1 . “We are living in an age for learning, when there’s so much knowledge available that one would think that this is good news for higher education, yet we’ve seen enrollment (入学) in higher education drop for six years.” said Bryan Alexander, who often writes about the future of higher education.
Alexander believes that for some colleges and universities to survive, they need to shift from their historical mission of serving one type of student (usually a teenager fresh out of high school) for a specific period of time. “We’re going to see many different ways through higher education in the future,” Alexander said, “from closer ties between secondary and postsecondary schools to new options for adults.”“The fact is that to maintain affordability, accessibility and excellence, something needs to change,” said Rafael Bras, Georgia Tech’s president. Among many impressive ideas about that, three point to the possibility of a very different future for colleges and universities.
1) College for life, rather than just four years. The college should turn itself into a place for lifelong learning that allows students to “associate rather than enroll”. The system that receives students once in their lives and turns them out with approval to become alums (校友) and come back on occasion and give money is not the right model for the future.
2) A network of advisers and coaches for a career. If education never ends, neither should the critical advising function that colleges provide to students. It’s promising that artificial intelligence and virtual tutors will help advise students about selecting courses and finding the best career options.
3) A distributed presence around the world. Colleges and universities operate campuses and require students to come to them. In the past couple of decades, online education has grown greatly, but for the most part, higher education is still about face-to-face interactions. Why not blend the two worlds?
Whether the ideas will become real is, of course, unclear, but what is clear is that colleges and universities are about to undergo a period of deep change — whether they want to or not — as the needs of students and the economy shift.
1. The underlined word “blend” can be best replaced with ________.| A．distribute | B．split | C．connect | D．combine |
| A．Enrollment in higher education drops because there’s too much knowledge available. |
| B．The colleges and universities serving one type of student for 4 years will disappear soon. |
| C．Probably people won’t have to go to college and university campuses for higher education. |
| D．Higher education has the obligation to maintain affordability, accessibility and excellence. |
| A．the driving factor of the change in higher education is the change in the needs of students and the economy |
| B．people will probably be at college all their life rather than just four years to associate with their alums |
| C．artificial intelligence and virtual tutors will work together to help students select courses and find best careers |
| D．colleges and universities are scheduled to undergo changes for a different future whether they want to or not |
| A．No More Traditional Higher Education | B．Colleges and Universities: Change or Die |
| C．The Struggle of Higher Education | D．How to Survive in Colleges and Universities |
2 . I often hear kids say, “I’m not a math person” or “I’m just not good at math.” These statements reflect what’s called a “fixed mindset”, which is often associated with a sense of discouragement, powerlessness and inability to improve one’s situation. A fixed mindset is extremely common in math classrooms, but with the help of teachers, students can adopt a “growth mindset”.
This means believing in their potential to acquire the skills and knowledge. In strong, productive teacher-student relationships, teachers nurture (培养) growth mindsets. And there are some key steps in building these relationships, starting with giving instruction that meets the skill levels of individual students. Besides, it’s important to give students social and emotional support, so they could develop social awareness self-management, decision-making and relationship skills.
How could teachers do these among class prep and grading duties? I believe in applying educational technologies. With the right tools, teachers can skillfully manage to individualize instruction and meet social-emotional needs.
Razzaq, a math teacher at Doherty High School, has students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, and some were still learning English alongside math. The school once placed a student in her class, who hadn’t been in formal school since third grade. Students have different levels and social-emotional needs that demand attention from teachers. Sometimes they’re not aware or communicative of the areas in which they need help. Razzaq gives tests with the help of some educational platforms, which generate reports that summarize individual weak points. Then Razzaq could give instructions suiting their academic situations, making productive use of class time. She also uses technologies that provide insights into social-emotional experiences such as attentiveness and time management. The data enables her to initiate conversations that make a difference in students’ education.
More importantly, we need to examine our approach to education. Are we creating an environment where children can develop healthily? How are we satisfying the needs of our future generations? Only by knowing our vision can we decide the technology to complete the picture.
1. Which of the following problems do students often have about learning math according to the text?| A．Personal interest. | B．Low confidence. |
| C．Poor self-control. | D．Poor learning ability. |
| A．By giving an example. | B．By conducting research. |
| C．By analyzing statistical data. | D．By making some comparisons. |
| A．They encourage students to communicate. |
| B．They provide suggestions on math teaching. |
| C．They correct the mistakes students make in tests. |
| D．They give information about students’ learning situation . |
| A．A technician. | B．A psychologist. |
| C．An educationist. | D．A mathematician. |
3 . In one horrible film plot, Al 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 comment. | D．A lead-in. |
| A．Theoretical. | B．Common. | C．Unique. | D．False. |
| 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 |
4 . Imagine you need milk, so you go to the grocery store to pick some up, only to find there are dozens of options. These days, you have to make a decision on not only the percentage of fat you want, but also what source you want your milk to be coming from: cows, soybeans... You have no idea what milk to pick. There are so many choices that you are confused.
This phenomenon is known as the paradox (悖论) of choice and it is becoming a concern in the modern world, where more and more options are becoming easily available to us. While we might believe that being presented with multiple options actually makes it easier to choose one that we are happy with, and thus increases consumer satisfaction, having too many options actually requires more effort to make a decision and can leave us feeling unsatisfied with our choice.
The idea was popularized by American psychologist Barry Schwartz when he published his book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Schwartz, who has long studied the ways in which economics and psychology intersect (交叉), became interested in seeing the way that choices were affecting the happiness of citizens in Western societies. He identified that the range of choices that we have available to us these days is far greater than that people had in the past; however, consumer satisfaction has not increased as much as traditional economics theories might expect.
Schwartz identified that the paradox of choice carries the most consequence for people that are maximizers. Maximizers, unlike satisficers, are concerned with making the best choice instead of simply making a choice that they are happy with. When there are many options available to maximizers, it becomes harder for them to determine which is the best, which can cause them to feel a great deal of regret after they have made a choice.
Instead of believing that freedom of choice is unlimited, Schwartz advocates that the role of psychology and behavioral economics should be to find the kind of limitations on freedom that can lead to the greatest level of happiness within society.
1. What’s the author’s purpose in mentioning buying milk in paragraph 1?| A．To lead in the topic. |
| B．To draw a conclusion. |
| C．To show that we have more choices when shopping. |
| D．To indicate that people pay greater attention to health when shopping. |
| A．More options mean less satisfaction. |
| B．Consumer satisfaction has greatly increased. |
| C．People are happy with more choices. |
| D．Modern people are happier than their ancestors. |
| A．They aim for the very best. | B．They tend to follow their feelings. |
| C．They often regret their decisions. | D．They have trouble making a decision. |
| A．Hold on to their beliefs. | B．Accept their own behavior. |
| C．Give up freedom. | D．Limit their own choices. |
5 . In general, the society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic (官僚主义的) management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, well-equipped factories and piped music, and by psychologists and “human-relations” experts; yet all this oiling does not change the fact that man has become powerless, that he does not wholeheartedly participate in his work and he is bored with it. In fact, the blue-collar and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.
The worker and employee are anxious, seemingly because they might find themselves out of a job or they would say that they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction or interest in life. In fact, they feel desperate as they live and die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.
Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again by the psychologists, for whom testing is a big business, and by their superiors, who judge their behavior, sociability, capacity to get along, etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one’s fellow-competitor creates constant anxiety and stress, the very causes of unhappiness and illness.
Am I suggesting a return to the pre-industrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century “free enterprise” capitalism? Certainly not. Problems are never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming the social system from a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities — those of all love and of reason — are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man.
1. By “a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery”, the author expresses the idea that man is _________.| A．an essential part of society with irreplaceable functions |
| B．expected to work in reasonable harmony with the rest of society |
| C．an unimportant component of society, though functioning smoothly |
| D．responsible for the smooth running of society and business operations |
| A．they are filled with an overwhelming fear of being unemployed |
| B．they don’t have any genuine satisfaction or interest |
| C．they have to face the fundamental realities of human existence |
| D．they lack a sense of independence and productivity |
| A．caution | B．obedience | C．commitment | D．optimism |
| A．To introduce the production mode of our ancestors. |
| B．To show the problematic situation in society. |
| C．To argue for full development of human potentials. |
| D．To help people escape production and consumption. |
6 . Feel exhausted after a party? Rather see one close friend than a group of acquaintances? Enjoy your own company? In our world, that makes you an introvert (内向的人). However, there’s another possible explanation — vertical attachment. If you are closer to your parents and family members than to your peers, you are vertically attached, which means you rely more on family for comfort.
If you are closer to your peers, then you are peer attached. We live in a peer-oriented world. We believe that having lots of friends means that we are well-adjusted. We put our kids in playgroups and daycare for peer interaction. We expect teenagers to want to hang out with their friends, thinking it is the natural way of things.
Result? Generations often feel worlds apart. We use different language, dress, and technology apps. Even if multiple generations are invited to the same party, the kids go to the basement playroom while the parents stay upstairs.
Vertically-attached individuals can feel out of place in this context, demonstrating the traces of introversion. Will they be exhausted after a party with same-aged acquaintances? Absolutely. Would they rather spend time with one close friend? Sure. Do they enjoy alone time? Yes, more than they enjoy time fitting in with peers.
It’s normal that many people need alone time to recharge. However, vertically-attached people often label themselves as introverted. They feel insecure that others have more friends and live richer lives. They claim that their family attachments arise from their loved ones being stuck with them.
If you feel these insecurities, know that there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not missing out on anything. Your attachment style is just different from the culture where you live. Have confidence in the strength of the relationships you have, whether it is with a mom who feels more like a best friend, or a grandmother with whom you can share anything. They are meaningful, enriching relationships, even if they look different from the cultural norm.
1. Who is vertically attached according to the text?| A．Mike, who feels at ease with his teachers. |
| B．Maggie, who enjoys film time alone at weekends. |
| C．Tom, who feels burnt out after a family get-together. |
| D．Lisa, who often turns to her dad when things are hard. |
| A．Younger generations should be self-disciplined. |
| B．Being sociable is a desired quality for their children. |
| C．Their children need more friends than they themselves do. |
| D．Different generations should have different circles of acquaintances. |
| A．Be that as it may, just leave it as it is. |
| B．Never underestimate your inner power. |
| C．Hang out more with friends and adjust to it. |
| D．Treat others the way you want to be treated. |
| A．Prejudiced. | B．Cautious. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Favorable |
7 . 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 A lec Ross argued that, within a decade or so. We’ll be able to communicate with one another via small earpieces with built-in microphones. That’s because technological progress is extremely rapid. It’s only a matter of time. Indeed, some parents are so convinced that this technology is imminent that they’re wondering if their kids should even learn a second language.
It’s true that an increase in the quantity and accuracy of the data loaded into computers make them cleverer at translating “No es bueno dormir mucho” as “It’s not good to sleep too much.” Replacing a word with its equivalent (同义词) in the target language is actually the “easy part of a translator’s job”. But even this seems to be a discouraging task for computers.
It’s so difficult 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, humans have to interpret a mass of information at the same time. Think about all the related clues that go into understanding an expression: volume, gesture, situation, and even your culture. All are likely to convey as much meaning as the words you use.
Therefore, we should doubt whether a machine is able to translate the world around us. If people from different cultures can offend 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 translation 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．Confusing. | B．Approaching. | C．Helpful. | D．Advanced. |
| A．The real meaning of words can vary. |
| B．Their data is not adequate (充足的) enough. |
| C．Their accuracy needs big improvement. |
| D．A soul hasn’t been breathed into them. |
| A．Some machines will translate our world properly. |
| B．Slight difference mean little in translation. |
| C．Proper translation can be tough for humans. |
| D．Cultures deserve more attention than words used. |
| A．A new language translating machine |
| B．Will Language Barrier (障碍) Actually Fall? |
| C．Who Will Be a Better Translator? |
| D．Translation will become easier |
8 . There’s no doubt that positive thinking impacts one’s life. However, in recent years, I’ve come to understand that perhaps positive thinking can result in toxic (有毒的) positivity, which has negative results. What we should be aiming for instead is emotional validation (确认) .
Toxic positivity is the maintenance of positive thinking even in situations where it isn’t appropriate. “It often comes at the risk of denying(否认) our own real feelings or the feelings of others,” says Nina Vasan, MD. While positive thinking in general is a great thing, toxic positivity isn’t. It’s the act of denying anything negative that’s actually happening, and it can involve making people feel bad for having normal human emotions. Someone practicing toxic positivity might say things like “everything happens for a reason” or “just look on the bright side” when a friend shares something difficult in his/her life.
Vasan tells us that with toxic positivity, emotions like sorrow and anger are pushed aside. However, emotional validation allows you to have your feelings. To be exact, emotional validation is about allowing people to experience their feelings and acknowledging that having negative feelings is real and often important. That doesn’t mean it promotes and encourages negative thinking endlessly, though.
Toxic positivity encourages us to focus only on the positive, which can stop us from dealing with the feelings we need to work through. Practicing emotional validation is a healthier option for you and the ones you love. “This can be as simple as saying ‘I understand you’re really sad’.” explains Vasan. Offering your understanding shows our loved ones that we care about their feelings. Besides, instead of telling someone to look on the bright side, you should offer words and thoughts of support instead.
Toxic positivity has become prevalent, and you probably know a lot of people who dismiss your negative experiences with statements like “you’re too sensitive”. Now you can say: Whatever you’re feeling is temporary and allowing yourself to feel it will help you get through it.
1. What is emotional validation?| A．Avoiding risks in terrible situations. | B．Denying people’s negative feelings. |
| C．Maintaining positive in hard times. | D．Accepting emotional ups and downs. |
| A．Perhaps something fortunate is still waiting for you. |
| B．I’m sure there’s a good reason for what has happened. |
| C．You have every right to feel upset and I am here for you. |
| D．I understand your sadness but being sensitive is no good. |
| A．Creative. | B．Widespread. | C．Challenging. | D．Enormous. |
| A．Admitting negativity is reasonable. | B．Promoting positivity is worthwhile. |
| C．Sticking to positivity is significant. | D．Expressing negativity is inappropriate. |
9 . Feel exhausted after a party? Rather see one close friend than a group of acquaintances? Enjoy your own company? In our world, that makes you an introvert (内向的人). However, there’s another possible explanation — vertical attachment. If you are closer to your parents and family members than to your peers, you are vertically attached, which means you rely more on family for comfort.
If you are closer to your peers, then you are peer attached. We live in a peer-oriented world. We believe that having lots of friends means that we are well-adjusted. We put our kids in playgroups and daycare for peer interaction. We expect teenagers to want to hang out with their friends, thinking it is the natural way of things.
Result? Generations often feel worlds apart. We use different language, dress, and technology apps. Even if multiple generations are invited to the same party, the kids go to the basement playroom while the parents stay upstairs.
Vertically-attached individuals can feel out of place in this context, demonstrating the traces of introversion. Will they be exhausted after a party with same-aged acquaintances? Absolutely. Would they rather spend time with one close friend? Sure. Do they enjoy alone time? Yes, more than they enjoy time fitting in with peers.
It’s normal that many people need alone time to recharge. However, vertically-attached people often label themselves as introverted. They feel insecure that others have more friends and live richer lives. They claim that their family attachments arise from their loved ones being stuck with them.
If you feel these insecurities, know that there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not missing out on anything. Your attachment style is just different from the culture where you live. Have confidence in the strength of the relationships you have, whether it is with a mom who feels more like a best friend, or a grandmother with whom you can share anything. They are meaningful, enriching relationships, even if they look different from the cultural norm.
1. Who is vertically attached according to the text?| A．Mike, who feels at ease with his teachers. |
| B．Maggie, who enjoys film time alone at weekends. |
| C．Tom, who feels burnt out after a family get-together. |
| D．Lisa, who often turns to her dad when things are hard. |
| A．Younger generations should be self-disciplined. |
| B．Being sociable is a desired quality for their children. |
| C．Their children need more friends than they themselves do. |
| D．Different generations should have different circles of acquaintances. |
| A．Be that as it may, just leave it as it is. |
| B．Never underestimate your inner power. |
| C．Hang out more with friends and adjust to it. |
| D．Treat others the way you want to be treated. |
| A．Biased. | B．Objective. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Critical. |
10 . Turning 18 is a big deal when you are a teenager. It means you are responsible for yourself and don’t need your parents’ permission any more. However, there are lots of opinions about when one becomes an adult. Some are based on science, while others are personal opinions. While currently the age is 18, science supports 25 as a more sensible age for adulthood, and I agree.
While studying the brain of teenagers, scientists have learned that when kids are around l8, their prefrontal cortex (前额皮层) is only halfway developed. The prefrontal-cortex helps people set and achieve goals by receiving signals from different regions of the brain to process information and adapting accordingly. That halfway development means that you still have things to learn and your brains still have time to develop until the age of 25.
Some people think going off to college and living on your own qualify (使……具有资格) san adult, while others may believe having a steady income and being able to afford to live on your own are what make you an adult. Not everyone has a fortunate life where they have family that can provide support; there are situations where you are forced to become an “adult” whether you like it or not.
In the foster care (寄养) system, once a child turns 18, he or she is considered an adult and can no longer receive state-sponsored support. These children are forced into a life where they have no family or anyone to support them other than those who were there for them in the system.
Having a quality job will allow you to supply yourself with necessary things to live and help you become a more mature and responsible person. Also, going through difficult times and realizing life isn’t as easy as it seems, should qualify someone as an adult.
1. What is the author’s attitude toward considering 25 as an age for adulthood?| A．Cautious. | B．Uncaring. | C．Doubtful. | D．Positive. |
| A．By dealing with received signals and responding accordingly. |
| B．By collecting information from other parts of the body. |
| C．By sending instructions to different regions of the brain |
| D．By transporting sensed emotions and making records |
| A．Give a definition of adulthood. |
| B．Stress the importance of family support. |
| C．Prove not everyone lives a fortunate life. |
| D．Show opinion on becoming an adult is divided |
| A．Setting up a family. |
| B．Being responsible for your study. |
| C．Accepting and learning from the low moments in life. |
| D．Buying yourself quality things to live. |
