1 . Transhumanism, first coined in 1957 by biologist Julian Huxley, meant “man remaining man, but going beyond himself by realizing new possibilities of and for his human nature.” Generally speaking, transhumanism in its modern meaning implies that human beings can be enhanced by the means of science to the extent when they rise above biological limitations and capabilities programmed by nature. The species into which humanity transforms this way will be called post human, or trans human, as it would have been something new — based on human nature, but going beyond it at the same time.

There are numerous areas which, according to transhumanists, require enhancement, as well as there are countless proposals on the means of such enhancement. In particular, transhumanists work on such problems as overcoming the physical boundaries of the human body. Starting with aging, which they believe to be rather a disease than a natural process, and ending up with replacing organs with their artificial ones, transhumanists believe that the human body is imperfect, and that it should be improved. All kinds of nanotechnologies for repairing damaged organs; nerve stimulants and drugs to alter mood and eliminate negative emotions; brain implants and implanted technologies to allow interconnectivity between multiple human beings and to advance intelligence—these and many more actions are just some of the means transhumanists plan to use to make humanity better. Some of the technologies transhumanists plan to employ to push the boundaries of humanity are available already. For example, gene therapy allowing to cure or stop certain diseases that were considered terminal; CRISPRi or SHARP-2 methods, which were discovered not so long ago, have already proved to be efficient in treating a number of complicated medical conditions, and in case further research is conducted, they might significantly improve the quality of medicine worldwide. Virtual reality, another technology from science-fiction movies of the late 1980s, has become not so virtual either, after all. VR device can be easily purchased from online stores, and the prices are affordable — given that we are speaking of technology capable of substituting actual reality. So far, it has been mostly used for games and education, but in the future, the range of its useful applications will definitely broaden. Other technologies, which have not yet been invented but which definitely will, include large scale engineering, self-copying robotics, artificial intelligence, mind uploading technologies, molecular manufacturing, space colonization, and other technological wonders.

About a hundred years ago, the idea of flying in the skies seemed absurd, until Wilbur and Orville Wright proved this assumption wrong. Who knows, perhaps in a couple of decades the concepts listed here, no matter how fantastic they look now, will become reality. Moral aspects and the price humanity will have to pay for such advancements are a different subject.

2 . While people who are both trustworthy and capable are the most sought after when it comes to team assembly, friendliness and trustworthiness are often more important factors than ability.

“We assume that people are_________for important task forces and teams because of the knowledge, skills and abilities they bring to the table. However, this research suggests that people may often get picked because team members feel_________with them,” said Cynthia Maupin, assistant professor of organizational behavior and leadership in Binghamton University’s School of Management. “People may be willing to_________a bit in terms of performance in order to have a really positive team experience.”

Maupin and her colleagues focused on a group of MBA students to conduct their study. Students were_________ assigned to teams at the beginning of the semester to work on class projects and assignments. Toward the end of the semester, students were asked to form their own teams and _________why they selected each member of their group.

“We wanted to find out what people did to_________ to others that they might be someone who would be good to team up with in the future,” Maupin said.

The researchers_________looked at how students signaled their human capital, the ability to do their tasks well, and their social capital, the_________to which they were friendly and trustworthy, to other students by studying their use of either challenging or supportive voice:

●Challenging voice: Communicating in a way that challenges the present circumstances and is _________new ideas and efficiency.

●Supportive voice: Communicating in a way that __________ social ties and trust, and builds friendly unity of a team.

The researchers found that people who__________both abilities, through the use of challenging voice, and trustworthiness, through the use of supportive voice, were the most in-demand people when it came to__________teams.

“As might be expected, anyone who was very strong in terms of signaling both their human and social capital were extremely sought after. They’re doing all the right things to__________that they’re both trustworthy and a good worker,” Maupin said.

However, the researchers found that students who only exhibited social capital through__________voice were more sought after than those who only signaled their ability through the use of challenging voice.

“Our findings suggest that when people feel like they can trust you, even if you’re not__________ the best worker, they’re going to be more likely to want to work with you,” Maupin said. “They know that there are likely to be fewer interpersonal issues in that case.”

Rising To the Challenge

Cyclists must dig deep to complete what’s been called the toughest climb in the world. They race up to Wuling Peak to the finish line in the King of the Mountain (KOM) Challenge. Every October some of the world’s best cyclists battle     1    the title. Starting at sea level, the route climbs to   a height of 3, 275 meters at the end, covering 105 kilometers.

Ever since I started cycling seven years ago, completing the KOM climb     2     (be) a goal of mine. Every year I thought that I needed to prepare for it and used that as my excuse. But     3     (look) back, I realize I would have been fine. Cycling uphill was no problem for me then- it was thrilling. Now it’s exhausting.

Last summer I finally decided to take on Wuling with some friends. Our 89-kilometer route started at the base of the mountain and was a little shorter than the official KOM race. But it’s the final 10 kilometers     4    are the most demanding: This is the steepest part,     5    makes the climb so hard.

We began early in the morning as a group of 17 riders. But only three of us would make it to the top. A support car was necessary, especially on a ride like this,     6     (help) keep us energetic.

The first part of the ride went through Taroko Valley, a magnificent park. I’ve hiked there,     7    I’ve always wanted to bike it. I saw dramatic rocky outcrops, canyons, waterfalls and forests as I zipped through the valley and up the mountain road. Even though it was August, the weather was perfect. Unfortunately, the support car that carried our lunch     8     (delay). By the time it arrived, I was starving. Being consumed of energy even for that short time affected the rest of my ride. When the hard last 10 kilometers arrived, I really struggled to complete them. At one point I     9     see how close the top of the peak was, but it still felt so far away. Fortunately, determination carried me to the finish.     10     (exhaust), I conquered Wuling! What a tremendous feeling!

Walmart has a plan to tackle the climate crisis. Can it pull it off?

Every day a seemingly never-ending stream of toothbrushes, toilet paper, tape, thumbtacks, toys and     1       products criss-cross the globe from a network of suppliers to Walmart's more than 10,500 stores.

The retailer, which was for many years     2     (big) in the world until Amazon took

    3     crown in August, has a supply chain almost unfathomably complex. And it comes with a huge carbon-footprint. In 2019 the company emitted 17.56m metric tons of greenhouse gases.

Walmart has declared its mission     4     (tackle) these climate impacts, which means focusing on every part of the chain-from the electricity sourced in its stores to the palm oil in the candy bars sold on its shelves. But     5     some experts celebrate the scale of the retailer's efforts, others wonder whether they go far enough.

Over the past years, Walmart     6     (come) out with a slew of climate promises. In 2017, it launched "Project Gigaton", pledging to cut 1bn metric tons of carbon emissions from its supply chain by 2030. Last year it announced a goal to reach zero emissions from its global operations by 2040 without relying on carbon offsets - where companies "cancel out" some of their impact by funding projects that reduce carbon emissions. It's also promised to be a 100% renewably-powered, zero waste and "regenerative" corporation that does more good than harm.

"It's extraordinary," said Michael Vandenbergh, co-director of the Climate Change Research Network at Vanderbilt Law School,     7     we're talking about is one of the largest and most conservative companies in the world     8    (make) a range of commitments     9       government is not requiring them to make."

Yet it's an uphill task for a retail giant with a business model based on providing tens of millions of low-priced products to a growing number of customers. The big question will be     10     this type of business model can persist in a way that aligns with climate science, said Simon Fischweicher, head of corporations and supply chains for environmental nonprofit CDP North America.

Loving Legacy

Magic wands, flying broomsticks, terrifying monsters... these are the features of the fantasy genre. And over the last few decades, Harry Potter has remained at the top of the list for     1     looking to journey into a magical world. Where many authors have tried, J. K. Rowling—with the help of numerous fans—has succeeded in bringing her characters to life     2     books, movies, theaters, theme parks and so much more.

Harry Potter might have started off as     3     book meant for young children to read and perhaps forget a few years down the line. Few expected that the young boy with messy jet-black hair, green eyes and a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead     4     (manage) to take us all along on an unforgettable journey. Critics of the series claim that certain characters do not have enough depth, or the writing cannot compare with the likes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. However, they     5     hardly deny the massive impact of Harry Potter on the literary world.

I grew up reading Harry Potter. Like millions of other children, I waited on my eleventh birthday for an owl carrying a letter to inform me that I     6     (accept) into the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For the younger me, the wizarding world was so fantastic and attractive that I always wanted more. As a new book was only released every year or two, I had plenty of time     7     (explore) other worlds of fantasy. And I loved every moment of it.     8     I have not picked up a Harry Potter book in about a decade, I still make a beeline for (直奔) the fantasy section each time I am in a bookstore. Most importantly, I came to love the simple act of reading.

Some may think that fantasy or science fiction has no place in literature, as they corrupt the mind and provide no useful lessons. These people are wrong. Characters in popular fantasy or science fiction novels are not much different from those in classic literature novels. Each embodies the emotion, character and thought     9     the author is trying to convey. So,     10     unrealistic the plot may seem, good novels teach, and keen readers learn.