1 . If job seekers knew companies were using AI to fill open positions, would it stop them from applying for the job? The answer, according to a recent study, is yes — sometimes.

The researchers found that in certain instances, like the screening (筛选) of applications, participants usually accepted some degree of automation. But in other instances, like interviews, automation could stop job seekers from applying for a position.

Companies facing recent labor shortages are increasingly turning to AI as a way to facilitate and speed up the hiring process. AI can be used in tasks such as screening job candidates, checking professional licenses, and interviewing candidates.

The new research suggests that using AI in hiring could be quite opposite. For instance, in one part of the study, participants were shown fictional job postings and then asked if they intended to apply for the position. The researchers found that if the job posting said that AI was used both to screen applicants and to conduct interviews, participants’ intention to apply for the position averaged 2.77 on a six-point scale. If AI was used only for the screening process, participants’ intention to apply averaged 3.73.

In another experiment, the researchers also found that study participants saw pros and cons in the use of AI in interviewing. When told the hiring would be fully automated, some participants expected the whole hiring process to be more consistent (始终如一的) in its judgments. But others tended to believe that they had less voice in the final outcome. Overall, the study results suggest this concern tends to outweigh the appreciation of AI’s lack of bias (偏见) at the interviewing stage.

A mixed approach may be a way to get the best of both worlds. Participants may have been more open to automation earlier in the hiring process because they could see some benefits from using AI — such as less-biased decisions. But during the later stages applicants expect personal interaction, to give them an opportunity to sell themselves and to learn more about the company.

1. Why do companies increasingly turn to AI in hiring?

A．To attract more applicants.	B．To boost hiring process.
C．To pick out top candidates.	D．To solve labor shortages.

2. In which part do participants prefer automation?

A．Screening job candidates.	B．Interviewing candidates.
C．Grading professional licenses.	D．Predicting final outcomes.

3. What does the underlined part refer to in Paragraph 5?

A．Less AI involvement.	B．Lack of consistent judgments.
C．Less-biased decisions.	D．Lack of personal interaction.

4. What’s the main idea of the text?

A．Hi-tech is a two-edged sword.

B．AI finds its way to hiring process.

C．Automation may discourage job seekers.

D．A mixed approach should be adopted in hiring.

2 . One afternoon I toured an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting. I was looking forward to a quiet view of the wonderful works.

A young couple viewing the paintings ahead of me chatted________between themselves. I watched them a moment and ________she was doing all the talking. I admired his patience for________her constant words. Annoyed by their noise, I moved on. I encountered them several times as I moved through the various rooms of art. ________I heard her constant talking, I moved away quickly.

I was standing at the counter of the museum gift store making a________when the couple approached the exit. Before they left,the man ________into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He turned it into a long cane (手杖) and then fought his way________into the coatroom to get his wife's jacket.

“He's a_________man,” the clerk at the counter said, “Most of us would________if we were blinded at such a young age. During his recovery, he made a________that his life wouldn't change. So, as before, he and his wife come in whenever there's a new art show.”

“But what does he get out of the art?” I asked, He can't see.”

“Can't see! You're wrong. He sees a lot. ________than you or I do,” the clerk said, “His wife________each painting so he can see it in his head.”

I learned something about patience, courage and love that day. I saw the________of a young wife describing paintings to a person without ________and the courage of a husband who would not allow blindness to change his life. And I saw the love________by two people as I watched this couple walk away arm in arm.

1.

A．continuously

B．carelessly

C．hardly

D．excitedly

2.

A．required

B．decided

C．blamed

D．announced

3.

A．coming up with

B．adding up to

C．putting up with

D．living up to

4.

A．As though

B．Now that

C．Each time

D．Ever since

5.

A．difference

B．deal

C．fortune

D．purchase

6.

A．looked

B．got

C．reached

D．broke

7.

A．casually

B．deliberately

C．hard

D．easily

8.

A．brave

B．lucky

C．cold

D．clever

9.

A．make up

B．give up

C．wake up

D．turn up

10.

A．discovery

B．complaint

C．promise

D．contribution

11.

A．Less

B．Better

C．Worse

D．More

12.

A．describes

B．draws

C．touches

D．praises

13.

A．wisdom

B．patience

C．courage

D．faith

14.

A．thought

B．hearing

C．emotion

D．sight

15.

A．expected

B．shared

C．received

D．imagined

3 . Hunter Leininger, from Georgia, USA has been adventure racing(探险速度赛) since he was seven years old. Now, at age 19, he has set world records, traveled around the globe, and_______ over 50 races! And he is now on a mission to_______ other young people to follow their own _______.

Hunter became interested in adventure racing through his dad. While playing football, Hunter was looking to_______ something new. He asked his dad if he could_______ him in an adventure race, and he went on to complete his first race in about 6 hours.

He has learned a lot of perseverance through adventure racing. There can be a lot of _______ in a race, but if you drop out, your whole team will have to_______. This is unlike other team   sports, where you can stop and be _______   by another player. In racing, and in his life, the sport has_______ Hunter to keep going when times get__________.

As reported by the USARA, Hunter wants to inspire young people that they can__________ incredible things at whatever__________ and that they don’t have to__________ until they get older. __________ people put off their dreams at a young age, they tend to never come back to them, which ____________   them never accomplishing anything. The best time to do something is now, so go after your dreams before it’s too late!

1.

A．missed

B．reported

C．organized

D．completed

2.

A．inspire

B．invite

C．advise

D．order

3.

A．interests

B．dreams

C．paths

D．rhythms

4.

A．try

B．discover

C．create

D．share

5.

A．help

B．meet

C．accompany

D．join

6.

A．fun

B．harm

C．pain

D．cooperation

7.

A．restart

B．stop

C．change

D．struggle

8.

A．replaced

B．supported

C．encouraged

D．caught

9.

A．required

B．forced

C．attracted

D．taught

10.

A．better

B．tougher

C．special

D．strange

11.

A．accept

B．imagine

C．choose

D．achieve

12.

A．age

B．level

C．degree

D．status

13.

A．wait

B．practice

C．perform

D．compete

14.

A．Unless

B．Although

C．Once

D．Because

15.

A．avoids

B．prevents

C．results in

D．objects to

4 . I was standing across the lady in the laundry (洗衣店). I got angry as I thought she had _______ my pants. The woman stated _______ that I hadn’t dropped my pants there.

“Can’t you just check to _______ if there are some blue pants lying around somewhere?” I asked. She said that I didn’t bring any pants _______ she always double checked people’s orders. She went to try one more time and I thought about the last time I had seen them. When she _______ empty-handed, I suddenly had a(n) _______. “Hold on a second,” I said nervously. “I need to _______ my wife.” I asked my wife to look in the drawer (抽屉) where I usually collect the dirty clothes. Then I _______ until my wife got back on the phone. “Yeah, you’ve got some blue pants in here,” she said.

It’s not the first time I’ve _______ made negative assumptions (假定). Once I got ________   with a waiter who ignored me when I spoke to him from behind. When he finally ________, I realized he was deaf.

I always give myself ________ to read people’s minds and make assumptions with very little ________. We apparently think we don’t need to check our assumptions. We’re always ________ to give the thing a little bit of ________, which people need regardless of whether our assumptions are right.

1.

A．sold

B．hidden

C．lost

D．stolen

2.

A．firmly

B．slowly

C．quickly

D．rudely

3.

A．guess

B．request

C．imply

D．see

4.

A．if

B．because

C．though

D．when

5.

A．returned

B．came

C．left

D．joined

6.

A．note

B．plan

C．problem

D．idea

7.

A．save

B．call

C．find

D．help

8.

A．apologized

B．agreed

C．argued

D．explored

9.

A．honestly

B．bravely

C．unfairly

D．finally

10.

A．annoyed

B．happy

C．frightened

D．excited

11.

A．went around

B．looked around

C．came around

D．turned around

12.

A．time

B．energies

C．permission

D．opportunities

13.

A．information

B．order

C．translation

D．instruction

14.

A．easy

B．unwilling

C．uncertain

D．ready

15.

A．ignorance

B．kindness

C．mercy

D．inspiration

5 . When you were trying to figure out what to buy for the environmentalist on your holiday list, fur probably didn’t cross your mind. But some ecologists and fashion (时装)enthusiasts are trying to bring back the market for fur made from nutria(海狸鼠).

Unusual fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn have showcased nutria fur made into clothes in different styles. “It sounds crazy to talk about guilt-free fur-unless you understand that the nutria are destroying vast wetlands every year”, says Cree McCree, project director of Righteous Fur.

Scientists in Louisiana were so concerned that they decided to pay hunters $5 a tail. Some of the fur ends up in the fashion shows like the one in Brooklyn last month.

Nutria were brought there from Argentina by fur farmers and let go into the wild. “The ecosystem down there can’t handle this non-native species(物种).It’s destroying the environment. It’s them or us.” says Michael Massimi, an expert in this field.

The fur trade kept nutria in check for decades，but when the market for nutria collapsed in the late 1980s，the cat-sized animals multiplied like crazy.

Biologist Edmond Mouton runs the nutria control program for Louisiana. He says it’s not easy to convince people that nutria fur is green, but he has no doubt about it. Hunters bring in more than 300,000 nutria tails a year, so part of Mouton’s job these days is trying to promote fur.

Then there’s Righteous Fur and its unusual fashion. Model Paige Morgan says，”To give people a guilt-free option that they can wear without someone throwing paint on them-I think that’s going to be a massive thing, at least here in New York.” Designer Jennifer Anderson admits it took her a while to come around to the opinion that using nutria fur for her creations is morally acceptable. She is trying to come up with a label to attach to nutria fashions to show it is eco-friendly.

1. What is the purpose of the fashion shows in New Orleans and Brooklyn?

A．To promote guilt-free fur.

B．To expand the fashion market.

C．To introduce a new brand.

D．To celebrate a winter holiday.

2. Why are scientists concerned about nutria?

A．Nutria damage the ecosystem seriously.

B．Nutria are an endangered species.

C．Nutria hurt local cat-sized animals.

D．Nutria are illegally hunted.

3. What does the underlined word “collapsed” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Boomed.

B．Became mature.

C．Remained stable.

D．Crashed.

4. What can we infer about wearing fur in New York according to Morgan?

A．It’s formal.

B．It’s risky.

C．It’s harmful.

D．It’s traditional.