Dog Translation Products Coming to U. S.

A Japanese toy maker declares that they have developed a gadget that translates dog barks into human language and plans to begin selling the gadget——under the name of Bowlingual——in U. S. pet stores and gift shops this summer.

Tokyo-based Takara Co. Ltd. says about 300, 000 of the dog translator gadgets have been sold since it was on sale in Japan late last year. It is forecasting far bigger sales once an English language translation for dogs comes to America in August. The United States is home to about 67 million dogs, more than six times the number in Japan.

"We know that the Americans love their dogs so much, so we don't think they will mind spending $ 120 on this product," the Takara marketing manager said during an interview at a recent pet products conference in Atlanta.

Regarded as one of the coolest inventions of 2002 by Time magazine, Bowlingual is made up of a 3 - inch long wireless microphone that is fastened to a dog collar and sends out sounds to a small console (控制台) that is connected to a database (数据库). The console divides each bark into six emotional types——happiness, sadness, disappointment, anger, threat and desire——and shows common phrases, such as "You're ticking me off," that fit the dog's emotional state.

Takara says it has spent millions of dollars developing the gadget in cooperation with famous sound experts and animal behaviorists.

One thing that does appear certain is that the markets for animal translation products will likely remain a dog's world since Takara has no plans to develop a similar gadget for cats. "They are too unpredictable (反复无常) , " the marketing manager said.

1.This passage mainly tells us that Bowlingual ___________.

A. was invented in Japan 　　　　　　　 B. has developed quickly

C. will be sold in America 　　　　　　 D. sells well for its price

2.The underlined word "they" in the last paragraph refers to ___________.

A. markets 　　　B. products 　　　 C. plans 　　 　　D. cats

3.When was this passage most probably published?

A. In the winter of 2002. 　　　　　　B. In the spring of 2003.

C. In the summer of 2002. 　　　　　 D. In the autumn of 2003.

4.From the passage, we can see that Takara Co. Ltd. is ___________ the sale of its new product.

A. proud of 　　　　　 　　　　　　B. satisfied with

C. confident of 　　　　　　　　　　D. worried about

D
　　As the country's economy continues to steam ahead,once popular forms of entertainment,such as Karaoke(卡拉OK),card games and even boxing bars,appear to be losting their attractiveness.Stressed out white - collar wokers are camping out on rooftops,smashing(砸）up restaurants,pretending to be children and even visiting cemeteries in a effort to ease the pressure of modern life.
　　Consider the members of Shanghai's Cat Rain club.By day,this group of young women work executive (决策管理的) jobs,but by night they climb buildings so they can spend the night on the roof."You feel relaxed when you're sitting on the roof,looking up to the sky and chatting with friends," said Gong Ying,25.
　　The stress of work is not just limited to people in Shanghai.A recently opened restaurant in Beijing encourages customers(顾客) to smash plates --- as long as they are willing to pay to replace them.Some workers even wish to return to their childhoods.Recently,hundreds of people took part in a festival in which adults pretended to be children.It was an adultsonly event,and participants could read comics and eat sweets all day.
　　Scenic places such as parks and rivers can also help people relax and put things in perspective.But a cemetery?
　　Cemetery companies in Shanghai organized visits to local graveyards for stressed - out workers in March.The participants were taken to quiet spots in the cemetery where they could think about life and their futures."Pressure may bring us unhappiness,but it doesn't mean we can't find ways out,"says Chen Bin,a rooftop camping fan with still some other interests."Life should be imaginative."
　　68.Peopel are going to those new activities mainly for ______.
　　　A.recreation   B.new ideas   C.physical refreshment   D.psychological relaxation
　　69.The underlined phrase "put things in perspective"in the 4th paragraph possibly means______.
　　　A.have a good rest          B.get over negative feelings
　　　C.take physical exercise      D.judge things correctly
　　70.When Chen Bin says:"Life should be imaginative",she means______.
　　　A.life should be lived in imaginations
　　　B.the dead can be alive in our imagination
　　　C.people should create new ways of life
　　　D.we should view life positively

D

　　As the country's economy continues to steam ahead,once popular forms of entertainment,such as Karaoke(卡拉OK),card games and even boxing bars,appear to be losting their attractiveness.Stressed out white - collar wokers are camping out on rooftops,smashing(砸）up restaurants,pretending to be children and even visiting cemeteries in a effort to ease the pressure of modern life.

　　Consider the members of Shanghai's Cat Rain club.By day,this group of young women work executive (决策管理的) jobs,but by night they climb buildings so they can spend the night on the roof."You feel relaxed when you're sitting on the roof,looking up to the sky and chatting with friends," said Gong Ying,25.

　　The stress of work is not just limited to people in Shanghai.A recently opened restaurant in Beijing encourages customers(顾客) to smash plates --- as long as they are willing to pay to replace them.Some workers even wish to return to their childhoods.Recently,hundreds of people took part in a festival in which adults pretended to be children.It was an adultsonly event,and participants could read comics and eat sweets all day.

　　Scenic places such as parks and rivers can also help people relax and put things in perspective.But a cemetery?

　　Cemetery companies in Shanghai organized visits to local graveyards for stressed - out workers in March.The participants were taken to quiet spots in the cemetery where they could think about life and their futures."Pressure may bring us unhappiness,but it doesn't mean we can't find ways out,"says Chen Bin,a rooftop camping fan with still some other interests."Life should be imaginative."

　　68.Peopel are going to those new activities mainly for ______.

　　　A.recreation   B.new ideas   C.physical refreshment   D.psychological relaxation

　　69.The underlined phrase "put things in perspective"in the 4th paragraph possibly means______.

　　　A.have a good rest          B.get over negative feelings

　　　C.take physical exercise      D.judge things correctly

　　70.When Chen Bin says:"Life should be imaginative",she means______.

　　　A.life should be lived in imaginations

　　　B.the dead can be alive in our imagination

　　　C.people should create new ways of life

　　　D.we should view life positively

As a white collar worker, he got his first ________ today, which is 21, 000 dollars

each year.

A. money　 B. wages　 C. pay　 D. salary

阅读下面短文, 掌握其大意, 从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A Standard of Excellence

My l4-year-old son, John, and I spotted the coat almost at the same time in the secondhand clothing store. __36__ the other coats were hanging down loosely, this one looked as if it were __37__ itself up. The thick, black wool was soft and unworn. It had a black velvet collar, beautiful tailoring and an __38__ price of $28. We looked at each other, saying nothing, but John’s eyes shone. Dark, woolen overcoats were popular with teenage boys, but could cost several hundred dollars new. This coat was even better, __39__ that touch of classic elegance from long ago.

John tried it on and turned from side to side, __40__ himself in the mirror with a(n) __41__, studied expression that soon changed into a smile. The __42__ was perfect.

John wore the coat to school the next day and came home with a wide smile. “How did the kids like your coat?” I asked. “They __43__ it!” he said, carefully folding it over the back of a chair and __44__ it flat.

Over the next few weeks, a change came over John. __45__ replaced contrariness; __46__, reasoned discussion replaced argument. He became more mannerly and more thoughtful, eager to __47__ me. “Good dinner, Mom,” he would say every evening. One day when I suggested that he might start __48__ homework before dinner, John, who was always putting off doing stuff, said, “You’re __49__. I guess I will.”

When I __50__ this incident to one of his teachers and remarked that I didn’t know what caused the __51__, she said laughing, “It must be his coat!” At the library, we ran into a friend who had not seen our children for a long time, “Could this be John?” he asked, looking up to John’s new height, __52__ the style of his coat and extending his hand, one gentleman to another.

John and I both know we should never __53__ a person’s clothes for the real person within them. But there is something to be said for __54__ a standard of excellence for the world to see, for practicing standards of excellence in thought, speech, and behavior, and for __55__ what is on the inside to what is on the outside.

36. A. While　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Unless　　　　　　　　　　 C. Since　　　　　　　　　　　 D. As

37. A. carrying　　　　　　　　　　 B. putting　　　　　　　　　　 C. holding　　　　　　　　　　 D. pushing

38. A. unreasonable B. unbelievable　　　　　　 C. unacceptable D. unreliable

39. A. developing　　　　　　　　 B. indicating　　　　　　　　 C. adopting　　　　　　　　　 D. bearing

40. A. eyeing B. admiring　　　　　　　　　 C. questioning D. measuring

41. A. serious B. excited C. puzzled D. doubtful

42. A. brand　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. figure 　　　　　　　　　　 C. result　　　　　　　　　　　 D. fit

43. A. approved　　　　　　　　　 B. loved　　　　　　　　　　　 C. desired 　　　　　　　　 D. enjoyed

44. A. pressing　　　　　　　　　　 B. smoothing 　　　　　　 C. beating　　　　　　　　　　 D. ironing

45. A. Acceptance B. Affection C. Agreement D. Acquaintance

46. A. wild　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. quiet　　　　　　　　　　　 C. fair 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. detailed

47. A. please　　　　　　　　　　　 B. help　 　　　　　　　　 C. change　 　　　　　　　 D. remind

48. A. at　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. from 　　　　　　　　　　 C. in　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. on

49. A. helpful 　　　　　　　　　　 B. considerate 　　　　　　 C. right　　 　　　　　　　 D. great

50. A. explained　　　　　　　　　 B. announced 　　　　　 C. presented　 　　　　　 D. mentioned

51. A. choices　　　　　　　　　　 B. growth　　　　　　　　　　 C. feeling 　　　　　　　　　 D. changes

52. A. analyzing B. assessing 　　　　　　　 C. checking D. consulting

53. A. trust　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. judge　 　　　　　　　　 C. mistake 　　　　　　　　 D. blame

54. A. setting　　　　　　　　　　　 B. applying 　　　　　　　　 C. meeting 　　　　　　　　 D. wearing

55. A. adjusting B. comparing　　　　　　　 C. preferring D. matching