One of the great benefits of being able to record sound is to make books available for listening. With the appearance of audio recordings, many people were able to hear literary classics read aloud. Audio books are, of course, books read aloud and recorded to be listened to on some kind of player. As sound technology has changed, audio books have changed, as well. 1. Now, books are also available on audio tape or CD.
Talking books are books created for people who have sight problems. Some of these talking books often need special players to be used. Many visually damaged people are able to receive players for free. 2.
CD technology has caused great changes in the talking book industry, since more data can be written on a single disc. 3. So the visually damaged person has a multi-use machine.
4. Some are even read in the form of a play, in which different actors take the parts of the characters in the book. They may also have sound effects or music to help improve the listening experience.
Some book clubs have started offering audio books as part of their services. Libraries also have audio books available and they may also be purchased online or at any book store. 5. Those who feel they do not have time to enjoy the pleasure of a good book may find audio books to be the next best thing.
A.They are no longer available only on volumes.
B.Many talking book players will also play music CDs.
C.Audio books are popular with travelers and busy individuals.
D.Many audio books also feature famous actors reading the books.
E.People can listen to a personal music player whenever they want.
F.It is an affordable option if you typically listen to more than one book a month.
G.These players enable them to play their talking books independently, without the help of a sighted person.
When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was to spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sport to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I had a paper round: delivering newspapers to people’s homes.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage (成人仪式) .It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV (简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their own money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employers’ organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school and they are under some pressure now to study hard and get good exam result and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
Many young people actually want to work because it gives them a sense of freedom. One 13-year-old girl called Rachel, who has a Saturday job in a shop, told the BBC that “I enjoy my job because I’m earning money and it helps me socialize with people I work with.” That seems like something worth getting up for a Saturday morning. Did you do a part-time job when you were at school?
1.What can we conclude from Para 2?
A.Students taking up part-time jobs are more independent.
B.Taking up part-time jobs can help students save money.
C.Taking up part-time jobs is good for students in many ways.
D.Children over 13 in the UK must take up part-time jobs.
2.The underlined word “deleterious” in Para 3 means _________.
A.important B.harmful
C.threatening D.beneficial
3.Which of the following might Geoff Barton agree with?
A.Students with good grades and no study pressure can do part-time jobs.
B.Students should put all their energies into their studies.
C.The more part-time jobs they do, the more beneficial it is for students.
D.It is good for students to do part-time jobs as long as they are proper.
4.Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Should schoolchildren have part-time jobs?
B.What kind of part-time job should schoolchildren do?
C.What benefits can part-time jobs bring to schoolchildren?
D.Why do British schoolchildren show less interest in part-time jobs?
Online programs to fight depression are already commercially available. While they sound efficient and cost-saving, a recent study reports that they’re not effective, primarily because depressed patients are not likely to engage with them or stick with them.
The study looked at computer-assisted cognitive(认知的) behavioral therapy (CBT) and found that it was no more effective in treating depression than the usual care patients receive from a primary care doctor.
Traditional CBT is considered an effective form of talk therapy for depression, helping people challenge negative thoughts and change the way they think in order to change their mood and behaviors. However, online CBT programs have been gaining popularity, with the attraction of providing low-cost help wherever someone has access to a computer.
A team of researchers from the University of York conducted a randomized(随机的) control trial with 691 depressed patients from 83 physician practices across England. The patients were split into three groups: one group received only usual care from a physician while the other two groups received usual care from a physician plus one of computerized CBT programs. Participants were balanced across the three groups for age, sex, educational background, severity and duration of depression, and use of antidepressants(抗抑郁药).
After four months, the patients using the computerized CBT programs had no improvement in depression levels over the patients who were only getting usual care from their doctors.
“It’s an important, cautionary note that we shouldn’t get too carried away with the idea that a computer system can replace doctors and therapists.” says Christopher Dowrick, a professor of primary medical care at the University of Liverpool. “We do still need the human touch or the human interaction, particularly when people are depressed.”
“Being depressed can mean feeling in your own small, negative, dark world,” Dowrick says. Having a person, instead of a computer, reach out to you is particularly important in combating that sense of isolation. “When you’re emotionally vulnerable(脆弱的), you’re even more in need of a caring human being.” he says.
1.Why have online CBT programs been increasingly popular?
A.Because of their easy and inexpensive access by patients.
B.Because of their effectiveness in fighting depression.
C.Because of their recommendation by primary care doctors.
D.Because of their attraction of changing mood and behavior.
2.What is the conclusion of the experiment done by researchers at the University of York?
A.The online programs are more advanced than regular care from physicians.
B.The combination of traditional CBT and computerized CBT is most effective.
C.Online CBT programs are as ineffective as regular care from physicians.
D.Online CBT programs have no advantages over regular care from physicians.
3.Which of the following can best convey Professor Dowrick’s advice on online programs?
A.They should be used to help people touch these patients.
B.They should not be ignored in primary care.
C.Their effectiveness should not be overestimated.
D.Their use should be encouraged by doctors.
4.What is more important to an emotionally vulnerable person?
A.A positive state of mind. B.An advanced CBT program.
C.A devoted doctor. D.Human interaction.
A shark moving around the coastline is normally a worrying sight，but this waterborne drone(无人机)threatens floating rubbish instead of people.
Developed by Dutch company RanMarine, the WasteShark takes nature as its inspiration with its whale shark-like mouth. Responsible for collecting waste, the drone will begin operations in Dubai Marina in November after a year of trials with local partner Ecocoast.
According to RanMarine, the WasteShark is available in both autonomous and remote-controlled models. Measuring just over five feet by three-and-a-half feet(1.5 meters by 1.1 meter)，it can carry up to 352 pounds of rubbish(159.6 kg)and has an operational battery life of 16 hours.
By 2016 there were approximately 150 million tons of plastic in the world's oceans. One paper from December 2014 estimated that over a quarter of a million tons of ocean plastic pollution was afloat.
"WasteShark also has the abilities to gather air and water quality data, remove chemicals out of the water such as oil，and heavy metals，and scan the seabed to read its depth and outlines，"said Oliver Cunningham, one of the co-founders of RanMarine. "Fitted with a collision-avoidance system, the drone uses laser imaging detection and ranging technology to detect an object in its path and stop or back up if the object approaches."
"Our drones are designed to move through a water system, whether it's around the perimeter(周边) or through the city itself. The drones are that last line of defense between the city and the open ocean," added Cunningham. "WasteSharks are operating in Dubai, South Africa and the Netherlands and cost $ 17,000 for the remote-controlled model and just under $ 23,000 for the autonomous model."
Dubai-based operator Ecocoast has two WasteShark drones. Co-founder Dana Liparts says they will clean waterfronts for clients including hotels and environmental authorities and that Ecocoast' intention is to have the collected rubbish recycled or upcycled. However, Liparts argues that cleaning waterways doesn't have a one-size-fits-all solution and requires a combination of new technology, preventative measures and changing people's attitudes towards littering.
1.What do we know about the WasteShark?
A. It can frighten sharks away. B. It is an ocean explorer.
C. It is a rubbish collector. D. It can catch fish instead of people.
2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly tell us?
A. The causes of ocean pollution. B. The dangers of using plastics.
C. The severity of ocean garbage pollution. D. The importance of ocean protection.
3.What will the WasteShark do with an approaching object?
A. Avoid crashing into it. B. Break it into pieces.
C. Swallow it. D. Fly over it.
4.Which of the following ideas does Liparts agree with?
A. The WasteShark should be used more widely.
B. More measures should be taken to make water clean.
C. The production cost of WasteSharks should be reduced.
D. People should take a positive attitude to new technology.
It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they' re playing games, wouldn't it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade - level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.
Understanding Math ( $ 3.99 ； iOS)
Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child's progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize (订制) your child's learning experience to suit the needs.
Word Creativity Kit ( $2.99； iOS)
Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.
Barefoot World Atlas ( $4.99； iOS)
Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub - topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people ,landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.
My Grades & Homework ( $0.99； iOS)
A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child' s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.
1.Which app is beneficial to children's writing skills?
A.Understanding Math. B.Word Creativity Kit.
C.Barefoot World Atlas. D.My Grades Homework.
2.What is the common part of the four apps?
A.They need purchasing when downloaded.
B.They help children improve their grades.
C.They make studies fun because of mini videos.
D.They inform parents of their children's progress.
3.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To wish readers to bing in more similar apps for children.
B.To encourage parents to allow their students to play apps.
C.To design the educational apps to combine fun and learning.
D.To introduce four educational apps for readers to buy and use.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
I’m originally from Orange County, California, where I had the pleasure and honor of serving as a Newport Beach ocean lifeguard for five seasons. Whenever I could, I got shifts working the Point. If you wanted to save lives, that's where you worked. The Point was known for its massive rip currents((激流)
So, late in a shift, I was working Tower 15. Two blocks to my right was another guard named Mike, working Tower 17. I'd known Mike for a number of years. Mike had a rough upbringing. You can tell just by looking at him. He has a number of really frightening tattoos (纹身)，and his bald head shows the scar he got from a broken beer bottle. Maybe he wasn't the friendliest guard on the beach. I admit, I didn't really get along with Mike. But everything he lacked in friendly appearance and social skills, he more than made up for in lifesaving ability.
He called me over the phone and said, “Hey, I got a couple kids. I gotta go give’ em a warning. Keep an eye on us. “
I said, “Sure, “ and hung up.
Anytime you get out of your tower, you're supposed to let somebody else know, in case a situation develops. And sure enough, as soon as he hung up the phone, a rip was snapped up under these two kids, and they're getting sucked out. Mike saw it before it's happening, and he's running full speed toward the ocean. I scanned the water. All I saw was two small. noses bobbing (上下浮动)in the water.
I dropped my binos(望远镜)and I called in and said,” “Double rescue 17-he's out. I'm going. “ Mike was already punching through the surf line. By now, the mother of the two kids realized what's happening. She's on her feet and screaming.
Paragraph 1:
Mike reached the kids-a brother and sister around eight or nine years old
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Paragraph 2:
Then the mother glanced back and got her first good look at Mike, as well as his tattoos.
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