Though not as mainstream as devices like smartphones and fitness trackers, more companies are now experimenting with the concept of connected garments. Among the pioneers is London-based CuteCircuit, which has been creating fashionable smart clothing since 2004. The company’s latest creation is the “Sound Shirt,” which allows deaf people to “feel” live music by transforming the tunes into touch sensations in real time.
The fashionable jacket achieves the incredible function using software that changes the music into data and wirelessly sends it to the 16-micro motors fitted inside the clothing’s fabric. The devices shake in sync (同步) to the intensity (强度) of the music being played, allowing the wearer to feel each instrument individually. The series of touch-like sensations across the wearer’s body enables them to feel the entire works, resulting in a fully amazing musical experience.
To ensure the shirt is comfortable, the designers chose to leave out wires and instead wove conductive textiles (纺织品) into the garment’s fabric. Francesca Rosella, co-founder and chief creative officer of CuteCircuit, explains, “There are no wires inside, so we’re only using smart fabrics — we have a combination of microelectronics and very thin, flexible and conductive fabrics. All these little electronic motors are connected with these conductive fabrics so that the garment is soft and stretchable.”
CuteCircuit, which has been testing the Sound Shirt for three years, expects to make it available to the general public shortly. Priced at $3,673 (3,000 pounds), the smart jacket will not be cheap. However, twin sisters Hermon and Heroda Berhane, who lost their hearing at a young age, believe the hi-tech garment is a worthwhile investment, especially for deaf people with a passion for dancing. “It’s almost like feeling the depth of the music,” says Hermon. “It just feels as though we can move along with it.” Heroda agrees, adding, “I think it could definitely change our lives.”
This is not CuteCircuit’s first groundbreaking smart garment. Over the years, the company has produced hundreds of shocking connected outfits. Among them is an interactive concert dress for American musical artist Nicole Scherzinger that displayed tweets from her fans. Also fun is the HugShirt which enables people to send hugs to loved ones who are not physically in the same area.
1.What is “sound shirt” meant for?
A.Children. B.Students.
C.Deaf people. D.Travelers.
2.Paragraph 2 mainly talks about the sound shirt’s_____________.
A.working principle B.powerful function
C.special materials D.fashionable design
3.How did the designers keep the shirt comfortable?
A.By using wires.
B.By using smart fabrics.
C.By using electronic motors.
D.By making it very thin.
4.Why did the writer mention twin sisters Hermon and Heroda Berhane?
A.To persuade us to learn from them.
B.To get the public to know them better.
C.To state the smart jacket is affordable.
D.To prove the smart jacket enjoys promising future.
5.The function of the last Paragraph is to ______________.
A.add some background information
B.introduce the company’s new products
C.praise the contributions the company has made
D.appeal to the public to buy the company’s products
When it comes to U.S. middle school science and engineering, girls rule. Girls took the top five prizes at the 2019 Broadcom MASTERS, a competition for middle school students across the country.
The winners were announced last month. The winners were honored for their STEM successes, as well as for showing skills in critical thinking, communication, creativity and team-work. In first place was 14-year-old Alaina Gassler of West Grove, Pennsylvania. She designed a system to make driving safer by reducing blind spots — the areas that drivers cannot see outside their vehicle. Gassler developed the technology while in eighth grade. “She, along with the entire Class of 2019, are already leaders in their fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” said Paula Golden, president of the Broadcom Foundation. “These young creators give every one of us hope for the future.”
The Broadcom MASTERS competition is a project of the Society for Science & the Public. It was set up to motivate young people to attend college and pursue careers in STEM fields. It was open to students in grades 6, 7 and 8 across the country.
The top prize winner, Alaina Gassler, says she got the idea for her project after seeing her mother struggle with blind spots in her family’s car. Blind spots lead to many accidents — about 840,000 accidents a year nationwide.
Gassler’s system helps drivers see “through” the A-frame pillar (A柱) — the part of the vehicle, in the front, that joins the top and front window. The A-frame pillar is important for safety, and cannot be removed. Gassler used a camera to help drivers look “through” the structure to see what is blocked. The camera sends video to a device that shows images on the other side of the pillar. The driver then can “see” what’s in the blind spot.
The young inventor won a $25,000 prize for her invention. She told Popular Mechanics she can make improvements on her device with that money. Gassler said she wants to improve the picture — making it easy to see in any weather, or any time of the day. She also told the magazine she hopes to sell her idea.
1.What does the writer try to convey by saying “girls rule” in Paragraph1?
A.Girls tend to break rules.
B.Girls prefer to control others.
C.Girls perform better in the competition.
D.Girls are superior to boys in all aspects.
2.Which best describes Paula Golden’s attitude toward these young creators?
A.Proud. B.Indifferent.
C.Critical. D.Cautious.
3.The purpose of the Broadcom MASTERS competition is to_____________.
A.offer students hands-on training
B.collect money for scientific research
C.arouse students’ interest in STEM fields
D.persuade students not to drop out of school
4.What drives Alaina Gassler to invent the system?
A.Her strong curiosity.
B.Her school’s task.
C.The breakdown of her family car.
D.Her mother’s experience.
5.What can we infer about Gassler’s system?
A.It gets rid of blind spots.
B.It is still far from perfect.
C.It has been put into market.
D.It can avoid accidents automatically.
Does your ideal vacation include going skiing across frozen ice, spying the northern lights, and playing in the snow? Then you’ll want to skate straight to these winter spots.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Alaska is a good choice for a great winter getaway. For winter fun, head to Fairbanks, where you can stay at a new cottage with glass-ceiling domes for aurora (极光) viewing in comfort and then head out ice fishing and snowmobiling. Want even more adventure? Consider a guided adventure that combines northern lights, cross-country skiing, and dog mushing.
Kirkenes, Norway
The Kirkenes Snow hotel here welcomes visitors to its ice-sculpted rooms. Besides, you can jump on a sled (雪橇) pulled by dogs or bring your appetite for a King Crab Safari. First, you’ll be on a sled pulled by a snowmobile across the icy sea. Then crab fishermen drill into the ice to create a hole to pull up the large crabs. Another quick sled trip and you’ve reached a cozy cottage where crab claws as long as your forearm are served up minutes after being pulled from the cold waters, tasting of salt water. A rich reward for braving the cold.
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Skiing down the Alps is obviously a highlight here, but did you know that night skiing in this Swiss town is some of the best in the world? Picture it: Clear sky, full moon, inky quiet, and a sky full of stars. If you need energy for skiing, you can always refuel with pizza from the wood-fired oven at Murtèl middle station. You can keep skiing until the last cable car at 1:40 a. m. Then, check into your room at the Carlton Hotel, where there are a series of daylight activities.
Quebec City, Canada
In the summer months, Quebec City is an excellent destination thanks to its French features and historic old port. But in the winter, don’t miss the Winter Carnival, the Carnaval de Quebec, the largest winter carnival in the world. During 17 days the Carnival offers more than 200 activities and welcomes nearly 500,000 people (upcoming dates are January 26 to February 11, 2018, and February 1 to 17, 2019).
1.What is considered to be the most adventurous activity in Fairbanks, Alaska?
A.Going snowmobiling.
B.Going ice fishing.
C.Appreciating aurora viewing.
D.Conducting a guided adventure.
2.What does the underlined part “a rich reward” refer to?
A.Living in ice-sculpted rooms.
B.Having a sled trip.
C.Tasting the freshly-cooked crabs.
D.Having a taste of salt water.
3.What is the special attraction of St. Moritz, Switzerland?
A.Skiing down the Alps. B.Night skiing.
C.Watching stars. D.Tasting pizza.
4.What can we learn about the Carnaval de Québec?
A.It’s second to none in the world.
B.It lasts throughout the winter.
C.Few people show interest in it.
D.It is famous for its French features.
5.Where is the text most likely from?
A.A diary. B.A novel.
C.A tour brochure. D.A textbook.
There was something in the elderly woman’s elegance that caught my eye. Although slow and unsure of step, the woman moved_________in an elegant way. However, a younger woman who I guessed was her daughter displayed signs of_________, checking her watch every few seconds.
It was a few years ago, and I_________a part-time holiday-season job in a video store at the local shopping mall. From inside the store, I could see the people rushing by outside.
_________entering the store, the elderly woman separated from the younger one and began to_________through the DVDs on the nearest shelf. Without any_________, I walked over to her and asked_________I could help her find something. The woman_________me a title written on an old piece of paper. The title was unusual. Rather than rush off to_________the DVD for the woman, I asked her to walk with me so I could tell her where she could find it.____________, I think I must have wanted to enjoy her____________for a moment. Something about her____________me of my own mother, who’d passed away in the previous year.
As we walked along the back of the store, I____________our shelf arrangements to her. The woman seemed glad of the ____________company and casual conversation.
We found the DVD at last. She smiled and told me it was one she’d____________when she was her daughter’s age. After I____________the elderly woman to the queue at the cash register, I stepped back and walked over the younger woman.
“Is that your mom?” I asked.
____________her eyes, she said, “Yeah.” There was annoyance in her reply.
“Mind some advice?” I asked.
I smiled to show her I wasn’t____________. “Cherish her,” I said. And then I answered her____________expression by saying, “When she’s gone, it’s these moments that’ll come back to you.”
The elderly woman moved back to her daughter. Surprisingly, the daughter placed her arm with obviously unaccustomed____________around her mother’s shoulders and together they made their way toward the store’s exit.
1.A.carefully B.hurriedly C.skillfully D.casually
2.A.consideration B.kindness C.impatience D.eagerness
3.A.applied for B.came across C.registered for D.took up
4.A.Beyond B.On C.With D.Through
5.A.purchase B.seek C.acquire D.investigate
6.A.recommendation B.doubt C.hesitation D.attempt
7.A.if B.how C.what D.when
8.A.informed B.displayed C.showed D.provided
9.A.locate B.identify C.recognize D.witness
10.A.Coming alone B.Dating back C.Turning around D.Looking back
11.A.warmth B.company C.appreciation D.interruption
12.A.assured B.convinced C.reminded D.recalled
13.A.introduced B.announced C.advocated D.praised
14.A.unforgettable B.annoying C.extra D.unrushed
15.A.missed B.enjoyed C.chose D.ordered
16.A.guided B.allowed C.persuaded D.confirmed
17.A.Blinking B.Raising C.Rolling D.Opening
18.A.attacking B.criticizing C.clarifying D.bargaining
19.A.frightened B.embarrassed C.anxious D.curious
20.A.dignity B.affection C.amazement D.satisfaction
Huawei is now ______________ established as one of the leading brands in our country.
A.firmly B.frequently C.occasionally D.appropriately
Education is ______________ survives when knowledge taught in class has been forgotten.
A.how B.who C.what D.which
