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Future astronauts could travel with emotional support robots

    To help astronauts of the future survive (幸免于) the mental (精神的) challenges that come with staying in space for quite a long time, space travelers‟ tasks could soon be accompanied(陪伴) by AI-powered, empathetic (有同理心的, 同感的) robotic helpers.

    Not only does space travel present astronauts with lots of physical stresses, spending months or years in such a physically demanding (要求高的) place with limited space and the same people can also raise many mental tests as well. According to MIT Technology Review, scientists are working to alleviate astronauts from some of the latter challenges by creating "an AI assistant that's able to feel human emotion and respond (做出反应) with empathy."

    While such a technology would prove itself useful by being able to predict the needs of the

crew members in space and "intervene (干预) if their mental health is in danger," it has the potential to be life-saving when humans choose to explore beyond Earth's gravitational field (引力场) and towards deep space.

    Though astronauts currently on the International Space Station have an intelligent robot to interact with called CIMON, it is short of proper emotional intelligence according to NASA CTO Tom Soderstrom. As a result, a team at the organization's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working on a more complex (复杂的) emotional support companion that can control a spacecraft's functioning in addition to tracking the crew members‟ behaviours.

    Right now in the lab, an AI-equipped robot called Henry the Helper can be found walking around the grounds assisting visitors who appear confused or lost based on their facial expression. Two more emotionally intelligent robots are expected to be introduced later this year, one of which is said to be able to take part in conversations more complex than giving navigation(导航) assistance.

    The team's final goal is to make a companion named Fiona the Future a reality, an emotionally intelligent cross-platform system. Fiona, if all goes according to the JPL's plans, will help keep astronauts of the future stay mentally fit as they start their journeys to deep space.

In San Francisco, there is a special group of volunteers. They call themselves Friends of the Urban (城市的) Forest (FUF). These volunteers want to {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Every year, the FUF plants nearly 1,000 trees.

The FUF welcomes new volunteers all year round and in all parts of its work. On Weekend Planting Days, FUF volunteers work with common citizens (市民) to plant trees. The planting usually runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After the work is done, everyone {#blank#}2{#/blank#} over a community lunch.

On Thursday Planting Days, the FUF plants "replacement (替换) trees". As their name suggests, these trees replace trees {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. Planting Leaders are very experienced volunteers. They are able to help other volunteers at planting events. Planting Leaders usually wear a special FUF T-shirt. Some new volunteers know little about "replacement trees". They can easily find Planting Leaders and {#blank#}4{#/blank#}.

"Spell ‘champion,'" Scott told his elder sister.

"C-h-a-m-p-i-o-n."

Unsure about it, Scott still cheered, "You'll win the spelling bee (拼写大赛)!"

Lucy thanked, happy but worried, wondering if her dog Senator would be looked after well when she was away for a week.

"Dad and I will keep him perfectly!" said Scott, dreaming of getting his own pet if he could prove himself.

It was time to leave. Dad wished Lucy good luck.

"See you in a w-e-a-k," Scott said.

"W-e-e-k," Lucy corrected him and said, "Bye!"

Each morning Scott woke up early to feed Senator, leaving a note to remind Dad. After that Scott continued to sleep.

A week later, Lucy returned and told the family she failed. Then she found her dog sick. Scott felt sorry but confused, because he'd been a strict direction-follower.

They came to the animal hospital. After the examination, Lucy was angry, "A terrible stomachache! How could Senator put on two pounds in such a short time?"

Dad said, "I only fed him two scoops of dog food every morning."

Scott shouted, "Dad! You fed him again? Didn't you read my note? It says I've fed him!"

It took Lucy a while to understand before asking Scott how to spell "fed".

"F-e-e-d? Scott! ‘Fed' is spelled f-e-d. But your note says f-e-e-d, telling Dad to feed the dog!"

"So Senator was fed twice?" Dad asked.

Scott said sorry, "I just wanted to be responsible so I could get a dog for my next birthday."

"OK. I'll teach you how to spell correctly and train myself for next year's spelling bee," Lucy said.

"You have a few months to practice before you get one for your birthday," Dad added. 

Scott burst into laughter.

"Having a little brother isn't so bad," Lucy told Senator, "if he can help f-e-e-d!"

The {#blank#}1{#/blank#} (three) year of junior high school was hard and busy. You may not have enough sleep. As we all know, being short of sleep is bad for health. What's more, experts have found that it could let you have trouble {#blank#}2{#/blank#} (make) friends. 

A study of a Tsinghua University research team showed people {#blank#}3{#/blank#} don't get enough sleep can be less willing to make friends. They are too tired {#blank#}4{#/blank#} (go) out. 

The researchers did a survey about 100 middle school students. When they had a good sleep at night, they {#blank#}5{#/blank#} (can) talk to strangers easily. While when they stayed up late, all of them wanted to be {#blank#}6{#/blank#} (lone) in the next day. 

Dr. Song, the {#blank#}7{#/blank#} (lead) of the team, said, "The less sleep you get, the {#blank#}8{#/blank#} (few) friends you will make. At the same time, people may think you are strange and stay away {#blank#}9{#/blank#} you. This can make you {#blank#}10{#/blank#} (feel) lonely and cause you to sleep even less."

So if you want to be {#blank#}11{#/blank#} good health and make more friends, sleeping well may help. "After a good sleep, you will be more clever and outgoing." Dr. Song said.

Chen Zhe is a 36-year-old who was born in Anji county in Zhejiang Province. He never imagined that one day he would return to his hometown to start a business that makes use of classic cartoon characters from the films produced by the Shanghai Animation (动画) Film Studio (电影制片厂).

Chen's coffee shop Mei@Yucun opened in March in Anji's Yucun village. A number of 1. 7-meter-high models of cartoon characters from cartoons like The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven and the Calabash Brothers, stand in front of the store. Models of cartoon characters also fill the coffee shop, which sells around 100 cultural and creative products based on the cartoons. "The characters are from classic cartoons made by the studio. It may be their debut in a countryside coffee shop." he said. +-

In 2022, Yucun village started the international partners program to encourage young people to take part in village life. Around 1, 100 young people have taken part in the program, introducing new forms of business. In 2022, Yucun village made 13 million yuan in total. 

 "As more people began to visit Yucun village, I decided to open a coffee shop here at first," said Chen. " ★ I wanted to bring coffee and cartoon characters to the village, to add color and energy to the countryside. Because of their love of Chinese animations, people's attention is caught easily. They are reminded of their childhood, when they could enjoy cartoons and be happy."

Chen plans to encourage teams of young animation artists to live in Yucun village and create more products. He also plans to cover the outside walls of buildings with cartoon characters, to make the countryside more beautiful and creative. 

The opening ceremony(开幕式) of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou was held on September 23ⁿd,

2023. People could see the electronic fireworks (烟花) in the night sky above the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. It showed us beautiful pictures, the latest technologies and environmental thoughts.

" The electronic fireworks paid attention to environmental protection," said Sha Xiaolan, the director of the opening ceremony." As long as fireworks are set off, there will be smoke in the air. It will cause pollution. Compared with normal fireworks which we usually set off, electronic fireworks never produce smoke and noise."

Why did they use this kind of fireworks? Because they were ' green', and Sha Xiaolan hoped to show environmental protection to the world. It did not mean there would be less excitement of the opening ceremony. According to the digital technology, 3D pictures, AR technology and more, the electronic fireworks have left a deep thinking on the people." People have rich feelings while they are watching the fireworks. Today is the first time I have seen electronic fireworks, and they are very eye- catching." He told China News reporters.

" High technologies helped produce environmental- friendly fireworks," Sha said." The research team designed fireworks with 3D technology. Then they did many experiments so that the fireworks had the best show without pollution."