54. What can we learn about Elijah?
A He was admired by others. B He was very handsome.
C He was a man with determination D He was happy to give speeches. Passage Five
Singapore’s Mixed Reality Lab is working on new ways of interacting with computers, including wearable devices and virtual war room that will allow officials to work together online as if they were all in one place. Its director is a spiky-haired Australian, a postmodern match for the fictional British agent James Bond’s tool man, Q. It is funded by the Defense Science & Technology Agency, which controls half the $ 5 billion defense budget, and sponsors hundreds of research projects every year. The agency came to worldwide attention last year when it took just one day to customize a thermal scanner in order to detect travelers with high fever, helping to stem the spread of SARS.
DSTA is now working on a range of projects that are attracting attention in both the commercial and military worlds. It devised an air-conditioning system that harnesses melting ice and cool seawater to conserve electricity at the new Changi Naval Base, and could have broad civilian applications.
Singapore can easily afford Western hardware, but off-the-shelf products are often unsuitable for the tropical conditions in Southeast Asia. For example, the DSTA is funding development of an anti-chemical-weapons suit that works not as a shield, but as a sort of weapon. The Singapore garments, made of a revolutionary plastic-like material that is much lighter and cooler than traditional fabrics, actually degrade suspect substance on contact. Much of the agency’s work is geared toward helping this resource-poor city-state overcome its natural limitations, says its director R&D, William Lau Yue Khei. Conserving manpower is one of the agency’s most critical assignments, because Singapore is a nation of 5 million people dwarfed by larger neighbors, including Indonesia and Malaysia. Right now, the biggest DSTA project is computerizing a stealth warship so that it can run on half the usual crew. Making equipment lighter is a particular agency specialty, because the universal military rule of thumb is that a soldier should carry no more than one third his body weight, and that seems that smaller Singaporean soldiers should carry no more than 24 kilos, or 20 percent less than Europeans, says DSTA project manager Choo Hui Weing. One such program: the Advanced Combat Man System, has produced a lightweight handguard that controls an integrated laser range finder, digital compass and a targeting camera. Top that, Q. 55. It can be inferred from the passage that Q is probably________
A a mechanic in James Bond’s garage. B a fictional Australian with spiky hair. C a director of the Advanced Combat Man System
D An imaginary engineer who invents advanced equipment. 56. Which of the following statements concerning DSTA true?
A It became world-known for its high efficiency in preventing the SARS spread. B It funds numerous research programs, including Mixed Reality lab. C It devised an air-conditioning system now widely used in households. D It takes credit for conserving electricity at the new Changi Naval Base.
57. The suit described in the third paragraph can be used as a sort of weapon mainly because ___ A it is made of a new material resembling plastics. B it can reduce harmful effects of chemicals on it. C it has been adapted to the tropical weather there.
D its light weight allows soldiers to carry more equipment.
58. Which of the following is Not mentioned as a disadvantage of Singapore?
A Smaller soldiers B Smaller population C Limited defense budget D Limited natural resources 59. The Advance Combat Man System is mentioned in the last paragraph mainly to show ____ A what DSTA has done to meet the country’s special needs. B how sophisticated the equipments designed by DSTA can be.
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