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Trust Me, I'm a Robot[A] With robots now emerging from their industrial cages and moving into homes and workplaces, roboticists are concerned about the safety implications beyond the factory floor. To address these concerns, leading robot experts have come together to try to find ways to prevent robots from harming people. Inspired by the Pugwash Conferences—an international group of scientists, academics and activists founded in 1957 to campaign for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons—the new group of roboethicists met earlier this year in Genoa, Italy, and announced their initial findings in March at the European Robotics Symposium in Palermo, Sicily.[B] "Security and safety are the big concerns," says Henrik Christensen, chairman of the European Robotics Network at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Should robots that are strong enough or heavy enough to crush people be allowed into homes? Is "system malfunction" a justifiable defence for a robotic fighter plane that contravenes (违反) the Geneva Convention and mistakenly fires on innocent civilians?[C] "These questions may seem hard to understand but in the next few years they will become increasingly relevant," says Dr. Christensen. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's World Robotics Survey, in 2002 the number of domestic and service robots more than tripled, nearly surpassing their industrial counterparts. By the end of 2003 there were more than 600,000 robot vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers—a figure predicted to rise to more than 4m by the end of next year. Japanese industrial firms are racing to build humanoid robots to act as domestic helpers for the elderly, and South Korea has set a goal that 100% of households should have domestic robots by 2020. In light of all this, it is crucial that we start to think about safety guidelines now, says Dr. Christensen. Stop right there[D] So what exactly is being done to protect us from these mechanical menaces? "Not enough," says Blay Whitby. This is hardly surprising given that the field of "safety-critical computing" is barely a decade old, he says. But things are changing, and researchers are increasingly taking an interest in trying to make robots safer. One approach, which sounds simple enough, is try to program them to avoid contact with people altogether. But this is much harder than it sounds. Getting a robot to navigate across a cluttered room is difficult enough without having to take into account what its various limbs or appendages might bump into along the way.[E] "Regulating the behaviour of robots is going to become more difficult in the future, since they will increasingly have self-learning mechanisms built into them," says Gianmarco Veruggio. "As a result, their behaviour will become impossible to predict fully," he says, "since they will not be behaving in predefined ways but will learn new behaviour as they go."[F] Then there is the question of unpredictable failures. What happens if a robot's motors stop working, or it suffers a system failure just as it is performing heart surgery or handing you a cup of hot coffee? You can, of course, build in redundancy by adding backup systems, says Hirochika Inoue. But this guarantees nothing, he says. "One hundred per cent safety is impossible through technology," says Dr. Inoue. This is because ultimately no matter how thorough you are, you cannot anticipate the unpredictable nature of human behaviour, he says. Or to put it another way, no matter how sophisticated your robot is at avoiding people, people might not always manage to avoid it, and could end up tripping over it and falling down the stairs.Legal problems[G] In any case, says Dr. Inoue, the laws really just summarize commonsense principles that are already applied to the design of most modern appliances, both domestic and industrial. Every toaster, lawn mower and mobile phone is designed to minimize the risk of causing injury—yet people still manage to electrocute (电死) themselves, lose fingers or fall out of windows in an effort to get a better signal. At the very least, robots must meet the rigorous safety standards that cover existing products. The question is whether new, robot-specific rules are needed—and, if so, what they should say.[H] "Making sure robots are safe will be critical," says Colin Angle of iRobot, which has sold over 2m "Roomba" household-vacuuming robots. But he argues that his firm's robots are, in fact, much safer than some popular toys. "A radio-controlled car controlled by a six-year old is far more dangerous than a Roomba," he says. If you tread on a Roomba, it will not cause you to slip over, instead, a rubber pad on its base grips the floor and prevents it from moving. "Existing regulations will address much of the challenge," says Mr. Angle. "I'm not yet convinced that robots are sufficiently different that they deserve special treatment."[I] Robot safety is likely to surface in the civil courts as a matter of product liability. "When the first robot carpet-sweeper sucks up a baby, who will be to blame?" asks John Hallam, a professor at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. If a robot is autonomous and capable of learning, can its designer be held responsible for all its actions? Today the answer to these questions is generally "yes". But as robots grow in complexity it will become a lot less clear cut, he says.[J] "Right now, no insurance company is prepared to insure robots," says Dr. Inoue. But that will have to change, he says. Last month, Japan's Ministry of Trade and Industry announced a set of safety guidelines for home and office robots. They will be required to have sensors to help them avoid collisions with humans; to be made from soft and light materials to minimize harm if a collision does occur; and to have an emergency shut-off button. This was largely prompted by a big robot exhibition held last summer, which made the authorities realize that there are safety implications when thousands of people are not just looking at robots, but mingling with them, says Dr. Inoue.[K] However, the idea that general-purpose robots, capable of learning, will become widespread is wrong, suggests Mr. Angle. It is more likely, he believes, that robots will be relatively dumb machines designed for particular tasks. Rather than a humanoid robot maid, "it's going to be a heterogeneous (不同种类的) swarm of robots that will take care of the house," he says.

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保护好京杭大运河，对于传承人类文明、促进社会和谐发展具有极其重大的意义。

For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay about the phenomenon of the adaption of classics. You can give examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.

Occasional self-medication has always been part of normal living. The making and selling of drugs have a long history and are closely linked, like medical practice itself, with the belief in magic. Only during the last hundred years or so has the development of scientific techniques made it possible for some of the causes of symptoms to be understood, so that more accurate diagnosis has become possible. The doctor is now able to follow up the correct diagnosis of many illnesses with specific treatment of their causes. In many other illnesses, of which the causes remain unknown, it is still limited, like the unqualified prescriber, to the treatment of symptoms. The doctor is trained to decide when to treat symptoms only and when to attack the cause: this is the essential difference between medical prescribing and self-medication. The advance of technology has brought about much progress in some fields of medicine, including the development of scientific drug therapy. In many countries public health organization is improving and people's nutritional standards have risen. Parallel with such beneficial trends have two adverse effects. One is the use of high-pressure advertising by the pharmaceutical industry, which has tended to influence both patients and doctors and has led to the overuse of drugs generally. The other is the emergence of the sedentary society with its faulty ways of life: lack of exercise, over-eating, unsuitable eating, insufficient sleep, excessive smoking and drinking. People with disorders arising from faulty habits such as these, as well as from unhappy human relationships, often resort to self-medication and so add the taking of pharmaceuticals to the list. Advertisers go to great lengths to catch this market. Clever advertising, aimed at chronic sufferers who will try anything because doctors have not been able to cure them, can induce such faith in a preparation, particularly if steeply priced, that it will produce—by suggestion—a very real effect in some people. Advertisements are also aimed at people suffering from mild complaints such as simple colds and coughs, which clear up by themselves within a short time. These are the main reasons why laxatives, indigestion remedies, painkillers, tonics, vitamin and iron tablets and many other preparations are found in quantity in many households. It is doubtful whether taking these things ever improves a person's health; it may even make it worse. Worse because the preparation may contain unsuitable ingredients; worse because the taker may become dependent on them; worse because they might be taken in excess; worse because they may cause poisoning, and worse of all because symptoms of some serious underlying cause may be masked and therefore medical help may not be sought.

Once they decided to have children, MiShel and Carl Meissner tackled the next big issue: Should they try to have a girl? It was no small matter. MiShel's brother had become blind from a hereditary(遗传的)condition in his early 20s, and the Meissners had learned that the condition is a【C1】______passed from mothers to sons. If they had a boy, he would have a 50 per cent chance of having the condition. A girl would be【C2】______ The British couple's【C3】______about gender selection led them to Virginia, US where a new sperm(精子)-separation technique, called MicroSort, was under【C4】______When MiShel became pregnant, she gave birth to a daughter. They will try to have a second daughter using the technique later this year. This is not only a【C5】______effective way to select a child's gender. It also brings a host of ethical(伦理的)and practical considerations—especially for the majority of families who use the technique for【C6】______reasons. The clinic offers sex selection for two purposes: to help couples【C7】______passing on a gender-linked【C8】______disease and to allow those who already have a child to "balance" their family by having a baby of the opposite sex. The technology is still【C9】______However, Blauer says the company has an【C10】______success rate: 91 per cent of the women who become pregnant after sorting for a girl are successful, while 76 per cent who sort for a boy and get pregnant are successful. A)genetic B)overlapped C)impressive D)unaffected E)perpetually F)investigation G)inquiries H)feats I)disorder J)gropes K)experimental L)seemingly M)elicit N)nonmedical O)avoid

春联 (spring Festival couplets)，是中国特有的一种文学形式，有着悠久的历史。春联上的文字简洁、精巧，象征着人们对未来的巨大期盼，表达人们对新年的美好愿望。贴春联是春节的一大传统习俗，也是中国人欢度新年春节的重要方式。每逢春节，无论在城市还是农村，家家户户都要精心挑选一副大红春联贴在门上，为节日增加 喜庆 (festive)气氛。各家各户会根据自家的情况选择不同内容的春联。比如商人的家庭会张贴与发财有关的春联，农民家庭则选择表达丰收愿望的春联。

Archaeologists have long thought that stone ships served as graves for one or several individuals, and have even been viewed as death ships【C1】______to take the dead to living eternally. However, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg shows a different picture. It suggests Bronze Age stone monuments in the form of ships were built by sailors as a symbol of their practices at sea. The study indicates that the stone ships and the activities that took place there point to people who were【C2】______focused on practices at sea. Details found within the stone structures show they were built to【C3】______real ships. The stone ships offer up【C4】______about the ship-building techniques of the time and about the ships that sailed on the Baltic Sea during the Bronze Age. "These consist of areas that resemble hill forts and are located near easily【C5】______points in the landscape—that is, near well-known waterways leading inland," Wehlin, head of the team, said. "While these areas have previously been thought to be much younger, recent age【C6】______have dated them to the Bronze Age." Archaeologists have believed that bronze was【C7】______to Scandinavia from the south, and recent analyses have helped confirm this【C8】______However, the people who distributed the bronze objects are【C9】______addressed in these thoughts. "One reason why the meeting places of the Bronze Age are not discussed very often is that we haven't been able to find them," Wehlin said. "This is in【C10】______contrast to the trading places of the Viking Age, which have been easy to locate as they left behind such rich archaeological material." A)majorly B)represent C)evacuate D)rarely E)determinations F)clues G)anticipated H)inquiries I)intended J)approximately K)accessible L)notion M)inevitable N)immense O)imported

颐和园是中国现存规模最大的皇家园林，其前身为 清漪园 (Qingyi Yuan)。颐和园的主景区由 万寿山 (Longevity Hill)和 昆明湖 (Kunming Lake)组成，全园占地2．9平方公里，其中水面面积约占四分之三。颐和园始建于1750年，历时15年竣工。1860年被英法联军烧毁。1886年，清政府开始对其进行重建，并于两年后取用今名。1900年，颐和园又遭入侵中国的八国联军破坏，1902年得以修复。中华人民共和国成立后，颐和同几经修缮。现在，颐和园是一个旅游胜地，同时也是一座休闲公园。

中国宣布计划通过建立经济走廊，并向沿线国家投资近9 000亿美元来振兴“ 一带一路 (Belt and Road)”贸易发展。六大经济走廊分别是中蒙俄、新亚欧大陆桥、中国一中亚一西亚、 中国一中南半岛 (China-Indo-ChinaPeninsula)、中巴、孟中印缅。周三，在重庆亚欧互联互通产业对话会议的开幕式讲话中，张高丽说，这样牢固的关系“举世瞩目，前景广阔”。张高丽介绍，中国倡导的“一带一路”贸易和基础设匏建设网络受到了亚欧国家的欢迎，使有关各方都能从中获益。

麻将 (Chinese Mahjong)是一种源自中国的益智游戏，参与者一般为4人。一副麻将有136张 牌 (tile)，由用竹子、骨头或塑料制成的小长方块组成，小方块上面刻有图案或字样。因而，麻将牌实际上是纸牌与 骨牌 (dominoes)的结合体。不同地区的游戏规则稍有不同，复杂而有趣。打麻将的技巧灵活而多变，因此成为中国历史上最能吸引人的一种 博戏 (gambling)形式。打麻将可以使人放松，但如果长期沉迷于这种游戏，会对人的身心造成极大伤害。

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For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the saying "A strong man will struggle with the storms of fate." You can cite examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.

Although interior design has existed since the beginning of architecture, its development into a【C1】______field is really quite recent. Interior designers have become important partly because of the many functions that might be【C2】______in a single large building. The importance of interior design becomes【C3】______when we realize how much time we spend surrounded by four walls. Whenever we need to be indoors, we want our surroundings to be as attractive and comfortable as possible. We also【C4】______each place to be appropriate to its use. You would be shocked if the inside of your bedroom were【C5】______changed to look like the inside of a restaurant. And you wouldn 't feel right in a business office that has the appearance of a school. It soon becomes clear that the interior designer' s most important basic【C6】______is the function of the particular space. For example, a theatre with poor sight lines, poor sound-shaping qualities, and too few entries and exits will not work for its purpose, no matter how beautifully it might be【C7】______. Nevertheless, for any kind of space, the designer has to make many of the same kind of【C8】______. He or she must【C9】______the shapes, lighting and decoration of everything from ceiling to floor. In addition, the designer must usually select furniture or design built-in furniture according to the functions that need to be【C10】______.A)obscure B)specialized C)attention D)expectE)concern F)specially G)evident H)containedI)decorated J)composed K)decisions L)suddenlyM)served N)balance O)coordinate

International governments' inaction concerning sustainable development is clearly worrying but the proactive (主动出击的) approaches of some leading-edge companies are encouraging. Toyota, Wal-Mart, DuPont, M&S and General Electric have made tackling environmental wastes a key economic driver. DuPont committed itself to a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the 10 years prior to 2010. By 2007, DuPont was saving $2.2 billion a year through energy efficiency, the same as its total declared profits that year. General Electric aims to reduce the energy intensity of its operations by 50% by 2015. They have invested heavily in projects designed to change the way of using and conserving energy. Companies like Toyota and Wal-Mart are not committing to environmental goals out of the goodness of their hearts. The reason for their actions is a simple yet powerful realization that the environmental and economic footprints fit well together. When M&S launched its "Plan A" sustainability programme in 2007 , it was believed that it would cost over ￡200 million in the first five years. However, the initiative had generated ￡105 million by 2011/12. When we prevent physical waste, increase energy efficiency or improve resource productivity, we save money, improve profitability and enhance competitiveness. In fact, there are often huge "quick win" opportunities, thanks to years of neglect. However, there is a considerable gap between leading-edge companies and the rest of the pack. There are far too many companies still delaying creating a lean and green business system, arguing that it will cost money or require sizable capital investments. They remain stuck in the "environment is cost" mentality. Being environmentally friendly does not have to cost money. In fact, going beyond compliance saves cost at the same time that it generates cash, provided that management adopts the new lean and green model. Lean means doing more with less. Nonetheless, in most companies, economic and environmental continuous improvement is viewed as being in conflict with each other. This is one of the biggest opportunities missed across most industries. The size of the opportunity is enormous. The 3% Report recently published by World Wildlife Fund and CDP shows that the economic prize for curbing carbon emissions in the US economy is $780 billion between now and 2020. It suggests that one of the biggest levers for delivering this opportunity is "increased efficiency through management and behavioral change" in other words, leanand green management. Some 50 studies show that companies that commit to such aspirational goals as zero waste, zero harmful emissions and zero use of non-renewable resources are financially outperforming their competitors. Conversely, it was found that climate disruption is already costing $1.2 trillion annually, cutting global GDP by 1. 6%. Unaddressed, this will double by 2030.

Is it any wonder that America is also a country of dangerously overweight people? According to a recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics, the number of adults characterized as overweight in the United States has jumped to an astonishing one-third of the population. Overweight in this case means being about 20 percent or more above a person's desirable weight. Since the figures for "desirable weight" have moved upward over the last decade or so, total poundage—even at 20 percent over—may be considerable. So are the attendant health risks. Excess weight has been linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, adult-onset diabetes and some forms of cancer, among other diseases. Once, when work and school and the grocery store were a two-mile hike away, Americans could afford the calories they consume. But not now, not when millions spend four or five hours a day in front of a TV set—along with a bag of chips, a bowl of buttered popcorn and a six-pack—and there's a car or two in every driveway. "There is no commitment to obesity(肥胖)as a public health problem," said Dr. William Dietz, director of clinical nutrition at the New England Medical Center in Boston. "We've ignored it, and blamed it on gluttony and sloth." If one definition of a public health problem is its cost to the nation, then obesity qualifies. According to a study done by Dr. Graham A Colditz, who teaches at Harvard Medical School, it cost America an estimated $68.8 billion in 1990. But what's wrong blaming it on gluttony and sloth? True, some unfortunate overweight people have an underlying physical or genetic problem. But for most Americans, the problem is with two of the seven deadly sins. Losing weight is a desperately difficult business. Preventing gain, however, is not. Consumer information is everywhere, and there can be few adults who truly believe that hot dogs, fries, a soda and a couple of Twinkies make a good lunch. But they eat them anyway. As more and more Americans became educated to the risks of smoking, more and more Americans gave up the habit. Now it appears that Americans need an intensive education in the risks of stuffing themselves and failing to exercise as well. Given the seductiveness of chocolate and cheese, the couch and the car, that habit will be hard to break. But if an ounce of prevention can obviate a pound of fat, it is well worth the struggle.

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