题目内容
Walking down any of Shanghai’s main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries.Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money.Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount (折扣), the message couldn’t be clearer-- it is the season to part with one’s hard-earned cash.
Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home.But for Shanghai’s 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season’s commercial greetings.Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree(杉树) with lights, or a snowman.
With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas.But some people still don’t think Christmas is an important festival in China.At least it is less important than the New Year and China’s Spring Festival.
1.Why are people willing to spend money during Christmas?
A.They have earned a lot of money.
B.Goods are much cheaper during this period of time.
C.It is time for shops to sell goods.
D.Businessmen like Christmas.
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Christmas is the season people will hold their hard-earned money tightly.
B.Most Chinese people think they have something to do with Christmas.
C.Christmas is the season for common people to earn money.
D.Few Chinese people feel they are connected with Christmas celebrations.
3.Why do some young Shanghainese show great interest in Christmas?
A.They think themselves connected with Christmas celebrations.
B.They think Christmas is more important than New Year’s Day.
C.They want to follow the up-to-date western fashions.
D.They want to part with their hard-earned cash during Christmas.
4.From the first paragraph we know that _______.
A.It is difficult for most people to earn money.
B.It is easy for most people to earn money.
C.Only foreigners in Shanghai celebrate Christmas.
D.Christmas will be as important as China’s Spring Festival.
BDCA
TOKYO, Japan (AP) – Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术). If the androids are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are exploring just that. In a show this week, an android(有人特点的)with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup. Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors(感应器)embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate(模仿)life with robot technology.
“A human being may be faster, but you’d have to say ‘Thank you,’” said University of Tokyo professor Tomomasa Sato. “That’s the best part about a robot. You don’t have to feel bad about asking it to do things.”
Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden(卧床不起的). Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.
The walking, child–size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at showrooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller companion robot on wheels called Papero. A robot available since 2004 can entertain the elderly and others in need of companionship.
Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices(设备)monitor a person’s movements down to the smallest detail.
On the bright side, the tea – pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.
【小题1】What is the best title of this passage?
A.“Thank You” Will Never Be Needed in Japan |
B.Monitoring Technologies Are Widespread in Japan |
C.Robot Is Designed to Care for the Elderly. |
D.Robot technologies are widespread in Japanese daily life. |
A.fixed | B.established | C.settled | D.rooted |
A.the robot serves tea much faster than a human being |
B.the robot does anything like human beings |
C.tea – serving robot helps to form laziness of the aging society |
D.tea – serving robot doesn’t need any reward for the service |
A.A robot can imitate people to complete complicated tasks. |
B.A robot has been programmed to clean the dishes. |
C.All the problems in the aging society can be solved by robots. |
D.The number of aging people is increasing rapidly in Japan. |
A.people are afraid of being monitored by robots. |
B.the technology of robots has been highlighted(强调) in Japan. |
C.robots can completely take the place of human beings. |
D.people’s privacy should be strictly protected |