1 . Many industries are facing a shortage of labour. Warehousing has grown rapidly. And robots are now indispensable,picking items off shelves and helping people pack an exponentially rising numbers of boxes. They are even beginning to walk slowly along some pavements, delivering goods or food right to people’s doors. Having more robots to boost productivity would be a good thing.
And yet many people fear that robots will destroy jobs. A paper in 2013 by economists at Oxford University was widely misinterpreted as meaning that 47% of American jobs were at risk of being automated.
In fact,concerns about mass unemployment because of robots are overblown. The evidence suggests robots will be ultimately beneficial for labour markets. A Yale University study found that an increase of one robot unit per 1,000 workers boosted a company’s employment in Japan. Research from the Bank of Korea found that notarization moved jobs away from manufacturing into other sectors, but that there was no decrease in overall vacancies(空缺).Another study，by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and colleagues elsewhere, looked at Finnish firms and concluded that their use of advanced technologies led to increases in hiring.
For all that, the march of the robots will bring big changes to workplaces. The skills and firms that are rewarded will shift,too.But that need not be the disaster many fear. One supposed example of “bad automation” is self-service checkouts in supermarkets because they displace human workers. Checkout staff who retrain to help customers pick items from aisles may well find that dealing with people in need is more rewarding than spending all day scanning barcodes.
Certainly, some people will be on the losing end of change even as the robots make society as a whole better off. One lesson from the freewheeling globalization of the 1990s and 2000s is that the growth in trade that was overwhelmingly beneficial triggered a political backlash(强烈抵制)because the losers felt left behind. That is one more reason why firms and governments would do well to recognize the value of retraining and lifelong learning. As jobs change, workers should be helped to acquire new skills, including how to work with and manage the robots that will increasingly be their colleagues.
The potential gains from the robot revolution have just started. It won’t be the plot in some films where the robots fight against their human masters and cause mass unemployment.
1. What does the underlined word “indispensable”mean in Paragraph 1?| A．Essential. | B．Spare. | C．Detective. | D．Complicated. |
| A．To prove that robots will not be a disaster. |
| B．To remind us of the big changes at workplaces. |
| C．To illustrate checkout staff will scan barcodes slowly. |
| D．To tell firms the value of retraining and lifelong learning. |
| A．It will push losers to leave behind. |
| B．Robots may lead to mass unemployment. |
| C．People will help robots to gain new skills. |
| D．Robots and people may become co-workers. |
| A．jobs will be at risk due to robots |
| B．no evidence shows that robots will destroy jobs |
| C．notarization will quickly boost mass employment |
| D．people have benefited a lot from the robot revolution |
2 . The hydrogen-powered drone(无人机)，called “Qingting” in Chinese pronounced the same as the Chinese word “dragonfly”,has completed the automatic inspection of the 500 kilovolt of Wangnan Line.
It is the first time that a fuel-cell drone powered by hydrogen has been used in the national electrical power system to carry out inspection programs, meaning that hydrogen energy equipment has been firstly applied into the inspection of power grid(网).
The inspection drone traditionally is powered by lithium batteries which can last 20-30 minutes on average.There exists a certain threat to inspection safety if the drone falls out of control due to its use of large-capacity lithium battery pack, which easily leads to burn and explode. Thus, the current urgent need of inspection work for power grid requires a new kind of drone with long battery life,continuous inspection,and high security.
It is introduced that, this year State Grid Wenzhou Power Supply Company,together with Jinling Carbon Energy Digital Intelligence Technology Laboratory, finally successfully invented the first hydrogen-powered drone after half a year’s exploration and perseverance. As an electric drone taking hydrogen fuel cell to generate the power and hydrogen,hydrogen does not burn in thefuel cell during the operation of “Qingting”. Instead,it can be transformed directly into electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen through the action of platinum-carbon catalyst in a clean and carbon-free way, and the only product is water.
It is learned that it offers power autonomy of 2 hours, about four times that of the lithium battery drone. The life of hydrogen fuel cell is more than 2000 hours,about 20 times that of the lithium battery.The battery of hydrogen fuel cell contains no heavy metal pollutants, whose materials can be recycled after destruction. It is tested that the “Qingting”drone fails to burn or explode when it falls out of control,which performs better in safety.
The success of the initial inspection of the“Qingting”drone has filled the gap of the application of hydrogen fuel in the electric power drone. Next, the company will expand the multi-directional application of hydrogen drones in inspection for power grid by carrying different functional equipment to make breakthroughs in the technical barriers. Moreover, under the national policy of actively promoting the application of clean energy, accelerating the development of hydrogen fuel cells in the field of unmanned aviation vehicles(UAVs)is of significance.
1. What can we learn about the traditional drone?| A．It is powered by hydrogen. |
| B．It can work for a long time. |
| C．It may burn if failing to control. |
| D．It can ensure the safety of power grid. |
| A．How “Qingting” works. |
| B．Why “Qingting”is safe. |
| C．What advantages“Qingting”has. |
| D．What effects“Qingting”has on the environment. |
| A．The battery it uses is recyclable. |
| B．It has been used to examine power grid. |
| C．It can change hydrogen directly into electricity. |
| D．It can prevent the hydrogen battery from explosion. |
| A．Hydrogen fuel has been applied into other fields. |
| B．Hydrogen fuel has a bright future in many fields. |
| C．Hydrogen drone is widely used in the field of UAVs. |
| D．Hydrogen drone has taken along limited functional equipment. |
3 . It was rush hour on the morning of June1. Heather Santellano, 36, was driving her car on Houston Harte Frontage Road with her nine-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son in the back. Suddenly, a red pickup truck cut them off. Santellano turned the wheel hard to the right, sending the car running off the road and down an embankment (路堤) that ended in a drop-off after about 50 feet. If the car didn’t stop, it would go up into the air and slide onto the road some 20 feet below. Then came a bit of luck. As the car raced towards the edge, its undercarriage got stuck on the embankment, stopping it cold. The occupants, however, were far from safe. The car had come to rest on top of a retaining wall, literally teetering on the edge of disaster. One sudden move by anyone inside could send it over.
Jacob Rodriguez, a veteran, watched the scene unfold from the company where he works. Then, he and four other men ran to the car. They leaped onto the trunk to balance the weight as the terrified kids in the back seat watched.
Meanwhile, Julio Vasquez and his nephew, Marco Vasquez, were driving to their jobs at nearby Premier Automotive. Julio jumped out of the car to help while Marco went to the shop, grabbed a heavy-duty strap and returned to the dangling car. He tied the car to and F-350 truck that had been driven over by one of the other rescuers. With the car secured the group carefully opened the back doors and helped the children out.
But their departure shifted the car’s weight, causing it to lean forward. The men, still on the trunk, implored Santellano to jump into the back seat to re-balance the weight. She did and then inched out from the back door. Finally, the men carefully got off the trunk Everyone was safe. “Another foot,” Rodriguez told the media, “and this would be different story.”
1. What happened to Santellano’ scar after a red pickup truck cut it off?| A．It ran into the truck and was holed. |
| B．It rushed to the roadside and was broken. |
| C．It went into the air and fell sharply onto the road. |
| D．It slipped off the road and down an embankment. |
| A．Because everyone got off the car. |
| B．Because Santellano jumped into the back seat. |
| C．Because the helpers ran to the car and leaped onto the trunk. |
| D．Because the weight of the car was unbalanced when the children left. |
| A．Generous and outgoing. | B．Friendly and humble. |
| C．Helpful and professional. | D．Ambitious and optimistic. |
4 . Tours come in many creative forms, such as guided walking tours, self-guided walking tours, coastal walks and bush walks.
Guided Walking Tours
Guided walking tours are an informative and fun way to deeply understand the area about a city’s history and the people there. You can take this kind of tour anytime and anywhere. Guided walking tours come with a guide with the knowledge and history of the area and they can help you with a lot of the history that happened in the area. Guided walking tours are better at showing sites in-depth.
Self-Guided Walking Tours
Self-guided tours are good if you wish to do things at your own pace. With self-guided tours, you usually have a brochure on the area that you follow and it will tell you about local people’s favorite landmarks. Self-guided tours are suitable for individuals or close friends. You can take them in any season you like.
Coastal Walking Tours
Coastal walks are ideal for those who enjoy breathtaking views. Coastal walks will often take you inland for part of your journey, only to rejoin the coastline at some other spectacular views mother nature has provided. Coastal walks are for all year round. I have done some great walks in winter and seen mother nature at her best, and the best part about doing tours during winter is that there are not very many people that will almost have the tour to themselves.
Bush Walking Tours
Bush walks, according to research, can help reduce depression and raise self-esteem. Bush walks can be a family activity with your dog throughout the year. Some bush walks may take more than one day. Whenever you want to take a bush walk, you should keep in mind that all bush walks should be researched thoroughly as you may need special equipment like waterproof trousers. At the very least you should let your family or friends know where you are going. This is useful if you get lost.
Hope you can find the most suitable tour for yourself.
1. What can we learn about guided walking tours from the passage?| A．It can be a family activity that may include pets. |
| B．You can have a further understanding of the area. |
| C．You can enjoy breathtaking views during the tour. |
| D．You can know the landmarks with the help of local people. |
| A．Bush walking tours. | B．Guided walking tours. |
| C．Coastal walking tours. | D．Self-guided walking tours. |
| A．You can participate anytime of the year. |
| B．You should buy special equipment in advance. |
| C．You will take part in both inland and coastline journeys. |
| D．You need a brochure to introduce the tours’ special features. |
5 . Family is the warmest place where members always help each other, especially in the most difficult times.
My husband and I went through tough times many years ago. However, we didn’t mention the difficulties to our children. The only thing they knew clearly was that we had to
Our situation wasn’t improving, and we knew that we would have to look for outside help. Just as we reached the point of
You could imagine how overjoyed we were to receive it, which was enough to bring us through the desperate time. We couldn’t help but
Later, our son applied for a student loan so that he could attend university. It was then that we
Finally, with great
| A．make up for | B．come up with | C．cut back on | D．look forward to |
| A．bother | B．harm | C．encourage | D．support |
| A．anger | B．desperation | C．hope | D．relief |
| A．receiver’s | B．giver’s | C．organizer’s | D．partner’s |
| A．related | B．contributed | C．distributed | D．devoted |
| A．recall | B．infer | C．imagine | D．wonder |
| A．discovered | B．thought | C．ensured | D．admitted |
| A．pessimistic | B．disappointed | C．frightened | D．guilty |
| A．interaction | B．explanation | C．expectation | D．hesitation |
| A．obviously | B．willingly | C．gradually | D．accidentally |
6 . “After 30 years of reading cardiograms (心电图), I can never tell whether it’s from a man or woman, or the age of the person,” said Eric Topol, a cardiologist from Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. “A machine can detect if a person has anaemia (贫血) or other difficult diagnoses (诊断).”
Topol is excited not only about how machines are already better than experts at spotting problems, but how they can discover patterns that experts wouldn’t even notice. “In Japan, doctors are using machine vision to pick up polyps (息肉) in real time, and detecting whether or not they could be cancerous and whether they should have a biopsy,” he said. “Machines will not replace physicians—but physicians making use of AI will soon replace those not using it.”
Still, these are early days for the application of AI in healthcare. Pearse Keane, a consultant doctor at Moorrelds Eye Hospital, has been leading a collaboration between Moor fields and Google’s Deep Mind Health. In 2018, he famously published a proof-of-concept paper in Nature showing the erst successful AI diagnosis for eye disease. “The algorithm that we’ve developed isn’t in clinical use at the minute, so we’re trying to implement this now,” Keane said.
Keane mentioned the INSIGHT study, which is looking into eye disease and its link to other conditions such as diabetes (糖尿病). “We are using the eye as a window to the rest of the body. With deep learning, we can now look at a retinal (视网膜）photograph and say: ‘This is a woman, she’s 58 years old, she’s not a smoker or a diabetic, her BMI is around 25, and her blood pressure is around 150 over 85’. Now, to me, that’s staggering.” Keane said.
The INSIGHT study is analysing more than three million OCT scans from around 300,000 patients. “We now know, for every person having had a retinal scan here, who’s gone on to develop a heart attack or diabetes,” he said. “The reason why we’re excited is that we think that if we can get the appropriate data sets and learn them deeply, we can find much more in the back of the eye about the health of the rest of the body.”
“The application of AI for healthcare and medicine is about precision and accuracy, but that’s not all,” said Topol. The most important aspect is how AI can promote a stronger human connection between doctor and patient. “We see patients in single digit numbers of minutes. And that’s not enough, you need the gift of time, which AI can give back,” he said. “Next year this will be the standard,” he believes. “Rather than doctors being data clerks, they will be making eye contact with patients. There’s no algorithm for empathy. That’s a human characteristic that we have to develop and get back in the way it used to be.”
1. According to Topol, machines in healthcare ______.| A．can pick up polyps |
| B．will replace doctors |
| C．are already better than experts |
| D．can discover if a patient has diseases |
| A．evaluate the effects of AI in healthcare |
| B．introduce a patient’s personal information |
| C．explain how deep learning detects diseases |
| D．show the present outcome of AI’s application |
| A．AI has been the standard of some advanced hospitals. |
| B．AI can improve the relationship between doctors and patients. |
| C．With deep learning, the researchers can find the secrets of the eye. |
| D．Doctors will spend more time on face-to-face communication with patients. |
| A．The AI’s application on diagnosis. |
| B．Successful AI diagnosis for eye disease. |
| C．The great clinical progress in deep learning. |
| D．The impact of AI on promoting human connection. |
7 . Farmed fish should have the same legal protection as other farmed animals, according to an animal welfare group. The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, which has Carrie Johnson as a supporter, says fish deserve to be treated with the same care as cows, pigs, sheep and other livestock because they experience stress and pain.
The foundation is focusing on improving fish welfare during slaughter (屠宰) because that is where the biggest differences in protection lie.
Slaughterhouses for land animals are required to have a vet on site and must have closed-circuit television in all areas where animals are handled, stunned and killed, with footage stored for independent inspection. Such legal requirements do not apply to fish slaughter facilities, which are not subject to routine welfare inspections by public bodies.
The UK industry, which rears up to 80 million fish a year, has instead adopted voluntary codes of practice. A report by the foundation cites evidence of abuses of fish revealed last year by The Times. A stunning machine at the firm’s plant at Arnish on the Isle of Lewis failed to make them unconscious and workers used their fingers to tear the gills (鳃) and struggled to keep up with the volume of fish wriggling on the unit. Fish were thrown and kicked as they struggled on the ground in 2020 at Test Valley Trout Farming in Hampshire, which supplied the Ritz and Harrods. Fish considered unprofitable were dropped on the floor and left to die. The company said the treatment of the fish was unacceptable and it operated under “the best industry standards available”.
The foundation’s report refers to the findings of the government’s Farm Animal Welfare committee, which said in a 2014 opinion on fish welfare that “at least some species, including trout, have a sensory experience of pain” as well as “a degree of sense”.
Studies have shown that fish feel pain and change their behaviour to avoid it. In one study, goldfish were given an electric shock in an area of a tank where they received food. They avoided that area for three days before hunger overcame their fear.
The foundation report states that the UK government is failing aquatic animals dismally and calls for unannounced welfare inspections of fish slaughterhouses and says they should be required to install closed-circuit television, with footage reviewed by public bodies.
1. What can we provide for the farmed fish?| A．Comfortable place. | B．Less pain. |
| C．Enough food. | D．Gentle love. |
| A．concerned | B．puzzled |
| C．surprised | D．scared |
| A．To encourage people to treat fish kindly. |
| B．To reveal the evidence of abuses of fish. |
| C．To appeal for the improvement of fish welfare. |
| D．To explain how fish experience pain during slaughter. |
8 . Tips on How to Use Body Language in Interviews
When was the last time you went to an interview? How did it go? There are lots of things to remember and prepare. However, one important thing to think about is your body language as it can really help you get the job. With a good understanding of body language in interviews, you can communicate the right messages, and even understand what the interviewer is saying or thinking. Here are some really useful things you need to know about body language in interviews.
Greetings
When greeting the interviewer, smile, look him in the eye and introduce yourself in a strong and confident voice. Also, remember that in most English-speaking countries (the UK, the USA, Australia, Canada, etc.), a firm handshake is seen as a sign of trust; and a limp handshake could make you appear weak or disinterested. Experts recommend waiting for the interviewer to extend his hand first.
Palms (手掌)
When possible, keep your palms facing up to show that you’re open, trustworthy and interested. Research has shown that if we can’t see the other person’s open palms, we subconsciously become suspicious of them.
Mirroring
Mirroring involves copying what someone does with their body. For example, if the interviewer places a hand on their leg, you should do the same, but not too obviously. Experts have shown that mirroring someone can make him like you, or even think that you’re more honest and trustworthy. However, be careful—if the other person knows about this technique, he might notice you doing it.
Sitting position
When sitting, if you lean back, you could appear lazy or arrogant; and if you lean forward too much, you might appear aggressive. The ideal posture is to sit with your back straight and your shoulders back a bit, leaning in very slightly. Sit with your legs slightly apart to give the impression of self-confidence and try to angle your knees and feet so they’re pointing towards the interviewer.
1. A good understanding of body language can help you ______.| A．succeed in getting the job |
| B．express the correct messages |
| C．know more about the interviewer |
| D．perform better than other interviewees |
| A．extend your hand first |
| B．sit with your legs apart |
| C．keep your palms facing down |
| D．copy what the interviewer does |
| A．Adventure. | B．Entertainment. | C．Life. | D．Profile. |
9 . Elvis Presley was one of the greatest musicians in rock and roll history who changed the way people enjoyed music. Born on January 8, 1935, Presley was raised by loving working-class parents. He received his first guitar as a gift on his 11th birthday and had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at his high school. After graduating in 1953, hе did a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream.
In 1955, Presley began to develop a following for his unusual musical style and good looks. That same year, he signed with RCA. After that, Presley was on a roll, scoring with his first No.1 single as well as his first No.1 album, and signing a movie contract—all in 1956. From very humble (卑微的) beginnings, he grew into one of the biggest names in rock and roll.
Presley was hugely popular, releasing album after album of perfectly written and performed songs and creating a huge body of work that was the envy of anyone during the rock era. He was also a big influence in the Civil Rights Movement at the moment when black music was becoming popular. His home, Graceland, also became a landmark. After his death, countless fans from around the world visit the famous residence every year.
Figures like Presley helped create the image of the “rock star” as a cultural icon in America. In the mid-20th century, singers and musicians became superstars due to the wider distribution of music and the post-war economic growth, which led to much more free time and income for American families. The rebellious (叛逆的) rock stars inspired them to create their own, more liberated identity outside the cultural norms (准则) in the 1950s. Colorful figures like Presley influenced an entire generation of Americans.
1. What do we know about Presley as a young boy?| A．He had a gift for music. | B．His family was rich. |
| C．He received a guitar in 1953. | D．His family didn’t support his dream. |
| A．Busy with work. | B．Successful in career. |
| C．Attractive to fans. | D．Included in a ranking list. |
| A．A loss of identity. | B．The growth of economy. |
| C．A challenge to standards. | D．A change in social status. |
| A．Rock and Roll and Its Origin. |
| B．Elvis Presley and His Influence. |
| C．The Influential Figures in Rock and Roll. |
| D．The Ups and Downs of Elvis Presley’s Life. |
10 . A few weeks ago, I received a package containing seeds from my friend. When I asked her what they would
I sowed the seeds in a flowerpot. In the first few days, I was very excited to search for the slightest signs, but
I watered the plants in dry periods. On the eighth day, to my great
I am certain that after a few more days, my plants will be ready for
Let us all slow our pace down and be patient. So long as we take steps to set our hearts free, time and patience will
| A．grow | B．run | C．look | D．break |
| A．immediately | B．finally | C．quickly | D．regularly |
| A．anything | B．everything | C．something | D．nothing |
| A．shocked | B．disappointed | C．embarrassed | D．scared |
| A．surprise | B．pity | C．shame | D．anxiety |
| A．packed | B．lined | C．crowded | D．piled |
| A．courage | B．freedom | C．interest | D．relief |
| A．harvest | B．loss | C．sights | D．rest |
| A．picking | B．ending | C．brightening | D．taking |
| A．impress | B．assist | C．surround | D．reward |
