Phillip, 27, from the UK, pulled at the heart strings of people across the world after giving his mother, Trish, a special New Year present — he surprised his mom with a voice recording of his late father, which he made with the help of AI.
The young man’s dad, John, passed away from cancer in 2022 — leaving his wife and children mourning. After seeing his mom struggling to get through the holidays, he turned to AI to give her a gift she would never forget.
In a video, which has so far had more than 6.2 million views, the 27-year-old showed viewers his mom’s reaction to hearing her late husband’s voice.
“My dad passed away from cancer 1.5 years ago so I decided to do something special for my mom this New Year,” he said as his mother unwrapped the present. “It’s been so long since we heard his voice, so I made her a video using AI software to match his exact voice. And the result was amazing.”
In addition to his father’s voice, Phillip made a video that featured photos of his dad. When Trish opened the photo book, tears immediately formed.
“Hi, honey. I love you. I want you to know you are the best mother to our kids and the strongest woman in the whole world,” the AI voice said. “I’m always with you. I hope you guys have a happy New Year.”
Phillip revealed that his wife, Kassandra, first gave him the idea to use AI to recreate his dad’s voice. Although he was skeptical at first, once he got to work using the text-to-speech software, he was shocked at the outcome. “When the program said it in his voice... I got chills(寒战) all over my body. That’s why I decided to do this no matter what,” Phillip said.
1. What does the underlined phrase “pulled at the heart strings” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Encouraged creativity. | B．Touched the hearts. |
| C．Promoted good deeds. | D．Provided comfort. |
| A．Adaptable. | B．Demanding. |
| C．Heart-warming. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．She was terribly frightened. | B．She took it for granted. |
| C．She viewed it as a dream. | D．She was wild with joy. |
| A．Phillip’s interest in making the recording. |
| B．Phillip’s doubt over making the recording. |
| C．Phillip’s struggle for making the recording. |
| D．Phillip’s inspiration to make the recording. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Upon discovering her grandma Georgie’s clothing sketches (草图) in 2021, Julia, a 27-year-old TikToker, barely knew how to sew clothes. Nonetheless, she decided to take it upon herself to make Grandma’s old designer dreams come alive. And it’s not surprising at all, then, that when Julia shared her hard work with her absolutely delighted Grandma, and later her followers — more than 21million viewers tuned in to see what the most adorable version of Paris Fashion Week looks like. Oh, and what a sight it is.
When Julia first came across her grandma’s fashion design sketches that were almost three times as old as she is, she was attracted by them. So were her unexpected TikTok viewers, 2.7 million of them, who shared Julia’s appreciation of these drawings, leading to her first viral video. “I knew grandma was talented, but I was like, ‘Wow, these are really much better than what I was envisioning (想象) in my head’,” she told Insider.
Using material leftover from her grandmother’s collection of outdated fabrics, Julia has sewn many of the dresses Georgie envisioned. She notes that she doesn’t always follow her “grandma sketch”, as what looks good on paper might not translate onto the body. “Grandma encourages that,” Julia explains.
This ongoing interdenominational collaboration (合作) has led to an extremely popular TikTok series in which Julia shows Georgie what she’s created. It’s also sparked sweet conversations between the two of them, which are shared on video. “It’s a beautiful bonding experience between us that has made Grandma happy,” she said.
“Lots of people who are older and watch my videos say they love seeing someone younger appreciate something from their generation,” she said. “And then younger people see it and maybe they lost their grandparents, and they say seeing my videos reminds them of their grandparents,” said Julia.
1. What used to be Georgie’s dream?| A．To attend Paris Fashion Week. |
| B．To become a fashion designer. |
| C．To set up a fashion school. |
| D．To create a popular TikTok series. |
| A．She makes it based on the latest style. |
| B．She makes it out of her own imagination. |
| C．She strictly follows her grandma’s sketches. |
| D．She makes adjustments to her grandma’s designs. |
| A．It bonds different generations. |
| B．It follows the latest fashion style. |
| C．It reminds its viewers of their duties. |
| D．It encourages people to make improvements. |
| A．Regretful. | B．Objective. | C．Ambitious. | D．Relieved. |
【推荐2】A few months ago, I was picking up the children at school. Emily, another mother that I knew well, rushed up to me. She was filled with anger. “Do you know what you and I are?” she demanded. Before I could answer, she gave out the reason for her question. She had just returned from renewing her driver’s license at a government office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. “What I mean is,” explained the woman, “Do you have a job, or are you just a ...?” “Of course I have a job,” answered Emily. “I’m a mother.” “We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation ... ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation. This time it was at our own Town Hall. The clerk was a woman. “And what is your occupation?” she asked. What made me say it, I do not know. The words simply jumped out. “I’m ... a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.” The clerk paused, her ball-point pen frozen in mid air, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”
Coolly, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research in the laboratory and in the field. I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most jobs and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally showed me out. As I drove into our driveway, I was greeted by my lab assistants—ages 13, 7, and 3. And upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program. I felt successful!
Motherhood...what a glorious career, especially when there is a title on the door.
1. The purpose of Emily’s story is to_______________.| A．prove that being a housewife is shameful |
| B．show how angry Emily was with the author |
| C．tell readers that Emily had no work in reality |
| D．introduce the topic of “motherhood” as a job |
| A．bored and disappointed | B．surprised and curious |
| C．satisfied and respectful | D．interested and thrilled |
| A．Her daughters are all involved in a child-development program. |
| B．Her family is supported by her work as a Research Associate. |
| C．She has four daughters and the youngest is six months old. |
| D．There are at most five members in her family. |
| A．indifferent | B．cautious |
| C．objective | D．humorous |
【推荐3】The 30 miles of road winds its way through the mountains of Logan Canyon.It is enough to make most drivers frightened.
But Roger Andersen,a 46-yearold father of four,hadn't expected any trouble on the road on last New Year's Eve when he set off for a ski trip to the Bear River Mountains with his three children.The weather was good for traveling on the slopes（坡）,but the higher they drove,the steeper（陡峭的）the roads became.All of a sudden,the car ran toward the cold Logan River out of control and sank into the water.
There was no time to tell the kids what to do.Within seconds,the car was filled with water."It was frightening that we were completely underwater so fast,remembers Andersen.Confused about the directions,Andersen began to search the freezing water for the kids,but however hard he tried he couldn't find them."If I don't get out,maybe none of us are able to get out."Andersen got out of his seat belt,swam through a broken window to the surface.That was when he saw a group of men,about ten in all,appear on the road.One after another,they raced down and jumped into the water,shouting,"Who else is in the car?"Andersen says thankfully,"It was like the sight of angels."
As the kids fully recovered in the following weeks,Andersen felt eager to thank the men who had saved them.He was surprised to learn that the group was a search-and-rescue team,who knew how to help the kids stay alive.
"It's just unbelievable that you'd have so many people there who knew how to do it,"says Andersen."Many people have asked me,'Did you witness a miracle（奇迹）there?' I always say,'I witnessed dozens.'"
1. At the beginning of the ski trip,Roger Andersen .| A．started his travel with a good feeling |
| B．was too tired to drive his car |
| C．was afraid of driving on the steep road |
| D．prepared for the possible trouble on the way |
| A．the broken car | B．his carelessness |
| C．the bad weather | D．the dangerous road |
| A．How Andersen ran into danger. |
| B．What Andersen saw underwater. |
| C．What the children did to help Andersen. |
| D．How Andersen tried to save his children. |
| A．stress the frightening accident |
| B．express his thanks to the rescue group |
| C．show the danger of driving on mountains |
| D．show his wish to help those people in need |
【推荐1】Frank and his brother Jack lived near the ocean. Frank was outgoing while Jack was shy. They liked doing different things. Frank was famous for organizing games of beach volleyball, football, and any other sport imaginable. Jack loved to draw, paint, or build sandcastles (沙堡).
Frank didn’t understand why Jack would rather do artistic things than play ball. He believed sports often allowed many kids to play together. That was when Jack’s idea hatched. He would show Frank what doing things together looked like!
After Jack finished creating a special sandcastle with stairs, towers and walls, he took pictures of it. Then he painted colorful posters featuring (突出) his sandcastle and the question, “Can you top this?” He hung his posters everywhere in town, announcing his plan for a day of sandcastle artistry—all ages welcome.
When Frank saw posters, he not so nicely told Jack that no one would come. Still, shortly after sunrise on Saturday, Jack was on the beach digging in the sand. By mid-morning, four kids were sculpting (雕塑) the sand alongside him. By noon, the number had increased a lot.
After Frank came back from his ball game, he went to check how his brother’s plan turned out. He couldn’t believe what he saw. At least 30 people were building a city of sandcastles, and everyone was chatting and laughing and working together! It was the most beautiful thing he had seen on the beach.
“I guess you’ve proved me wrong,” Frank said. “You should make this sandcastle day a yearly tradition!” Handing Frank a shovel (铲子) with a smile, Jack got started together with his brother on their super creation in the sand.
1. What does the underlined word “hatched” in Paragraph 2 probably mean in Chinese?| A．改变 | B．产生 | C．消失 | D．中断 |
| A．Beautiful towers. | B．A sandcastle day. | C．A town building. | D．Colorful posters. |
| A．It came from picture. | B．It proved Frank right. |
| C．It did work well. | D．It needed 30 people’s support. |
| A．Creative. | B．Honest. | C．Outgoing. | D．Caring. |
Thirty years have passed, but Odland can not get the memory out of his mind, nor the woman’s kind reaction. She was shocked, regained calmness and, in a kind voice, told the young Odland. “It is OK. It wasn’t your fault.” When she left the restaurant, she also left the future Fortune 500 CEO with a life lesson: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats the waiter.
Odland isn’t the only CEO to have made this discovery. Instead, it seems to be one of those few laws of the land that every CEO learns on the way up. It’s hard to get a dozen CEOs to agree about anything, but most agree with the Waiter Rule. They say how others treat the CEO says nothing. But how others treat the waiter is like a window into the soul.
Watch out for anyone who pulls out the power card to say something like, “I could buy this place and fire you,” or “I know the owner and I could have you fired.” Those who say such things have shown more about their character than about their wealth and power.
The CEO who came up with it, or at least first wrote it down, is Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson. He wrote a best-selling book called Swanson’s Unwritten Rules of Management. “A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, or to others, is not a nice person,” Swanson says. “I will never offer a job to the person who is sweet to the boss but turns rude to someone cleaning the tables.”
1. What happened after Odland dropped the ice cream onto the woman’s dress?
| A．He was fired. |
| B．He was blamed. |
| C．The woman comforted him. |
| D．The woman left the restaurant at once. |
| A．his experience as a waiter |
| B．the advice given by the CEOs |
| C．an article in Fortune |
| D．an interesting best-selling book |
| A．Fortune 500 companies | B．the Management Rules |
| C．Swanson’s book | D．the Waiter Rule |
| A．one should be nicer to important people |
| B．CEOs often show their power before others |
| C．one should respect others no matter who they are |
| D．CEOs often have meals in expensive restaurants |
【推荐3】Picking tomatoes
For as long as I can remember Grandma’s plentiful tomato garden has been a sign of summer’s end. Each September, just as the decreased heat of the sun suggests cooler days, Grandma requests my help in her tomato garden. She convinces me she cannot pick tomatoes without my youthful eyes and quick mind. She says we need to examine each tomato and agree on its readiness for picking. While Grandma’s request for my help in the tomato garden is always the same, her desire for my help seems to increase each year.
Grandma has eyes for finding even the tomatoes hidden by undergrowth and other tomatoes. I, however, just turn circles looking for the ones I think Grandma will like. I spot what looks like a ripe tomato, head in its direction, and then get sidetracked by another that appears to be equally ripe. I usually end up watching Grandma and trying to stay out of her way, which seems the only way my eyes and mind are useful.
There we are, lost in the tomato vines (藤). Grandma’s eyes are always knowing, and they are no different in the vegetable garden. From afar she spots what looks like a ripe tomato. As she walks toward the garden, she evaluates the tomato for a second time, but from a different angle. I already know it will end up in the basket with the pile of others Grandma has carefully chosen. However, Grandma acts as if she needs final look to be sure. She calls me to her side, kneels beside the vine while enjoying the warmth of the fading sunlight on her face, and grasps the tomato in her hand. She turns each round, red ball toward the sunlight before disconnecting it from the vine with a halfhearted smile.
She then looks at me. I nod my head and smile. Grandma assumes I smile in agreement with her tomato selection. I know I smile, instead, at her.
1. Why does Grandma ask the author to go to the tomato garden with her?| A．He can help pick more tomatoes. |
| B．He can learn the hardship of labor. |
| C．She enjoys staying with him while working. |
| D．She tries to share the happiness of harvest with him. |
| A．is an inefficient tomato picker |
| B．really has youthful eyes and quick mind |
| C．has spent a lot of time gardening with Grandma |
| D．is a naughty child trying to be out of Grandma’s sight |
| A．realized her true intentions |
| B．felt very happy to pick potatoes for her |
| C．confirmed that her choice of tomato is great |
| D．appreciated her skill in finding ripe tomatoes |
| A．The grandchild will become more skillful at gardening than Grandma. |
| B．Grandma will develop more patience in working with the grandchild. |
| C．The grandchild will gradually become more independent of Grandma. |
| D．Grandma’s need for the grandchild’s company will grow over time. |
