1 . Polly Arrowsmith is a clever bargain shopper, and knows exactly when her three local supermarkets make their daily price down. She estimates that hunting out food with yellow discounted labels saves her hundreds of pounds a year. But all this could soon be coming to an end. That’s because supermarkets are adopting dynamic pricing, controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) software.

It involves digital price tags that are displayed either on the shelf below the food items, or on high-tech labels attached the product itself. These prices are automatically, and wirelessly, updated by the AI when a particular item approaches its sell-by date. The AI also examines how much stock (库存) the store is holding of that item and makes the decision as to whether a markdown is requiredor not. Besides, it can help supermarkets better understand how to manage stock supply and avoid over-ordering. So we’re actually turning the current food waste problem into an opportunity and can help cut supermarkets’ food waste by more than a third.

Matt Wills, the co-founder of a firm called Acumen, warns that there are potential disadvantages to dynamic pricing. “Not knowing what the reference price is, consumers might not realise they are getting a deal at all,” he says. “This could also cause added complications for people who retired, if items are seen to be continually changing in price.”

The key, Mr. Wills believes, will be for supermarkets to have strict guidelines to ensure they can offer the benefits that dynamic pricing can bring, while ensuring AI doesn’t create unintended negative consequences for shoppers. Whether shoppers will welcome the change is another question, but Mr. Wills believes they’ll be won over by the price reductions they receive.

Ms. Arrowsmith admits she will miss the yellow discount stickers that have become part of her shopping routine. However, she also says she wants to see less food going to waste. “I’m happy to forgo really cheap pricing,” she says.

1. Why are yellow discount labels disappearing?

A．They are easy to hunt out.

B．They expose some safety issues.

C．They cause great damage to shoppers.

D．They are replaced with digital pricing.

2. What is mainly discussed in paragraph 2?

A．The advantages of using the AI.

B．The display of digital price tags.

C．The management of stock supply.

D．The problem of current food waste.

3. What can we learn about AI-driven pricing according to Matt Wills?

A．It offers the cheapest price.	B．It greatly reduces food stock.
C．It has side effect on retirees.	D．It gives rise to legal problems.

4. What does the underlined word “forgo” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Pay off.

B．Give up.

C．Agree on.

D．Cut down.

2 . Mr. Riccardi was working for an Italian university at the time, 10 years ago, and had to go to the city of Potenza in the south of the country for a conference. He wanted to book an environmentally-friendly hotel, but it was not so easy to find one online and book.

So it gave him the idea for a business — a website called Ecobnb, where people can search for sustainable accommodation. When someone finds a place that they would like to book, Ecobn b does not take the payment. Rather it contacts the property, which then emails the person directly. Ecobnb makes its money by charging the accommodation providers a monthly subscription to list on its website.

Today Ecobnb, based in Trento, in northern Italy, lists more than 3,000 properties worldwide, from an organic farmhouse in Tuscany, to an eco-mountain cottage in Costa Rica. 2.8 million travellers now use Ecobnb per year, up from 780,000 in 2018. Mr. Riccardi says the number is still rising. Some accommodation providers offer discounts for guests arriving by bicycle, or those not using a car during the trip.

“Holidaymakers are rethinking their relationship with planet Earth,” Mr. Riccardi says. “Thereis a new awareness, especially in young people, about our responsibility for our future and for the planet.” Statistics appear to back this up. A study has found that 69% of travellers are now actively seeking sustainable travel options.

Although Ecobnb is focused on sustainability, how sustainable is it when many people might be flying to arrive at the accommodations it lists? “The impact of the travel of the flights is very big,” agrees Mr. Riccardi. “We are pushing the staycation (就近旅游) model a lot, inviting people to discover their own countries and to avoid the flights when it’s possible.”

“More people are interested in green lifestyles every day,” he says. “And now they are looking for the same green choices also during their holidays. These little choices can come together, and we can change things and make something different. We can be the change we want to see in the world.”

1. What inspired Mr. Riccardi to start the website Ecobnb?

A．His pursuit for a better future.	B．His motivation to find a green hotel.
C．His teaching experience in an university.	D．His desire to invest in sustainable tourism.

2. What can we infer about Ecobnb from the third paragraph?

A．It enjoys great popularity.	B．It owns 3,000 properties in Italy.
C．It offers discounts to all visitors.	D．It charges payment from customers.

3. Why is Ecobnb pushing the stay cation model?

A．To promote sustainable travel.	B．To attract more young travelers.
C．To reduce the accommodation list.	D．To make flights available for others.

4. How does Mr. Riccardi feel about the future of green travel?

A．Discouraged.

B．Tolerant.

C．Uncertain.

D．Optimistic.

3 . It’s Community Day again!

The event that Map le Estate residents are eagerly looking forward to is just around the corner! As usual, the Map le Residents’ Committee has planned a programme that is designed to promote community spirit. Maple Estate has been celebrating Community Day every month for more than a year. By now, we hope all our residents understand the importance of forming strong bonds with our neighbours. If you have just moved to our lovely estate and have not had the opportunity to know your neighbours, you can do so by joining at Community Day!

August Highlight: Map le Estate Chefs Call all residents who are keen to practice your cooking skills and let your neighbours sample your cooking! You will be the stars of the upcoming event! Visit www.maplerc.sg for more information and to register for this activity. Kitchen equipment and basic ingredients will be provided. You will receive a $50 shopping voucher that you can use to purchase other ingredients from MapleMart the day before the event. Remember to register before 21 July, 2024! We are sure everyone will enjoy the delicious dishes! Time: From 10 a.m.to 6 p.m,6 Aug.,2024 Place: Maple Community Club Entry: Flash your Maple Resident Card

“My wife and I moved to Maple Estate when we got married. For a few months, we spent all our free time after work doing up our house. Even though we knew that our neighbours were friendly and would sometimes invite us for their gatherings, we were occupied with getting things ready. However, it wasn’t long before we grew curious about the Community Day celebrations. After we started attending them regularly, we met many neighbours. The first time we invited some of them over, we played games that helped us to get to know one another better!”

—Mr. Wang, a Maple Estate resident since 2022

1. What do the Community Day events aim to do?

A．To teach how to cook meals.	B．To develop community spirit.
C．To meet diverse needs of neighbours.	D．To make the community cleaner.

2. What do you have to do if you want to take part in the Maple Estate Chefs?

A．To sign up before 21 July , 2024.	B．To provide basic ingredients.
C．To use your own kitchen equipment.	D．To pay a registration fee of $50.

3. Mr. and Mrs. Wang didn’t socialize with their neighbours much at first because ______.

A．they spent all their time at work

B．they weren’t invited for the gatherings

C．they were busy beautifying their home

D．they lacked information about the community

4 . To Swedes, the scent of surströmming (鲱鱼罐头) is pleasant, but to most others, it’s sickening. This contrast highlights the role of culture in shaping our perceptions (见解) of scent. However, researchers now suggest that biology might play a more significant role than previously thought.

Artin Arshamian, a neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and Asifa Majid, a psychologist at the University of Oxford, noticed from their own previous work that people from different cultures described smells differently. They also knew from past experiments by other researchers that culture was important in determining which sorts of faces people found beautiful. Thus, they expected to see a similar phenomenon with smells.

The researchers conducted a study involving nine diverse groups of people, including hunter-gatherers in Mexico, farmers in Ecuador, and residents of cities like Mexico City and Bangkok. They were presented with ten smells, ranging from isovaleric acid to vanilla extract, and asked to rate them according to pleasantness. The results showed high consistency across cultures, with isovaleric acid universally disliked and vanilla extract mostly enjoyed.

Interestingly, the chemical composition of the smells accounted for 41% of the reactions, while cultural factors only explained 6%. It is quite different in the case of visual perception of faces, where a person’s culture makes up 50% of the explanation for which faces they find beautiful. Meanwhile, the researchers identified an “eye of the beholder” effect in our perceptions of scent. This phenomenon, though less obvious than in visual perception, represents the personal preferences that are shaped by influences outside individual culture, accounting for 54% of the differences in which smells people liked.

This study suggests that our sense of smell may be more influenced by biological factors than cultural ones. It challenges the idea that culture alone determines what we find pleasant or unpleasant and opens up new ways of exploring the biological basis of our senses.

1. What is the initial purpose of the research?

A．To explore how culture affects our sense of smell.

B．To prove all people enjoy the scent of surströmming.

C．To examine geography plays a role in scent perception.

D．To confirm biology has an influence on scent perception.

2. How did the researchers conduct the research?

A．By making questionnaire surveys.	B．By recording participants’ reactions.
C．By comparing cultural backgrounds.	D．By referring to previous study reports.

3. The underlined “eye of the beholder” effect mentioned in the research refers to ________.

A．the standard of beauty across different cultures

B．the role of culture in shaping our sense of smell

C．the impact of personal preferences on scent perception

D．the influence of outside factors on our visual preference

4. What can be inferred from the participants’ reactions to isovaleric acid?

A．They were familiar with isovaleric acid beforehand.

B．They hated isovaleric acid all due to its unpleasant smell.

C．Their reactions to the scent of isovaleric acid varied among cultures.

D．Their dislike for isovaleric acid was based more on biological factors.

5 . In February 2020, Max’s friend Rick was diagnosed with cancer. Max ______ Rick during the last month of his life, thus becoming ______ of the care provided to his friend by North Devon Hospice (临终关怀医院). “The hospital took such good care of him that I wanted to do something to show my ______,” says Max.

Max ______ a fundraising mission in March 2020. When Max first put up a tent in the yard of his house, he was 10 years old and had just ______ his friend Rick. “Before my friend died of cancer, he gave me a tent and told me to ‘have an adventure’,” says Max.

Through a years-long campaign, he became known as “The Boy in the Tent” and ______ more than £700,000 in 2023. Such a ______ allowed the hospital to ______ around 500 patients in their own homes, helping them face the ______ of an illness like cancer.

When he recalls his ______ experiences. Max says that he won’t ______ a single thing about the past three years. It’s easy to imagine, however, the past years weren’t free of ______ for Max: from collapsed tents to keeping warm throughout storms and snowy nights.

Max faced everything with his positive attitude and goal-driven mind. “One time my tent collapsed in the wind and rain at about 10:00 pm and I ______ to put it up again,” he says. “Despite all, I never regret it. I ______ love my one-of-a-kind adventure and I believe Rick would enjoy it as well if he were ______.”

1.

A．cured

B．saved

C．missed

D．supported

2.

A．aware

B．ashamed

C．proud

D．tired

3.

A．ambition

B．appreciation

C．concern

D．generosity

4.

A．started

B．delayed

C．continued

D．completed

5.

A．found

B．treated

C．contacted

D．lost

6.

A．collected

B．spent

C．withdrew

D．wasted

7.

A．variety

B．sum

C．style

D．theme

8.

A．pick out

B．turn down

C．give up

D．care for

9.

A．history

B．research

C．impact

D．source

10.

A．traveling

B．volunteering

C．nursing

D．camping

11.

A．repeat

B．change

C．remember

D．describe

12.

A．challenges

B．diseases

C．repairs

D．performances

13.

A．hoped

B．promised

C．managed

D．hesitated

14.

A．usually

B．similarly

C．actually

D．regularly

15.

A．asleep

B．present

C．strong

D．wealthy

9 . In a bustling city in Arizona stood a high school where most of the students live in poverty. Among them were four sons of Mexican immigrants, Juan, Oscar, Luis, and Alfredo. These boys, coming from ________ backgrounds, often found themselves overlooked and underestimated. Bonded by fate and friendship, they shared a common passion for ________. Two science teachers there decided to enter their high school into a complicated ________ robotics competition sponsored by the NASA and the Naval Research. Excited for the news, these four boys signed up for the competition.

With enthusiasm and energy, they started calling mechanical engineers for design help. They were ________ that these kinds of robots require glass syntactic flotation foam, a type of floating material used in various marine applications.________ money, all they could afford was some PVC pipes and duct tape (强力胶布).________, they searched the city for various spare parts, gathering whatever they could to bring their vision to life. With the teachers’ guidance and encouragement, they ________ together a robot with no more than metal and wires.

As they worked on their robot, the boys also faced personal challenges. Juan struggled with the weight of family responsibilities; Oscar ________ a deep-seated fear of failure; Luis’s heart ached from the constant peers’ mockery (嘲笑) for his ________ accent, and Alfredo longed for acceptance and belonging.________ these obstacles, they persevered, leaning on each other for support and inspiration.

After a few test runs of their robot, they piled into a second-hand van to head to the competition. Upon entering the main pool area, they noticed the college teams wearing matching outfits, with robots sponsored by big companies. Feeling a bit nervous, the boys put the robot in the water for a test run.________, the PVC didn’t hold up, causing the robot to leak and sink.

However, instead of letting this ________ ruin their spirits, the boys put their heads together and came up with a brilliant solution. 12 hours later, armed with 8 super-absorbent pads to plug the leak, the robot was ________ into the pool again. This time, their robot performed admirably. Gliding gracefully through the waters, it navigated the course with precision and speed,________ the judges and audience alike. This underwater robot, a symbol of their determination and ________, conquered the waters, defeated engineering powerhouse MIT and ranked first in the country. This was not just a win for those four but a victory for every underdog with a dream.

1.

A．academic

B．relevant

C．humble

D．professional

2.

A．space

B．mechanics

C．research

D．ocean

3.

A．giant

B．industrial

C．underwater

D．local

4.

A．advised

B．forced

C．challenged

D．consulted

5.

A．Reliant on

B．Available to

C．Short of

D．Desperate for

6.

A．Therefore

B．Otherwise

C．Moreover

D．However

7.

A．tied

B．pieced

C．added

D．wrapped

8.

A．conquered

B．created

C．expressed

D．battled

9.

A．perfect

B．strange

C．slight

D．elegant

10.

A．With

B．Given

C．Despite

D．Besides

11.

A．Unfortunately

B．Basically

C．Actually

D．Consequently

12.

A．disagreement

B．failure

C．conflict

D．progress

13.

A．scaled

B．lowered

C．inserted

D．fed

14.

A．boring

B．confusing

C．wowing

D．motivating

15.

A．bravery

B．generosity

C．confidence

D．perseverance