A robot created by Washington State University (WSU) scientists could help elderly people with dementia (痴呆) and other limitations live independently in their own homes.
The Robot Activity Support System, or RAS, uses sensors installed in a WSU smart home to determine where its residents are, what they are doing and when they need assistance with daily activities. It navigates (定位) through rooms and around obstacles to find people on its own, provides video instructions on how to do simple tasks and can even lead its owner to objects like their medication or a snack in the kitchen.
“RAS combines the convenience of a mobile robot with the activity detection technology of a WSU smart home to provide assistance in the moment, as the need for help is detected,” said Bryan Minor, a postdoctoral researcher in the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Currently, an estimated 50 percent of adults over the age of 85 need assistance with every day activities such as preparing meals and taking medication and the annual cost for this assistance in the US is nearly $2 trillion. With the number of adults over 85 expected to triple by 2050, researchers hope that technologies like RAS and the WSU smart home will relieve some of the financial strain on the healthcare system by making it easier for older adults to live alone.
RAS is the first robot researchers have tried to incorporate into their smart home environment. They recently published a study in the journal Cognitive Systems Research that demonstrates how RAS could make life easier for older adults struggling to live independently.
“While we are still in an early stage of development, our initial results with RAS have been promising,” Minor said. “The next step in the research will be to test RAS’ performance with a group of older adults to get a better idea of what prompts, video reminders and other preferences they have regarding the robot.”
1.How does RAS serve elderly people?
A.Through sensors. B.Through objects.
C.Through a mobile robot. D.Through their daily activities.
2.What can we know about RAS?
A.It is the first robot used in daily life. B.Its function remains to be tested.
C.It can locate people and do any task. D.It can cook for owners on its own.
3.What’s Minor’s attitude toward the future of RAS?
A.Doubtful. B.Negative.
C.Optimistic. D.Uncertain.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Elderly people leave the nursing home.
B.Smart Home Tests first elder-Care robot.
C.RAS, the first robot to make home smart.
D.Older adults have benefited from RAS.
The great-grandmother is learning English with the help of her family when she is at the age of 91. She hopes to use the language at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo. Takamizawa was one of the more than 200, 00 people who requested to volunteer for Tokyo’s 2020 Games. English is not required for service, but it is a useful skill for volunteers to have.
But Takamizawa had not been able to learn the language when she was young. Takamizawa said that she was in high school when World War Two started. She said, “In my second year there, English was banned because it was the enemy language.”
Takamizawa said her grandchildren helped persuade her that she was not too old to learn. “When I talked to my grandchildren about my wish, they said, ‘It’s not too late. We will teach you one word a day’ ”. Natsuko is Takamizawa’s granddaughter and main English teacher. Natsuko sends a new English word to her grandmother’s phone every day. They also often work together directly on phrases that Takamizawa will need for the Olympics. “Welcome to Tokyo, this is the Olympic stadium, how can I help you?” Takamizawa answers when asked to say an English phrase she has learned. Natsuko explains that she wanted to give her grandmother something to enjoy. “I can clearly see her English is getting better. It’s my joy now.”
The EF English Proficiency Index is a measure of the level of English spoken in a country. Japan ranks 49th among countries where English is not the first language. This situation is slowly changing as younger generations welcome English. However, Takamizawa believes real change will not happen unless Japanese people become more open to the rest of the world. With around 500 days to go until the games begin, the whole Takamizawa family is ready to welcome the world to Tokyo.
1.Why couldn’t Takamizawa learn English when she was young?
A.Because English was useless.
B.Because she was too young to learn English.
C.Because English was forbidden to learn.
D.Because she was unwilling to learn English.
2.What can we know from the third paragraph?
A.Takamizawa gets strong support from her family.
B.Takamizawa’s grandchildren love her a lot.
C.Natsuko is Takamizawa’s granddaughter and only English teacher.
D.Natsuko teaches Takamizawa English mainly by talking with her.
3.What does the underlined phrase “This situation” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A.English is not the first language in Japan.
B.The level of English spoken in Japan is relatively low.
C.Younger generations in Japan welcome English.
D.Japanese people become open to the rest of the world.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Where there is a will, there is a way. B.It is never too late to learn.
C.The early bird catches the worm. D.Two heads are better than one.
You can either travel or read, but either your body or soul must be on the way. The popular saying has inspired many people to read or go sightseeing. Traveling just like reading, is a refreshing journey from the busy world. Books, brain food, can keep you company on your travel.
On the Road, 1957, by Jack Kerouac
The book is a globally popular spiritual guide book about youth. The main character in the book drives across the US continent with several young people and finally reaches Mexico. After the exhausting and exciting trip, the characters in the book begin to realize the meaning of life. The book can be a good partner with you to explore the United States.
Life is Elsewhere, 1975, by Milan Kundera
Jean-Jacques Rousseau once said, “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” The book tells a young artist’s romantic but miserable life, about how he reads, dreams, and has a relationship. Experience the artist’s passionate life in the book during a trip to Central Europe. The book invites you to deeply reflect on your current life.
The Stories of Sahara, 1967, by Sanmao
The book narrates the author’s simple but adventurous life in the Sahara Desert, which seems a desolate and dull place. The fancy natural scenery and life there, along with the author’s romantic and intensive emotion, will inspire you to explore the mysterious land. Reading the book is like participating in a dialogue with the author, who is sincere and humorous.
Lotus, 2006 by Annbaby
This novel set in Tibet, tells three people’s stories, each with their unique characteristics. It reveals modern people’s emotions and inner life, their confusion about love, and exploration of Buddhism.The book is a good partner to bring you to the sacred land Tibet.
1.Which book is about the exploration of life value through a journey?
A.On the Road. B.Life is Elsewhere.
C.The Stories of Sahara. D.Lotus.
2.Whose book could be the most suitable for your trip to Germany?
A.Jack Kerouac’s. B.Sanmao’s.
C.Annbaby’s. D.Milan Kundera’s.
3.What can we learn from the text?
A.Lotus is a religious book exploring Tibetan Buddhist culture.
B.On the road advises a classic route for driving across the US.
C.The stories of Sahara records its authors’ own life in the desert.
D.Life is Elsewhere demonstrates Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s own life.
Worth the pain in the end
I used to hate running. It seemed too hard and pushing outside my comfort zone was not something I was raised to do.
In fact, I wouldn’t have become a_____if it weren’t for my husband Charles. He had been a serious competitive runner for many years. After our marriage, he wouldn’t stop talking about how much he missed it.
“So start running again, why don’t you?” I was getting _____ of hearing about it.
So he picked it up again, and after about a year, I started to join him at the track (跑道). Just a few weeks later, Charles signed us both up for a five-kilometer race. I ____about doing it. It was too soon.
But on _____ day, there I was.
The gun went ____.Thousands of runners pushed forward.
The first kilometer was ____.
“I don’t think I’m going to make it.” I was already breathing heavily and painfully aware of the group of runners _____ past me.
“No, you’re doing ____”, said Charles. He was trying to encourage me, to get me focused on something other than my ____.
“I can’t,” I said,_____ audibly (听得见地).
He tried a different way to _____ me. “Just make it to that house and let’s see how you feel.”
After another minute I saw the three-kilometer ____. All I could think of was that I was dying and that my husband was torturing (折磨) me.
Miserable doesn’t even begin to describe _____ I felt. And there was so much _____.
“You’ll be fine. You’ve got less than a kilometer to go.”
I rounded a corner and saw both sides of the street thick with people watching the race, all cheering the runners on. I _____ my legs to keep going.
Then I looked up and saw the clock. The seconds ticking away (一分一秒地过去) gave me an incentive (助力). I knew that if I finished this race, I would have achieved something. So, I straightened up, and kicked it.
I had my arms held higher when I passed ____the finish line. A volunteer put a _____ around my neck.
“You did great! I’m so _____ of you!” Charles was thrilled that I’d _____ it.
“That was AMAZING! I want to do another race. This running stuff is amazing!” I proudly hugged my medal as we started to walk to the post-race festivities.
My lungs and my comfort zone both ____.
1.A.runner B.traveler C.racer D.cheerleader
2.A.afraid B.tired C.aware D.confident
3.A.thought B.dreamed C.hesitated D.cared
4.A.race B.sport C.show D.task
5.A.on B.off C.up D.down
6.A.long B.short C.easy D.tough
7.A.brushing B.walking C.pounding D.sliding
8.A.wrong B.right C.great D.bad
9.A.disability B.dishonor C.disgrace D.discomfort
10.A.barely B.nearly C.merely D.roughly
11.A.advise B.persuade C.order D.force
12.A.signal B.symbol C.point D.mark
13.A.how B.what C.when D.why
14.A.sweat B.anger C.pain D.pleasure
15.A.willed B.dragged C.pulled D.supported
16.A.by B.over C.at D.through
17.A.ring B.necklace C.medal D.scarf
18.A.ashamed B.guilty C.sure D.proud
19.A.done B.made C.taken D.caught
20.A.developed B.expanded C.changed D.progressed
假定你是李华，你的英国笔友Helen正在进行一项关于各国中学生课外阅读情况的调查。她给你发了一封电子邮件，想了解相关情况。请你根据以下提示，给她回信。
(1)你校学生课外阅读的现状；
(2)原因分析；
(3)你的看法。
注意：
(1)词数100左右；
(2)可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
(3)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Helen,
I’m very glad to receive your email. Now I would like to tell you something about the extracurricular reading in our school.
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Best wishes!
Yours
Li Hua
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的概要。
Is a knife useful instrument or a dangerous weapon? It depends on how it is used. It’s the same with technology and one of those greatest inventions is cell phones. They have revolutionized the human existence. This is possible only because they are getting cheaper and cheaper. The technology has made it even easier to give them a longer life.
Undoubtedly, if cell phones are in right hands, no matter how far we are setting we can talk anytime anywhere! We can watch favourite TV shows, listen to favourite songs,etc, as cell phones are equipped with all high-tech features. In fact, it’s good to parents as well as children. Parents can monitor their children and children are also safe. If anyone is an any ind of danger, ahe or he can call for help immediately.
There are always two sides of a coin. The technology has caused a danger that we keep ignoring. The cell phones have progressed rapidly and at the same time they provide us with more tasks than what we would attempt. When a person is multitasking rather than complete a single task, this causes burden and results in stress. Also cell phones have made terrorist attacks in the world very easy. Besides, children spend much of their time in playing games instead of going out and playing, which is very harmful to them.
We should always remember that there lives a wise man between the valley of two mountains. Are cell phones a useful instrument or a dangerous weapon? The answer lies in our hands.
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