One night two millennia ago, a Han Dynasty general sent a square-shaped collection of bamboo and cloth into the air above enemy territory in central China. He was trying to measure how much earth his men would need to tunnel through to tear their enemies’ defense line.
It is one of the most famous early stories of kite-flying. Similar devices were later used by other Chinese armies; they launched them after dark in whipping winds in hopes that the noise would scare off enemies, and used them to deliver threats via missives (信函) tied to the kites’ tails.
Today, of course, these delicate aircraft — built from light wood or plastic frames shaped to create lift, covered in a thin material such as paper or silk, and piloted via long strings — are considered as toys. In the 1990s and early 2000s, kite-flying experienced a boom in the American West and parts of Europe, due in part to the popularization of kites surfing. Groups of kiters began to take interest in its lore (知识).
Thus a wave of younger artists have been inspired to pioneer new forms. In Austria, Anna Rubin, often employs ancient methods for her art, including hand-splitting the bamboo for the frames and using hand-pressed natural fibres to cover them. She wants to carry on traditions she fears may be lost by a culture fixated on the future, but she’s equally inspired by the joy of work. “Everyone should, once in their life, make a kite and fly it,” she says.
And in New York, visual artists Jacob Hashimoto, assembles massive installations from dozens of palm-size kites to hang from the ceiling of his studio or gallery. He inherited (继承) his interest in kite-making from his father. “The kite-making is a pan-cultural practice that makes it a beautiful, democratic thing,” he says. “In many ways, it’s a global property — we all own the relationship between us and the sky.”
Their work is a reminder that kites offer us a means to defy gravity. In the hands a willing flier, they give us a way up and out.
1. What was the kite used for in ancient China?| A．A tool of warfare. | B．A kind of recreation. |
| C．A sign of good luck. | D．A way of communication. |
| A．They are lightly structured. | B．They are widely used in Europe. |
| C．They are less popular in China. | D．They are considered as a science. |
| A．The popularity of kites in Austria. |
| B．Her enthusiasm in Chinese culture. |
| C．Her father’s encouragement and support. |
| D．Its pleasure and her sense of responsibility. |
| A．To remind us that kites will lose their cultural value in the future. |
| B．To tell us some young artists are taking kite-making to new heights. |
| C．To list some examples of the difficulties promoting kites in the world. |
| D．To show that only a few people consider kites worthy of preservation. |
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【推荐1】Hidden beneath the surface in the roots of Earths astonishing and diverse plant life, there exists a biological superhighway linking together the members of the plant kingdom in what researchers call the "wood wide web".
The network is comprised of thin threads of fungus (真菌) that grow outwards underground up to a few meters from its partnering plant, meaning that all of the plant life within a region likely connected to one another. The partnership is beneficial for both parties involved, plants provide carbohydrates (碳水化合物) to the funguses and in exchange, the funguses aid in gathering water and providing nutrients to its partnering plant.
A study conducted by Rensen Zeng of the South China Agricultural University found that this also allowed for plants to warn one another of potential harm. The study showed Broad Beans used the fungal network to spy on one another for upcoming danger.
Like our Internet, this fungal connectivity is also full of crime. Some plants, such as Golden Marigolds have been found to release poisons into the network to slow down the growth of surrounding plants in the fight for water and light. Other plants, such as the Phantom Orchid, do not have the chlorophyll (叶绿素) and must get the necessary nutrients from surrounding plants.
Research suggests that animals such as insects and worms may be able to detect slight exchanges of nutrients through the network, allowing them to more easily find delicious roots to feed on; however, this has not been conclusively made clear in experimentation. The more we learn about this phenomenon, the more our understanding of the plant life of our planet will continue to change. Perhaps one day, we may be able to map out these complex networks entirely.
1. What is the function of the first paragraph?| A．To explain the aim of the web. |
| B．To introduce the main topic. |
| C．To give definition of diverse life. |
| D．To show the importance of plants. |
| A．compete for survival |
| B．gather more water |
| C．take in sunlight |
| D．break natural rules |
| A．Animals can also feed on the fungus. |
| B．Nutrient exchanges are too slight to detect. |
| C．No experiment can prove the phenomenon. |
| D．More needs to be done to work out the network. |
| A．The Partnership between Plants |
| B．The Unknown Roots of the Earth |
| C．The Superhighway Linking the Plants |
| D．The Mysterious Map Changing the World |
【推荐2】Zwingmann teaches online courses on artificial intelligence (AI) and helps customers make use of AI. Recently, he has been producing lecture notes by using ChatGPT, an advanced AI chatting robot. “I went up and said, ‘OK, tell me detailed steps of how the DBSCAN algorithm works,’ and it gave me that answer step by step,” Zwingmann said.
The ChatGPT Zwingmann uses has taken the Internet by storm. It allows users to input questions that ask the real assistant to create a series of writing tasks. Despite its beginning stage, ChatGPT has the potential to be a game-changer for the whole world.
The GPT stands for “Generative Pre-trained Transformer”, providing detailed answers to users’ questions. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer follow up questions, challenge incorrect statements and reject improper requests.
If you have a passion for writing but aren’t sure how to add a little elegance to your words, ChatGPT can help! If you want to create your personal web page but know little about HTML code, ChatGPT can help create the code for you! Even if you are an experienced developer, ChatGPT can help you analyze the code and provide a detailed explanation of the error along with suggestions for how to fix it.
Despite looking very impressive, ChatGPT still has its limitations. Such limitations include the inability to answer questions that are worded a specific way and the lack of quality in the responses it delivers, which sometimes seem to be reasonable but make no sense. With its widespread use, there is growing concern about how the tool might be used to help students create essays for class homework.
So how good is it at producing literary works in the style of a news article? And how does its writing live up to the likes of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, or a film producer like Ben Affleck? Judge for yourself.
1. What’s the function of paragraph 1?| A．To promote an online course teacher. | B．To explain how lecture notes are made. |
| C．To offer background information about AI. | D．To introduce the ChatGPT with an example. |
| A．It assists code developers in dealing with errors. | B．It functions by collecting tough questions. |
| C．It gives the user an answer of good quality. | D．It produces a dialogue with many questions. |
| A．Objective. | B．Favorable. | C．Passive. | D．Concerned. |
| A．The origin of ChatGPT. | B．The introduction of ChatGPT. |
| C．The limitations of ChatGPT. | D．The development of ChatGPT. |
【推荐3】The measurable threat to the environment has been worsened by the spread of COVID-19 that increases the need for plastic protective equipment. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Millions of tons of greenhouse gas are released from the development of these resources and plastic production and burning.
The end life of plastic is just worrisome. Less than 10% of the plastic produced has been recycled. Even more of it has been burned. But the vast majority of plastic has been buried inland, and it is increasingly polluting the environment. We hear mostly about ocean plastic and the harm done to sea creatures that mistake plastic bags and bits for food. But microplastic is even more worrisome. Plastic doesn't break down biologically but instead breaks down into tiny particles（a very small piece of something）, which have been found in every corner of the planet, on land and in the air, in drinking water and food sources.
Yet the public has not given this global environmental disaster the attention it requires. Instead, they have viewed single-use plastic—which makes up about 40% of plastic used each year—as a litter issue that can be solved through better recycling and waste management. That attitude must change because the recent global breakdown of the market for recycling has made it clear that it has never been, nor ever will be, able to keep up with plastic trash use.
California has been the forerunner of plastic waste reduction—it was the first state to ban single-use plastic bags and may be the first state to transform the way goods are packaged. The state also came close to passing an act which would have required that products sold in plastic packaging in the state have a proven recycling rate of 75% by 2032. California, though influential, can't solve this crisis alone. The US has long been producing a great amount of plastic trash and it should engage in reducing the use of plastic as well.
1. Why does the author mention the release of greenhouse gas in paragraph 1?| A．To show the harm of plastic |
| B．To warn of the climate change. |
| C．To call for the development of fossil fuels. |
| D．To highlight the importance of plastic equipment. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Tolerant. |
| C．Curious. | D．Opposed. |
| A．A pioneer. | B．A failure. |
| C．An objector. | D．A predictor. |
| A．Microplastic Products Are Harmful |
| B．Waste Recycling Is an Urgent Matter |
| C．Plastic Waste Pollution Is a Wake-up Call |
| D．Global Environmental Disasters Are Increasing |
【推荐1】A water lily painting, Water Lily Pond, by Claude Monet, the French impressionist artist, was sold for more than S80 million on Tuesday, breaking the auction (拍卖) record for himself. Water Lily Pond was part of a four-work collection of water lily paintings that Monet put up for sale during his lifetime.
The four paintings of Monet’s water lily garden were signed and dated by the artist in 1919. One of the other paintings is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, while another was sold at auction in 1992 for $12. 1 million and is in a private collection now. The final painting in the series was cut into two before World WarⅡ.
“After a fierce bidding battle between a number of buyers in the room and on the telephone, the painting finally was sold to a collector for $80.4 million, setting a new world record price for the artist at auction,” said Olivier Camu, a scholar of impressionist art.
The last record for a Monet work was set in May when Le Pont du Chemin de fer a Argenteuil was sold for $41.4 million. The painting sold on Tuesday was bought at a 1971 New York auction for $320,000. It has not been exhibited since then.
Monet’s later works had unique characteristics, especially Les Grandes Decorations, another good example, which was bedded in Musee de I`Orangerie in Paris five months after Monet’s death in 1926.
Monet created his water lily garden in Giverny, France. He selected different water lilies in an effort to get as many different colored flowers as possible, specially creating the garden as a base for his paintings.
1. According to the passage, Water Lily Pond broke the last record for Monet’s paintings by __________.| A．$12 million | B．$39 million |
| C．$41.4 million | D．$0.32 million |
| A．It was once auctioned in America. |
| B．It was cut into halves before World War II. |
| C．It had been kept in New York for over 40 years. |
| D．It was once put in Musee de I`Orangerie. |
| A．Exciting. | B．Inspiring. |
| C．Disappointing. | D．Frightening. |
【推荐2】Despite the fact that the Mona Lisa is one of the most well-known paintings in the world, did you know that it’s actually just 30 inches by 21 inches? The famous Leonardo da Vinci painting is housed at the Louvre and is under reliable security, but in May 2022, an angry protester was still able to lob some cake over at it.
The man disguised himself as a senior in a wheelchair, when all of a sudden, he jumped up out of the wheelchair. He tried to break through the painting’s protective glass case, and when he failed to do so, he broke some cake directly onto the glass and threw roses on the ground. He was then taken out of the building by security guards.
As he was taken out, the man was said to have shouted, “There are people who are destroying the Earth... Artists should think about the Earth! All artists should think about the Earth. That’s why I did it.”
Experts believe he was able to get so close to the painting thanks to the use of the wheelchair disguise. A museum spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that the museum had been following museum “usual procedures” for visitors with disabilities.
The painting was not damaged, but this was actually not the first time that it had faced the threat of damage. It first became well known when Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting in 1911. It took 24 hours for people to notice that the painting was stolen at all, but then it was reported all over the front page of international newspapers. Peruggia was caught two years later and the painting became internationally known after being recovered for the intensive coverage.
In 1956, the painting was sprayed with acid, with the lower part of the painting being affected. Then Ugo Ungaza Villegas threw a rock at the painting, hitting the lower elbow of the woman in the painting. Following these events, the painting has been encased in bulletproof (防弹的) glass.
1. What does the underlined word “lob” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Take. | B．Paint. | C．Hang. | D．Throw. |
| A．To gain more sympathy. | B．To destroy the painting. |
| C．To visit the museum for free. | D．To watch the painting closely. |
| A．He tried to force the museum to close. | B．He wanted to draw others’ attention. |
| C．He was dissatisfied with artists. | D．He fought for the rights of the disabled. |
| A．It became world famous. | B．It led to no more attacks. |
| C．It was further damaged. | D．It was easier to protect. |
【推荐3】Wen Xiaodong is the only product designer from the Chinese mainland on the 500-strong creative team at the headquarters of the Lego Group, the world renowned toymaker, in Billund, Denmark.
Being part of such an illustrious team would be an accomplishment for any young art is, but Wen stands out for being one of the senior designers behind the beloved Lego Monkie Kid collection, and the four animation series of the same name.
It is the first Lego series inspired by Chinese legends and has proved to be a hit. The Monkie Kid has been turned into more than 70 products so far, and is one of the best-sellers on the Chinese market. Along with the Monkie Kid, traditional Chinese festival themed toys, which Wen has also had a hand in designing, have also proved popular on the international market.
It was Wens natural creativity that brought him to the innovative company. He has no professional qualifications in drawing or painting, and graduated with a major in English translation from Xi’an International Studies University in 2010 before working in a gaming company in Beijing as a graphic designer for a year.
In 2012, he was recruited by the Lego Group and was sent to Denmark in 2016. At the headquarters, he met the design team, which is composed of people with different expertise and of various backgrounds and nationalities. Some were architects, engineers, painters and even circus performers. The fact that Wen speaks fluent English and works with a multicultural perspective has helped him get along with his international peers.
The candid (坦率的) and soft-spoken Wen has a sense of pride in his job, and in bringing one of the most renowned Chinese fictional characters to life. There are so many Western superhero Lego products, he says. The Monkie Kid, released in 2020, is about a Chinese superhero and is based on the Journey to the West.
1. What can we learn from the passage?| A．Wen is the only person from China who works in the Lego group. |
| B．Wen is one of the designers for traditional Chinese festival themed toys. |
| C．The Monkie Kid is only popular on the Chinese market. |
| D．Before graduating from the university, Wen worked in a gaming company. |
| A．His university major. | B．His professional qualities. |
| C．His fluent English. | D．His natural creativity. |
| A．Ambitious and kind-hearted. | B．Optimistic and proud. |
| C．Gentle and creative. | D．Innovative and humorous. |
