Smart home applications can share all kinds of helpful information with homeowners. There appears a new housing platform which can detect the stress on electricity — and the stress on the heart.

“There is a growing population of elderly people, and there are statistics to show that more and more of them are going to live alone in the home,” said Johann Siau, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., who was leading the InterHome project.

The system was originally designed to provide remote access (遠(yuǎn)程訪問) to a house so owners could be more energy-efficient. In a small type of the system, set-in controller devices connect securely to the Internet. The owner can then monitor them with a cell phone or computer. User feedback helps the system adapt to routines, saving on electricity.

While thinking about responding to user behavior and an increasingly elderly population, the researchers decided to add wristband (手腕帶) technology that senses important organs of the body such as body temperature and pulse, Siau said. “If someone were to fall, it would detect the fall and it would immediately start the monitor of the pulse to see if the person has gone into shock (休克),” he said.

The wristband communicates with the home system wirelessly. Data from the band can be securely transmitted to the home network and accessed by authorized users. “We’re working on trying to reduce it to a level where it could potentially be a wrist-sized product,” Siau said.

But he warned that the technology presented new challenges. “When you start using that on a larger scale, you have issues of privacy or security,” he said. Siau said the InterHome home system isn’t intended to invade privacy. “We’re thinking about the elderly people who are living alone with no one looking after them,” he said. “Hopefully this will be able to decrease some concerns and possibly save a few lives.”

1.The system was first designed for a house owner to .

A. keep watch on his house

B. keep his house safe

C. monitor the elderly people inside

D. save electricity

2.The wristband technology is used in the system to .

A. sense important organs of a person

B. keep an old man from falling

C. get the medical information of a sick person

D. record a person’s daily activities

3.The researchers are now trying to make the wristband .

A. more sensitive

B. be connected with the Internet

C. available for common people

D. suitable to wear on the wrist

4.What challenges will the new technology bring according to Siau?

A. The wristband can be large and expensive.

B. The wristband will get false information of a person.

C. It will not be used in the proper way.

D. It will bring inconvenience to the old people.

Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence. Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music. Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors. However, a child’s friends are the No. 1 influence.

Before you think your children’s friends could never lead one another astray (誤入歧途的), think again. A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior. Negative influences of a child’s friends can come without warning.

“Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children’s friends and the friends’ parents have already taken the first step,” says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.

Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to keep tabs on her children. “My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven’t met before, I have to speak with that friend’s parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both,” she says. “I don’t interrogate (質(zhì)問) them by asking about their private life. I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do. I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son.”

When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with “the wrong crowd”, the last thing on their mind should be discipline. Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child’s choice to keep company with these types of friends.

1.We can infer from the second paragraph that .

A. two children usually go astray together

B. a child can be negatively influenced only when he meets problems

C. a child can easily go astray under the influence of a friend

D. parents know exactly when a child is negatively influenced

2.Mara Berkley probably agrees that you when your child is going out with his friends.

A. should track him secretly B. should not ask him

C. can stop him going outD. do something to interfere

3.How does Lynn Rexroat protect her son according to the text?

A. She questions his son directly.

B. She meets his son’s friends herself.

C. She makes arrangements with the parents of his son’s friends.

D. She communicates with the parents of his son’s friends.

4.The underlined part “keep tabs on” in the fourth paragraph probably means “ ”.

A. watch overB. win overC. bring back D. take control of

Technology and the present generation of kids go hand in hand. Taking advantage of this factor, Lim Hojoon, the designer from South Korea, has come up with an educational gadget (小裝置) especially for children.

Kidget, as the name suggests, is a combination of two words – kid and gadget. This kid-friendly gadget has various uses. When your child is in a mood to read, it takes the form of a storybook. When the mood is to draw and color this wonder gadget turns into a perfect canvas (畫布). Your child can freely give color to all his/her imaginations. Should he or she wish to have some fun, see this device change into a musical instrument. You too would enjoy doing activities with your loved one using this gadget. This touch screen device will definitely prove to be an ideal friend.

As many parents agree, in this age of technological advancements it is much easier to introduce children to new gadgets than adults. While many adults refrain (克制) from trying out something new, kids are more than prepared to take the leap. Keeping this fact in mind, Kidget is the perfect gift for the child of the 21st century. You will be surprised to see how fast your little one gets acquainted with the device. You might even find yourself lagging (落后) behind at times.

Kidget has another hidden advantage. It helps take the load off young shoulders. With three things rolled into one, a child has much less books, stationary items and related goods to carry. It comes with a promise to make life simpler for kids. Not only is it simple to use but also easy to carry along. The stylish protective case comes with a belt attached to it. Children up to 14 years of age, the targeted audience, enjoy the freedom that comes with it.

1.The Kidget probably can’t serve as a ______.

A. storybook B. perfect canvas

C. musical instrumentD. television

2.We learn from the second paragraph that Kidget ______.

A. has many functions

B. is only suitable for kids

C. can make kids addicted if not properly used

D. can change its shape and color

3.A hidden advantage of Kidget is that ______.

A. it can be put into a schoolbag

B. children can carry much less with it

C. it has a stylish protective case

D. it contains all the textbooks

4.We can infer from the text that Kidget ______.

A. has both advantages and disadvantages

B. hasn’t been put into use

C. needs to be further improved

D. is a perfect gift for kids

閱讀下列各小題，根據(jù)漢語提示，用句末括號(hào)內(nèi)的英語單詞完成句子，并將答案寫在答題卡上的相應(yīng)題號(hào)后。

例：______ was that the young player performed extremely well in the table tennis tournament. (delight)

令球迷欣喜的是那位年輕的球員在乒乓球錦標(biāo)賽中表現(xiàn)得極為出色。

答案：What delighted the fans/made the fans delighted

1.When we have supper together, I would like to hear _________________ the health care reform which is being carried out in our country. (think)

當(dāng)我們一起吃晚飯時(shí)，我想聽聽你對(duì)我們國家正在進(jìn)行的醫(yī)療改革有什么看法。

2.I wish I could go back to my school days; I regret _________________ at that time. (study)

我希望能回到學(xué)生時(shí)代；我真后悔那時(shí)沒有更加刻苦地學(xué)習(xí)。

3.Since Mr. Black was laid off from his job three months ago, he _________________ a new one, but without good luck. (look)

自從三個(gè)月前布萊克先生失業(yè)以來，他一直在尋找一份新的工作，但他沒那么好的運(yùn)氣。

4._________________ Mrs Green’s example, more and more people in our community joined the campaign against the McDonald’s fast-food company. (encourage)

在格林女士的帶動(dòng)下，我們社區(qū)里越來越多的人們加入到反對(duì)麥當(dāng)勞快餐公司的運(yùn)動(dòng)中。

5.It was _________________________ that he moved out of the remote village and settled down in the big city. (feel)

就是因?yàn)樗�覺得孤單，他才搬出那個(gè)偏僻的村莊，在大城市定居下來。

6.So quickly _________________ that he had won the Nobel Prize for Literature that many of his friends called him up to congratulate him half an hour after the announcement was made. (spread)

他獲得諾貝爾文學(xué)獎(jiǎng)的消息傳播得如此快以至于在宣布消息半個(gè)小時(shí)后他的很多朋友給他打電話向他表示祝賀。

7.I made dozens of friends at the summer camp several years ago, two _________________ with me ever since. (keep)

幾年前在夏令營我交了很多朋友，其中兩個(gè)自那以后與我一直保持著聯(lián)系。

8._________________ reading the book The Diary of Anne Frank, we will hold a class meeting to discuss its meaning and the influence it has on you. (finish)

當(dāng)你們讀完《安妮日記》這本書后，我們將舉行一次班會(huì)來討論這本書的意義以及它對(duì)你們的影響。

9.Professor Wang, as well as his two students, _________________ by the reporter from CCTV-1 at the meeting room on the third floor at present. (interview)

王教授以及他的兩個(gè)學(xué)生正在三樓的會(huì)議室里接受來自中央一臺(tái)記者的采訪。

10.If Miss Li hadn’t given me so much help and encouragement at high school when I was in trouble, I _________________ a key university. (admit)

如果不是李老師在我高中處于困境時(shí)給了我那么多的幫助和鼓勵(lì)的話，我不可能被一所重點(diǎn)大學(xué)錄取。

請(qǐng)根據(jù)以下提示，并結(jié)合事例，用英語寫一篇短文。

Diligence is the means by which one makes up for one’s dullness. If you are not good at something, you may as well practise it many times until you make it.

注意：

①無須寫標(biāo)題；

②除詩歌外，文體不限；

③內(nèi)容必須結(jié)合你生活中的一個(gè)事例；

④文中不得透露個(gè)人姓名和學(xué)校名稱；

⑤詞數(shù)不少于120；如引用提示語則不計(jì)入總詞數(shù)。

For more information, please send an e-mail, ____ you can also include your advice to us.

A. when              B. where             C. which        D. that

Tom, you play the violin so well. But I ______ you can play the violin.

A. didn’t know B. don’t know C. hadn’t known D. haven’t known

Mr. Smiths was busy writing a story, only ______ once in a while to smoke a cigarette.

A. to stopB. to have stopped C. being stopped D. stopping

My mother _____ all the cleaning for my family, but recently she has been too busy teaching to do it.

A. will do B. is doing C. does D. had done

______ all of you are top students, only one will be chosen for the coming competition.

A. While B. Since C. If D. As