1 . London Theatre Shows
Alice In Wonderland
Each ticket to the show includes free entry to Kew Gardens., Alice in Wonderland is playing at the Kew Gardens from 22 July to 28 August 2023.
Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes with no interval (幕间休息)
Performance days
Matinees (日场): Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Important information: Children under 2 years old go free.
Back To The Future: The Musical
It is based on the iconic Back ta the Future films. Back to the Future: The Musical tickets at the Adelphi Theatre, London are available to book for performances up to 11 February 2024.
Age restrictions: Suitable for general audience aged 6+. Children under 3 will not be admitted.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes (including interval)
Performance days
Evenings; Monday, Wednesday. Thursday. Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Matinees: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.
Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour
This show sees Blippi in the ultimate curiosity adventure. Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi as he discovers what makes different cities unique and special. Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour runs at Rose Theatre, Kingston from 29 August to 9 September 2023.
Age restrictions: Recommended for ages 2+.
Running time: 1 hour (no interval)
Performance days
Matinees: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Dinosaur World Live
Join our brave explorers across unchartered territories to discover a pre-historic world of remarkably life-like dinosaurs. Dinosaur World Live runs from 11 August to 3 September 2023 at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London.
Age restrictions: 3+
Running time: 50 mins + a 15-minute post show
Performance days
Matinees: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
1. What do we know about Back to the Future: The Musical?A.It has no performances on Tuesdays, |
B.Booking starts on 11 February 2024. |
C.Children under 3 years old can go free. |
D.It lasts 2 hours 40 minutes without intervals. |
A.Kew Gardens. |
B.Adelphi Theatre. |
C.Rose Theatre, Kingston. |
D.Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. |
A.Alice In Wonderland |
B.Dinosaur World Live |
C.Back To The Future: The Musical |
D.Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour |
2 . Science fiction has long entertained the idea of artificial intelligence becoming conscious (有意识的). Many researchers say that AI systems aren’t yet at the point of consciousness, but the pace of AI evolution (发展) has got them considering: how would we know if they were?
To answer this, a group of 19 neuroscientists (神经系统科学家), philosophers and computer scientists have come up with a checklist of standards that, if met, would indicate whether a system has a high chance of being conscious. The authors made the effort because “it seemed like there was a real lack of detailed, thoughtful discussion of AI consciousness,” says co-author Robert Long, a philosopher at the Center for AI Safety.
The team says that a failure to identify whether an AI system has become conscious has important moral implications. If something has been labelled “conscious”, according to co-author Megan Peters, a neuroscientist at the University of California, “that changes a lot about how we as human beings feel that entity (独立存在的个体) should be treated”. Long adds that, as far as he can tell, not enough effort has been made by the companies building advanced AI systems to evaluate the models for consciousness and make plans for what to do if that happens.
One of the challenges in studying consciousness in AI is defining what it means to be conscious. Peters says that for the report, the researchers focused on “phenomenal consciousness”.
Many neuroscience-based theories describe the biological basis of consciousness. But there is no agreement on which is the right one. To create their framework, the authors therefore used a range of these theories. The idea is that if an AI system functions in a way that matches aspects of many of these theories, then there is a greater likelihood that it is conscious.
They argue that this is a better approach to assessing consciousness than simply putting a system through a behavioural test — say, asking ChatGPT whether it is conscious, or challenging it and seeing how it responds. That’s because AI systems have become remarkably good at mimicking (模仿) humans.
1. What does Robert Long say about present research on AI consciousness?A.It is far from enough. |
B.It is progressing rapidly. |
C.It has shown promising insights into it. |
D.It has learnt a lot from previous research. |
A.Their final applications. |
B.How humans treat them. |
C.Their moral responsibilities. |
D.How humans make future; plans. |
A.Providing a definition of it. |
B.Uncovering the reason behind it. |
C.Measuring AI’s ability to mimic humans. |
D.Comparing AI consciousness and human consciousness. |
A.By observing its responses to digital signals and online questions. |
B.By checking its understanding of some neuroscience-based theories. |
C.By comparing its functional patterns with neuroscience-based theories. |
D.By conducting experiments and tests to measure its level of self-awareness. |
Delicate, shining, and soft to the touch. The fabric called silk
The style and texture (质地) of silk are
In the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC—AD 24), with Zhang Qian
As one of the wonders of ancient China, silk is not merely a type of fabric but a cultural symbol and a representative of elegance.
4 . Have you ever wondered what happens to your mobile phones and laptops after you throw them out to make way for a newer model? According to its latest Global E-Waste Monitor, India is the third top producer of e-waste in the world. E-waste in Indian landfill goes on to pollute soil and groundwater, affecting food supply systems and water sources.
Thankfully, the country has a new group of artists who are changing these thrown mechanical items-from mobile phones to old televisions- into large murals (壁画) and artworks to creatively show their concern for the waste problem.
Over the past quarter of a century, Mumbai’s Haribaabu Naatesan has transformed hundreds of tonnes of e-waste into art, integrating elements from nature and industry. “I get my waste material from friends, relatives and neighbours who know my interest in e-art and send me bags of thrown electronic appliances,” says Naatesan. Over his career, he has created huge murals for several companies. He has also showed his work at the India Art Fair, as well as several other national displays.
Another artist Vishwanath Davangere has also long worked with e-waste. He likes to take apart old laptops and reassemble (重新组装) them into birds, animals and plants. After retirement, he started pursuing this hobby more seriously and started selling his creations across the world. His most outstanding works include a robotic Egyptian statue with glowing red eyes and a Milky Way made from keyboard keys. He hopes to enable others to reconsider their own consumption habits and make more environmentally conscious choices.
“By giving e-waste a second chance, I aim to raise awareness about the environmental impact of electronic waste.” says Davangare, who today has a collection of more than 600 eco-art objects.
1. Why do the artists create artworks from E-waste?A.To promote their artistic career. | B.To update electronic appliances. |
C.To make profits for several companies. | D.To express their environmental concern. |
A.His creations are displayed globally. | B.He gains support from people around. |
C.He has been creating e-art for 10 years. | D.His works integrate technology and history. |
A.Reliable. | B.Confident. | C.Devoted. | D.Generous. |
A.E-waste Recycling Sweeping the World | B.Environmental Problems Worrying Indians |
C.An Art Movement Turning Trash into Cash | D.Indian Creatives Transforming E-waste into Art |
5 . Released on Aug 30, a three-episode web series titled Escape From the British Museum has gone viral online for its touching and innovative narrative (叙事). The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist who helps the artifact return to China. The series, created by two Chinese vloggers, aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that were stolen or looted (掠夺) from China and are displayed or stored in the British Museum.
The video series echoes the Chinese people’s call for the British Museum to return these Chinese artifacts. However, some UK media outlets said that the video series promotes nationalism (民族主义). In fact, every country whose artifacts are displayed or stored in the British Museum wants them back. These countries, such as Greece, Nigeria and Sudan, have already issued their demands for the return of artifacts. It’s fair enough to say these demands are shared. They can correct centuries-old wrongs by having the UK return artifacts to their rightful homes.
An opinion in the UK newspaper The Telegraph said that if the British Museum gives back its collection of artifacts, then nationalism will win over humanity’s common heritage. It also said that the artifacts were “lawfully acquired (合法取得)” by the UK. By “lawfully acquired”, does the writer mean the artifacts were acquired with the “help” of machine guns and warships? Or does he mean that the cultural artifacts of African, Asian and American countries should be kept in the hands of looters, rather than in their land of origin?
1. What is the video series Escape from the British Museum mainly about?A.Cultural artifacts looted by the UK. |
B.Hidden dangers in the British Museum. |
C.The arguments about the British museum. |
D.The journey of a Chinese artifact coming home. |
A.Protests against UK’s nationalism. |
B.The beauty of Chinese cultural artifacts. |
C.The desire of stolen artifacts to be returned. |
D.Efforts made by Chinese activists to get artifacts back. |
A.To show the UK did something wrong in the past. |
B.To stress China’s demands are shared by many countries. |
C.To emphasize former colonized countries have grown stronger. |
D.To highlight diverse artifacts are housed in the British Museum. |
A.It’s totally unacceptable. | B.It’s a little bit reasonable. |
C.It lacks enough evidence. | D.It shows the writer’s ignorance. |
Opening presents carefully selected by our parents is our family tradition on Christmas morning, which always pushes the festive atmosphere to the climax. However, this year’s Christmas seemed not as happy as usual.
It was Christmas Eve when my sister and I decided to open our presents before our mom got home from work. Though worried about ruining my mom’s original plan, we still wanted to sneak a peek (偷看) at the gifts in advance, driven by a strong impulse of curiosity. Since my sister was older, and that put her in charge, she opened the first gift while I was ordered to stand guard at the big picture window in our front room. I was to report any suspicious activity or person, namely our mother, who can easily capture the details of life.
I was so excited that I could barely stand still. I also couldn’t keep my eyes on the window very long. My head moved from the window to my sister and back to the window again. I felt like I was watching a Ping-Pong match.
“All right!” my sister shouted. She pulled out a jewelry box. “You know what that means, don’t you?”
I jumped up and down. “Yeah, it’s my turn!”
“No,” she said. “It means that there must be some jewelry under here.” I watched my sister rummaging (翻寻) through the presents under the tree, trying to find one she thought was small enough to be a necklace or earrings.
“Hey, that’s not fair!” I complained, stomping my foot.
“Are you watching for Mom?” is all that she said. I couldn’t do anything except stand guard as she opened present after present. Finally, when my sister’s curiosity was satisfied and she had finished wrapping her last present back up, we traded places.
My heart hammered so hard that it felt like my chest was moving in and out. My sister reminded me to be careful so I wouldn’t tear the paper, and to wrap the present back up the same way that I had found it.
After unwrapping a few presents, I found it faster to open one end of a present and peek inside. “Headphones! How can my mom know what I want! Without any hesitation, I pulled the headphones out of the box.
注意:1.续写词数应为 150 个左右;2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。Paragraph l:
I was about to put them on when my sister shouted, “Quick! Mom’s coming!”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Christmas morning finally approached, and we were ready to open our presents again!_
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . Movie stars might think their lives are private after leaving the acting location, but they ought to know that they have much power over their audience. The power gives them an ability to change people, events, even history, making them to have the responsibility of being good role models.
With time going on, movie stars become celebrities (名人) and in the process get a large number of fans. Some of them follow their deeds, dress, and act like them. In reality, they want to be like their favorite movie stars. If a movie star engages in acts that the society does not approve, those who look up to them, especially the teens, will do the same. Movie stars should be responsible for what they do and say as following the actions is now simpler because of social media. It is important to behave like a role model even when they think no one is watching.
Nobody is perfect, and movie stars also have had their down moments. They may not have been good role models at the time, but they can change the narrative by doing the right things. They can also turn the past shortcomings into positives by opening up about problems and how they overcame the challenges. And their audience can learn to discuss their problems and seek help.
People starring in movies are the target of companies to promote their products or services for a fee. Their celebrity status is a reason enough to think beyond the payment. A movie star should not recommend something that will influence the way teens live negatively. It would be wrong to promote something like sweetened drinks or foods without health benefits. Movie stars face problems like other people, but because of their influence, they have a responsibility to be role models in the public eye.
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?A.Fans often follow their stars’ dress and hobbies. |
B.Celebrities’ actions spread fast on social media. |
C.Movie stars should be responsible for their fans. |
D.Movie stars’ acts have a great impact on their fans. |
A.Lie to fans by making up a story. |
B.Do the right things to overcome the problems. |
C.Cover their problems with good movies. |
D.Post their problems online to seek help. |
A.Don’t tell problems to the public. |
B.Don’t play roles that have a negative impact on teens. |
C.Don’t ask for payment when promoting products. |
D.Don’t recommend unhealthy drinks or foods. |
A.To tell movie stars how to help people in need. |
B.To stress movie stars’ impact on teens. |
C.To call on movie stars to be good role models. |
D.To advise movie stars to open up about their problems. |
8 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and entertainment. We can find new recipes on the Internet or advice on staying healthy. We can even use it to learn a new language and connect with family and friends.
As far as the Internet being a part of our lives —well, that train has left the station. This expression means there is no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, say researchers.
A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in an unlikely group— teenagers. The study results show that teens who spend at least 14 hours a week online were more likely to have high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause heart and kidney (肾) disease. It is also closely linked to some forms of dementia (痴呆), a brain disease. Dementia is marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and a reduced ability to reason.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people from 14 to 17 years old participated in it. One hundred and thirty-four of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users.” Researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure.
The lead researcher of the study is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. In a statement she said, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life but it shouldn’t consume us.” For the purpose of the study, she explains, teens considered heavy Internet users were online on “average 25 hours a week.” Ms. Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to take “regular breaks from their computers or smartphones” and to do some “kind of physical activity.”
1. Which of the following statements is closest in the meaning to the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?A.The train has stopped at the wrong station. |
B.There is something wrong with the train. |
C.Life without the Internet is nowhere to be found. |
D.The train has changed its course. |
A.will remember everything clearly | B.will change his character |
C.will develop a brain cancer | D.can do analysis accurately |
A.40% | B.19% | C.25% | D.7% |
A.The Internet Does Harm to the Study. |
B.Too Much Internet May Be Bad for Teenagers. |
C.We Should Stop Using the Internet. |
D.High Blood Pressure Is around the Comer. |
9 . Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, yet it is often ignored in our fast- paced society.
Studies have shown that a person with good mental health lives longer and has a higher quality of life. The effects of positive mental health on the body are plenty, including reducing the risk of diseases and improving overall physical well-being.
Our mental state has a significant impact on relationships. People with good mental health are more likely to be kind and understanding.
Mental health is as essential as physical health in maintaining a fulfilling life. If we run into trouble, don’t keep it to yourself.
A.Turn to friends or families. |
B.They strongly connect with others. |
C.Physical health has been a problem. |
D.So ways to keep positive must be found. |
E.And a clear mind can help make smart choices. |
F.The mind actually needs as much care as the body. |
G.Mental health is vital for keeping emotional balance. |
10 . Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Unfortunately, my mother was not among the many happy mothers, as I couldn’t visit her this year. I made a
My mother always says that kids don’t need to
If you
However, her deep connection to the song helped her to
Last week, a colleague
A.remark | B.promise | C.practice | D.suggestion |
A.long for | B.turn to | C.wait for | D.refer to |
A.missed | B.tried | C.regretted | D.avoided |
A.visit | B.like | C.leave | D.hate |
A.strangely | B.carelessly | C.seriously | D.kindly |
A.remember | B.think | C.doubt | D.wonder |
A.called | B.designed | C.made | D.created |
A.assist | B.place | C.win | D.adopt |
A.in | B.except | C.besides | D.about |
A.duty | B.gift | C.idea | D.habit |
A.hits | B.comes | C.occurs | D.catches |
A.develops | B.controls | C.remains | D.increases |
A.compared | B.shared | C.provided | D.filled |
A.common | B.special | C.serious | D.rare |
A.respect | B.attention | C.satisfaction | D.manners |