Every minute, someone is setting up an Internet company somewhere, in the world. Each one is searching for the one great idea that could make his web company click in a big way. And they are trying all kinds of tricks to attract people towards their websites. While some websites offer sounds, cartoons and amazing photos on screen to make their sites almost a movie-like experience for the viewers, others provide free downloads and competition.

A company in California, US, has decided to offer online smells to people who visit its website. That is, if a pizza image comes on screen, your nose will catch the smell of bread and cheese! All you need to do is to connect a device (设备) called “iSmell” to your computer. This smart little device contains (包含) some chemicals that can create different kinds of smells.

The company has invented software that changes the chemical composition (成分) of different smells into digital signals (数字信号). An onscreen image, which is programmed with the proper digital signal, will start the “iSmell” device. The device will use the software to change the digital signal again and let go of the correct smell. This device reads the digital smell code (代码) from the website and creates the proper smell from its store of chemicals. This smell is then made to blow softly in the direction of the user with the support of a small fan.

In order to let go of the correct smell, the company has created a “Scent Registry”, which contains a digital index of thousands of smells. The company plans to allow website developers to integrate the proper smells in digital code to their games and images. The company is also hoping that Hollywood filmmakers will use the smell technology in their movies. Imagine audiences getting the smell of rocket fuel as a spacecraft takes off on the cinema screen! Of course, filmmakers will have to be careful not to shoot in dirty neighborhoods, which have a lot of rubbish lying around.

1.Internet companies try their best to search for great ideas to ________.

A.join in the Internet fever

B.offer movie-like experience

C.provide free downloads and competition

D.attract people to their websites

2.According to the passage, people experience smells online by ________.

A.using “iSmell” device B.ordering food

C.buying special software D.changing chemicals

3.What does iSmell do after being started by onscreen image?

A.It rechanges the signal and lets go of the correct smell.

B.It blows the smell to the user with the help of a fan.

C.It reads the smell code and sends it to the user.

D.It changes the chemical composition into digital signals.

4.What does the underlined word integrate mean?

A.使创造 B.使结合 C.使变味 D.使加工

5.The best title of the passage probably is “________”.

A.Some Useful Devices

B.The Internet Fever of People

C.A New World of Smell Online

D.An Unusual Company

November 5 is World Tsunami(海啸) Awareness Day. Tsunami is a Japanese word for a long, destructive(摧毁性的) ocean wave caused by an undersea earthquake. The goal of the anniversary is to learn from disasters(灾害) of the past and to prepare for the future. Two tsunamis in the last 15 years have changed the way people around the world think about these destructive events.

On December26, 2004, a magnitude (震级) 9 earthquake near the coast of Indonesia caused tsunami waves that struck the coasts of four countries. An estimated(估计的) 230,000 people died and costs were in the billions of dollars. Then, on March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan. It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in that country. More than18,000 people died. The tsunami also caused serious damage to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power center on the island of Honshu. Several nuclear reactors(核 反应堆) were severely(严重地) damaged and leaked(泄漏) radiation(辐射).

The two events caused people in the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas to study and improve preparedness for disasters. This led to the SendaiFrameworkfor DisasterRiskReductionin 2015 in Sendai, Japan. The agreement was a UN effort to raise awareness(提高意识) about disaster risks and to urge(催促) countries to assess(评估)how well they were prepared for them.

Willem Rampangilei is head of the Disaster Management Agency in Indonesia. He said Indonesia passed a law on disaster management after the 2004 tsunami. It led in 2008 to the creation of his agency. “Our responsibilities include reduction and preparedness, emergency response, as well as post-disaster recovery and reconstruction(重新建设),” he said. He added that 150 million Indonesians were at risk from earthquakes, 60 million from floods and four million from tsunamis.

Preparedness has spread beyond Asia. There are now early warning systems in place for the Caribbean Sea, the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding(周围的) areas.

1.What does the underlined word mean in the passage?

A.Knowledge. B.Preparation.

C.Day of remembrance. D.Change.

2.What do we learn from the second paragraph?

A.Natural disasters are too powerful for people to survive.

B.Earthquakes and tsunamis often take place on islands.

C.Nuclear reactors can be safe even if damaged in an earthquake.

D.Natural disasters can cause great losses to humans.

3.One of the aims of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is .

A.to reduce the damage caused by disasters.

B.to make people know more about disaster risks.

C.to help people get away from disasters.

D.to help with the reconstruction after the disaster.

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