For those who are tired of doing the laundry, Samsung has found an answer: a washing machine that can tell you when your laundry is done via a smartphone app (application).

Strange though it may seem — "my wife already does that" was a common response among attendees viewing the device when it was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week — Samsung is just one of many appliance makers racing to install a large number of internet-connected features in machines in an effort to make them "smart".

Last year, it was a refrigerator that tweeted. This year, it's Wi-Fi-enabled laundry machines and fridges that can tell you when your groceries are going bad.

The washers and dryers, available starting in the spring, connect to any smartphone through a downloadable application. The phone can then be used as a remote control, so the machines can be turned on and off while their owner is at work or on the bus.

Samsung says it's not just something new — the app connection actually has some practical uses.

"If you started to dry clothes in the morning and forgot to take them out, you can go to your phone and restart your dryer for the time when come home, so your clothes are refreshed and ready to go." said spokesperson Amy Schmidt.

The company also says that with electricity rate (电价) varying depending on the time of day, more control over when the machines are used can help save money.

Perhaps, but what they will probably really accomplish is what all good technologies do — enable laziness. Rather than getting up to check on whether the laundry is done, users will instead monitor it on their phones while watching TV.

1. What can be inferred from the common response of the attendees at the CES?

A．The machine will be a big success.

B．their wives like doing the laundry.

C．The machine is unrelated to their life.

D．This kind of technology is familiar to them.

2.We can conclude from Samsung's statements that ________.

A．the app connection makes life easier

B．it is better to dry clothes in the morning

C．smartphone can shorten the drying time

D．we should refresh clothes back at home

3.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．The laundry should be frequently checked

B．Lazy people like using such machines

C．Good technologies also cause problems

D．Television may help do the laundry

 

Studies show that laughter is something that makes you feel calm or relaxed for both physical and psychological wounds though it may seem futile to laugh in the face of pain and fear.

When Dan Rather interviewed comedian Bill Cosby just one week after his son, Ennis, was killed, Cosby said, “I think it is time for me to tell people that we have to laugh. You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it.”

Call it a flashlight for dark times: laughter just seems to adjust attitude better than anything else. Inspirational speaker Steve Rizzo recalls a TV interview with an injured firefighter a few days after 9.11．The man had fallen more than 30 stories in one of the towers and had broken a leg. Everyone was crying, and the reporter asked, “How is it that you’ve come out of this alive?” He looked at her and without missing a beat, said, “Look, lady, I’m from New York and I’m a firefighter; that’ all you need to know.”

“Everyone laughed and though the laughter was only a couple of seconds,” says Rizzo. “Sometimes that’s all you need to catch your second breath. Laughter gives you that couple of seconds. You’re sending a message to your brain, and the message is: If you can still laugh even a little among the pain, you are going to be OK.”

Of course, there is a difference between laughing off a serious situation and laughing off the fear that results. The firefighter was doing the latter, states Rizzo, the author of Becoming a Humorous Being, and so should we. “If there is anything we have learnt from 9.11, it’s how precious life really is,” she says. “We have to send a message that our spirit won’t die. One important thing that unites us is our ability to laugh.”　

60．The writer uses the examples of the comedian and the firefighter to show　　　　　　 .

　 A．laughter is a good way to get rid of pain and fear

　 B．laughter is the best way to cure psychological wounds

　 C．it is your attitude that decides whether you can survive the pain or not

　 D．laughing off a serious situation is different from laughing off the fear that results

61．We can infer from the passage that Steve Rizzo is　　　　　　　　　　　 .

　 A．a reporter B．a soldier　　 C．a firefighter　　 D．a doctor

62．The underlined word futile in the first paragraph means　　　　　　　 .

　 A．hopeless　　　　　　 B．useless

C．careless　　　　　　 D．worthless 　

63．From the passage, we can know that Americans are　　　　　　　　 .

　 A．really inspired after 9.11　　　　　　　　　　 B．hardly united after 9.11

C．nearly surprised by 9.11　　　　　　 D．greatly hurt by 9.11

For those who are tired doing the laundry, Samsung has found an answer: a washing machine that can tell you when your laundry is done via a smartphone app(application).
Strange though it may seem — “my wife already does that” was a common response among attendees viewing the device when it was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week — Samsung is just one of many appliance makers racing to install (安装) a large number of internet-connected features in machines in an effort to make them “smart”.
Last year, it was a refrigerator that tweeted. This year, it’s Wi-Fi-enabled laundry machines and fridges that can tell you when your groceries are going bad.
The washers and dryers, available starting in the spring, connect to any smartphone through a downloadable application. The phone can then be used as a remote control, so the machines can be turned on and off while their owners is at work or on the bus.
Samsung says it’s not just something new — the app connection actually has some practical uses.
“If you started to dry clothes in the morning and forgot to take them out, you can go to your phone and restart your dryer for the time when come home, so your clothes are refreshed and ready to go,” said spokesperson Amy Schmidt.
The company also says that with electricity rate(电价)varying depending on the time of day, more control over when the machines are used can help save money.
Perhaps, but what they will probably really accomplish is what all good technologies do —enable laziness. Rather than getting up to check on whether the laundry is done, users will instead monitor it on their phones while watching TV.
【小题1】What can be inferred from the common response of the attendees at the CES?

A．The machine will be a big success.

B．their wives like doing the laundry.

C．The machine is unrelated to their life.

D．This kind of technology is familiar to them.

【小题2】What can we learn about the new laundry machines?

A．They can tell you when your clothes need washing

B．They can be controlled with a smartphone

C．They are difficult to operate

D．They are sold at a low price

【小题3】We can conclude form Samsung’s statements that ___________.

A．the app connection makes life easier

B．it is better to dry clothes in the morning

C．smartphone can shorten the drying time

D．we should refresh clothes back at home

【小题4】What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．The laundry should be frequently checked

B．Lazy people like using such machines

C．Good technologies also cause problems

D．Television may help do the laundry.

B

Studies show that laughter is something that makes you feel calm or relaxed for both physical and psychological wounds though it may seem futile to laugh in the face of pain and fear.

When Dan Rather interviewed comedian Bill Cosby just one week after his son, Ennis, was killed, Cosby said, “I think it is time for me to tell people that we have to laugh. You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it.”

Call it a flashlight for dark times: laughter just seems to adjust attitude better than anything else. Inspirational speaker Steve Rizzo recalls a TV interview with an injured firefighter a few days after 9.11．The man had fallen more than 30 stories in one of the towers and had broken a leg. Everyone was crying, and the reporter asked, “How is it that you’ve come out of this alive?” He looked at her and without missing a beat, said, “Look, lady, I’m from New York and I’m a firefighter; that’ all you need to know.”

“Everyone laughed and though the laughter was only a couple of seconds,” says Rizzo. “Sometimes that’s all you need to catch your second breath. Laughter gives you that couple of seconds. You’re sending a message to your brain, and the message is: If you can still laugh even a little among the pain, you are going to be OK.”

Of course, there is a difference between laughing off a serious situation and laughing off the fear that results. The firefighter was doing the latter, states Rizzo, the author of Becoming a Humorous Being, and so should we. “If there is anything we have learnt from 9.11, it’s how precious life really is,” she says. “We have to send a message that our spirit won’t die. One important thing that unites us is our ability to laugh.”   

60．The writer uses the examples of the comedian and the firefighter to show              .

       A．laughter is a good way to get rid of pain and fear

       B．laughter is the best way to cure psychological wounds

       C．it is your attitude that decides whether you can survive the pain or not

       D．laughing off a serious situation is different from laughing off the fear that results

61．We can infer from the passage that Steve Rizzo is                        .

       A．a reporter    B．a soldier        C．a firefighter   D．a doctor

62．The underlined word futile in the first paragraph means                .

       A．hopeless   B．useless    C．careless  D．worthless

63．From the passage, we can know that Americans are                 .

       A．really inspired after 9.11      B．hardly united after 9.11

       C．nearly surprised by 9.11      D．greatly hurt by 9.11

Effective(有效的)listening is important for improving communication between people. The sad part is that we want others to listen to us, but we ourselves are bad listeners, therefore creating barriers(障碍) to effective listening. Here are some common barriers to effective listening and some ways of overcoming them.

Before the speaker finishes speaking, you think you know the answer already and interrupt him or her. This is one of the most common barriers to effective listening. Respect is important for good listening. If you think you know the answer, you still should listen carefully to what’s being said, and then make ready a few questions and answers, wait for several seconds and then start speaking.

Whenever a speaker speaks, many a time listeners try to help the speaker. Though it may seem as if you’re trying to help, actually it isn’t so. In fact you should set up a separate(单独的) meeting for advising the speaker. If you feel you have anything to say, which the speaker may not know, you should politely ask if you may suggest anything.

In a heated discussion, the speakers sometimes don’t agree to each other’s opinions and treat it as a competition, and then it becomes a barrier to good listening. To overcome this, you should express your opinions after the speaker has finished speaking. Speak out wherever you disagree, but also if you agree on anything, you should point it out.

1.Why is effective listening important? (No more than 8 words.)2分

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2.According to Paragraph 2, what prevents effective listening? (No more than 8              words.)2分

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3.What will you do if you really want to say anything the speakers may not know? (No more than 10 words.)3分

__________________________________________________

4.How can you avoid treating a heated discussion as a competition? (No more than 10 words.)3分

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