Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft, which has been transporting all astronauts to and from the International Space Station（ISS）since 2011, typically carries a crew of three. However, the MS-14 capsule launched（发射）from a Russian spaceport in southern Kazakhstan on August 22, 2019, had just one passenger—a human-like robot named Skybot F-850.
The robot is the latest version of Russia’s FEDOR robots, which were initially designed to help with search and rescue efforts. Skybot is good at many human skills, including driving a car, having short conversations, and even telling jokes. But since it lacks some special sills, the spacecraft to the ISS was piloted from the ground by scientists from Russia’s space Agency. Roscosmos.
The six-foot-tall, 350-pound robot had another important task while on board. Without risking the lives of human astronauts, it helped Roscosmos researchers test the safety and flight experience of the new Soyuz-2.1, a carrier rocket, which carried the spacecraft into orbit. The feedback（反馈）will be important in determining if the rocket is safe to transport future human crews to space.
Though the launch into orbit went smoothly, Skybot’s arrival at the ISS was delayed by three days, from August 24 to August 27. The delay didn’t seem to bother the robot, which announced its arrival, “Sorry about the delay. Met with traffic. Ready to work now.”
Skybot’s two-week task is largely a test to measure its ability to work effectively in microgravity, and includes simple tasks like using tools. If all goes well, Russia hopes to send more advanced versions of the FEDOR robots to help astronauts with special tasks.
Earlier this year, the US space agency launched two little robots called Astrobees to help astronauts with daily chores, like finding lost pieces of equipment. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency’s social AI-powered CIMON spent a year assisting astronauts, before returning to Earth on August 27, 2019.
1.What is Skybot F-850 unable to do？
A.Drive a vehicle like humans. B.Conduct short conversations.
C.Say something funny to people. D.Pilot the spacecraft to the ISS.
2.How long did it take Skybot F-850 to fly to the ISS？
A.Two days. B.Three days.
C.Five days. D.Fourteen days.
3.We infer from the text that Skybot .
A.is bound to take the place of human crews
B.isn’t the first robot to help at the space station
C.worked with two other robots to assist astronauts
D.was launched to measure its security and flexibility
4.Where is the text most likely from？
A.A science experiment. B.A news report.
C.A technology guidebook. D.A research paper.
Kong Zhenlan, a 71-year-old woman from China’s Shanxi Province, has devoted the last four decades of her life to adopting orphans（孤儿）, making sure that they had food on the table and got access to education.
Even though she could only afford to support herself on a modest income, Kong Zhenlan couldn’t bear to walk by the orphanage in Jixian County every day and see so many children struggling in poverty. One day, she stopped by and picked one of the orphans in her arms. That’s when she knew she had to do something to make their life better. The modest woman started adopting these abandoned children and nurturing them as her own. Over the last 47 years, she has adopted 45 orphans, some of whom grew up to become doctors and lawyers.
Kong’s oldest adopted child is 45-years-old, while her youngest is 9-months-old. Today, her adult children donate some of their monthly salaries to help bring up their younger siblings（兄弟姐妹）, but in the beginning, the woman had to make due with what she had. And it wasn’t much. She would spend all her money making sure the children had milk to drink, and if there was none left for her, she would look for leftovers in local garbage cans.
The modest woman recently told Pear Video that over the last 40 years she has only been getting 2 hours of sleep per night. She goes to sleep at around midnight, after putting the children to sleep and finishing up her chores（家务）, and gets up around 2 am to check if they’re all still covered with blankets. She has gotten used to it and said that a short sleep was a small price to pay for making sure the children grow up healthy and happy.
1.What does the underlined word“nurturing”in paragraph 2 probably mean？
A.Examining. B.Observing.
C.Raising. D.Preferring.
2.How do Kong Zhenlan’s adult children help her？
A.Support her financially. B.Raise money every month.
C.Sell milk in the midnight. D.Pick up leftovers when free.
3.What makes Kong Zhenlan spare no effort to raise the orphans？
A.Her desire to get rid of loneliness. B.Her eagerness to get fame and wealth.
C.Her wish to find a better job in this way. D.Her hope for the children to have a happy life.
4.Which of the following best describes Kong Zhenlan？
A.Easy-going. B.Kind.
C.Creative. D.Reasonable.
Iceland, the land of fire and ice is filled with glaciers(冰川), towering volcanoes and geothermal(地热的)pools. Come here, and you’ll have a destination that provides not just splendid sights but also plenty of culture.
Game of Thrones
Go back along with your favourite Game of Thrones characters on this five-day tour from Regent Holidays(0203 733 4931;regent-holidays. co. uk), which takes in the wilderness where the third series of the TV show was shot(拍摄). Led by the same expert guide that took the cast and crew to some of Ice land’s key sights, this tour visits the scenery brought to life with tales of the“Seven Kingdoms”.
Departs any time, from ￡1, 495 B&.B including Icelandair flights.
In search of the Northern Lights
A three-day “Northern Lights in Iceland” itinerary(行程表)from the Ultimate Travel Company(0203 553 2540;theultimatetravelcompany. co. uk)takes in the country’s most attractions by day and goes in search of the Aurora Borealis by night. The tour includes the Golden Circle, the site of the world’s oldest parliament(国会), the Blue Lagoon, and the volcanoes, glaciers and waterfalls of Iceland’s southern coastline.
Departs anytime, from ￡1, 197 B&. B including flights and transfers.
Going solo（单独地）
If you’re travelling without others, Discover the World(0173 7900 689;discover-the-world. co. uk) offers an eight-day journey. The tour visits Borgarfjorour Eystri, which is hidden away in the east fjords and is home to sweeping beautiful scenery, coastlines and ancient tales of elves and the“hidden people" who tales suggest, once lived there.
Departs between May and September, from ￡1, 824 full board including flights.
1.What can we know about Iceland?
A.Both fire and ice exist there. B.There are many towers and pools.
C.It’s the coldest country worldwide. D.It’s only famous for its beautiful sights.
2.Which might attract those interested in the shooting place of famous series?
A.Going solo. B.Game of Thrones.
C.Discover the World. D.In search of the Northern Lights.
3.If Tim wants to travel alone, which phone number should he dial?
A.0203 553 2540. B.1197 1495 1824.
C.0203 733 4931. D.0173 7900 689.
一家英语报社向中学生征文，主题是“我理想中的职业”，请你根据下列提示完成短文。
⒈ 理想中的职业；
⒉ 选择的理由；
⒊ 为此所要做的准备。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（/\），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Graduation finally came. My classmates and I made up our minds do something. Someone suggested make a video to record our experiences at school and we agreed. Material collecting took us a whole week, during it we interviewed our teachers and took picture of every aspect of school life. The editing part after that was tough. We debated over what to put them into the video. Some disagreements were unavoidable, and the video turned out perfect. Several days later, when the video was played on a graduation ceremony, it was very popular for everyone. What a wonderfully time the students and teachers shared! That surely gives us a great sense of achievement.
When I first met my new parrot, Chico, his wings had been cut short and he was stuck on the earth just like us humans. When the weather turned nice, I would take Chico outside. I _______ him on a branch of a tree, hoping to make him happier. At first he seemed confused. He walked back and forth on the branch looking _______. He didn't even flap his wings in a(n) _______ to fly. Somehow he knew he was incapable.
One day Chico got especially excited. He paced back and forth and made a(n) _______ amount of noise. Then all of a sudden he stopped and let out an even louder scream. He started _______ flapping his wings for the first time ever — then he lifted off the _______ like a space shuttle! I was amazed and _______. Little did I know his feathers had been growing back, and Chico had been waiting until the moment was ripe for _______!
Two days later Chico returned. First I tried to _______ him back with food, but he would not come near me. Then I took his cage and __________ it away — still he would not come. Finally, I made him a firm promise that I would let him out every day if the weather was nice as long as he did come back. __________, he flew onto my shoulder.
From that day on, whenever the weather was good I would let him __________ early and he would fly around and be back before dark. The routine lasted for two months __________ suddenly Chico became __________. The __________ said that he had been infected with a disease from the pigeons in the neighborhood. Within a few days he died.
I was very sad. The __________ crossed my mind that if I had not set him free to fly, he would be still alive. But what __________ is there in being a bird if you can't fly?
Chico made his first __________ for freedom on a late Monday afternoon in April. When will you make yours? You too can take a __________ when the conditions are right, knowing you too, in your own way, were built to fly. If you don't set yourself free, what will be the __________ of your life.
1.A.brought B.seated C.caught D.chased
2.A.comfortable B.painful C.patient D.anxious
3.A.attempt B.stage C.journey D.path
4.A.serious B.first C.incredible D.accessible
5.A.slowly B.gently C.madly D.gracefully
6.A.ground B.branch C.window D.house
7.A.moved B.shocked C.delighted D.excited
8.A.patience B.exchange C.rescue D.escape
9.A.trick B.fasten C.seize D.expect
10.A.threw B.drove C.gave D.sent
11.A.At last B.As usual C.Once in a while D.In the meantime
12.A.out B.off C.away D.alone
13.A.until B.while C.since D.although
14.A.active B.weak C.annoying D.miserable
15.A.teacher B.community C.passer-by D.vet
16.A.fact B.thought C.concern D.detail
17.A.problem B.meaning C.interest D.mistake
18.A.relief B.willingness C.communication D.breakthrough
19.A.breath B.look C.holiday D.chance
20.A.success B.purpose C.contribution D.importance
