题干

   Researchers are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to determine whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert in the human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study concerning the influence of robotic dogs on old people’s depression, physical activity, and life satisfaction. “No one will argue that an older person is better off being more active, challenged, or stimulated (刺激), ”Edwards points out. “The problem is how we promote that, especially for those without friends or help. A robotic dog could be a solution.”

In the study, the robotic dogs, called AIBO, are placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, researchers will collect data for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activities before and after AIBO being placed. Then, the researchers will study the data to determine if it has inspired any changes in the life of its owner.

“I talk to it all the time, and it responds (回应) to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady. “When I’m watching TV, it’ll stay in my arms until it wants to go down. It has a mind of its own.”

The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The researchers say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.

“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate to the robotic dog because it is metal and not furry,” Beck says. “But it’s amazing how quickly we have given up that belief.”

“Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels, or heart rhythms. AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate older people’s minds.”

【小题1】What is the purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study?
A.To understand the human-animal relationship.
B.To find the causes of old people’s loneliness.
C.To make lonely old people’s life better.
D.To promote the animal-assisted research.【小题2】In the research, what are the old people asked to do?
A.To note the activities of AIBOs.   B. To keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks.
B.To analyze the collected information.     D. To record their feelings and activities.【小题3】What is the advantage of AIBOs over live dogs?
A.AIBOs can watch TV with their owners. B. AIBOs can help the disabled people.
B.AIBOs respond to all the human orders. D. AIBOs are easier to keep at home.【小题4】What does the author seem to suggest about the future robotic dogs?
A.They may keep old people’s minds active. B. They may cure certain diseases.
B.They may change people’s beliefs. D. They may look more like real dogs.
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同类题1

   Here are four principles (行为准则) I live by. Whenever I follow these guidelines, I am at my very best, feeling productive and happy.

Devote time.

No matter how talented we may be, it’s wrong to think we can do it all. 【小题1】 The value of our achievements is greatly decided by what we spend our time on. We need to realize that every day we should devote the time to what matters and have the courage to let the unimportant things go.

Focus your attention.

Very often it seems that we just can’t focus our attention, even though we know what we should be doing, right? Resistance (阻力) makes us get disturbed by distractions.【小题2】 Developing a plan for overcoming resistance is important for maximum productivity.

【小题3】

We need to make a balance between work and play, between creation and pleasure.【小题4】 Even if we feel energetic to work long hours, the most effective long-term way is to hold ourselves back when we feel crazy and follow a proper pace instead.

Keep moving on.

More important than setting big goals is to just keep going. I know this goes against most of the “ set great goals for yourself” advice, but it’s what works for me.【小题5】 And it always made me more worried than it helped. Now, what does work for me is to think about how to improve my life and take small steps to make it happen.

A.Develop a proper pace.
B.Actually, we can do something, but not everything.
C.Take one minute’s self-judgment at the end of the day.
D.It’s in each step that you learn and adjust your direction.
E.We should take our leisure time as seriously as our work time.
F.These are obstacles (阻碍) even for the most determined people.
G.Going after a “big aim” was something that made me feel uncomfortable.

同类题2

   Living in a house makes it a home. So leaving a place we have lived in and going to another place we haven't can be a little stressful.【小题1】 If you have a friend who is moving house,help make that change a little easier;help him or her make his or her new house“homey”by holding a house-warming party.

【小题2】 Is your friend going to be upset if his or her new house isn’t perfect when the guests ring the doorbell?If so,you will certainly want to plan the party ahead of time.【小题3】 If your friend wants to keep it more casual(非正式的),invite guests by phone,telling them it is an informal party.

If this is a new community for the homeowner, help him or her get used to it.【小题4】 This may break the ice and bring your friend more comfort. It is a great opportunity for your friend to develop relationships with the community members.

Help after the gathering ends. Moving is hard work. Your friend may be tired, and the last thing he or she will want to do is wake up to an after-party mess.【小题5】 Your friend will thank you for it.

A.Make sure the house is clean before you leave.
B.Moving to a new community will be a chance to make friends.
C.It does take up some of the time that is supposed to be used for shopping.
D.Why not invite your friend’s new neighbors and the community members?
E.Pick a date,send out invitations and list some items the homeowner may need.
F.In fact,experts say that moving is one of the top stresses we can experience in life.
G.Decide if this party will be a casual group of a few friends or a planned party with invitations.

同类题3

   A strong memory depends on the health and vitality(生命力)of your brain. They say that you can't teach an old dog new tricks,but when it comes to the brain,scientists have discovered that this old saying simply isn't true. 【小题1】

Give your brain a workout. Memory, like muscular strength, requires you to“use it or lose it”. The more you work out your brain, the better you' ll be able to process and remember information. 【小题2】

Don't skip the physical exercise. While mental exercise is important to brain health, that doesn't mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk of disorders that lead to memory loss.

Get enough sleep. There is a big difference between the amount of sleep you can get now and the amount you need to function at your best. 【小题3】

Keep stress in check. Stress is one of the brain's worst enemies. Over time, stress destroys brain cells. Studies have also linked stress to memory loss.

Have a laugh. 【小题4】 That holds true for the brain and the memory, as well as the body. Unlike emotional responses, which are limited to specific areas of the brain, laughter involves multiple regions across the whole brain.

【小题5】 Just as the body needs fuel, so does the brain. You probably already know that a diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains,“healthy”fats and lean protein will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve memory. For brain health, though, it's not just what you eat — it's also what you don't eat.

A.Play games with memory.
B.Keep a brain-enhancing diet.
C.Laughter is the best medicine.
D.But oversleeping is not good for your brain.
E.Even skipping a few hours makes a difference!
F.You have to do some workouts from time to time!
G.The human brain has an astonishing ability to adapt and change.

同类题4

   Today, we drive safer cars on safer roads, but most car accidents are the result of human error. 【小题1】 So it’s a good idea to review some basic rules for safe driving. Here are four driving tips that will help bring you and your passengers home unharmed.

1. Practice defensive(保护的)driving.

Defensive driving includes keeping a safe distance and not speeding. 【小题2】 Accept small delays, such as staying in line behind a slower car instead of suddenly changing lanes.

2. 【小题3】

Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how safely you drive. You are driving at the speed limit and obeying all traffic rules but someone else can crash into you. One good rule is to think everyone else on the road is a fool and be prepared for anything unexpected. 【小题4】 And it pays to be ready when you do.

3. Don’t follow too closely.

Drivers need enough time to react if the car in front makes a sudden turn or stop. It can be too difficult for drivers to judge the proper distances while driving and the exact distance is adjusted by speed, so most experts suggest a “three-second rule”.

4. Be more careful in bad weather.

【小题5】 Drive below the speed limit if necessary, keep extra space between you and the car ahead, and be especially careful around curves. If the weather worsens, just find a safe place to wait out the storm.

A.Wear your safety belt.
B.Watch out for other drivers.
C.Chances are that you’ll eventually meet someone foolish.
D.The best way to reduce accidents is to practice safe driving behaviors.
E.If you’re driving through fog, heavy rain or on icy roads, be extra careful.
F.Remaining calm in the face of annoying traffic is another major part of the idea.
G.If a driver is tired enough to fall asleep while driving, the results are terrible.

同类题5

   It can be difficult to meet new people and make friends,especially when you move to a new city or find yourself out of your comfort zone.How will you deal with the situation?【小题1】 There are several ways that you can meet people that you might not have considered in the past.

★【小题2】You probably have several acquaintances that you see on a daily basis or a weekly basis.If you get along well with certain people,you can see if this acquaintance would like to go out and do something socially with you.If you have common interests,you might suggest that the two of you do something together that involves your interest.

★ Make an effort to accept invitations.Sometimes people that you know may be having a barbecue or other types of social gathering.Try to ensure that you are able to attend and then show up at the appointed time.【小题3】If you meet people that you click with,you can make a plan to see them again in the future or you can invite your friends to your own event and ask them to extend the invitation to the friends that were at their gathering too.

★Go out,even when you don’t feel like it.It turns out that when people invite someone to join them for dinner or a movie or something else,they really want to hang out with you.【小题4】

【小题5】 But once you have used the same methods a few times you will know exactly what works and what does not.Don’t give up,everyone is different and it just takes time to get to know people.

A.Expand on current relationships.
B.Trying to make new friends can be annoying at first.
C.Do you work with people that you get along well with?
D.But don’t call them several times a day or even several times per week.
E.Be more social and you’ll make your life more exciting and fulfilled.
F.If you tend to say “no” often,people will eventually stop asking you to go with them.
G.These types of gatherings often lead to meeting different people who are friends of friends.