Have you dreamed of building your own machine? Do you wish you could invent something new? Here we look at a few British inventions of recent times.
Adaptable Glasses
Do you wear glasses? If so, can you imagine life without them? In 1985, Joshua Silver, a professor at Oxford University, asked himself, “Can I invent a pair of glasses that could be changed by the wearer?” He designed two plastic lenses(透镜) that are filled with a special liquid. The liquid can be changed between the lenses until you can see clearly. The glasses are not beautiful but they are easy to use and cheap to make.
The Wind-up Radio
When you switch your TV on tonight, think about all those people without electricity. Thinking about this, Trevor Baylis came up with the idea of designing a radio that could be powered by hand. In common with Joshua Silver he wanted his invention to be cheap and easy to use. The radio has a generator (发电机) which is powered by turning a handle. In 1996 it won a BBC Design Award for Best Protect and Best Design.
The Dyson Cleaner
In many homes around the world you can see a cleaner that looks like a spaceship. This is the Dyson vacuum (真空) cleaner which uses something called “cyclonic separation” to separate the dirt. You do not need a bag for your cleaner and it does not get blocked so it is very practical. The idea came to Sir James Dyson after he kept having problems with his vacuum cleaner. He decided he could design a better one and in 1993 he opened his own factory. The Dyson is now one of the best-selling cleaners in the UK and Dyson is believed to have earned over a billion pounds.
The Zapata Fly-board
Ever dreamed of rising through the water and jumping high in the air like a dolphin? Now you can try a fly-board, built by water sports fan Frank Zapata. With it you can dive back in the water and out again. It’s possible to jump to unbelievable heights out of the water—over 30 feet. The basic fly-board model comes in at ￡4,200.
So keep dreaming and inventing. One day you might get it right.
1.Who invented Adaptable Glasses?
A. Joshua Silver. B. Trevor Baylis.
C. James Dyson. D. Frank Zapata.
2.Which invention won an award?
A. Adaptable Glasses. B. The Wind-up Radio.
C. The Dyson Cleaner. D. The Zapata Fly-board.
3.Who might be interested in the invention of the Dyson cleaner?
A. Those who need radios.
B. Those who have eye problems.
C. Those who are fond of diving.
D. Those who want to use cleaners more easily.
4.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. Kind Inventors. B. Cheap Inventions.
C. Creative Minds. D. Future Dreams.
完形填空,阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从各题A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳答案。
In the animal kingdom, weakness can bring about attack in other animals. This sometimes happens with ________ also. But I have found that my weakness brings out the ________ in people. I see it every day when people hold doors for me, pour cream into my coffee, or ________ me to put on my coat. And I have ________ that it makes them happy.
From my wheelchair experience, I see the best ________ people. Last month, when I was driving home on a busy highway, I began to feel unwell and ________ more slowly than usual. People behind me began to get ________ , with some speeding up alongside me, horning(按喇叭) or even shouting at me. At the moment I ________ to do something I had never done in twenty-four years of driving. I put on the car flashlights and drove on at a really ________ speed.
No more angry shouts and no more horns!
When I turned on my flashlights, I was saying to other drivers, “I have a(n) ________ here. I am weak and doing the best I can.” And everyone ________ . Several times, I saw drivers who wanted to pass. They couldn’t get around me because of the ________ of passing traffic. But instead of getting impatient and angry, they ________ , knowing the driver in front of them was in some way weak.
Sometimes situations call for us to act strong and brave even ________ we don’t feel that way. But those seldom happen. More often, it would be better if we don’t pretend we feel strong when we feel ________ , which can bring out the best in humans.
1.A. humans B. plants C. animals D. insects
2.A. coldness B. respect C. cruelty D. kindness
3.A. ask B. help C. order D. allow
4.A. argued B. promised C. doubted D. discovered
5.A. in B. for C. to D. from
6.A. cycled B. rode C. drove D. followed
7.A. energetic B. careful C. unfair D. impatient
8.A. planned B. decided C. agreed D. forgot
9.A. low B. different C. variable D. top
10.A. chance B. accident C. problem D. danger
11.A. removed B. stopped C. regretted D. understood
12.A. direction B. stream C. light D. size
13.A. waited B. struggled C. cornered D. raced
14.A. although B. because C. when D. since
15.A. healthy B. weak C. confident D. mistaken
The teacher along with her students _________ the Palace Museum when we came across her.
A. were visiting B. was visiting
C. has visited D. have visited
The news that Helen won the first prize _________ her family and friends.
A. challenged B. supported
C. defeated D. delighted
I had never expected to get the job. I was really amazed when I _________ it.
A. offered B. was offering
C. was offered D. had offered
Mr. Reed made up his mind to devote all his savings to _________ some schools for poor areas.
A. set up B. having set up
C. have set up D. setting up
