We have all heard of the smartphone and most of us will have one. Not far behind ： the smart home. In the latest issue of Journal Science，Washington State University's Diane Cook says it won't be long before our homes act as “ intelligent agents” to predict our needs and deal with tasks that improve our health, energy efficiency, even social media.

“Many homes are already halfway there, with computers helping warm food, record TV shows, and turn on coffee makers. What we're trying to do is get the home to think about what you need as a whole and use different parts to do the right things. ” she says.

Cook has been working on such smart homes since 2006. Some test homes already show that the technology can help monitor the elderly people and remind them to complete ordinary activities like rising, eating and taking medicine.

Similarly，the home can itself control energy use. Smart home technologies can run washing- machines at off-peak times, turn off unneeded appliances(家用电器）and put out lights in empty rooms. Many communities now are testing the concept of the smart home.

While the smartphone lets people take their social media with them, the home could act like a car's Bluetooth, making hands-free conversation from any room a reality. Cameras will let the people “ talk face to face from anywhere".

Although the technology is available，technologies like in-home cameras raise privacy con­cerns. The technologies，like many others，face a challenge of being accepted and adopted, says Cook. She has seen that in particular with the elderly participants in her studies.

“People will soon understand what these technologies do and see how user-friendly they are. I bet some technologies will develop fast once they're starting to be used. ”

71.  According to the passage，all of the following statements about the smart home technology are TRUE except that  .

A.  it is a completely new concept

B.  some tests are being carried out

C. it helps people do housework

D. it will soon become a reality

72.  According to Cook, the smart home technology can benefit _______.

A.  the teachers monitoring their students

B.  the housewives with babies to attend

C. the nurses in the hospital nearby

D. the senior people who need taking care of

73.  According to Paragraph 4, the smart home technology helps people _______.

A. make more money                                   B. use new energy forms

C. improve the energy efficiency                   D. develop good habits

74.  One of the obstacles that prevent the smart home technology from being accepted is ____

A. the concern about people's privacy            B. the concern about the cost from it

C. the concern about the loss of tradition     D. the concern about elderly people

75.  How does Cook think of the smart home technology?

A. useful but much too costly.                     B. challenging but promising.

C. convenient and affordable.                       D. user-friendly and practical.

We have all heard of the smartphone and most of us will have one. Not far behind ： the smart home. In the latest issue of Journal Science，Washington State University's Diane Cook says it won't be long before our homes act as “ intelligent agents” to predict our needs and deal with tasks that improve our health, energy efficiency, even social media.

“Many homes are already halfway there, with computers helping warm food, record TV shows, and turn on coffee makers. What we're trying to do is get the home to think about what you need as a whole and use different parts to do the right things. ” she says.

Cook has been working on such smart homes since 2006. Some test homes already show that the technology can help monitor the elderly people and remind them to complete ordinary activities like rising, eating and taking medicine.

Similarly，the home can itself control energy use. Smart home technologies can run washing- machines at off-peak times, turn off unneeded appliances(家用电器）and put out lights in empty rooms. Many communities now are testing the concept of the smart home.

While the smartphone lets people take their social media with them, the home could act like a car's Bluetooth, making hands-free conversation from any room a reality. Cameras will let the people “ talk face to face from anywhere".

Although the technology is available，technologies like in-home cameras raise privacy con­cerns. The technologies，like many others，face a challenge of being accepted and adopted, says Cook. She has seen that in particular with the elderly participants in her studies.

“People will soon understand what these technologies do and see how user-friendly they are. I bet some technologies will develop fast once they're starting to be used. ”

71.  According to the passage，all of the following statements about the smart home technology are TRUE except that  .

A.  it is a completely new concept

B.  some tests are being carried out

C. it helps people do housework

D. it will soon become a reality

72.  According to Cook, the smart home technology can benefit _______.

A.  the teachers monitoring their students

B.  the housewives with babies to attend

C. the nurses in the hospital nearby

D. the senior people who need taking care of

73.  According to Paragraph 4, the smart home technology helps people _______.

A. make more money                                   B. use new energy forms

C. improve the energy efficiency                   D. develop good habits

74.  One of the obstacles that prevent the smart home technology from being accepted is ____

A. the concern about people's privacy            B. the concern about the cost from it

C. the concern about the loss of tradition     D. the concern about elderly people

75.  How does Cook think of the smart home technology?

A. useful but much too costly.                     B. challenging but promising.

C. convenient and affordable.                       D. user-friendly and practical.

B
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home. His name was Kyle. He was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd(书呆子).” So I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw some kids running at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. I jogged over to him, and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I handed him his glasses. He said, “Thanks!” There Was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived, It turned out he lived near me, so I asked him why! had never seen him before. He said he had gone to a private school before coming to this school. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home. He turned a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
Graduation day arrived. Kyle was valedictorian of our class, so he had to prepare a speech for graduation. In his speech he said. “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. I am going to tell you a story.” I stared at my friend in disbelief as he told the story of the first day We met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He gave me a little smile. “Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.” I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
45．What does the underlined word “valedictorian” in the second paragraph mean?
A．A graduate who delivers a farewell speech in a class.
B．A graduate who is the youngest in a class.
C．A student who is the most popular in a class.
D．A student who can not graduate on time in a class.
46．It can be concluded from the text that the author______.
A．was good at playing football in high school
B．had not liked to make friends with the students from private schools before
C．seldom helped others
D．did not study hard in high school
47．Not until the graduation day did the author know_______.
A．the real reason why Kyle carried all his books home the first day they met
B．Kyle was his best friend
C．Kyle enjoyed making speeches in front of the class
D．Kyle's many weaknesses
48．What does the author mainly want to express by telling this story?
A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.
B．Helping others is a Virtue.
C．Your action is powerful: with one small gesture you can change a person's life.
D．We should have a pity on the weak.

B

       One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home. His name was Kyle. He was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd(书呆子).” So I shrugged my shoulders and went on. As I was walking, I saw some kids running at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. I jogged over to him, and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I handed him his glasses. He said, “Thanks!” There Was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived, It turned out he lived near me, so I asked him why! had never seen him before. He said he had gone to a private school before coming to this school. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home. He turned a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.

       Graduation day arrived. Kyle was valedictorian of our class, so he had to prepare a speech for graduation. In his speech he said. “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. I am going to tell you a story.” I stared at my friend in disbelief as he told the story of the first day We met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He gave me a little smile. “Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.” I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.

45．What does the underlined word “valedictorian” in the second paragraph mean?

       A．A graduate who delivers a farewell speech in a class.

       B．A graduate who is the youngest in a class.

       C．A student who is the most popular in a class.

       D．A student who can not graduate on time in a class.

46．It can be concluded from the text that the author______.

       A．was good at playing football in high school

       B．had not liked to make friends with the students from private schools before

       C．seldom helped others

       D．did not study hard in high school

47．Not until the graduation day did the author know_______.

       A．the real reason why Kyle carried all his books home the first day they met

       B．Kyle was his best friend

       C．Kyle enjoyed making speeches in front of the class

       D．Kyle's many weaknesses

48．What does the author mainly want to express by telling this story?

       A．A friend in need is a friend indeed.

       B．Helping others is a Virtue.

       C．Your action is powerful: with one small gesture you can change a person's life.

       D．We should have a pity on the weak.

As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and field provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me. I was used to tidy living rooms that seemed to whisper, "Not to be touched!"
I can still remember one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the houses. My parents would never approve. The walls were old; some stones were missing, others loose and falling. Still, my idea to climb across those walls grew so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I had all my courage to enter the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner.
"I, uh-I want to climb the stone walls," I said. Everyone looked up. "Can I climb the stone walls? "Immediately voices of disagreement went up from the women in the room. "Heavens, no!" You'll hurt yourself!" I wasn't too disappointed; the response was just as I'd expected. But before I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather's loud voice. "Now hold on just a minute," I heard him say. "Let the boy climb the stone walls. He has to learn to do things for himself."
"Go," he said to me, "and come and see me when you get back." For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls -and had the time of my life. Later I met with my grandfather to tell him about my adventures. I'll never forget what he said. "Fred," he said, smiling, "You made this day a special day just by being yourself. Always remember, there's only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are."
Many years have passed since then, and today I host the television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, seen by millions of children throughout America. There have been changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: my message to children at the end of almost every visit. "There's only one person in this whole world like you," the kids can count on hearing me say, "and people can like you exactly as you are.”
【小题1】When the writer was small, he lived        .