1 . The use of AI (artificial intelligence) is becoming more common in many branches of industry and online shopping. Traditional lines of work, such as goods transport and driving, are developing in a similar direction although mainly out of public view. Scientists at the University of Göttingen have now investigated how efficient (高效的) the use of AI can be in the commercial management of trucks.
“Digital applications—as well as machine leaning, a kind of AI—are increasingly applied to operations and courses in the transport area,” explains Professor Matthias Klumpp from the Faculty of Economics. “The question in the commercial area, however, is whether or not this contributes to achieving goals.”
To answer this question, the researchers compared the work efficiency of truck drivers with their main use of AI applications. Looking at trade delivery by truck, they studied three groups: the first drove completely following human decision-making models; the second used a combination of human and machine; and the third depended completely on fully automated decisions.
The researchers found that an intelligent combination of human work and decision-making abilities with AI applications promises the highest transport and driving efficiency. “On average, the second group achieved the most efficient transport trips, with the fewest interventions (干预) and off-course from the best path.” one researcher said, “Clearly, neither a completely human decision-making structure nor a fully automated driving system can promise to meet current goods transport requirements.” The scientists therefore summarized that despite the progress of AI in the field of transportation by truck, human experience and decision-making abilities will still be necessary in the longer term. However, the challenge is that a wide range of training and qualification (资格) needs will come along by working with Al applications, especially for simple goods transport activities.
1. What does Matthias Klumpp focus on?| A．The efficiency of AI. |
| B．The advantages of AI. |
| C．The problems caused by AI. |
| D．The wide applications of AI. |
| A．By providing examples. |
| B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By using different trucks. |
| D．By listing three experiments. |
| A．Al is better at making decisions. |
| B．A balance is needed between human and AI. |
| C．Human will soon be replaced by AI in driving. |
| D．Al applications meet the current requirements. |
| A．The future of transport. |
| B．Artificial intelligence as a co-driver. |
| C．Artificial intelligence-a better choice in driving. |
| D．The strengths of artificial intelligence in transport. |
2 . Have you ever heard about Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Surely, they are all about finding the best deals on holiday gifts for yourself and family members. And have you heard about GivingTuesday? Here is something about it!
GivingTuesday is observed annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which encourages people to help those in need by making financial donations or doing good in their local community. The “Global Day of Giving” was started in 2012 by New York City nonprofit 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation.
Unlike Black Friday, GivingTuesday serves a more altruistic purpose. In its first year, the movement brought in almost $10 million for charities, and things have only improved since. In 2019, many GivingTuesday social media campaigns worldwide helped raise an amazing $ 1.9 billion from 27 million donors! Over the past five years, many higher education institutions have also been using the Tuesday after Thanksgiving to ask alumni for donations. In 2019, the University of Michigan, which calls it Blueday, received 5887 gifts totaling over $4 million, while Pennsylvania State University raised $710 000 to benefit over 85 University programs.
Though donating money certainly helps, there are many other ways to support the great cause, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can video tutor kids struggling with online learning, or team up with an adult to get groceries or medications for an elderly neighbor. Alternatively, call on your peers to help you with a service project that addresses an issue close to your heart, or pick one from the several ideas suggested on the GivingTuesday website. You can also donate your gently-used clothes and toys to local shelters, or mail a handwritten note to a grandparent or a friend you miss seeing.
What are you going to do to make a positive difference in your community on GivingTuesday? Let us know by adding your comments below!
1. Why does the author mention Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Paragraph 1?| A．To make a comparison. | B．To lead to the topic. |
| C．To arouse readers’ interest. | D．To express his doubt. |
| A．To promote the development of economy. | B．To attract people to buy more holiday gifts. |
| C．To call on more universities to donate money. | D．To encourage people to help those in need. |
| A．Selfless. | B．General. | C．Specific. | D．Complex. |
| A．Where people can offer their kind help. | B．What people can do on GivingTuesday. |
| C．How people can stay safe during COVID-19. | D．Why people need to support the great cause. |
3 . Urban planners may soon have a new way to measure traffic jams. By putting in the different routes by which vehicles can travel between locations, researchers have developed a new computer algorithm (运算法则) that helps quantify regions of jams in urban areas and suggests ways around them.
The study, published in the Journal of Physics: Complexity, used traffic speeds from taxis in New York City to demonstrate how road infrastructure (基础设施) and driver behavior can create complex road networks that differ among cities.
The team approached the issue by designing a computer algorithm to capture the topology-or relationship between the different routes between locations-of road networks. “We found that the most significant traffic bottlenecks in Manhattan seem to arise as a result of the city’s structural layout,” said study co-author Daniel Carmody. “For example, the fact that a bridge enters Manhattan at a range where traffic is already limited due to Central Park slows traffic in the area considerably.”
The researchers performed a comparative analysis using traffic patterns in Chengdu, China, to test if the algorithm works equally well in areas with different layouts. Manhattan has a long and thin structure, while Chengdu is round. There are significant differences in the way traffic moves between these two different setups, the researchers said.
“The bottlenecks in Chengdu seem to arise due to the function of the buildings in a particular area,” Carmody said. “For example, it is hard to travel in and out of the central business district in Chengdu because of the large amount of traffic alone. Beltways, or faster streets around busy areas, have emerged in circles around this area, which is not surprising because this feature was intentionally built into the city.”
In Manhattan, the bridges and underpasses that form the entry and exit points cause traffic slowdowns. However, in lower Manhattan, where drivers seem to obey the lower posted speed limits, traffic moves more smoothly, forming a new traffic beltway with the southern end of Central Park acting as a block between lower and central Manhattan.
“It surprised us that there is an emergent beltway in such a busy area of Manhattan,” Carmody said. “This indicates that, unlike in Chengdu, beltways seem to arise from driver behavior even when they aren’t part of the structural plan of a traffic network.”
“The researchers have imagined that this technology could give urban planners a means to quantify traffic patterns, leading to better traffic,” Carmody said. “As methods of transportation develop, new problems will emerge, and we hope that our tools will give planners new ways to measure what is going on with city traffic.”
1. According to the new study, what contributes to traffic jams in Manhattan?| A．The number of bottlenecks and beltways. |
| B．The location of bridges and underpasses. |
| C．Road facilities and driver behavior. |
| D．Road signs and urban population. |
| A．compare the layouts of the two cities |
| B．find better infrastructure for one city |
| C．design traffic patterns with the algorithm |
| D．assess the effectiveness of the algorithm |
| A．Because of lower posted speed limits. |
| B．Because drivers follow the traffic rules. |
| C．Because it is planned in the traffic network. |
| D．Because a beltway has emerged around the area. |
| A．City planners. |
| B．Slower drivers. |
| C．Infrastructure developers. |
| D．Road sign designers. |
4 . When you think of Australia's overall atmosphere, what comes to mind? Sun, surf, and sand? That's right, but don't forget the snow! The lifts open at ski resorts across regional Australia from June to October, Tours are excellent option and depart from Queensland, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, or Canberra. Some tours are all- inclusive of accommodation, meals, ski hire, and lift tickets. It's a handy option for first-timers and for meeting other travelers.
Falls Creek, Victoria
Falls Creek is the largest ski resort in Victoria. Falls Creek is seven-hour drive south-west of Sydney and a four - and - a - half - hour drive northeast of Melbourne. There is a resort entry fee of AU $ 51.50 per day for all vehicles or AUS18. 50 per person on a bus.
Mount Hotham, Victoria
Mount Hotham provides challenging terrain(地形), Mount Hotham is a four-hour drive from Melbourne. The train will take yow straight from Melbourne or Sydney to the Victorian snowfield. Lift pass prices vary depending on the day you visit and how early you book.
Mount Buller, Victoria
Mount Buller is a three-hour drive from Melbourne It's easy to get to as there's a coach service that runs regularly during the winter season. Mount Buller offers a “kids stay free” deal where up to two children under the age of 15 can stay for free when accompanied by two adults. Lift passes can get as cheap as S66 when you book ahead of time.
Thredbo, NSW
There are 14 lifts and 54 runs across the resort, with many choices for beginners to advance. Thredbo has a lively village as there's almost always an event going on. You can purchase full - day or half - day lift passes, and prices range depending on the time of year. The resort is a two - hour drive from Melbourne.
1. Which is the farthest to Melbourne?| A．Falls Creek, Victoria. |
| B．Mount Hotham, Victoria. |
| C．Mount Buller, Victoria. |
| D．Thredbo, NSW. |
| A．Its atmosphere is better. |
| B．Lift passes get discounted. |
| C．Only two tickets are needed. |
| D．The boy's accommodation is free. |
| A．Choose different villages. |
| B．Go skiing in the snowfield. |
| C．Enjoy the event in a village. |
| D．Book ahead of time to get discount. |
5 . Accompanied by her father, using a combination of aid and free climbing and taking advantage of some special equipment and ropes for protection, 10-year-old Selah made it to the top of El Capitan on June 12 after five days of big wall climbing.
Climbing the challenging and adventurous Nose route of El Capitan was a labor of love for Selah in more than one way. Her parents , Mike and Joy Schneiter, fell in love on this 3,000- plus-foot huge rock and she has always wanted to feel the way that her parents felt when they were up there together. Selah showed great interest in rock climbing at an early age. She wore her first rock-climbing equipment shortly after she learned to walk. She first dreamed of climbing El Capitan when she was 6 or 7.
El Capitan is a famous mountain-sized rock in Yosemite National Park. Getting to its top is no easy task. It's taller, as reported, than the tallest building in the world-Dubai’s Buri Khalifa. El Capitan and its difficult Nose route, which runs more than 3,000 feet high up the center of the rock's face, is considered one of the world's hardest big wall climbs and has attracted the best climbers over time. But never before had a youngster accomplished it.
Selah's achievement caught national attention. Outside Magazine called her the youngest documented person to climb the Nose. Ken Yager, president of the Yosemite Climbing Association, said he also couldn't think of anyone younger who has done it.
Selah is humble about her El Capitan accomplishment. "I'm not necessarily a special kid or anything like that, she said. "There were a few times when I would be so worn that it would kind of discourage me from holding on. But overall, it was just great to keep plugging away.”
Selah shared this advice for other young climbers dreaming of big walls, "It doesn't take necessarily a super special person to do something like that. You just have to put your mind to it.”
1. What do we learn about Selah climbing El Capitan?| A．She began her climbing on June 5. |
| B．She got inspired by her family history. |
| C．She managed without any external help. |
| D．She was the first female to reach the top. |
| A．To state El Capitan's height. |
| B．To prove El Capitan's popularity. |
| C．To introduce El Capitan's location. |
| D．To stress the challenge of climbing El Capitan. |
| A．Determined. | B．Generous. |
| C．Warm-hearted. | D．Fortunate. |
| A．Dream big and aim high. |
| B．Be committed to your ambition. |
| C．Chance favors the prepared mind. |
| D．Nothing is impossible for a genius. |
6 . Coca-Cola is to test a paper bottle as part of a longer-term goal to get rid of plastic from its packaging entirely. The prototype (样本) is made by a Danish company from an extra-strong paper shell that still contains a thin plastic liner (衬垫). But the goal is to create a 100% recyclable, plastic free botte capable of preventing gas escaping from carbonated (碳酸) drinks. The barrier must also ensure no fibers get into the liquid.
That may have a risk of changing the taste of the drink — or potentially can't meet the requirements of health and safety checks. But industry giants (巨头) are backing the plan. Coca-Cola, for example, has set a goal of producing zero waste by 2030. Coca-Cola was ranked the world's number one plastic polluter by charity group Break Free From Plastic last year, closely followed by other drink-producers Pepsi and Nestle.
The Paper Bottle Company, or Paboco, is the Danish firm behind the development of the paper-based container. Part of the challenge has been to create a structure capable of standing the forces exerted by carbonated drinks — such as cola and beer — which are bottled under pressure. On top of that, the paper needs to be mouldable to create distinct bottle shapes and sizes for different brands and take ink for printing their labels.
After more than seven years of lab work, the firm is now ready to host a trial in Hungary this summer of Coca-Cola's fruit drink Adez. Initially, this will involve 2,000 bottles distributed via a local retail chain.
But it is also working with others. Absolut, the vodka maker, is due to test 2,000 paper bottles of its own in the UK and Sweden of its pre-mixed, carbonated raspberry drink. And beer company Carlsberg is also building prototypes of a paper beer bottle.
Michael Michelsen, the firm's commercial manager, says the bottles are formed out of a single piece of paper-fiber-based material to give them strength.
1. What is the longer-term goal of Coca-Cola company?| A．To stop using plastic in its packaging. |
| B．To produce drinks of alternative tastes. |
| C．To expand business in European countries. |
| D．To use paper bottles with a thin plastic liner. |
| A．Coca-Cola has very strong competitors. |
| B．Some industry giants are in favor of plastic free packaging. |
| C．Carbonated drinks are facing stricter health and safety checks. |
| D．The paper bottle company is under pressure from environmentalists. |
| A．Being hard to be printed on. |
| B．Being able to be strengthened. |
| C．Being able to be made into different shapes. |
| D．Being able to be mixed with other materials. |
| A．Coca-Cola Takes the Lead to Go Green |
| B．Paper Bottles Are in Place for the Market |
| C．Drink Industry Is Turning to Paper Bottles |
| D．Paper Bottle Companies Spring up Worldwide |
7 . When buying suitable plants for my garden, I would read the label carefully, which contains critical information that can tell me whether the plant is likely to work for me.
The label tells me the plant's name, including both a common name, which is easy to remember, and a botanical name, which is more precise and reliable. The botanical name is very useful as it's the key to finding more information about the plant.
The label also states the plant's light needs. They can tell me that the plant needs full sun, full shade or part sun, which are somewhere in between.
I will also find information about how much winter cold the plant can handle. This is usually expressed in terms of the zones on a plant hardiness (耐寒性) map. My Chicago home is generally in Zone 5, with a few spots near the lake in Zone 6. It's safe to buy plants that are hardy in Zone 5 or the colder Zones 4 and 3. Some labels only show a temperature, such as 10 degrees below zero, which is the coldest air temperature the plant is believed to be able to survive.
As an experienced gardener, I never forget to learn about the plant's size from the label. It tells me how tall and wide the plant will eventually grow to be. This is especially critical information if I am shopping for trees because just five or ten years later, that plant can outgrow its site.
There's a lot that plant labels don't tell me, for example, the soil a plant needs. Fortunately, I have a handy tool to learn more: my phone. A quick search for the plant 's botanical name can bring me a wealth of information beyond the label.
1. Why is a plant's botanical name important?| A．It's easy to remember. |
| B．It sounds formal and reliable. |
| C．It helps to understand the label. |
| D．It can be used to search for more information. |
| A．a plant that is tall and wide |
| B．a plant that is hardy in Zone 5 |
| C．a plant that requires full sunshine |
| D．a plant that can survive at 10 degrees below zero |
| A．From the label. |
| B．From the Internet. |
| C．From a plant hardiness map. |
| D．From an experienced gardener. |
| A．Thoughtful | B．Curious. | C．Determined. | D．Particular. |
8 . If you think you’d like to live on Mars, you may have that possibility by 2023. A Dutch company called Mars One will soon advertise for people interested in colonizing (开拓) Mars. If you have all the necessary skills, you could be one of the first colonists. Are you ready for the challenge?
You won’t have to pay for the mission to Mars. Mars One has already received money from some donors and is hoping to get more from TV viewers who will become interested in the show where all applicants have a debate for the rare chances.
The main responsibility of the first colonists is to create an artificial environment on Mars where there is no air to breathe and no land to farm. Scientists know it’s quite possible because something similar has already been done in Antarctica.
Another problem is that space travel to Mars takes nearly a year to get to Mars and the colonists will live the rest of their lives there. When a human lives in an environment without gravity or with low gravity for a long time, the systems in the body weaken. Luckily, spinning (旋转) the spaceship can create artificial gravity, and artificial gravity can ease these problems. It will also be difficult for Mars colonists to be far from home, living in small spaces, and seeing the same people over and over. Colonists with depression could put the mission in danger. Fortunately, a few years ago, a joint Russian and European project called the Mars500 Mission studied people’s reactions in a Mars-like environment. It is viewed as a great success because scientists were able to see how people handle emotional and physical stresses.
Recent studies show that seven percent of people would want to go on such an adventure.
Mars One will soon start accepting its first colonists. Are you interested?
1. What do we know about the applicants to Mars from the first two paragraphs?| A．They will land on Mars in 2023. |
| B．They can get money from donors. |
| C．They will compete in a TV show. |
| D．They do not need special skills. |
| A．Create earth-like conditions. |
| B．Build labs in Antarctica. |
| C．Spin the spaceship. |
| D．Start the Mars500 Mission. |
| A．Difficult and dangerous. |
| B．Different but adaptable. |
| C．Challenging and unbearable . |
| D．Acceptable but depressing. |
| A．Mars: our final destination? |
| B．Ready to be Mars’ colonists? |
| C．Space travel: a thrilling adventure? |
| D．Are you a qualified Mars astronaut? |
9 . Bangladesh's floating gardens, built to grow food during flood seasons, could offer a continuous solution for parts of the world which are likely to suffer from flooding because of climate change, a new study has found.
Bangladesh's floating gardens began hundreds of years ago. The gardens are made from native plants that float in the rivers and operate almost like rafts (筏), rising and filling with the waters. Historically, they were used to continue growing food during rainy seasons when rivers were filled with water.
The farmers layer the plants about three feet deep, creating a version of raised-bed gardens that float in the water. Then, they plant vegetables inside those rafts. As the raft-plants rot away, they release nutrients, which help feed the vegetable plants.
But as climate change affected the volume of water in those rivers, the researchers wanted to understand whether Bangladesh's floating gardens could be a continuous farming practice. They interviewed farming families and found strong evidence that floating gardens provide stability, both in the amount of food available to feed rural populations and in a farming family's income.
They found that farmers typically use hybrid (杂交) seeds, which must be repurchased each year, to grow a diverse range of vegetables in the floating gardens. The gardens are also sensitive to pests, so farmers end up spending some money on both pesticides and fertilizers. But even with those expenses, they found, benefits outweighed costs. One farmer told the research team that he earns up to four times as much money from the gardens as from traditional rice fields.
However, before gaining profits, farmers often take out high-interest loans (贷款) to cover the investment costs of filling the beds and stocking them with plants. Luckily; there are also lower-interest loans from responsible government or non-governmental organizations, which could ease that burden.
1. How do vegetable plants grow according to the text?| A．By absorbing nutrition from raft-plants. | B．By taking shelter from climate change. |
| C．By living together with hybrid seeds. | D．By moving up and down with raised beds. |
| A．“Our life becomes tough when rivers flood.” | B．“Fewer vegetables are planted when water rises.” |
| C．“We harvest much more food during rainy seasons.” | D．“Climate change has little influence on our income.” |
| A．Affected. | B．Brought. | C．Beat. | D．Equaled. |
| A．A solution to climate problem has been found. | B．The gardens are built with rotted native plants. |
| C．Farmers earn more from traditional rice fields. | D．Low-interest loans lighten the stress of farmers. |
10 . Just as a hungry brain craves (渴望) food, a lonely brain craves people. A new brain study demonstrates this. After being left alone, it shows people's brains would be activated at the sight of other people. The action was in the same brain region that speeds up when a hungry person sees food.
Livia Tomova, a neuroscientist, who studies how the brain produces mental activities, and her colleagues began this study. They recruited (招募) 40 people. On one day, the participants had to fast—not eat anything at all—for 10 hours. On another day, the same people were placed in a room for 10 hours. They couldn't see anyone. No friends, no family and no social media. They weren't even allowed to check their email. After both days, Tomova and her colleagues put the people in a MRI machine. It shows activity in the brain by tracking how much blood is flowing to each region.
At the end of each day, the participants showed high activity in a brain area called the midbrain. The scientists were interested in two, small areas within it. Both areas produce dopamine, a chemical that is important in craving and rewards. The two areas activated when hungry participants saw pictures of tasty pizza or juicy hamburgers. After the volunteers had been isolated, those brain areas became active when they saw social activities they missed. It might be playing sports or chatting with friends.
The midbrain plays an important part in people's motivation to seek food or friends. In fact, it responds to food and social signals even when people aren't hungry or lonely. But hunger and loneliness increased the reactions and made people's responses specific to the thing they were missing. And the more hunger or isolation the volunteers said they were experiencing, the stronger the activity in this part of the brain. Tomova and her colleagues published their results November 23 in Nature Neuroscience.
1. How does Tomova test out the result of the study?| A．By stimulating desire. | B．By controlling blood flow. |
| C．By monitoring brain activity. | D．By examining mental activities. |
| A．It consists of two areas. | B．It helps motivate desire for food. |
| C．It stops working when people are full. | D．It decreases responses to lost friends. |
| A．A midbrain area. | B．A social activity. | C．A volunteer. | D．A hamburger. |
| A．Dopamine—a Sure Sign of Age | B．Midbrain—a Nest for the Thoughts |
| C．Hunger Makes Mental Health Struggle | D．Loneliness Makes Our Brains Need People |
