A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.
Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.
To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.
One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.
After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.
“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.
Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..
“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”
【小题1】Before the new study, it was known that ____.

A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.

Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.

To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.

One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.

After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.

“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.

Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..

“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”

1.Before the new study, it was known that ____.

A．robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness

B．robots could build close connection with humans

C．dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness

D．dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness

2.Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that ___.

A．they didn’t feel comfortable with it

B．it was hard for them to interact with it

C．they weren’t comfortable with it at first

D．the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them

3.The findings of the researchers tell us that___.

A．robots are better at caring for old people than nurses

B．robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people

C．it’s easy for people to become close with robots

D．every home will have a robot assistant one day

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Robots Serve People Better Than Thought

B．No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots

C．Advanced Technology Used to cheer up the Elderly

D．Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly

A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.
Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.
To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.
One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.
After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.
“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.
Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..
“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”

1. 1.

   Before the new study, it was known that_______.

   1. A.
      robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness
   2. B.
      robots could build close connection with humans
   3. C.
      dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness
   4. D.
      dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness
2. 2.

   Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that _______.

   1. A.
      they didn’t feel comfortable with it
   2. B.
      it was hard for them to interact with it
   3. C.
      they weren’t comfortable with it at first
   4. D.
      the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them
3. 3.

   The findings of the researchers tell us that_______.

   1. A.
      robots are better at caring for old people than nurses
   2. B.
      robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people
   3. C.
      it’s easy for people to become close with robots
   4. D.
      every home will have a robot assistant one day
4. 4.

   What would be the best title for the passage?

   1. A.
      Robots Serve People Better Than Thought
   2. B.
      No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots
   3. C.
      Advanced Technology Used to cheer up the Elderly
   4. D.
      Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly

A study by St.. Louis University has found that a lovable dog named Sparky and a robotic dog, AIBO, were about equally effective at reducing the loneliness of nursing home residents. The study confirmed previous findings that dogs have a good effect on nursing home residents.

Dr. Andrew Smith led the Stanford University team that built a home-assistance robot. “If humans can feel an emotional tie with robots, some day they could be not just our assistants, but also our companions,” he said.

To test whether residents responded better to Sparky, a trained dog, or the Sony-made robotic dog, researchers divided 38 nursing home residents into three groups at three long-term care centers in St. Louis.

One group had weekly 30-minute one-on-one visits with Sparky; another group had similar visits with AIBO; a control group had no contact with either dog. The groups’ respective levels of loneliness were tested by having them answer a number of questions at the beginning and near the end of the visits.

After two months, both groups that had contact with the dogs were less lonely and more attached. Most of the elderly regarded Sparky, a 9-year-old dog, as an audience for their life stories, said investigator Marian Banks.

“He listened attentively, wagged his tail, and allowed them to pet him,” said Banks, who adopted and trained Sparky after finding him in a street behind her home seven years ago.

Those who were together with AIBO took a little longer to warm to the robotic creature. Over time, however, they grew comfortable with him, and petted and talked to him. He would respond by wagging his tail, vocalizing, and blinking his lights..

“AIBO is charming once you start to interact with him,” said the study’s author, Dr. William Banks, “ He’s an attractive sort of guy. He gives a feeling of being personal, not just a robot.”

63.   Before the new study, it was known that ____.

A.        robots were effective at reducing people’s loneliness

B.        robots could build close connection with humans

C.        dogs could help get rid of old people’s loneliness

D.       dogs and robots were equally effective at reducing loneliness

64.   Those who had contact with the robotic dog found that ___.

A.        they didn’t feel comfortable with it

B.        it was hard for them to interact with it

C.        they weren’t comfortable with it at first

D.       the robot’s vocalizing and blinking confused them

65.   The findings of the researchers tell us that___.

A.        robots are better at caring for old people than nurses

B.        robots can to some degree replace dogs as companions for old people

C.        it’s easy for people to become close with robots

D.       every home will have a robot assistant one day

66.   What would be the best title for the passage?

A.        Robots Serve People Better Than Thought

B.        No More Lonely Old Age with Emotional Robots

C.        Advanced Technology Used to Cheer up the Elderly

D.       Robots and Dogs Can Equally Cheer up the Elderly

A. Early to Bed, Early to Rise

B. Read Challenging Books

C. Exercise

D. Relax yourself

E. Minimize Television Watching

F. Take Time to Reflect

Five Simple Ways to Increase Your Intelligence

Your brain needs exercise just like a muscle. If you use it often and in the right ways, you will become a more skilled thinker and increase your ability to focus.

Here are 5 simple ways anyone can squeeze a bit more productivity out of the old gray matter.

66._______– This is a hard sell. People love vegetating in front of the television, myself included more often than I’d like. The problem is watching television doesn’t use your mental capacity OR allow it to recharge. It’s like having the energy sapped out of a muscle without the health benefits of exercise.

When you feel like relaxing, try reading a book instead. If you’re too tired, listen to some music. When you’re with your friends or family, leave the tube off and have a conversation. All of these things use your mind more than television and allow you to relax.

67.________ – I used to think that I’d learn more by not exercising and using the time to read a book instead. But I realized that time spent exercising always leads to greater learning because it improves productivity during the time afterwards. Using your body clears your head and creates a wave of energy. Afterwards, you feel invigorated and can concentrate more easily.

68.________– Many people like to read popular suspense fiction, but generally these books aren’t mentally stimulating. If you want to improve your thinking and writing ability you should read books that make you focus. Reading a classic novel can change your view of the world and will make you think in more precise, elegant English. Don’t be afraid to look up a word if you don’t know it, and don’t be afraid of dense passages. Take your time, re-read when necessary, and you’ll soon grow accustomed to the author’s style.

69.________– Nothing makes it harder to concentrate than sleep deprivation. You’ll be most rejuvenated if you go to bed early and don’t sleep more than 8 hours. If you stay up late and compensate by sleeping late, you’ll wake up lethargic(无精打采) and have trouble focusing. In my experience the early morning hours are the most tranquil and productive. Waking up early gives you more productive hours and maximizes your mental acuity(敏锐) all day.

If you have the opportunity, take 10-20 minute naps when you are hit with a wave of drowsiness. Anything longer will make you lethargic, but a short nap will refresh you.

70.________ – Often our lives get so hectic that we become overwhelmed without even realizing it. It becomes difficult to concentrate because nagging thoughts keep interrupting. Spending some time alone in reflection gives you a chance to organize your thoughts and prioritize your responsibilities. Afterwards, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s important and what isn’t. The unimportant stuff won’t bother you anymore and your mind will feel less encumbered.

Conclusion – I hope you aren’t disappointed that none of the techniques I’ve proposed are revolutionary. But simple, unexciting answers are often the most valid. The challenge is having the will to adhere to them. If you succeed in following these 5 tips, you’ll be rewarded with increased mental acuity and retention of knowledge.