阅读理解
TOKYO, JAPAN--What do you do when you see a cockroach (蟑螂)? Do you hit it with a
newspaper? Do you step on it?
When researchers at Tokyo University see a cockroach, they take the remote control and make
the cockroach turn around, run left or right, or go forward. These scientists are changing the cockroaches
into robots. Each cockroach has a very small pack that has in it a microprocessor(微处理器).Then
researchers can send signals from the remote control to the pack. The signals control the movements
of the cockroaches.
Why does anyone want to control a cockroach? "Insects can domany things that people can't," says
Isao Shimoyama, head of robot research at Tokyo University. In a few years, he says, these robot insects will carry very small cameras. They will be able to move through earthquake rubble(瓦砾)to look for
people or move under doors to find information about someone.
This may seem strange, but the Japanese government thinks the research is very important. The
government is giving the scientists $ 5 million for this research.
First, the researchers breed (培育)hundreds of cockroaches. They use only the American cockroach because it is bigger and stronger than other cockroaches. Then they choose the best cockroaches and
remove their wings and antennae(触须). They put small packs where the antennae were. The packs weigh about three grams, or about two times the weight of the cockroaches themselves. "Cockroaches are very
strong," says Ralph Holzer, who is a researcher at Tokyo University. "They can lift 20 times their own
weight. "
With a remote control, the scientists send signals to the packs. When a cockroach gets the signal, it
moves. The problem is that the cockroaches don71 alw
ays move in the right direction.
1. The scientists are changing the cockroaches i
nto robots because ______.
A. they want cockroaches to do things people can't in the future
B. they want to control the movements of the cockroaches
C. they want cockroaches to take photos of the earthquakes
D. they want to send signals to the packs on the cockroaches
2. What can cockroaches do to help people?
A. They can lift 20 times their own weight.
B. They can help people to carry very small cameras.
C. They can breed hundreds of cockroaches.
D. They can search for those people in rubble after an earthquake.
3. Scientists control cockroaches' movements ______.
A.by removing their wings
B. by sending signals from the remote control
C. by using very small cameras
D. by removing their antennae
4. What problem do the rcscarchcrs meet with?
A. The cockroachcs sometimes clon;t move.
B. The cockroachcs sometimes move in ihc wrong direction.
C. The cockroachcs arc too big to move through earthquake rubble.
D. The cockroachcs can only lift 20 times their own weight.
