Airbags, now found in almost every vehicle, have saved countless lives and largely reduced the severity of injuries in crashes. Similar technology could greatly reduce broken hips (髋部) resulting from a fall, something most seniors fear.
Dr Robert Buckman and his startup company, Active Protective in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has developed a promising solution, a wearable airbag that can protect hip bones in the event of a fall. The idea was the result of Dr Buckman's years as a doctor at Temple University. He noticed how many elderly people were being brought into hospitals with broken hip due to falls, and how they often never completely recovered from the injuries. He started to ask what he could do for these people, and that was when he started trying to figure out whether there was a way of helping people who were at the highest risk of falling and suffering these kinds of injuries.
The device is worn much like a regular belt, but on the outside of the clothing, and it includes sensors that monitor the movement of hips. If the device detects that the person, is falling, an airbag opens before the person hits the ground, cushioning the fall. When the wearer hits the ground, the bag reduces the force to the hip bones by 90 percent, enough to avoid the majority of hip injuries.
With one out of every three people aged 65 and older suffering serious falls each year, Active Protective has a big market for its wearable device. It also has the potential to sizably reduce hiprelated health care expenses: Hip injuries among the elderly cost the US health care system in 2012 $30 billion, which doesn't include the longterm care expenses associated with the high percentage of patients that can no longer live independently.
本文是一篇说明文。讲述一个从医多年的医生为了降低老人跌倒的严重程度，专门研发了一款可穿戴的气囊。该气囊内置监测器，当检测到老人跌倒时，气囊会自动打开，避免老人髋骨受伤。
1．What is the purpose of the Active Protective's airbag?
A．To avoid hip injuries among seniors.
B．To protect seniors from car accidents.
C．To help seniors with their daily nursing.
D．To help doctors deal with serious injuries.
答案：A
解析：推理判断题。根据第二段Dr Robert Buckman and his startup company, Active Protective in Allentown, Pennsylvania, has developed a promising solution, a wearable airbag that can protect hip bones in the event of a fall.可知，该公司研发了一款可穿戴的气囊，为了在老人跌倒时保护老人的髋骨，故选A。
2．What inspired Dr Robert Buckman to make the device?
A．A report on seniors' health.
B．A serious fall he experienced.
C．His work experiences as a doctor.
D．Suggestions of seniors at Temple University.
答案：C
解析：细节理解题。根据第二段The idea was the result of Dr Buckman's years as a doctor at Temple University.可知，该医生研发气囊是源于自己多年从医经历所发现的情况，故选C。
3．How does the device mainly work?
A．By predicting road conditions.
B．By speeding up bone recovery.
C．By reducing the effects of falling.
D．By preventing people from failing.
答案：C
解析：细节理解题。根据第三段When the wearer hits the ground, the bag reduces the force to the hip bones by 90 percent, enough to avoid the majority of hip injuries.可知，当穿戴者着地时，气囊会减少地面对髋骨90%的冲击，让老人少受伤害，故选C。
4．What does the author think of the Active Protective's airbag?
A．It still needs improving.
B．It has a promising future.
C．It may encourage seniors to do exercise.
D．It may increase America's spend on seniors.
答案：B
解析：推理判断题。根据最后一段With one out of every three people aged 65 and older suffering serious falls each year, Active Protective has a big market for its wearable device.可知，老人跌倒受伤情况很普遍，因而这个气囊很有市场，故选B。
