C
In my memory, winters always used to be really unpleasant. You had to dress like a bear just to keep warm when you went outside. You were often cold, wet and no more than one step away from the thin ice on the lake. If you worked over time and went home in the dark, you would arrive home to an ice-cold house. And that would mean turning on the heating and waiting.
Fortunately, things don’t have to be so challenging any more. Technology, engineering and design have developed, giving us new solutions to old problems. It means dealing with winter needn’t be like skating on thin ice.
With a smart thermostat(恒温器), our homes can be toasty when we need them to be. Many models go with smartphone APPs that allow you to regulate temperature from a distance, so we can warm up the house before we arrive home. According to techradar. com, a large technology news and reviews website, Tado’s model has a voice control function, while the Nest “learns” your habits and heats the house for you.
Clothes have been given an upgrade, too. Electronic heated jackets and trousers heat up when you turn them on. What better way to keep warm in the dead of winter? At the touch of a button, or through an APP on our phones, the clothes produce heat from materials placed inside. Many models offer three levels of heating which stay warm for over 12 hours.
Finally, there is the headgear(头部装备)—Hats that have speakers which are included in the cloth using Bluetooth technology, so we can listen to our favourite music or, in some cases, have a phone call using the in-built microphone. All while keeping the head warm and avoiding coldness.
For many, the thought of winter used to be enough to make their blood run cold. But using technology, life needn’t freeze up. There’s no reason why winter can’t be really, really cool.
【文章大意】本文为说明文。在科技并不发达的过去, 人们可能会为如何在严寒天气里更好地保暖而倍感困扰。如今随着各类智能保暖产品的问世, 冬天也能变得舒适宜人。
28. What does Paragraph 1 mainly tell us about?
A. Winters are very cold in the author’s hometown.
B. The author’s feeling about winter.
C. There was heating in people’s houses in the past.
D. The author’s impression of the winter in the past.
【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据第一段中的In my memory, winters always used to be really unpleasant. 及对个人体验的描述可知, 作者想要告诉我们他对过去冬天的印象。故选D。
29. What does the underlined word “toasty” mean in Paragraph 3?
A. relaxing. B. comfortable.
C. cool. D. hot.
【解析】选B。词义猜测题。根据划线词所在句中的With a smart thermostat可推知, 有智能恒温器的家, 一定是舒适的。故选B。
30. What can we know according to the text?
A. Some models can set the temperature of the house before people come home.
B. The Nest can only warm the house when you press the button.
C. Jackets and trousers can be heated up by our phones.
D. The heating of the clothes do not last longer than 12 hours.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据第三段很多恒温器都配有智能手机应用程序, 可以让你从远处调节温度, 这样我们就可以在到家之前把房子暖起来。可知, 一些恒温器可以在人们回家之前设定房子的温度。故选A。
31. Which can be the best title of this passage?
A. Winter Is Coming
B. Development in Heating Technology
C. A Modern Winter
D. Technology Makes Better Life
【解析】选C。主旨大意题。通读全文可知, 本文主要介绍了现如今, 随着各类智能保暖产品的问世, 冬天也能变得舒适宜人, 现代科技温暖你的冬日。C项“现代冬季”适合做本文最佳标题。故选C。
