英语学习国家地理读物Reading Explorer课后练习册F级F-12

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A You have probably______(see)robots in movies such______Star Wars or Transformers.But soon,robots may be part of our daily lives.Today’s scientists are working on robots with various skills.For example,it is ______(like)that robots will soon help______care of children or the elderly,or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.
B Early robots______(be)made to do simple things,mainly in factories.Since ______,robots have changed a lot.Humans operated these early robots. Today’s robots—like Honda’s ASIMO—work on______own.ASIMO can run, climb stairs,and dance.Boston Dynamics’Atlas robot can run fast,jump,and even do backflips—all on two legs!
C Then there are robots______(design)to be like humans.These robots have faces and can also talk.Such robots can learn new things,and show us how they“feel.”Sophia—a social robot—has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel______(comfort).
Animal-bots
D Scientists aren’t just building humanlike robots.They are also making robots that look and act like animals.
E At NASA,for example,scientists______made a robot snake.These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground.They might one day help scientists look______signs of life on Mars.Other animal robots include the
walls.There are also doglike robots,like SpotMini,______have four legs and can run at high speed.Who knows?Perhaps in the future,we’ll all have our own robot pet.
MEDi the robot sings, dances and makes the
hospital less scary
Tommy Boegler, 4, of Tamarac, Florida, with MEDi during a visit to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The hospital is one of eight nationwide using a child-friendly robot named MEDi to help the littlest patients overcome the anxiety and fear associated with most medical procedures. Carline Jean/Sun Sentinel/TNS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — MEDi is a robot who works in a hospital. He helps children with all of the things that scare them. With MEDi, kids are not as afraid of prickly needles, long hallways and doctor's tools they have never seen.
Little Robot Is A Big Help
The little blue and white robot helps at a hospital in Florida. He has just the right touch when it comes to keeping children from being afraid. MEDi looks like a toy. He is just 2 feet tall and weighs only 15 pounds, but kids love him.
Dr. Patricia Rowe-King works with MEDi, and says he does many jobs. The robot is a buddy, pain coach and teacher. He tells them what to expect when they are having blood drawn or a cast taken off.
By Sun Sentinel, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.08.16Word Count 561Level 690L
MEDi Speaks English And Spanish
MEDi is very unusual. There are only seven other robots like him in the United States. MEDi speaks English and Spanish, and has comforted kids from 2 to 14 years old. He gives tips on how to deal with pain and fear by taking deep breaths. He can also help with blood tests and shots. Most of all, MEDi is a friend to the hospital’s youngest patients.
Tommy Boegler is 4 years old and has cancer. It is a serious disease that can spread all through the body. Tommy has become good friends with MEDi. When Tommy needs his blood drawn, MEDi is right there with him. The robot distracts him just before the needle prick. For example, to get Tommy to look away, MEDi asked for help getting something out of his eye. Then he said, “You’ll never guess what color my blood is. The same color as my toes.” MEDi can also sing, dance, tell a story, or play a game.
More Fun, Less Scary
Kasey Castro works with Tommy when he is at the hospital. Castro says that hospitals can be scary for kids. MEDi helps with that. Castro says, "He can make it more fun and less threatening for them.”
Beth-Ann Boegler is Tommy's mother. During a hospital trip this week, she asked Tommy if he thought MEDi would know him. Tommy was sure he would, and he was right. MEDi can remember faces, and greets each child by name. When MEDi came into the room, Tommy’s face lit up. The robot said hello to Tommy. Then, he gave the boy a high-five and danced, playing his own happy song. Tommy danced too.
Doctors Like MEDi Too
The past few months have been hard for Tommy. Tommy's mother says that he spent 100 days in the hospital, and has had two operations. Tommy is not afraid of the hospital now, thanks to MEDi. His mother says, “There were a lot of dark days for a while. We didn’t think he’d ever get out of the hospital." She says that Tommy is doing well.
Dr. Hector Rodriguez-Cortes is Tommy's doctor. He says that when MEDi helps kids, he is helping the doctors and nurses too. He makes it easier for them to do their jobs. Rodriguez-Cortes says,“This thing that looks like a toy puts the patient in a more calm state.”
Dcotors like MEDi too. Rodriguez-Cortes says, “I’ve danced with him, but it looks like the robot was doing a better job than me.”
Quiz
1Which sentence from the article would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article?
(A)MEDi is a robot who works in a hospital.
(B)MEDi looks like a toy.
(C)MEDi is very unusual.
(D)MEDi can also sing, dance, tell a story, or play a game.
2What is the MAIN idea of the section "Little Robot Is A Big Help"?
(A)MEDi is small in size and weighs very little.
(B)MEDi is a robot that is colored blue and white.
(C)MEDi helps children in the hospital in many ways.
(D)MEDi works with a doctor at the hospital.
3Read the sentence from the section "MEDi Speaks English And Spanish."
He gives tips on how to deal with pain and fear by taking deep breaths.
What does the word "tips" mean in the sentence?
(A)strong warnings
(B)small amounts of money
(C)helpful suggestions
(D)exciting pieces of information
4Read the selection from the section "MEDi Speaks English And Spanish."
When Tommy needs his blood drawn, MEDi is right there with him. The robot distracts him just
before the needle prick. For example, to get Tommy to look away, MEDi asked for help getting
something out of his eye. Then he said, “You’ll never guess what color my blood is. The same
color as my toes.”
Based on the selection, what does the word "distracts" mean in the second sentence?
(A)tries to comfort someone
(B)delivers good news to someone
(C)prepares someone's mind for something
(D)draws someone's attention away from something
Answer Key
1Which sentence from the article would be MOST important to include in a summary of the article?
(A)MEDi is a robot who works in a hospital.
(B)MEDi looks like a toy.
(C)MEDi is very unusual.
(D)MEDi can also sing, dance, tell a story, or play a game.
2What is the MAIN idea of the section "Little Robot Is A Big Help"?
(A)MEDi is small in size and weighs very little.
(B)MEDi is a robot that is colored blue and white.
(C)MEDi helps children in the hospital in many ways.
(D)MEDi works with a doctor at the hospital.
3Read the sentence from the section "MEDi Speaks English And Spanish."
He gives tips on how to deal with pain and fear by taking deep breaths.
What does the word "tips" mean in the sentence?
(A)strong warnings
(B)small amounts of money
(C)helpful suggestions
(D)exciting pieces of information
4Read the selection from the section "MEDi Speaks English And Spanish."
When Tommy needs his blood drawn, MEDi is right there with him. The robot distracts him just
before the needle prick. For example, to get Tommy to look away, MEDi asked for help getting
something out of his eye. Then he said, “You’ll never guess what color my blood is. The same
color as my toes.”
Based on the selection, what does the word "distracts" mean in the second sentence?
(A)tries to comfort someone
(B)delivers good news to someone
(C)prepares someone's mind for something
(D)draws someone's attention away from something
2045
2045
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A Welcome to life in the future!You get up in the morning and look______the mirror.You’ve recently______(have)a new anti-aging treatment,so you look like a30-year-old.And many people your age could live to be120now,so—at 60—you’re not old at______.
B Science______also found amazing ways to keep people healthy. Nanotechnology can help cure many illnesses,______(include)cancer.And if any part of your body is unhealthy,you can“grow”a new one in a laboratory.
C As you get______(dress),you say to your shirt,“Turn red.”It becomes red.In 2045,“smart”clothes contain nanoparticles______carry electricity.So you can program clothes to change colors or patterns.
D On the way______the kitchen,you want to call a friend.Your cell phone is by the window because it gets its energy______the sun.But you don’t need to pick up the phone.You can just touch your jacket sleeve to make the call.
E It’s breakfast time.You reach______the milk,but a voice says,“Don’t drink that!”Your fridge knows the milk is old,and tells the supermarket to replace it.Ten minutes later,it’s______(deliver)by a drone.
F As you leave______work,the lights turn off______themselves.Your home goes into“sleep”mode to save energy.In2045,cars drive themselves,so you just tell your driverless car where you want to go.
G Will all this come______?Perhaps the future is much______(close)than we
Virtual reality is more than just video games Tristan de Viaris uses an Oculus virtual reality headset in the Nu Reality Desert Home at the Nikon booth at a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, Jan. 8, 2015. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
LAS VEGAS — "Virtual reality" is an imaginary world created by computers. Using virtual reality (VR) feels like like stepping inside a movie. VR users are able to move around the world they see.Today VR is mostly used in video games. Users who put on a VR helmet feel as if they are inside the game. They might find themselves in a spaceship. They might feel as if they are driving a racing car or dodging bullets.
All that might sound like a lot of fun. However, virtual reality still has a long way to go. Helmets are still big and clunky. VR can also make many people feel sick because of how real the games feel.
Future Might Not Be With Games
VR makers are trying to fix those problems. They are also trying to figure out other uses for VR besides video games.
By Los Angeles Times, adapted by Newsela staff on 01.19.15
Word Count 514
Level 710L
This week, a number of VR makers gathered in Las Vegas. They were there to let the public see what they've been up to.
VR maker Oculus demonstrated its new headset. The headset goes around the users' head so they can hear and see using it. Users who put it on saw a T-Rex dinosaur. It looked so real they could almost feel its breath on them.
In another example, people felt like they were lifted to the top of a tall building. They could walk to the edge and lean over. They could see traffic hundreds of feet below them.
Other users saw a fight scene between two robots. They were able to follow the fight from the left, from the right and from behind.
Nate Mitchell is one of the leaders at Oculus. His company makes the headset. Mitchell says Oculus will continue to work on video games, he said. However, he also says the future of VR might not be with games. He thinks VR might be used to make movies in the future.
New Things VR Might Do
The movie industry is already very interested in VR. At least 13 short VR movies will be shown at a film festival this month.
Another VR company, Jaunt, has created a VR camera. It allows people to make their own VR movies.
Other companies are looking at ways to use VR. One company wants to use VR to help people meet even if they are hundreds or thousands of miles away from each other.
VR might even be used to help people buy a car. It would allow customers to see the car they are interested in. They could change the car's color until they found just what they wanted.
VR could soon be used by the military for training. Police and firefighters might use it for emergency drills.
There are still problems with virtual reality movies. Very few people own VR headsets. Without a headset, they cannot watch VR movies. Because of this, companies don't yet want to make VR movies.
Mitchell from Oculus does not worry. He said companies have just started looking at virtual reality.
"It's still early days," he said.
Quiz
1Read the following sentences from paragraphs 7 and 8.
They could walk to the edge and lean over.
They were able to follow the fight from the left, from the right and from behind.
What can be concluded from these sentences?
(A)You can do almost anything in virtual reality.
(B)It shows that VR lets you do things easily.
(C)Virtual reality is successfully applied in games.
(D)It shows the capabilities of Oculus' VR headset.
2Read the section "New Things VR Might Do." Why does the author say that "companies don’t want to make VR movies"?
(A)to show that VR is used only in games
(B)to show that VR cameras are very expensive
(C)to show that virtual reality is still not perfect
(D)to show that virtual reality is not popular enough
3What is the meaning of the last sentence from the article?
"It's still early days," he said.
(A)Oculus produced VR headsets that let you see a T-Rex.
(B)VR headsets are used by very few people.
(C)Oculus is the first company to make VR headsets.
(D)VR headsets are still in a developing stage.
4Read the last 3 paragraphs of the section "New Things VR Might Do." What is the meaning of the following sentence?
Mitchell from Oculus does not worry.
(A)Mitchell is hard-working.
(B)Mitchell is relaxed.
(C)Mitchell is careless.
(D)Mitchell is hopeful.
Answer Key
1Read the following sentences from paragraphs 7 and 8.
They could walk to the edge and lean over.
They were able to follow the fight from the left, from the right and from behind.
What can be concluded from these sentences?
(A)You can do almost anything in virtual reality.
(B)It shows that VR lets you do things easily.
(C)Virtual reality is successfully applied in games.
(D)It shows the capabilities of Oculus' VR headset.
2Read the section "New Things VR Might Do." Why does the author say that "companies don’t want to make VR movies"?
(A)to show that VR is used only in games
(B)to show that VR cameras are very expensive
(C)to show that virtual reality is still not perfect
(D)to show that virtual reality is not popular enough
3What is the meaning of the last sentence from the article?
"It's still early days," he said.
(A)Oculus produced VR headsets that let you see a T-Rex.
(B)VR headsets are used by very few people.
(C)Oculus is the first company to make VR headsets.
(D)VR headsets are still in a developing stage.
4Read the last 3 paragraphs of the section "New Things VR Might Do." What is the meaning of the following sentence?
Mitchell from Oculus does not worry.
(A)Mitchell is hard-working.
(B)Mitchell is relaxed.
(C)Mitchell is careless.
(D)Mitchell is hopeful.。