According to Professor Melhuish, a service robot should be able to （）.

A．understand human instructions
B．show feelings by the looks on its face
C．follow the thoughts in its ’s mind
D．express itself through body movements

British scientists have been given ￡ 1 million by the European Commission to find out if a robot (机器人) can safely be employed to stir (搅拌) soup.

The research, based at the Bristol Robotics Lab (BRL), will look at the problems of a human and a robot working together in the same space; for example, in a kitchen where the service robot is performing a task such as stirring soup while you add cream.

Professor Chris Melhuish explained, "When we work with other humans, we are trying to understand facial expression, body movements, quality of voice, as well as sharing a goal and understanding and following spoken instructions. "

"For example, in the soup situation, not only does the robot need to know what the goal is ( making the soup) but he also needs to know how hard to stir the soup, what it means when you hold up your hand to say enough, to understand the look of pain on your face if you accidentally get wet with hot soup, and to stop stirring when told. The research aims to develop the rules we need to introduce this level of cleverness into service robots who are working closely with people. "

Professor Melhuish, of the BRL, said robots working in factories at present are kept behind gates for safety reasons--a measure that is not practical in the kitchen.

The research is a joint effort between robotic engineers and scientists from West of England and Bristol universities.

I was in my third year of teaching writing at Ralph High School in New York, when one of my students, 15-year-old Mikey, gave me a note from his mother. It explained his absence (缺席) from class the day before:

"Dear Mr. McCort, Mikey’s grandmother, who is eighty years of age, fell down the stairs from too much coffee and I kept Mikey at home to take care of her and his baby sister so I could go to my job. Please excuse Mikey and he’ll do his best in the future. P.S. His grandmother is OK. "

I had seen Mikey writing the note at his desk. I said nothing. Most parental-excuse notes I received were penned by my students. If I were to deal with them, I’d be busy 24 hours a day. The writers of those notes didn’t realize that honest excuse notes were usually dull : "Peter was late because the alarm clock didn’t go off. "

The students always said it was bard putting 200 words together on any subject, but when they produced excuse notes, they were excellent. So I decided to type out a dozen excuse notes and gave them to my classes. I said, "They’re supposed to be written by parents, but actually they are not. True, Mikey" The students looked at me nervously.

"Now, this will be the first class to study the art of the excuse note -the first class, ever, to practice writing them. " Everyone smiled as I went on, "Today I’d like you to write An Excuse Note from Adam to God’ or ’ An Excuse Note from Eve to God’. " Heads went down. Pens raced across paper. For the first time ever I saw students so immersed (专心的) in their writing, they had to be asked to go to lunch by their friends.

The next day everyone had excuse notes. Heated discussions followed. But suddenly I saw the headmaster at the door. He entered the classroom and walked up and down, looking at papers, and then said, "I’d like you to see me in my office. " My heart sank.

When I stepped into his office, he came to shake my hand and said, "I just want to tell you that that lesson, that task, whatever the hell you were doing, was great. Those kids were writing on the college level. Thank you. \

Would you believe that the first outstanding deaf teacher in America was Laurent Clerc, a Frenchman At 12, he (36) the Royal Institution for the Deaf in Paris where he became a top student. After (37) , the school asked him to stay on as a (38) .

Meanwhile, an American named Thomas Gallaudet was studying to be a minister. (牧师) (39) he met a young girl who was deaf. He was disappointed to learn that there were no (40) for the deaf in America. (41) , in 1815 Gallaudet sailed to London to (42) information on deaf education. However, he was (43) to get help and became frustrated (灰心的). Fortunately he met a French educator who (44) him to go to Paris to spend three months (45) at the school where Clerc was working. The school asked Clerc to teach (46) sign language. As a result, the two men (47) each other.

When the time came for Gallaudet to (48) America, he asked Clerc to come with him. The two men (49) in June 1816. The voyage (50) the Atlantic (大西洋) took days. They put the time to productive use, (51) for the new school for the deaf (52) they wanted to ’open. Such a school was (53) the following year in Connecticut.

At the school, Clerc led a busy life. Although he wanted to return to France, he (54) did. He died on July 18, 1869, still in America. France’s (55) was America’s gain!

正确

错误

前列腺癌

前列腺增生伴慢性尿潴留

尿道狭窄

急性尿潴留

前列腺癌伴急性尿潴留

It is always a little sad to say goodbye to a long-time friend you are leaving forever, a (1) you have spent many hours with, in all sorts of (2) . David didn’t think I should be so (3) about the separation. "It’s (4) a car," he said. "And we need a (5) one. "

We were standing in the hot car park outside a car dealer’s office, keys to the new (6) in David’s hand, keys to the old one in mine. David took the keys and handed them to the (7) As we drove away, I (8) to look at my trusty friend, standing silent and alone.

As it turned out, I (9) the new car. It ran beautifully, all the tires were good, (10) I happily stopped buying gas every week. Our teenage children were (11) to ride around in a small green car (12) a smoky van (小型客货车). It began to feel like our family’s car.

Still, I (13) looking in the rear-view mirror (后视镜) and seeing the seats (14) I used to put my little children. I still thought about the family (15) in that car and the fun we had together.

Then one day, I happened to go to a (16) . I parked in a sea of vehicles (车辆). As I (17) through the car park on my way into the store, I saw a (18) blue van coming slowly toward me. A little boy and a girl looked out the window at me as I stared at them in great (19) . The boy smiled at me cheerfully and waved. Then, as I waved back slowly with (20) feelings, and then walked quickly away toward the store’s entrance, I burst into tears.

Kenya Wildlife Safari from ￡ 995

DAY 1 LONDON/NAIROBI

Daylight flight to Nairobi. On arrival, check in at the Holiday Inn Mayfair Court.

DAY 24 SAMBURU AND TREETOPS

Set off on safari, driving north, to the west of Mount Kenya and across the equator (赤道). 2 nights at Samburn Lodge, including afternoon and morning game drives. Continue south to the Aberdare Mountains and the world famous Treetops, where we arrive in time for tea on the rooftop platform, where you can watch the animals come down to the waterhole.

DAY 5 LAKE NAIVASHA

Continue from Thomason’s Falls to Lake Nakuru. As well as the interesting bird life, it is here that you will have the best chance of seeing the black rhino (犀牛). Overnight at the Lake Hotel, Naivasha.

DAY 6-8 MASAI MARA

After a restful morning in this lovely lakeside setting, we drive to the Masai Mara game area for a 3 night-stay at Keekerok Lodge. The vast plains of the Mara reach the Tanzanian border where they joifi the famous Serengeti, covering an area of over 6,000 square miles. The Mara is home to countless thousands of animals. Head out for morning and afternoon game drives.

DAY 9 MASA MARA/NAIROBL/LONDON

Return to Nairobi for your overnight flight back to London.

The California Science Center is open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The IMAX Theater is open daily. Please read our movie times page or call 213-744-7400 for show information.

Admission to the Science Center’s permanent (长期的) exhibition is free. Admission prices for the IMAX Theater are based on age group, and lower-priced tickets are given to groups of 15 or more people. Ticket prices also apply to three Science center attractions: the High Wire Bicycle, the Motion Based Simulator and the Ecology Cliff Climb.

If you’re coming in a group of 15 or more people, please check our group reservations page. Food and bank services are offered for your convenience. For more information about Science Center hours or programs, please contact us.

South of downtown Los Angeles, the California Science Center is built in Historic Exposition Park, just two blocks west of the Harbor (110) Freeway at the Exposition Boulevard Exit. There are buses going to the Science Center. For more information, see Map & Directions.

Don’t miss our Special Exhibits. They change throughout the year, always offering new and interesting ways to learn about science.

When you arrive, be sure to check at the Information Center for the day’s special activities. If you are with children under 7, stop by the Discovery Rooms in Creative World or World of Life for some hands-on learning.

Mobile Phone Manners

Mobile phones have changed the way we communicate (交流); they have also brought about problems in phone manners (礼仪). Gaik Lira, a Singapore-based advisor, has some advice on phone manners.

When dealing with missed calls, the person being called should return the call. "Calls should be returned as soon as possible, and no later than the following day. Anything later than that, and an apology or a reason for the delay should go with the call. "

Text messages should be kept short and to the point. If they go beyond four or five lines, call or e-mail instead. "The use of short forms should be among family members and friends, never in a business situation. "

Speak in a low voice as if you were talking to someone next to you. If the connection is bad, don’t raise your voice in order to be heard, simply move to another place where the connection may be better. And if that doesn’t work, tell the caller to call you back or offer to call at a later time.

When a conversation is cut off due to a bad connection, the person who started the conversation should call back. "It may be inconvenient for the other person to return the call, especially if it’s an unlisted number, or an overseas call. "

When running late for a date or meeting, it is acceptable to text to inform that you’ll be delayed. Messages should be apologetic. "A message like ’ Sorry. Will be about 30 minutes late due to flight delay’ is considered polite and thoughtful. "

Taking calls during meetings is only acceptable if you have informed the chairperson that you are expecting an urgent (紧急的) call. If you get an unexpected but urgent call, apologize to those present and offer a quick explanation as to why you have to take that call. Then leave the room to continue your phone conversation.

Different countries have different cultures. A same gesture may have distinct meanings in different countries. For instance, in Africa, people knock at the table with their fingers to call waiters which is considered as impolite in China. In western countries, if you make a circle with your thumb and the index finger (食指), and then raise the other three fingers, you are suggesting "OK". The same gesture, however, means "money" in Japan while makes Brazilian people feel insulted (受侮辱的). With that in mind, you’d better learn about their custom before travelling to foreign countries.

Greeting is an important part of communication between people. When greeting someone, Americans tend to hold out their hands and look directly into his/her eyes and then smile. However, sometimes such behavior might bring nothing but misunderstanding in other countries. A handshake might not be accepted and looking others right in the eye can have different meanings.

Asian people regard physical contact as embarrassing; therefore, they do not shake hands. They have their own ways of greeting people. For Japanese, a slight bow of the head is enough. In Korea, women do not shake hands or hug with people; while men might shake hands accompanied by nodding the head once. In western Asia, Muslims do not make body contacts with women yet hug is generally accepted among men. Same thing happens on eye contact. In many countries, people avoid direct eye contact to show respect. This can cause misunderstanding, too. In fact, some Asian students have been regarded as lacking respect for their American teachers exactly because they failed to make eye contacts with their teachers.

Though different cultures seem to have different ways of greeting, smiling is taken as the universal gesture of friendliness. Smiling indicates happiness or agreement (同意) and it can also be used to mean "Excuse me" or "Please". So when you are not sure what to do, just smile.