A report on a new software that enables eyes to do the typing appears in Wednesday’s edition of the journal Nature. Replacing a keyboard or mouse, eye-scanning-cameras mounted on computers have become necessary tools for people without limbs or those affected with paralysis. The camera tracks the movement of the eye, allowing users to “type” on a virtual keyboard as they look at the screen. And now, researchers from the Cavendish Laboratory at Cambridge University say they have developed software that replaces the standard QWERTY keyboard layout with one that is nearly twice as efficient, more accurate and easier on the eyes. Called Dasher, the prototype program looks into the natural gaze of the eye and makes predictable words and phrases simpler to write. Any off-the-shelf camera capable of scanning eye movement can be used with Dasher, though the person must sit fairly still during the interaction.

  The letters of the alphabet appear in a single column on the right of the screen, with an underline symbol to represent a space. Each letter is framed by a colored box. As the user looks at a particular letter on the right side of the screen and drags it to the left with their eye, another sub-alphabet column begins to emerge inside the box on the right-hand side, along with more letters framed in colored boxes. Dasher is designed to anticipate which letter will be needed, so although the successive sub-alphabet columns are initially very small, the letters or combination of letters that appear are most likely to be used next in that sequence. For example, if a person starts with the letter “h”, the language models in Dasher will bring up “a” “e” “i” “o” and “u” in the sub-alphabet box, along with a few other possible combinations like “ello” to form the word “hello”. Each box has a complete alphabet within it, though the first letters to appear have the highest probability of usage. The letters are then placed together to form a sentence on the left side of the screen.

  Researchers say people will be able to write up to 25 words per minute with Dasher compared to on-screen keyboards, which they say average about 15 words per minute. With a bit of practice, MacKay said, Dasher offers an easier and more satisfying way for disabled people to communicate, providing them with better tools to write e-mail or create word processor files. Mackay said Dasher could work in most languages.

72. With the new software Dasher, people can type with their eyes through_____.

A. a computer screen with eye-scanning sensors

　　B. an eye-scanning camera on computer

　　C. a colored box attached to the computer

　　D. a regular keyboard with sensors

73. The new method of typing will most benefit those people who___________ .

A. have reading difficulties     B are visually incompetent

　　C. are physically challenged.   D. do not have a big vocabulary

74. The software Dasher_______________ .

　　A. is able to predict the next sequence of words the user is going to write

　　B. can form coherent sentences based on the first word typed in by the user

    C. has to be used with eye-scanning cameras specially designed for the 

software

　　D. does not allow the user to move a lot during the interaction

75. Which of the following is true about Dasher?

　　A. It can be used to write ten more words than on screen keyboard per minute.

　　B. It is easier to use than ordinary keyboards.

　　C. It can provide hints for possible sentences to be written.

　　D. It is an independent text processor.

A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber (黄瓜) up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. “What's the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”

This is a popular joke among British school children. It shows Britain's famous dry and satirical (讽刺的) way of seeing the funny side of life. People say this unique sense of humor is one of Britain's national characteristics.

The British sense of humor is different from other countries because it is often more negative. When it comes to making the British laugh, there is nothing that works better than a socially inappropriate (不恰当的) joke. It reflects the culture where mocking (嘲弄) is part of everyday life.

While most Britons don’t take these jokes too seriously, foreigners often don’t understand them. A recent survey found that most foreigners who visited Britain think the British are “unfriendly and have almost no sense of humor”.

Are the British just not as funny as they think they are? Leo McKinstry, a British journalist, thinks the British are funny. “Accusing the British of having no sense of humor is like telling Rolls-Royce (劳斯莱斯) that its cars are cheap and not good in quality,” he says.

56. What does the doctor actually mean by the remark “You’re not eating properly”?

A. What you have had is the cause of these problems.   B. You are not having the right food.

C. You don’t eat the way people usually do.           D. You eat with the wrong cutlery. ( 餐具 )

57. The word “dry” in Paragraph 2 means ________.

A. without water or liquid inside                       B. special and popular among school children

C. dull and meaningless                             D. funny and clever while seeming to be serious

58. Why do most visitors, who once visited Britain, think that the British are unfriendly?

A. Because the British always take things seriously.

B. Because the British have no sense of humor.

C. Because the British are cold and difficult to get along with.

D. Because the British have a different sense of humor.

59. Which of the following is NOT the characteristics of British humor?

A. dry and satirical                                 B. negative and mocking

C. encouraging and gentle                           D. clever and witty                  

A man walks into a doctor’s office. He has a cucumber (黄瓜) up his nose, a carrot in his left ear and a banana in his right ear. “What's the matter with me?” he asks the doctor. The doctor replies, “You’re not eating properly.”

This is a popular joke among British school children. It shows Britain's famous dry and satirical (讽刺的) way of seeing the funny side of life. People say this unique sense of humor is one of Britain's national characteristics.

The British sense of humor is different from other countries because it is often more negative. When it comes to making the British laugh, there is nothing that works better than a socially inappropriate (不恰当的) joke. It reflects the culture where mocking (嘲弄) is part of everyday life.

While most Britons don’t take these jokes too seriously, foreigners often don’t understand them. A recent survey found that most foreigners who visited Britain think the British are “unfriendly and have almost no sense of humor”.

Are the British just not as funny as they think they are? Leo McKinstry, a British journalist, thinks the British are funny. “Accusing the British of having no sense of humor is like telling Rolls-Royce (劳斯莱斯) that its cars are cheap and not good in quality,” he says.

56. What does the doctor actually mean by the remark “You’re not eating properly”?

A. What you have had is the cause of these problems.   B. You are not having the right food.

C. You don’t eat the way people usually do.           D. You eat with the wrong cutlery. ( 餐具 )

57. The word “dry” in Paragraph 2 means ________.

A. without water or liquid inside                  B. special and popular among school children

C. dull and meaningless                         D. funny and clever while seeming to be serious

58. Why do most visitors, who once visited Britain, think that the British are unfriendly?

A. Because the British always take things seriously.

B. Because the British have no sense of humor.

C. Because the British are cold and difficult to get along with.

D. Because the British have a different sense of humor.

59. Which of the following is NOT the characteristics of British humor?

A. dry and satirical                              B. negative and mocking

C. encouraging and gentle                         D. clever and witty

THE WAY TO READ FAST

Perhaps you have been told about some habits（习惯） which stop a person reading fast、and have been strongly asked to break those habits which you might have.

Do you still have any of these bad habits7 Check yourself by answering "yes" or "no" to

these questions:

1. Do you move your lips(嘴唇) when reading silently？

2. Do you point to words with your finger as you read?

3. Do you move your head from side to side as you read?

4. Do you read one word at a time?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, start at once to break the habit.

If you move your lips, hold your fingers over them, or hold a piece of paper between your lips while you are reading. Then if your lips move, you will know it and can stop them.

If you point to words, hold the two sides of your book, one side with your left hand, the other side with your right hand. Then you will not have a free finger to use in pointing while reading.

If you move your head, place your chin（下巴）in one hand, and hold your head still(不动地，静止地).

If you read no more than one or two or three words at a time, you need to work very hard in learning to take in more words at each glance(看一眼) as your eyes travel across the lines of words.

1.You may hold your fingers over your lips while reading       

A．to hold a piece of paper between them

B．to stop yourself talking to others

C．to tell others to be silent

D．to feel whether y our lips move or not

2.When your eyes travel across the lines of words,        

A．you need to read the words out

B．you need to look at every word carefully

C．you need to read several words at a time

D．you need to remember every word

3.When you read,        

A．don’t use your finger to point to words

B．don’t hold your books with your hands

C．don’t hold your head still

D．don’t do any of the things mentioned(提到)above.

　　At all times, the host sits at one end of the table and hostess at the other end, except on those occasions（场合）when ladies would have sat together, as happens when there are eight, twelve, sixteen, twenty, or twenty-four at the table. In this case, the hostess moves one to the left and the most important man takes her place at the end, truly a guest of honor, still on his hostess's right.

　　The reason the host does not move at a formal dinner is not because he is more important than the hostess, but because if he moves he throws the most important lady out of her honored position. When there is no such guest of honor, the host may move.

　　The imperfection（美中不足）in almost every seating plan is the fact that there is usually one couple who, though they have entered together, must sit on the opposite side of the table. The gentleman does not leave his lady until she has found her place, then goes to his own chair.

　　1.According　to　the　writer,　a　perfect　seating　plan　should　make　it　possible for __________.

　　A. everyone to have a seat　　　　　 B. ladies to sit together

　　C. every couple to sit side by side　　 D. the hostess to sit at one end

　　2.Which of the following figures shows the correct seating at a formal dinner?

　　3.The writer is trying to show us ________.

　　A. a kind of custom　　　　　　　　B. Chinese seating plans for a formal dinner

　　C. the best table manners　　　　　　D. women are always respected