1 . Wouldn’t it be wonderful to travel to a foreign country without having to worry about the headache of communicating in a different language?

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, technology policy expert Alec Ross argued that, within ten years or so, we would be able to communicate with one another through small earpieces with built-in microphones. That’s because technological progress is extremely fast. It’s only a matter of time. Such is the belief among certain parents that the technology is imminent and they’re wondering if their kids should learn a second language.

It’s true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers will make them cleverer at translating “Noes Bueno dormer mucho” into “It’s not good to sleep too much”. Replacing a word with its equivalent (对等词) in the target language is actually the easy part of a translator’s job. But even this seems to be a difficult job for computers.

It’s so hard for computers because translation doesn’t — or shouldn’t — involve simply translating words, sentences or paragraphs. Rather, it’s about translating meaning. And in order to infer meaning from a specific expression, people need to understand a lot of information all at once. Think about all the related clues that help us understand what someone is trying to say: volume, gesture, situations, and even your culture. All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use.

Therefore, we should doubt a machine that can’t understand our world like we do. If people from different cultures can upset each other without realizing it, how can we expect a machine to do better? Unless engineers actually find a way to breathe a soul into a computer, undoubtedly when it comes to conveying and interpreting meaning using a natural language, a machine will never fully take our place.

1. What does the underlined word “imminent” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Ready.

B．Confusing.

C．Unpractical.

D．Coming.

2. Why is it hard for computers to replace a word with its equivalent?

A．The real meaning of words can vary.

B．Their data is not rich enough.

C．Their accuracy needs big improvement.

D．A man’s soul hasn’t been breathed in them.

3. What view does the author hold about translation?

A．Proper translation can be difficult for computers.

B．Slight differences doesn’t matter in translation.

C．Machines will translate our world properly.

D．Cultures need more attention than words used.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．An Expert’s Prediction.	B．Travel without Headache.
C．The Pleasure of Translation.	D．Will the Language Barrier (障碍) Actually Fall?

2 . When she first started learning about the climate change from one of her elders,Fawn Sharp was invited on a helicopter flight over the Olympic Mountains to survey the Mount Anderson glacier.But the glacier was gone,melted by the warming climate.Sharp had a deep sense of loss when she discovered the glacier wasn’t there anymore.

Loss is a growing issue for people working and living on the front lines of climate change.And that gave Jennifer Wren Atkinson,a full-time lecturer at the University of Washington Bothell,US,an idea for a class.

This term,she taught students on the Bothell campus about the emotional burdens of environmental studies.She used the experiences of Native American tribes(部落),scientists and activists,and asked her 24 students to face the reality that there is no easy fix—that “this is such an intractable problem that they’re going to be dealing with it for the rest of their lives”.

Student Cody Dillon used to be a climate science skeptic(怀疑论者).Then he did his own reading and research,and changed his mind.

Dillon wasn’t going into environmental work—he was a computer-science major.Yet,the potential for a worldwide environmental catastrophe seemed so real to him five years ago that he quit his job and became a full-time volunteer for an environmental group that worked on restoration(恢复) projects.

Six months into the work,he decided that Atkinson’s class was just what he was looking for—a place where he could discuss his concerns about a changing climate.

Atkinson said she hoped the class helped her students prepare themselves for the amount of environmental loss that will happen over their lifetimes.

“We are already changing the planet—so many species are going to be lost,displaced or massively impacted,” she said.“The future isn’t going to be what they imagined.”

1. Why did the author mention the case of Fawn Sharp?

A．To lay a basis for Fawn Sharp’s further research.

B．To prove Fawn Sharp’s work is similar to Atkinson’s.

C．To lead into the issue of loss caused by climate change.

D．To show scientists’ concern about the Mount Anderson glacier.

2. Which of the following words best explains “intractable” underlined in Paragraph 3?

A．Simple.	B．Difficult.
C．Common.	D．Interesting.

3. What’s the main purpose of Atkinson’s class?

A．To explore how different people deal with climate change.

B．To get students more concerned about the environmental issue.

C．To find solutions to the environmental issue of Olympic Mountains.

D．To teach students how to conduct research about environment.

4. How did Atkinson’s class influence Dillon?

A．It made him work as a part-time volunteer for restoration projects.

B．It made him realize a planet-wide climate disaster would happen.

C．It encouraged him to be more involved in environmental protection.

D．It discouraged him to work on restoration projects for the environment.

3 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours

San Francisco Winery Tour
Running: February 1st through April 30th

This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)

Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.
Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st

This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.

Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm
Duration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st

Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.

Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd

This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.

Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?

A．San Francisco Winery Tour.	B．Back to the Fifties Tour.
C．Spooky Hallowen Tour.	D．Holiday Lights Tour.

2. What can tourists do on Back to the Fifties Tours?

A．Go to Treasure Island.	B．Enjoy the holiday scenes.
C．Have free ice cream.	D．Visit the Presidio district.

3. What are tourists required to do to go on Holiday Lights Tour?

A．Take some drinks.	B．Set off early in the morning.
C．Wear warm clothes.	D．Make reservations in advance.

4 . Hansen and his 10-year-old son Chase search the streets of Salt Lake City every weekend for the homeless to take to lunch. They started Project Empathy(共情)four years ago to ________a meal, listen to their stories and figured out how they could ________ help.

“Just start with a smile, a hello. It really just starts with that. If you do it, you can make a connection. A small gesture can have a ________ impact on others less fortunate,” Hansen ________ in an interview.

Some of these shared meals have turned into stronger ________ .Ward, a homeless, was ________ in a flat. He credited the Hansens with helping him ________the difficult process of moving off the streets. “It is great to have friends who make us feel ________ and I’m impressed with the pair,” Ward said.

Father and son’s ________have developed into a passion project that ________ faith and community, which emphasizes the ________ community members can have in uplifting the homeless. They know they can’t settle the homeless ________ alone. They’re hoping empathy will ________.

“My hope for the future is to ________ more connection across our country. We could and we will succeed ________ we have other people join in and help the homeless,” Chase said.

1.

A．buy

B．cook

C．share

D．eat

2.

A．often

B．further

C．also

D．even

3.

A．dramatic

B．different

C．minimum

D．decisive

4.

A．remarked

B．praised

C．joked

D．quoted

5.

A．desires

B．connections

C．motivations

D．opinions

6.

A．provided

B．permitted

C．abandoned

D．housed

7.

A．through

B．for

C．despite

D．to

8.

A．surprised

B．relaxed

C．awesome

D．calm

9.

A．dreams

B．influences

C．experiences

D．efforts

10.

A．assesses

B．compares

C．highlights

D．respects

11.

A．importance

B．task

C．chance

D．role

12.

A．argument

B．problem

C．debt

D．conflict

13.

A．go away

B．catch on

C．fade out

D．give off

14.

A．establish

B．miss

C．exchange

D．maintain

15.

A．before

B．if

C．until

D．so

5 . Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.

Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1, 500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-­year-­old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e­mail to “speak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast­food restaurant or under the trees — anywhere at all!

Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher­education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.

At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”

1. The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ________.

A．use for their schoolwork

B．access the Internet

C．work at home

D．connect them to libraries

2. Which of the following is TRUE about Westlake College?

A．All teachers use computers.

B．1, 500 students have laptops.

C．It is an old college in America.

D．Students there can do everything.

3. “A window on the world” in the last paragraph means that students can ________.

A．attend lectures on information technology

B．travel around the world

C．get information from around the world

D．have free laptops

4. What can we infer from the passage?

A．The program is successful.

B．The program is not workable.

C．The program is too expensive.

D．We don’t know the result yet.

6 . Back in the early 2000s, lots of people couldn’t have imagined life without alarm clocks, CD players, calendars, cameras, or lots of other devices. But along came the iPhone and other smartphones, and they took over the functions of dozens of things we used to think were essential.

The smartphone story could even be a model for fighting climate change; not because smartphones use a small part of the energy of all the things they replace - although they do-but because they represent a different approach to design in general. And that approach is to focus on function rather than form. That requires focusing on understanding the underlying problem，and then engineering a wide range of potential solutions. This approach could revolutionize how we think about energy efficiency.

Traditionally, improvements in energy efficiency have mostly focused on individual devices, which can be quite fruitful. But focusing on individual devices is like if Apple had spent effort inventing a better alarm clock, a better CD player, a better calendar, and a better camera. Now with an iPhone, we don’t need the standalone(独立运行的) devices at all, because it can function as all of them.

So when it comes to using energy efficiently, rather than just installing a more efficient heater，some people have focused instead on the desired function: staying warm. They designed and coated their house so well that they could get rid of their heater altogether, letting them heat their house with 99% less energy.

In the same way, rather than just making cars more efficient, what if we focus on the desired function-getting where we want when we want-and create an efficient transportation system where we can drive less or get rid of our personal cars entirely?

The most energy efficient car or heater is no car, or no heater, while still being able to get around and stay warm. In other words, it’s not thinking efficient, it’s thinking different.

1. What makes the iPhone a good example of environmental protection?

A．Perfecting individual devices.	B．Combining possible functions.
C．Adopting a simplest design.	D．Reducing the energy consumption.

2. According to the passage, what is the core of improving energy efficiency?

A．Using recyclable materials.	B．Revolutionizing technologies.
C．Figuring out various solutions.	D．Concentrating on the essential needs.

3. What does the author think of traditional practices in energy improvements?

A．Fruitless.

B．Out-of-date.

C．Adequate.

D．Perfect.

4. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Think out of the box.	B．Differences make it unique.
C．Be economical with energy.	D．Step out of the comfort zone.

7 . Regardless of how far we’d like to believe gender (性别) equality in the workplace has come, there’s still a yawning gap between male and female leaders in the professional world. A 2018 statistic shows that women nowadays hold just 5.8 percent of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies, according to Catalyst.

While it’s not a huge shock that women are somewhat underrepresented in leadership positions, what is surprising though, is the fact that females may actually be better suited to lead in almost every area, at least according to new findings from the BI Norwegian Business School.

In their research, Professor Martinsen and Professor Lars Glas surveyed 2,900 managers with a special focus on personality types. The results were clear: Women scored higher than men in four of the five major leadership-centric categories.

While some people believe that men inherently make better leaders—probably because they picture a leader with a commanding voice, which is more typical of men than women—this piece of research suggests that women are better at methodical management and goal-setting, openness, sociability and supportiveness, as well as ability to communicate clearly.

There was one area in which men scored higher than women, though, and that was on emotional stability and ability to face job-related pressure and stress. The results suggest that women are more sensitive to the effects of high-pressure or highly emotional situations.

Obviously, its important to consider individual differences.Anyone, regardless of gender may be an inspiring leader and a competent boss. But next time you're hiring for a management position, you just might want to give the resumes(简历)from female candidates a harder look.

1. What makes us shocked much at leadership positions?

A．Women are worse than men.

B．Men take almost all high positions.

C．There is a huge gap between genders.

D．Women might behave better in nearly every field.

2. Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “inherently” in Paragraph 4?

A．properly.

B．potentially.

C．naturally.

D．normally.

3. Which of the following may be the best title of this text?

A．Why Women Make Better Leaders

B．Why Women Are Better Than Men

C．How We Can Figure Out The Boss

D．How We Can Tell Gender Difference

4. Who might have special interest in this article?

A．Job hunters.

B．Employers.

C．Employees.

D．Male bosses.

8 . It can be tough to pull kids away from their computers and mobile devices these days. While they’re playing games, wouldn’t it be great if they could be learning at the same time? Good educational apps offer fun challenges that teach specific grade-level skills. Here are four that combine fun and learning.

Understanding Math($3.99; iOS)

Understanding Math goes beyond basic comprehension to gain a deeper understanding of the whys and hows of math. The app tracks your child’s progress to determine strengths and weaknesses in different skill areas, and you can customize(订制)your child’s learning experience to suit the needs.

Word Creativity Kit($2.99; iOS)

Word Creativity Kit aims not only to make creative writing fun but also build up grammar rules. The app presents a series of words from seven categories, such as space or fantasy. Kids add their own words to finish the complete thoughts that these words have inspired.

Barefoot World Atlas($4.99; iOS)

Barefoot World Atlas helps kids learn about geography and world cultures with a touch of the screen. Each region features a set of sub-topics, from wildlife and natural features to native people, landmarks, and architecture. These facts and illustrations are delivered in photographs, sounds, and hundreds of mini videos.

My Grades & Homework($0.99; iOS)

A combination of grades and homework tracker, My Grades & Homework can help your child stay organized and on top of the progress in school. A convenient calendar and course list format and offer a glance at your child’s assignment schedule that he or she might not normally get from standard homework planners.

1. Which app is beneficial to children’s writing skills?

A．Understanding Math.	B．Word Creativity Kit.
C．Barefoot World Atlas.	D．My Grades & Homework.

2. What is the common part of the four apps?

A．They need purchasing when downloaded.

B．They help children improve their grades.

C．They make studies fun because of mini videos.

D．They inform parents of their children’s progress.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To wish readers to bring in more similar apps for children.

B．To encourage parents to allow their students to play apps.

C．To design the educational apps to combine fun and learning.

D．To introduce four educational apps for readers to buy and use.

10 . King’s College Summer School

King’s College Summer School is an annual training program for high school students at all levels who want to improve their English. Courses are given by the teachers of King’s College and other colleges in New York. Trips to museums and culture centers are also organized. This year’s summer school will be from July 25 to August 15. More information is as follows:

Application date ⚫ Students in New York should send their applications before July 18, 2023. ⚫ Students of other cities should send their applications before July 16, 2023. ⚫ Foreign students should send their applications before July 10, 2023.	Courses ⚫ English Language Spoken English: 22 hours Reading and Writing: 10 hours ⚫ American History: 16 hours ⚫ American Culture: 16 hours
Steps ⚫ A letter of self-introduction ⚫ A letter of recommendation The letters should be written in English with all the necessary information.	Cost ⚫ Daily lessons: $200 ⚫ Sports and activities: $100 ⚫ Travels: $200 ⚫ Hotel service: $400 You may choose to live with your friends or relatives in the same city.
Please write to: Thompson, Sanders 1026 King’s Street New York, NY 10016, USA E-mail: KC-Summer-School@yahoo.com

1. Which of the following is true about King’s College Summer School?

A．Only top students can take part in the program.

B．Only the teachers of King’s College give courses.

C．King’s College Summer School is run every other year.

D．Visits to museums and culture centers are part of the program.

2. If you are to live with your relatives in New York, how much will you have to pay the school?

A．$200

B．$400

C．$500

D．$900

3. What information can you get from the text?

A．The program will last two months.

B．You can write to Thompson only in English.

C．You can get in touch with the school by e-mail or by telephone.

D．As a Chinese student, you can send your application on July 14, 2023.