1 . This month, the Internet was flooded with wonderful digital art portraits, thanks to the work of the latest artificial intelligence-assisted application to go viral: Lensa. Users uploaded their photographs to the App and then—for a small fee—it used AI to transform their profile pictures into, say, a magical warrior princess version of themselves, in no time at all.
This year has seen a breakthrough for AI-driven image generators, which are now better than ever in quality, speed and affordability. If that sounds great to you, you might not be one of the millions of humans whose livelihoods depend on being able to exchange those skills for money.
Some artists predicted that a computer would recreate the aura of a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci in the near future. As long as there are enough data for the AI to train itself, it can copy numerous masterpieces just in several minutes. It seems unavoidable that a large number of artists would lose their jobs.
“I see it less as a threat and more of an opportunity,” the UK-based illustrator Michelle Thompson said, adding, “Like everything else, there will always be artists who can use the tools better.”
These tools are only as good as the data sets they are trained on. Human imagination, on the other hand, has no limit. For Dryhurst, an artist from Germany, AI models “could attempt to make a pale version of something we did years ago”, but that “doesn’t account for what we might do next”.
The kind of artificial intelligence we might imagine replacing artists—an entirely autonomous creative robot—does not yet exist, but it is coming. And as AI becomes more universal, artists, illustrators and designers will ultimately be set apart not by if, but by how, they use the technology.
1. Why does the author mention Lensa in Paragraph 1?A.To recommend the new App. | B.To inform latest news. |
C.To lead in the AI topic. | D.To introduce its new function. |
A.Concerned. | B.Favorable. | C.Unclear. | D.Critical. |
A.Accuracy. | B.Diversity. | C.Creativity. | D.Efficiency. |
A.Is AI coming into our daily life? | B.Can AI copy masterpieces of great artists? |
C.Shall we welcome new AI technology? | D.Will AI replace artists in the future? |
2 . In 2013, my husband Robin took a new job in Ghana. We relocated from London, where I worked as a photographer, to the capital, Accra.Robin worked,but my visa didn’t permit me to, and I was left homesick and lacking
In September 2018,after one bad thunderstorm,I found a bird,barely a month old,on the ground. He was
For the next 84 days, the
A.purpose | B.interest | C.experience | D.confidence |
A.family | B.sports | C.nature | D.school |
A.grateful | B.alive | C.stressed | D.scared |
A.envied | B.controlled | C.recognized | D.abandoned |
A.survive | B.fight | C.escape | D.play |
A.go with | B.care for | C.focus on | D.speak about |
A.travel | B.stay | C.wild | D.change |
A.rare | B.lazy | C.proud | D.tiny |
A.noises | B.dances | C.flights | D.stops |
A.kindly | B.cheerfully | C.once | D.never |
A.remind | B.promise | C.cheat | D.motivate |
A.attracted | B.honored | C.shocked | D.rewarded |
A.high | B.strong | C.smart | D.calm |
A.Raising | B.Tolerating | C.Evaluating | D.Amusing |
A.secret | B.message | C.news | D.lesson |
3 . The Glover kids in Newburgh, New York, want to make a little extra money themselves before the school opens. So, earlier this week, they set up a lemonade stand on the side of the road.
Now, in most stories, that’s when the police
Whitney posted the picture on social media with explanatory words. The
Dozens of customers have
A.Progress | B.Business | C.Budget | D.Service |
A.demanded | B.proposed | C.warned | D.informed |
A.angry | B.generous | C.anxious | D.responsible |
A.take over | B.leave out | C.shut down | D.tear apart |
A.course | B.licence | C.fund | D.record |
A.surprised | B.tired | C.upset | D.confused |
A.context | B.case | C.reason | D.issue |
A.other than | B.instead of | C.as for | D.due to |
A.investigated | B.prevented | C.praised | D.punished |
A.contributions | B.differences | C.objections | D.adjustments |
A.posing | B.exchanging | C.preparing | D.searching |
A.refreshing | B.effective | C.amusing | D.creative |
A.apology | B.development | C.support | D.debate |
A.stood out | B.stood by | C.stopped out | D.stopped by |
A.change | B.donation | C.supply | D.application |
4 . The Language of Flowers
Ding dong! I looked up from the couch. Who in the world could that be? My body was troubled with illness, so I’d
I
Instead of returning to the couch, I
The group had followed him and picked very
The more I understood what the flowers were
A.hidden | B.given | C.driven | D.broken |
A.forbid | B.accept | C.act | D.respond |
A.cautiously | B.reluctantly | C.instantly | D.cheerfully |
A.size | B.style | C.uniqueness | D.shape |
A.go together | B.stand out | C.mix up | D.fade away |
A.informed | B.thanked | C.rewarded | D.telephoned |
A.delivery | B.program | C.mystery | D.scene |
A.companion | B.message | C.commitment | D.gift |
A.expensive | B.rare | C.specific | D.fresh |
A.explained | B.clarified | C.defined | D.analyzed |
A.pain | B.fortune | C.sympathy | D.sunshine |
A.modest | B.tolerant | C.formal | D.meaningful |
A.involving | B.saying | C.smelling | D.signing |
A.advocated | B.confirmed | C.required | D.earned |
A.ambition | B.value | C.curiosity | D.fantasy |
5 . This happened when I was ten. On a normal Sunday, I went to the barber shop where I always went. That day, along with the barber there was an assistant, who had recently
So I sat for the haircut. The uncle asked me how
He smiled. Before starting the
I
The moment I said it, the assistant
I admit I was too
From that day on, I
I'm
A.left | B.opened | C.joined | D.visited |
A.much | B.long | C.often | D.soon |
A.instructed | B.invited | C.promised | D.convinced |
A.discussion | B.journey | C.training | D.haircut |
A.agreed | B.heard | C.hoped | D.knew |
A.forget | B.tolerate | C.guarantee | D.understand |
A.urged | B.shouted | C.laughed | D.helped |
A.angry | B.proud | C.scared | D.curious |
A.anxious | B.appealing | C.encouraging | D.awkward |
A.suddenly | B.completely | C.temporarily | D.regularly |
A.important | B.exciting | C.strange | D.interesting |
A.learn | B.enter | C.change | D.respect |
A.hard | B.small | C.good | D.complex |
A.sorry | B.confident | C.grateful | D.embarrassed |
A.difference | B.mistake | C.choice | D.joke |
6 . Jonathan Jones, 12, was overcome with emotion after his principal, who is also color blind, let him
As soon as Jones put the glasses on, he appeared to be immediately
“I was feeling joy that I could
The boy’s mother posted a(n)
She wrote “After posting the video, we’ve been touched by how many
For Jonathan, with the new glasses comes a new
A.borrow | B.polish | C.remove | D.adjust |
A.disappointed | B.annoyed | C.surprised | D.embarrassed |
A.calmed down | B.broke down | C.cheered up | D.woke up |
A.mixing | B.painting | C.changing | D.exploring |
A.finally | B.rarely | C.constantly | D.occasionally |
A.tension | B.sadness | C.relief | D.shame |
A.picture | B.article | C.video | D.introduction |
A.moved | B.shocked | C.confused | D.entertained |
A.loaning | B.costing | C.saving | D.collecting |
A.wealthy | B.generous | C.competent | D.ambitious |
A.limited | B.cheap | C.multiple | D.fashionable |
A.find | B.produce | C.fix | D.afford |
A.match | B.equip | C.replace | D.compare |
A.treat | B.instruct | C.help | D.accompany |
A.future | B.view | C.situation | D.record |
7 . Michael Gonsalves, a chef of Golden Oak at Disney World, has a cuisine concept rooted in fresh, locally-sourced ingredients that originated from childhood harvesting produce from their family garden with his mom to eventually leading kitchens at Walt Disney World Resorts to employ a sustainable model.
“Truly the whole process starts with menu planning,” he said. Creating one dish leads into the creation of many more through the end-to-end use of products. As chefs, they are always searching for the best ingredients. It is then their focus to ensure they appreciate and respect all that go into each and every one of them. For example, they source chicken that is naturally grown and fed on a natural plant forward diet, no hormones (激素) or additives — that’s used in many ways throughout menus from a simple grilled chicken breast to bone soup. Nothing goes to waste.
When they do have waste, even if minimal, they shift it from landfills to transform it into compost (堆肥) that’s then used across the Walt Disney World property. They also support Second Harvest, a local community food bank where healthy produce, prepared, but not served, meals eatable for human consumption are donated. Disney also works with pig farmers when they can’t distribute foods past the point of safety for human consumption. Besides, wildlife reservations love to get the meat because tigers and wild cats can still eat that.
Their operations are “on a path to a sustainable zero waste kitchen of tomorrow” where chefs learn the full-life cycle of plants from seed to plate and gain a better understanding and appreciation for the product and their craft.
Golden Oak at Disney has millions of bees that produce up to 300 pounds of honey per year, plus those bees help with cross pollination (授粉) of their gardens on a daily basis. They advocate a culture that helps develop not only the quality of food, but an appreciation for nature.
1. Where did Michael Gonsalves’ idea about cuisine come from?A.His mom’s suggestions. | B.His dream of becoming a chef. |
C.His interest in delicious food. | D.His labor experience as a child. |
A.They are grilled to eat. | B.They are used to the fullest. |
C.They are divided into groups. | D.They are selected by quality. |
A.Give examples about zero waste. |
B.Introduce the unique habit of wildlife. |
C.Stress the importance of natural food. |
D.Explain the operation mode of the food bank. |
A.Disney World:New Cuisine Road |
B.Michael Gonsalves:Creative Chef |
C.Michael Gonsalves:Advocate of Food Diversity |
D.Disney World:Pioneer in Environmental Protection |
8 . Life in the summertime is often full of pests. Like most Long Island homeowners, I want to ensure my suburban life with pest-free living. So it was with wide-eyed wonder that I greeted the smiling exterminator who rang my bell.
“We'll be serving your neighbors, Mike and Sarah (I'm not familiar with either one by name).” he waved in the other direction. “Since we'll have a team here tomorrow, we're offering a discount.” He came out with numbers beginning from $299 then in seconds to $89.
“You've probably been seeing the ant hills around.” he moved toward my front walkway and lawn. “And have you seen the bees that dig nests in the ground?” he continued with his head shaking up and down pushing me to do the same.
“What we do is spray three feet out from your foundation and three feet up.” As he was talking and without breaking eye contact, he opened his iPad cover and began operating at the screen to show me frightening images. “It also kills other pests, like spiders. It is the best pesticide,” he said, pausing for effect.
He then went into soft talk to close the deal, correctly foreseeing that I would be concerned about safety and the environmental impact on my vegetable garden, plants and our little patch of planet here on Long Island. “The products are environmentally responsible, safe with children and pets,” he said.
I'm unkind when it comes to unwanted visitors entering on my out-of-doors moments. Any insect found in my house or on my deck is bound to be poisoned or pancaked.
Unfortunately for the exterminator, just as I was considering making an appointment. Billy, my fearless husband, pulled into our driveway, which made me ask for a business card out of politeness instead.
1. How did the author feel at the sight of the exterminator?A.Frightened. | B.Disappointed. | C.Surprised. | D.Puzzled. |
A.A free pesticide. | B.A discount. | C.An iPad for free. | D.A group rate. |
A.It might cause frightening images. | B.It might be too expensive for her to afford. |
C.It might harm her family and surroundings. | D.It might have no effect on unwanted visitors. |
A.The author is sure to phone the salesman later. |
B.Billy made up his mind to purchase the pesticide. |
C.Billy drove home to prevent the author from being cheated by the exterminator. |
D.The author had planned to buy the pesticide before Billy appeared. |
9 . Some of the world’s most famous musicians recently gathered in Paris and New Orleans to celebrate the first annual International Jazz Day. UNESCO( United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) recently set April 30 as a day to raise awareness of jazz music, its significance, and its potential as a unifying(联合) voice across cultures.
Despite the celebrations, though, in the U.S. the jazz audience continues to shrink and grow older, and the music has failed to connect with younger generations.
It’s Jason Moran’s job to help change that. As the Kennedy Center’s artistic adviser for jazz, Moran hopes to widen the audience for jazz, make the music more accessible, and preserve its history and culture.
“Jazz seems like it’s not really a part of the American appetite,” Moran tells National Public Radio’s reporter Neal Conan. “What I’m hoping to accomplish is that my generation and younger start to reconsider and understand that jazz is not black and write anymore. It’s actually color, and it’s actually digital.”
Moran says one of the problems with jazz today is that the entertainment aspect of the music has been lost. “The music can’t be presented today the way it was in 1908 or 1958. It has to continue to move, because the way the world works is not the same,” says Moran.
Last year, Moran worked on a project that arranged Fats Waller’s music for a dance party, “Just to kind of put it back in the mind that Waller is dance music as much as it is concert music,” says Moran. “For me, it’s the recontextualization. In music, where does the emotion(情感) lie? Are we, as humans, gaining any insight(感悟) on how to talk about ourselves and how something as abstract as a Charlie Parker record gets us into a dialogue about our emotions and our thoughts? Sometimes we lose sight that the music has a wider context,” says Moran, “so I want to continue those dialogues. Those are the things I want to foster.”
1. Why did UNESCO set April 30 as International Jazz Day?A.To remember the birth of jazz. |
B.To protect cultural diversity. |
C.To encourage people to study music. |
D.To recognize the value of jazz. |
A.Jazz becoming more accessible. |
B.The production of jazz growing faster. |
C.Jazz being less popular with the young. |
D.The jazz audience becoming larger. |
A.It will disappear gradually. |
B.It remains black and white. |
C.It should keep up with the times. |
D.It changes every 50 years. |
A.Exploring the Future of Jazz. |
B.The Rise and Fall of Jazz. |
C.The Story of a Jazz Musician. |
D.Celebrating the Jazz Day. |
10 . Spending time outdoors has long been linked (联系) to better health. Gardening goes beyond just beautifying outdoor spaces—it can have a deep effect on our physical and mental (身心上的) health.
Gardening involves physical activity that works all the main muscle (肌肉) groups, which is helpful for overall health. “Activities such as digging, planting, weeding and harvesting require movement and can help to improve strength,” said Clayton, CEO of an online lawn care company. “Performing these activities regularly can help burn calories, and keep a healthy weight.”
Beyond burning calories and building muscle, lots of studies have shown that gardening can improve the immune system (免疫系统). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people get at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, and gardening is listed as a suitable activity. Doing garden work for that time each week can reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease. Additionally, spending time outdoors makes us get close to natural sunlight, which is important for vitamin D synth.
Gardening provides a chance for social connection, too. It can be a shared activity among family members, friends or neighbors, building relationships and a sense of belonging.
Gardening also offers cognitive (认知的) benefits. It excites the senses, improves focus and encourages problem-solving and creativity. It provides a chance to learn about plants, ecosystems and the environment, developing a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature.
1. What is Clayton’s attitude towards gardening?A.Supportive. | B.Doubtful. | C.Unclear | D.Uncaring. |
A.It improves focus. | B.It is a waste of time. |
C.It can keep a body in shape. | D.It helps to reduce the risk of diseases. |
A.It contributes to creativity. | B.It encourages problem-solving. |
C.It builds relationships between people. | D.It improves people’s awareness of safety. |
A.How to Start a Garden | B.Choose a Garden or Not |
C.What Plants Grow Best in a Garden | D.Start Gardening and Get the Health Benefits |