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2

Do you want to be productive(富有成效的)at work or at home? Here's what you should do.
Turn off television
I used to tell myself that I needed a break. So, when the kids slept I turned on the cable and watched whatever program that caught my fancy. Often, I found myself not watching, just channel-surfing. And I didn’t end up watching a full program. I decided one day to just give up on TV as it made me sleep late and woke up exhausted(疲惫的).
If you want to be productive, cut off TV. You are better off reading a book. Without TV, I have managed to finish many books which I have bought but never read.
Limit Internet Use
The other big distraction that can make you sleep late is the Internet. Probably because you will be checking your emails, updating your blog, watching YouTube, etc. Try limiting the use of it at home, or switch it to the morning session.
Nowadays, I check all my personal emails early in the morning. When I get into work, I find myself less tempted to check personal emails.
Know Your Priorities(优先考虑的事)
Really, it is all about the choices you make and the priorities you have. If you know it is competitive out there in the world, how can you be a better worker than the person who is also aiming for the position above you?
Rest Early, Rise Early
You want to be productive? Rise early, read more books, have more energy, be more focused and set standards for others to catch up. It’s as simple as that.
【小题1】The passage aims to give advice on how to ________.
A.take better care of our kids at home.
B.balance our work and energy well.
C.divide time between work and family.
D.compete against others for a better position.
【小题2】What does the author mainly use to support her theory?
A.Ancient wisdomB.Internet information
C.Popular beliefsD.Personal experience
【小题3】The author used to be in the habit of _________.
A.changing channels frequently when watching TV.
B.checking all her personal emails in the morning.
C.watching her favorite TV programs with her kids.
D.reading the books immediately after she bought them.

同类题4

   Now a new study has showed a key trick in getting the best deal - asking for a range of pay, rather than a single figure.

The research contradicts(与……抵触)traditional wisdom that argues giving a range will automatically cause employers to focus on the lower end of the offer. For instance, if you want  $90,000 and you suggest a range between $90,000 and $110,000, the study finds employers are more likely to make a higher offer.

But simply asking for $110,000 in the first place increases the chances of the deal falling apart, as it is a sign that the employee is not open to negotiation(协商).

The team made the discovery after running a series of experiments involving Amazon Mechanical Turk workers and business school students.

Respondents were asked not only what they thought their negotiation partner's lowest acceptable offer could be, but also questions designed to show how they viewed their partner.

One type of offer, called a “bracketing” range,places the figures on either side of the desired salary. For instance, if you want $90,000, you'd ask for a range of between  $80,000 and $100,000. This causes employers to offer the lower end of the scale,but, unlike single figure offers, the deals rarely fall apart as the negotiator is often viewed favourably. “If your goal is to get along with someone without losing money, the‘bracketing' range offers may be a good move,”Dr Ames told the Wall Street Journal.

The“backdown”range offer, meanwhile, uses the target salary as the high figure in the range. For $90 ,000, an employer would ask for a range between $70,000 to $90,000. These range offers , predicta-bly, give the worst results in terms of pay.

However, Dr Ames warns against setting the range too high and says the most successful range is usually within 20 per cent of the target offer.

【小题1】According to traditional wisdom, _____________ .
A.asking for a range of pay works well
B.giving a range of pay is open to discussion
C.giving a range of pay is not so good an idea
D.asking for a range of pay gets you a higher offer
【小题2】If you want $80,000, which of the following range is to your advantage?
A.$70,000- $90,000B.$60,000- $80,000
C.$70,000 $80,000D.$70,000- $100,000
【小题3】What is Dr Ames attitude toward“bracketing” range offers?
A.Doubtful.B.Uninterested.
C.Supportive.D.Negative.
【小题4】Who are intended readers of the text?
A.Employers.B.Employees.
C.Students.D.Parents.

同类题5

   What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others.  These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work.  So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

Your school may have taught you skils, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else,you may have learned how to get to work on time,to follow rules and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop,for example. Just as important,you may become interested in a particular career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools;perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a number of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record,for instance,may not be too good,yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic(道歉的)about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?
A.The importance of working hard at school.
B.Choosing a career according to one's strengths.
C.How to face one's weaknesses.
D.The value of schoolwork.
【小题2】The writer thinks that for a student,to have a part-time job is probably __________.
A.a good way to find out his weak points
B.one of the best ways of earning extra money
C.of great use to his work in the future
D.a waste of time he could have spent on study
【小题3】From the passage we learn that if a student's school performance is not good,he __________.
A.should pay more attention to learning skills
B.will be regretful about his bad results
C.may also do well in his future work
D.should restart his study in school
【小题4】What does the underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Be not good at doing things.
B.Be skillful in doing things.
C.Be not interested in certain things.
D.Be easily bored with doing things.