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Some emerging technologies to watch in 2022
Flying electric taxis
Long seen as something of a fantasy, flying taxis are getting serious. Several firms around the world will step up test flights in 2022 with the aim of getting their aircraft certified for commercial use in the following year or two. Joby Aviation, based in California, plans to build more than a dozen of its five-seat vehicles, which have a 150-mile range. Volocopter of Germany aims to provide an air-taxi service at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Other competitors include eHang, Lilium and Vertical Aerospace.
Delivery drones(无人机)
Wing, a sister company of Google, has been doing test deliveries in America, Australia and Finland and will expand its mall-to-home delivery service, launched in late 2021. Dronamics, a Bulgarian startup, will start using winged drones to shuttle cargo between 39 European airports. The question is: will the pace of drone deliveries go up or drop off?
Personalized nutrition
Diets don't work. Evidence is growing that each person's metabolism(新陈代谢)is unique, and food choices should be, too. Enter personalized nutrition: apps that tell you what to eat and when, using machine-learning algorithms, tests of your blood and gut microbiome(菌群), data on lifestyle factors such as exercise, and real-time tracking of blood-sugar levels using coin-sized devices attached to the skin. After successful launches in America, personalized nutrition firms are eyeing other markets in 2022. Some will also seek approval as treatments for conditions such as diabetes and migraine.
21. What is the purpose of some flying taxis companies' carrying out test flights?
A. To compete for a wider market. B. To get approved for commercial use.
C. To provide an air-taxi service in 2024. D. To get more serious about their business.
22. What may be people's concern about delivery drones?
A. The capacity of the drones. B. The speed of their service.
C. The range of their delivery. D. The reliability of their technology.
23. Which information is NOT included in the personalized nutrition apps?
A. Data on exercise. B. Blood-sugar levels.
C. The conditions of the skin. D. Test results of the gut microbiome.
