Section Four Supplementary Exercises
Part 1 Feature Report
Scratch
Two years ago, computer software engineers at The Media Lab, MIT's innovative technology research center, launched a new and easy-to-use
programming language they called Scratch. Since its launch, Scratch has quickly found its way over the Internet into classrooms and homes around the world, and it’s putting the creative power of software design into the hands of some very young users.
Jeff Elkner's students are creating animated stories using Scratch. Most of them, like Lydia Melgar from El Salvador are learning English as a second language. Elkner, a computer science teacher in Arlington, Virginia, introduced Scratch to his students in March.
“At first, I wanted to introduce Scratch to teach programming. And what we found when we were working with Scratch was that it was actually amazingly good at teaching language skills.\
Scratch is an object-oriented language designed to be simple enough for anyone to use. Instead of writing commands out, users choose from commands that come with the program.
\were really inspired by Lego bricks and how you build things in the physical world, how could you apply that to a digital space? So we have these bricks or blocks that you snap together. So you have 100 different blocks that
you can choose from.”
There is also a library of visual elements included in the program: characters, interior and exterior settings to put them in, and objects they can manipulate.
Anyone can download Scratch for free from the MIT-sponsored Website at scratch.mit.edu. Brennan says they knew from the start that they wanted Scratch to be easy to use, but they didn't want its simple interface to limit how it was used. Everyone who uses Scratch is encouraged to share their projects. More than 400,000 have been posted on the Website in the past two years.
Changing, adapting and re-mixing projects is also encouraged. There have even been some collaborations. Brennan says a game called \at Dreary Castle\different countries.
Today, there are one quarter of a million registered Scratch users. On Saturday, May 16, many of them will celebrate Scratch's second anniversary with World Scratch Day. More than 80 events are scheduled in 30 different countries, from the United States to Iran.
A: Directions: Listen to the science report and complete the summary.
This science report is about a new and easy-to-use programming language called scratch. B: Directions: Listen to the report again and complete the following sentences.
1. Two years ago, computer software engineers at The Media Lab, MIT's innovative technology research center, launched a new and easy-to-use programming language they called Scratch. 2.Elkner, a computer science teacher in Arlington, Virginia, introduced Scratch to his students in March.
3. Scratch is an object-oriented language designed to be simple enough for anyone to use. 4. There are characters, interior and exterior settings to put them in, and objects they can manipulate. 5. Anyone can download Scratch for free from the MIT-sponsored Website at scratch.mit.edu. 6 Everyone who uses Scratch is encouraged to share their projects. More than 400,000 have been posted on the Website in the past two years.
7. Brennan says a game called \8-year-old, a 13-year-old, and a 15-year-old from different countries.
8. More than 80 events are scheduled in 30 different countries, from the United States to Iran. Part 2 passage
McDonald’s Corp 1. Revenue, which includes sales and franchise fees, rose 5.6 percent to US$3.8 billion from US$3.6 billion.
2. Investors say he is getting a grip on the troubles he inherited, especially a
two-year sales slump. 3. McDonald's had wanted to sell 50 percent to 60 percent of the chains while retaining managerial control.
4. He will be paid a salary of US$I.4 million this year and has options on 600,000 shares if he agrees to take the job. 5. Franchisees run 85 percent of McDonald's US outlets, while the company operates the other 15 percent.
McDonald's Corp is toasting hamburger buns six seconds longer to make them tasty. That's just one way new Chief Executive Officer James Cantalupo is shifting toward improving the fast-food giant's products rather than adding restaurants.
In late April, McDonald's reported its first-quarter profit increased as sales rose at the fastest pace in more than a year, helped by the strengthening of the euro.
Net income rose 29 percent to US$327.4 million, or 26 US cents a share, from US$253.1 million, or 20 US cents a share, a year earlier, after the world's largest hamburger chain posted in the red ink for the fourth quarter, its first loss ever.
Revenue, which includes sales and franchise* fees, rose 5.6 percent to US$3.8 billion from US$3.6 billion.
Investors say Cantalupo is getting a grip on the troubles he inherited,
especially a two-year sales slump. The company had strayed by focusing on expansion instead of quality control.
After about 100 days on the job, Cantalupo says he will spend 40 percent less on new restaurants and renovation this year.
McDonald's will add 360 outlets, down from 1,000 last year. It will be \April 7 meeting in New York.
McDonald's had wanted to sell 50 percent to 60 percent of the chains while retaining managerial control.
Last year, shares of McDonald's plummeted* 39 percent, making it the third-biggest decliner in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Cantalupo, 59, signed up* actor Paul Newman to supply Newman's own dressings for salads that McDonald's is adding for a healthier menu. McDonald's also will offer yogurt and fruit in kids' Happy Meals and try new seasonings for hamburgers.
Longer toasting is just part of the effort to make the buns taste better. McDonald's also changed the recipe
Executives also told investors at the meeting that McDonald's will serve appetizing food quickly and in a clean, friendly environment. The company will train staff to smile more, handle irate* customers politely and reduce the wait at counters.
McDonald's has about 30,000 outlets worldwide, including 13,000 in the US.
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