1 . In one horrible film plot, AI eventually outsmarts humans and takes over computers and factories. In another, large language models (LLMs) of the sort that power generative AI like ChatGPT give bad guys the know — how to create destructive cyberweapons.
It is time to think hard about these film plots, not because they have become more probable but because policymakers around the world are considering measures to guard against them. The idea that AI could drive humans to extinction is speculative — no one yet knows how such a threat might materialise and no common methods exist for determining what counts as risky. Plenty of research needs to be done before standards and rules can be set.
Governments cannot ignore a technology that could change the world deeply. Regulators have been too slow in the past, but there is danger, too, in acting hurriedly. If they go too fast, policymakers could create global rules that are aimed at the wrong problems and are ineffective against the real ones.
Because of the computing resources and technical skills required, only a handful of companies have so far developed powerful “frontier” models. New hurried regulations could easily block out competitors to the “handful of companies”, especially because these companies are working closely with governments on writing the rule book. A focus on extreme risks is likely to make regulators careful of open-source models, which are freely available and can easily be revised.
The best that governments can do now is to set up the basic systems to study the technology and its potential risks, and ensure that those working on the problem have enough resources. As AI develops further, regulators will have a far better idea of what risks they are guarding against, and consequently what the rule book should look like. A fully mature body could eventually take shape. But creating it will take time and reflection.
1. What does the first paragraph function as?| A．An argument. | B．An explanation. | C．A lead-in. | D．A comment. |
| A．He believes it is a realistic possibility. |
| B．He considers it fictional and unworthy for policymakers to pay attention to. |
| C．He views it as an uncertain threat that needs more research. |
| D．He perceives it as a seemingly reasonable situation that requires serious consideration. |
| A．Competition in this area is prevented. | B．The development of AI is restricted. |
| C．AI will be applied to a limited degree. | D．The public will be misled about danger. |
| A．AI: a Real Threat? | B．Don’t Rush into Policing AI |
| C．AI: Humans’ Friend or Enemy? | D．Time for Government to Regulate AI |
2 . A few years ago, my husband Charlie and I had marriage problems. Growing family responsibilities and financial worries took a toll on us and we began arguing frequently, often late into the night.
However, neither of us could take the step that would end our eleven-year marriage and bring heartbreak to our three young children. Deep down we knew we still loved each other, so we determined to work it out. Through countless discussions, we began to close the gulf. The more honest we were, the closer we became. When I felt we were reaching solid ground, I asked my husband to give me an “eternity (永恒) ring”. It was not so much the ring I wanted; it was the reassurance I thought it would bring.
We went shopping on a beautiful summer day. We walked hand in hand along a row of jeweler’s shops. Finally I found a ring I liked. While waiting for it to be adjusted, the jeweler took my left hand and glanced at my engagement ring. “May I clean it for you?” he asked. “It really doesn’t sparkle like it used to.” Charlie said as I slipped the ring off my finger. A few minutes later the jeweler was back. The ring shone like new!
On the drive home, I didn’t take my eyes off it. I forgot all about the eternity ring. I just couldn’t believe how this old ring suddenly sparkled the way it had the day Charlie gave it to me. I had taken it for granted these past years, but with a little polish it could still make my heart beat fast.
And that’s the way it is with a marriage. You have to work at keeping it polished and new, or else the grime (污垢) of the passing years will hide the joy. I put my hand on the seat between us and spread my fingers. Charlie covered my hand with his. I felt I was lucky to be able to see the sparkle in something old when I thought I needed something new.
1. The author and her husband had marriage problems partly because __________.| A．they frequently argued late into the night | B．they were lack of money |
| C．they had countless discussions | D．the author wanted to have an eternity ring |
| A．Free of trouble. | B．Arriving at a square. |
| C．Wealthy and generous. | D．In good relationship. |
| A．The old ring’s light attracted her attention. |
| B．She was not satisfied with the eternity ring. |
| C．Her husband kept it for her. |
| D．The couple were talking all the way merrily. |
| A．We tend to prefer new objects to old ones. |
| B．One should remain thankful for what he has got. |
| C．Marriage should be constantly polished. |
| D．We should try to rediscover the use of old objects. |
3 . The word paradigm comes from the Greek. It was originally a scientific term, and is more commonly used today to mean a model or theory. In the more general sense, it’s the way we “see” the world —not in terms of our visual sense of sight, but in terms of perceiving (感知), understanding, and interpreting.
A simple way to understand paradigms is to see them as maps. We all know that “the map is not the territory.” A map is simply an explanation of certain aspects of the territory. That’s exactly what a paradigm is. It is a theory, an explanation, or model of something else. You can never arrive at a specific location in a new city with a wrong map.
Each of us has many maps in our head, which can be divided into two main categories: maps of the way things are, or realities, and maps of the way things should be, or values. We interpret everything we experience through these mental maps. We seldom question their accuracy; we’re usually even unaware that we have them. We simply assume that the way we see things is the way they really are or the way they should be. And our attitudes and behaviors grow out of those assumptions. The way we see things is the source of the way we think and the way we act.
We see the world, not as it is, but as we are or, as we are shaped to see it. Clearheaded people see things differently, each looking from the unique angles of experience. But this does not mean that there are no facts. Instead, each person’s interpretation of these facts represents prior experiences.
The more aware we are of our basic paradigms, maps, or assumptions, and the extent to which we have been influenced by our experience, the more we can take responsibility for those paradigms, examine them, test them against reality, listen to others and be open to their perceptions (观点), thereby getting a larger picture and a far more objective view.
1. How does the author illustrate the concept of “paradigm”?| A．By presenting personal examples. | B．By sorting it into different categories. |
| C．By comparing it to an everyday object. | D．By highlighting a sharp contrast. |
| A．They fail to escape our attention. | B．They prove wrong and unreliable. |
| C．They may be lacking in accuracy. | D．They have little influence on behavior. |
| A．Where we stand depends on where we sit. | B．All men have opinions, but few think. |
| C．Great minds think alike. | D．The fewer the facts, the stronger the opinions. |
| A．A more positive attitude toward life experience. | B．A stronger sense of responsibility for others. |
| C．A more objective view of others’ perceptions. | D．A better understanding of our paradigms. |
4 . The San Diego County Water Authority has an unusual plan to use the city’s scenic San Vicente Reservoir (水库) to store solar power so it’s available after sunset. The project could help unlock America’s clean energy future.
Perhaps ten years from now, if all goes smoothly, large underground pipes will connect this lake to a new reservoir, a much smaller one, built in a nearby valley about 1100 feet higher. When the sun is high in the sky, California’s abundant solar power will pump water into that upper reservoir. It’s a way to store the electricity. When the sun goes down and solar power disappears, operators would open a valve (阀门) and the force of 8 million tons of water, falling back downhill through those same pipes, would drive machines capable of producing 500 megawatt s of electricity for up to eight hours. That’s enough to power 130, 000 typical homes.
“It’s a water battery!” says Neena Kuzmich, Deputy Director of Engineering for the water authority. She says energy storage facilities like these will be increasingly critical as California starts to rely more on energy from wind and solar, which produce electricity on their own schedules, without considering the demands of consumers. Californians learned this during a heat wave this past summer. “Everybody in the state of California got a text message at 5:30 in the evening to turn off their appliances,” Kuzmich says. The sun was going down, solar generation was disappearing, and the remaining power plants, many of them burning gas, couldn't keep up with demand. The reminder worked: people stopped using so much power, and the grid (电网) survived.
Yet earlier on that same day, there was so much solar power available that the grid couldn’t take it all. Grid operators turned away more than 2000 megawatt hours of electricity that solar generators could have delivered, enough to power a small city. That electricity was wasted. There was no way to store it for later, when operators desperately needed it.
1. What is the function of Paragraph 2?| A．To present the importance of a reservoir. | B．To introduce the usage of solar energy. |
| C．To recall a situation in recent ten years. | D．To explain a way to store electricity. |
| A．Negative. | B．Affordable. | C．Flexible. | D．Significant. |
| A．To remind people of lack of energy. | B．To warn people of danger. |
| C．To tell people the sunset time. | D．To persuade people into burning gas. |
| A．Scenic San Vicente Reservoir | B．Water Batteries to Store Solar Power |
| C．San Diego County Energy Crisis | D．Machines to Store Water in California |
5 . Born in Anhui Province, Tao Xingzhi (October18, 1891-July 25, 1946) was one of the greatest educationalists, social activists and patriots in modern China. When he was young, Tao lived in a poverty-stricken area and had witnessed miserable life of Chinese people, especially that of the peasants who accounted for 80% of the nation’s population, under the suppression of foreign invaders (外国侵略者的压迫) at that time.
After graduating from Nanjing University as the top student with the highest scores in all courses, Tao set out for the US to further his education. At first, he studied politics in University of Illinois but soon he found that politics offered no help for saving the country, and then he changed his major into education.
Six-year experience abroad let Tao Xingzhi come to realize the sharp contrast between China and developed countries, and drove him to make up his mind to change the situation in China. Tao declined a number of invitations from many famous universities and gave up high salaries as a college professor. Instead, he set up Xiaozhuang Normal School in the countryside of Nanjing to develop educational cause in rural areas. When he returned to China from Japan in 1939, Tao set up Yu Cai School in Sichuan Province for the kids who lost their family in Anti-Japanese War (抗日战争). He picked out those with special talents and trained them to be useful men for the nation. Zhou Enlai, former Chinese premier, once paid a visit to this school and gave a high praise.
As an educationalist, Tao devoted his entire life to the educational-cause for Chinese. Quite different from other major educationalists at that time, Tao carried out life education and said that “life education means an education of life, by life and for life”. Because of overtoil (积劳成疾), he died on July 25, 1946 in Shanghai. Chairman Mao praised him as “a great educationalist for the people”. In memory of this great man, Tao Xingzhi Museum was built in Shanghai in 1986.
1. The underlined phrase “accounted for” in the first paragraph has the same meaning of the phrase “______”.| A．depended on | B．took up | C．carried out | D．put off |
| A．Mr Tao returned from Japan to China |
| B．Mr Tao set up Yu Cai School in Sichuan Province |
| C．Mr Tao picked out some with special talents and trained them |
| D．Mr Tao established Xiaozhuang Normal School in Nanjing |
| A．Tao Xingzhi’s great contribution | B．Tao Xingzhi’s diseases |
| C．Tao Xingzhi’s daily life | D．Tao Xingzhi’s educational theories |
| A．a tourist website | B．an entertainment website |
| C．an educational website· | D．a scientific research website |
6 . German physicist Albert Einstein is one of the most famous scientists of all time, the personification of genius and the subject of a whole industry of scholarship. In The Einsteinian Revolution, two experts on Einstein’s life and his theory of relativity— Israeli physicist Hanoch Gutfreund and German historian of science Jürgen Renn— offer an original and penetrating (犀利的) analysis of Einstein’s revolutionary contributions to physics and our view of the physical world.
For the first time ever, by setting Einstein’s work in the long course of the evolution of scientific knowledge, Gutfr eund and Renn discover the popular misconception of Einstein as an unconventional scientific genius who single-handedly created modern physics—and by pure thought alone.
As a large part of the book explains, Einstein typically argued that science progresses through steady evolution, not through revolutionary breaks with the past. He saw his theory of relativity not as something from scratch, but a natural extension of the classical physics developed by pioneers such as Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei and English physicist Isaac Newton in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, as well as nineteenth-century physicists.
The authors highlight how classical physics cannot be separated cleanly from modern Einsteinian physics. The book also includes substantial sections on Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo whose methods inspired Einstein. When Einstein considered himself as standing on their shoulders, he meant that, without their contributions, he would not have formulated (阐述) the theory of relativity.
The Einsteinian Revolution is an important and thought-provoking contribution to the scholarly literature on Einstein and his surprising scientific creativity between 1905 and 1925. Gutfreund and Renn might not have given the final answer as to why Einstein, of all people, revolutionized physics in the way that he did. But they argue in fascinating detail that, to understand his genius, one must take into account not just the earlier history of physics but also the history of knowledge more broadly. Although not always an easy read, the book will interest physicists and historians alike.
1. What’s the attitude of Gutfreund and Renn to the popular viewpoint on Einstein?| A．Opposing. | B．Favorable. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．From nothing. | B．Up to a certain standard. |
| C．By learning from others. | D．With previous knowledge. |
| A．Their ideas were rejected by Einstein. |
| B．Their devotion to physics impressed Einstein. |
| C．Their research contributed to Einstein’s success. |
| D．Their hard work deserved the worldwide respect. |
| A．A guidebook to a course. | B．An introduction to a book. |
| C．An essay on Albert Einstein. | D．A review of physics development. |
7 . Green Line Performing Arts Center
329 E Garfield Blvd. Chicago, IL 60637
Upcoming Programs Include:
First Monday Jazz Series: CrosswindMonday Feb 4 | onwards 7—9 pm
First Monday Jazz is a free monthly event showcasing local Chicago jazz artists.
Green Light Series: South Side Story TimeSunday Feb 17 | 10—11 am
Bring your kids to listen, learn, sing, dance, and interact! South Side Story Time is a small gathering that centres on readings for its young attendees along with the chance for their parents to socialize. Open to families with children of all ages.
Sistergirls and Freedom Fighters: Stories in Celebration of Women’s Power and GraceWednesday Feb 20 | 7—8:30 pm
Join us for an evening of storytelling featuring the dynamic singing, In the Spirit by Emily Hooper Lansana. This performance will highlight a range of stories that demonstrate women’s creative and political genius from folk heroines to Nobel Peace Prize winners.
Family Saturdays: Art togetherEvery 1st Saturday of the Month | 3—5 pm
Explore your child’s artistic curiosity with hands-on art workshops designed to stimulate creativity and play. These interdisciplinary workshops are exciting for the entire family, offering activities from music to arts and crafts. Come to learn something new! Appropriate for families with children. Registration is encouraged.
Follow Arts + Public Life on Facebook for more event details and a full list of all upcoming performances.
1. When can people enjoy jazz?| A．At 8 pm every first Monday. | B．At 4 pm every Saturday. |
| C．At 7 pm on Wednesdays. | D．At 9 pm on Mondays. |
| A．It lasts two hours. | B．It is organized by Emily. |
| C．It is a prize-winning performance. | D．It celebrates women’s achievements. |
| A．The forms of arts. | B．Target participants. |
| C．The duration of activities. | D．Registration requirements. |
8 . I was the only kid in college with a reason to go to the mail box, because my mother never believed in email, in Facebook, in texting or cell phones. I was literally waiting by the mailbox to get a letter with a warmest comfort from her.
So when I moved to New York and got depressed, I did the only thing I could think of. I wrote those same kinds of letters like my mother for strangers, and tucked them all over the city: in cafes, in libraries, and even in the subway. I blogged about those letters and promised if asked for a hand-written letter, I would write one.
Overnight, my inbox became this harbor of heartbreak — a single mother in Sacramento, a girl being bullied in Kansas, a 22-year-old immigrant, all asking me to write them and give them a reason to wait by the mailbox. And this is how I initiated the act The World Needs More Love Letters.
Today I run a global organization fueled by those trips to the mailbox. It is a miracle. But the thing about these letters is that most of them have been written by people brought up in a paperless world where some best conversations happen on a screen. We have learned to diary our pain onto Facebook, and we speak swiftly in twitter.
Therefore, I’ve been carrying this mail crate (大木箱) with me these days, which is a magical icebreaker. So I get to tell total strangers about a woman whose husband was traumatized (受精神创伤) from war, and how she left love letters throughout the house saying, “Come back to me.” And a man, who had decided to take his life, slept safely with a stack of letters just beneath his pillow, handwritten by strangers who were there for him.
These stories convince me that letter-writing will never need to be about efficiency, because it is an art now, all of it: the signing, the scripting, the mailing.
1. Why did the author share her experience in college?| A．To show her care for her family. | B．To convey her love for writing letters. |
| C．To express her feelings attached to letters. | D．To prove her consistency in writing letters. |
| A．She advocated the paperless lifestyle. | B．She intended to provide professional aid. |
| C．She tried to improve her communication skills. | D．She aimed to give emotional support with letters. |
| A．It cures people of mental diseases. | B．It serves as a conversation starter. |
| C．It has magic power to melt ice. | D．It empowers people to be brave. |
| A．Family Letters Are Priceless | B．Love for Writing Never Declines |
| C．World Needs More Love Letters | D．Hand-written Letters Improve Efficiency |
9 . Nanako Hama was holding a light envelop. When she tore it open with care, locks of hair emerged. Many strangers send Hama locks of their hair, hoping to recycle it.
People generate a huge amount of hair waste. Nearly all of that waste ends up in landfill, where it can release harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. But hair possesses useful qualities that it’s a shame to simply throw it away. That’s why people all around the world, like Hama, have been collecting hair and finding innovative ways to recycle it, including making mats (垫子) out of it for removing oil leaks in the ocean.
Hama is part of the nonprofit Matter of Trust (MoT) members working at more than 60 centers dotted across 17 countries, using machines to make hair donated from local salons and individuals into square mat, which are then used to clean up the floating oil. “Hair is particularly well-suited for this,” says MoT co-founder Lisa Gautier. “That’s because its rough sort of outer layer lets oil stick to it.” MoT’s mats have been used in major oil leaks, including the 2010 Deepwater Horizon and 2007 Cosco Busan incidents.
In a 2018 study, Murray, an environmental scientist at the University of Technology Sydney, in Australia found that mats made of recycled human hair could absorb 0.84 grams of oil onto its surface for every gram of hair—significantly more than polypropylene (聚丙烯),a type of plastic that’s typically used to clean up floating oil. Besides, hair is also useful as fertilizer (化肥). Hair contains a relatively high nitrogen (氮), a chemical element crucial for plant growth, and each lock of hair is made of roughly 16 percent of this essential nutrient. Last year, more than 560 gallons of liquid fertilizer made from human hair was sold to farmers in northern Tanzania and the feedback from the farmers has been very encouraging.
“It’s just a great way to use hair in a productive way. Hair is an answer literally hanging in front of our eyes—for oil and soil,” Hama says.
1. How does the author introduce the topic?| A．By presenting a scene. | B．By detailing the background. |
| C．By describing the usage of hair. | D．By praising an environmentalist. |
| A．Improve soil. | B．Prevent oil leaks. | C．Take in harmful gas. | D．Clear the sea of oil. |
| A．Its color and strength. | B．Its length and amount. |
| C．Its weight and flexibility. | D．Its structure and component. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Promising. | C．Doubtful. | D．Worrying. |
10 . When colds and flu hit, many people automatically turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to push through and treat their symptoms. Although these medicines are easily accessible and widely used, it might come as a surprise to many people to learn that they are not risk-free. A study estimated that every year, 26,735 people went to the emergency room for adverse (不利的) events related to OTC cold and cough medicines.
When two or more drugs are used together, their interactions can sometimes produce unexpected harmful effects. Physicians are typically knowledgeable about potential drug interactions, so it is very important for patients to ask their healthcare providers which OTC medicines are safe for them to use.
It is important to read the package ingredients of OTC medicines closely to avoid duplication of doses (剂量重复). Cold medicines are typically made up of multiple ingredients. A person who takes a single-ingredient medicine paired with one of these multi-ingredient medicines can receive an unsafe dose of that ingredient.
While everyone could potentially experience adverse effects from cold and flu medicines, some groups — including older adults, children and pregnant women — may be at greater risk. Older people who are using prescribed drugs to treat multiple health conditions may have a higher risk of drug interactions because of the higher number of medicines being used at the same time to treat different conditions. The aging body is not as expert at absorbing, distributing and clearing medicines as younger bodies are. This can put older adults at higher risk for an overdose and drug-to-drug interactions with some medicines.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend giving cold medicines to children under age 4. Because of a variety of factors, young children have a higher risk of an accidental overdose and adverse events that could lead to death.
1. What does the author advise patients to do in Paragraph 2?| A．To ask for suggestions from doctors. | B．To buy medicines from hospitals. |
| C．To read the package ingredients of drugs. | D．To take drugs as early as possible. |
| A．To provide a medical choice for people who catch a cold. |
| B．To show cold medicines are more likely to cause bad effects. |
| C．To explain OTC medicines often have more than one ingredient. |
| D．To stress the importance of learning about medicines’ ingredients. |
| A．They can’t cope with aging positively. | B．Their body can’t handle medicines easily. |
| C．They are more easily affected by diseases. | D．Their desire for health makes them unwise. |
| A．Say No to OTC Drugs | B．Tips on Taking OTC Drugs |
| C．OTC Medicines May Not Be Safe | D．How to Deal with an OTC Drug Overdose |
