See a cellphone cover that you like on Taobao? Forget about placing an order, paying the bill online and waiting for days for it to be delivered to you. In the near future, you'll be able to get it in minutes just by hitting “print” on your computer.
You might find it hard to believe that you could actually “print” an object like you would a picture. But it is not that hard to understand how it would work. Just as a traditional printer sprays ink onto paper line by line, modern 3D printers spread material onto a surface layer by layer, from the bottom to the top, gradually building up a shape.
Instead of ink, the materials the 3D printer uses are mainly plastic, resin and certain metals. The thinner each layer is—from a millimetre to less than the width of a hair—the smoother and finer the object will be.
This may sound like a completely new technology, but the truth is that 3D printing has been around since the late 1980s. Back then, it was barely affordable for most people, so few knew about it.
Last year, though, saw a big change in the 3D printing industry—printers became much cheaper. For example, 10 years ago a desktop 3D printer might have cost ￡20,000, while now they cost only about ￡1,000, according to the BBC.
Taken out of the factory and introduced to more diverse and common uses, 3D printing can create just about anything you can think of—flutes , bikinis, jewelry, aircraft parts and even human organs. In fact, scientists from Cornell University in New York have just made an artificial ear using a 3D printer, according to Science Daily. The fake ear looks and acts exactly like a natural one.
However, as 3D printing becomes more common, it may bring about certain problems—such as piracy. “Once you can download a coffee maker, or print out a new set of kitchen utensils on your personal 3D printer, who will visit a retail store again？” an expert in 3D printing told Forbes News. Even more frightening, what if anyone in the world could use a 3D printer to print out a fully functioning gun?
1.According to the article, in the future, the 3D printing technology will _______.
A. enable people to make better purchases online
B. change the way we make many products
C. be applied as widely in our daily life as computers
D. shorten the time it takes for people to get what they buy online
2.What happened in the 3D printing industry last year?
A. The 3D printing technology was taken out of the factory.
B. The 3D printing technology began to be used in various fields.
C. The 3D printer was used for medical treatment for the first time.
D. The 3D printer became more affordable for consumers.
3.How is the last paragraph developed?
A. By giving examples.
B. By making comparisons.
C. By analyzing the cause and effect.
D. By presenting research findings.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Great Demand for 3D Printers
B. Technology in the Future
C. Online Shopping Disappearing
D. Printing out Everything
My teacher, Mr. August J. Bachmann, was the most influential teacher I ever had.
I had gotten into trouble in his class: Another student had pushed me for fun, and I became angry and began to hit him. Mr. Bachmann stopped the fight, but instead of sending me to the office, he sat me down and asked a simple question: "Penna, why are you wasting your life? Why aren't you going to college?"
I didn't know anything about colleges or scholarships. No one had ever considered that a fatherless boy from the poorest neighborhood had a future. That day, instead of rushing off for lunch, he stayed and explained possible education options to me. At the end of our talk, he sent me to see a secretary who had a child at a state college. This was in 1962 at Emerson High School in Union City, New Jersey.
Well, 53 years have passed, and what have I done with the knowledge he gave me? I gained a PhD from Fordham University when I was only 29. I taught English and social studies and then moved up the chain of command from teacher to principal.
I've sat on the board for Magnet Schools of America and represented that organization at the United Nations. I've won a number of great educational awards. But where would I be if a truly caring teacher had not taken the time out of his lunch period to speak to me? It was without question only his confidence in me that helped me forward.
I have repaid his kindness hundreds of times by encouraging misguided youngsters to aim higher. If I have saved any children, it is because of him. If I have been a successful educator, it is because I had a great role model in Mr. Bachmann.
1.The writer ________ before Mr. Bachmann talked to him.
A. was an active boy
B. liked making troubles in class
C. was an aimless boy
D. would get punished by his teachers
2.Which of the following best describes Mr. Bachmann?
A. Fair. B. Confident.
C. Inspiring. D. Humorous.
3.How did Mr. Bachmann influence the writer?
A. He set the writer on the right path.
B. He tried to set a good example to the writer.
C. He was strict with the writer.
D. He helped the writer with his study.
4.What does the writer think of his achievement?
A. He is very proud of himself.
B. He feels his effort gets paid off at last.
C. He owes his achievement to Mr. Bachmann.
D. He thinks it an honor to be a successful educator.
Visiting Joshua Tree National Park, California
Joshua Tree National Park is nearly 800,000 acres large and surrounds parts of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts in South-central California. Although barren at first glance, the park is full of wildlife and provides a variety of entertainment activities from hiking to climbing. Within a 3-hour drive, Joshua Tree National Park takes at least a full day to visit.
Things to do Hiking opportunities within the park include several choices, from 12 self-guided nature trails to all-day back-country hikes.
Joshua Tree National Park has nine camping grounds, and back-country camping is also allowed.
Rock-climbing is a popular activity in the park, which has 10 mountains greater than 5,000 feet in height.
When to visit
Joshua Tree National Park is open 365 days a year, although the best time to visit is October through April, when temperature is milder. The peak season is when the wild flowers bloom, and summer months are the least crowded.
What to bring
In addition to your camera and telescope, be sure to carry lots of water. Park and trail maps can be picked up at any of the three visitor centres.
Fees
Parking fees: You can buy a 7-day vehicle permit for $15, a single entry permit for $5, or Joshua Tree National Park annual pass for $60.
Camping fees: They vary by camping ground.
1.The underlined word “barren” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _______.
A. thin B. beautiful C. deserted D. large
2.When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park?
A. March B. May C. June D. September
3.If one goes to Joshua Tree National Park by car and stay there for 9 days, how much at least he should pay for the parking fees?
A. $60 B. $15 C. $25 D. $30
书面表达
假定你叫李华。你的同学Mary因为生病没来上课，你的班主任请你写一封E-mail告诉Mary这个星期天班上要开晚会。内容要点如下：
(1) 星期天晚上要开个英语晚会。
(2) 晚饭后6:30在教室集合，晚会7:00开始。
(3) 每个同学都要表演，可以唱英文歌，朗读英文诗，讲英语故事或者跳舞等。
(4) 如果她觉得好些，希望她能来参加。
注意：1．文章必须包括所有要点。
2．词数：100左右。
3．参考词汇：诗poem 班主任headteacher
短文改错
假如英语课上老师要求同学们交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的一篇作文。文中共有10处语言错误，要求你在错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
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11处起）不记分。
A mother was having her birthday. Her children woke up earlier but asked their mother to rest in bed. After the while, she smelled something well from the kitchen. She was very pleasing for she thought her children were cooked breakfast for her. And she thought if she should come out of the room and give her children some adivces. Then she did and saw the second children sitting beside the table. Each had a plate of bacon and an egg front of them. Then, one of them said, “ Mum, this is our present for our birthday. We have made up our own breakfast.”
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
When I lived in Spain, some Spanish friends of 1.______ ( I ) decided to visit England by car. Before they left, they asked me for advice about how to find accommodation. I suggested they 2._____ stay at “ bed and breakfast” houses, because this kind of accommodation gives a foreign visitor a good chance 3._____ (speak) English with the family. My friends accepted my advice, but they came back with some 4.____ (fun ) stories.
“ We did not stay at bed and breakfast houses,” they said, “ because we found that most families were away on holiday.” It was obviously impossible. Finally I understood what 5.____ (happen). My friends spoke little English, and they thought“VACANCIES” meant “holidays”, 6.____ the Spainish word for “holidays” is “vacancies”. So they did not go to the houses with the signs outside saying “ VACANCIES”, which in English means there are free rooms. Then my friends went 7.____ ( direct ) to the houses with the signs saying“NO VACANCIES ” , because they thought this meant the 8.____ ( own ) of the houses were not away on holiday. But in fact, all of these houses 9._____ (fill ) with travelers. As 10.____ result, they stayed at hotels!
