There once was a woman. She had a faithful(忠实的)dog. The dog was so faithful that she could leave her baby with the dog when she went out. (A) And after she returned ， she would always find her baby safe.

One day， the woman left the baby with the dog and went shopping. When she returned， she found something had taken place in the house. There were bloodstains(血迹)all over the bedroom. The woman then thought of her baby. She cried and started looking for him. Then she saw the faithful dog. It was licking（舔）its mouth. It seemed that it had just finished a delicious meal. The woman was angry and thought that the dog had killed her baby. Without thinking too much， (B) ________________.

But as she continued looking for her child， she saw something else. Close to the bed， there was her baby and he was sleeping. And under the bed， there was a dead jackal(豺狼). The woman now understood what had happened. The dog tired to protect her baby from the jackal， but just now she killed the dog. How regretful she was!

    In 1986, the Honda automotive company wanted to see if it could make a human-like robot, to help in home, play football, balance on one foot, and even dance. Over the years there were some problems but soon the researchers managed to get a robot named ASIMO. It could walk on uneven(不平坦的) surfaces, and move its center of gravity like we do to climb stairs.

    More recently, ASIMO was improved so it could turn round and run at six kilometers per hour, using its upper body to control movement.

    ASIMO is designed to be friendly. It is hoped that robots like this could be used to help elderly people in their home. Honda are also using this technology to help people with disabilities. It can also push a cart(手推车) and open and close doors. ASIMO can even shake hands. It stands 120 centimeters tall, so that it can look into adult faces when they are sitting down. It can hold two kilos in its hands. It can even carry a tray without dropping the contents.

    So, where next for this kind of robot? Well, while ASIMO is attractive, it is still controlled by a human. Researchers in the USA are working on the robots that can learn about the world around them, and give a reply to human touch and voice. The robots are even learning to recognize(辨认) objects, people and vocabulary. Soon the descendants(后代) of these robots may be serving you drinks or helping with jobs at home and at work.

    Lila was a smart girl, but she couldn't see things clearly. She loved to ride her bike. But she couldn't see the way before her.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} But she couldn't see the ball when it was coming. Lila loved to go to school.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}

    One day Lila's mum took her to see an eye doctor.{#blank#}3{#/blank#} When Lila put on her glasses, she could not believe all the things were so clear! {#blank#}4{#/blank#} She could ride her bike around the neighborhood.{#blank#}5{#/blank#} And she could see the words on the blackboard at school. She wanted to wear her glasses every day.

Huge Waves Destroying Arctic Ice Faster than Expected

    Ice covers much of the Arctic Ocean (北冰洋). Some pieces of ice are huge, like moving islands. As temperatures have increased, however, some of the ice has begun to disappear. Scientists have discovered huge waves (海浪) in the arctic waters.

    The waves were discovered by accident in May, 2010. Scientist Aleksey Marchenko and his students set out on a trip. They wanted to study the icy waters.

    On May 2, the ship traveled east and stopped next to a large chunk of ice around 50 miles from the small island of Hopen. Marchenko prepared to lead his students out onto the ice.

    "We were ready to go but when I went out, I discovered many cracks (裂缝) around," he remembers.

    He decided to move the ship deeper into the ice to keep safe. The farther in they went, he thought, the harder the ice would become. As they pushed forward, however, the ship experienced small waves, and then bigger ones. Soon, the waves broke up the ice around the ship into thousands of smaller pieces.

    Within an hour, Marchenko and his team saw a wave that was about 13 feet high. The ship's navigation (航行) system finally recorded the largest waves. They were more than 20 feet in height. The waves were so strong that they forced huge pieces of ice to jump up and down, breaking the ice into smaller pieces within just one hour. Scientists had never imagined that the process could happen so fast. The waves in these areas used to be small.

    The speed and force of the huge waves there makes it impossible to know in advance when they are coming. That could be dangerous for navigators and local communities who are unprepared for huge waves or depend on sea ice to protect them. Wildlife like polar bears and walruses that depend on sea ice to live is also in danger.

    Some scientists think people will soon see even bigger waves in these icy waters. As waves break up ice, the seas will become more open, and the waves will get even stronger. There are stormy times ahead.

    I've always wanted to try rock climbing, but never had the time or money for it. But I've discovered a way to experience the thrill(兴奋，紧张)of climbing rock, without climbing real rock. Indoor climbing is an easy and exciting way to get a taste of rock climbing. And it is also much cheaper and safer！Indoor climbers don't climb on real rock, but on a plastic wall. You can probably find a climbing wall near you. Many gyms, schools and camps have one.

    You can climb indoors at any time of the year, no matter how the weather is. It is usually not expensive. Most gyms provide the equipment you need. The convenience of indoor climbing is one reason why it has become so popular. But the main reason people climb is for the rush(刺激感)they get. When I stand at the foot of the wall and look up. I'm always scared, But once I start climbing, fear changes to determination. With my heart pounding(怦怦地跳), I reach the top and look down. I can't stop grinning(咧嘴笑). I did it!

    Indoor climbing is a great workout. Climbing uses muscles that are hard to exercise, especially those in the shoulders, arms, chest and back. Many people say climbing makes exercise fun. Most gyms have several climbing walls with various degrees of difficulty. The easier ones are like climbing a ladder. The difficult ones bulge out(凸出)in places so that climbers must sometimes climb parallel(平行的)with the floor.

    Although gym climbing is easier and safer than real rock climbing, you should still be careful. Always climb with a partner. As you climb, your partner pulls your climbing rope through something called a belay device(绳索控制器). The belay catches you if you slip. But make sure your partner know how to use this equipment. And if you are a first-time climber, get some instruction before you begin.