题型:阅读理解 题类:常考题 难易度:普通
山东省菏泽市2017-2018学年高二下学期英语(A版)期中考试试
Inventor Creates Wheels That Let Cars Roll in Any Direction
Omnidirectional wheels have been around for a while, but they are mostly used on utility(实用的) vehicles like forklifts. London-based inventor William Liddiard has created a special set of all-around wheels that can be bolted on to any car, allowing it to move in any direction, spin 360 degrees and slide into a parallel park with ease.
"Unlike other all-around capable wheels, my wheels do not require the vehicle to be built around them. This is a world first bolt-on application for anything with wheels." Liddiard wrote in the description of a You Tube video he uploaded to show how his invention works on an old Toyota Echo. "They are stronger, faster, and more accurately controlled than previous technology. They can take a beating. The tires can have the same build characteristics (siping, grooves, rubber compounds etc.) as regular tires. Now you can drive in all directions, and tum on the spot, when needed."
While the "Liddiard Wheels" shown in the video are just proof of concept prototypes(原型机), they seem to work as described by the inventor. His car can be seen spinning in place and sliding from one side to the other as the tires move under the power of 24,000 pounds of torque (扭矩) applied directly to them.
William is now hoping that the power of social media will help him get his invention out there and eventually team up with a company willing to help him improve the wheels and eventually bring them to the market.
"Will a set of wheels make sideward parking an easy thing? Yeah, I'm pretty sure these things will be in high demand if they ever end up on the market." the inventor said confidently.
Are You a Morning Person?
Mornings are not for everyone. Knowing that our own bodies may be wired to prefer a certain time of day is certainly a relief. But many of us still have to wake up and function during those first daylight hours. So what can you do?
We tapped a variety of experts—from sleep experts to nutritionists to life organizational pros—to share their tricks on how to make morning less stressful and more pleasant (for) even the most after-hours of night owls.
①Night waking
Poor sleep quality can explain why we sometimes wake up from eight hours of snoozing and feel like we only clocked in at four. "It's normal to have one or two awakenings, but more than that leaves us feeling groggy in the morning because of the fragmented sleep," [explains Shelby Harris, director of the behavioral sleep medicine program at Montefiore Medical Center.]
②The Science of snoozing
The snooze button does more harm than good. Nodding off again sends you into a light and fragmented sleep! Multiple snoozes can leave you feeling groggier than just getting out of bed the first time.
Instead, be honest about the time you intend to get up and then enjoy every last minute of shuteye, so you can wake up alert and ready to go.
③Don't ease into your workday
It can be tempting to plow through the easy things early on-checking e-mail, scanning the headlines—but it's wise to tackle the bigger stuff first. "Getting to work on the most important tasks not only ups the chances that they actually get done, but it also leaves you with a burst of accomplishment to take with you the rest of the day," says Jason Selk, coauthor of Organize Tomorrow Today.
④Save social media for later
Schedule a social media block later in the afternoon to check in when you're likely to need a break anyway, and save the morning for the important stuff.
Specialized Term life organizational pro(n) 生活管理达人 someone who is an expert at helping others bring balance and order into their lives |
Vocabulary Focus
tap(v) [tæp] to get or make use of something
groggy (adj) ['gragi] weak and unable to think clearly or walk correctly, usually because of tiredness or illness
shuteye (n) ['ʃʌtai] sleep
plow through (something) (phr v) to finish reading, eating or dealing with something with difficulty
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