Domestic robots such as the Roomba have already established themselves in the marketplace. Common household appliances such as toasters and microwaves {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(fit) with microprocessors, effectively making them robots, which are bound to do as ordered. The military has begun automating (自动化) many of its frontline systems. The future is wide open for more exploration of these{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(device).

    Automatic factories were some of the first to implement (实施，运用) robotics on the assembly line, performing tasks too dangerous or delicate for humans{#blank#}3{#/blank#}(accomplish). This has continued with whole factories{#blank#}4{#/blank#}(begin) to be automated. IBM has instituted a “lights off' factory in Texas that is {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(complete) automated. Recently Caterpillar{#blank#}6{#/blank#}(announce) plans to operate robotic heavy machinery by 2021, and has already begun transferring much of their crane operations to remote-controlled robots{#blank#}7{#/blank#}obey the orders from computer directions. The medical industry has taken advantage {#blank#}8{#/blank#}robotic surgery assistants for years, most notably the Da Vinci surgical (外科的) helper. With rising health care costs{#blank#}9{#/blank#} the increasing needs of an aging population, hospitals are planning vast expansion in the areas of {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(talent) robotics.

Why All Disney Princesses Wear Blue

    If they're not sleeping and waiting for Prince Charming to rescue them, they're busy getting poisoned by poisonous apples or being forced {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(do) heavy housework by evil relatives. But {#blank#}2{#/blank#}turns out that even the most laidback(悠闲的) beauty is supposed to send a message of strength to young {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(girl).

    That's because they all wear blue. From Jasmine to Belle, from Ariel to Snow White, they all wear blue. Far from stereotypical(老一套的) pinks, these princesses {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(dress) in bold aqua(水蓝色), cornflower(矢车菊蓝). Even Dorothy form the Wizard of Oz (绿野仙踪) {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(wear) a light blue pinafore and socks.

    Why? Well, blue is {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(apparent) the colour of trust, calmness as well{#blank#}7{#/blank#} confidence. According to experts, we all have {#blank#}8{#/blank#}natural preference for blue, partly because of the sky. It's something to look forward to, to see that blue sky. It's {#blank#}9{#/blank#}(rely). It might cloud up, but we know it's there.

    Perhaps, Disney puts princesses in the colour to show that they're those {#blank#}10{#/blank#}are loyal and dependable.

    I was very happy when my friend Mary came to visit me from England. Her destination {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(be) Beijing and the architectural heritage of China. In {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (prepare) for her visit she had attended a series of seminars on the history of China. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (check) into the Holiday Inn, Mary settled in and began her tour of the capital city. Day in and day out she walked around the city, rejoicing in its abundant {#blank#}4{#/blank#}(culture) sites and experiencing the kindness of its people. However, after seeing the Ming Tombs, she was eager {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (make) a trip to Xi'an to see the terracotta warriors, {#blank#}6{#/blank#} is known as the eighth wonder of the world.

    Originally this had been an optional trip on her schedule, but unfortunately it was later cancelled {#blank#}7{#/blank#} some reason. She felt it was out of the question for her to visit China without {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (go) to see the terracotta warriors, so I helped her arrange a tour to Xi'an. It was {#blank#}9{#/blank#}outstanding success and Mary returned to England with wonderful {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (memory) of her holiday in China.

    Jane was walking round the department store. She remembered how difficult{#blank#}1{#/blank#}was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father. She wished that this year she could{#blank#}2{#/blank#}(easy) buy a special one {#blank#}3{#/blank#}(please) him, just like her mother, who was always delighted to receive her gift.

    Besides, shopping at this time of the year was not {#blank#}4{#/blank#}pleasant experience: people stepped on your feet or {#blank#}5{#/blank#}(push) you with their elbows (肘部)，hurrying ahead to get to a bargain.

    Jane paused in front of a counter {#blank#}6{#/blank#}some attractive ties were on display. “They are real silk,” the assistant tried to attract her.“ Worth double the price. ” But Jane knew from past experience that her {#blank#}7{#/blank#}(choose) of ties hardly ever pleased her father.

    Jane stopped where a small crowd of men had gathered. She found some good quality pipes on sale. She did not hesitate for long: although her father smoked a pipe only once in a while, she knew that this was a present which was bound to please {#blank#}8{#/blank#}.

    When Jane got home, with her small but well-chosen present in her bag, her parents were already {#blank#}9{#/blank#}table having supper. Her mother was excited. “Your father has at last decided to stop smoking,” Jane {#blank#}10{#/blank#}(inform).

    The polar bear is found in the Arctic Circle and some big land masses as far south as Newfoundland. While they are rare north of 88°, there is evidence {#blank#}1{#/blank#} they range all the way across the Arctic, and as far south as James Bay in Canada. It is difficult to figure out a global population of polar bears as much of the range has been {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (poor) studied; however, biologists calculate that there are about 20,000-25,000 polar bears worldwide.

    Modern methods {#blank#}3{#/blank#} tracking polar bear populations have been employed only since the mid-1980s, and are expensive {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (perform) consistently over a large area. In recent years some Inuit people in Nunavut {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (report) increases in bear sightings around human settlements, leading to a {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (believe) that populations are increasing. Scientists have responded by {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (note) that hungry bears may be congregating (聚集) around human settlements, leading to the illusion (错觉) that populations are {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (high) than they actually are. Of {#blank#}9{#/blank#} nineteen recognized polar bear subpopulations, three are declining, six {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (be) stable, one is increasing, and nine lack enough data.