1 . There’re plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables available in local markets. But while those red juicy strawberries look fresh, consumers have no way of knowing how long the fruit can be stored at home. The same goes for distribution centers and supermarkets.

Now, the food technology startup OneThird, located in the Netherlands, is looking to change that with an infrared (红外线) scanner that can accurately predict how long fresh fruits and vegetables will last. The startup is named OneThird because one-third of food is wasted due to spoilage (变质) every year.

The startup’s founders were inspired by a UK company that uses this type of technology in the medical field and decided to see if it was applicable for food. “I looked at the challenges in the food-supply chain and found out that 40 percent of food waste is fresh produce. One of the biggest causes of waste is that nobody knows shelf life.” founder and CEO of OneThird, Marco Snikkers said.

Quality inspections at farms and distribution centers are done manually (手动地). An inspector checks the fruits and vegetables and makes notes about the size and quality. Then the food is sent to consumers without considering travel time or how long the produce will remain usable.

Using the infrared scanner at the distribution center means that inspectors can use the information to approve shipments that will ensure the produce can be distributed on a timely basis. This means that a shipment of rip e tomatoes will not be sent long distances away.

OneThird’s scanner combines the technology of optical scanners, image modeling, and Artificial Intelligence to provide accurate shelf-life predictions.

The startup found that the technology can reduce up to 25 percent produce waste that was caused by spoilage. “Global food waste has an enormous environmental impact; reducing global food waste cuts global greenhouse gas emissions and promotes global food security,” said Jacob Smith, a climate expert from the University of Maine.

1. What problem does OneThird aim to solve?

A．The high cost of storing fresh fruits and vegetables.

B．Inefficient quality inspections at distribution centers.

C．Food waste caused by uncertainty about its shelf life.

D．Consumers’ difficulty judging the freshness of produce.

2. What inspired OneThird to come up with the idea of using infrared scanner?

A．The use of the device in another field.	B．Observation of the food-supply chain.
C．Consumer demands for fresher produce.	D．Experts’advice on food waste reduction.

3. What can we learn about the manual quality inspections?

A．They are time-consuming and costly.	B．They are not performed at a regular time.
C．The inspectors tend to make wrong judgement.	D．The shipping time is not taken into consideration.

4. What’s Jacob’s attitude to OneThird’s effort?

A．Approving.

B．Doubtful.

C．Tolerant.

D．Dismissive.

2 . Microsoft says it has used the natural language Al ChatGPT to control robots with simple text commands. The approach means people with no engineering experience will be able to instruct robots to carry out tasks.

Microsoft said the research was intended “to see if ChatGPT can think beyond text, and reason about the physical world to help with robotics tasks”. Robots are typically controlled by software that has been written by humans and sets out precise instructions, or else by some form of network Al that can learn to carry out tasks based on large numbers of examples.

Neither Microsoft nor Open Al responded to a request for comment on this, but Microsoft said ChatGPT allows a user to monitor the process. ChatGPT isn’t in direct, real-time control of the robot, but simply creates the code that controls it. Microsoft said ChatGPT output shouldn’t be used directly to control a robot without “careful analysis”, but experts warn that it is risky to even begin thinking about placing Al in control of physical machines.

Mark Coeckelbergh at the University of Vienna, Austria, says that regulations may be needed in order to set out where Al can be used and who is responsible should things go wrong. “It’s a very dangerous thing to just say ‘let’s give control of these computers to AI’,” says Coeckelbergh. “The problem with contemporary artificial intelligence is that it’s not transparent(透明的) to the user. That’s a huge problem.”

Others were doubtful about the ability of language models to program robots for complex tasks. Kathleen Richardson at De Montfort University Leicester, UK, says that Al language models are convincing mimics (模仿者), but that their real ability — including their adaptability to control robots — is often overblown. “I think Microsoft, and most people who design robots,overstate what they can and can’t do,” she says.

1. What’s the purpose of the research conducted by Microsoft?

A．To prove ChatGPT’s capacity to carry out tasks.

B．To test ChatGPT’s ability to control robots.

C．To teach ChatGPT to give accurate instructions.

D．To identify the hidden problems of ChatGPT.

2. What attitude does Microsoft show towards the direct use of ChatGPT onto a robot?

A．Curious.

B．Optimistic.

C．Supportive.

D．Opposed.

3. What does Mark Coeckelbergh want to convey?

A．It’s safe to use Al to control physical machines.

B．AI’s adaptability to control robots is reliable.

C．Regulations of Al use should be in place.

D．The problem with Al is still under debate.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．ChatGPT tells robots what to do

B．Power of ChatGPT is changing us

C．Problems of ChatGPT need solving

D．Al takes control of robots wisely

3 . The maker of ChatGPT recently announced its next move into generative artificial intelligence. San Francisco-based OpenAI’s new text-to-video generator, called Sora, is a tool that instantly makes short videos based on written commands, called prompts.

Sora is not the first of its kind. Google, Meta and Runway ML are among the other companies to have developed similar technology. But the high quality of videos displayed by OpenAI — some released after CEO Sam Altman asked social media users to send in ideas for written prompts-surprised observers.

A photographer from New Hampshire posted one suggestion, or prompt, on X. The prompt gave details about a kind of food to be cooked, gnocchi (意大利团子), as well as the setting — an old Italian country kitchen. The prompt said: “An instructional cooking session for homemade gnocchi, hosted by a grandmother — a social media influencer, set in a rustic (土气的) Tuscan country kitchen.” Altman answered a short time later with a realistic video that showed what the prompt described.

The tool is not yet publicly available. OpenAI has given limited information about how it was built. The company also has not stated what imagery and video sources were used to train Sora. At the same time, the video results led to fears about the possible ethical and societal effects.

The New York Times and some writers have taken legal actions against OpenAI for its use of copyrighted works of writing to train ChatGPT. And OpenAI pays a fee to The Associated Press, the source of this report, to license its text news archive (档案) . OpenAI said in a blog post that it is communicating with artists, policymakers and others before releasing the new tool to the public.

The company added that it is working with “red teamers” — people who try to find problems and give helpful suggestions — to develop Sora. “We are working with red teamers-express in areas like misinformation, hateful content, and bias — who will be adversarially testing the model,” the company said. “We’re also building tools to help detect misleading content such as a detection classifier that can tell when a video was generated by Sora.”

1. What makes Sora impressive?

A．Its extraordinary video quality.	B．Its ethical and societal influence.
C．Its artificial intelligence history.	D．Its written commands and prompts.

2. What can we infer from the text?

A．Some disagreements over Sora have arisen.

B．Sora is the first text-to-video generator in history.

C．OpenAI CEO Altman wrote a prompt as an example.

D．All the details about how Sora was built have been shared.

3. What is the main idea of Paragraph 6?

A．The company’s current challenge.

B．The company’s advanced technology.

C．The company’s problems in management.

D．The company’s efforts for Sora’s improvement.

4. What is the author’s attitude towards Sora?

A．Neutral.

B．Optimistic.

C．Pessimistic.

D．Cautious.

4 . New research has found a direct correlation between how a child visually tracks his mother’s eyes and the condition. How a toddler responds to baby talk could help diagnose autism (自闭症) years before symptoms begin, according to the new research.

A study examined responses to parents’ use of playful, emotional, exaggerated tones, known as “motherese” (mother’s ‘baby talk’), to capture a child’s attention. Eye-tracking tests showed that children who did not respond had weaker social and language abilities. Professor Karen Pierce, of California University in San Diego, co-author of the research, said, “We know the earlier we can introduce treatment, the more effective it is likely to be. But most children don’t get a formal diagnosis until around the age of three or four. There is a real need for easy and effective tools that can be used on young children. Eye-tacking is a great place to start.”

In experiments, 653 toddlers aged one to two years old were exposed to two one-minute videos featuring a woman speaking motherese or abstract scenes. Their eyes controlled which one played. Participants without ASD (autism spectrum disorder) showed consistently high interest in the woman speaking motherese, spending an average 80 percent of the time watching it. They largely ignored the second video which showed a busy highway, abstract shapes and numbers and had accompanying electronic music.

However, attention levels of peers diagnosed with ASD spanned the full range of concentration levels, with some focusing 100 per cent on the random images. A group who fixed on motherese less than 30 per cent of the time could be accurately identified as having ASD through this measurement alone. These children also showed lower scores on subsequent tests of language and social skills.

Whether less attention to motherese is the cause of reduced sociability or merely a symptom has yet to be determined. However, researchers found it appears to be a highly accurate biomarker for the condition. Prof Pierce said, “The fact we can reliably identify children with autism using such a simple and rapid eye-tracking test is really remarkable. In future, we hope to use a child’s attention to motherese as a clue for which treatments they may most benefit from and as a tool for measuring how well those treatments work.”

1. What is the purpose of the study?

A．To diagnose autism early.	B．To check a child’s eyesight.
C．To test a child’s reaction to motherese.	D．To catch a child’s attention.

2. What can we know according to Pierce?

A．Eye-tracking test is a good way to cure autism.

B．It is essential to bring in ASD treatment in early time.

C．There is an urgent need for complex tool applied to young children.

D．Most children don’t get an informal diagnosis before the age of three or four.

3. How did participants without ASD responded to the videos in experiments?

A．They mainly overlooked the second one.

B．They fixed 80 percent on the random images.

C．They focused on motherese more than 30% percent of time.

D．They showed occasionally high interest in the woman speaking motherese.

4. What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．How to heal autism.

B．The process of eye-tracking test.

C．How to improve toddlers’ language and social skills.

D．The connection between a child’s reaction to motherese and autism.

5 . My 88-year-old grandfather and I are both starting 2022 as new college graduates. He was ________ to continue school because he got married and started a ________ in the 1950s. Over the next few decades, he managed to ________ his roles as a husband, a father of five, working at a local bank and taking a college class here and there.

Our higher ________ journey together at Palo Alto College began in 2016. I had just ________ from high school then and my grandfather, 82, was ________ to take classes to make his lifelong dream of earning his bachelor’s degree become a ________. In 2017, we were both ________into the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Over the past year, his health has continued to ________ and he now has difficulty speaking. As graduation day ________ in December, my family and I ________ university officials to approve of my grandfather having a degree of recognition. We had the ________ that he could have that memory before his death.

My grandfather was worried he would steal the show from my graduation moment when I told him we were graduating together. I told him this is our moment and that I want to _______   it with him. I’m so ________ and proud that I was able to have this moment with him.

I ________ my grandfather’s lifelong passion of learning and his strong wills.

1.

A．proud

B．eager

C．unhappy

D．unable

2.

A．bank

B．family

C．company

D．business

3.

A．compare

B．evaluate

C．balance

D．accept

4.

A．education

B．survival

C．recovery

D．research

5.

A．benefited

B．returned

C．graduated

D．heard

6.

A．shocked

B．advised

C．forced

D．determined

7.

A．reality

B．challenge

C．memory

D．question

8.

A．checked

B．admitted

C．refused

D．invited

9.

A．restore

B．change

C．decline

D．improve

10.

A．involved

B．established

C．passed

D．approached

11.

A．encouraged

B．persuaded

C．ordered

D．reminded

12.

A．conclusion

B．achievement

C．excitement

D．expectation

13.

A．share

B．regret

C．control

D．discuss

14.

A．independent

B．helpful

C．grateful

D．polite

15.

A．examine

B．appreciate

C．consider

D．understand

6 . Desperate to help his 96-year-old mother to speak her mother tongue again, Keith McDermott made an appeal on social media and was met with a flood of kind responses. The old lady, Ray, was moved to tears after talking on the phone with one of the enthusiastic respondents in Welsh.

Ray moved to America after meeting her husband when she was only 18, hence waving goodbye to her life in Wales. She continued to speak Welsh with her mum-keeping a little bit of home. But she lost her beloved mum four decades ago and hadn't spoken Welsh ever since.

Despite suffering from short-term memory loss and sometimes not remembering what she has done recently, Ray's childhood memories in Wales remain clear. “She wants to return but I know, given her age, such long-distance travel is out of the question.” said Keith, “Once she mentioned ‘I wish I could speak Welsh again but I suppose I never will.’ It was then that I thought I should make her wish happen.”

So Keith, 70, posted on social media in the New York Welsh area asking for any Welsh speakers that could speak Welsh with his mum. And he was touched, as well as a little shocked, to receive over 30 responses within half an hour. Keith thanked everyone and eventually asked Melisa to give his mum a phone call. “Speaking with Melisa, her (Ray's) Welsh was a little rusty. A few more Welsh conversations and I think she'd be fluent again,” added Keith.

“When you have a parent in their nineties, you will find you two have something in common: you're both old, so I am very sympathetic to my mother's feelings of loneliness and isolation (孤立). I'm feeling it myself.” Keith hopes to set up more Welsh phone conversations for his mum and Melisa has promised to send Ray some short stories in Welsh to remind her of her life in Wales.

1. Why did Keith post a message on social media?

A．To gather American Welsh speakers.

B．To help his mum speak Welsh again.

C．To slow down his mum's memory loss.

D．To track down his family's Welsh origin.

2. How did Keith feel after seeing the responses?

A．Surprised and moved.	B．Concerned and thankful.
C．Sympathetic and excited.	D．Astonished and isolated.

3. What is conveyed in the story?

A．Social media contribute to closer family ties.

B．Mother tongue means more than a language.

C．Childhood experiences shape one's later life.

D．One will be more sensitive when getting older.

4. Where is the text probably taken from?

A．A community noticeboard.

B．A health magazine.

C．A language-learning website.

D．A local newspaper.

8 . If your bookshelf is looking a little empty and collecting dust, or you’re trying to start reading more, a book box will do it all for you and send you an accurate selection from your favourites.

Finding the right book subscription can be tricky, though, which is why we’ve gathered some of the best book subscription boxes in Australia for you to enjoy.

Bionic Book Subscription, $75 per six months at Etsy

This personalized book subscription service will send you books via an algorithm (算法) that learns your taste preferences to select and send books you’ll love. You can enjoy a mix of new and recent releases across fiction and contemporary classics.

Mystery Book Subscription Box, $99.95 per quarter at Isubscribe

Enjoy a great selection of pre-loved books, coming straight to your door, with a range of extras to keep you reading comfortable. You can expect to receive three or six books sent to you month by month, according to your choice.

“Purchased as a gift subscription for Father’s Day and he absolutely loves it! Such a fantastic and unique option for a book lover yourself or a loved one,” a five-star reviewer said.

Australian Magazine Subscription, $36.99 per month at Magshop

Magshop features all of the top selling Australian magazine subscriptions in one place, making it easy for you to enjoy your favourites. You’ll find all kinds of books—from entertainment, lifestyle, fashion and beauty to games and puzzles, health and fitness, cooking, homes, and so much more.

Ultimate Mystery Book Subscription Box, $190 per year at Etsy

Sent to you month by month, each box contains three or six great books with one hand-drawn bookmark, a new handmade candle in a variety of colours, smells and containers, and a new pair of socks.

“Got 2/3 books so far and I’m loving the selection! Can’t believe I got a perfect-condition hardcover on my first go. It was an amazing surprise. The custom little bookmarks are cute too. I’d recommend this subscription in a heartbeat and can’t wait to purchase a second round,” a five-star reviewer said.

1. Which one is the least costly if you subscribe for a year?

A．Bionic Book Subscription.

B．Mystery Book Subscription Box.

C．Australian Magazine Subscription.

D．Ultimate Mystery Book Subscription Box.

2. What do we know about Australian Magazine Subscription?

A．It covers a wide range of interest.

B．It contains extra hand-made items.

C．It can be purchased as a gift subscription.

D．It learns readers’ taste preferences via an algorithm.

3. What do Mystery Book Subscription Box and Ultimate Mystery Book Subscription Box have in common?

A．A supply of top-selling books.	B．A service of monthly delivery.
C．A mix of new and recent releases.	D．A selection of amazing hardcovers.

9 . In 2017, my husband-to-be, Ricardo, brought his border collie (牧羊犬), Jack, on our first date. I was swiftly struck by the pair of them. Fast forward 18 months and they’d fitted in _______ with me and my daughter, Cayla. The _______ between Jack and us is like no other — he brings us great joy and makes us happy. Now we were all _______ to take on a new family member.

Then came our _______ to the animal rescue centre. It was a love at first sight between Cayla and a little dog, Ruby. As I _______ this little creature instantly sat back. She made herself as tall and _______ as she could, trying to contain her _______ while apparently letting me know what a good girl she was. It _______ our adventures as a family of five _______.

One day, Cayla scootered (玩踏板车) off out of sight along the footpath, Jack and Ruby by her side. Before long, with an ________ bark. Jack ran back, forcing us to ________ we did, and found Cayla, bloody-kneed after falling off.

Cayla looked up smiling, overjoyed that the dogs had come through for her in her moment of ________. One went for help while the other ________ the wounded. It’s a wonderful ________ of how our dogs care for their pack. And I can’t ________ our family without them.

1.

A．beautifully

B．awkwardly

C．naughtily

D．passively

2.

A．secret

B．difference

C．bond

D．tension

3.

A．nervous

B．ready

C．cautious

D．patient

4.

A．letter

B．guide

C．introduction

D．trip

5.

A．approached

B．panicked

C．listened

D．left

6.

A．important

B．noisy

C．still

D．noble

7.

A．fear

B．excitement

C．surprise

D．despair

8.

A．failed

B．moved

C．hurt

D．worked

9.

A．continued

B．began

C．neared

D．slowed

10.

A．urgent

B．uncomfortable

C．amusing

D．annoying

11.

A．hide

B．escape

C．accept

D．follow

12.

A．anger

B．need

C．stress

D．loneliness

13.

A．carried

B．greeted

C．found

D．tended

14.

A．opportunity

B．excuse

C．example

D．concept

15.

A．support

B．contact

C．imagine

D．save

10 . PREVIEWS AND OPENINGS

Queen of the Mist
Charing Cross Theater
Previews from Saturday, 15 August. Opening Wednesday, 19 August.

Queen of the Mist, directed by Elizabeth Margolius, will have its first showing at the Charing Cross Theater. The musical is based on the true story of Anna Edson Taylor, who in 1901 set out to be the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel (桶) of her own design.

The Son
Duke of York’s Theater
Previews from Monday, 24 August. Opening Wednesday, 2 September.

Written by internationally known Florian Zeller who is praised by The Guardian as “the most exciting dramatist of our time”, The Son, which focuses on intergenerational relationships, family relationships and teenage depression, is directed by Michael Longhurst.

The Fishermen
Trafalgar Theatre Studio Two
Previews from Thursday, 3 September. Opening Saturday, 5 September.

In a small town in Nigeria, Ben and his three older brothers go to fish at a magical river. Unnoticed and carefree, they continued until the predictions of a mad man change the course of their lives forever. The Fishermen is based on the Man Booker Prize novel by Chigozie Obioma, who appears as an original new voice of west African literature. The play is directed by Jack McNamara.

Groan Ups
Vaudeville Theater
Previews from Sunday, 20 September. Opening Saturday, 10 October.

Directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward, Groan Ups is a completely new play which looks at how people grow up and develop. Are we the same at 30 as we were 13?

1. What is the play directed by Elizabeth Margolius probably about?

A．A risk-taking trip.	B．A birthday party.
C．A career as a designer.	D．A person’s entire life.

2. Who directs a play set in a Nigerian town in Africa?

A．Michael Longhurst.	B．Chigozie Obioma.
C．Jack McNamara.	D．Kirsty Patrick Ward.

3. When does the play about personal growth and development open?

A．On Wednesday, 19 August.	B．On Wednesday, 2 September.
C．On Saturday, 5 September.	D．On Saturday, 10 October.