Ask anyone what is the most difficult part of changing their lifestyle habits and they are most likely to say, "Staying motivated." But a 36-year-old professor from Carnegie Mellon University claims it may have the answer in the form of robot weight loss coach that dishes out daily health advice and encouragement. Autom is the work of Intuitive Automata, a company based in Sha Tin which claims to be a pioneer in commercial socially-interactive robots. The robot, which stands around 38 centimeters tall, has a head that swivels , blue eyes, and a touch screen which allows the user to input information daily about exercise and diet Its creators say Autom will have a daily conversation with its user lasting up to five minutes, giving feedback and encouragement.Over time, it will interact more with the user as it gathers more information about them. Cory Krdd, a research team manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency claims research has shown that people find robots a more reliable source of information than on-screen-based character. In a controlled study in Pittsburgh City Council, 15 dieters were given Autom for six weeks. Another 15 received a touch-screen computer with identical software and 15 were given a paper log.The study found, people using the robot are more likely to stick with their diets longer, in fact twice as long as those using just a paper log. "While not one person among the computer or paper groups continued past six weeks, most who had Autom did not want to give her back at the conclusion of the study," he said. The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen. Autom is expected to go on sale later this year in the United States for around $500.A robot which speaks and understands Cantonese and Mandarin in addition to English according to the demands is also being developed. What can we infer from the passage? A) The robot can help people change their lifestyle habits. B) The robot can't speak English except Cantonese and Mandarin. C) The robot that can speak many languages has been popular with the users. D) The robot that can speak many languages meets the demand of the customers.
A
(Question)
In earliest times, men considered lightning to be one of the great mysteries of nature. Some ancient people believed that lightning and thunder were the weapons of the gods. In reality, lightning is a flow of electricity formed high above the earth .A single flash of lightning 1.6 kilometers long has enough electricity to light one million light bulbs. The American scientist and statesman, Benjamin Franklin, was the first to show the connection between electricity and lightning in 1752.In the same year he also built the first lightning rod . This device protects buildings from being damaged by lightning. Modern science has discovered that one stroke of lightning has a voltage of more than 15 million volts .A flash of lightning between a cloud and the earth may be as long as 13 kilometers, and travel at a speed of 30 million meters per second . Scientists judge that there are about 2, 000 million flashes of lightning per year. Lightning hits the Empire State Building in New York City 30 to 48 times a year. In the United States alone it kills an average of one person every day. The safest place to be in case of an electrical storm is in a closed car.Outside, one should go to low ground and not get under trees.Also, one should stay out of water and away from metal fences.Inside a house, people should avoid open doorways and windows and not touch wires or metal things. With lightning, it is better to be safe than sorry! Lightning can travel _ . A) as quickly as water B) not so quickly as electricity C) at a very low speed D) at a very high speed
(Answer)
D
Ques: There are three kinds of goals: short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that usually deal with present activities. Such goals can be achieved in a week or two, or possible months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation , our long-term goals cannot be achieved without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the time and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed. The intermediate goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school years, or they could extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you never allow yourself to become discouraged. As you complete each step, you will have more belief in your ability to grow and succeed. Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action. It is the most important for us students to have _ first. A) long-term goals B) intermediate goals C) short-term goals D) dreams of future
Ans: C
Need for closure is a psychological term that describes a person's desire for a firm answer to a question. Our need for closure is our natural preference for definite answers over confusion and uncertainty. Every person has their own baseline level of need for closure. It likely evolved via natural selection. What I find really fascinating is how our need for closure is affected by the situation we're in. Our need for closure rises when we have to act rather than just observe, and it matters much more when we're rushed, or bored, or tired. Any stress can make our discomfort with uncertainty increase, and a high need for closure negatively influences some of our most important decisions: who we decide to trust, whether we admit we're wrong and even how creative we are. In hiring, for instance, a high need for closure leads people to put far too much weight on their first impression. It's called the Urgency Effect. In one experiment, psychologists tried to lower people's need for closure by telling them, right before participants are about to make various judgments of a job candidate, that they'll be responsible in some way for them, or that their judgments have serious consequences. In making any big decision, it's not enough just to know that we should take our time. We all know that important decisions shouldn't be rushed. The problem is that we don't keep that advice in mind when it matters. So, one of the best solutions is to formalize the reminders. Before making important decisions, write down not just advantages and disadvantages but what the consequences could be. Also, think about how much pressure you're under. If your need for closure is particularly high that day, it's even more important to think twice. How does "need for closure" probably come into being? A) By accident. B) By nature. C) By acquiring. D) By imitating.
B