Wood has many great characteristics that make it the perfect building material. It is cheap, durable(耐用的), easily available, and most importantly, environmentally sustainable. The one thing it is not, is transparent(透明的).Now thanks to a team of scientists at Stockholm’s KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the material may even be able to add that feature to its already impressive list.
Lead researcher Dr. Lars Berglund said he was inspired to create the transparent wood after learning how Japanese researchers had developed a see-through paper for use in flexible display screens for electronic devices.
The team began by pulling out the wood’s lignin (木质素). The lignin-free wood was then dipped into a polymer (聚合物) and baked at a temperature of 158F for four hours. The result was a hybrid product that was not only stronger and lighter than the original wood but also, almost transparent. The researchers were able to adjust the level of transparency by varying the amount of the polymer injected and also by changing the thickness of the wood.
While scientists have previously created a see-through wood for small-scale applications like computer chips, the transparent wood is the first one being considered for large scale applications. The researchers, who revealed their findings in Biomacromolecules on April 11, picture using the transparent wood in buildings to allow for more natural light, or to create windows that let in the desired amount of light without sacrificing privacy.
Wood that allows light to pass through could lead to a brighter future for homes and buildings. Berglund also thinks the wood could play a significant role in the design of solar panels. The semi-transparent material would be able to keep light longer and give it more time to interact with the conductor, thus resulting in better solar efficiency.
Additionally, substituting the currently used glass with this new product would help solar energy manufacturers improve their carbon footprint and lower the cost. They are now experimenting with ways to scale up the manufacturing process so that the transparent material is cost-effective to make and easy to use.
1.What does the underlined part "that feature" in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A.Cheapness. B.Durability.
C.Sustainability. D.Transparency.
2.Which of the following is not the process in which the transparent wood is made?
A.Dip the wood into a polymer. B.Reduce the amount of the polymer.
C.Make the wood lignin-free. D.Bake the wood for some time.
3.What’s the purpose of using the transparent wood in buildings?
A.To protect privacy. B.To scale out applications.
C.To get more natural light. D.To observe more clearly.
4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A.The bright future of the transparent wood.
B.The wood’s role in the design of solar panels.
C.The disadvantages of the currently used glass.
D.Solar energy manufacturers’ carbon footprint.
With self-driving vehicle technology rapidly advancing, many companies are turning to autonomous robots for the final leg of the delivery process, from the store or local distribution center to the customer. The latest to join the trend is e-commerce giant Amazon. Following a successful eight — month test run in Snohomish County, Washington, the company's Scout robots have been making the rounds of Irvine, California, since August 6, 2019.
The six-wheeled Scout is about the size of a large cooler with the capacity to carry small or medium-sized
packages. The battery-powered vehicle, which moves at a regular walking pace, has been programmed to avoid pedestrians, animals, and unexpected obstacles, such as garbage cans. Its powerful sensors can also detect the movement of a car backing out of a driveway.
To accelerate Scout's development and bring it nationwide sooner, the company has created several detailed virtual maps of American suburbs and conducted trial deliveries to homes there.
Though Amazon has not shown how Scout ensures the delivery is picked up by the right person, it most likely requires the customer to apply a unique code, texted to them prior to the delivery, to unlock the store box. Also unclear is the number of deliveries Scout can complete before its battery needs to be recharged. Though the initial tests are being conducted with a human for company, the robot will be autonomous in the future. Its location, however, will be tracked at all times ——if someone attempts to steal Scout, Amazon employees will be instantly sensed.
However, the eco-friendly robots are unable to climb stairs or open gates, which means that they can only reach consumers who live on the ground level. Additionally, the robots are unable to leave packages at the front door if the customers are not home. Whether these problems get resolved remains to be seen. For now, it appears that humans will still be needed to achieve the ever-growing demand for home and office deliveries.
1.What are many companies developing autonomous robots for?
A.Final tests. B.The so-called last mile.
C.Robots' safety. D.Delivery speed.
2.What can we infer about Scout from paragraph 2?
A.It looks like a cooler. B.It adjusts its speed accordingly.
C.Its sensors play a key role. D.It will be widely used soon.
3.What does the underlined phrase “prior to" in paragraph 4 mean?
A.Before. B.After.
C.In front of. D.Due to.
4.From which is the text probably taken?
A.A biology textbook. B.A health magazine.
C.A newspaper. D.A travel brochure.
It can be a real struggle trying to learn a new language. I had always enjoyed learning languages in school, but only recently did I start learning German. I found that I could understand and learn individual words easiIy, but when it came to literature, I really struggled. That was when my tutor at university suggested reading some children's books printed in the target language.
At first, I felt a bit silly going on a hunt for a book designed for someone half my age, lout then I realised that everyone has to start somewhere. As children, we are given these basic texts to familiarise our brains with certain vocabulary and writing structures, and from there, we can learn and develop. I started with books which are taught to us as children in the UK.1 managed to find Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.
The beauty of reading books that were introduced to you as a child is that you are already familiar with the plot. As a result, you can work out some of the definitions of words with your prior knowledge of the story. At first, I used to read with the book in one hand and a dictionary in the other, but this method did not work well for me. The method I would recommend is to read a chapter of your chosen children’s book and at the end of that chapter, highlight the words you do not know and then look up the definitions. If you can wait a bit before you use a dictionary, you may be surprised what you can get merely from the context of the sentence in the story. Additionally, a lot of children's books have pictures which may give you a clue as to what or to whom the passage is referring.
1.Why was the author advised to read children’s books?
A.Because she was weak in reading great works.
B.Because she was slow to learn language.
C.Because she liked children's literature.
D.Because she couldn't remember any words.
2.What can kids get from childrens' books according to the passage?
A.Vocabulary and listening skills.
B.Learning methods.
C.Words and structures.
D.Designing skills.
3.What causes the author feel surprised while reading childrens’ books?
A.Grasping the context from the pictures.
B.Looking up the definations of words from a dictionary.
C.Getting familiar with the plots of the story.
D.Understanding the words simply from the context.
4.What can be the best title of the passage?
A.Reading Children's Books
B.The Way of Learning Languages
C.The Method of Using Dictionary
D.My Good Reading Habits
With over 2.4 millon visitors every year，Cinque Terre is one of the most-visited regions in Italy. Cinque Terre is truly special. The five candy-colored fishing villages of Riomaggiore，Manarola，Comiglia，Vemazza，and Monterosso al Mare are built into cliffs over the clean and brightly-shining Ligurian Sea. Whether you're visiting the region for a few days or a few weeks，these are the experiences you should add to your trip pleasure.
★Take a scenic hike.
It's easy to visit each of the attractive villages on foot. The most popular hike is the coastal path Sentiero Azzuro. It links all five villages and offers extremely beautiful scenery of the sea，architecture and vineyards(葡萄园). It takes about six hours to go across，with short breaks，but most people are going to stop in the villages for food and swimming.
★Eat seafood in a cone(锥形).
Dessert lovers might think that Italian ice-cream is the best thing to be served in a cone but make room for seafood cones as well. Thanks to its coastal location, Cinque Terre is full of seafood restaurants.
★Get on a boat.
If the weather cooperates, take the time to get out on the water. The villages look very beautiful from a boat. The cheapest and easiest way is to jump on the public ferry from one of the villages to the next, but these boats are often crowded. It's far more relaxing to take a private cruise, which departs from the docks in Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vemazza, and Monterosso al Mare.
★Take the train.
Cinque Terre's train system is one of the most scenic in Europe. The high -speed train runs through each of the five villages every 20 minutes or so. And the whole line is directly on the coast, offering lovely views of the Ligurian Sea and rocky cliffs.
1.What is special about the five candy -colored fishing villages?
A. Their special location. B. Their long history.
C. Their delicious foods. D. Their friendly villagers.
2.What is the favorite food for the hikers in the five villages?
A. Italian noodles B. Italian ice-cream.
C. Italian wines. D. Seafood cones.
3.What is the best way to enjoy the beautiful scenery and delicious food?
A. Taking a private ferry to the villages.
B. Walking with short breaks on the coast.
C. Taking a scenic hike along the coastal path.
D. Taking the train running through the villages.
阅读下面短文,根据所给情节进行续写,使之构成一个完整的故事。
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
This incident happened over two decades ago when I was in high school. There was a debate competition in my neighboring school and my friend and I volunteered to participate in the debate. There were many topics to choose from and I choose to speak on AIDS. This topic was almost a forbidden topic in those days as people were shy to talk about it. Even though I had no idea what the competition would be like, I decided to go ahead and prepare for it, using an article from a magazine as reference.
Every speaker had about five minutes on the stage and they were to be judged by a team of teachers from different schools. On the day before the event, I practiced my lines but was feeling tensed as there would be a huge audience and the stage fright had chased me already and truly it caught up with me.
I reached the lecture room; it was huge. The competition began, and I was getting sweaty palms. My preparations were in vain when the speaker before my turn coincidentally(巧合地) had chosen the same topic as me and also referred to the same magazine and reproduced it line by line, leaving me in a daze(发呆) on what to do next as I just had a couple of minutes with me. Soon I was on the stage and I could gather courage and speak for only two minutes. I felt so bad, not only letting my school down but also myself. I could not forgive myself. Then I decided to put my best effort into it and overcome my stage fright and prepare well for the next debate and luckily I did not have to wait long as the next competition was organized by my school. This time my topic was discrimination against women in Indian society. I wrote the script with my own efforts and practiced for hours in front of the mirror because I had to learn the lines by heart, with a pause, stress and making eye contact wherever required.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右。
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语。
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
The day came. Because of my full preparation,
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Paragraph 2：
The most unforgettable moment was when the results were announced.
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假定你是李华，你收到外国朋友Peter的邮件，他想了解你校在新冠疫情（COVID-19 epidemic）期间线上教学的情况。请你给他回复邮件，内容包括：
1. 课程与时间；2. 你的学习状态；3. 你的期待。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Peter,
I’m so glad to hear from you and know what you are doing these days.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes,
Yours,
Li Hua
