1 . 
Have you ever shouted at your computer because it wasn’t working? Of course, your computer can’t “shout” back. But AI researchers have been working on computers that can argue and perhaps even win debates (辩论) with humans.
IBM scientists recently published a paper in Nature about their new AI system—Project Debater. It can debate with people in front of a live audience (观众). After listening to arguments from its opponent (对手) the system can search around 400 million online articles in less than five minutes. And then it looks for ideas that can support its own argument.
Testing on the system began in 2019. When it debated with Harish Natarajan, a professional debater who holds the world record for the most debate competition victories. The topic was about subsidizing preschool (资助幼儿园)—and Project Debater argued to support this idea. Although Project Debater lost the debate in the end, the audience said it performed very well Interestingly, 58 percent of the audience said that Project Debater increased their knowledge about the topic—only 20 percent said the same about Natarajan.
According to Scientific American, results show that the system is able to form logical statements (有逻辑的陈述). However, ★ . Their goal is to help humans make better decisions, according to Ranit Aharanoy, manager of the Project Debater team. “It can debate both sides, so it can very quickly help you understand both sides of the problem, thus you can have a wider view of the problem and make a more thoughtful decision.” Aharanoy said.
Let’s wait and see how the Project Debater will develop in the near future.
1. According to paragraph 2, which one below is not the way of Project Debater working?| A．It writes ideas that can support its own argument. | B．It listens to its opponent’s arguments. |
| C．It searches online articles. | D．It debates with its opponent. |
| A．argued to support subsidizing preschool | B．won the debate in the end |
| C．set a world debating record | D．often argued against itself |
| A．forming logical statements is not easy. |
| B．some people didn’t believe Project Debater. |
| C．they can develop better system. |
| D．winning a debate is never the researchers’ goal. |
| A．Project Debater team | B．The new AI system | C．The logical statement | D．The wider view |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．We don’t know. | D．Negative. |
2 . Every living thing needs to reproduce. Reproducing means creating more members of your group. In order for plants to reproduce, they have to spread their seeds (种子) to other areas. Plants have developed all kinds of ways to do this.
The simplest way is gravity. Many seeds are inside of fruit. When fruit gets too heavy, it falls from a tree to the ground. Sometimes animals will pick up the fruit and drop it in another area. That helps move the seed even farther away. Apples spread this way.
Other plants use wind to spread their seeds. Dandelions (蒲公英) are a good example of this. Dandelion seeds are so light that when wind blows, it carries dandelion seeds to new places. Maple (枫树) seeds also use wind. Their seeds are connected with long, thin leaves that look like wings. When the seed falls from the tree, its “wings” help it fly farther from the tree.
Some animals help plants spread their seeds. The animals eat the seeds. While the seed is in the animal’s body, it stays whole, when the seed leaves the animal, it’s in a new place.
Ants also help spread seeds. Some seeds have a special smell that attracts ants. The ants bring the seeds back to their home, which of course is underground. They only eat part of the seed. They leave the rest of the seed underground. After that, the seed can start growing.
1. What does the word “gravity” mean in the second paragraph?| A．The action that makes animals drop seeds. | B．The help that moves seeds even farther away. |
| C．The need that comes from animals and plants. | D．The force that causes fruit to fall to the ground. |
| A．They use ants. | B．They use wind. | C．They use smells. | D．They use animals. |
a. They only eat part of the seed. b. They help seeds fall from the tree.
c. They carry seeds to the underground home. d. They pick up the fruit and move it far away.
e. They leave the rest of the seed underground.
| A．a, b, d | B．b, d, c | C．a, c, e | D．b, d, e |
| A．A mystery which creates more members of the group. |
| B．A description which gives facts about the plant. |
| C．An argumentation which confirms the point is correct or not. |
| D．A comedy which makes people laugh. |
| A．How Plants Spread Seeds? | B．Why Animals Pick Up Seeds? |
| C．How Wind Helps Seeds Spread? | D．Why Seeds Have a Special Trip? |
3 .
Education in Ancient Greece
From the ages of seven to fifteen, boys in most ancient Greek city states went to school, where they learnt to read and write. In school, boys mostly wrote on a tablet (a wooden frame filled with beeswax 蜂蜡) using a stylus. When they wanted to start again, they held the wax near to the fire so it melted away (融化) what they had written. They also learnt about music and how to play an instrument, such as a lyre. In addition, boys were taught maths and physical skills. __________________
The Olmecs passed their cacao knowledge to the Ancient Maya of Mexico and Central America, who made chocolate into a spicy drink used in ceremonies. Cacao (可可) started to become very valued. Later the Aztecs used cacao for trade and the cacao seeds as a form of money. In 1502, Christopher Columbus was the first European explorer to come into contact with cacao beans when he and his crew captured a trade ship. He supposed the beans were a type of almond (杏仁) and brought them back to Europe. The New Timelines Product
The book’s catalog (目录) is artfully rainbow-colored, dividing different historical periods into 10 chapters. As you turn the pages, you can clearly see the rainbow colors corresponding to (相对应) each historical period, which is very visual and easy to lock up. You can not only learn about nearly 1500 important historical events and people, appreciate classic famous quotes, but also appreciate about 1000 exquisite pictures of cultural relics and works of art. |
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1. In which SECTION of the newspaper can we read the news?
| A．HISTORY | B．PEOPLE | C．FOOD | D．SCIENCE |
| A．Write on a tablet. | B．Heat it up using fire. | C．Fill with beeswax. | D．Melt away a stylus. |
| A．The Explorer of Cacao | B．New Trade Cacao | C．The Birth of Cacao | D．How to Make Cacao |
| A．The colorful history book | B．The coves with timeline |
| C．The different periods of history | D．The works of art |
| A．There are many beautiful rainbows in the book. |
| B．The rainbow color is used to look up historical periods easily. |
| C．There are 10 different historical periods in the book. |
| D．You can learn 1500 events at least. |
4 . For Western designers, China and its rich culture have long been an inspiration for Western creative.
“It’s no doubt that China has always been a source (来源) of inspiration for designers,” says Amanda Hill, chief creative officer at A + E Networks, a global media company and home to some of the biggest fashion shows.
Earlier this year, the China Through A Looking Glass exhibition in New York exhibited 140 pieces of China-inspired fashionable clothing and Chinese works of art, with the aim of exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics (美学) on Western fashion and how China has inspired the fashionable imagination for centuries. The exhibition was warmly welcomed, showing that there is huge interest in Chinese influences.
“China is impossible to overlook (忽视),” says Hill. “Chinese models are the faces of beauty and fashion campaigns (活动) that sell dreams to women all over the world, which means Chinese women are not just consumers (消费者) of fashion—they also play an important role in this field.” Of course, today’s top Western designers are not only being influenced by China—some of the best fashion designers themselves are Chinese. “Vera Wang, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu are taking on Galliano, Albaz, Marc Jacobs—and beating them in design and sales,” adds Hill.
For Hill, it is impossible not to mention China as the leading player when discussing fashion. “The most famous designers are Chinese, so are the models and the consumers,” she says. “China is no longer just another market, it has become the market in many cases. If you talk about fashion today, you are talking about China—its influences, its direction, its amazing clothes, and how young designers and models are finally admitting (承认) that in many ways.”
1. What can we learn about the exhibition in New York?| A．It improved the sales of artworks. | B．It attracted a large number of visitors. |
| C．It showed ancient Chinese clothes. | D．It aimed to introduce Chinese models. |
| A．They are leading the fashion. | B．They start many fashion campaigns. |
| C．They admire super models. | D．They do business all over the world. |
| A．Learning from. | B．Looking down on. |
| C．Working with. | D．Competing against. |
| A．A+E Networks is a famous media company that holds many fashion shows. |
| B．Chinese are not only consumers of fashion but also fashion designers. |
| C．Chinese designers are better than Western ones in many ways. |
| D．China has grown to a power in the international fashion market. |
| A．Young Models Selling Dreams to the World |
| B．A Chinese Art Exhibition Held in New York |
| C．Differences Between Eastern and Western Aesthetics |
| D．Chinese Culture Inspiring International Fashion Trends |
5 . Cities around the world are racing to become “smart”. It’s just like a classroom full of hard-working students. Take Toronto, Canada, for example. Tech company Google has made public a 1,500-page plan. It is going to remake two neighborhoods with things like snow-melting roads.
To build smart cities, we need lots of new technologies, such as robots and artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies will lead to safer and more efficient (效率高的) cities. However, they will also raise questions about privacy.
But there is a more serious problem: Smart cities will be difficult to manage.
As we know, tech products are sometimes unreliable (不可靠的). The Internet and our computers break down regularly (经常). Tech products also age quickly. Only a few years into their lives, problems may become commoner and commoner.
In smart cities, many basic systems and services, such as water services, are based on such tech products. What if they break down regularly? Can you imagine the result?
New technologies in 2020 will be outdated before 2025. If we use smart technologies widely in cities, we will need to be prepared to replace them every few years. But who would want to pay this bill?
The most important problem is whether having a smart city will make us better at solving urban problems. Smart technologies can’t solve problems on their own. Suppose AI programs discover a road that needs to be repaired. It still requires people to show up with asphalt (沥青) and a steamroller (蒸汽压路机), doesn’t it?
As an engineer, I think smart technologies should have a place in cities. However, that place is not everywhere. For many of our urban (城市的) problems, we don’t really need the latest technologies. The best of the old ideas work better.
1. At the beginning of the passage, the writer uses the metaphor (比喻句) to _______.| A．help the readers understand better | B．make the language more beautiful |
| C．express his opinions | D．raise the readers’ interest |
| A．Invent snow-melting roads. | B．Make the company more efficient. |
| C．Remake two neighborhoods in Toronto. | D．Make public a plan for rebuilding Toronto. |
| A．The best of old ideas. | B．Lots of new technologies. |
| C．Asphalt and steamrollers. | D．The Internet and computers. |
| A．not as efficient as imagined | B．easier to manage |
| C．safe and convenient | D．harmful to the environment |
| A．tech products break down regularly in smart cities |
| B．it is difficult and expensive to manage a smart city |
| C．smart technologies can’t solve problems on their own |
| D．many new technologies become outdated within five years |
It’s important to have positive (积极的) feelings in our daily lives. Compared with some unhappy people those who are always pleased and relaxed are less likely (可能的) to get colds, according to a new study. The researchers from New York University said, “Being happy helps the body prevent (预防) diseases.”
“It seems that positive feelings may reduce (减少) the possibility of illnesses,” said the researcher Sheldon Cohen.
In an earlier study, Cohen’s team interviewed 193 adults every day for two weeks. In this period, the people told researchers about their happy or sad feelings that day. Two weeks later, all of them were made to catch colds by doctors, and they had to stay alone in a room for six days.
The results showed that each in the study was equal (平等的) to fall ill. But people who were lively and relaxed said they felt happy during the research. Their illnesses were less serious and lasted (持续) for a shorter time.
Cohen believes that when people have positive feelings, their bodies may produce a kind of chemical (化学物质) that helps to fight illnesses. So if you care about your health, please look on the bright side and make yourself happy all the time.
1. The passage tells us the importance of2. People who are always
3. Good feelings will make the illnesses
4. How long did the people stay alone in a room after having a cold according to the earlier study?
5. From Paragraph l, what can you learn from the research (研究) in New York University?
7 . Liaoning Provincial Museum (辽宁省博物馆) is a fun place for many students. They love to go there. Why? Let’s find out.
Many schools have their classes at the museum. “About 100 schools cooperate with us. They bring their students to our museum. Reciting poems (背诵诗歌) is often boring and difficult for students. To make it easy and fun. We give talks about poems and make shows to tell the stories of poets (诗人) like Li Bai, DuFu, and Lu You. We also teach students to write calligraphy (书法),” says Dong, a man from the museum.
Interestingly, the museum makes plays about those poets and asks students to act in them. Students recite poems in the plays and get to experience the lives of the poets.
The museum also cares about village students. It gives shows about the poets on a bus. The bus is like a moving (移动的) museum and it goes to villages far from the museum.
The museum brings ▲ to students’ lives and makes it so fun. That’s why students have a great love for the museum.
1. What does the word “cooperate” probably mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Have fun. | B．Work together. | C．Make friends. | D．Take a walk. |
①Give talks about poems. ②Watch shows about poets.
③Learn to write calligraphy. ④Experience poets’ lives in plays.
| A．①②③ | B．①②④ | C．①③④ | D．②③④ |
| A．The museum has a bus in it. |
| B．The museum looks like a bus. |
| C．The museum shows love for village students. |
| D．The museum makes shows about village students. |
| A．history | B．music | C．English | D．math |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
Everybody may be under stress. No matter what your age is, you can feel stressed out by things that are happening in your life.
Teenagers, however, have many more opportunities to get stressed than people in any other age group. Being a teenager is hard. You are not a child any more, but you are not an adult, even though you have to deal with some very grown-up problems and decisions. Families can be one of the biggest causes of stress, such as problems with parents arguing at home, or problems with brothers and sisters. Teenagers also have a lot of stress from school, either from their teachers or from their friends. Some teenagers also feel stressed about choosing their education after high school. Getting a place at university can be very difficult and some cannot afford to go to university. The stress about getting a job when finishing school is hard for some teenagers. There are so many young people finishing school and not enough jobs for them.
Sadly, there is nothing we can do to remove (除掉) these causes of stress from the lives of teenagers, but you can learn the best way to deal with it. Talking to people is one of the best ways to deal with stress. It may sound simple, but it is true. A problem shared is a problem halved (把……减半).
1. Being a teenager is often difficult because even though they are not adults, they must2. One of the biggest stress for teenagers is the problems with parents arguing at home or
3. Finding a job after finishing school can be difficult because there are
4. According to the passage, how can we deal with the stress in our life? (10个词以内)
5. Why can leaving high school be a stressful time for teenagers? (Use your own words) (15个词以内)
9 . One day, you open the fridge and find some moldy (发霉的) food. But before you can throw it away, your mother stops you. She doesn’t want to waste food. She cuts off the moldy part and eats the rest. Is it safe to do this?
Most kinds of mold (霉菌) are bad for us. It can grow on almost all kinds of food. Mold is usually green, white, black or grey. Mold makes food soft and changes its color. Moldy food tastes quite bad and it’s not safe to eat. So how do you deal with this situation?
If you find mold in soft food, just throw it away. Soft food, such as bread, tomatoes or hot dogs, usually contains (包含) water. This allows mold to easily grow below its surface. Bacteria (细菌) can also grow along with it. It’s easy to remove mold from hard food. The mold can’t grow very deeply inside this kind of food. You should cut about 2.5 cm around and below the mold to remove it. It’s OK to cut the moldy parts out of hard food and eat the rest. But if the food is completely covered with mold, you should still throw it away.
But some kinds of mold have good influence. Some kinds of mold can be used to make food. For example, penicillium (青霉菌) can be used to make many different kinds of cheeses, such as blue cheese. These cheeses are safe to eat and they’re quite delicious as well.
1. How does the writer lead into the topic?| A．By giving an opinion. | B．By listing numbers. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By asking a question. |
| A．It makes food smelly. | B．It makes food hard. |
| C．It changes food’s shape. | D．It changes food’s color. |
| A．Peel it. | B．Throw it away. |
| C．Boil it and then eat it. | D．Cut off the moldy part and eat the rest. |
| A．They taste quite delicious. | B．They can be used to make cheese. |
| C．They are bad for our health. | D．They are more likely to grow on mold. |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
10 . If you live in the United States, you can’t have a full-time job until you are 16 years old. At 14 or 15, you can work part-time after school or on weekends, and during the summer vacation you can work 40 hours each week. Does all that mean that if you are under 14, you can’t make your own money? Of course not! Kids, between the ages of 10 and 13 can make money by doing lots of things.
Valerie, 11, makes money by cleaning up other people’s yards. Lena, 13, makes money by knitting (织) dog sweaters and selling them to her neighbors. Reisa, 12, is taking art classes and she often shows her pictures to people. Many people have asked her to draw pictures for them and they paid her for them. Jasmine, 13, writes articles for different magazines.
Making money is learning. By working to make your own money, you can learn some useful skills. They can help you succeed in the future. These skills can include things like getting on with others, using technology and using your time. Some people think that asking for money is a lot easier than making it. However, if you make your own money, you won’t have to depend on others. The five dollars that you make will make you feel a lot happier than the twenty dollars you ask for.
1. Kids can have full-time jobs at the age of ________ in the US.| A．17 | B．14 | C．13 | D．10 |
| A．after school | B．on weekends | C．during the summer vacation | D．on Monday morning |
| A．cleaning up other people’s yards | B．drawing pictures for others |
| C．writing articles for different magazines | D．knitting dog sweaters and selling them to her neighbors |
| A．Kids can make money by doing lots of things. |
| B．American children who are 15 can work after school |
| C．Making your own money is better than asking for money from others. |
| D．Kids don’t need to get on with others when making money. |
| A．parents won’t let their children make their own money in the US |
| B．it’s hard for kids under 14 years old to make money in the US |
| C．kids can learn skills if they try to make money on their own |
| D．if kids try to make money, they won’t have enough time to study |
