Question

【题目】A

A new phone app uses vibrations from smartphones to alert people about earthquakes.

The phone app recognizes sudden shaking of the earth’s surface through sensors in smartphones. The new app is called MyShake. It is the work of four researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. They said they created a worldwide warning system that would inform people and give them time to prepare. Other earthquake apps include QuakeFeed, Quakes and Earthquake. They show where earthquakes have happened, at what strength, and the aftershocks. Those use data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The MyShake app is available only for Android phones.

Smartphones are equipped with accelerometers(加速计). These instruments measure movement, like that of a car or airplane. They can also measure the shaking of a machine, a building or other structures. Accelerometers are used in activity trackers and apps that count steps or other exercise. They also are used in global positioning system apps, also called GPS. MyShake uses phone accelerometers to measure seismic activity. It has been programmed to know the difference between normal activity and earthquake movement. The software developers say their app is right 93 percent of the time.

A smartphone sends seismic information to the app developers. If the developers receive several notifications from one area, it recognizes that an earthquake may be taking place or will take place soon. Using information sent from the app, the network then estimates the location and strength of the quake in real time. MyShake can record magnitude 5.0 earthquakes at distances of 10 kilometers or less. MyShake uses very little power, according to its developers. Only when seismic activity is sensed by the app does it become active and sends data to the network.

The developers hope that MyShake can add to information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey. That U.S. agency has created the earthquake early warning system, also known as the EEW. The EEW has deployed sensors for measuring quakes in many areas. In places where no such equipment exists, MyShake may be the only method of early quake detection.

The app also shows ways to stay safer during an earthquake. The developers say it will become more effective as more people use it. ＂Our goal is to build a worldwide seismic network and use the data to reduce the effects of earthquakes on us as individuals and on society as a whole,＂ say the researchers. And they hope to add a feature that would warn people of a possible tsunami, or the huge waves after an earthquake.

【1】According to the researchers from Berkeley, the new app ＂MyShake＂ can _______.

A. shake sensors in smartphones to recognize different earthquakes

B. make people aware of earthquakes in advance

C. help find goods ways to prevent earthquakes

D. predict earthquakes as well as other disasters

【2】 What’s the critical factor for the ＂MyShake＂ when it works?

A. GPS. B. Power. C. Accelerometer. D. EEW.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】C

【解析】

【文章大意】文章主要介绍了一款新的手机应用——使用智能手机的震动来提醒人们地震了。

【1】B. 推理判断题。依据文章第二段中的 ＂They said they created a worldwide warning system that would inform people and give them time to prepare.＂ 可以判断出这款新的app是一款提醒人们地震的发生并让人们提前做好准备的应用软件，故选B。

【2】C. 推理判断题。依据文章可以推断出这款应用耗电极少，只有当地震活动被应用感知后这款应用才会被激活，并向网络发送数据，故这款应用首先要具备能感应地震活动的加速计，即 ＂accelerometer＂。