A team of researchers recently created a robot that can repair itself.The newly designed machine can sense injury to itself and adapt.That ability sets the new robot apart from earlier machines.Because the robot can recover from unexpected damage, it may be especially useful in exploring unfamiliar places.“There is a need for planetary robotic rovers to be able to fix things on their own,” says Josh Bongard, one of the device’s creators.“Robots on other planets must be able to continue their mission without human help if they are damaged and cannot communicate their problem back to Earth.”
A typical robot functions according to a computer program, but the new robot works differently.First, sensors in its four legs observe the robot’s movements and signals to its built-in computer.From the formation it collects, the robot creates its own programs that allow it to adapt to different situations.For example, when the researchers shortened one of the robot’s legs, the smart machine simply adjusted its way of walking—it used three legs instead of four.
The researchers are looking for other places to put the resilient robot to work.One possible spot is the ocean floor.That dark and dangerous undersea terrain might be a good choice for a robot the scientists call the Starfish.“We never officially named the robot, but we usually refer to it as the Starfish, even though a real starfish has five rather than four legs,” says Bongard.“Also, a real starfish is much better than our robot at recovering from injury, because it can actually regrow its legs.” Scientists have created robots that help humans in many ways: by exploring space, fighting fires, and even performing surgery.
1.The newly designed robot is different from the former ones because it ___________.
A.can communicate with people on the earth about their problems
B.works according to a certain computer program
C.can find problems itself and get used to the new environment
D.can explore unfamiliar places
2.An example is given in the second paragraph in order to explain that the robot ___________.
A.is used to create new programs B.has typical robot functions
C.has sensors to observe its movements D.can adapt to new conditions
3.The underlined word “resilient” in the last paragraph means the robot __________.
A.is creative
B.uses advanced technology
C.recover easily
D.is informative
4.What might be the best title of the passage?
A.How does the Starfish Robot work
B.Do-It-Yourself Robot Repair
C.Robots Designed to Work On Other Planets
D.New Robot Helping Us In Many Ways
5.Which of the following is True about the Starfish?
A.It has more than four legs.
B.It hasn’t been officially named.
C.It can regrow its legs quickly.
D.It has started to work on the ocean floor.
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A. Profits enlarging B. Technology developing C. Education investing D. Benefits transferring E. Dominance disappearing F. A nation rising |
The following is an imaginary diary entry written by US president. This diary is part of Global Trends 2025, which was written by the US National Intelligence Council
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Global wealth and economic power will shift from West to East.
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The transition from old fuels to new will be slow, as will the development of new technologies that present feasible alternatives to fossil fuels or help eliminate food and water problems. All current technologies are inadequate, and new ones will probably not be commercially possible by 2025