One day, gardeners might not just hear the buzz of bees among their flowers, but the whirr of robots, too. Scientists have managed to turn an unassuming drone (无人机) into a remote-controlled pollinator (授粉媒介) by attaching horsehairs coated with a special, sticky gel to its underbelly.
Animal pollinators are needed for the reproduction of 90% of flowering plants and one third of human food crops. Chief among those are bees — but many bee populations in the United States have been in steep decline in recent decades. Thus, the decline of bees isn't just worrisome because it could disrupt ecosystems, but also because it could disrupt agriculture and economy. People have been trying to come up with replacement techniques, but none of them are especially effective yet.
Scientists have thought about using drones, but they haven't figured out how to make free-flying robot insects that can rely on their own power source without being attached to a wire. “It’s very tough work,” said senior author Eijiro Miyako, a chemist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. His particular contribution to the field involves a gel, one he’d considered a mistake 10 years before and stuck in a storage cabinet. When it was rediscovered a decade later, it hadn’t dried up or degraded at all. “I was so surprised because it still had high viscosity,” Miyako said.
The chemist noticed that when dropped, the gel absorbed an impressive amount of dust from the floor. Miyako realized this material could be very useful for picking up pollen (花粉). He and his colleagues chose a drone and attached horsehairs to its smooth surface to mimic a bee’s fuzzy body. They coated those horsehairs in the gel, and then controlled the drones over lilies, where they would pick up the pollen from one flower and then deposit the pollen at another one, thus fertilizing it.
The scientists looked at the hairs under a scanning electron microscope and counted up the pollen grains attached to the surface and found that the drones whose horsehairs had been coated with the gel had about 10 times more pollen than those that had not been coated with the gel.
Miyako does not think such drones would replace bees altogether, but could simply help bees with their pollinating duties. There’s a lot of work to be done before that's a reality, however. Small drones will need to become more controllable and energy efficient, as well as smarter, with better GPS and artificial intelligence.
1.What does the underlined word “viscosity” in Para.3 probably mean?
A.Hardness. B.Stickiness.
C.Flexibility. D.Purity.
2.We can learn from the passage that ______.
A.bees disrupt both agriculture and economy
B.scientists have invented self-powered robot insects
C.bees in the United States are on the edge of extinction
D.Miyako found the special feature of the gel by chance
3.A drone works best in picking up pollen when ______.
A.its body is made like a bee’s
B.its GPS works more efficiently
C.some flowers are coated with the gel
D.horsehairs with the gel are attached to it
4.According to Eijiro Miyako, the drones ______.
A.are not yet ready for practical use
B.may eventually replace bees in the future
C.are much more efficient than bee pollinators
D.can provide a solution to economic depression
Internet firms should help deal with the threat of terrorism or face terror tax , the security minister has said. Ben Wallace said such profiteers as Facebook and Google were failing to play their part, forcing the government to spend hundreds of millions to police internet extremism. The minister added, “If they continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way compensating for their inaction. Because content is not taken down as quickly as they could do, we have to spend millions. WhatsApp, owned by Facebook, was turning the internet into a violent space.”
Mr Wallace did not give more details about a possible terror tax, but it would probably take the form of a windfall tax. The minister also accused internet companies of putting profit before public safety.
Simon Milner, Facebook’s UK policy director, said: “Mr Wallace is wrong to say that we put profit before safety, especially in the fight against terrorism. We’ve invested millions of pounds in people and technology to identify and remove terrorist content.” YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company, said: “Violent extremism is a complex problem and addressing it is a critical challenge for us all. We are committed to being part of the solution and we are doing more every day to deal with these issues. “Over the course of 2017 we have made significant progress through investing in machine learning technology, recruiting more reviewers, building partnerships with experts and collaboration with other companies”.
Anthony Glees, an intelligence expert at Buckingham University, told The Times: “What the government is proposing makes excellent theoretical sense when it comes to making us more secure from the appalling things that are broadcast by the service providers.” He added: “But in practice it may not be enough, because we are dealing with Goliaths here and the United Kingdom is increasingly becoming a lone David.”
1.What do we know from Ben Wallace’s words?
A.The internet firms have been put on a terror tax.
B.The internet companies only concentrate on profit.
C.The profit of the Internet firms should be cut down.
D.The internet companies are not cooperative enough.
2.What did “they” in the first paragraph refer to?
A.internet firms B.internet extremism
C.violent spaces D.terror taxes
3.Anthony Glees thought the government’s behavior was ______.
A.unpractical B.positive
C.unexpected D.disapproving
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Profit or Safety?
B.Policing Internet Extremism.
C.Internet Giants Threatened with Tax.
D.Demonstrating the Government’ Determination.
Maybe it's because it was our first purchase as homeowners. The salesman must have spotted just how green we were, so he began persuading. And soon he led us to a classic leather chair. All these years later, I remember he used words like rich and handsome, the thing every living room needed.
We believed him. So we bought that chair — just less than $100, a great deal in the 1970s for a young couple!
How we loved that chair! It always occupied a place of honor in our various living rooms, moving with us from our first tiny house to our beloved new house.
Somehow, conversations were better on that chair, and life was more fun around it. Three daughters spilled their secrets on it. Old friends seemed to be attracted by it on those wonderful occasions. Crazy as it sounds, that leather chair seemed to have — well, powers. All for good.
At first, we didn't really care that the leather was showing signs of wear or that it had lost its sheen (光泽). But in our most recent move, when the chair was moved in our new living room, it suddenly looked terribly lonely sitting close to newly painted walls and a couple of shiny new tables.
My husband and I tried but still we couldn't ignore the rough spots. Our chair had a skin disease. Even our adult kids raised eyebrows, urging us to at least remove the chair to some dark comer of the room. Neither of us could imagine such a retirement for it.
So we had an inspired idea. We'd call in an upholsterer (修理工) to give our old chair a whole new life. Our friend Joe studied the chair and then took out a simple leather conditioner. He explained that although it wouldn't work miracles, it would definitely get our weary chair looking younger again. It certainly doesn't look new, but its seat and back are shining, and some of its deeper wrinkles have lightened.
Best of all, it's back in the living room, looking like a wise old friend to the furniture around it. And, yes, there it will stay.
Because some things, like some people, just deserve a happy old age.
1.How did the salesman persuade the author into buying the chair?
A.By thinking highly of the author.
B.By saying that the author was green.
C.By describing how great the chair was.
D.By comparing the chair with others.
2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.Sweet memories with the chair.
B.Various functions of the chair.
C.People's comments on the chair.
D.Family activities and parties of friends.
3.Why did the author finally decide to repair the chair?
A.Because he was persuaded by Joe.
B.Because he didn't have enough money.
C.Because it showed signs of hardness.
D.Because it couldn't match his new house.
4.What can we learn from the text?
A.East or west, home is best. B.From saving comes having.
C.It is never too late to mend. D.Old friends and wine are best.
Learning English Video Project |
1. Encounters in the UK (17 minutes) Watch Comments
Encounters in the UK is the first film in this documentary mini-series. It tells the story of four girls from different countries who travel to Cambridge in England to study English and stay with local families in what is called a “homestay” arrangement. For the four girls the homestay arrangement is a positive experience. As one of the homestay hosts explains: “It’s going to be a great experience, not only in terms of learning English, but in learning about life.” Watch with Subtitles Watch without Subtitles Comments |
2. Insights from China (18 minutes) Watch Comments
Never say die Based in the busy, cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, Daniel Emmerson’s latest film Insights from China takes us inside the worlds of English language learning and teaching and the airline industry in China. “Insights from China” focuses largely on the staff and management of a Chinese airline company that has recently committed to learning English. Spring Airlines is the first low-cost airline in China. Watch with Subtitles Watch without Subtitles Comments |
3. Stories from Morocco (16 minutes) Watch Comments
Set in Casablanca, Morocco, this film features footage and interviews focusing on key questions such as “Why are people learning English?” and “What tips and advice can learners offer?” Staff and learners discuss the advantages and challenges of English language learning in Morocco. Interviewees touch on a variety of topics including British vs. American accents, multi-level classrooms, and the similarities of English to French and Spanish. Watch with Subtitles Watch without Subtitles Comments |
4. Thoughts from Brazil (17 minutes) Watch Comments
Like Insights from China, Thoughts from Brazil also looks at modern trends in learning English, especially for children and teens. It will be of particular interest to all those who long for a learning experience that is more interactive and communicative. Teens and young adults will find new ideas for combining personal interests such as music, gaming and social media with self-study. As Daniel Emmerson talks to learners and teachers of English in Sao Paulo, Brazil, he discovers that many of them have found for themselves the principle of learning by doing and have readily adapted it to the Internet era. Watch with Subtitles Watch without Subtitles Comments |
1.From the passage we can conclude that “Learning English Video Project” is most probably______.
A.an online course focusing on language and culture
B.audio documents on language learning
C.a series of English learning video programs
D.a set of films on English-speaking countries
2.If someone is interested in the comparison between English and other languages, he might be interested to watch __________.
A.Encounters in the UK B.Stories from Morocco
C.Thoughts from Brazil D.Insights from China
3.What can we know about English learning in Sao Paulo, Brazil?
A.Classroom teaching is more interactive and communicative.
B.Homestay arrangement provides positive experience for learners.
C.The Internet and games plays a major role in language learning.
D.The principle of learning by doing is widely accepted by learners.
阅读下面材料，然后按要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。
A set of textbooks designed to help high school students learn about traditional Chinese culture is to be published soon Beijing Times reported on Monday.
The books are the first national-level works of their kind and have been developed by a working group that promotes traditional culture. They will be used by students from autumn this year the report said.
The set contains four classics from ancient times. Two of the works Confucian Analects and Mencius are for 10 th -grade students while the other two Great Learning and Dao De Jing will be used by 11 th graders.
The initiative follows a series of steps the authorities have taken in recent years to spread and promote traditional Chinese culture on campus.
Last April the Ministry of Education released a series of guidelines requiring the inclusion of more information about traditional culture in primary and middle school textbooks especially those used for subjects such as Chinese language history art and physical education.
The guidelines said students’ knowledge of traditional culture will be tested in the senior high school entrance examination and the gaokao --- the college entrance exam.
（写作内容）
1. 用约 30 个单词写出上文概要；
2. 用约 120 个单词就”高中生学国学”这一主题发表你的观点，内容包括:
⑴ 国学入高中的缘由；
⑵ 你对这一举动的看法。
（写作要求）
1. 阐述观点或提供论据时，不能直接引用原文语句；
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；
3. 不必写标题。
（评分标准）内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。
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请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：请将答案写在答题纸上相应的题号的横线上。每个空格只填一个单词。
When is it time to start thinking about a new job？Is it acceptable to switch jobs to work with a close friend？Can you leave an employer after the two-week training period is up？Should you stick with the same employer for over a year, even though you aren’t learning anything new?
As with so many things in life, these are questions only you can answer. However, there are several considerations to take before you terminate your employment.
The hiring process is costly and time-intensive, and your employer has decided that you are worth the effort. This is a big responsibility and privilege. While it doesn’t mean that you have to remain at a job for the rest of your life, you should be fair enough to give the employer at least a few months of your time. Get through the training, settle into a routine, and then decide. If you still don’t like it or something better comes up, you’ll at least know you tried.
Perhaps your best friend just started at the counter of the local gym, and it sounds like fun. Maybe you found an opening for a job you’ve been wanting for years. It could just be that you’re bored and looking for something new. No matter what it is, however, make sure you take the time to weigh the pros and cons. Working with a friend might be fun for a while—until you both want the same Saturday off to go to the lake. The job of your dreams might pay less or offer fewer hours. If you’re bored, there’s a chance that another job might provide a temporary solution but not give you whatever it is you are seeking.
You’re young, and the possibilities for your future are endless. While the teen job you have now isn’t necessarily going to map out your entire life, there’s nothing wrong with making decisions that will provide you with more opportunities later on in life. If you want to be a doctor, working at the hospital gift shop might be a better choice than flipping burgers. If you want to be a chef, the reverse is true. If your current job isn’t necessarily aligned with your future, you might want to consider switching jobs.
No matter what you decide, remember that the longer you are at a job, the better it looks on your resume. An employer who sees that you switch jobs every few months might not prefer you over a candidate who was with his or her former employer for a year. For working teens, dedication and commitment always look good.
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