Robotic Highway Cones

　　A University of Nebraska professor has developed robotic cones and barrels. ____1____ They can even be programmed to move on their own1 at any particular part of the day, said Shane Fanitor, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Nebraska.

　　For example, if workers arrived at 6 am, the cones could move from the side of the highway to block off the lane at that time. ____2____ “It just seems like a very good application for robots,” Farritor said. “The robotic cones would also help remove people from hazardous jobs on the highway putting barrels and cones into place，” Fanitor said in a report oh his creation.

　　____3____The fund allowed Farritor to work on the project with graduate students2 at Nebraska and his assistant Steve Goddard.

　　The robots are placed at the bottom of the cones and barrels and are small enough not to greatly change the appearance of the construction aides. “It would look exactly the same,” Farritor said. “Normally there’s a kind of rubbery, black base to them. ____4____”

　　Farritor has talked with officials from the Nebraska Department of Roads about how the robots would be most useful to what they3 might need.

　　The robots could come in handy4 following a slow-moving maintenance operation, like painting a stripe on a road or moving asphalt, where now the barrels have to be picked up and moved as the operation proceeds. “That way you don’t have to block off a 10-mile strip for the operation,5” Fanitor said.

　　While6 prototypes have been made, they are not in use anywhere. Farritor said he has applied for a patent and is considering what to do next. ____5____ He is also thinking about marketing the robots to roads departments and others across the country who7 may benefit from them.

　　练习：

　　A　And they can return to the original place at the end of the day.

　　B　He is thinking about starting a small business.

　　C　Farritor was “Inventor of the Year” in 2003.

　　D　Work on the idea began in 2002 using a National Academy of Sciences grant.

　　E　We replace that with a robot.

　　F　These robotic cones and barrels can move out of the way, or into place, from computer commands made miles

　　答案与题解：

　　1.F　第一段要恢复的句子的内容应该与robotic cones and barrels有关。F句中的These robotic cones and barrels正好说明F句是第一句的后续句，these这个代词把第一、二句连接起来。第一、二句内容上是连贯的，证实第二句是第一句的后续句。

　　2.A　本段第一句有两处与A句在内容上相连。第一句的at 6 am与A句的at the end of the day相对应;第二段第一句的move from the side of the highway与A句的return to the original place相连。所以，A句是第一句的后续句。

　　3.D　本段第二句有The fiind. ftmd之前用的是定冠词the，说明前面已有句子提到过fiind或其他类似资助的词。D句说的是grant，所以是答案。

　　4.E　这一段说机器人安装在锥形路标和路障的底部，其原来外貌几乎没有什么改变。原来的底部是黑色的，用类似橡胶的材料制成。而E句的that指的是底部(base)，E句的意思是“用机器人置换底部”。

　　5.B　本段的第四句He is also thinking iabout ...中的also是一个重要的线索，说明前面一定出现过he is thinking。但是在前面两句中没有找到。那么，本段中要恢复的句子一定是练习中的B句。

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（实习编辑：高奕飞）