2 . Math and literature are probably two of the subjects that bring students headaches. However, mathematicians choose to join the two together—they wonder whether the beauty of math can be found in literary works.

Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections between Mathematics and Literature, a book published recently by UK mathematician Sarah Hart, presents some interesting thoughts about “three”. She argues that the number has a special hold on Western literature and languages in general.

Many common phrases are in three words, such as “ready, set, go”. Being the first things kids may learn, some nursery rhymes (童谣) have a word repeated three times, such as “row, row, row your boat”. In stories, there are usually three main characters, such as Harry. Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter series. For a series of novels, there are usually three books rather than four, according to Hart.

Three is the minimum number of points that can define a two-dimensional shape. Three sticks can create a triangle, a stable structure. These characteristics behind the number three give it “a sense of strength and completeness” which balances a story, according to the book.

Similarly, another study connected math and storytelling by mapping out readers’ “emotional experiences”. Researchers at the University of Vermont, US, analyzed more than 1,300 fiction works. As each book was divided into many 10,000-word parts, they rated how “happy” each part made readers feel. The ratings were then grouped into arcs (弧线), which showed how the readers’ emotions changed while reading.

The researchers summarized the arcs in six shapes, which covered almost all novels. The simplest patterns were “rise” and “fall”, showing that the plot was straightforward. Two of the most popular story shapes among readers were “rise-fall” and “fall-rise-fall”. It showed that more twists and turns in the stories are preferred by readers.

So why do researchers analyze the mathematics of literature? As the study’s lead author Andrew Reagan told Scientific American, turning words into data “can teach us more about stories.”

1. What does paragraph 3 focus on in relation to the number “three”?

A．Its significance in literary works.

B．Its various interpretations in literature.

C．Its occurrences in literature and language.

D．Its importance in mathematical concepts.

2. Why is the number “three” significant in Western literature and languages according to Hart’s book?

A．It brings a feeling of power and unity.	B．It carries a special meaning in math.
C．It can create a strong emotional impact.	D．It indicates the innovation of storytelling.

3. How did researchers at the University of Vermont connect math and storytelling?

A．By recording the use of numbers in fiction works.

B．By analyzing math knowledge used in different novels.

C．By comparing the number of characters in some works.

D．By using shapes to show the readers’ reading experiences.

4. What is the point of analyzing the mathematics of literature according to Reagan?

A．To improve readers’ mathematical skills.

B．To gain a deeper understanding of stories.

C．To explore the role of literature in teaching math.

D．To uncover hidden mathematical patterns in stories.

3 . Roughly 2,000 years ago, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. In 1752, workers digging in Herculaneum uncovered a home that had belonged to a rich person. Inside, workers discovered over 600 scrolls (卷轴) , most of which were made from papyrus — a paper-like material.

The heat from the volcano had burned the scrolls so much that they looked like chunks of charcoal (木炭块) . These scrolls were so fragile that just touching them could make them fall apart. So scientists have been looking for ways to read the scrolls without opening them. Brent Seales, a computer scientist at Kentucky University, has been working on this for over 20 years.

Dr. Seales has developed a method of using a CT scanner to take 3D X-ray images of a papyrus scroll. Then he uses a computer program to "unroll" the scroll, and gets pictures of what it looks like on the inside. In 2016, his team used this method to read a burned scroll found near the Dead Sea. But the ink in the scrolls from Herculaneum was made from charcoal and water and didn't show up well in CT scans. So he decided to train an AI program, hoping to find the writing on the scrolls by looking for places where the papyrus was rougher.

Though Dr. Seales was making progress, it was slow going. Then he encountered two businessmen, who had the idea of creating a contest for decoding (破译) the scrolls. The contest, called the Vesuvius Challenge, was announced in March. About 1,500 people have participated in the contest and they're sharing information as they make progress. In August, Casey Handmer found a pattern that revealed where the ink had been on the scrolls.

Following Mr. Handmer's lead, Luke Farritor, a 21-year-old student at Nebraska University, created an AI program that found a whole word: “”, or “porphyras” which means “purple”. This was the first word ever read from these ancient scrolls. For his efforts, Mr. Handmer won $10,000.

“Now it is time to explore these words,” Dr. Seales says.

1. What is paragraph 1 intended to show about the scrolls?

A．Their features.	B．Their creation process.
C．Their source.	D．Their historic value.

2. What can we know from paragraph 3?

A．The CT scanner couldn't work well for all scrolls.

B．The materials of the Herculaneum scrolls were rare.

C．An AI program is the most useful in decoding the scrolls.

D．Seales went to the Dead Sea to search for decoding methods.

3. What is the purpose in holding the Vesuvius Challenge?

A．To share scroll-reading technologies.	B．To develop ways to write on the scrolls.
C．To push researchers to study AI.	D．To attract people to explore the scrolls.

4. What might be the best title for the text?

A．Reading Burned Ancient Scrolls Without Opening Them

B．Organizing an International Contest to Write Scrolls

C．Developing Technology to Help Appreciate Scrolls

D．Unearthing Many Ancient Scrolls in Herculaneum

5 . There’s a useful concept from psychology that helps explain why good people do things that harm the environment: the false consensus (共识) effect. That’s where we overvalue how acceptable and widespread our own behavior is in society. Put simply, if you’re doing something (even if you secretly know you probably shouldn’t), you’re more likely to think plenty of other people do it too. What’s more, you likely overestimate how much other people think that behavior is broadly OK.

This bias (偏见) allows people to justify socially unacceptable or illegal behaviors. Researchers have observed the false consensus effect in drug use and illegal hunting. More recently, conservationists are beginning to reveal how this effect contributes to environmental damage.

In Australia, people who admitted poaching (偷猎) thought it was much more widespread in society than it really was, and had higher estimates than fishers who obeyed the law. They also believed others viewed poaching as socially tolerable; however, in reality, more than 90% of fishers took the opposite stand on this. The false consensus effect has also shown up in studies examining support for nuclear energy and offshore wind farms.

Just as concepts from psychology can help explain some forms of environmental damage, so too can they help solve it. For example, research shows people are more likely to litter in areas where there’s already a lot of trash thrown around; so making sure the ground around a bin is not covered in rubbish may help.

Factual information on how other people think and behave can be very powerful. Energy companies have substantially reduced energy consumption simply by showing people their difference in electricity use compared to their neighbors. Encouragingly, stimulating people’s natural desire for social position has also been successful in getting people to “go green to be seen”, or to publicly purchase eco-friendly products.

As the research evidence shows, social standards can be a powerful force in encouraging and popularizing environmentally friendly behaviors. Perhaps you can do your bit by sharing this article!

1. Which example best illustrates the false consensus effect?

A．A student spends long hours surfing the Internet.

B．A blogger assumes many people dislike his posts.

C．A smoker believes people generally approve of smoking.

D．A driver frequently parks illegally in public places.

2. How did most Australian fishers view the issue of poaching?

A．It is contradictory.	B．It is impractical.
C．It is widespread.	D．It is unacceptable.

3. What do words “go green to be seen” refer to in paragraph 5?

A．Develop green habits for better health.

B．Choose green items that are easy to spot in stores.

C．Join green movements for personal fulfillment.

D．Make green choices that others can perceive.

4. What is a recommended approach to solving environmental problems?

A．Justify social standards.	B．Publicize sustainable practices.
C．Encourage technological innovations.	D．Highlight personal responsibilities.

7 . A driverless train took its first trip around Hamburg, Germany in 2021 and may greatly improve transportation in the city. Acknowledged as the world’s first, the train created by Siemens Mobility and Deutsche Bahn (DB) officially went into service in December.

This is part of a large modernization project for the city’s S-Bahn urban rail. There were no changes to the tracks, as the autonomous (自动的) trains run on the same network as the current trains that have drivers operating them.

“The railroad has arrived in the digital future and Digital Rail Germany may become a reality. With automated rail operations, we can offer our passengers a significantly expanded and improved service,” said Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO of DB. “The new trains can transport up to 30 percent more passengers and operate on time, and they will be more energy-efficient. They are also encouraged for environmental protection reasons.”

The trains receive signals via radios. There will be drivers present when there are passengers on board but they will only supervise (监督) the run and the passengers. There are now plans to digitize Hamburg’s S-Bahn system entirely by the end of the decade and the government has already decided to put money into new trains and infrastructure improvements.

Autonomous transportation technology is being used in taxis by Waymo, which started as the Google self-driving project in 2009. Other companies that are working on driverless cars include Tesla,GM, Nissan, and Zoox. These cars have to find their ways on roads with the help of GPS technology but driving on a track is much simpler and safer. “The new technology has already been officially approved and, since it features open interfaces (接口), it can immediately be used by operators worldwide for all types of trains,” said Dr. Roland Busch, CEO of Siemens. Maybe it’s time for the new autonomous revolution.

1. What’s special about the new trains created by Siemens Mobility and DB?

A．They share tracks with traditional ones.

B．They use new driverless track systems.

C．They make long-distance trips much safer.

D．They still require human drivers’ operation.

2. What does Dr. Richard Lutz mainly want to express in Paragraph 3?

A．The new trains greatly change the German lifestyle.

B．The digital railroad is spoken highly of by passengers.

C．The new trains benefit both people and the environment.

D．The digital railroad has promoted the development of tourism.

3. What’s the government’s attitude to the development of the new digital technology?

A．Worried.

B．Favorable.

C．Doubtful.

D．Disapproving.

4. What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Operators have responsibility for ensuring fully autonomous driving.

B．Germany’s design of trains needs to be further improved.

C．American companies see an increasing demand for self-driving taxis.

D．The digital technology has a big potential market.

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

In most big cities, it is easier     1     (hire) a taxi at a moment’s notice when the weather is good. But when it’s raining, people have a much harder time finding one. One obvious reason is that many people     2     walk short distances during good weather prefer to take a taxi in the rain. Therefore, taxis tend to be more fully filled on     3     (rain) days. Besides, the supply of available taxis is also smaller because taxi drivers can     4     (easy) reach the target fares and go home early.

10 . Animal rescuer and cinematographer Douglas Thron’s passion for animals began when he was a little kid and he started rescuing orphaned baby animals. When he grew up, he worked as a cinematographer for shows like Discovery Channel’s “Shark Wee”. But Thron said a fire in California “pushed” him to rescue animals, using his cinematography skills well.

At the time, Thron was working as a cinematographer filming a man who was rescuing cats after the fire using an infrared (使用红外线的) handheld camera. The camera uses heat to detect the animals at night. Thron and the man talked about how incredible it would be to put one on a drone (无人机) to detect animals easily. “The animals’ body temperature will flash on the screen and you can pick them out among the rubble (瓦砾),” explains Thron.

The first animal Thron ever rescued was a dog in the Bahamas after a category 5 hurricane hit there. Thron tested out putting an infrared scope on a drone and found the dog exactly in the middle of the huge rubble pile where hundreds of houses had been destroyed. “I flew the drone over and I found him. I was able to rescue him,” he says.

“My dream is to one day have a large animal rescue farm where I can train others on flying drones and make infrared drones as popular for rescuing animals as helicopters are for rescuing people after a disaster,” he says.

1. Which of the following best describes little Thron?

A．Lonely.

B．Optimistic.

C．Sympathetic.

D．Generous.

2. What does the underlined word “one” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．A heater.	B．An infrared camera.
C．A flashlight.	D．A temperature detector.

3. What can be inferred from the third paragraph?

A．The dog was reunited with its family.	B．Douglas was injured during the rescue.
C．The Bahamas was hit by the strongest flood.	D．Douglas’ infrared drone test was a success.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Infrared drones in animal rescue will be popular.

B．More and more people are willing to fly drones.

C．Helicopters will be widely used in rescuing animals.

D．Infrared drones will replace helicopters in disaster relief.