网址：http://m.1010jiajiao.com/timu3_id_3052665[举报]
PITTSBURGH – For most people, snakes seem unpleasant or even threatening. But Howie Choset sees in their delicate movements a way to save lives.
The 37-year-old Carnegie Mellon University professor has spent years developing snake-like robots， he hopes will eventually slide through fallen buildings in search of victims trapped after natural disasters or other emergencies.
Dan Kara is president of Robotics Trends, a Northboro, Mass.-based company that publishes an online industry magazine and runs robotics trade shows. He said there are other snake-like robots being developed, mainly at universities, but didn’t know of one that could climb pipes.
The Carnegie Mellon machines are designed to carry cameras and electronic sensors and can be controlled with a joystick(操纵杆). They move smoothly with the help of small electric motors, or servos, commonly used by hobbyists in model airplanes.
Built from lightweight materials, the robots are about the size of a human arm or smaller.They can sense which way is up, but are only as good as their human operators, Choset added.
Sam Stover, a search term manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency based in Indiana, said snake-type robots would offer greater mobility than equipment currently available, such as cameras attached to extendable roles.
“It just allows us to do something we’ve ot been able to do before,”Stover said, “We needed them yesterday.”
He said sniffer dogs are still the best search tool for rescue workers, but that they can only be used effectively when workers have access to damaged building.
Stover, among the rescue workers who handled the aftermath (后果) of Hurricane Katrina, said snake robots would have helped rescuers search flooded houses in that disaster.
Choset said the robots may not be ready for use for another five to ten years, depending on funding.
1.Which institution is responsible for the development of Choset’s robots?
A. Robotics Trends. B. Pittsburgh City Council.
C. Carnegie Mellon University. D. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
2.Choset believes that his invention ______.
A. can be attached to an electronic arm
B. can be used by hobbyists in model airplanes
C. can find victims more quickly than a sniffer dog
D. can sense its way no better than its operators
3.By saying “We needed them yesterday” (paragraph 7), Stover means that snake-like robots _____.
A. could help handle the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
B. would have been put to use in past rescue work
C. helped rescuers search flooded houses yesterday
D. were in greater need yesterday than today
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. Snake-like robots used in industries.
B. Snake-like robots made to aid in rescues.
C. The development of snake-like robots.
D. The working principles of snake-like robots.
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阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项，并将答案写在答题卡上。
Shyness is the cause of much unhappiness for a great many people. Shy people are anxious and self-conscious; that is, they are concerned with their own appearance and actions. Worrisome thoughts are constantly occurring in their minds: what kind of impression am I making? Do they like me? Do I sound stupid? Am I wearing unattractive clothes?
It is obvious that such uncomfortable feelings must affect people unfavorably. A person's self-concept is reflected in the way he or she behaves, and the way a person behaves affects other people's reactions. In general, the way people think about themselves has a deep effect on all areas of their lives.
Shy people have low self-esteem(respect), and are likely to be passive and easily influenced by others. They need reassurance that they are doing “the right thing”. Shy people are very sensitive to criticism. It makes them feel inferior(自卑). They also find it difficult to be pleased by praises because they believe they are unworthy of praise. A shy person may respond to a praise with a statement like this one:“You're just saying that to make me feel good. I know it's not true.” It is clear that, while self-awareness is a healthy quality, overdoing it is harmful.
Can shyness be completely got rid of, or at least reduced? Fortunately, people can overcome shyness with determination. It is important for people to accept their weakness as well as their strength. And it is not fair for them to label themselves inferior because they have to be realistic. Living on the impossible leads to a sense ot inferiority.
Each one of us has his or her own characteristics. We are interested in our own personal ways. The better we understand ourselves, the easier it becomes to live up to our chances for a rich and fulfilling life.
1．The first paragraph is mainly about ________.
[ ]
A．the thoughts of shy people
B．the cause of shyness
C．the effect of shyness on people
D．the questions in the minds of shy people
2．According to the writer, self-awareness is ________.
[ ]
A．harmful to people
B．a weak point of shy people
C．the cause of unhappiness
D．a good characteristic
3．What is the shy people's reaction to praise?
[ ]
A．They are pleased with it.
B．They feel it is not true.
C．They are very sensitive to it.
D．They feel they are worthy of it.
4．We can learn from the text that shyness can ________.
[ ]
A．help us to live up to our full development
B．enable us to understand ourselves better
C．block our chances for a successful life
D．have nothing to do with lack of self-esteem
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