COOL INVENTIONS




From school to band Practice, the Venturi Eclectic is an Earth-friendly way to get Where you want to go．This battery-powered, zero-emission (meaning it doesn't pollute the air) vehicle runs mainly on renewable energy．Solar panels on the Eclectic's roof absorb sun rays when you're driving．On windy days, you can connect a machine to the car's roof that collects energy from the wind while you're parked．The Eclectic's top speed is 28 miles an hour; the battery lasts for 31 miles before it needs to be recharged．Zipping (迅速行进) around the neighborhood has never been better.
Here's an eco-friendly way to tell time: Simply fill the Bedol Water-powered Clock's tank (箱) with water, add some lemon juice, and the clock will display the time without the need for environmentally harmful batteries．There are two sets of metal electrodes (电极) inside the water tank．Water contains ions (离子) that carry negative and positive charges．These ions complete a charge between the electrodes, creating enough energy to power the clock．Just refill the tank every few weeks, and this clock will keep on ticking.
Bloodhound SuperSonic Car (SSC) will be the first car to attempt to break the l,000-mile-an-hour barrier．(The current record is 763 miles an hour.) A concept for now, the rocket-shaped car gets its initial push to 350 miles an hour from a jet engine．Then a rocket fires up, pushing the SSC past 1,000 miles an hour．In order to keep the car streamlined (流线型的), the driver lies back at a 45-degree angle.
You're having a blast at your friend's birthday party．But when it's time to bring out the cake, everyone crowds around, blocking your view．No worries．Throw the Triops into the air, and this clever camera captures the view from above．The Triops can take three pictures at once, each from different angles．You can also record sounds and command the Triops to start shooting whenever it hears that noise．That's one smart camera.
【小题1】According to the passage, the Venturi Eclectic      .

The UK has a well-respected higher education system and some of the top universities and research institutions in the world．But to those who are new to it all, sometimes it can be confusing．

October is usually the busiest month in the college calendar．Universities have something called Freshers' Week for their newcomers．It's a great opportunity to make new friends, join lots of clubs and settle into university life．

However, having just left the comfort of home and all your friends behind, the outlook of meeting lots of strangers in big halls can be nerve-wracking （令人头痛的）．Where do you start? Who should you make friends with? Which clubs should you join?

Luckily, there will be thousands of others in the same boat as you worrying about starting their university social life on the right foot．So just take it all in slowly．Don't rush into anything that you'll regret for the next three years．

Here are some top advice from past students on how to survive Freshers' Week:

·Learn rules．Make sure you know British social manners．Have a few wine glasses and snacks handy for your housemates and friends．

·Be kind．Sometimes cups of tea or even slices of toast can give you a head start in making friends．

·Be sociable．The more active you are, the more likely you'll be to meet new people than if you're someone who never leaves their room．

·Bring a doorstop．Keep your door open when you're in and that sends positive messages to your neighbors that you're friendly．

So with a bit of clever planning and effort, Frsshers' Week can give you a great start to your university life and soon you'll be passing on your experience to next year's new recruits．

1.Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?

    A．It's a good idea to bring a doorstop．

    B．A hit of planning can make Freshers' Week easier．

    C．October is generally the busiest month for universities in the UK．

    D．The first week of your even- year at university is called Freshers' Week．

2.We can infer from the 4th paragraph that____ ．

    A．the newcomers usually miss the days living at home

    B．many freshers are worried about how to fit university life

    C．most of the students in the L K spend three years in universities

    D．all the new students will make new friends and join certain clubs

3.Why does the author suggest having wine glasses and snacks handy?

    A．To pass the busy university life．                       B．To pass the time in a happy way．

    C．To show yourself a drinker as others．                   D．To help make friends with others．

4.The underlined word "recruits．" in the last paragraph refers to____．

    A．courses          B．freshers         C．neighbors        D．challenges

5.The main purpose of the passage is to____．

    A．advise the freshers how to behave well in universities

    B．discuss something about the Freshers' Week in the UK

    C．tell the newcomers how to make a new start in universities

    D．introduce something about higher education system of the UK

Looking for a new weight loss plan? Try living on top of a mountain. Mountain air contains less oxygen than air at lower altitudes, so breathing it causes the heart to beat faster and the body to burn more energy. A handful of studies have found that athletes training at high altitudes tend to lose weight. Doctor Florian Lippl of the University Hospital Of Ludwig-Maximilians-university Munich wondered how the mountain air would affect overweight individuals if they weren’t doing any more physical activity than usual.

Lippl and his colleagues invited 20 overweight men to an environmental research station about 300 meters below the summit of Zugspitze, a mountain around 2,970 meters near the Austrian border. They were allowed to eat as much as they liked. The men also gave blood so that researchers could test for hormones linked to appetite and fatness. At the end of the week, the men, whose mean weight starting out was 105kg, had lost on average about l.5kg. The men’s blood pressure also dropped, which the researchers believed was due to weight lost.

Exactly what caused the weight loss is uncertain. Loss of appetite is common at higher altitudes, and indeed the men ate significantly less than usual—about 700 calories fewer per day. Lippl also notes that because their consumption was being recorded, they may have been more self-conscious about what they ate. Regardless, eating less accounts for just l kg of the l.5 kg lost, says Lippl. He thinks the increased metabolic (新陈代谢的) rate, which was measured, also contributed to weight loss but cannot separate the different effects with the given data.

Appetite loss at high altitudes could certainly be key, notes Damian Bailey, a physiologist at the University of Glamorgan, UK, who recently lost 11 kg during a 3-month expedition to the Andes in Chile.   

Unfortunately, for the average person there is no treatment that can resemble living at high altitude, says Lippl. The only alternative is hypobaric chamber, which exposes subjects to low oxygen and isn’t practical as a treatment. He says, half- jokingly, “If fat people plan their holidays, they might not go to the sea, but maybe to the mountain.”

1.What contributes the most to one’s heart rates according to the first paragraph?

A．our bodyweight                        B．the consumption of energy

C．the rates of our breathing                 D．the amount of oxygen provided

2.Hormones are tested in the research because they can affect ______.

A．one’s bodyweight                      B．one’s blood pressure

C．one’s way of living                     D．one’s metabolic rate

3.What was found about the 20 overweight men in the process of the research?

A．They controlled what to eat self-consciously.

B．They took in much fewer calories than usual.

C．They lost appetite because of lack of physical activity.

D．They were provided with a healthier diet than before.

4.Why does Damian Bailey agree with the idea of appetite loss at high altitudes?

A．He experimented with the new weight loss plan in the Andes.

B．He found no other reasons for his loss of weight in the Andes.

C．He researched the related subject in the Andes.

D．He lost much weight in the high altitude Andes.

5.In what manner does Lippl talk about the way of losing weight by spending holidays on mountains?

A．casual            B．inaccurate         C．uncertain         D．confident

From school to band Practice, the Venturi Eclectic is an Earth-friendly way to get where you want to go. This battery-powered, zero-emission (meaning it doesn't pollute the air) vehicle runs mainly on renewable energy. Solar panels on the Eclectic's roof absorb sun rays when you're driving. On windy days, you can connect a machine to the car's roof that collects energy from the wind while you're parked. The Eclectic's top speed is 28 miles an hour; the battery lasts for 31 miles before it needs to be recharged. Zipping (迅速行进) around the neighborhood has never been better.

Here's an eco-friendly way to tell time: Simply fill the Bedol Water-powered Clock's tank (箱) with water, add some lemon juice, and the clock will display the time without the need for environmentally harmful batteries. There are two sets of metal electrodes (电极) inside the water tank. Water contains ions (离子) that carry negative and positive charges. These ions complete a charge between the electrodes, creating enough energy to power the clock. Just refill the tank every few weeks, and this clock will keep on ticking.

Bloodhound SuperSonic Car (SSC) will be the first car to attempt to break the l,000-mile-an-hour barrier. (The current record is 763 miles an hour.) A concept for now, the rocket-shaped car gets its original push to 350 miles an hour from a jet engine. Then a rocket fires up, pushing the SSC past 1,000 miles an hour. In order to keep the car streamlined (流线型的), the driver lies back at a 45-degree angle (角度).

You’re having a blast at your friend’s birthday party. But when it's time to bring out the cake, everyone crowds around, blocking your view. No worries. Throw the Triops into the air, and this clever camera captures the view from above. The Triops can take three pictures at once, each from different angles. You can also record sounds and command the Triops to start shooting whenever it hears that noise. That's one smart camera.

What is the common characteristic of the Venturi Eclectic and the Bedol Water-powered Clock?

A. They don't need batteries.      B. They are difficult to operate.

C. They can be powered by water. D. They are environmentally friendly.

According to the passage, the Venturi Eclectic      .

A. is popular with businessmen     B. is suitable for a long trip

C. can turn wind into energy D. has only a little gas emission

The underlined phrase “having a blast” in the last paragraph probably means      .

A. looking at a picture          B. enjoying yourself

C. blowing out a candle D. recording sounds

Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The Triops is sensitive to sounds.

B. The driver of the SSC must be of great size.

C. The color of the Bedol Water-powered Clock is like that of lemon.

D. The SSC doesn’t have anything to do with a rocket actually.

阅读下列短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词，并将该词完整地写在右边相对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确。

Mr. Li,

       Last Sunday I went to do some reading in your library.

       Over the time I was there, I found something unpleasant. T       ,                1.____

I’d like to v        my opinions, which, I hope, would be of help for            2. ____

you to _______（创造）a more comfortable place for readers. First, there are   3.____

few new books on the shelf, and most books are not s        in proper           4.__

order, making it difficult for readers to find _______ they want quickly.           5.____

Third, the l        didn’t offer good service. Instead, they were                    6. _

chatting. In _______, they took no notice of the fact that a light                     7._____

wasn’t _______. Leave this state of affairs to stay the same, and I’m                        8.____

_______(恐怕) there will be fewer and fewer readers. So, I suggest your                 9. ____

_______ (改变) all these as soon as possible for the sake of readers.                  10. ____

The      End