【高二 拓展阅读-科技】Ozmoa Window Cleaning Robot

Ozmo,aWindowCleaningRobotThegrowthinskyscrapersworldwide，mostofwhichfeaturelargeglasspanestohighlightthebreathtaking（令人惊叹的）views，hasledtoahighdemandforwindowwashers.Thoughthespecializedjob，whichearnsworkersasmuchas$35anhour，canbelucrative，dangling（垂悬）alongsidemulti-storystructuresisdangerous，andaccidentsarenotuncommon.However，ifIsrael-basedstart-upSkylineTechnologieshasitsway，thedangerouschoremaysoonbeassignedtoOzmo，anintelligentwindowcleaningrobotwithhumanssupervisingfromthesafetyoftheground.“Asasociety，we’vebecometoocomfortablewatchingpeoplehangingoffthesidesof30-storybuildings，YaronSchwarcz，Co-founderandCEOofSkylineRobotics，toldCNNBusiness.”Nosalarycouldjustifyallowingpeopletostrapthemselvesintometalscaffolds（升降吊架）andputtheirlivesinthehandsofasystemofropesandharnesses.Muchlikehumans，Ozmo，perchedonplatformssuspendedfromthebuildings，usesitsarmsandbrushestocleanthedirtandgrime（尘垢）ontheglasspanes.A3Dmapofthebuildingssurfaceprogrammedintoitssystem，allowstherobottoskillfullymaneuverledges,bumps,oranyotherobstacles,itislikelytoencounter,asitmovesupanddownthestructure.Computervisionandtouchsensors（传感器）enableittomoveoutofthewayincaseofunexpectedevents,suchasthesuddenopeningofawindow.Unlikecurrentwindowwashers,therobotcleanerdoesnotrequiresoaporWindextocleantheglass.Instead,itusesdistilledwaterandaprocesscalledreverseosmosis（渗透）todothejob.Schwarczexplains,“Wehypothyroidbywater,takingallthemineralsoutofit,andthenweusethenaturalpropertiesofpurewatertoabsorbthesalts,theminerals,theoils,thegrit（砂砾）fromthebuilding.Weareenvironmentallyneutral.”Ozmoisalsoexpectedtobemuchmoreefficientthanitshumancounterparts.Whileitcurrentlytakesthreecleaners480hourseachtocleanthewindowsofavertical40-storyglassbuilding,therobotwillsingle-handedlycompletethetaskinjust80hours.However,unlikeotherrobots,Ozmowillnotreplacehumanworkers,onlymaketheirjobssafer,andprobablymorelucrative,byelevatingthemtotheroleofsupervisors,whowillberemotelycontrollingtheoperation,risk-free,frombelow.We’rehiringthewindowcleaners,Schwarczsaid.“Wehavealotofengineers,buttooperatetherobot,wehireex-windowcleaners.”WhetherOzmo,whichisstillundergoingtesting,doesasgoodajobashumansremainstobeseen.ReadingComprehensionChoosethecorrectanswerforeachquestion.1.Howmuchdoesitcosttohireawindowwasherforanhour?A.$35.B.$30.C.$40.D.$480.2.IfskylineTechnologieshasitsway,whatwillhappen?A.Morepeoplecangetajobinwindowwashing.B.Thedemandforwindowwashingwillseverelydecrease.C.ThedangerouschoremaysoonbeassignedtoOzmo.D.Theemployees'workloadwillbeincreased.3.Howdoestherobotcleanerdifferfromcurrentwindowwashers?A.Itneedsnosupervisors.B.ItusesnosoaporWindex.C.Itislessenvironmentalfriendly.D.Ituseslargeamountsofwater.4.Inthethirdparagraph,whatdoes“it”referto?A.Thebuildingssurface.B.Theobstacle.C.The3Dmap.D.Therobot.5.WhichofthefollowingisNOTmentionedinthisarticle?A.Ozmowillreplacehumanworkers.B.Therobotcleanerusesdistilledwater.C.Ozmousesitsarmsandbrushestocleanthedirt.D.Danglingalongsidemulti-storystructuresisdangerous.Vocabulary基础词skyscraper n.摩天大楼英averytallbuildinginacity记联想记忆：sky（天）+scrape（摩擦）+r→楼高得可以擦到天→摩天大楼highlight n.最重要的部分；最精彩的部分v.使…突出，使注意力集中于英toemphasisesth，especiallysothatpeoplegiveitmoreattention组合词：high（高的）+light（明亮的）→高亮的部分→使…突出highlightthemainproblem强调主要问题salary n.薪金，薪水记联想记忆：sal（盐）+ary（表名词，物）→古代的工钱以给盐多少计算→薪金，薪水搭startingsalary起薪take-homesalary税后工资current n.（水或气）流；海流；电流；潮流adj.当前的，现在的搭happeningnow；ofthepresenttime记词根记忆：cur（跑）+ent跑来跑去→流搭currentmarket当前市场oceancurrent洋流mineral n.矿物；矿物质记词根记忆：mine（矿）+ral→矿物搭mineralwater矿泉水property n.特性，性质，属性；财产英aqualitythatsthhas记联想记忆：proper（固有的）+ty（表物）固有物→财产搭physicalproperties物理性质privateproperty私人财产absorb vt.吸收；理解，掌握；吸引；使专心；消瑊，緩冲英totakesthin，especiallygradually记词根记忆：ab（去掉）+sorb（吸收）吸收掉→吸收搭beabsorbedin被…吸收；全神贯注于Vocabulary进阶词specialized adj.专门的；专业的；专科的英designedordevelopedforaparticularpurposeorareaofknowledgelucrative adj.赚钱的，获利的，有利可图的记词根记忆：lucr（钱）+ative（有…性质的）赚钱的搭alucrativejob一份赚钱的工作supervise v.监督；指导记词根记忆：super（上）+vs（看）+e→在上面看→监督justify v.证明…是正当的；为…辩护英toshowthatsb/sthisrightorreasonable记词根记忆：just（正确）+ify（使…）证明…是正当的perch v.把…置于较高处；（鸟）栖息；（使）坐于n.高处；（鸟类的）栖息处；鲈鱼记联想记忆：per（每个）+ch（音似“车”）每人一车→居高位的人，每人都有车→较高的位置suspend vt.吊，悬挂；暂缓，暂停，中止英tohangsthfromsthelse记词根记忆：sus（下）+pend（悬挂）挂在下面→悬挂ledge n.（建筑物或岩石的）突出部分；暗礁记联想记忆：l+edge（边缘）位于边缘处的东西→突出部分obstacle n.障碍，妨碍物记词根记忆：ob（逆，反）+st（站）+ace（表名词，物）反着站的物体→障碍搭overcomeobstacles克服障碍vision n.视力，视觉；想象力；梦幻，幻觉英theareathatyoucanseefromaparticularpositiontohave搭agoo