相关试卷

The word "robot" was coined in 1920 by the Czech writer Karel Capek. In Rossum's Universal Robots Capek imagined artificial, fully functional servants. For most of their history, however, robots have been stupid mechanical devices, sitting out of sight in factories.

Things are starting to change, however. Robots have benefited from rapid innovations in smartphones, which brought cheap cameras and sensors, fast wireless communications and powerful, smaller computer chips. More recent advances in machine learning have added software to make robots better informed about their surroundings and equipped them to make wiser decisions. Robots are becoming so advanced as to be used for everyday life and in the coming years, will increasingly work in supermarkets, clinics, social care and much more.

They could not be coming at a better time. Many industries are facing a shortage of labour –the demand for workers has recovered much faster than expected from COVID-19 and some people have left the workforce, particularly in America. Goods delivery has grown rapidly thanks to the growth of e-commerce. Robots are now picking items off shelves and helping people pack a rising number of boxes.

And yet many people fear that robots will destroy jobs. In fact, concerns about mass unemployment are overblown. The evidence suggests robots will be damaging at first but ultimately beneficial for labour markets. Japan and South Korea have the highest level of robot usage but very strong workforces. A Yale University study that looked at Japanese manufacturing between 1978 and 2017 found that an increase of one robot unit per 1, 000 workers boosted a company's employment by 2. 2%. Research from the Bank of Korea found that robotisation moved jobs away from manufacturing into other sectors, but that there was no decrease in overall vacancies(空缺).

As is to be expected, some people will be on the losing end of change even as robots make society as a whole better off, so firms and governments should ecognize the value of retraining and lifelong learning. As jobs change, workers should be helped to acquire new skills, including how to work with and manage the robots that will increasingly be their workmates.

Panama is a nation full of colorful imagery. But perhaps the most symbolic example of its liveliness is a traditional dress known as a mola.

For centuries, the Guna, a native group living in Panama and parts of neighboring Colombia, have been creating the colorful clothing. A mola, which translates to "shirt" in the Guna language, is a piece of traditional dress typically worn by women and known for its bright colors and complicated designs.

While there's no exact record of when the first mola was made, many historians believe that the colorful custom came from a different form of art that was common within the Guna community: body painting. "At one time, the Guna people used body painting to keep away bad spirits, "says Yanelis Ledezma, a tour guide at the Museo de la Mola (MUMO) in Panama City. "Ladies would draw symbols and signs on the bodies of their family members. Eventually, these same patterns were applied to molas. "

Ledezma estimates that creating a mola can take anywhere from 60 to 80 hours of labor to sew(缝). To create each dress, women and girls use a technique called reverse appliqué, which involves mixing  two or more fabrics(织物) of different colors and sewing them together. The more fabrics used, the more complex the final piece. Often, the base fabric of a piece is black to help emphasize the other colors and make them stand out on the finished dress.

The art of creating a mola is something that's handed down from one generation of Guna women to the next. "It takes a lot of time to make a mola," Ledezma says. "Ladies will visualize the finished mola in their mind and create everything by hand without using any sort of patterns. They visually know where to put each piece of fabric, and the result is a beautiful piece of art. To this day, the mola is more than a piece of clothing; it's an important part of being part of the Guna community. "

Len Collingwood, a clinical nurse specialist, retired on his 65th birthday. He told his wife, Sally, he would" start out as an adventure cyclist. "

Four months later, he set off on a 13, 000 km cycle ride from Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia to Edinburgh, much of it roughly shadowing Marco Polo's Silk Road. No sooner had he started out than a snowstorm hit. He hid in his tent, wearing every item of clothing he had packed. At -18C it was too cold to go outside to cook. He survived the next 48 hours by eating a massive bag of chocolates.

So it is a surprise to hear Collingwood say that he has never feared for his life. "Never. There's always something to be curious about," he says.

In 2018, he rode from Edinburgh to Istanbul to earn a place in Guinness World Records. "There are very few records a man over 60 can break," he says. During the trip, he got a dozen flat tyres. But he fixed each one. "I've always been serious about purpose. If something is to be done, it is to be done properly. People go forwards and people go backwards. The difficult bit is managing the times when people go backwards," he says. "Don't let the moment ruin the whole thing. "

He turns 71 this year. He is about to begin the 1, 407 km trip to John O' Groats. It sounds tough but he insists "it's just a matter of spinning(转)the wheels." Still, they don't spin on their own. His daughter --a yoga teacher-- has suggested weights to maintain muscle mass. His son, a cyclist, keeps him up to speed on the latest technology.

Collingwood is planning new rides in France next year, and beyond that hopes "to spread my wings further. There is peace on a bicycle," he says. "The joy is the actual doing of the activity. Going further means you're just doing more of something you enjoy."

Theater Upcoming Events

Dear Evan Hansen

EISENHOWER THEATER

Aug. 30-Sep. 25, 2022

Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. The New York Times calls it "a breathtaking knockout of a musical."

Recommended for age 12 and up

Bluey's Big Play

EISENHOWER THEATER

Nov. 22-27, 2022

When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out，Bluey and Bingo have other plans! Join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness to get Dad off that bean bag. Blueys Big Play is a new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy Award-winning children's television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer Joff Bush.

Suitable and enjoyable for all ages.

Shear Madness

THEATERLAB

Oct. 4，2022-Oct. 1，2023

Set in present-day Georgetown, Shear Madness is an interactive comedy that engages audiences as armchair detectives to help solve the murder of a famous concert pianist who lives above the Shear Madness hairstyling salon(沙龙).

Performance Timing: 2 hours, with one short break.

No Excuses, No Limits

FAMILY THEATER

Jan. 13-15, 2023

Inspired by this international all-star breakdance crew of seven of the world's best differently-abled dancers, No Excuses, No Limits takes audiences on a journey of each dancer's story through dance, music, audience interaction, and a gained understanding of the limitless possibilities that any person can hold.

Most enjoyed by ages 7+.

Ripple, a cat in my family, liked to follow us everywhere they went. Our house was just a mile from my school. So instead of driving every day to my school, we would walk down a wooded path which was almost straight except for one fork(岔路) in the road a little way down the path. At the fork, we would turn left, which would take us the rest of the way to my school. If we turn right, the path would lead us deeper into the forest, far away from the town.

Ripple would follow us down that path every day. On weekdays, my dad and I would get ready for our walk, with Ripple following closely behind. When we got to school, my dad would drop me off inside as Ripple waited patiently at the door. After I was safely inside, my dad and Ripple would then start their journey home.

One day, it was snowing, and more snow was falling at a steady rate. Still, we headed out with Ripple following closely behind. We walked with heads down to avoid the blowing snow, and we barely spoke, as our faces were hidden into our coats. Because of this, when a small sound broke through the snow and the wind, we looked at each other in puzzlement, wondering if the other one had said something. But as we listened more, we found it couldn't be heard clearly, but was still there, and it made us both turn around to see what was making that noise in this white land.

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。

A good distance away from where we now stood, Ripple sat in the snow and the cold.

……

We admitted that Ripple had a better sense of direction than we had.

(throw) a pomegranate(石榴) on New Year's Day is an ancient Greek custom continues to this day as the red-colored fruit is considered a symbol of life and good fortune. Ancient Greeks (believe) that the pomegranate's red seeds stood for richness, perhaps because of their quantity.

Pomegranates are (particular) rich in sugar, vitamins and minerals. They have more antioxidants than red wine or green tea. This fruit is also unique cosmetic(化妆品). Some companies use pomegranates in their products skin care.

In modern times, the Greek family gathers outside on New Year's Eve, when the clock strikes midnight, a pomegranate is thrown onto the front door of the house. The more seeds that spread on the floor, the (lucky) the New Year will be.

Lots of archaeological findings prove that the pomegranate fruit was known in ancient times as it (reflect) in ancient art. A Museum in Athens has in its holdings a splendid brass(黄铜) pomegranate (discover) at the Acropolis.

La La Land Kind Café is based in Dallas, Texas. It isn't a 1 coffee shop. Besides being eco –friendly, the café is a social business that provides 2 for young people, who age out of foster (寄养) care at 18, are frequently unable to 3 themselves or to go to college, and even 4end up homeless. The founder Francois Reihani hopes he can 5 this for some of these young people through the café.

When he was in college, Reihani 6 at a local nonprofit and helped children in the foster care system. It was there that Reihani heard the youth's 7 of neglect (忽视) and began 8 how he could assist them. Thus, he opened the We Are One Project with his sister, 9 to help these young people find jobs.

After about a year, they realized it wasn't 10 —the youth still couldn't find jobs. So he decided to 11 a business that would employ them. As a result, Reihani founded La La Land Kind Café, which not only employs them but also spreads kindness at the same time.

When the world began lockdown in 2020, La La Land Kind Café didn't close. 12, Reihani saw the need for even more kindnesses during those 13 times. So he and his employees drove around giving compliments(赞美) to strangers from windows.

Reihani said that complimenting someone shouldn't be 14. After all, spreading 15 and kindness is something everyone can do every day.

People are spending much time at home. Whether you're in a crowded apartment building or an uncrowded suburban area, it's important to have an awareness of what you're doing and how it affects those around you. .

.

You might love to get up early and start your day with a sports class. Now that you're exercising at home, it may present a problem when your floor is someone else's ceiling. Try to reduce the amount of noise you're making, especially at very late and early hours. If you know your next -door neighbor has a baby, try to be mindful of nap times.

Littering used items

. In addition to rudely littering, there is a chance that you're actively spreading bacteria to those passing by or certainly to those tasked with cleaning our streets and outdoor spaces. Therefore, it's important to deal with used items in trash cans safely and properly.

Disrespecting personal space

Don't invade the personal space of others. . But you need to be mindful of this. Create distance physically and stay away from others' individual privacy. Don't ask too many questions about personal information.

Messing up communal (公共的) areas

Neighbor manners are all about respecting shared spaces, whether that's the sidewalk in a suburban area or the hallways in an apartment building. . Make sure that you leave spaces better than how you found them. If you're emptying your trash and coffee grounds spill out, try to clean that up. Tidiness starts with you.

A. Ignoring noise levels

B. Exercising in the morning

C. With that in mind, don't leave messes in these areas

D. Here are some rude neighbor behaviors that people should avoid

E. Throwing away items like gloves is rude and may become harmful

F. There are a lot of things you can do in order to be a good neighbor

G. This can be challenging, especially for people living in apartment buildings

My roommate and I sat very still and held our breath to watch the showdown between ice skaters Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan and Nathan Chen of the United States at the Beijing Winter Olympics. But when Mr Chen launched himself into the air, it wasn't his movement that caught my eye—it was the empty seats in the audience behind him. They looked familiar. Those seats were where my parents had stood, my dad holding a video camera to record my daily practice sessions.

Born and raised in Beijing, I began skating at age 8. I'd seen Chinese pair skaters Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo's performance at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. They inspired a wave of national pride and made figure skating(花样滑冰) a mainstream sport in China. I joined the rush.

I spent most of my time outside school at the rink (溜冰场). One day, two intense years later, I'd had enough. The pressure was too much. I told my parents I couldn't do it anymore. Thankfully, they understood and let me stop. But even after I quit, guilt and pressure stayed with me. My parents had sacrificed so much for me, and I felt I'd failed to meet their expectations. Then I started a new athletic attempt—cross-country running that I still pursue today. Even so, I still enjoyed watching figure skating on TV from time to time.

Right before COVID -19 lockdowns began, I returned home to Beijing over winter break from college in the US. In my cupboard, I was surprised to find a shiny new pair of figure skates（滑冰鞋） my dad had bought for me. Then I brought the skates back with me to Boston.

This winter, I put on the skates again. I carefully stepped onto the ice at a Boston rink. And this time skating felt the way it had when I fell in love with it for the first time. I danced on the ice realizing that one cannot learn without falling sometimes—or often.

Last May," eco-mermaid " Merle Liivand broke her own world record for swimming with a single fin(脚蹼). She swam the distance of a full marathon in the rough waters of Biscayne Bay, Florida. She even picked trash out of the water as she swam.

Liivand was born in Estonia. As a child, she had health problems, and engaged in swimming to help her lungs get stronger. She was soon taking part in open water swimming contests, sometimes even in icy water.

Eleven years ago, Liivand moved to Miami, Florida, where she continued swimming in the ocean. In one training session, she nearly wound up swallowing some plastic that was floating in the sea. That experience made her think of all the sea animals that faced similar pollution every day. She decided to make people more aware of plastic pollution, which she calls a" plastic pandemic ".

Thinking about sea creatures gave Liivand the idea of swimming with a special single swimming fin attached to both of her feet. This rubbery" monofin " allows her to swim by kicking both of her legs together." Swimming with the monofin without using my arms is similar to how dolphins and other marine animals swim," says Liivand. She believes that swimming with a monofin sends a bigger message.

Liivand first set the world record for swimming with a monofin in 2019, when she swam 6.2 miles off the coast of California. In 2020, she broke the record again by swimming 12.8 miles in Miami, Florida. On 7 May last year, Liivand broke the record once more, this time swimming the length of a full marathon. It took her 11 hours and 54 seconds to swim 26.2miles. The water was rough, and she ran into a few problems, but she didn't stop." I got stung(蜇) by jellyfish," she said," and kept telling myself that it was not the time to cry."

Liivand picked up all the trash she found and put it in a kayak(皮艇). By the end of her marathon, the kayak held three bags full of trash." This isn't just about a record. It's about helping the community and the world," she says.

About 3,000 years ago, the Chinese people began celebrating the beginning of their calendar year with a joyful festival, Lunar New Year. Every year starts with a big feast. Then in many homes, after the feast is cleared, the whole family gathers to make dumplings late into the night.

There are many special foods of the New Year. The most common one is dumplings— traditionally these were made in homes in northern China, but now they've spread around the world. They usually look like crescent moons(新月)or round balls. They may be similar to ancient Chinese money as well. They are filled with simple ingredients like pork and cabbage, which are said to bring fortune to the household.

"The whole family gathers to chat and make the dumplings, which are eaten between midnight and 2 a.m.," says Grace Young, author of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, a book of Chinese recipes and stories, and The Breath of a Wok, a book of the traditional knowledge of the Chinese food.

In The Breath of a Wok, Lijun Wang, Chinese-American author Amy Tan's sister, recalls fondly," As the jiao-zi boiled, it was important not to remove the lid too soon," says Lijun." If you did, it could mean that you'd lose your fortune in the coming year. Sometimes we would put a coin inside one dumpling for luck."

" And historically, on New Year's morning, it was customary not to cook but we were always happy to eat leftover (剩下的) jiao-zi," says Anderson, professor of the University of California," In northern China, food was pretty scarce, especially in the winter. People were down to what little meat and flour they had left. It just made sense to make dumplings when you wanted a little celebration but didn't have a lot of money or food."

Amazing kid-friendly hotels

Big Cypress Lodge

Big Cypress Lodge features rooms with a treehouse. But the various kid-oriented facilities are the highlights of the hotel. It has a place with twice-daily fish feedings and a glass-enclosed lift that brings travelers to the hotel's observation deck (观景台).

Brookstreet Hotel

Every winter, Brookstreet Hotel offers an ice skating area with lights for daytime or nighttime skating. And during the warmer months, kids can go for a swim in the seasonal outdoor pool, make music in the instrument-filled jazz garden, or borrow bikes (which are free to use for two hours) to explore the area. Plus, families who visit on a weekend have access to free activities like movie nights.

Ashford Castle

Fully let kids get close to nature and history during a stay at Ashford Castle. This 800-year-old castle is located in Cong, Ireland. Families can try old-world pursuits like hunting and archery (射箭). On rainy days, watch a movie in the on-site theater or go for a swim in the spa's relaxation pool. Or, bond in your family-friendly room while playing with Lego.

Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana

If you're a fan of the "SpongeBob SquarePants" TV cartoon series, Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana is a good choice. The hotel is modeled after SpongeBob's pineapple home. No matter which accommodation you choose, you'll enjoy all meals and drinks, and access to a kids club, sports courts and the Aqua Nick water park with waterslides. Character breakfasts are also available on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays for a fee.

Holidays are not necessarily for fun or rest. Doing something meaningful can also gain special pleasure. When the final bell rang, the students were reminded that there was no school on Monday-the Labor Day（美国劳工节, 9月第一个周一）. "Enjoy your extra day off." said the teacher to her class. An extra day of fun suited Kayla just fine. She loved breaks. She wanted to go out to play with her friends. When the school bus dropped Kayla off, she ran into the house happily.

"How was school, Kayla?" asked her mom.

"It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday. "

"You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?" asked Kayla's mom with a laugh. Kayla slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. It rained most of the day, so Kayla enjoyed playing video games inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketball for several hours.

Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Kayla was so looking forward to. But Kayla was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Kayla that in honor of Labor Day, the family would be cleaning both inside and outside the house. Kayla couldn't believe it. This was a holiday. A day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Kayla wiped her eyes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.

"Kayla, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let's get a move on," said Kayla's mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Kayla asked her parents, "Are you serious about working today? Isn't Labor Day a holiday?"

"Yes, Kayla. It is," replied her dad. "But your mom and I thought working hard today would make you appreciate why Labor Day was observed in the first place."

Paragraph 1：

At first, Kayla felt disappointed at her parents' plan for the holiday.

Paragraph 2：

But things began to change as she was doing the chores.

A Young Designer's Way to Fashion Success Chinese designer Zhang Yan, work has just hit New York's and Chinese catwalks(T台), is slowly breaking the old idea about men in embroidery(刺绣) and fashion. Zhang has surprised the world with his unique embroidered Qipaos.

However, for the 26-year-old young man, his success is not easy. (handle) the tiny needle properly in his big hand wasn't an easy job for Zhang in the early days. What's more, his parents were(strong) against him, thinking that embroidery was women's work and it had no future, Zhang did not give up. He believes the spirit of craftsmanship has nothing to do with gender(性别) when it comes to dreams.

Years of his hard work(pay) off so far. His designs quickly draw attention and even earned him an invitationthe 2019 New York Fashion Week. Western audiences at the show(amaze) by the charm of the embroidered Qipao, saying it showed a kind of Eastern power.

Feeling that his success has brought him a sense of national(proud), Zhang hopes his experience can also help inspire teenagers(follow) their dreams. "There are many ways to achieve success. As long as you keep going, you can make your(dream) come true," he says.

How to Fight Laziness? Lazy people will never gain anything in life. However, laziness can be defeated once a few changes have been made in your mind.. Many people lack sleep constantly, since they stay up too late and get up too early to prepare for work. These people have little motivation（动力） once they arrive home. Laziness works hand in hand with a lack of motivation and a tendency to put off things. By adjusting your sleep schedule to provide a few more hours of meaningful rest, you can fight laziness throughout the day.

Another way to fight laziness is to change your mind from passive to active. Some people treat their lives as if they were pushed from task to task. Others take a more positive approach, viewing each task as a challenge they must overcome alone..

Some people fight laziness by removing the temptations（诱惑） that surround them. A television in the living room may provide entertainment, but watching too much TV often contributes to laziness.. Complete a few tasks and reward yourself with what you enjoy, such as a good dinner or a film.

Laziness can also be a lasting problem at home. Couples and children may all have different energy levels, but laziness can be spread if not dealt with immediately.. Be the first to collect and wash dishes after a meal. Others at home may finally follow your example and perform their own tasks. It is difficult to practice laziness when you are surrounded by motivated people.

. Enough exercise and a balanced diet can help you to develop a healthy lifestyle, thus enabling you to have more energy and help lift your spirits.

A. One way to fight laziness is to get enough sleep.

B. Knowing how to fight laziness is important.

C. To fight family laziness, set an example.

D. Create a reward system for yourself, just as parents do for a child.

E. Laziness sets in when you no longer feel in charge of your own life.

F. Finally, taking exercise regularly can help you fight laziness.

G. With strong determination, you will be able to achieve your goal.

We are in the middle of another technology revolution. The digital economy will contribute 48% of GDP in China in 2035, up from 23% in 2020.

With the implementation（实施）of 5 G and consumer AI, smart cities are no longer just a concept. Indeed, in a surprising silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic, smart city apps have shown they can help China contain the spread of the virus, helping to recover the economy. Other successful examples include applications for better traffic management, flood control and crime reduction.

The number of smart street lights required in China is estimated at 13 million assuming a 30% penetration rate（安装率）of all street lights in 2025. When the network of smart street lights increases further, it will also likely expand to cover more functions. In addition to basic lighting, it could include monitoring cameras, auto-police calling when the data shows abnormalities, weather information collection, WI-Fi hotspots converting telecommunication signals, e-vehicle chargers, and so on.

In order to deal with the difficulty of parking, Shenzhen has combined 5 G and AI to enhance the efficiency of car park usage. For example, drivers can seamlessly book a parking space at a hospital at the same time as scheduling a doctor's appointment. Drivers also know whether all of the parking spaces are occupied at the time of the doctor's appointment and can choose other transportation. Besides, Robots and sensors installed in the auto-valet parking lots work together to find a space and park the car for drivers, which provide much convenience for drivers.

With more technology applications, there is bound to be disruption（扰乱）to existing activities and the labour they require. If smart cities help driverless cars to take off, the thousands of drivers of taxis or delivery drivers that find low skilled employment in China's cities could be displaced and struggle to find alternative employment. New jobs will certainly arise from the implementation of smart city technology, but will likely require different skills and knowledge to those being displaced. The government will need to assist those whose employment is disrupted to find alternatives.

Captain Henry, a 98-year-old American retired fisherman, has become a first—time author, having written and published his autobiography In a Fisherman's Language after learning to read at the age of 91.

Mr. Henry spent most of his life without even his closest family members knowing he was illiterate（不识字的）. Forced to quit school in the third grade to take odd jobs, he kept the secret close to his chest, only telling his late wife. Henry's granddaughter, Marlisa, told reporters how he used tricks, like waiting for others to order at restaurants first, to avoid the issue.

A family dispute（纠纷） in his 90s, she said, aroused his desire for education. "He signed a document he could not read about where he was going to live, Marlisa said. Starting with his name, he eventually moved on to the ABC's and children's books. He put them down since his wife fell ill. After the tragic loss of his wife, he went back to reading and began to log his life. He wrote about his family's voyage from Portugal to the US, how he went on to captain a boat, and his many journeys at sea.

His life stories have become so popular that nearly 800 copies were sold in the first two weeks after the book's release. One thousand more have since been printed as requests for the book flood in from as far as Germany. And now even Hollywood producers have approached Mr. Henry about buying the rights to his life story for a big screen adaptation.

The family also now has a book agent and a deal in the works to publish a second edition. Meanwhile, the family says they are reconnecting and closer than ever as a result of Henry's. late—life efforts. "Everyone has a story, "Marlisa said. "It teaches that when you're down and out, never give up. "

These people are studying English. However, they are now facing some problems.

If knowledge is power, then books are fuel and libraries are power stations! Here are four amazing libraries that can get you positively charged.

New York Public Library—New York

Opened in 1911, New York Public Library was the largest marble building in the world. Over the years the library has a collection of 53 million items, including rare first edition books, 300 million pages of historical newspapers and around 40, 000 restaurant menus dating back to 1850!

Chetham's Library—Manchester

Founded in 1653, Chetham's Library is a free public library with the longest history in the UK. The building itself is even older—built in 1421, it's one of the most well—protected medieval buildings in England!

With 100, 000+books lining the shelves, the special atmosphere of the library attracts students and scholars alike to attend guided tours offered throughout the year.

The Library of Congress—Washington, D. C.

Located on Capitol Hill, the Library of Congress is considered the national library of the US and the second largest library in the world. The library has around 168 million items, adding 10, 000 to this number every day.

Need to catch up on the news? The Library of Congress, which was founded in 1800, holds the world's largest newspaper collection, with some dating back as far as 1659!

The British Library—London

The British Library was founded in 1973. With around 170 million items spread across 750 km of shelving, it's the largest library in the world. And this number is continually growing and 8 km of shelving has to be added every year! This is partly because the British Library must receive a copy of every publication produced in the UK and Ireland, by law.