1 . Nao, a small robot, looks like a person. If Nao begged you not to shut it off, what would you do? Would you follow its wishes?
Scientists did a study to see how people treat’ robots that act like people. Eighty-nine people volunteered for the study. They were asked to help to improve Nao’s social skills by finishing two tasks with it
The tasks with the robot didn’t matter, though. What the scientists really wanted to see was how the participants (参与者) reacted once the tasks were over. They were asked to talk with Nao and finally shut Nao off but it was not easy to do. Some people did not want to turn the robot off while others take a long time to do it.
People often communicate with non-human objects such as TVs and computers nowadays. But robots seem more human than TVs. Robots can show social characters themselves, like speaking with human voices or taking the shape of a human body. Scientists said people might have seen Nao’s cries as a sign of independent thought. In turn, this could have led people to see the robot as having human-like characters.
For thousands of years, humans have lived In a world where they are the only ones who could have conversations, the study said. Our brains have learned to react to social situations in a certain way. But our brains are not used to telling the difference between the real people and fake (假的) people. The robot expresses feelings and desires, which gets people to want to treat the robot as if it was alive.
1. What’s the purpose of the study?| A．To test how fast human-like robots do tasks. |
| B．To improve human-like robots’ facial expressions, |
| C．To invent human-like robots to keep people company. |
| D．To learn how people might respond to human-like robots. |
| A．They had feelings for Nao. | B．They refused Nao’s requests. |
| C．They shut Nao off immediately, | D．They praised Nao’s social skills. |
| A．Humans are born to be creative. |
| B．Humans dislike robots in some ways. |
| C．Humans don’t often deal with human-like robots. |
| D．Humans prefer dealing with lifeless objects. |
| A．healthy lifestyles | B．popular science |
| C．historical events | D．successful people |
File Created Page 1 of 1 DELAYED BAGGAGE REPORT PRINTED AT ALBANY N.Y. AIRPORT ON JULY 10 2012 11:15 A.M. Dear Valued Customer, We regret that your baggage was not available to claim after your recent flight. Everything possible will be done to locate your property and return it to you promptly. For information regarding your delayed baggage, contact the United Airlines Baggage Resolution Center at its 24 hour, seven day a week number: 1-800-335-BAGS (2247) (US – Toll Free) 281-821-3536 (Local Houston Number) Or visit site: http://www.united.com/for/bagtracing As soon as you file your Delayed Baggage Report, United Airlines will begin to trace for your baggage system wide. Our Baggage Resolution staff will make every effort to call you once a day to keep you updated on our progress. So that we can quickly access your records, please refer to the File Reference Number on this receipt when corresponding or calling. Keep this receipt with your claim check and E-Ticket receipt until your baggage is returned to you. In most circumstances, United Airlines will deliver your baggage when it is located. Delivery times vary depending on location. If your baggage has not been returned to you within the initial five-day tracing period, please download a claim form at http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/ delayed.aspx and return it to us with the required documentation included. http://csmcbagapp.nam.coair.com/bmswtweb/Docs/FileCreatedPrintPC.aspx?ref_num=144… DELAYED BAGGAGE REPORT REFERENCE: ALBUA25876 Name: JOHN JACKSON Contact Number: 802-247-9999 Delivery Address: 66 MOONBROOK DR BRANDON Email: minminvt@yahoo.com VERMONT USA 05745 Bag Tag Description 0037387643 Soft-Side Upright suitcase 0037387657 Non-Zippered, hard side horizontal suitcase |
| A．Suitcase Tracing Website. | B．Delivery Center of United Airlines. |
| C．Baggage Resolution Center. | D．Information Center of the Airport. |
| A．must have filed his Delayed Baggage Report already |
| B．couldn’t deal with his delayed baggage on line until July 17, 2012 |
| C．should call 802-247-9999 for the information about his delayed baggage |
| D．may not know anything about his delayed baggage during the first five days |
| A．The description of the customer’s checked suitcases. |
| B．The regular routine of the delayed baggage tracing. |
| C．The contact phone number of Albany N.Y. Airport. |
| D．The customer’s delayed baggage file reference number. |
3 . When people visit their local family-owned pumpkin patch around Halloween, they aren’t usually looking for dinner. The majority of the nearly 2 billion pounds of pumpkins grown in the US each year are carved（雕刻）up instead of being eaten, making them a unique part of the agriculture industry. For people who prefer seasonal recipes to decorations, that may raise a few questions: Are the pumpkins sold for jack-o’-lanterns different from pumpkins sold as food? And are Halloween pumpkins any good to eat?
Carving pumpkins, often with a round shape and deep orange color, don’t taste very good, because they are bred to be decorations first. They have walls that are thin enough to stick a knife through and a texture (质地) that’s unappealing compared to the ones consumers are used to eating. “Uncut carving pumpkins are safe to eat; however, it’s not the best type to use for cooking,” Daria McKelvey, a supervisor for the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the Missouri Botanical Garden, tells Mental Floss. Unlike decorative pumpkins, cooking pumpkins are small and dense (紧实的). This is one reason they taste better. McKelvey says. “Cooking pumpkins are smaller, sweeter, and have fewer fibers, making them easier to cook with—but not so good for carving.” These pumpkins can be added into soup, or simply roasted.
If you do want to get some use out of your carving pumpkins this Halloween, turn the flesh of your Halloween pumpkin into purée. Adding sugar and spices and baking it into a dessert can do a lot to mask the fruit’s underwhelming flavor(味道). Whatever you do, make sure your pumpkin isn’t carved up already when you decide to cook with it. Never use one that’s been carved into a jack-o’-lantern, otherwise you could be dealing with bacteria, dirt and dust.
1. What’s the writer’s purpose in paragraph 1?| A．To introduce a new concept. | B．To lead readers to the topic. |
| C．To make a summary. | D．To offer background information. |
| A．By providing examples. | B．By following the order of time. |
| C．By making comparisons. | D．By following the order of importance. |
| A．Because they are specifically used for decoration. |
| B．Because they are not so delicious as the ones sold for food. |
| C．Because they are too expensive to serve as a dish. |
| D．Because they are not healthy and safe enough as food. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. |
| C．A novel. | D．A guidebook. |
4 . Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Liangshan shares its north border with Ganzi Prefecture, Ya’an City, and Leshan City and the west border with Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. The profound natural and cultural landscapes of Daliang Mountains add to the unique charm of Sichuan Province who also has rich tourism resources.
Xichang
As the autonomous prefecture center of Liangshan, Xichang is the top destination for many travelers for the agreeable altitudes, temperature, and sunlight. The moon watched in Xichang is bright and round since it has good transparency with little suspended material in the atmosphere, bringing the reputation of the “City of Moon”. Meanwhile, Xichang is also called the “Little City of Spring” since its climate is not inferior to Kunming, which is like spring all the year round with colorful flowers blooming forever.
Shaped as a snail, Qionghai Lake is the second freshwater lake in Sichuan Province.
Huili
Huili Ancient City is located in the southernmost part of Sichuan Province, by the north bank of the Jinsha River, hidden in the mountains separated with Yunnan Province only by a river.
The features of the recipes of Yi are meat-based, and the spicy taste takes the essential position. Yi people are good singers and dancers with an enthusiastic and generous temper. They like taking big bites of meat and drinking like fish. You shouldn’t miss Tuotuo Meat and baked potatoes.
Muli
As the hidden and remote space of Liangshan, Muli has few visitors but perfect landscapes. It is a mountainous and forested region surrounded with rivers. With big relative height difference, the weathers, soils, and vegetation are of apparent vertical change. Moreover, the Cundong Lake, Kangwu Temple, and Muli Temple are also unmissable.
1. Which of the following is true according to the passage?| A．Kunming’s climate is even better than Xichang |
| B．Qionghai Lake is the second freshwater lake in China |
| C．Muli has few perfect landscapes and few visitors go there |
| D．Yi people are good at singing and dancing |
| A．Ganzi Prefecture | B．Xichang | C．Huili | D．Muli |
| A．a news website | B．a report | C．a geography textbook | D．a brochure |
5 . (Oct. 13th, 2020, Reuters) The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020 to Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer A. Doudna “for the development of a method for gene editing”.
Charpentier and Doudna have discovered one of gene technology’s sharpest tools: the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors. Using these, researchers can easily change the DNA of animals and plants. This technology has had a great impact on the life sciences. It is contributing to new cancer treatment and may make the dream of curing inherited diseases(遗传病)come true.
Researchers need to modify genes in cells if they want to find out about life’s inner workings. This used to be difficult and sometimes impossible. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors, it is now possible to change the code of life in a few weeks.
The discovery of these genetic scissors was unexpected. During Charpentier’s studies of Streptococcus pyogenes (酿脓链球菌),which cause the most harm to humans,she discovered a previously unknown molecule (分子), tracrRNA. It kills viruses by breaking their DNA.
She started working with Doudna,an experienced biochemist in 2011. They then reprogrammed the genetic scissors. In their natural form, the scissors recognize DNA from viruses, but Charpentier and Doudna prove that they could be controlled so that they can cut any DNA molecule at a given site. Then it is easy to rewrite the code of life.
Since Charpentier and Doudna discovered the CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors in 2012, their use has exploded. This tool has contributed to many important discoveries in basic research, and plant researchers have been able to develop crops that can fight pests and drought.Clinical trials(临床试验)of new cancer treatments are under way, and the dream of being able to cure inherited diseases is about to come true. These genetic scissors have taken the life sciences into a new page and, in many ways,are bringing the greatest benefit to humans.
1. In which field is CRISPR/Cas9 mostly used?| A．Life science. |
| B．Tool design. |
| C．Disaster prevention. |
| D．Chemistry industry. |
| A．Dealing with cancer. |
| B．Modifying genes in cells. |
| C．Curing inherited diseases. |
| D．Discovering life’s inner workings. |
| A．It kills harmful viruses. |
| B．It damages human organs. |
| C．It makes DNA copying easier. |
| D．It cuts DNA molecule at a chosen spot. |
| A．science fiction |
| B．personal story |
| C．news report |
| D．book review |
6 . Most of the 500 whales stranded (搁浅)off Tasmania have now died. Dozens more stricken whales have been found in Australia’s largest ever mass stranding.The estimated total now stands at around 500, with the majority of that number dead and a tenth rescued by authorities on the Island state of Tasmania. Experts believe all of the animals would have been part of one large group. Officials began working to rescue survivors among an estimated 270 whales found on Monday on a beach and two sandbars near the remote coastal town of Strahan. Then another 200 whales were spotted from a helicopter on Wednesday less than 10 kilometres (six miles) to the south.All 200 had been confirmed dead by late afternoon. They were among the 380 whales that have died overall, with estimates from earlier today suggesting that 30 that were alive but stranded and 50 had been rescued since Tuesday, Mr Deka, Wildlife Service manager explained. He added,“We’ll continue to work to free as many of the animals as we can.We’ll continue working as long as there are live animals.”
It is not known what caused the animals to run aground. While stranding events are not unheard of, they are very rare in such large numbers. About 30 whales in the original stranding were moved from the sandbars to open ocean on Tuesday, but several got stranded again. About a third of the first group had died by Monday evening.
Australia’s largest mass stranding had previously been 320 pilot whales near the Western Australian town of Dunsborough in 1996.This week’s incident is the first involving more than 500 whales in Tasmania since 2009.Marine Conservation Programme wildlife biologist Kris Carlyon said the latest mass stranding was the biggest in Australia in terms of numbers stranded and died.
Marine scientist Vanessa Pirotta said there were a number of potential reasons why whales might become beached, including navigational errors.She explained, “They do have a very strong social system; these animals are closely bonded and that’s why we have seen so many in this case unfortunately in this situation.Rescuing them does not always work, because they are wanting to return back to the group, they might hear the sounds that the others are making, or they’re just disoriented and, in this case, extremely stressed, and just probably so exhausted that they in some cases don’t know where they are.” she added.
1. What can be inferred from the first paragraph?| A．270 whales were rescued on Monday. |
| B．380 whales were found dead on Tuesday. |
| C．500 whales were found stranded and dead. |
| D．200 whales spotted from a helicopter were dead. |
| A．Rescue work is not done in time. |
| B．The number of the death is large. |
| C．The cause of the event is still a mystery. |
| D．There was no other similar event in recent years. |
| A．Navigational errors. |
| B．Overhunting of the human beings. |
| C．Whales’ group living style. |
| D．Whales’ confusion and exhaustion. |
| A．A newspaper. | B．A magazine. | C．A textbook. | D．A travel brochure. |
7 . All the efforts you put into studying at university may not have been enough—because robots could be coming for your job. A new study finds that as many as 800 million workers could be replaced by robots by 2030.
The study from the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that between 400 million and 800 million individuals could be replaced by automation(自动化) or robots and need to find new jobs by 2030 around the world. It estimates that 30 percent of the hours people spend on working globally could have been automated by that time.
Those most affected will be people who work in predictable environments doing tasks such as operating machines and preparing fast food. Those who make a living by collecting and processing data also face a high risk of being replaced by robots. But people who work in less predictable environments such as gardeners, plumbers, and childcare staff face a smaller risk, because their roles are technically difficult to be automated and often command relatively lower wages, which makes automation a less attractive business proposition(商业提议).
However, it’s not all doom for the future of employment. The Study notes that automation sometimes allows workers to remain employed in a different position. “Even when some tasks are automated, the employment rate in those occupations may not decline because workers may perform new tasks,” McKinsey &Company wrote in a release on its website.
It noted that China has the largest number of employees who would need to switch occupations, up to 100 million if automation was adopted rapidly, or 12 percent of the 2030 workforce. The numbers are higher in more advanced economies, with up to one-third of the 2030 workforce in America and Germany needing to switch occupations, along with nearly half of the 2030 workforce in Japan. Countries which fail to prepare workers for transition to new jobs will feel the impact of a rise in unemployment and depressed wages, according to the study.
1. Why will lots of people need to find new jobs by 2030 around the world?| A．They don’t put efforts into their study at university. |
| B．The world’s working population is on the steady rise. |
| C．They will be paid less with the development of technology. |
| D．Robots or automation will take the place of their positions. |
| A．Machine operation. | B．Fast food cooking. |
| C．Childcare in kindergarten. | D．Data collection. |
| A．Estimated figures. | B．Public opinions. |
| C．Financial reports. | D．Website contents. |
| A．Education. | B．Business. | C．Lifestyle. | D．Technology. |
8 . We lead very busy lives and we too easily forget how hard it was for us to focus on homework when we were in school. Now that we have jobs to do, food to buy and cook and other errands(差事) to run, even I sometimes think it would be a welcome change to have to sit down and quietly read and write with no distractions. But, in case you don’t remember - homework is pretty much every child’s least favorite thing to do. In the age of Netflix, Snapchat and wifi, the distractions are almost endless. It can sometimes almost be too hard to even keep up with all the new tech advances our kids are using, so how can we make sure that those advances take a back seat to our children’s education? Here are some ideas.
There’s no point in stopping the reality that young people are going to focus on their phones and tablets instead of other things at times. Your best way is to accept, actually the tech sector continues to be the most profitable and fast-growing industries and that’s unlikely to change fast. There are ways to use technology to help your kid do homework. Ask your teacher and school staff what apps and websites they’re using to teach lessons and supplements(补充) them with at-home activities as well.
Even though technology has changed, the basics haven’t. If you want to read, write and think properly, you need to have peace and quiet and the ability to focus, right? Well, your kids are just the same.Try and find a space in your home to enable your kids to do work away from televisions, the Internet or other distractions. Let me be clear: this shouldn’t be a prison.I feel like I’m my most productive working alone in an office or at a busy cafe with my headphones on. Getting lost in other realities helps my creativity grow. Placing kids in isolation(独处) can often have a harmful effect and doesn’t always equal being more productive.
I feel like “getting engaged( 参 与 )” is always a big part of my advice for parents on just about everything. How can you make sure your children are being successful if you have no idea what they’re doing? How can you be sure they’re doing it right if you don’t know what is the correct answer? What do they need? You should be in touch with their teachers, have a sense of where the lessons are going, what kinds of tasks are being given and what success looks like in the classroom.
Knowing all of that is key to your child’s success, especially when matched with some encouraging praise and helpful tips on how he can keep going. Thinking about how your child is best motivated(激励) by other things and using those methods here reasonably isn’t a bad idea.
And if by chance you’re having trouble solving that Math problems or understanding a sentence, don’t fear – you’re not alone. Use the school staff, other parents or friends as your support. Better to seek help than do nothing.
We all know that homework isn’t exactly the most entertaining way anyone spends their time. And sometimes we can’t help but feel that since we left school, we’re done with homework forever. But the circle of life plays out in all times and it’s up to us to make sure that we pass on the lessons we’ve picked up and that while homework might seem dull, it’s how we build skills, learn real lessons and get on the road to greatness. That greatness is on the inside, it’s up to us as adults to enable the young people to bring it out. The key to achieving greatness is to take a lifelong learning.
1. What is the author’s attitude towards new tech?| A．It affects parents’ everyday life. |
| B．It should be kept out of children’s reach. |
| C．It can benefit student’s education. |
| D．It makes homework easier. |
| A．Homework should be made entertaining. |
| B．Parents should know what motivates their children best. |
| C．Students should do their homework independently. |
| D．School staff should help parents on new tech. |
| A．must be better at all the lessons |
| B．needn’t make sure that their children are being successful |
| C．can teach their children by themselves |
| D．should know as much as possible about it |
| A．Children should achieve greatness on their own. |
| B．Parents and their children should learn from each other. |
| C．Children can hardly succeed without parents’ efforts. |
| D．Parents can only obtain skills by helping their children. |
| A．Education | B．Health | C．Technology | D．Science |
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1. This material is taken from a website of film _______ .
| A．review | B．introduction | C．rating | D．downloading |
| A．how good the movie is according to the viewers. |
| B．how mainstream media think of the movie |
| C．what critics have written about the movie |
| D．what credits newspaper offices have given |
| A．Almost half of the reviews on Life in a Day are very negative. |
| B．In terms of positive reviews, user group has a lower percentage than critic group. |
| C．If you click SEE ALL 18 REVIEWS, you will be sure to find a score less than 58. |
| D．Life in a Day belongs to the category of realism in this website. |
| A．minorities, who suffer racial discrimination |
| B．the lower class, for which I feel quite sorry |
| C．the upper class, of which I am very jealous |
| D．ordinary people, from whom I can learn a lot |
Did you know that the Chinese built the largest canal in the world? Its length of 1,104 miles easily compares with a route linking New York and Florida. Connecting five river systems and four provinces, it ends at Beijing in the North and Hangzhou in the south. For this reason, it is officially called the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
In 486 B.C., the leader of the State of Wu, to transport goods to the northern areas of China, constructed a man-made channel using already existing waterways to link the Yangtze and Huai rivers. It was this channel that laid the foundation for the future longer Grand Canal. More than 1000 years later, Emperor Yang of Sui Dynasty had the old canals rebuilt and connected to form what we know today as the Grand Canal.
Then in 1403,Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty transferred his capital from Nanjing to Beijing. In order to feed all those moving North, he had to transport grain from the south along the Grand Canal. To restore the Canal, more than 47,000 men were employed.
The canal soon became the economic lifeline of the empire. Grain was not the only trade goods transported North on the waterways. Salt was another, as well as wine and tea. Goods traded from the North included cotton, wool, coal, flour, precious stones, and dried meat. At times, more than 120,000 soldiers and officers were needed to operate the almost 12,000 ships that annually travelled the Grand Canal.
With the expansion of the railway system in the mid-1800s, the Grand Canal became less and less important to traders. Today, few goods are transported along its waterways. Still, the current South-North Water Transfer Project proves that the Chinese government still sees the Grand Canal important to the welfare of China. The aim of this costly project is to divert huge amounts of water every year from the Yangtze River to the drier regions in the north.
1. What is special about the Grand Canal?| A．It can date back to the Sui Dynasty. |
| B．It has a history of less than1, 000 years. |
| C．It runs from New York to Florida. |
| D．It is the longest canal across the world. |
| A．It was first constructed to convey officers. |
| B．It was employed for wars by Emperor Yongle. |
| C．It used to transport goods between south and north. |
| D．It is now carrying more goods than the railway system. |
| A．Transfer. | B．Recycle. | C．Conserve. | D．Clarify. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. | C．A novel. | D．A biography. |
