高考英语阅读理解限时训练a solid substance

【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍新加坡的研究人员开发了一种电子材料，可以帮助机器人感知和触摸附近的物体。

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Researchers in Singapore have developed an electronic material that helps robots sense and touch nearby objects.

The material is a kind of foam: a solid substance that is filled with air and is soft. And the foam has another useful quality. It repairs itself when damaged, much like human skin. The material is called AiFoam, which is short for artificially innervated foam. To innervate means to supply with nerves. In robots, AiFoam would gather information from nearby and send it to a computer controlling the robot. AiFoam is a stretchy polymer (聚合物) combined with a mixture that lowers surface tension. This means that if you cut the material, it can return easily into one piece.

To copy the human sense of touch, the researchers mixed microscopic pieces of metal into the material. Then they added very small electrical connections beneath the surface of the foam.

Benjamin Tee, a lead researcher on the new material at the National University of Singapore, said that when there is pressure on the material, the metal particles (颗粒) get closer. The movement changes their electrical properties. The electrical connections sense these changes and send information about them to a computer, which then tells the robot what to do.

“When I move my finger near the sensor, you can see the sensor is measuring the changes of my electrical field and responds accordingly to my touch,” he said. The robotic hand senses not only the amount but also the direction of the force placed on it. That could make robots more intelligent and responsive.

Tee said AiFoam is the first material of its kind to combine self-repairing properties with nearness and pressure sensing. After spending over two years developing it, Tee and his team hope the material can be put to use within five years.

12. What is one feature of AiFoam?

A. It is made out of air.

B. It is a low-cost material.

C. It has self-repairing ability.

D. It can replace human skin.

13. How does the author develop paragraph 2?

A. By giving instructions.

B. By listing examples.

C. By making comparisons.

D. By offering explanations.

14. Which of the following gives orders to the robot?

A. Benjamin Tee.

B. The researcher.

C. The sensor.

D. The computer.

15. What can we learn about AiFoam from the last two paragraphs?

A. It can measure the shape of your finger.

B. It can change the direction of the force.

C. It will come onto the market in the near future.

D It makes robots more sensitive than human beings.