初中基础第3094期音频 Ready for Any ChallengeNOT MANY little girls have grown up to be rocket engineers. Even fewer have gotten to go into space. But Wang Haoze has managed to do both.As a student, Wang worked hard in school. In 2008, she entered Southeast University. It’s one of China’s top universities. But Wang shone not just in the classroom. She was also a good runner and often did well in long-distance races. As a top student, Wang was able to explore new research fields. These programs were exciting but difficult. Wang once complained about the challenges. Her professor, Gu Fan, gave her some advice: Always do your best, even if you don’t like it. Make hard work a habit. If you don’t, you might not know how to give your best when you finally find something you love. Wang has kept these words in mind. After graduation, she discovered her love for space science. She began working as a rocket engine designer. Wang learned a lot and enjoyed solving problems. In just a few months, she designed a great new product. In May 2018, China began training a new class of astronauts. Wang jumped at the chance and signed up. Thanks to her strong body and mind, she was accepted. During her training, she faced one challenge after another, but she never thought of giving up. On October 30, Wang flew into space aboard the Shenzhou-19 spaceship. She might run into many challenges at the Tiangong space station. But without a doubt, she will put her best foot forward.Smart Homes in 2034 SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY is developing quickly. What will our homes look like in ten years? Here are some predictions (预测) from scientists.● Goodbye to keys and passwordsBy 2034, you will be able to unlock (解锁) doors and devices with just your fingerprint (指纹) or face. It will be safe and easy. You won’t need to look for keys or remember long passwords (密码).● Health-check mirrorsThe mirror will connect to your wearable devices, like your smartwatch. Every time you look in the mirror, it will show your health information. It will also give you tips on staying healthy and strong.● Entertainment and gamingEntertainment (娱乐) and gaming will become more exciting with 3D technology. When you watch sports on big screens, you can choose to look from different camera angles (角度). You can see the action from a player’s view or zoom in (放大) on the best moments.● Home workoutsExercising at home will feel like an adventure with smart exercise equipment. You can row on a beautiful river or bike through the Tour de France (环法自行车赛) — all while in your living room!● Online classesTaking online classes at home will be much more interesting. With VR technology, you’ll feel like you’re really in the classroom. You can see your classmates and talk to them, just as if they were sitting right next to you.● Backyard funYour backyard (后院) will become a space for fun. You can cook delicious meals in your outdoor kitchen, while listening to music on outdoor speakers (扬声器). Your backyard will be a wonderful place to enjoy time with friends and family.Are Blueberries Truly Blue? WHAT COLOR are blueberries? Blue, of course! But guess what? The berry’s color is not “true blue.” It just looks blue to the human eye because of a waxy coating. If you rub this coating off (擦掉), the blueberry no longer looks blue. Instead, it’s completely dark, said scientist Rox Middleton. Blue is not a common (常见的) color in nature. Fewer than one in ten plants are blue. One main reason is that there is no true blue pigment in the natural world. Some plants and animals do look blue, but they actually use special “tricks (技巧)” to appear this color to the human eye. So what trick does the blueberry use? The berry’s skin has a lot of anthocyanin in it. This pigment shows different colors in different pH environments. It can appear blue in some conditions (条件), but in blueberries, it appears dark red. Rox’s team looked at the blueberry’s skin under a high-resolution microscope. What did they find? The wax on the skin has lots of tiny structures. Each structure is a thousandth (千分之一) the thickness (厚度) of a piece of paper. These structures reflect blue light. This makes the fruit look blue to our eyes. The team of scientists hope to make materials to mimic (模仿) the waxy coating of blueberries. “This kind of coloring is cool because it doesn’t stain,” Rox said. It could provide a new way to color plastics or cosmetics (化妆品) blue.
