edible (可食用的) for pigs are household food waste. Those even pigs don’t want to eat are residual waste. If a pig consumes something and dies of it, then something must be hazardous waste. Those which can be sold and the money we gain can be used to purchase pigs are recyclable waste.” The new regulation has gone into effect on July 1. Those who do not sort their trash properly will be fined RMB200.
1.What do the old thrown-away sweaters belong to?
A.Residual waste. B.Hazardous waste.
C.Recyclable waste. D.Household food waste.
2.What does “wet trash” have in common?
A.They are completely wet. B.They all come from plants.
C.They can give off bad smell. D.They can break up easily.
3.What is the tone of the netizen?
A.Humorous. B.Serious.
C.Delightful. D.Uncertain.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Shanghai bans four sorts of garbage.
B.Shanghai launches garbage sorting enforcement.
C.Citizens in Shanghai still question garbage sorting.
D.Citizens in Shanghai welcome the garbage sorting policy.
Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, it has been held in more than 40 different cities. That gives Olympic fans quite a few possible travel destinations to choose!
Beijing, China
Olympic fans should consider visiting the Beijing Olympic Park to check out the special buildings of the so-called “Bird’s Nest” and “Water Cube”—the national stadium and aquatics center built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Popular historic places in Beijing include the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and Tian’anmen Square.
Innsbruck, Austria
Located in the heart of the Alps, Innsbruck is known as a great winter destination—which explains why it has hosted not one but two Winter Olympics. Known for its mountainous views, Innsbruck is the perfect stop for outdoor adventurers.
Mexico City, Mexico
This wonderful travel destination offers a wide number of popular museums, historic buildings, and public parks. People will love shopping for fresh meat and produce at the markets, taking a cooking class, and generally eating their way through Mexico City, which is especially known for its culinary (烹饪的) experiences that include both globally well-known restaurants and locally favored street carts.
Melbourne, Australia
Nearly half a century before Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics, Melbourne became the first Australian host city in 1956. Head to the “cultural capital of Australia”, located in Victoria on the southeastern coast, for an energetic cafe culture and art scene, Melbourne offers something for every type of traveler and everyone can enjoy an evening at one of the city’s many rooftop bars or a day of wine tasting.
1.Where will you go if you are fond of adventure?
A.Beijing, China. B.Mexico City, Mexico.
C.Innsbruck, Austria. D.Melbourne, Australia.
2.What can visitors do in Mexico City?
A.Enjoy wonderful culinary classes. B.Buy beautiful clothes and shoes.
C.Admire beautiful mountainous views. D.Visit special stadiums for the Olympics.
3.What can we know about Melbourne?
A.It is famous for all kinds of wine. B.It has many world-famous hotels.
C.It hosted the Summer Olympics twice. D.It can satisfy different travelers’ needs.
阅读下面材料, 根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段, 使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
I was ten years old, when some people from a nearby government school came and told my parents that they should send me to a one-year education camp.
My parents replied, "What's the use? Education never got us Villagers anywhere. What good will it do to a girl? Girls should stay at home and learn household work. That comes in handy when they get married. And anyway, how can we send our child so far away all by herself for a whole year? "
But the people persuaded my parents. They said there would be about a hundred girls coming from different villages and all of them would be safe and taken care of well. My parents had to agree finally. They felt that if other families sent their girls, they would also have to.
My friend, Mala, was going too. We were the only two girls from our village, ‘Swaroop ka Talaab'We would sit in the evenings and wonder how things would be in an unknown place. Once, Mala asked me, "Will there be any sand dunes（沙丘）there? “I didn't understand her question. How could any place in the world not have sand dunes? I have traveled far with my goats, sat on hills and looked at the desert beyond. For miles and miles there is only sand.
The day before leaving home, I was very nervous. I had dreamt of going to this unknown place but I couldn't imagine living without my parents and goats. They would surely miss me. My mother was sad too. With tears in her eyes, she packed my clothes and wrapped snacks for me.
When they took me away, I sobbed the whole way. I kept crying for the first few days in the camp. Then gradually, I started making friends with the other girls. There were so many girls. We would all study together, play together, eat together and sleep together. Sometimes, my parents would send me clothes and food. I also sent messages telling them not to worry and that I was well.
Para I：At the end of the term I studied hard for the examination. ________
Para 2：When Mala and I went back home, we became different persons. ________
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Henry来信说他寒假期间将来中国旅游，并借此了解中国文化。请你给他写封回信，内容包括：
1．表示欢迎；
2．推荐景点；
3．简述理由。
注意：1．词数80左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．信的格式已为你写好。
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