Question

A ground-based system that uses much stronger signals than GPS can find your location in cities and indoors. It is a new positioning system that could compete with GPS to make sure you never lose your directions again.

Instead of satellites, Locata uses ground-based equipment to launch a radio signal over a localized area that is a million times stronger on arrival than GPS. It can work indoors as well as outdoors, and the makers claim the receivers can be shrunk to fit inside a regular cell phone. Even the US military, which invented GPS technology, signed a contract last month agreeing to a large-scale test of Locata at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

“This is one of the most important technology developments for the future of the positioning industry,” says Nunzio Gambale, CEO and co-founder of the firm Locata, based in Griffith, Australia.

As for the Locata’s accuracy, Christopher Morin of the US Air Force tested it recently at White Sands, and it worked to within 18 centimeters along any axis(轴). Morin says it should be possible to get the resolution down to 5 centimeters.

Admittedly, the tests were performed in an open desert where GPS also works beautifully, but its signals are weak— like a car headlight from 20,000 kilometers away— and easily blocked by solid objects. “Locata’s signal is far stronger, though not guaranteed to work in a complex urban environment,” says David Last, consultant to the UK’s General Lighthouse Authorities.

“Locata’s technology will face competition in the race to transform indoor navigation. But it could shine in specific areas,” Gambale says. “Robots with Locata could easily navigate inside buildings without the complex optical systems they need at the moment. And process that handle precise location data could not only guide you around a mall, railway station or airport, but also take you to the exact shelf in a shop for the product you want. The units small and cheap enough for smart phones should be available within five years— a similar path to the one GPS took on its way towards world domination.”

1.The passage is written mainly to .

A. encourage people to buy the Locata

B. tell us the disadvantage of the GPS

C. introduce a new positioning system Locata

D. tell us that Locata will replace GPS one day

2.Which of the following is not true about Locata according to Paragraph 2?

A. Without the help of the satellites, Locata can tell you where you are.

B. The US military has to test it before using it.

C. Locata has a better signal than GPS.

D. Locata can be fixed into smart phones only.

3.Which of the following words can be used to replace the underlined word in Paragraph 4?

A. accuracy B. speed

C. determination D. length

4.According to the passage, what can we know about Gambale?

A. He did the experiment at White Sands.

B. He is confident in Locata and think highly of it.

C. He said that Locata could not work in a complex urban environment.

D. He is worried about the competition that Locata faces.

Answer 1

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文介绍了一款以地面设备为基础来发射信号确定你在城市或室内位置的定位体系Locata，可以与GPS.相媲美，信号比GPS.更强，能确保你永远不会迷失方位。

1.小题1】主旨大意题。从第一段得知本文写作目的是要介绍一款定位系统Locata。选C。

2.小题2】细节理解题。根据第二段提供的信息得知，A ；Locata不是以卫星而是以地面设备为基础来发射信号确定你的方位的。C ；Locata信号比GPS.更强。B ；发明GPS科技的美国军方也同意测试Locata 后使用它。ABC三项是正确的，而D项Locata可以安装在普通手机上，但不是只能安装在智能手机上，故选D。

3.小题3】猜测词义题。第四段讲述了Locata定位的精确度， A. accuracy精确度；B. speed速度；C. determination 决心； D. length长度。因此选A。

4.小题4】细节理解题。根据最后一段Gambale 的话语得知他认为“Locata’科技虽然面临着竞争压力，但是在特定领域一定会闪闪发光的。对Locata 很自信在五年内会统治世界，评价高度。选B。

考点：科技发明类文章