The Segway Human Transporter was invented by Dean Kamen．It is a two-wheeled vehicle designed for a single rider standing upright over its single axle（轴） and navigate using a set of handlebars resembling those on a bicycle．Electrically powered, it could travel over 15 miles on a single charge and reach speeds up to twelve miles per hour．Its speed and direction can be controlled by riders' changing their weights．
A college dropout and self-taught engineer, Kamen already held over 100 patents for his inventions when he developed the one he hoped would revolutionize short-distance travel．While still in college, Kamen started developing the medical devices （设备） that made his name．Later, he changed focus to the challenges faced by wheelchair users．His robotic wheelchair known as IBOT could climb stairs．This robot ended up paving the way for the Segway．
Before showing his most recent invention, Kamen had kept it a top secret for months．When it turned out to be little more than a motor scooter, many publicly expressed their disappointment．On closer examination, however, even his critics（批评家） had to admit that the vehicle was an engineering achievement．It answered the prayers of anyone who is worn out when walking downtown．Not everyone welcomed the Segway's arrival, though．Some complained it was too expensive, while others said it would further weaken the average American ' s fitness．A Japanese inventor even accused Kamen of stealing the idea for the Segway from him．
Despite the controversy, the U．S．postal service began using Kamen's invention a month after its appearance, and a factory was built with plans to produce about 40,000 Segways every month．The argument is still on whether the Segway will be remembered as the greatest invention since the light bulb, or just another forgettable electronic device．Anyway, trips to the local supermarket will never be the same again．
1.Which statement best describes the critics' reaction to the Segway?
A．Nothing but an electrical device．
B．A disappointing engineering mistake．
C．An expensive and disappointing invention．
D．Disappointing, but still a successful device．
2.Which is not a feature of the Segway?
A．One person at a time can ride on it．
B．It has two wheels with a single axle．
C．It is powered by electricity and can go up to 12mph．
D．Riders increase the speed by moving the handlebars
3.Some people expressed dissatisfaction with the Segway because of its______.
A．high cost B．danger to traffic
C．being difficult to use D．contribution to laziness
4.Shortly after the Segway appeared, there were _________.
A．hopes for a larger model of it
B．no plans to do anything more with it
C．some discussions on the unforgettable device
D．plans to make tens of thousands of them a month
Speaking two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world．But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism （双语能力） are even more important than being able to converse with a wider range of people．Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter．It can have a deep effect on your brain, improving skills not related to language and even protecting against a serious mental disorder in old age．
This view of bilingualism is different from the understanding of bilingualism through much of the 20th century．Researchers, educators and policy makers long considered a second language to be an interruption that prevented a child's school work and ability to think and understand things．They were not wrong about the interruption: there is ample evidence that in a bilingual \s brain both language systems are active even when he is using only one language, thus creating situations in which one system disturbs the other．But this interruption, researchers are finding out, isn't so much a disturbance．It forces the brain to solve inside conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its thinking muscles．
The key difference between bilinguals and monolinguals may be more basic: a heightened ability to monitor the environment．"Bilinguals have to switch languages quite often—you may talk to your father in one language and to your mother in another language," says Albert Costa, a researcher at the University of Pompea Fabra in Spain．
"It requires keeping track of changes around you in the same way that we monitor our surroundings when driving．" In a study comparing German-Italian bilinguals with Italian monolinguals on monitoring tasks, Mr．Costa and his colleagues found that the bilingual subjects not only performed better, but they also did so with less activity in parts of the brain involved in monitoring, showing that they did better in it．
1.From the passage we can learn that experts used to believe that ______．
A．interruption forced a bilingual's brain to strengthen its thinking ability
B．a second language stopped children's studying as well as mental development
C．using two languages annoyed the children who have trouble in learning skills
D．language systems were busy in a bilingual's brain when he was using languages
2.The underlined word "switch" in Paragraph 3 probably means "______"．
A．change B．use C．speak D．study
3.What is the author's attitude towards bilingualism?
A．Cautious． B．Doubtful． C．Concerned． D．Favourable．
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A．How Bilinguals Use Languages
B．What Bilingualism Is Really about
C．Why Bilinguals Are More Intelligent
D．When People Learn a Second Language
The artist Grandma Moses became famous for her simple, bright, cheerful paintings of American farm life．Her full name was Anna Mary Robertson Moses．But she was known to everyone as Grandma Moses because she did not begin to paint seriously until in her seventies．
Born on a farm in New York, Anna had little schooling．Her days were filled with farm chores．But she often found time to make pictures．Soon, however, she became too busy to draw or paint．At the age of 12, she went to work as a servant for a family nearby．She worked for other people for many years．Then, when she was 27, she married Thomas Moses, a farmer．And they began raising a family of their own．
Anna Moses could no longer do heavy farm work with age．Then, in her seventies, she began to paint in oils．Her pictures showed things she recalled from childhood-farm scenes, ice-skating, bringing home the Christmas tree．Later, she began to display her art at county fairs．Her pictures recorded a way of life that was quickly passing away．People everywhere loved these happy scenes, and soon her paintings were shown in art galleries．Grandma Moses became famous partially on account of her age, but mainly because her approach to art was modest and simple compared to many other painters of her time．Without formal training or even knowledge of Modernism, she relied on her own simple techniques to create her landscapes and scenes．She continued to paint almost until her death, on December 13, 1961 , at the age of 101．
The themes in her paintings provided the comfort of a rural life that many busy Americans treasured from their past．The threat of nuclear arms that appeared on television screens and in magazines had Americans starving for something more．Grandma Moses' art appealed to those who had lost hope for the future．Her classic paintings still appear on TV commercials, greeting cards, and magazine and book covers．
1.What can be inferred from the fact that Grandma Moses picked up a paintbrush?
A．She had no other ways to kill time．
B．Her friend and family suggested it．
C．She had had a love for painting since her childhood．
D．She needed to make a living by selling her paintings．
2.The key reason for her success is ___ .
A．her old age B．her plain style
C．her lack of training D．her modern knowledge
3.We can know from the passage that ______．
A．her paintings raised people's hope for the future
B．her paintings expressed the reality of her old age
C．many Americans were interested in purchasing art works
D．people wanted to get comfort by remembering grandmas
How often do you let other people’s nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, impolite waiter，rude boss, or an insensitive employee your day?
Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a New York City taxi cab. One day I was in a taxi and we headed the airport. We were driving in the lane when suddenly a black car drove out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his , slide sideways，and at the very last moment our car stopped and the other car by just inches！The driver of the other car , the guy who almost caused a big accident, looked around and started at us.
My taxi driver just and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was ,so I said，"Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital！” This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call "The Law of the Garbage Truck".
He said, “ Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of , full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on . Don’t take it personally; Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Believe me. You’ll be .”
So I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”
Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with . The mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what’s in your life. See, Roy Baumeister, a psychology researcher from Florida State University，found in his extensive research that you __ bad things more often than good things in your life. You store the bad memories more easily, and you __ them more frequently. So love the people who treat you right. Ignore the ones who don’t. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you _ it！The odds are against you when a Garbage Truck comes your way, but when you follow “The Law of the Garbage Truck”，you take back control of your life. You make room for the good by go of the bad.
Have a Garbage-Free Day！Have a marvelous, garbage-free day！The seeds you plant today the harvest you reap tomorrow.
1.A. enrich B. ruin C. spare D. obtain
2.A. through B. to C. in D. for
3.A. latter B. right C. opposite D. free
4.A. brakes B. door C. window D. seat
5.A. knocked B. overtook C. missed D. lost
6.A. laughing B. throwing C. glancing D. yelling
7.A. wondered B. smiled C. ignored D. guessed
8.A. friendly B. angry C. tired D. disappointed
9.A. expectation B. passengers C. garbage D. goods
10.A. turns B. pushes C. holds D. piles
11.A. roads B. children C. you D. dustbin
12.A. upset B. happier C. pitiful D. frightened
13.A. spread B. share C. explain D. contribute
14.A. surprise B. pleasure C. doubt D. regrets
15.A. funny B. important C. strange D. embarrassing
16.A. remember B. forget C. value D. appreciate
17.A. enjoy B. exchange C. recall D. imagine
18.A. inspire B. take C. mend D. notice
19.A. letting B. consisting C. making D. dreaming
20.A. distinguish B. deserve C. deliver D. determine
_____ in every aspect of his company’s business, Paul made himself busy day and night.
A. Being involved B. Involved C. Involving D. To involve
The traffic rule says young children under the age of four and ____less than 40 pounds must be in a child safety seat.
A. being weighed B. to weigh C. weighed D. weighing
