When you think of robots, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you think of science fiction movies like Star Wars, where robots of all shapes and sizes are part of daily life? The word “robot” itself comes from a play written in 1920 by Karel Capek. In the play, people create robots to do some everyday tasks.

Today, most robots don’t look human. Modern robots take many forms and are good at many things, from sweeping the floors in your home to working in factories. They are even exploring the surface of the moon. But there is an interesting irony(讽刺) in the world of robotics which describes a surprising problem: What humans find easy is extremely complicated for a robot. However, what humans find difficult is pretty easy for a robot. For example, picking up clothes in a messy room is simple for people. But that kind of chore is very hard for a robot. Another example is the game of chess. People might find it difficult to win the game of chess all the time. But robots like Alpha-Go can be programmed to play it very well.

This is because robots are very good at doing things in controlled environments. However, moving through a room filled with random(随机的) objects is hard for robots, along with picking up objects of different shapes and sizes without damaging them. In short, it is very difficult for them to deal with certain types of variables.

It turns out that one of the most difficult things to improve in robots is their ability to control objects. Luckily, great progress is being made in the development of robots. On the one hand, exciting developments in making human-like hands and legs are underway. On the other hand, the biggest progress might result from using virtual learning(虚拟学习) to “teach” robots through computer simulations(模拟). In this way, robots can “guess” what to do without an order when they meet unfamiliar things in the real world.

Soon, robots may be able to do those things that humans find simple. That means big changes in what robots can do and how they can help us with daily tasks. Robots might make movies a reality.

1.What’s the purpose of the first paragraph?

A.To give an example.

B.To present the topic.

C.To explain what robots are.

D.To show how robots develop.

2.According to the passage, what might be difficult for robots?

A.Playing chess.

B.Washing the dishes.

C.Making cars in factories.

D.Gathering up clothes in a mess.

3.What’s the writer’s opinion about robots in the future?

A.They will cause further problems for people.

B.They will deal with new things depend on orders.

C.They can hardly develop until they look like human.

D.They can benefit people more by making improvements.

You may have heard of the famous saying, “East or west, home is the best.” What does the word “home” mean to you? How do you say the word in French? In Chinese? In your language? Even if (尽管) people usually know what the word means, it sometimes has no exact translation. It’s not surprising, because the idea of home is different from country to country, and from person to person. A home is more than a roof(屋顶)and four walls. It’s cooking, eating, talking, playing and sleeping that go on inside. And at home you usually feel safe and relaxed.

Homes look different in different countries. They also have different things inside. For example, in cold northern Europe, there’s a fire in the living room or kitchen and all the chairs face it. In the south, where the sun shines a lot and it’s more important to keep the heat out, there are small windows and cool stone floors.

We asked some people about their homes. How often do people move house in your country? “In my country many people don’t stay in one place for a very long time. They often move every ten years or so.”

— Cherry, Boston, USA

What are features (特点) of homes in your country?

“In Britain, even in town, there’s always a garden. We have separate(各自的) bedrooms and living rooms. But we don’t often have balconies. The weather isn’t warm enough!

— Pat. Exeter, England

根据短文内容,选择最佳答案,并在答题卡上将选定答案的字母标号涂黑。

1.The word “home” sometimes has no exact translation because ______.

A.people can’t find this word in the dictionary

B.no one knows what it is

C.it has different meanings in different countries

D.people can’t understand each other very well

2.According to the passage, you can do everything except(除了) ______at home.

A.making friends B.cooking and eating

C.playing and talking D.sleeping and relaxing

3.Why is it important to keep the heat out of the houses in southern Europe?

A.Because they want to breathe(呼吸) fresh air outside.

B.Because there’s a fire in the living room.

C.Because they wear heavy clothes all day long.

D.Because the sun there shines a lot.

4.From the second paragraph, what kind of homes people have depends on ______.

A.whether they are rich or not B.the climate (气候) they have

C.how old they are D.whether they live in the city or the countryside

5.Which one of the sentences below is TRUE?

A.People in Britain seldom have balconies because it’s so hot outside.

B.Some Americans move house several times during their lifetime.

C.Homes look the same in different countries.

D.Houses in northern Europe have big windows and cool stone floors.

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