1 . Inequality in the workplace has long been a hot topic but gender economist Roy is actively turning that conversation into action. She founded Pipeline Equity, a company that employs artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and drive economic gains through gender equality. "The idea was: If we could change decisions that are made in organizations, we could actually make gender equality a reality in our lifetime, rather than the hundred or so years that we World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts." Roy said.
The WEF’s predictions were made before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which Roy called a "she-session," because women have lost the majority of jobs during this particular economic downturn. "With remote work and with people being at home with children, most caregiving and unpaid work falls to women."
There has been much talk about such situations being good for gender equality, but Roy warned while working from home could help keep more women in the workforce, it could have a negative impact on female promotions.
"At this moment, there's the opportunity to employ AI to ensure we make progress on gender equality, ""Roy explained. "For companies, that is particularly important because in the 008 Great Recession（经济大萧条），companies that put equality at the core of their crisis management strategy actually increased the speed of their recovery."
But to close the gender pay gap, we can't start by talking about pay. "Pay is the symptom it’s not the disease." Roy said. "Pay is the quantitative（数量的）value that you place on your talent. But the actual value happens before that in performance and potential. "That's where Pipeline's platform steps in.
Using natural language processing, Pipeline's platform reads through performance reviews and calls out any biased phrases. They've found that on average, women are under-valued 4 percent of the time, and that actually impacts their ability to be promoted, as well as their pay.
"As this moment, we have the opportunity to embrace AI as a tool to achieve get equality." Roy said
1. Women in the workplace may face problems EXCEPT________.| A．Being under-valued | B．getting a lower pay |
| C．Heavy economic burden | D．smaller chances of promotion |
| A．AI had long been employed in the workplace |
| B．gender equality was the key to solving the crisis |
| C．Gender equality could play an important role during economic crisis |
| D．the present situation was similar to that of the 2008 Great Recession |
| A．Pay is the root of gender inequality. |
| B．Pay is not worth attaching importance to. |
| C．Pay is just an indicator of gender inequality. |
| D．Pay is the first step towards ensuring gender quality. |
| A．Pay gap will soon be closed. |
| B．AI brings equality into the workplace. |
| C．It’s time to ensure equality in the workplace. |
| D．The more women in the workplace, the better. |
2 . Black Friday ticket offers by Voice Magazine
Black Friday is fast approaching, but we have kicked things off early with savings of up to 65%, and tickets starting at just £10 on tickets.voicemag.uk.
For under £20 you could go and watch the big hit Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, or get a slice of musical comedy with Waitress, or for just £12.50 get in touch with your inner child with Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever.
It’s not just theatre on offer though! Our Black Friday deals also extend to great attractions, including 20% on tickets to Thames Rockets: The Ultimate London Adventure and 30% on a Medieval Banquet experience.
Now in its 14th year, and having received over 100 major awards, including three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and ten theatregoer-voted WhatsOnStage Awards, we are pleased to say we also have an exclusive upgrade(独家升级) for Wicked. For more information, visit our booking page.
To check out all of our Black Friday deals, head on over to our ticketing page.
What will you see next? Why not write a review and let us know you took advantage of one of our deals!
1. Which of the following is most suitable for children?| A．Wicked. |
| B．Waitress. |
| C．Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever. |
| D．Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. |
| A．It is a musical comedy. |
| B．It is a long-running play. |
| C．It is upgraded for many times. |
| D．It is on only in a special theatre. |
| A．To vote for the plays they see. |
| B．To see as many films as possible. |
| C．To subscribe the Voice Magazine. |
| D．To contribute the dramatic comment. |
3 . Sports fans around the world are struggling to reconcile with the sudden loss of American basketball icon Kobe Bryant. The 41-year-old died on January 26, 2020, when his private helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California — about 30 miles away from Los Angele. The crash also killed eight other passengers including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The extremely heavy fog condition is believed to have been a major factor.
Bryant, who spent his entire 20-year-basketball career as a shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, was born in Philadelphia. The basketball star, who decided to turn professional after graduating from high school, was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick, and then traded to the Lakers. At just 18 years old, he was the youngest player to be drafted in NBA history. The trade proved to be lucky for the Lakers. By his third year, Bryant had moved from being a reserve to the starting lineup. He had also firmly established himself as a star. In 2000, Bryant led the Lakers to their first NBA championship since 1988. The dream team continued to dominate the league for the next two years.
In addition to helping the Lakers win two additional NBA titles in 2009 and 2010, Bryant was also a member of the basketball team responsible for bringing home the Olympic Gold medals in 2008 and 2012. By the time he retired in 2016, the 18-time NBA All-Star had played a total of 1,560 games and scored an astounding 33,043 points — a record surpassed by only three players Kareem Abdul-Jabar (38,387), Karl Malone (36,928), and James (33,655) —in the NBA’s 73-year history.
Though there are many ways to honor Bryant, the best way to pay tribute to one of the greatest sports heroes of all time may be to follow his philosophy on life: “Life is too short to be discouraged. You have to keep moving. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep on rolling.” — Kobe Bryant, 2008.
1. According to the passage, what probably caused the accident?| A．Bad weather. | B．Mechanical failure. |
| C．The operational error. | D．High mountains. |
| A．Kobe Bryant turned professional player in high school. |
| B．Kobe Bryant was always in the Lakers’ starting line-up at 18. |
| C．The Lakers won their first NBA championship in 2000. |
| D．Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship in 2002. |
| A．He took part in the 2016 Olympic Games. |
| B．He was the first NBA All-Star in history. |
| C．Having scored 33,043 points, he ranked fourth in the NBA’s 73-year history. |
| D．He was the first shooting guard in NBA history |
| A．Life is like riding a bicycle and to keep your balance, you must keep moving. |
| B．Optimism plays an essential role in one’s success. |
| C．A good beginning makes a good ending. |
| D．Great achievements are accomplished by perseverance. |
4 . Pacific Science Center Guide
◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store
Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located (位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.
◆Hungry?
Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour Pacific Science Center closes.
◆Rental Information
Lockers are available to store any belongs during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.
◆Support Pacific Science Center
Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion (热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter. org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.
1. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?| A．In Building 3. | B．In Building l. |
| C．At the Laser Dome. | D．At the Denny Way entrance. |
| A．You can have lunch there. | B．The exhibits there will feed your mind. |
| C．There is no place to store your belongs. | D．Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent. |
| A．To tell about the Center’s history. | B．To advertise coming events. |
| C．To introduce special exhibits. | D．To encourage donations. |
5 . Something you may not know about End of Heat
The traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms. End of Heat is the 14th solar term of the year, which implies that most parts in China are getting rid of the hot summer and entering autumn. But in some areas, especially in South China, autumn is late in coming and people are still bothered by hot weather. End of Heat is also the busy harvest season for farmers.
The following are the things you should know about End of Heat.
Time for night-blooming cereus (昙花)
The night-blooming cereus is a flower full of mystery, which often blooms during the period of End of Heat. This is because the climate during End of Heat, characterized by warm days and cold nights, is similar to tropical deserts. Night-blooming cereus originates in the tropical deserts from Mexico to Brazil in South America. They blossom at night to avoid the blazing daytime sun.
Eating Duck
Duck has a sweet flavor and according to Chinese traditional medicine it has a “cool” nature. A folk tradition is to eat duck during the End of Heat period. There are many recipes for cooking duck such as roast duck, cooked duck with lemon, smoked duck with walnut dressing and sautéed duck with ginger shoots. The tradition of eating duck during the End of Heat period is still popular in China.
The Fishing Season Festival
For fishermen, the End of Heat is a season of harvest. During this period，the Fishing Season Festival is held in regions along the coastline of the East China Sea in Zhejiang province. The festival is held on the day when the fishing ban ends and fishermen can start fishing again. Due to high temperatures in the sea, stocks of fish remain and become mature. People can enjoy many kinds of seafood during this period.
1. About End of Heat, which of the following statements is true?| A．It means the whole China has entered autumn. |
| B．The areas beyond the Great Wall are still hot. |
| C．In south China, the temperature is still high. |
| D．It is the end of the harvest season for farmers. |
| A．Temperate areas. | B．Tropical areas. | C．Cold areas. | D．Polar areas. |
| A．Because there are no other animals to eat. |
| B．Because the duck has a “cool” nature. |
| C．Because it tastes especially delicious at that time. |
| D．Because there are many recipes for cooking duck. |
6 . Some Must-see Travel Destinations for 2020
National Geographic has issued its 2020 list of best travel destinations across the world and it's sure to inspire would-be vacationers.
Guizhou Province, China
Historically one of China's most undiscovered provinces, southwestern Guizhou is gaining global notice as a big data center. The mountainous region's plentiful water and cool climate are attractive to Huawei, Apple and dozens of other tech powerhouses that have been established there. This has improved access to the entire province, including the traditional villages of ethnic minority groups, such as Dong and Miao.
Zakouma National Park, Chad
Home to a rapidly growing African elephant population — some 559 in 2019 and a thousand expected by 2024 — Zakouma National Park is an off-the map African destination. The park's location, in southeastern Chad, one of the world's least-visited countries, makes Zakouma a best-kept secret. Illegal hunting previously had made the park nearly a war zone, with 90 percent of the wild elephants killed. Funding from the European Union has brought back life to the region.
Cairo, Egypt
The Great Pyramid, one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, can be found just outside Cairo. This triangular structure has been of interest to travelers far and wide for more than 4,000 years. Yet splendid as it is, it also houses some of the most interesting mysteries. It makes visitors wonder what's inside the pyramid.
National Blue Trail, Hungary
Hungary is a dream hiking destination thanks to the country's National Blue Trail. Winding its way from Irottko Mountain to the northeastern village of Hollóháza, the Blue Trail is a wonderfully diverse web of paths labeled with white-and-blue way markers. As Europe's first long-distance trail, it's part of the nearly 6,500-mile European long distance walking route E4.
1. What can we know about Guizhou Province?| A．It remains a remote and little-known place. | B．It is gaining global attention for its history. |
| C．Its ethnic regions are more accessible now. | D．Few tech companies have been set up there. |
| A．Cairo, Egypt. | B．Guizhou Province, China. |
| C．Zakouma National Park, Chad. | D．National Blue Trail, Hungary. |
| A．The number of elephants in Zakouma is increasing. |
| B．The Great Pyramid lies in the inner city of Cairo. |
| C．National Blue Trail is the longest path in Europe. |
| D．All four destinations are ideal for animal lovers. |
7 . I know when the snow melts and the first robins (知更鸟) come to call, when the laughter of children returns to the parks and playgrounds, something wonderful is about to happen.
Spring cleaning.
I’ll admit spring cleaning is a difficult notion (概念) for modern families to grasp. Today’s busy families hardly have time to load the dishwasher, much less clean the doormat. Asking the family to spend the weekend collecting winter dog piles from the melting snow in the backyard is like announcing there will be no more Wi-Fi. It interrupts the natural order.
“Honey, what say we spend the weekend beating the rugs, sorting through the boxes in the basement and painting our bedroom a nice lemony yellow?” I say.
“Can we at least wait until the NBA matches are over?” my husband answers.
But I tell my family, spring cleaning can’t wait. The temperatures has risen just enough to melt snow but not enough for Little League practice to start. Some flowers are peeking out of the thawing ground, but there is no lawn to seed, nor garden to tend. Newly wakened from our winter’s hibernation (冬眠), yet still needing extra blankets at night, we open our windows to the first fresh air floating on the breeze and all of the natural world demanding “Awake and be clean!”.
Biologists offer a theory about this primal impulse to clean out every drawer and closet in the house at spring’s first light, which has to do with melatonin, the sleepytime hormone (激素) our bodies produce when it’s dark. When spring's light comes, the melatonin diminishes, and suddenly we are awakened to the dusty, virus-filled house we’ve been hibernating in for four months.
I tell my family about the science and psychology of a good healthy cleaning at spring’s arrival.
I speak to them about life’s greatest rewards waiting in the removal of soap scum from the bathtub, which hasn’t been properly cleaned since the first snowfall.
“I’ll do it,” says the eldest child, a 21-year-old college student who lives at home.
“You will? Wow!” I exclaim.
Maybe after all these years, he’s finally grasped the concept. Maybe he’s expressing his rightful position as eldest child and role model. Or maybe he’s going to Florida for a break in a couple of weeks and he’s being nice to me who is the financial-aid officer.
No matter. Seeing my adult son willingly cleaning that dirty bathtub gives me hope for the future of his 12-year-old brother who, instead of working, is found to be sleeping in the seat of the window he is supposed to be cleaning.
“Awake and be clean!” I say.
1. According to the passage, “… spring cleaning is a difficult notion for modern families to grasp” means that spring cleaning______.| A．is no longer an easy practice to understand |
| B．is no longer part of modern family life |
| C．requires more family members to be involved |
| D．calls for more complicated skills and knowledge |
| A．Beating the rugs. | B．Cleaning the window. |
| C．Restoring Wi-Fi services. | D．Cleaning the backyard. |
| A．The production of melatonin in our bodies varies at different times. |
| B．Melatonin is more likely to cause sleepiness in our bodies. |
| C．The reduction of melatonin will cause wakefulness in our bodies. |
| D．The amount of melatonin remains constant in our bodies. |
| A．Surprised and skeptical. | B．Joyful and hesitant. |
| C．Relieved and optimistic. | D．Optimistic and hesitant. |
8 . John was waiting for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn’t, the girl with the rose. Thirteen months ago, in a Florida library he took a book off the shelf and found himself attracted by the notes in the margin (页边). The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind.
In front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name, Miss Hollis Maynell. With time and effort, he located her address. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond. During the next year and one month, the two grew to know each other through the mail. A romance was developing. John requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn’t matter what she looked like. Later they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 p.m. at Grand Central Station in New York.
“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, “by the red rose I’ll be wearing on my coat.” So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for the girl with the red rose.
A young woman in a green suit was coming towards him, her figure long and slim and her eyes were blue as flowers. Almost uncontrollably he made one step closer to her, and just at this moment he saw Hollis Maynell - a woman well past 40. The girl was walking quickly away. He felt as though he was at a loss, so eager was his desire to follow her, and yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly accompanied him and upheld his own.
He did not hesitate. He squared his shoulders and said, “I’m John, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?”
The woman smiled, “I don’t know what this is about, son,” she answered, “but the young lady in the green suit begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should tell you she is waiting for you in the restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test!”
It’s not difficult to admire wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive.
1. What happened to John thirteen months ago?| A．He was touched by a girl’s notes in a book. |
| B．He was waiting for a girl outside a library. |
| C．He happened to read a thoughtful and insightful book. |
| D．He made acquaintance with Miss Hollis Maynell. |
| A．She was just the lady John was going to meet. |
| B．She was a middle-aged woman who was unattractive. |
| C．She happened to pass by the Grand Central Station. |
| D．She was required to wear a rose on her coat. |
| A．have had the dinner with a beautiful lady instead |
| B．have failed to meet the girl he fell in love with |
| C．have found that he was fooled by Miss Maynell |
| D．have followed the young woman in a green suit |
| A．tell us a romantic story between two young persons |
| B．show one’s spirit matters more than his appearance |
| C．show that one’s response to unattractive shows his heart |
| D．how a thoughtful soul and insightful mind can be reflected |
9 . When homework and tests keep you up late at night, you may plan to make up for your lost sleep during the weekends. But is it useful?
A study published in the journal Current Biology shows that the habit of sleeping in on weekends doesn’t fix the damage that has been done by a lack of sleep during the week. Even worse, it may damage your health.
In the study, which was conducted over 10 days, 36 healthy young men and women with different sleep requirements were divided into three groups. The first group were asked to sleep nine hours a night and the second group five hours a night. The members of the third group slept for five hours on weekdays but rested as long as they wanted on the weekend.
The researchers found that people who lacked sleep ate more snacks and gained weight quickly. However, this wasn’t the case for the first group.
That could be partially due to the shifting of the biological clock and changes to certain body hormones, especially hunger hormones. In order to catch up on their sleep during weekends, people in the third group would eat later as a habit. So their biological clocks shifted, which also changed the production of hunger hormones.
“The hormone leptin(瘦素) decreases appetite(胃口), while the hormone ghrelin(饿素) increases appetite,” explained US researcher Vsevolod Polotsky. “Sleep shortage causes leptin to drop and ghrelin to rise, so you’re hungry and eat more.”
And even if they tried to sleep for as long as they wanted to during weekends, according to researchers, it was still not enough because they found it difficult to fall asleep.
Moreover, short and insufficient sleep schedules will lead to an inability to change blood sugar and increase the risk of metabolic(新陈代谢) disease in the long term.
1. Which of the following is true about the study?| A．Participants were divided into two groups. |
| B．Researchers studied 36 children and adults. |
| C．It lasted for more than two weeks. |
| D．Each group follow different sleep requirements. |
| A．increasing | B．lacking | C．changing | D．shortening |
| A．They need to create more energy. |
| B．There is less leptin in their bodies. |
| C．They have a lower blood sugar. |
| D．Their bodies produce less hormones. |
| A．Appetite Affects our Sleep Quality |
| B．Sleeping in Causes Weight Loss |
| C．Catching up on Sleep Harms Our Body |
| D．Men and Women Sleep Differently |
10 . A teenager of 17 walks into a corner store and grabs a Coca-Cola, but the cashier refuses to sell it to him because he is underage. That rule is expected to soon become reality in parts of Mexico, as lawmakers in several states push legislation (立法)to keep junk food away from children. know it can sound a bit difficult but we have to take action now," says Lopez, a lawmaker in Oaxaca's Congress.
More than 70,000 Mexicans have died from COVID-19, the world's fourth-highest recorded death toll, tracked by Johns Hopkins University. 89% of those who died in Mexico had an underlying medical condition such as obesity, diabetes (糖尿病)，high blood pressure and heart problems. That has led to a new urgency to change diets so that the younger generation doesn't suffer those illnesses.
The critics, however, say the leaders are using preexisting health conditions in COVID-19 patients to distract from a weak government response to the virus outbreak. Yet few people would deny that the country consumes large amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and processed snacks with little nutrition --- or that Mexico has a major weight problem.
Oaxaca's governor approved the state's junk food prohibition last week. Legislators still have to complete the legal systems, and punishment could include fines and even jail. Lopez says legislators from all over the country have called her for advice. Many other states are debating a junk food ban. However, a nationwide law would not be easy. "There are powerful commercial interests that least want it to happen, but we must prioritize the well-being of our children," Lopez says.
1. What is Lopez 's attitude towards the junk food?| A．Negative. | B．Neutral. |
| C．Positive. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Keep distance. | B．Avoid illnesses. |
| C．Break away. | D．Shift attention. |
| A．Selling children junk food has been banned nationwide in Mexico. |
| B．Most Mexicans who died of COVID-19 had other health problems. |
| C．The younger generation doesn't suffer any weight problems. |
| D．People who break the prohibition in Oaxaca will only be warned. |
| A．Teenagers. | B．Legislators. |
| C．Soft drink companies. | D．State governors. |
