Amazon has announced that it has added features to its Alexa voice assistant that can help users determine their risk level for having got the COVID-19 coronavirus (新型冠状病毒). As of now all Alexa users in the United States can ask Alexa questions like, “Alexa, what do I do if I think I have COVID-19?” or “Alexa, what do I do if I think I have coronavirus?” upon which Alexa will begin triaging (检验分类) them.
Once one of the above questions is asked, Alexa will ask the user about their symptoms, travel history, and any possible exposure they may have had to someone infected with the disease. Depending upon the user’s response, Alexa will offer the user guidance that comes directly from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about what they should do next.
Another cool feature added to Alexa is the ability to ask the personal assistant to sing a song for 20 seconds while you wash your hands. Twenty seconds is the minimum washing time with soap and water people need to perform on their hands in order to destroy traces of the virus they may have picked up.
Users can take advantage of Alexa’s new COVID-19 features on any device Alexa runs on, including smartphones, tablets, Kindles, and more. It should also be noted that Amazon isn’t the first to empower its voice assistant to offer CDC COVID-19 information. Earlier this week Apple pushed an update out to Siri that allows users to ask, “Hey Siri, do I have the coronavirus?” and get advice based on CDC information.
1.What is Alexa?
A.It is a robot. B.It is a voice assistant.
C.It is a doctor. D.It is a computer.
2.How does AlexA help people clean their hands thoroughly?
A.It sings a 20-second song while people wash their hands.
B.It can remind you of washing your hands frequently.
C.It can turn on the tap for you when you wash your hands.
D.It can answer questions about washing hands.
3.From the passage, which statement is right?
A.Amazon is the first to empower its voice assistant to offer CDC COVID-19 information.
B.Alexa can only be used at home.
C.Both Alexa and Siri can offer you CDC COVID-19 formation.
D.People like Alexa better than Siri.
4.What can we infer about Alexa according to the passage?
A.Alexa will offer the user treatments directly from their doctors.
B.Alexa makes the judgment by having a medical examination on the user.
C.Once the user uses Alexa, they will be told whether they are infected.
D.Not all the possible exposures to someone infected with the disease will bring the user the disease.
There’s no doubt that one of the greatest human achievements is the exploration of the space. Ever since astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to be sent into the orbit around the moon in 1961, scientists have been pushing the boundaries further and further. But until now the exploration into the unknown has been dominated (主导) by men.
Of course, in the past, women were also included in the space projects and played an active role on the ground and behind the scenes. For example, they worked as seamstresses (女裁缝师), sewing vital spaceflight components. In fact, many of NASA’s key works would never have been possible without them. Recently Hollywood produced a movie called Hidden Figures to focus on a group of American female mathematicians, especially the black women, who helped NASA send the first American into space. But this was not women’s only contribution. Back in 1963, Soviet astronaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to be sent into space. However, after that, space flight programs were slow to employ women. In the USA. NASA didn’t accept applications from women to become astronauts until 1978.
But attitudes have changed and leading officials at NASA say that the first person to set foot on Mars should be a woman. The space agency aims to have a sex-balanced workforce but can only achieve that if equal numbers of men and women are trained for science and technology jobs. As Allison McIntryre told the BBC, “My director is a woman. We have female astronauts. We haven’t put a woman on the moon yet. And I think that perhaps the first person to step on Mars should be a woman.”
1.What did Yuri Gagarin do in 1961?
A.He landed on the moon in success.
B.He discovered many new boundaries.
C.He led scientists to explore the moon.
D.He made the first journey into the space.
2.Why does the author mention the film Hidden Figures?
A.To show women are the true heroes of NASA’s first launch.
B.To stress that black people have won equal rights in NASA.
C.To prove women can do as well as men in NASA’ projects.
D.To present women’s contributions to NASA’s space programs.
3.What is Allison McIntryre’s attitude toward women astronauts?
A.Uncaring. B.Disapproving.
C.Supportive. D.Disappointed.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Will the First Person to Step on Mars Be a Woman?
B.Great Achievements Have Been Made in Space Exploration?
C.Why Men Played an Important Role in Exploring the Unknown?
D.Men and Women Have Made Equal Contributions to NASA’s Projects?
My name is Sara. When I was little, I played the drums. I also had a guitar. In fourth grade, I started playing the trombone (长号). I practised about four hours a week. All of this might not seem like a big deal for a lot of kids, but there's something about me that makes me a bit different from others. I was born without hands. Since I was about one year old, I’ve worn prosthetics (假肢).
This year, I got an invitation to join the high school marching band (行进管乐队). I told my mom I wanted to do it. But I had an instructor who thought I would not be able to march in the band — not because it was a high school band and I was only in seventh grade, but probably because my body was different. All I wanted was to show that I could do it, so I joined the band. And it paid off!
Music gives me energy. That happens sometimes. One time I was so down, I didn’t even want to get out of bed. Then I hit my MP3 player by accident. A song came on, and I got up and started dancing. It helped me say to myself, “OK, I can get through today.”
Around my musician friends, we all share the same problems, like working out how many beats there are in a measure (小节). I have a hard time counting the beats, but so do a lot of the other kids. It’s a normal problem that we musicians share. When I’m with the band, I don’t feel as different as I do in other situations. It’s just another way that music makes me want to go on, and not to just sit down by myself and not care about life.
1.In what way is Sara different from other kids?
A.There’s something wrong with her body. B.She knows how to play many instruments.
C.She learned to play the drums at a very early age. D.She kept playing the trombone for the longest hours.
2.When invited to join the marching band, Sara________.
A.said no at first B.had no idea what to do
C.followed the instructor’s advice D.believed that she would make it
3.How does Sara probably feel when she’s with the band?
A.Bored. B.Relaxed.
C.Successful. D.Afraid.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.A High School Band B.A Young Drummer
C.My Love for Music D.My Magic Hands
We work with Cambridge County Council's Participation Team to create opportunities for young people to visit the University and learn more about it. The following events are scheduled for the 2019/2020 academic year.
SuperStar workshops
12 workshops are planned for young people aged 7 to 11. These half-day visits will be held throughout the year, at times when young people are not at school. If participants complete 8 of the 12 workshops, they will be awarded the nationally recognized SuperStar Crest Award.
Please note, workshops will only run if we have a sufficient number of attendees (usually around 3+ participants).
Explore University Days
Explore University Days are for young people aged 12-15. Participants visit the University for two days and take part in a variety of university-related workshops, and other fun activities.
Previous participants have joined in the following:
• Visited the Sports Centre
• Took part in a Neuroscience workshop
• Enjoyed a two-course meal at a University College
Dates will be confirmed in early December 2019, and a schedule for event will follow in the New Year.
Events for post-16 students
If you are studying for your post-16 qualifications and are considering applying for Cambridge or would like to find out more about a specific subject, the following events might be for you:
• University and College Open Days
• Subject Masterclasses
• Cambridge Science Festival
1.What can the participants do in SuperStar workshops？
A.To stay only half a day.
B.To get a gift.
C.To enjoy a free meal.
D.To visit the Sports Centre.
2.Which event is specially for applicants of Cambridge？
A.SuperStar workshops.
B.The Neuroscience workshop.
C.Explore University Days.
D.Events for post-16 students.
3.The events in the passage most probably aim to .
A.introduce some courses
B.advertise Cambridge University
C.enrich students’ spare time life
D.promote children’s interest in touring
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
Taking her child to school was a suffering Tracey Lewis was worried about. Walking left her breathless, but taking the car meant putting heormous body into the driver’s seat and fastening the seat belt.
“I hated my body,” she admits. “Anything other than sitting and watching TV was a struggle.”
When I went out I had to carry talcum powder with me to rub between my thighs(大腿)to stop them chaffing(擦伤).The only clothes that fitted were huge numbers that only drew attention to my size. I looked awful.”
When Tracey married her husband, Andy, 41, in 1988 she was a slim size 12. But then the weight piled on. She recalls: “We got into the habit of eating out. Neither of us enjoyed cooking.” At first, we ate in restaurants, but more and more we ended up staying in with a bottle of wine and a takeaway.
“I’d always been slim, so when my clothes began to feel tight it didn’t bother me. I thought I’d be able to lose any extra pounds easily enough.”
Then, in 1990, Tracey fell pregnant. She shot up from a size 14 to a size 18. “Being pregnant was an excuse to stuff myself,” Tracey admits.“I didn’t just eat for two, I ate for three or four-maybe more.”
Happy at home with her new baby, Tracey’s weight soon was out of control. Her doctor told her to lose a few pounds instead of comforting herself with food, but after 11 months she hadn’t shifted an ounce.
Soon she weighed 220 pounds and was a size 22. She had to wear cycling shorts under her dresses to stop her legs from developing sores. “By that time I was so self-conscious I avoided going out altogether,” says Tracey. “Andy plays football. I was often invited to drinks and meals, but didn’t want his friends to meet me. I’d hide upstairs at home and cry.” She felt horrified.
Paragraph 1: The following two years Tracey tried to slim.
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Paragraph 2: The weight loss has changed Tracey’s life.
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假定你是李华，你校将举办“美在校园”（The Beauty at Campus）摄影大赛。请给你的朋友新西兰留学生Lucy写封邮件，邀请她参赛。内容包括：
1. 比赛的目的；
2. 作品要求和截止日期；
3. 投稿地址：photocontest@ school.com。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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