A
A “talking kitchen” teaches students how to cook French and speak French.Researchers at New Castle University in the United Kingdom have developed the French Digital Kitchen.Professors Paul Seedhouse and Patrick Olivier led the project.Professor Seedhouse told us that it works like a satellite navigation system (卫星导航系统) in a car.
The kitchen equipment and tools use motion sensor (动作传感器) technology.The sensors help a computer guide the students through instructions in French.
The system can tell whether you've done what you were asked to do or not.For example, the system tells you to take some butter and cut it with a knife.There's a sensor on the package containing the butter so it can tell where the butter's being moved.The sensor in the knife not only knows that the knife is moving, but it also knows what motion the knife is making.So it can know whether the knife is cutting or what.And it doesn't go on to the next step of the program unless you've done what it senses you've done.
Students can ask the computer to repeat the instructions or translate them into English.There are vocabulary lessons before and after the cooking.
Professor Seedhouse says the French Digital Kitchen turns the process of learning language into a reallife experience.“Here you're taking it out of the classroom and you're actually using the language to produce something which you can eat at the end of it.It's very enjoyable.”
The system could be available for sale by the end of 2018.Adding the technology to a new kitchen could add about ten to twenty percent to the building costs.The researchers have also been given money to develop programs in six other languages, including English, Italian and Spanish.
1．Which of the following correctly shows how the system works?
A．the sensor receives information — the computer sends information — the computer gives instructions
B．the sensor sends information — the computer receives information — the computer gives instructions
C．the computer sends information — the sensor receives information — the sensor gives instructions
D．the computer explains information — the computer sends information — the sensor gives instructions
解析：选B 细节理解题。由第三段描述的工作程序可知B正确。
2．What does the underlined word “it” (in Paragraph 5) refer to?
A．French food.
B．French language.
C．The process of cooking and learning.
D．The process of listening and translating.
解析：选C 代词指代题。结合上文讲烹饪和本段第一句讲把语言学习从教室带到真实的生活中可知，此处指代的是烹饪与学习合一的过程。
3．It can be expected that the “talking kitchen” ________.
A．will be produced in France by the end of 2018
B．will help different foreign language learners
C．will reduce the building costs
D．will be sold at quite low prices
解析：选B 推理判断题。最后一段说现在正在开发其他语言的程序，故可推知B正确。
4．In which section of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?
A．Science and technology.
B．Food and health.
C．Education and culture.
D．Environment and society.
解析：选A 推理判断题。本文主要讲智能厨房系统的功能、工作原理与科技因素，故最可能出现在报纸的科技版块。
