Almost Humans?

Scientists are building the world’s first thinking robot. It’s true: some say machines that walk, speak and feel will have been made by 2020. Kismet is the name of a robot which scientists have built this year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology （MIT）.

Kismet is different from traditional robots because it can show human emotions. Its eyes, ears and lips move to show when it feels happy, sad or bored. Kismet is one of the first robots of a new generation that look like human beings and can imitate human feelings.

Some people say that by 2020 we will have created robots with brains similar to those adult human beings. These robots will be designed to look like people to make them more attractive and easier to sell. What kind of jobs will they do? In the future, robots like Robonaut, a robot invented by NASA, will be doing dangerous jobs, like repairing space stations. They will also be doing more and more of the household work for us. In Japan, scientists are designing robots that will entertain people by dancing and playing the piano.

Meanwhile, people who worry about the future are wondering whether robots will become monsters? Will people themselves become increasingly like robots? Experts predict that more and more people will be wearing micro-chips in various parts of their body, which will connect them  to a wide variety of small machines. Perhaps we should not exaggerate（夸大） the importance of technology, but one may wonder whether, in years to come, we will still be falling in love, and whether we will still feel pain.

    Who knows?

1．Kismet is different from traditional robots because __________.

  A．it is made in the MIT, USA               B．it is able to express its own feelings

  C．it is the first modern robot                  D．it is able to show human feelings

2．Possibly, robots will be able to _______ in about ten years from now.

      A．think like human beings                    B．do all kinds of jobs for us

C．look like human beings                       D．become dangerous monsters

3．The underlined word one can be best replaced by ________.

      A．some experts                                B．the writer himself

C．some scientists                                  D．people in general

4．It can be inferred from this passage that _________.

A．robots will take the place of human beings in future

B．the importance of technology has been exaggerated

C．scientists have designed different kinds of robots

D．robots might be a helper or a danger

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：英語(yǔ)教研室 題型：050

The fridge is considered a necessity. It has been so since the 1960s when packaged food first appeared with the label: “store in the refrigerator. ” In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. The milkman came daily, the grocer, the butcher, the baker, and the ice-cream man delivered two or three times a week. The Sunday meat would last until Wednesday and surplus（剩余的）bread and milk became all kinds of cakes. Nothing was wasted, and we were never troubled by rotten food. Thirty years on, food deliveries have ceased, fresh vegetables are almost unobtained in the country.

The invention of the fridge contributed comparatively little to the art of food preservation. A vast way of well-tried techniques already existed—natural cooling, drying, smoking, salting,

sugaring, bottling…

What refrigeration did produce was marketing—marketing hardware and electricity, marketing soft drinks, marketing dead bodies of animals around the globe in search of a good price.

Consequently, most of the world’s fridges are to be found, not in the tropics where they might prove useful, but in the wealthy countries with mild temperatures where they are climatically almost unnecessary. Every winter, millions of fridges hum away continuously, and at vast expense, busily maintaining an artificially-cooled space inside an artificially-heated house, while outside, nature provides the desired temperature free of charge.

The fridge’s effect upon the environment has been evident, while its contribution to human happiness has been insignificant. If you don’t believe me, try it yourself, invest in a food cabinet and turn off your fridge next winter. You may miss the hamburgers, but at last you’ll get rid of the terrible hum.

1. The statement “In my fridgeless Fifties childhood, I was fed well and healthily. ” suggests that ______.

A. the author was well-fed and healthy even without a fridge in his fifties

B. the author was not accustomed to use fridges even in his fifties

C. there was no fridge in the author’s home in the 1950s

D. the fridge was in its early stage of development in the 1950s

2. Why does the author say that nothing was wasted before the invention of fridges?

A. People would not buy more food than was necessary.

B. Food was delivered to people two or three times a week.

C. Food was sold fresh and didn’t get rotten easily.

D. People had effective ways to preserve their food.

3. Who benefited the least from fridges according to the author?

A. Inventors.

B. Consumers.

C. Manufacturers.

D. Traveling salesmen.

4. Which of the following phrases in the fifth paragraph indicates the fridge’s negative effect on the environment?

A. with mild temperatures

B. climatically almost unnecessary

C. hum away continuously

D. artificially-cooled space

5. What’s the author’s overall attitude toward fridges?

A. Neutral.

B. Critical.

C. Objective.

D. It is hard to judge.

 

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2012-2013學(xué)年廣東省汕頭市金山中學(xué)高二下學(xué)期期中英語(yǔ)試卷（帶解析） 題型：完型填空

I heard the bees long before I saw them.
It was a very hot afternoon, and we decided to    21   in the river near my home. As we climbed down a small rocky hill toward the water, my boyfriend John    22   started to shout and then jumped into the water below. Peter and Mary quickly    23    but I was too far away to jump. I was    24  .
I heard a low hum, which was growing louder. From a    25  , the group of bees looked almost like a cloud of smoke. As it got closer, I realized it was actually thousands of bees flying towards me.
All I could do was    26   my face with my hands.    27  , I thought that if I sat very 28  , the bees would think I was just another rock.
After a few seconds, I knew my    29   had failed. The bees were attacking me. I could hear my friends shouting at me to get down.
But it wasn’t so easy. The only way I could    30   was to use my hands to climb down the rocks. However, I was afraid to do that at first because my face would be    31  .
The noise the bees made was so loud and    32  , and I had no choice.
I rushed down the rocks and jumped into the pool. I was just so happy to be free from the pain and the water felt so    33  .
But we still weren’t out of    34  . Every time we tried to climb out, the bees flew back over our heads. We spent the next three hours in the water until the bees finally lost    35  .

【小題1】
A．call off B．get offC．cool offD．turn off
【小題2】
A．eventuallyB．suddenly C．happily D．hurriedly
【小題3】
A．climbed B．followed C．dashed D．helped
【小題4】
A．lost B．forgotten C．trapped D．fooled
【小題5】
A．hill B．rock C．riverD．distance
【小題6】
A．cover B．hide C．find D．lose
【小題7】
A．Finally B．Joyfully C．Crazily D．Immediately
【小題8】
A．quietly B．still C．relaxed D．gracefully
【小題9】
A．face B．friends C．planD．shout
【小題10】
A．pass awayB．get away C．look away D．take away
【小題11】
A．exposed B．unwanted C．lostD．protected
【小題12】
A．a(chǎn)nnoying B．frighteningC．a(chǎn)mazing D．boring
【小題13】
A．wonderfulB．painful C．hot D．strange
【小題14】
A．breath B．control C．danger D．doubt
【小題15】
A．hope B．interest C．time D．control

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2014屆廣東省汕頭市高二下學(xué)期期中英語(yǔ)試卷（解析版） 題型：完型填空

I heard the bees long before I saw them.

It was a very hot afternoon, and we decided to    21   in the river near my home. As we climbed down a small rocky hill toward the water, my boyfriend John    22   started to shout and then jumped into the water below. Peter and Mary quickly    23    but I was too far away to jump. I was    24  .

I heard a low hum, which was growing louder. From a    25  , the group of bees looked almost like a cloud of smoke. As it got closer, I realized it was actually thousands of bees flying towards me.

All I could do was    26   my face with my hands.    27  , I thought that if I sat very 28  , the bees would think I was just another rock.

After a few seconds, I knew my    29   had failed. The bees were attacking me. I could hear my friends shouting at me to get down.

But it wasn’t so easy. The only way I could    30   was to use my hands to climb down the rocks. However, I was afraid to do that at first because my face would be    31  .

The noise the bees made was so loud and    32  , and I had no choice.

I rushed down the rocks and jumped into the pool. I was just so happy to be free from the pain and the water felt so    33  .

But we still weren’t out of    34  . Every time we tried to climb out, the bees flew back over our heads. We spent the next three hours in the water until the bees finally lost    35  .

1.                A．call off         B．get off          C．cool off   D．turn off

 

2.                A．eventually      B．suddenly        C．happily   D．hurriedly

 

3.                A．climbed        B．followed        C．dashed   D．helped

 

4.                A．lost            B．forgotten        C．trapped   D．fooled

 

5.                A．hill            B．rock           C．river D．distance

 

6.                A．cover          B．hide           C．find D．lose

 

7.                A．Finally          B．Joyfully         C．Crazily    D．Immediately

 

8.                A．quietly         B．still            C．relaxed   D．gracefully

 

9.                A．face           B．friends         C．plan D．shout

 

10.               A．pass away       B．get away        C．look away D．take away

 

11.               A．exposed        B．unwanted       C．lost   D．protected

 

12.               A．a(chǎn)nnoying       B．frightening      C．a(chǎn)mazing   D．boring

 

13.               A．wonderful      B．painful         C．hot   D．strange

 

14.               A．breath         B．control         C．danger    D．doubt

 

15.               A．hope          B．interest         C．time D．control

 

 

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

       Learning how to be patient with people can be challenging for some people. After all, not everybody is gifted with great 1. The good news is that it is something that can be 2 and eventually perfected.

       When the customer before you takes ages to 3 his or her groceries, you tap your foot impatiently and cough every now and then to remind the 4 to move quickly; but no, he is still not 5. It takes all of your power not to make a scene. However, if you 6  that customer to be someone you like, then you will find yourself not getting too 7, right?

So the next time you find yourself losing patience with somebody, simply think of that person to be someone you really 8 and your patience will last longer.

The second step on how to be patient with people involves whistling. When you whistle a 9 tune, you are instantly in good 10. You can hum(哼) your favorite song if you can’t whistle—it really doesn’t make a(n) 11. What’s important here is that you did something that makes you feel good. And when you feel good, you are more 12 to be patient with the people around you.

When you’re stressed, it’s almost impossible to learn how to be patient with people. You’ve got to find a way to 13 first. If you know you’re going to be in a situation where your patience will be tested, get yourself a massage(按摩) first. Remember: the more stressed you are, the 14 you’ll lose your temper.

Learning how to be patient with people is not a 15 in life. You’ve seen people who manage to survive day to day with unbelievably short tempers after all.

1. A. patience         B. generosity          C. elegance            D. strength

2. A. ignored          B. stressed                    C. rejected             D. learned

3. A. pay for         B. apply for                  C. ask for              D. care for

4. A. assistant            B. friend                C. customer           D. patient

5. A. standing up           B. hurrying up        C. getting up          D. giving up

6. A. imagine          B. allow                        C. believe              D. refer

7. A. puzzled          B. shocked                   C. amused             D. annoyed

8. A. adore                    B. hate                         C. recognize          D. know

9. A. swift                    B. happy                C. loud                  D. sad

10. A. circumstances     B. preparations              C. spirits        D. places

11. A. mistake        B. difference                 C. effort                D. scene

12. A. friendly        B. lovely                C. likely                 D. lonely

13. A. relax                   B. escape               C. reward              D. whistle

14. A. later                    B. slower               C. better                D. faster

15. A. must                   B. possibility          C. ability         D. choice

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

Learning how to be patient with people can be challenging for some people. After all, not everybody is gifted with great _1____. The good news is that it is something that can be __2__ and eventually perfected.

When the customer before you takes ages to __3___ his or her groceries, you tap your foot impatiently and cough every now and then to remind the __4___ to move quickly; but no, he is still not __5___. It takes all of your power not to make a scene. However, if you __6__ that customer to be someone you like, then you will find yourself not getting too ___7__, right?

So the next time you find yourself losing patience with somebody, simply think of that person to be someone you really __8__ and your patience will last longer.

The second step on how to be patient with people involves whistling. When you whistle a _9___ tune, you are instantly in good __10___. You can hum (哼) your favorite song if you can’t whistle---it really doesn’t make a(n) __11___. What’s important here is that you did something that makes you feel good. And when you feel good, you are more __12___ to be patient with the people around you.

When you’re stressed, it’s almost impossible to learn how to be patient with people. You’ve got to find a way to _13___ first. If you know you’re going to be in a situation where your patience will be tested, get yourself a massage (按摩)first. Remember : the more stressed you are, the __14___ you’ll lose your temper.

Learning how to be patient with people is not a ___15____ in life. You’ve seen people who manage to survive day to day with unbelievably short tempers after all.

1. A. patience      B. generosity       C. elegance     D. strength

2. A. ignored       B. stressed        C. rejected      D. learned

3. A. pay for       B. apply for        C. ask for      D. care for

4. A. assistant      B. friend          C. customer     D. patient

5. A. standing      B. hurrying        C. running      D. moving

6. A. imagine      B. allow           C. believe      D. refer

7. A. puzzled      B. shocked         C. amused      D. annoyed

8. A. adore        B. hate            C. recognize    D. know

9. A. swift         B. happy           C. loud       D. sad

10. A. circumstances     B. preparations   C. spirits    D. places

11. A. mistake       B. difference      C. effort      D. scene

12. A. friendly       B. lovely         C. likely      D. lonely

13. A. relax         B. escape         C. reward    D. whistle

14. A. later         B. slower          C. better      D. faster

15. A. must         B. possibility      C. ability      D. choice

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