1 . The Thing About Yetis
Everyone knows yetis love winter. They love snowball fights and hot chocolate and building snow houses. But even yetis complain about the cold. So here’s a secret about yetis: Sometimes they miss summer. Sometimes, they have to bring a little bit of summer to the coldest of winter days. Those yetis, they’re just full of surprises.
But Excuse Me That Is My Book
Charlie and Lola have already won the hearts of readers in three winning books. And now they’re quickly gathering more fans as an animated series on the Disney Channel.
In this new tale, Lola has become interested in Beetles, Bugs, and Butterflies, the best book in the whole world. It’s funny, it has pictures, and it is “great and very interesting”. It’s the only book she wants to take out of the library. What will she do when she discovers that somebody else has borrowed her book?
Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales
Brer Rabbit is causing trouble again — this time it brings together all the stories from the Tales of Uncle Remus series.
The Uncle Remus tales, originally written down by Joel Chandler Harris, were first published over a hundred years ago, and serve as the largest collection of African-American folklore. In this four-book series. Julius Lester makes some changes so the stories will be understood and enjoyed by new generations of readers.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Mouse
A lively story about discovering the joy and meaning of Christmas.
When Mr. Mouse and his family move into a big house, they discover something new and wonderful: an evergreen tree decorated with lights and pleasant smells in the air. They hear about a happy man named Santa who brings gifts to celebrate Jesus’s birth on a day called Christmas. So Mr. and Mrs. Mouse decide that their family should celebrate Christmas, too.
1. What’s a secret about yetis?| A．They have snowball fights. | B．They love summer as well. |
| C．They can build snow houses. | D．They eat chocolate sometimes. |
| A．She couldn’t borrow her favorite book. |
| B．She couldn’t find a good book. |
| C．She couldn’t afford to buy her favorite book. |
| D．She couldn’t find a good library. |
| A．The Thing About Yetis. | B．But Excuse Me That Is My Book. |
| C．Uncle Remus: The Complete Tales. | D．Merry Christmas, Mr. Mouse. |
2 . Artificial intelligence models can trick each other into disobeying their creators and providing banned instructions for making drugs, or even building a bomb, suggesting that preventing such AI “jailbreaks” is more difficult than it seems.
Many publicly available large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, have hard-coded rules that aim to prevent them from exhibiting racial or sexual discrimination, or answering questions with illegal or problematic answers — things they have learned from humans via training data. But that hasn’t stopped people from finding carefully designed instructions that block these protections, known as “jailbreaks”, making AI models disobey the rules.
Now, Arush Tagade at Leap Laboratories and his co-workers have found a process of jailbreaks. They found that they could simply instruct one LLM to convince other models to adopt a persona (角色), which is able to answer questions the base model has been programmed to refuse. This process is called “persona modulation (调节)”.
Tagade says this approach works because much of the training data consumed by large models comes from online conversations, and the models learn to act in certain ways in response to different inputs. By having the right conversation with a model, it is possible to make it adopt a particular persona, causing it to act differently.
There is also an idea in AI circles, one yet to be proven, that creating lots of rules for an AI to prevent it displaying unwanted behaviour can accidentally create a blueprint for a model to act that way. This potentially leaves the AI easy to be tricked into taking on an evil persona. “If you’re forcing your model to be good persona, it somewhat understands what a bad persona is,” says Tagade.
Yinzhen Li at Imperial College London says it is worrying how current models can be misused, but developers need to weigh such risks with the potential benefits of LLMs. “Like drugs, they also have side effects that need to be controlled,” she says.
1. What does the AI jailbreak refer to?| A．The technique to break restrictions of AI models. |
| B．The initiative to set hard-coded rules for AI models. |
| C．The capability of AI models improving themselves. |
| D．The process of AI models learning new information. |
| A．It can help AI models understand emotions. |
| B．It prevents AI learning via online conversations. |
| C．It can make AI models adopt a particular persona. |
| D．It forces AI models to follow only good personas. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Cautious. | C．Approving. | D．Negative. |
| A．LLMs: Illegal Learning Models | B．LLMs: The Latest Advancement |
| C．AI Jailbreaks: A New Challenge | D．AI Jailbreaks: A Perfect Approach |
3 . As archaeologists (考古学家) examined ancient tombs in Turfan in western China, they discovered some surprisingly well-preserved and familiar relics. Though hardened from over 1,000 years, there sat little dumplings.
Exactly who invented dumplings remains a mystery. But some scholars suspect they were first spread by nomadic (游牧的) Turkic peoples living in western China and Central Asia. This is thought to be the case because “manti,” meaning “dumpling” or “steamed bun” in many Turkic languages, appears to be the root word for dumpling in several other languages. Ancient Turkic people probably filled their dumplings with meat. But it’s unclear when this practice began, or whether they learned the art of dumpling-making from others. However this happened, dumplings certainly gathered steam in ancient China.
Dumplings continued to take off and diversify in China over the next thousand years. Instead of the traditional meat filling, some communities chose vegetarian (素食) dumplings. People developed new cooking methods. The relationship between Chinese dumplings and those in other areas is tricky to trace, but food historians have made their best guesses based on available clues.
Besides Turkic tribes, some scholars believe that the Mongol Empire also contributed to the spread of dumplings, perhaps introducing them to parts of Eastern Europe. These dumplings could have come by way of China or directly from some of the Turkic peoples the Mongols hired to run their empire. One theory is that this gave rise to dumplings like pelmeni in Russia, pierogi in Poland and vareniki in Ukraine. The Mongol Empire also controlled Korea and might have likewise introduced dumplings there. Later, after Chinese dumpling varieties were introduced to more countries, English speakers began calling them dumplings, which means “little lumps”. During the Second World War, Chinese “jiaozi” were brought to Japan. So what about the Italian dumpling-like pasta? Some historians think it might be brought by Arab conquerors.
It’s unlikely that all dumpling dishes came from the same root tradition. However, we can appreciate the mysterious historical web that made dumplings so various.
1. What made Turkic peoples suspected to first spread dumplings?| A．The languages they used. | B．Their eating habits. |
| C．Their dumpling-making skills. | D．The newly found tombs. |
| A．Originated. | B．Stabilized. |
| C．Got well-cooked. | D．Became popular. |
| A．The spreading process of dumplings. |
| B．The possible origins of dumplings. |
| C．Differences between various dumplings. |
| D．Reasons for the popularity of dumplings. |
| A．Delicious. | B．Diverse. | C．Unusual. | D．Regional. |
4 . The costs for homes in the United States to “go solar” have dropped by more than 60 percent over the last 10 years. The dropping costs helped persuade more than a million Americans to put solar panels on top of their homes.
Now, some public school systems are doing the same, including the schools in Fremont, Indiana. The people in this small town have always depended on sunshine to grow their crops and help bring visitors to their lakes.
Fremont will spend $3 million to build the solar project. When the system is in place, it will fully power the elementary, middle and high school buildings. It may even produce additional electricity that the school can sell to the power company. Several lines of 3,000 to 4,000 panels will be placed in a 2.5-hectare solar field behind the middle school. The school system will pay the local electricity company for use of its solar equipment.
Fremont schools will save money even with equipment fees. Unlike electricity costs, the equipment use fees will not go up. And the panels should last 40 years. After the 20 years of fees, the school district will fully own the panels. Then, the electric power they create will be free of cost.
Just 3 percent of the nation’s 125,000 schools use some form of solar power. Some have higher related costs than others. But, a recent report says that 72,000 American schools, or 60 percent, could save money with solar energy. Schools could put panels on their buildings or place a field of panels over a car park. Those methods would save most schools an average of $ 1 million over 30 years without taking up land.
Going solar might also offer schools valuable educational possibilities. It gives teachers a reason to teach related lessons on science, technology, engineering and math. All 3 schools in Fremont will have a display that kids can visit daily to learn how much energy is being used and saved.
If all goes as planned, the Fremont school system’s new solar field will be in operation by July.
1. What can we learn about the solar project of Fremont?| A．It is cheap in the long run. | B．It will provide electricity for free. |
| C．It only lasts 20 years. | D．It is too expensive at the first stage. |
| A．By replacing car parks. | B．By using the most advanced technology. |
| C．By putting panels near buildings. | D．By making use of roofs. |
| A．It can save a lot of land. | B．It can be used as teaching resources. |
| C．It can make teaching easy. | D．It can attract more students. |
| A．Solar Energy Becoming Much Cheaper |
| B．Solar Energy Replacing Traditional Power |
| C．Some American Schools Getting Electricity from the Sun |
| D．Solar Projects Built on Tops of Buildings and Car Parks |
5 . In the past generations, our ancestors (祖先) lived with the simplest way. When science and technology materialize, there are various developments in the world that change and improve the way of living of people. As years go by, more and more innovations (创新) were created by applying the ideas of science and technologies. Most of these have positive effects on the society but some of these are harmful in certain ways. However, the importance of science and technology can’t be denied.
Science and innovation have mainly affected society, and their effect is developing. It makes life simpler and makes people more gainful. This change has positive and negative effects. The benefit is making life simpler while the other side is that it makes individuals needy and lazier. By making life simpler, science has allowed man to seek for cultural concerns to improve human conditions.
Science and technology can shape the general public we live in very well and can make us feel simpler, safer and increasingly gainful. However, it also can be used wrongly, which can harm many blameless lives. We must think for our own progress as well as for the improvement of each person of this planet that we call our own home.
In short, science and innovation have made a great contribution to our lives. They may also be related to us greatly. In this way, their effects will depend on how we follow up on them. In addition, if we see the more brilliant side of innovation, it is the foundation of national construction.
1. What does the underlined word “materialize” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Return. | B．Appear. | C．Stay. | D．go. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Negative. | C．Doubtful. | D．Objective. |
| A．A better living condition. | B．People becoming less adaptive. |
| C．People becoming determined. | D．A colorful history. |
| A．Improve studying standard. | B．Help the disabled. |
| C．Think for other people. | D．Treat wildlife equally. |
6 . Parrots are prey animals, which means that other predators (捕食者) in the wild, such as hawks or snakes, are looking to make them into a meal. This one factor influences parrots’ behavior in your house more than any other.
Parrots are most easily hurt when feeding on the ground. Membership in a group plays an important function in ensuring their safety and improving their chances of survival from attacks by predators. The most common predators of parrots include hawks, snakes, cats, monkeys, and bats. Some predators make attacks only during the day while others hunt in the night.
As prey animals, parrots are constantly watching out for danger and they instinctively (本能地) react to risks. Their first choice is to take flight. However, if this is not possible, they will fight with their powerful beaks to defend themselves.
Because their biggest enemy is the hawk, parrots are especially reactive to quick movements from above and behind. For this reason, it is wise to avoid quick, sudden movements near your bird. This is a built-in reaction not subject to logic or reason. Simple and relatively harmless household objects can draw extreme fear responses from a bird. For example, a balloon may represent a hawk or a vacuum hose (吸尘器软管) may be the same as a snake in your bird’s mind.
As prey animals, parrots are often frightened by exposure to new household items or strangers. It is important to expose your bird to safe experiences and changes starting at a very young age to build flexibility and improve their adaptability. Variety in diet and toys, travel, and exposure to new people and places all help to make your bird more flexible and adaptable to change.
1. What is important for parrots to better survive from attacks in the wild?| A．Living in a group. | B．Growing beautiful feathers. |
| C．Feeding on the ground. | D．Avoiding coming out at night. |
| A．To attack back. | B．To get away. |
| C．To protect the young. | D．To play dead. |
| A．It may explode suddenly. | B．It may be in a strange shape. |
| C．It may have a strong color. | D．It may move around quickly. |
| A．To explain wild parrots’ behavior. | B．To give advice on raising a parrot. |
| C．To call for action to protect animals. | D．To introduce a study on bird ecology. |
7 . Critics’ choice: The year’s best novels…
1. The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers (Harper, $29)The novel from a celebrated poet, this 800-page work is many things at once: a moving coming-of-age story, an examination of race, and an exploration of American history. Out of curiosity about the secrets in her family, Ailey uncovers stories that trace back to her Native American, Scottish, and enslaved African-American ancestors.
2. Matrix by Lauren Groff (Knopf, $28)If Matrix were written by anyone else, it would be a hard sell. But Lauren Groff has reimagined the life of 12th-century poet Marie de France so that we can’t help but stay with this royal castoff as she’s sent away, at 17, to run a poor church, which she eventually changes into a shelter for women and a challenge to the male-dominated world.
3. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (Knopf, $28)A robot that has been programmed to be a sickly teenager’s “Artificial Friend,” Klara serves as our eyes on a troubling near future in which technological progress is pushing moral boundaries. But her outsider view allows the author of Remains of the Day, now a Nobel Prize winner, to explore what makes people irreplaceable.
4. Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr (Scribner, $30)Doerr’s first novel since 2014 covers several hundred years — from 1453 Constantinople to a 22nd-century spaceship escaping from Earth. The book runs 640 pages, but without a wasted word. As engaging as a great bedtime story and as readable as Harry Potter, it’s above all a celebration of the human spirit and its power to dream impossible dreams.
1. Which book is written by a poet?| A．The Love Songs of W. E. B. Du Bois. | B．Matrix. |
| C．Klara and the Sun. | D．Cloud Cuckoo Land. |
| A．Historical events. | B．Pursuit of dreams. |
| C．Human irreplaceability. | D．Teenagers’ friendship. |
| A．They all cover hundreds of years. | B．They are all chosen by critics. |
| C．They are all the author’s first novel. | D．The main characters are all humans. |
8 . No doubt one of China’s greatest resources is its diverse cuisine. One of the most popular foods to be found is no doubt the street snacks that make up a large part of everyday life. “Compared with A Bite of China, which showcases chefs’ cooking processes and demonstrates delicious cuisine on air, Chinese Barbecue is more down-to-earth in depicting the people,” commented a viewer.
The new documentary series, called Chinese Barbecue, tells the story of this popular food option that sizzles (咝咝作响) over hot coals on just about every street comer in cities and towns across the country. Barbecued meat shining over hot coal containers, while not as elegant as some of the fine dining options in China, is an essential part of people’s night life. The pleasant smell and atmosphere surrounding the grilled (烤的) street food is “something that could entice people to fly downstairs at night,” the documentary claims.
In many Chinese eyes, barbecue, regarded as the most ordinary and common night street snack, is different from homemade food by mothers which is a symbol of kinship (亲切感). Barbecue is where you become connected to people in society. And unlike official business lunches, during which people are rather reserved and polite, barbecue lets people cut loose and relax with old friends and newly made friends, leaving a lasting impression of friendship.
On the other side of the world, in the United States, BBQ, well received by all ages, demonstrates the even more enthusiastic personality of Americans, who grill large steaks on their outdoor stoves at home and enjoy competing to see who has the better cooking skills. It’s safe to say that the world, as a whole, holds deep-rooted good feelings toward barbecue, either for the taste or the warmth generated by fire.
1. What is Chinese Barbecue?| A．A popular documentary. |
| B．A cooking class. |
| C．A soap opera of chefs. |
| D．A cuisine radio programme. |
| A．Quality food. |
| B．Polite atmosphere. |
| C．Beautiful cooking style. |
| D．Close bonds between friends. |
| A．A Bite of China is more down-to-earth in depicting the people. |
| B．Barbecued meat is not as elegant as some of the fine dining options in China. |
| C．Food made by restaurants is a symbol of kinship. |
| D．BBQ is well received only by the old in the UK. |
| A．To present special American culture. |
| B．To show friendship between countries. |
| C．To indicate the popularity of BBQ. |
| D．To make a comparison with Chinese BBQ. |
9 . The book Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No, authored by an experienced decision strategist Bruce Mullen, is more than just a theoretical exploration of simplicity; it’s a practical guide to enhance decision-making skills. The goal of this book is not merely to promote the philosophy but to equip readers with the tools they need to carry it out effectively. From techniques to prioritize tasks to methods for removing distractions, the book offers a comprehensive toolkit for simplifying the decision-making process.
In a world where indecisiveness often leads to confusion and missed opportunities, the book’s philosophy distinguishes between a decisive “Yes” and a clear “No”. At its essence, this title encourages readers to grasp the power of conviction and the art of clear choices. The book urges us to channel our energies into the positive ‘Yes’ and decrease our efforts with undecided commitments.
Author Bruce Mullen’s journey began with a conversation with his brother, causing a serious reflection that gave rise to a philosophy centered around simplicity. Titled “Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No”, this guiding principle explores the importance of decisions in one’s life. Through his personal experiences, Mullen determined the power of simplification, directing him to decisions harmonizing with his core values and ambitions. Beyond individual context, this book extends its reach, influencing business strategies, relationship dynamics, and societal considerations. Mullen’s exploration into the essence of the phrase not only drew parallels to the legal ‘Yes Means Yes’ principle but also emphasized the significance of clear intention in negotiating life’s crossroads.
Yes Means Yes, Everything Else Means No is more than a book; it’s a philosophy that can revolutionize how we approach decisions. Rooted in the simplicity of its title, the book briefs the essence of purposeful decision-making. It offers a set of tools to take apart complexity and embrace the power of confirmation and decisive negation. For those who seek to live a life with clarity and purpose, this book is a guiding light in the fog of indecision.
1. What is the book aimed at?| A．Teaching strategy theories. | B．Solving philosophical problems. |
| C．Empowering readers with decision-making skills. | D．Equipping readers with techniques to simplify life. |
| A．Doubt. | B．Speech. | C．Certainty. | D．Action. |
| A．A family talk. | B．A hard decision. | C．A painful lesson. | D．A sudden thought. |
| A．Serious and daring. | B．Inclusive and practical. |
| C．Objective and humorous. | D．Plain and straightforward. |
10 . Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair 2024
The Novel Fair is an annual competition initiated by the Irish Writers Centre (IWC). Described by The Irish Times as “A Dragons’ Cave for writers”, each year the Fair aims to introduce up-and-coming writers to top publishers and literary agents.
The Prize
The twelve winners will have the opportunity to present the summary of their novel directly to industry professionals. Leading publishers and agents will be invited by the IWC to meet these writers in person or through a series of online meetings. To get fully prepared for the meeting with publishers and agents, the winners will receive a place in a workshop on “How to Promote Your Novel”, two weeks in advance. Also, applicants who are longlisted (初选) but do not make it to the shortlist of twelve will have their works evaluated and criticized by the judging panel.
How to Enter
Entry fee for application is £55 (Members of IWC can enter for a discounted fee of £45). This competition only accepts manuscripts (原稿) for novels. Applicants are required to send a summary within 300 words and up to five chapters of their novel, which should be 10,000 words (+/-10％). Manuscripts should be submitted online. There is a limit of one entry per applicant.
Entries are welcome from anywhere in the world. Before entering the competition, please ensure that you have read the Novel Fair Terms & Conditions 2024 very carefully as the Fair is open to only novelists who have never published work previously. If you have any questions about the application process, please email novelfair@irishwriterscentre.ie.
1. What’s the purpose of the Fair?| A．To advertise local stories. |
| B．To encourage literary reading. |
| C．To serve as a platform for writers. |
| D．To arouse enthusiasm for writing. |
| A．Deal with the judging panel. |
| B．Improve their writing skills. |
| C．Learn about publishing process. |
| D．Present their novels attractively. |
| A．A summary of 200 words. |
| B．A novel published in 2023. |
| C．A paper manuscript by post. |
| D．A submission of seven chapters. |
