1 . On a September afternoon in 1940, four teenage boys made their way through the woods on a hill overlooking Montignac in southwestern France. They had come to explore a dark, deep hole said to be an underground passage to the nearby manor(庄园)of Lascaux. Squeezing through the entrance one by one, they soon saw wonderfully lifelike paintings of running horses, swimming deer, wounded wild oxen, and other beings—works of art that may be up to 20,000 years old.
The collection of paintings in Lascaux is among some 150 prehistoric sites dating from the Paleolithic period(旧石器时代)that have been documented in France's Vezere Valley. This corner of southwestern Europe seems to have been a hot spot for figurative art. The biggest discovery since Lascaux occurred in December 1994, when three cave explorers laid eyes on artworks that had not been seen since a rockslide 22,000 years ago closed off a large deep cave in southern France. Here, by unsteadily shining firelight, prehistoric artists drew outlines of cave lions, herds of rhinos(犀牛)and magnificent wild oxen, horses, cave bears. In all, the artists drew 442 animals over perhaps thousands of years, using nearly 400,000 square feet of cave surface as their canvas(画布). The site, now known as Chauvet-Pont-1'Arc Cave, is sometimes considered the Sistine Chapel of prehistory.
For decades scholars had theorized that art had advanced in slow stages from ancient scratchings to lively, naturalistic interpretation. Surely the delicate shading and elegant lines of Chauvet's masterworks placed them at the top of that progression. Then carbon dates came in, and prehistorians felt shocked. At some 36,000 years old—nearly twice as old as those in Lascaux—Chauvet's images represented not the peak of prehistoric art but its earliest known beginnings.
The search for the world's oldest cave paintings continues. On the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, for example, scientists found a large room of paintings of part-human, part-animal beings that are estimated to be 44,000 years old, older than any figurative art seen in Europe.
Scholars don't know if art was invented many times over or if it was a skill developed early in our evolution. What we do know is that artistic expression runs deep in our ancestry.
1. According to the passage, where did the boys find the paintings?A.In the woods on a hill | B.In a deep cave in France. |
C.In a manor of Lascaux. | D.On an Indonesian island |
A.conveys concepts by using accurate numbers and forms |
B.makes stories in contrast to scientific subjects |
C.represents persons or things in a realistic way |
D.expresses ideas or feelings by using shapes and patterns |
A.the Chauvet's paintings had been sealed by a rockslide until 1994 |
B.the style of Chauvet's paintings is similar to that of the Sistine Chapel |
C.Chauvet's images are the earliest figurative paintings that have been found |
D.the main objects of Chauvet's images are part-human, part-animal beings |
A.Value of Paleolithic Artwork | B.Preservation of Figurative Art |
C.Artistic Expressions of Nature | D.Searches for Cave Paintings |
2 . The 2021 Nobel Economics Prize has been awarded to Robert Wilson and Paul Milgrom for their work in analyzing auctions and how to make them more efficient.
At the heart of the work for which Milgrom and Wilson have been awarded is the winner's curse.
Wilson's work has shown that the fear of the winner's curse leads rational bidders to bid less than the own valuation.
Milgrom built on this to examine the case of auctions where there is not only a common value but also a private value that differs between bidders. In focusing again on the winner's curse, Milgrom determined that English-style auctions, where the price starts low and is bid upward, are better at avoiding the winner's curse than Dutch-style auctions---where the price starts high and is bid downward.This is because bidders gain more information about an item's value during an English-style auction,as other bidders drop out.
How have such insights help society? For one thing, Milgrom and Wilson developed the Simultaneous Multiple Round Auction'(SMRA). In these auctions, all biddable items are offered at the same time and bidders can bid on any portion of the items.The SMRA is useful,for example,if a company wants to bid for a license in one area only if it can also have the license in another area.
A.If the auctions were held sequentially,the uncertainty about winning the second auction would depress bids in the first auction. |
B.It arises from common value auctions where people bid for something whose value is unknown at the time but will be agreed upon later. |
C.From determining the placement of every ad on a webpage to assigning the rights to fly to hub airports,auctions play a big role in contemporary society. |
D.Greater uncertainty or the belief that some participants have more information than others will make bidders even more cautious. |
E.He found that more details about the object's value,such as other bidders' valuations,tend to result in higher revenue. |
F.This year's Nobel Economics Prize is a clear example of the practical effects on the interests of the public. |
A. diverse B. dominance C. cracks D. core E. schedule F. application G. landmark H. promote I. alternative J. echoes K. connectivity |
China's BeiDou System Prepared for Serving Whole World
China launched the last satellite of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) on June 23, marking the completion of the country's homegrown orbital navigation network in a(n)
The BeiDou network, a major infrastructure domestically constructed and operated, can better meet the demands of China's national security, economic as well as social development. It can also provide more stable and reliable services, as well as a(n)
Given the national security concerns due to GPS's
After 26 years of difficult work, the BDS has now earned a global reputation for its high-accuracy service and various service capabilities. According to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the services provided by BeiDou are already helping to
Indeed, the BDS-based solutions have already been successfully adopted in
Thousands of years ago, the Chinese invented the compass, which had made long-range voyages on rough and vast seas possible, helping to give directions in the Age of Discovery.
Today, the BDS network is prepared to promote an even stronger global
A. genuinely B. pocket C. mass-produced D. seemingly E. inspiration F. familiarize G. group H. encounter I. customary J. symbolic K. motivation |
A Deeper Meaning behind Souvenirs
“Nobody sits us down and tells us to collect objects when we’re young,” writes Rolf Potts, “it’s just something we do, as a way to
Few of us would call ourselves collectors, but most travelers
Which categories do the things we’ve bought or found in our travels fall into? Further, what’s
Over time, intellectual curiosity became the driving
Scholars
In the end, “Souvenir” suggests that its meaning is not fixed because its importance to the owner can change over time and that its significance is closely related to the traveler’s identity. Mr. Potts himself has had plenty of souvenirs, things that remind him not merely of the places he’s been and the extraordinary
5 . Last year Miranda Lim found that taking care of three young children homebound by the pandemic meant she often had to work late into the evening to stay on top of her job. Concerned that the
It’s
The finding that getting more and better sleep could offer the best, and
That leap would be driven not only by consumer’s
Nevertheless, some experts think the tech can help with slight pushes, but people still have to develop the healthy habits.
1.A.uncertain | B.flexible | C.extended | D.fixed |
A.interested in | B.amazed at | C.replaced with | D.prepared for |
A.flying | B.bouncing | C.flashing | D.ringing |
A.heading off | B.paying off | C.putting off | D.giving off |
A.sensible | B.natural | C.understandable | D.surprising |
A.cutting down | B.comparing with | C.thinking about | D.figuring out |
A.transform | B.develop | C.explore | D.innovate |
A.ultimately | B.seemingly | C.possibly | D.slightly |
A.fuel | B.urge | C.peak | D.sue |
A.layers | B.trends | C.aids | D.tribes |
A.appeal | B.climb | C.resort | D.flow |
A.demanding | B.intensifying | C.foreseeing | D.existing |
A.therapies | B.options | C.experiments | D.schedules |
A.monitoring | B.affecting | C.hanging | D.boosting |
A.packing | B.removing | C.contrasting | D.mixing |
6 . Hugely ambitious in scope, The Lord of the Rings occupies an uncomfortable position in 20th century literature. This book of J.R.R.Tolkien’s poses a challenge to modern literature and its defenders. (Tolkien on his
It seems that the key point lies in Tolkien’s wholehearted rejection of modernity and modernism. This is what so powerfully
“However fanciful Tolkien’s creation of Middle earth was,” Shippey writes, “he did not think that he was entirely
The book is also deeply grounded in Tolkien’s linguistic expertise (语言专长) —he
Tolkien himself often spoke of his work as something ‘found’ or ‘discovered’, something whose existence was
A.books | B.critics | C.readers | D.ambitions |
A.dislike | B.challenge | C.review | D.prefer |
A.common | B.possible | C.missing | D.funny |
A.annoys | B.influences | C.attracts | D.concerns |
A.recovery | B.designing | C.analysis | D.questioning |
A.taking it down | B.making it up | C.turning it down | D.looking it up |
A.remained | B.struck | C.moved | D.existed |
A.spoke | B.invented | C.neglected | D.recalled |
A.put aside | B.set up | C.look into | D.get along |
A.style | B.tension | C.success | D.tradition |
A.decision | B.request | C.struggle | D.refusal |
A.representative | B.independent | C.conscious | D.thoughtful |
A.clear | B.weird | C.unfair | D.pitiful |
A.As a result | B.On the contrary | C.Even so | D.What’s worse |
A.ancient | B.broken | C.imaginary | D.foreign |
7 . The Thai government intends to further deepen its digital cooperation with Chinese technology company Huawei, senior Thai officials said at a cloud event held in Bangkok this week.
During the Powering Digital Thailand 2022 on Nov 17-19, Thai deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said digital infrastructure (基础设施), such as5G, is crucial to Thailand’s
Badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism-reliant nation registered an economic reduction of 6.1 percent last year, the worst in more than 20 years. However, the pandemic has significantly speeded the
During the pandemic, Huawei used its technology to help local hospitals implement systems for automated medical supply, AI-backed
Fueled by Thailand’s digital roadmap, Huawei has focused on helping the country build 20,000 5G stations in the past two years.
Another strength of Huawei has been its cloud capabilities. Deng Feng, general manager of Huawei Thailand, said Huawei Cloud is the only cloud service
He emphasized the Huawei will support Thailand’s low-carbon and digital development in the future in four areas, including expanding 5G coverage and usage, providing cloud services, creating low-carbon development with digital energy, and
Thai Minister of Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn expressed his hopes for
According to a joint report released by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company earlier this month Thailand’s digital economy is expected to
Huawei’s Rotating Chairman Guo Ping said the company will continue
A.economic | B.educational | C.national | D.industrial |
A.crisis | B.concerns | C.tendency | D.recovery |
A.appreciation | B.adoption | C.industrialization | D.significance |
A.negative | B.instructive | C.competitive | D.conclusive |
A.discovery | B.interview | C.regulation | D.diagnosis |
A.efficiency | B.localization | C.construction | D.symbolization |
A.sensible | B.accessible | C.feasible | D.remarkable |
A.Irrelevant | B.Currently | C.Respectively | D.Fundamentally |
A.instructor | B.indicator | C.provider | D.adopter |
A.discovering | B.investing | C.cultivating | D.distinguishing |
A.routine | B.revolutionary | C.reasonable | D.comprehensive |
A.facilitate | B.propose | C.integrate | D.emphasize |
A.appeal to | B.account for | C.add up | D.strive to |
A.sacrifice | B.invest | C.receive | D.exceed |
A.innovating | B.qualifying | C.purchasing | D.postponing |
8 . This era of “Industry 4. 0” is being driven by the same technological advances that enable the capabilities of the smartphones in our pockets. It is a mix of low-cost and high-power computers, high-speed communication and artificial intelligence. This will produce smarter robots with better sensing and communication abilities that can
In the manufacturing industry, where robots have arguably made the most headway of any division, this will mean a(n)
For large-scale manufacturers, Industry 4. 0 means their robots will be able to sense their environment and communicate in an industrial network that can be run and
For
While these machines are getting smarter, they are still not as smart as us. Today's industrial artificial intelligence operates at a
What's coming next is known as “deep learning”. Similar to big data analysis, it involves processing large quantities of data in real time to
A.compare with | B.adapt to | C.pick out | D.hold on |
A.extensive | B.accidental | C.convenient | D.dramatic |
A.Traditional | B.Removable | C.Fashionable | D.Potential |
A.temporarily | B.thoroughly | C.eventually | D.initially |
A.arranged | B.evaluated | C.monitored | D.composed |
A.gradually | B.collectively | C.similarly | D.approximately |
A.identify | B.reserve | C.exploit | D.indicate |
A.dominating | B.imposing | C.eliminating | D.scheduling |
A.high-speed | B.mass-produced | C.small-to-medium | D.multi-cultural |
A.multiple | B.feasible | C.profitable | D.independent |
A.promotions | B.improvements | C.highlights | D.resolutions |
A.separate | B.peculiar | C.narrow | D.mysterious |
A.come up with | B.account for | C.give way to | D.make decisions about |
A.difference | B.commission | C.phenomenon | D.expectation |
A.introduced | B.described | C.prepared | D.demonstrated |
9 . Hello, Stranger
Attitudes to strangers tend to follow a familiar pattern. Children are taught never to speak to unknown grown-ups, especially those regarded by their parents as untrustworthy. The onset of adolescence and young adulthood brings a bursting desire to interact with all sorts of people, which. of course, might not gain family approval.
Social circles generally narrow again as people find life-partners, form households and produce offspring of their own. Time becomes scarce; new friendships are often based on sharing the burden of child care.
But that is not the whole story.
In the age of covid-19 and Zoom, the chronological pattern has been changed. Instead of their vague possibilities and risks, strangers have assumed the all-too-literal role as a looming source of infection. During lock-downs they are officially to be avoided. Yet youngsters still long dangerously, for the pleasure of interaction, not just with individuals but anonymous crowds.
A.This aspect of the story and fear of strangers has bring about frustration among people. |
B.Some people never recover the youthful enthusiasm for unforeseen encounters. |
C.Middle-aged people gradually realize that the exchange will be a one-off which can permit freedom and frankness. |
D.People of all ages have come to miss the human stimulation of busy high streets or trains. |
E.In mid-life and beyond people can still experience the joy of a random meeting. |
F.Despite this, the resulting interactions can generate an appealing feeling of escaping familiarity. |
10 . In American culture, I am noticing a lack of respect, especially among children. This should be treated
In 1995, I spent a couple of months in Kenya where I lived with a pastor’s family. This pastor was a part of the Maasai tribes that have some unique customs. One of them is the
In my early 20’s, I worked at a children’s home in South Carolina where the children from 4 to 19 years old were taught to respect their elders. They
Immanuel Kant expressed two
A.passionately | B.steadily | C.publicly | D.alarmingly |
A.challenging | B.faking | C.piloting | D.abandoning |
A.assistance | B.greeting | C.blessing | D.guarantee |
A.come forward | B.drop by | C.show off | D.fall down |
A.pretend | B.suspect | C.determine | D.acknowledge |
A.located | B.ranked | C.addressed | D.defied |
A.delight | B.delay | C.decline | D.distress |
A.gesture | B.secret | C.behavior | D.authority |
A.peers | B.enemies | C.guards | D.owners |
A.controversial | B.accepted | C.foreign | D.equivalent |
A.twisting | B.imposing | C.banning | D.sparing |
A.reason | B.solution | C.harmony | D.consciousness |
A.similarity | B.response | C.obedience | D.approach |
A.environmental | B.external | C.voluntary | D.flexible |
A.luxuries | B.glories | C.instruments | D.models |