1 . An artificial intelligence can decode (解码) words and sentences from brain activity with surprising—though still limited—accuracy. Using only a few seconds of brain activity data, the AI guesses what a person has heard. It lists the correct answer in its top 10 possibilities up to 73 percent of the time, researchers found in a study.
Developed at the parent company of Facebook, Meta, the AI could eventually be used to help thousands of people around the world unable to communicate through speech, typing or gestures, researchers report on August 25 at arXiv.org.
Most existing technologies to help such patients communicate require risky brain surgeries to implant electrodes. This new approach “could provide a practical path to help patients without the use of invasive methods,” says neuroscientist Jean-Rémi King, a Meta AI researcher in Paris.
King and his colleagues trained a computational tool to detect words and sentences on 56,000 hours of speech recordings from 53 languages. The tool, also known as a language model, learned how to recognize specific features of language. With the help of a computational method, the team tried to decode what participants had heard using just three seconds of brain activity data from each person. The team instructed the AI to match the speech sounds from the story recordings to patterns of brain activity that the AI computed as corresponding to what people were hearing. It then made predictions about what the person might have been hearing during that short time, given more than 1,000 possibilities. The correct answer was in the AI’s top 10 guesses up to 73 percent of the time, the researchers found.
The new study is “decoding of speech perception, not production,” King notes. Though speech production is the ultimate goal, for now, “we’re quite a long way away.”
1. What is the main idea of paragraph 1?| A．The principle of human brain activity. |
| B．The limitation of human brain activity. |
| C．The definition of the artificial intelligence. |
| D．The new function of the artificial intelligence. |
| A．People unable to hear. | B．People who can’t move around. |
| C．People who are unconscious. | D．People unable to communicate normally. |
| A．To analyze the features of the study. | B．To state the significance of the study. |
| C．To introduce the process of the study. | D．To present the achievement of the study. |
| A．It performs well in the speech production. |
| B．Its accuracy is far from the researchs’ satisfaction. |
| C．It will help patients avoid dangerous brain surgeries. |
| D．Its language learning ability is beyond expectation. |
2 . As climate change becomes severe summer after summer, millions of people are finding themselves covered in wildfire smoke, including those in North America just this past month. It is bad for our health. It is also really disturbing, but we don’t talk about that as much.
We often use the terms “atmosphere” or climate” to refer to the mood of a situation. We use metaphors (比喻) to describe affective states, such as “feeling under the weather” or “on cloud nine”. Such language suggests that we understand that human emotions are intimately related to the atmospheric phenomena. Yet rarely do we pay attention to the ways we feel climate change.
But wildfire smoke shows how affective climate change can be. For example, wildfire smoke is often referred to using emotional phrases such as “air of dread”. Through living with the smoke and the panic it generates, we can think more carefully about the ways we experience climate change, and crucially, why and how we need to respond to it.
We often think of climate change impacts as far away, separate from our bodies, because science typically uses global representations and statistical information. But wildfire smoke spreads and pollutes our bodies, and indeed, crosses many other boundaries; it drifts from rural areas into big cities; and it crosses state and national borders with ease. Of course, some borders are more permeable (渗透的), and some bodies more sensitive to the smoke.
Through its ability to pass through and become part of our very being, wildfire smoke is closer in nature to the air pollution we normally think of as one of the causes of climate change. Wildfire smoke is both an impact and a cause of climate change. It explains the nature of climate change impacts and the self-reinforcing (自我强化) feedback circles that can, and may, lead to the planet warming itself independent of human actions.
1. What can we learn about people’s reaction to climate change?| A．They are curious about it. |
| B．They take it very seriously. |
| C．They feel powerless about it. |
| D．They pay little attention to it. |
| A．Closely. | B．Naturally. |
| C．Certainly. | D．Unexpectedly. |
| A．It allows people to sense climate change. |
| B．It does great harm to people’s health. |
| C．It influences people’s mood. |
| D．It attracts scientists’ deep concerns worldwide. |
| A．Why Smoke from Wildfires Harms Us |
| B．How We Can Observe Climate Change |
| C．What Smoke from Wildfires Can Teach Us |
| D．What We Can Do to Avoid Smoke from Wildfires |
3 . People have different ways of dealing with a common cold. Some take over-the-counter(非处方的)medicines such as aspirin while others try popular home remedies(治疗)like herbal tea or chicken soup. Yet, here is the tough truth about the common cold: nothing really cures you of it.
So why do people sometimes believe that their remedies work? According to James Taylor, professor at the University of Washington, colds usually go away on their own in about a week, improving a little each day after symptoms peak, so it’s easy to believe it’s medicine rather than time that deserves the credit.
It still seems hard to believe that we can deal with more serious diseases yet we are powerless against something so common as a cold. Recently, scientists came closer to figuring out why. To understand it, you first need to know how antiviral(抗病毒的)drugs work. They attack the virus by attaching to and changing the surface structures of the virus. To do that, the drug must fit and lock into the virus like the right piece of a jigsaw(拼图), which means scientists have to identify the virus and build a 3D model to study its surface before they can design an antiviral drug that is effective enough.
The two cold viruses that scientists had long known about were rhinovirus(鼻病毒)A and B. But they didn’t find out about the existence of a third virus, rhinovirus C until 2006.All three of them contribute to the common cold, but drugs that work well against rhinovirus A and B have little effect when used against rhinovirus C.
“This explains most of the previous failures of drug trials against rhinoviruses,” study leader Professor Ann C. Palmenberg at the University of Wiscons in Madison, US, told Scienc Daily.
Now, more than 10 years after the discovery of rhinovirus C, scientists have finally built a highly detailed 3D model of the virus, showing that the surface of the virus is, as expected,different from that of other cold viruses.
With the model in hand, hopefully a real cure for a common cold is on its way. Soon, we may no longer have to waste our money on medicines that don’t really work.
1. Which of the following is NOT the way people usually deal with a common cold?| A．Eating chicken soup. | B．Taking aspirin. |
| C．Taking exercise. | D．Drinking herbal tea. |
| A．To fit and lock into the cold virus. |
| B．To exactly copy the cold viruses. |
| C．To prevent colds from developing into serious diseases. |
| D．To absorb different kinds of cold viruses at the same time. |
| A．Why drugs for treating a common cold sometimes fail. |
| B．Why the surfaces of different viruses are different. |
| C．How to build a detailed 3D model of rhinovirus C. |
| D．How we can effectively fight against rhinovirus C. |
| A．Effective. | B．Fruitless. | C．Expensive. | D．Worthwhile. |
4 . Feeling extremely stressed by your to-do list can make you unhappy, but a new study suggests that more free time might not be the magic way most of us dream it could be.
The researchers analyzed data from 35,000 subjects about how Americans spend their free time. They found that people with more free time generally had higher levels of subjective happiness — but only up to a point. Compared to those with less time, people with up to two hours of free time a day generally felt better. However, people who had five or more hours of free time a day generally felt worse. So the free-time “sweet spot” might be two to three hours per day.
Part of finding this “sweet spot” is connected with how people spend their free time. In an online experiment, the subjects were asked to imagine having four to seven free hours per day and spending that time doing “productive” or “unproductive” activities. Most of them believed their well-being would suffer if they had a lot of free time during the day — but only if they used it unproductively. Though that experiment was based on the previous assumptions, which is one limitation, it agrees with other experiments showing that being in a state of flow (心流状态) can benefit people’s mental health.
Of course, for you, any activities that increase your happiness are “productive”. If watching soap opera in your free time makes you feel better, you should do that due to self-care. And some traditionally productive activities can be easy and fun. For example, walking and cooking can help burn stress and put people in a state of flow.
“In cases where people find themselves with large amounts of free time, such as retirement or unemployment,” Sharif said, “our results suggest they can benefit from spending their newfound time with purposes.”
1. How much free time one day do people have that can generally make them feel better?| A．About 60 minutes. | B．About 90 minutes. |
| C．From 120 to 180 minutes. | D．From 180 to 210 minutes. |
| A．How being in a state of flow can benefit people’s mental health. |
| B．How the researchers analyzed data from the 35,000 subjects. |
| C．How “productive” activities are different from “unproductive” ones. |
| D．How people make use of their free time influences their happiness. |
| A．They must be fun and easy. |
| B．They are mostly traditional ones. |
| C．They depend on one’s own sense. |
| D．They generally rely on one’s own physical condition. |
| A．People should spend their time with aims. |
| B．It is not easy for people to have newfound time. |
| C．People can benefit from large amounts of free time. |
| D．Retired and unemployed people can’t deal with free time well. |
5 . Different weather makes people feel different. It influences health, intelligence and feelings.
In August, it is very hot and wet in the southern part of the United States. People there have heart trouble and other kinds of health problems during this month. In the Northeast and the Middle West, it is very hot at some times and very cold at other times. People in these states have more heart trouble after the weather changes in February or March.
The weather can also influence intelligence. For example, in a 2018 report by scientists, IQs of a group of students were very high when a very strong wind came; but after the strong wind, their IQs were 10% below. The wind can help people have more intelligence. Very hot weather, on the other hand, can make it lower. Students in many schools of the United States often get worse on exams in the hot months of the year (July and August).
Weather also has a strong influence on people’s feelings. Winter may be a bad time for thin people. They usually feel cold during these months. They might feel unhappy during cold weather. But fat people may have a hard time in hot summer. At about 18℃, people become stronger.
Low air pressure (气压) may make people forgetful. People leave more bags on buses and in shops on low — pressure days. There is “good weather” for work and health. People feel best at a temperature of about 18℃.
Are you feeling sad, tired, forgetful, or unhappy today? It may be the problem of weather.
1. When do people in the Northeast in America have more heart trouble?| A．In February. | B．In July. | C．In August. | D．In November. |
| A．People’s health. | B．People’s appearance. |
| C．People’s intelligence. | D．People’s feelings. |
| A．More hesitant. | B．More friendly. |
| C．More energetic. | D．More generous. |
| A．People can feel best when air pressure is high. |
| B．People may be forgetful when air pressure is high. |
| C．People may buy more things when air pressure is low. |
| D．People can’t remember things so well when air pressure is low. |
6 . Like any new ninth-grader on the first day of school, Joemar Class had ninth-grader- emotion (情绪). He’s not used to school in Hartford. He’s used to going to school in his home town of Florida, used to seeing his friends, used to having class in Spanish.
“Nervioso,” he said in Spanish.
We first met Joemar in mid-October in the San Juan Airport. His father, Guillermo Class, had sold his car to buy plane tickets to get his kids and fly them up from Puerto Rico. The island was almost destroyed (毁坏) by the deadly storm—Hurricane Maria.
Now, they are settling into their new home in Hartford’s South End. A week later, using his wife’s car, Class drove 16-year-old Joemar to his first day at Bulkeley High School. After a short ride, he got out in front of his new school. Inside, he met Gretchen Levitz—the school’s program director.
“I see you have new uniform,” Levitz said. “You look great. Are you ready for a good first day? ”
Then he met couple of teachers.
“Hello” they each said in Spanish. They asked where he was from, and told him they were happy to see him. Then Levitz took him on a quick tour of the school before classes began — to her office, the school store, the library, and the dining hall.
A total of 19 languages are spoken in Bulkeley High School. “We have so many new students coming here from other countries every single day,” Levitz said. “So it’s not like he’s the only one who has that feeling.”
“You could tell he’s little worried,” Guillermo said as we left. “But, at the same time, he’s expecting it.”
1. What kind of feeling did Joemar have on his first day of school?| A．Nervous | B．Excited | C．Annoyed | D．Amazed |
| A．His old school closed down. |
| B．He wanted to see his mother. |
| C．He expected to have a new life. |
| D．His town was hit by a terrible storm. |
| A．He had a long talk with his father. |
| B．He said hello to some of his classmates. |
| C．He learned some simple Spanish words. |
| D．He had a short look around his new school. |
| A．It has no library. |
| B．It is an international school. |
| C．It plans to open Spanish classes. |
| D．It requires all students to wear uniforms. |
7 . British Museum
Located in Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, the British Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artifacts and is free to all visitors. The British Museums surprising collection spans over two million years of human history and culture, and it has more than 7 million objects, so it would probably take a week to see everything.
Over 6 million visitors every year experience the collection, including world-famous objects such as the Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies.
Admission (入场费) and opening times
Free, open daily from 10:00 to 17:30.
Open until 20:30 on Fridays,except Good Friday.
Closed on 24, 25 and 26 December and 1 January.
Large luggage (行李), suitcases and cabin baggage
For everyone’s safety, all bags, packages and personal items may be searched before entry. Wheeled cases and large items of luggage are not allowed on British Museum for safety and security reasons. Storage for luggage is available at major rail stations, including Euston, Kings Cross and Charring Cross.
Membership
Membership allows you to discover two million years of human history with free unlimited entry to special exhibitions.
Individual (个人) membership: $74
Under 26 membership: $54
Young friends (ages 8—15):$25
Shops
The Museum has four shops where you can buy books, souvenirs, and family gifts.
1. When can you visit the British Museum?| A．At 9:00 Friday. | B．On Christmas Day. |
| C．At 12:00 Monday. | D．On Good Friday. |
| A．At some crossings. | B．At major train stations. |
| C．In the hall of the Museum. | D．At the entrance to the Museum. |
| A．79. | B．99. | C．128. | D．148. |
8 . The wide use of Internet technology has made our lives easier but causes a big challenge to senior citizens, who are not always comfortable with smartphones and so many new apps.
Only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer. According to the figures of the National Bureau, the number of people aged 60 and above was 253.88 million in 2019, about 18.1% of China’s population. But only 23% of the senior citizens were able to use the Internet. That means more than three—fourths of the elderly can’t enjoy the digital benefits.
Many senior citizens who can’t use smartphones are facing difficulties during this pandemic (流行病). Even with a smartphone in hand and Internet available, many of them still feel helpless. They don’t know how to call a taxi through the apps. There have been reports of many shops refusing the elders because they don’t know how to pay using smartphones, instead of letting them pay with cash. What’s worse, as they don’t know how to get the Internet—based health code (健康码), they are refused to enter many public places. Showing personal health code is part of the epidemic prevention (防疫) and control measures.
New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives. But many senior citizens, especially those living in the countryside, are not able to use the Internet or smartphones, either because of financial (经济的) problems or because they cannot learn new things. The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more obvious. However, the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived (剥夺) of digital benefits. It is our responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap, and be patient with them when they face difficulties catching up.
1. What do the figures show in Paragraph 2?| A．There are a small number of senior citizens in China. |
| B．Only 23% of the senior citizens can use the computer. |
| C．Three fourths of the elderly dislike to use smartphones. |
| D．Many elders fail to enjoy the convenience of the digital devices. |
| A．Cash is no longer accepted in most shops. |
| B．It’s a must for everyone to have a health code. |
| C．Most elders need help on how to use the apps. |
| D．Many shops now refuse to offer service to the elderly. |
| A．their living areas |
| B．their financial conditions |
| C．their relationship with children |
| D．their difficulty in learning new things |
| A．They should not use modern technology. |
| B．The young should help them patiently. |
| C．The young should ask them to pay with cash. |
| D．They should keep silent using digital products. |
9 . Suddenly one Sunday in August, the streets are filled with colour. A procession (队列) of bands and dancers makes its way slowly through the city. Every evening, crowds of people walk up to the top of the Royal Mile, looking forward to a show of military music. On every shop window and noticeboard, posters have appeared, promoting everything from poetry readings to children’s theatre, art exhibitions (展览) to concerts. It’s festival time.
From its beginning in 1947, the Edinburgh International Festival (the “official” festival) has become a world-famous cultural event. The city turns into a huge arts centre, with its music, dance and exhibitions, all by world-famous artists. Every year more than twenty nations perform (表演) to audiences from all over the world in theatres, halls, schools, churches and the streets of the city. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo adds to the choice of entertainment, with its marching (游行) and military bands in Edinburgh Castle.
The Festival Fringe (the “unofficial” festival) is the biggest event of its kind in the world, with more than 900 shows to choose from and over 6,000 writers and performers taking part. It gives people a first-class opportunity to see many works performed for the first time—several of which go on to successful performances elsewhere.
The Film Festival gives fans an opportunity to widen their knowledge of films. And to show that there is something for everyone, the Jazz Festival has become very popular in recent years. You can hear the very best of music all over the city at this time.
There is no more exciting place to be than in Edinburgh at festival time!
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The history of the Edinburgh International Festival. |
| B．The growth of the Edinburgh International Festival. |
| C．The festive scene of the Edinburgh International Festival. |
| D．The coming events of the Edinburgh International Festival. |
| A．In churches. |
| B．In Edinburgh Castle. |
| C．In theatres. |
| D．Along the Royal Mile. |
| A．It has become an official event. |
| B．Most artists taking part in it are well-known. |
| C．It is as big as the Edinburgh International Festival. |
| D．Some performances can be watched for the first time. |
| A．A tourist guide. | B．An official report. |
| C．A history paper. | D．A geography textbook. |
10 . I remember the day when I first learned to ride a bike. It was a frightening, yet fun experience. My grandfather was the one who taught me and he helped me when I got hurt. The first time I got on a bike, I had no idea what I was doing, and just about everything went wrong. My grandfather told me to just put my feet on the pedals (脚蹬子) and start cycling. He also told me he would hold onto the back of the bike the whole time, yet he didn’t.
As soon as I started trying to balance myself, he let the bike go. I happened to look back just then. I was scared to death that I was going to fall and hurt myself. When I was scared, my mind went blank from cycling, and I just wanted to get off. I forgot how to use the brakes (车闸) and fell right off the bike. My grandfather kept encouraging me to get up and try again, and after about 15 minutes, I finally stopped crying, got up and tried again.
As soon as I started riding again, my pants got caught in the chain, and I fell flat on my face and hit my nose. My grandfather decided to call it a day and try again the next morning. The next morning I woke up brightly and early, and was very eager to try to ride my bike. My nose felt better, so I wasn’t that afraid of falling anymore.
Although I knew there were a range of difficulties on the way to mastering the skills in riding a bike, I believed I could do well with my grandfather’s help. After all, riding a bike was indeed what I wanted to do eagerly.
1. How was the author when he was on the bike first?| A．He thought balancing himself was easy. |
| B．He didn’t know where he would be going. |
| C．He put his feet on the pedals and started cycling. |
| D．He was nervous and didn’t know what to do next. |
| A．Go on to ride a bike. |
| B．Stop practicing bicycling. |
| C．Make the author feel happy. |
| D．Remember what happened this day. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uncaring. | D．Negative. |
| A．The First Time I Got My Own Bike |
| B．The Difficulty I Met with My Grandfather |
| C．The Experience of My First Riding a Bike |
| D．The Happy Moment when I Stayed with My Grandfather |
