【推荐1】When the designer and typographer (排印工) Marcin Wichary chanced upon a tiny museum just outside Barcelona five years ago, the experience tipped his interest in the history of technology into an obsession with a very particular part of it: the keyboard.

“I have never seen so many typewriters under one roof. Not even close,” he shared on the Internet at the time. “At this point, I literally have tears in my eyes. I’m not kidding. This feels like a miracle.”

He’d had a discovery while wandering through the exhibit: Each key on a keyboard has its own stories. And these stories are not just about computing technology, but also about the people who designed, used, or otherwise interacted with the keyboards.

Take the backspace key for example, he explains, “I like that the concept of backspace was originally just that — a space going backward. We are used to it erasing now, but for a hundred years, erasing was its own incredibly complex effort. You needed to master a Comet eraser, or Wite-Out, or strange correction tapes, and possibly all of the above… or give up and start from scratch whenever you made a small mistake in typing.”

The deeper he researched, the more obsessive he became. Amazed that no comprehensive books existed on the history of keyboards, he decided to create his own. When not working at his day job as the design leader for the design software company Figma, he began producing Shift Happens, a two-volume, 1,216-page hardcover book — and raised over $750,000 for the project on Kickstarter in March of 2023. Wichary was only a bit surprised by the support and the keyboard’s wide appeal. As he points out. “It’s such a crucial device that occupies a lot of our waking life.”

1. Which is the closest understanding of the underlined phrase tipped his interest________.

A．made him lose his interest	B．weakened his interest
C．publicized his interest	D．changed his interest

2. What did Wichary discover while admiring the keyboards?

A．The wisdom of human.	B．The stories behind them.
C．The secret of the keyboards.	D．The history of technology.

3. What does Wichary want to tell us about the backspace key in Paragraph 4?

A．It is the outcome of long-term improvement.

B．It can be used to move back one space.

C．It is a rather simple but powerful key.

D．It permits people to make mistakes when typing.

4. Why did Wichary write his own book?

A．To make money.	B．To record history.
C．To fill a gap.	D．To become a celebrity.

【推荐2】Robots and humans will soon be living in harmony (和睦). A singing robot is being taught to create jazz with a human in a project.

Antonio Chella from Italy is working with a Telenoid robot. To start with, the Telenoid will be trained to follow the movements and simple sounds made by a human singer, and to connect music with different emotional states. Chella then plans to see if the robot can use these connections to create music.

Intelligence is often regarded as the ability to find connections between the existing things. But Chella suggests that a conscious(有意识的) creature should be able to go a step further and introduce new connections that result in the creation of something new.

Some jazz musicians say that they should have a mental library of musical phrases so that they are able to combine them in new ways. More importantly, however, this combination happens in a state that is similar in a sense to dreaming. Chella wants to copy these states in a machine.

“This work raises interesting questions about the link between consciousness and music making,” says Philippe Pasquier, a musician and computer scientist. But he is skeptical about whether a robot musician needs a physical body.

Pasquier argues that the robots are faced with two challenges(挑战). Software that can copy Bach has already been developed. But interpretation(演绎)includes human’s different tastes and judgments. “What made the Beatles famous was not so much their works, but the fact that the interpretations of the works were wonderful,” he says.

It is not yet clear how a robot would go about interpreting music in a new way. But by copying humans and then learning to sing, Chella’s robot could provide clues.

What seems to be important is that human composers often listen to lots of music made by others. So Chella’s robot had better listen to those jazz standards first.

1. Which of the following is the robot’s first step before it tries to create jazz?

A．Living with human beings in harmony.

B．Connecting actions with human’s emotions.

C．Copying a human singer’s movements and sounds.

D．Learning to communicate with human beings freely.

2. The underlined word “skeptical” in Paragraph 5 could be replaced by “_____“.

A．doubtful	B．worried
C．certain	D．concerned

3. What can we know about the robots like Telenoid from the text?

A．They are household robots.	B．They can talk with researchers.
C．They are faced with two challenges.	D．They will become human singers.

4. What can be concluded from the text?

A．Chella’s robot needs a physical body to make music.

B．How to interpret jazz is a piece of cake for Chella’s robot.

C．A new kind of software should be developed to copy Bach.

D．Chella’s robot should listen to much jazz to create something new.

【推荐3】Japan has long been known for both its strong traditions and being on the cutting edge of technology, and this new inn combining the classic Japanese surroundings with high-tech slippers and furniture is a perfect reflection of this.

Nissan Motor Co. developed a system in which slippers park themselves at the entrance of the traditional inn, called “ProPilot Park Ryokan,” waiting for guests to use them upon arrival. When guests have finished using them, the slippers will drive themselves back to their original position. Each slipper features two tiny wheels, a motor, and sensors to drive it across the wooden floor.

The same technology features in Nissan’s all-battery electric Leaf car. High-tech sensors and cameras allow the vehicle to safely back into parking spaces without any input from the driver. Four cameras and 12 sensors assess the vehicle’s surroundings. ProPilot Park handles the accelerator, braking and steering (转向) input when the car is parking. Drivers operate the system with the press of a button, which they must hold down the entire time. Lifting a finger off the button will result in the car stopping immediately.

The inn, located in the resort town of Hakone, about 75 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, is currently most famous for its view of Mount Fuji. However, the new self-driving slippers, released by Nissan in March, is the unique feature of the high-tech inn.

“The self-parking slippers are meant to raise awareness of automated driving technologies, and their potential, non-driving applications,” Nissan spokesman Nick Maxfield said in a statement.

In addition to the slippers, office chairs, floor cushions and traditional low tables in the inn also wheel themselves back into place after use.

1. What is the typical feature of the slippers?

A．They are eco-friendly.	B．They are automatic.
C．They are recyclable.	D．They are rechargeable.

2. How can a driver stop the Nissan’s electric Leaf car?

A．By pressing a button.	B．By using the brake of the car.
C．By removing the finger from the button.	D．By handling the accelerator.

3. Why did Nissan develop the slippers according to Nick Maxfield?

A．To attract more customers.

B．To advertise the Nissan Motor Co.

C．To lessen work load of the workers.

D．To promote non-driving technologies.

4. What can we know about the inn mentioned in the text?

A．It uses robots to serve the guests.

B．It is famous for its good service.

C．It is a combination of tradition and modem.

D．It is known for its beautiful decoration.

【推荐1】We all love to take photographs. It’s a simple way to capture a special moment, an amazing view, or just to show off your artistic skills. And it’s great to look back through your photo albums and share your memories with friends. This hasn’t really changed since the invention of photography in the 1830s. But one thing that has changed is the equipment we use.

For many years, we have used traditional cameras to take our pictures with. Our images were captured onto camera film which was then processed into negatives from which photos were printed – a long process.

But the biggest change has come with the development of digital technology. This has made taking photos quicker and easier. It’s enabled us to take a snap and review our pictures instantly. We’ve been able to beautify them, using software on our computer. And of course, we’ve been able to share them like never before – particularly on social media.

Of course, now we have the smartphone – a phone that is, well, smart because it can take photos and sometimes very good quality ones, and we can share them easily. So does that mean the traditional camera will eventually become out-dated? Figures from Japan show how the market is shrinking: shipments of traditional digital cameras from companies like Olympus, Canon and Nikon were down 39% year on year.

But Phil Hall, editor of Tech Radar magazine thinks there’s nothing to worry about. He said while people are replacing their digital cameras with smartphones, producers are looking at the more higher-end  cameras, like mirrorless cameras.

Certainly, the growth of the smartphone means more and more of us are taking photos and it opens our eyes to the creative possibilities it can provide. But whatever camera viewfinder we end up looking through, it’s important to remember the basics of focusing, good lighting and framing and getting your subject to say “cheese”!

1. What’s the passage mainly about?

A．The benefits of photography.

B．The popularity of smartphones.

C．The basic skills of taking photos.

D．The development of photographic equipment.

2. What does Phil Hall think of the situation of cameras?

A．Cameras will be out of date eventually.

B．Camera producers are seeking a way out.

C．The sales of digital cameras are likely to rise.

D．Cameras are more advanced than smartphones.

3. The text is most likely to be found in ________.

A．A textbook	B．An advertisment
C．A technology magazine	D．A science report

【推荐3】Technology has enabled people to connect fast and across vast distances.     1     Therefore, it is important to find ways to communicate better, while we are still keeping pace with the demands of the modern day.

Cut back on texting. Texting is a good way of keeping in touch and communicating with another person if calling him is not possible. Unless you can’t help it, give up the habit of texting — while walking, eating or driving — because texting is not real communication.     2     Calling is a great way of enhancing conversations because it’s more direct, with a greater chance of successful communication.

    3     We are more willing to spend time on Facebook than actually leave our desks and have a conversation with the person working right next to us. A good way of improving real-life communication is to log off or keep yourself away from social media.

Meet people face-to-face. The next time you want to open Facebook to chat with a friend, call him up and meet him instead.     4     Take time to meet the person who matters to you and you will get a kind of communication and relationship that staring at a screen just can’t provide.

Technology is a tool. It is worth remembering that technology is only a tool we have.     5    Use social networks to find people, to reconnect with friends, to support a cause and to contribute to the bigger picture in a more real manner.

A．Log out.

B．Listen more.

C．However, it has also created barriers around us.

D．Do you find yourself opening it more than necessary?

E．Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to cut back on texting and call people instead.

F．Something as casual as coffee or lunch can help you connect and communicate with him.

G．We can’t escape the virtual world and nor should we try, but we can choose to use technology more intelligently.

【推荐1】Are you stressed out, scared or worried all the time? Do you avoid going to certain places, seeing friends or doing certain things because of your worries? Do your worries keep you awake at night? If you’ve answered yes, you may be suffering from anxiety.
Anxiety is a normal and necessary part of life. Anxiety is your brain’s way of telling you about danger. It is anxiety which helps you jump out of the way if a car is speeding towards you. But if it gets out of hand, anxiety can get in the way of your getting on with life and can become a real problem. If this is the case for you, treatment may be a helpful way for you to get your anxiety under control.
Anxiety is a normal part of life. Some people may feel uneasy if moving to a new place and some may get overly anxious in certain situations. There are lots of reasons for this. One main reason is after a stressful thing which has happened in your life. So, if you are involved in a car crash, it’s quite likely that you will be more worried than other people around cars and driving.
Being anxious also probably runs in families. If your parents suffer from anxiety then you are more likely to be anxious too. This is probably partly due to genetics, and partly because of how things are when you’re growing up.
Even though people don’t talk about it much, anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems. About 1 in 4 people will have an anxiety problem at some time in their life.
If you have an anxiety problem it’s hard for other people to understand why something that doesn’t worry them, like being in a crowd of people, can be so scary for you. This can make you feel separated and lonely, as may become worse and worse.
The good news is there are lots of excellent treatments available for anxiety. These include taking therapies (疗法) and drugs.
1. Which of the following statements is true about anxiety?

A．With anxiety you are far away from traffic accidents.

B．It’s abnormal for people to get too anxious after a stressful thing.

C．Almost everybody has a certain degree of anxiety in certain situations.

D．When you feel stressed out, scared or worried, you are surely suffering from anxiety.

2. Which of the following reasons for anxiety is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A．Illness.	B．Experience.
C．Genetics.	D．Environment.

3. What can we infer from the fifth and sixth paragraph in the passage?

A．Anxiety is the most common mental health problem.

B．Those suffering from anxiety need others’ understanding badly.

C．About a quarter of the population are suffering from anxiety now.

D．Once you suffer from anxiety, you’d better seek for medical treatment.

4. The author will most probably talk about ________ following this passage.

A．what is about anxiety	B．what causes anxiety
C．how to handle anxiety	D．when anxiety becomes serious

【推荐2】Dr. Faisal Zawawi, an Otolaryngologist and member of the McGill Auditory Sciences Laboratory, notes that when a person is exposed to loud noises it can cause short-term hearing loss but that under normal circumstances the body typically is able to repair the loss of hearing within 72 hours. However, Zawawi warns that if symptoms are not reversed (倒转) in the first 72 hours the damage could become permanent. Due to findings in previous studies about it, Zawawi says that the team of researchers has suspected that something may stop this repair process; therefore, the team set out to determine if caffeine could be a contributing cause to hearing loss. According to the Medical Daily, the researchers tested what they suspected on female guinea pigs(FGP) (豚鼠).

To perform the test, 24 female guinea pigs were split into three equal groups with each group exposed in different levels to caffeine, and loud noises. The researchers found that the guinea pigs subjected to only sound had their full hearing recovered by day eight. However, the guinea pigs that were subjected to both caffeine and loud noise never fully regained their hearing. Therefore，the researchers concluded that caffeine is a likely contributing cause to permanent hearing loss.

“This research confirms that while a cup of coffee may seem appealing after a long night at a loud concert, drinking caffeine produces more of a risk than benefit when it comes to a person's hearing. Although further research is required to understand the effect on humans, the results are promising," says Zawawi. If the research proves successful, the removal of caffeine from your diet following noise exposure could prevent permanent hearing loss as the body will be more able to repair itself naturally.

1. What caused the team to do the research?

A．Caffeine loving people suffering hearing loss.

B．The results about hearing loss found before.

C．The finding that FGPs are sensitive to noise.

D．The fact that many people drink coffee.

2. What is Zawawi's view about temporary hearing loss?

A．Drinking coffee daily results in it.

B．Drink less coffee while suffering it.

C．Generally people can recover from it in 3 days.

D．The continuous noise exposure surely causes it.

3. What can we learn about hearing from the text?

A．Coffee can stop it from recovering.

B．Coffee Can lead to quick hearing loss.

C．Hearing loss after noise exposure is normal.

D．Loud noise causes people to lose it forever.

4. How does Zawawi assess the research?

A．It's controversial.	B．It's unnecessary to carry it on.
C．It's not predictable.	D．It's almost successful.