It is becoming more and more important for researchers to closely observe our sea life, with climate change and overfishing damaging our oceans. However, this is almost impossible since human presence scares the animals. Now, thanks to The Soft Robotic Fish, also called SoFi, researchers may not only be able to keep a close eye on the creatures, but also uncover undersea secrets that have been confusing us for centuries.
Built by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), the snow-white remote-controlled robot closely emulates real fish, complete with a flexible tail and two "fins". Though not the first autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) created to observe the oceans, SoFi solves many of the issues that have hindered (妨碍)the usefulness of previous robots.
AUVs traditionally have had to be tied to a boat because radio frequency communications do not work well underwater. To solve the problem, CSAIL director Daniela Rus and her team used sound waves which can travel greater distances, allowing drivers using a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller to pilot SoFi from up to 50 feet away. To ensure SoFi can freely move around the ocean, a pump moves water from one balloon-like structure to the other through its soft rubber tail, while a controller fitted with a battery powers the robot through the ocean, unhindered by propellers (螺旋桨).
During test dives in Fiji's Rainbow Reef, SoFi moved alongside the sea life at depths of 50 feet for up to 40 minutes at a time, taking high-resolution photos and videos. Even more importantly, it was able to do so without causing any disturbance. The researchers say sometimes the fish would swim alongside the strange-looking robo- fish out of curiosity, while at other times they appeared completely unaware of its existence.
While SoFi currently only records videos, future versions will include sensors. "For us, this fish is magical," says Rus. “We imagine someday it might help us uncover more mysteries from the amazing underwater world that we know so little about."
1.Why was SoFi created?
A.To protect fish from being caught.
B.To stop oceans from being polluted.
C.To learn about the underwater world
D.To solve the issues AUVs have found.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “emulates” in Paragraph2?
A.Feeds. B.Catches.
C.Protects. D.Imitates.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.The development of AUVs.
B.Working principles of SoFi.
C.How AUVs are used underwater.
D.SoFi's contribution to fish protection.
4.What is the main advantage of SoFi?
A.It will not scare real fish. B.It can record videos.
C.It is equipped with sensors. D.It cannot be seen by real fish.
Naomi Shihab Nye has lots of things to write about. She never seems to run out of ideas, Naomi writes poetry for young people and adults, but she is also the author of essays, children's picture books, songs, and a novel for teenagers.
Where does Naomi get her ideas? She sees poetry in the details of everyday life, like the way things smell or taste, the sounds of nature, the voices of her family, and the colors of a flower or a bird's wing or a strawberry.
Naomi's poetry is also often influenced by places she has lived in and visited. Naomi was raised by her Palestinian father and American mother. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, US, Jerusalem Israel; and San Antonio, Texas, US. Each of these places has its own unique features, which Naomi has described with her rich, descriptive language.
Naomi also writes about her double cultures and the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in the Middle East. Today, Naomi has settled down in San Antonio. She knows many people who have a Mexican-American identity, and she works their experiences into her poetry. Naomi focuses on the ways that people of different cultures and backgrounds are similar rather than different. She has even traveled to the Middle East and Asia to promote international goodwill through the arts. Naomi firmly believes in the power of writing to change the world and help people find common ground.
Naomi Shihab Nye began writing poetry as soon as she learned how to write. She published her first poem when she was only seven years old! Since that time, Naomi has written and edited more than 20 books. She often tells young writers to write about their daily lives—the things they observe and the feelings they have. That's a good reminder for a writer!
1.Which of the following best describes Naomi according to Paragraph 1?
A.Optimistic. B.Productive.
C.Generous. D.Traditional.
2.How does Naomi get her ideas?
A.By observing the world around her.
B.By visiting many different people.
C.By reading famous writers' works.
D.By comparing features of different places.
3.Where does Naomi live now?
A.In Missouri, US. B.In Mexico.
C.In Texas, US. D.In Israel.
4.What can we learn about Naomi from the last two paragraphs?
A.She has a strong sense of social responsibility.
B.She focuses more on cultural differences.
C.She lived a hard life in childhood.
D.She writes books for improving writing skills,
Castel dell'Ovo Tours
Castel dell'Ovo is one of Naples' most famous monuments. It offers sweeping views over the city and Mount Vesuvius in the distance.
The Basics
The site on which Castel dell'Ovo now stands has a long history, beginning as a settlement for Greek colonists. The current castle was built in the 15th century, and today, the 19th-century fishing village of Borgo Marinari, known for its excellent seafood restaurants and marina （游艇停靠区）sits at the base of the castle.
The Egg Castle
The origin of the castle's name comes from a story about the Roman poet Virgil, who is said to have placed a magical egg in the foundations beneath where the castle now stands. As long as the egg stays well, Castel dell'Ovo will remain standing.
Things to Know Before You Go
•Castel dell' Ovo is a must-see for history and architecture enthusiasts.
•Admission to the castle and the museum is free.
•The inner halls of the castle are open to the public only during special events exhibitions; the ramparts (城墙)and towers are always open.
•There is a lift from the ground floor to the ramparts, making the castle accessible to wheelchairs.
How to Get There
Castel dell'Ovo is located in the Bay of Naples just off the coastal road. Bus 151 from the train station and 140 from the port stop at Castel dell'Ovo.
When to Get There
The castle is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, and Sundays and holidays from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The Prehistoric Museum is open only on weekends from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. As Naples is one of Italy's most visited cities, its sights can be very crowded in the high-season summer months. Visit in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the crowds and to take advantage of the best light for taking photos from the castle's towers.
Book Online or Call +1(702)648-5873
1.When can you visit Castel dell'Ovo?
A.On weekdays from 9:00 am to 17:00 pm.
B.On holidays from 8:00 am to 13:30 pm.
C.On weekends from 8:00 to 13:00 pm.
D.On Sundays from 8:30 am to 19:00 pm.
2.What should you know before you tour Castel dell'Ovo?
A.Those with leg problems cannot tour the ramparts.
B.The tickets have to be booked in advance.
C.The towers can be visited only during special events.
D.It's easily accessible by bus from the train station.
3.Which statement of the following is true about Castel dell' Ovo?
A.The castle currently sits next to Mount Vesuvius.
B.The castle was originally named after the Roman poet Virgil.
C.The castle was originally built in the 19th century.
D.The castle is also named the Egg Castle.
As they reach school age, about 90 percent of children will have experienced a condition in which fluid (液体) fills the middle ear, muffling (使模糊) sound and sometimes causing infection. The fluid usually clears on its own, but if not, it can lead to a painful ear infection called acute otitis (中耳炎) media. In some cases the fluid can persist for more than a year, causing hearing loss during this period, and slowing down their development of language and social skills.
Diagnosis usually requires a visit to a specialist—but researchers have now developed an app that detects this fluid just as accurately, with only a smartphone and a paper funnel (漏斗).
Doctors typically detect the problem by peering into the ear for a visual assessment. Yet, this method has only a 50 percent accuracy rate. “Right now, if you bring your child to a pediatrician, or to any urgent care family doctor, the way they look at whether or not there’s fluid in the middle ear is by looking at the eardrum,” says Sharat Raju, a surgeon in the department of head and neck surgery at the University of Washington.
For a cheaper and more accessible alternative, researchers at the University of Washington turned to smartphones. First the user follows a template to cut and tape a piece of paper into a funnel, which can be placed between a smartphone and the patient’s ear. Next the app plays a chirping sound through the phone’s speaker; the sound waves bounce off the eardrum and hit the phone’s microphone, where they register and are analyzed by the app. An eardrum with fluid behind it will vibrate (振动) differently than if the middle ear is full of air, as it normally is.
To develop the app, the researchers first played chirps for patients with and without fluid in their ears. They recorded the echoes (回音), which indicate the eardrum’s mobility. Then they used a machine learning model to classify the returning sound waves, determining which audio characteristics indicated a normal ear and which suggested the presence of fluid. Once they tested the app on 98 children, ranging from 18 months to 17 years old, at Seattle Children’s Hospital. It correctly detected fluid in 85 percent of cases, and correctly identified fluid-free ears in 82 percent.
The researchers are currently trying to get FDA approval for the app, and have founded a company to commercialize it. They hope to make it available by the end of the year, to help parents track children’s ear health at home.
1.What do we know about the fluid from the first paragraph?
A.It is mostly part of children’s growth. B.It is unavoidable for any child.
C.It is a permanent physical condition. D.It is beyond any medical means.
2.What does the underlined word “pediatrician” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A.A hospital. B.A specialist.
C.A relative. D.An app.
3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.The application of the app. B.The causes of the kid’s ear problem.
C.The purpose of developing the app. D.The experiment of the smartphone.
4.What do the researchers expect of the app?
A.It will upgrade the medical technology. B.It will hit the market in the near future.
C.It will help children do better academically. D.It will save doctors medical operations.
Detroit Hives is a non-profit organization that buys vacant lots in the city to transform into bee farms. Timothy Paul and Nicole Lindsey started the non-profit last year, focused on improving the Motor City’s “left behind” communities and educating people on bees.
Timothy got interested in honey and honeybees because of a cough he couldn’t shake. He was sick for months, until a store owner in nearby Ferndale recommended he try some local honey. Soon Timothy’s cough was gone. And he and Nicole found that abandoned urban sites often became illegal dumping grounds, contributing to an overgrowth of allergens (过敏原) — not to mention the mess. The couple began to think about how to settle that issue by producing local honey on vacant sites, and Detroit Hives was born.
To become certified beekeepers, Timothy and Nicole took two courses. They bought their first vacant lot for $340, with the aid of the Detroit Land Bank Authority community partnership program. From there, they built three hives and vegetable garden plots. Thousands of bees now buzz (嗡嗡) on the lot. “The neighbors say they wish we were there decades of years ago. That area had always been a place where people dumped garbage, so when we came here, we gave that area a sense of purpose. The neighbors keep an eye on the area to make sure that people don’t dump any more,” Lindsey said.
Currently, Detroit Hives has partnered with local Detroit Soup and a homeless shelter to provide local, raw honey and they also sell their sweet product. In addition, Detroit Hives spreads awareness about bees through public tours of the farm. The couple also speak at schools in the area. They aim to expand beyond their first farm this year.
1.What does the author intend to tell us in Paragraph 2?
A.The method of curing cough.
B.The inspiration for Detroit Hives.
C.The terrible environment in Detroit.
D.The medical value of local honey.
2.What can we learn about the couples’ work?
A.It enriched the variety of vegetables.
B.It disturbed the neighbors’ normal life.
C.It improved the environment in the area.
D.It enabled neighbors to live in harmony.
3.Why does Detroit Hives offer public tours?
A.To appeal to more customers.
B.To help expand their first farm.
C.To promote their honey product.
D.To help people learn more about bees.
4.Which of the following best describes the husband and wife?
A.Optimistic. B.Faithful.
C.Creative. D.Demanding.
The new garbage sorting regulation has taken effect in Shanghai starting July 1. Many citizens are still confused about the classification of the four different types of trash. Thankfully, authorities have released an official guideline to clarify the new rules.
The guideline, published by the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, provides a rather clear definition on the four kinds of waste: recyclable waste, hazardous (有害的) waste, household food waste and residual (剩余的) waste.
Hazardous waste, as the name suggests, includes assorted poisonous materials like used batteries, light bulbs, out-of-date medicines, paint and pesticides.
Household food waste, which is translated to “wet trash” in Chinese，refers to food leftovers, rotten food, pet food, fruit peels, remains of TCM herbs (中药) and flowers.
Paper, plastic, glass, metal and textiles (纺织品) are counted as recyclable waste.
The definition of residual waste is a little confusing. Anything that is not listed above belongs in this category.
As specific as the new guideline is, residents still have a hard time sorting trash correctly and are finding it challenging to memorize them all. For instance, both plastic bottles and bubble tea or coffee cups are plastic materials. However, the former falls to the category of recyclable waste and the latter belongs to residual waste. To save the hassle, some netizens have come up with their own ways to sort trash.
“We should do this from a pig’s angle,” commented one netizen. “Those edible (可食用的) for pigs are household food waste. Those even pigs don’t want to eat are residual waste. If a pig consumes something and dies of it, then something must be hazardous waste. Those which can be sold and the money we gain can be used to purchase pigs are recyclable waste.” The new regulation has gone into effect on July 1. Those who do not sort their trash properly will be fined RMB200.
1.What do the old thrown-away sweaters belong to?
A.Residual waste. B.Hazardous waste.
C.Recyclable waste. D.Household food waste.
2.What does “wet trash” have in common?
A.They are completely wet. B.They all come from plants.
C.They can give off bad smell. D.They can break up easily.
3.What is the tone of the netizen?
A.Humorous. B.Serious.
C.Delightful. D.Uncertain.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Shanghai bans four sorts of garbage.
B.Shanghai launches garbage sorting enforcement.
C.Citizens in Shanghai still question garbage sorting.
D.Citizens in Shanghai welcome the garbage sorting policy.
