It is becoming more and more important for researchers to closely observe our sea life, with climate change and overfishing damaging our oceans. However, this is almost impossible since human presence scares the animals. Now, thanks to The Soft Robotic Fish, also called SoFi, researchers may not only be able to keep a close eye on the creatures, but also uncover undersea secrets that have been confusing us for centuries.
Built by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), the snow-white remote-controlled robot closely emulates real fish, complete with a flexible tail and two "fins". Though not the first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) created to observe the oceans, SoFi solves many of the issues that have hindered (妨碍)the usefulness of previous robots.
AUVs traditionally have had to be tied to a boat because radio frequency communications do not work well underwater. To solve the problem, CSAIL director Daniela Rus and her team used sound waves which can travel greater distances, allowing drivers using a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller to pilot SoFi from up to 50 feet away. To ensure SoFi can freely move around the ocean, a pump moves water from one balloon-like structure to the other through its soft rubber tail, while a controller fitted with a battery powers the robot through the ocean, unhindered by propellers (螺旋桨).
During test dives in Fiji's Rainbow Reef, SoFi moved alongside the sea life at depths of 50 feet for up to 40 minutes at a time, taking high-resolution photos and videos. Even more importantly, it was able to do so without causing any disturbance. The researchers say sometimes the fish would swim alongside the strange-looking robo- fish out of curiosity, while at other times they appeared completely unaware of its existence.
While SoFi currently only records videos, future versions will include sensors. "For us, this fish is magical," says Rus. “We imagine someday it might help us uncover more mysteries from the amazing underwater world that we know so little about."
1.Why was SoFi created?
A.To protect fish from being caught.
B.To stop oceans from being polluted.
C.To learn about the underwater world
D.To solve the issues AUVs have found.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “emulates” in Paragraph2?
A.Feeds. B.Catches.
C.Protects. D.Imitates.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.The development of AUVs.
B.Working principles of SoFi.
C.How AUVs are used underwater.
D.SoFi's contribution to fish protection.
4.What is the main advantage of SoFi?
A.It will not scare real fish. B.It can record videos.
C.It is equipped with sensors. D.It cannot be seen by real fish.
Naomi Shihab Nye has lots of things to write about. She never seems to run out of ideas, Naomi writes poetry for young people and adults, but she is also the author of essays, children's picture books, songs, and a novel for teenagers.
Where does Naomi get her ideas? She sees poetry in the details of everyday life, like the way things smell or taste, the sounds of nature, the voices of her family, and the colors of a flower or a bird's wing or a strawberry.
Naomi's poetry is also often influenced by places she has lived in and visited. Naomi was raised by her Palestinian father and American mother. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, US, Jerusalem Israel; and San Antonio, Texas, US. Each of these places has its own unique features, which Naomi has described with her rich, descriptive language.
Naomi also writes about her double cultures and the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. Today, Naomi has settled down in San Antonio. She knows many people who have a Mexican-American identity, and she works their experiences into her poetry. Naomi focuses on the ways that people of different cultures and backgrounds are similar rather than different. She has even traveled to the Middle East and Asia to promote international goodwill through the arts. Naomi firmly believes in the power of writing to change the world and help people find common ground.
Naomi Shihab Nye began writing poetry as soon as she learned how to write. She published her first poem when she was only seven years old! Since that time, Naomi has written and edited more than 20 books. She often tells young writers to write about their daily lives—the things they observe and the feelings they have. That's a good reminder for a writer!
1.Which of the following best describes Naomi according to Paragraph 1?
A.Optimistic. B.Productive.
C.Generous. D.Traditional.
2.How does Naomi get her ideas?
A.By observing the world around her.
B.By visiting many different people.
C.By reading famous writers' works.
D.By comparing features of different places.
3.Where does Naomi live now?
A.In Missouri, US. B.In Mexico.
C.In Texas, US. D.In Israel.
4.What can we learn about Naomi from the last two paragraphs?
A.She has a strong sense of social responsibility.
B.She focuses more on cultural differences.
C.She lived a hard life in childhood.
D.She writes books for improving writing skills,
Castel dell'Ovo Tours
Castel dell'Ovo is one of Naples' most famous monuments. It offers sweeping views over the city and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
The Basics
The site on which Castel dell'Ovo now stands has a long history, beginning as a settlement for Greek colonists. The current castle was built in the 15th century, and today, the 19th-century fishing village of Borgo Marinari, known for its excellent seafood restaurants and marina （游艇停靠区）sits at the base of the castle.
The Egg Castle
The origin of the castle's name comes from a story about the Roman poet Virgil, who is said to have placed a magical egg in the foundations beneath where the castle now stands. As long as the egg stays well, Castel dell'Ovo will remain standing.
Things to Know Before You Go
•Castel dell' Ovo is a must-see for history and architecture enthusiasts.
•Admission to the castle and the museum is free.
•The inner halls of the castle are open to the public only during special events exhibitions; the ramparts (城墙)and towers are always open.
•There is a lift from the ground floor to the ramparts, making the castle accessible to wheelchairs.
How to Get There
Castel dell'Ovo is located in the Bay of Naples just off the coastal road. Bus 151 from the train station and 140 from the port stop at Castel dell'Ovo.
When to Get There
The castle is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The Prehistoric Museum is open only on weekends from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. As Naples is one of Italy's most visited cities, its sights can be very crowded in the high-season summer months. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds and to take advantage of the best light for taking photos from the castle's towers.
Book Online or Call +1(702)648-5873
1.When can you visit Castel dell'Ovo?
A.On weekdays from 9:00 am to 17:00 pm.
B.On holidays from 8:00 am to 13:30 pm.
C.On weekends from 8:00 to 13:00 pm.
D.On Sundays from 8:30 am to 19:00 pm.
2.What should you know before you tour Castel dell'Ovo?
A.Those with leg problems cannot tour the ramparts.
B.The tickets have to be booked in advance.
C.The towers can be visited only during special events.
D.It's easily accessible by bus from the train station.
3.Which statement of the following is true about Castel dell' Ovo?
A.The castle currently sits next to Mount Vesuvius.
B.The castle was originally named after the Roman poet Virgil.
C.The castle was originally built in the 19th century.
D.The castle is also named the Egg Castle.
假设你是李华，你的新西兰笔友 Nick 将于明年八月来四川旅游，特来信询问有关旅游 景点情况。请根据下表所提供的要点，写一封回信，并表示盼望他的到来。
1. 信的格式已为你写好（不记入总词数）。
2. 可根据内容要点适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3 .参考词汇：省份：province 海子：lake 交通：transportation
都江堰水利工程：Dujiangyan Irrigation Project
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We may be living in the digital age, but reading books is still a big part of growing up. When they’re in primary school, children read books that really challenge them. But once they reach secondary school, the level of difficulty doesn’t change much. Secondary school students tend to read books which are also read by upper primary students. They are not challenging themselves enough.
To discover these trends, I analyzed data collected by Accelerated Reader (AR) software, which asks pupils to check their understanding of the books they’ve chosen to read. The difficulty — which I call “readability”.
I also created two lists of books: one for the books that most secondary pupils had chosen to read, and another for the books they had voted as their favorites. According to the readability, these students’ favorite books tend to be much more advanced than the other books they chose, but they could still understand them. The rest of the books most often chosen by them are quite simple.
You might think that students who read harder books might make more mistakes and understand them less well. But students’ quality of comprehension does not depend on the difficulty of the book, no matter what year of secondary school they’re in. Having an interest is the most obvious factor here — if you like the book, you try hard to really understand it.
As children become teenagers, they listen less to advice from adults and more to advice from kids of their age. So, rather than trying to lecture young people on the benefits of Jane Austen, we should make the nature of the problem clear to them. Students should challenge each other to read more difficult books. Adults could help by setting up noticeboards or organizing social media networks for young people to share their recommendations. And teachers can lend a hand by setting aside time for reading in school. Young people will realize the problems that come when they don’t challenge themselves to read difficult books.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A.Children spend little time on after-class reading
B.Secondary school students seldom read tough books
C.Children’s reading interest tends to decrease as they grow up
D.Primary students have difficulty choosing good reading materials
2.The author made use of AR software to ________.
A.understand children’s different reading styles
B.show the average time children spend on reading
C.find out the causes of children’s reading difficulties
D.make clear the difficulty levels of books read by children
3.What can we infer about secondary school students from the readability scores?
A.They find some advanced books interesting
B.They often make mistakes during advanced reading
C.They prefer to read books recommended by their parents
D.They can hardly improve their scores on reading comprehension
4.According to Paragraph 4, what is vital for improving reading comprehension?
A.Basic knowledge
B.Reading skills
C.Motivation
D.Instruction
5.What does the author want to express in the last paragraph?
A.Designing relatively difficult textbooks is necessary
B.Improving students’ reading is a shared responsibility
C.Advanced technology should be used in reading reaching
D.Students should be encouraged to read more literary works
MADRID — What is it that makes people happy? Youth, health, a good job, good looks, a flashy car? None of these things, Spanish experts say.
The concept of happiness is coming under increasingly close examination in Spain. As the nation rises to the club of the world’s wealthiest countries, people are discovering that material things do not bring happiness.
“Most people use money as a measure of human value,” says Jesus Yn-fante, author of a book on Spain’s 300 biggest fortunes. “Expensive products are regarded as the best. The rich are admired simply for being rich,” Yn-fante said. Yet psychologists (心理学家) warn that happiness cannot be bought. They advise people to look for it in human relations and in the small pleasures of everyday life.
Many people regard happiness as moment of ecstatic pleasure (狂喜) — something that, by definition, cannot last — while others speak of it as peace and acceptance of oneself. Polls (问卷 调 查 ) in different countries indicate that between 65 and 85 percent of the world’s population regard themselves as reasonably happy.
Around 40 percent of a person’s happiness is thought to be determined by genetics ( 遗传), while the rest depends on childhood environment and the process of growing up.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about happiness is that it has little to do with age, health, wealth, or other values thought to be important in Western society.
For most Spaniards, happiness is linked with feeling close to other people.
Happy people accept their limitations and set themselves reachable goals, experts say. There are lifestyle choices which favour happiness, such as exercise, eating carbohydrates (含碳 水化合物的食物) and exposing oneself to sunlight.
But the main secret of happiness is to take pleasure in small things.
“If you are given a choice between eternal (永久的) happiness and cheese sandwich, take the sandwich,” advises musician Julian Hernandez.
1.Spain, as this passage tells us, .
A.has built more clubs than the other countries.
B.has owned the largest group of experts.
C.has become one of the richest countries in the world.
D.has produced the most wealth in the world.
2.It can be concluded that Jesus Yn-fante is .
A.a famous and rich expert. B.a famous psychologist.
C.one of the richest Spaniards. D.a writer familiar with the richest Spaniards.
3.As psychologists warn in this passage, people can’t feel happy even if they .
A.have much money. B.only care about themselves.
C.don’t do any homework. D.have a few relations.
4.Happy people, as we can find in this passage, .
A.are always full of feelings. B.are always born in rich families.
C.always enjoy every achievement they get. D.always look down upon themselves.
5.What Julian Hernandez advises at the end of this passage suggests that .
A.he is not a happy musician. B.he is leading a hard life.
C.he doesn’t agree to the idea in this passage. D.he is humorous.
