1 . One Concern is an AI company (人工智能公司) in California. It is using machine learning and AI to help firefighters. The company hopes its software (软件) can make exact predictions about earthquake damage. It can tell firefighters how to plan for an earthquake and how to do their jobs better when it happens.
Nicole Hu, a technology officer from One Concern, says the key is to feed the computers a lot of data (数据) about an area. The data may include information about homes and other buildings, the natural environment, and the size of an earthquake. The computers then use the information to make predictions about what would happen if there were an earthquake in the area. It then uses data from past earthquakes to see whether its predictions are any good, and changes its predictive models accordingly.
Gregory Deierlein, earthquake engineer at the Stanford University, says one of the most surprising things about the company’s software is its ability to make use of data from an earthquake as it’s happening, and to change its predictions in real time.
In the past, researchers would collect data after an event and a few years later they’d produce new models, says Deierlein. Now the new models appear in a matter of minutes.
Dan Ghiorso leads the Woodside Fire Protection District (区) near San Francisco, which covers about 32 square miles. He says in the past, when an earthquake hit, he’d have to make educated guesses (based on experience and training) about what parts of this district might be badly damaged and then drive to each place to have a look around. He hopes One Concerns’ software will change that. “Instead of driving thirty-two square miles, in fifteen minutes on a computer I can get a good idea of the damage,” he says. ‘‘Instead of me taking my educated guess, they’re putting science behind the predictive models.”
1. What do we know about the software’s predictions?A.They can tell people the size of an earthquake. |
B.They are about when an earthquake may happen. |
C.They are based on data from many different areas. |
D.They can be made before and during an earthquake. |
A.It can make predictions very fast. | B.It is sold at very low prices. |
C.It has many different uses. | D.It can be used by common people. |
A.How to save people during earthquakes. |
B.How Ghiorso gets to know earthquake damage. |
C.How to train firefighters to make guesses. |
D.How Ghiorso looks at new predictive models. |
A.Worried. | B.Uncaring. | C.Hopeful. | D.Doubtful. |
2 . There are some differences between American English and British English. Some differences are quite interesting.
When my friend Lily from London used the word “larder”, I didn’t know what it meant. Realizing I didn’t follow her, she used another word. I finally knew she wanted to find something to keep some food. The next word came up when we were planning a lunch date. She jotted down the date and time in her diary, while I marked my calendar. If she called me on the phone, she would ring me up. But if the line was busy, she would say the line was engaged. Most times, I can know what Lily means. Last week, she regretted sending her boys to watch an early morning tennis game without their fleeces. I thought that she meant without their jackets or something like that. Other times, we have to ask each other. She recently told me a funny tale about a pissed woman. I wondered what had made the lady angry. It turns out that pissed means drunk.
Here is one more example. My British friend Jane was filling out a ticket at the grocery store recently. She asked the young man to help her if he had a rubber. When she noticed he didn’t follow her, she quickly asked for an eraser, which, in England, is often called a rubber. In order to communicate well with British people, we Americans should learn some words that the British use differently. And I think people who learn English as a second language should also realize that there are differences between American English and British English.
1. According to the passage, in British English ________.A.the word “pissed” means angry | B.the word “jacket” is often used |
C.the word “engaged” means tired | D.the word “rubber” means eraser |
A.Wrote down. | B.Cared about. | C.Looked for. | D.Settled down. |
A.The British way of using words. |
B.Some new words the writer’s British friends taught her. |
C.The reasons why Americans can’t followed the British at times. |
D.Some words used differently in British English and American English. |
A.Indifferent. | B.Negative. | C.Positive. | D.Mutual. |
3 . I came across quite a few language problems while spending holiday with my family last summer. The most embarrassing was when my Mom apologized to the people we were staying with because her “pants were dirty”. They looked at her in surprise, not knowing how to react. You see, Mom had fallen over and gotten mud on her jeans. But in Britain, “pants” means underpants or knickers (内裤;衬裤), not trousers as it does back home.
Katie — From America
I went to stay with a friend on the west coast last summer. Her flat was on the first floor of a high-rise building so I got the lift up. Then I wandered round for ages looking for her flat but couldn’t find it. Fed up and tired, I finally had to go out to find a phone box. She explained that her flat was on the first floor, which for me meant the ground floor.
David — From Britain
When I asked for the “restroom” in a big department store, people kept directing me to a room with seats where I could sit and “rest”. It took me years to get through to (使...明白)someone that I only wanted the toilet!
Tom — From America
1. Hearing Katie’s mother’s words, Katie’s friends were in surprise because ________.A.Katie’s mother got mud on her jeans | B.Katie’s mother’s underpants were dirty |
C.they mistook pants for underpants | D.they didn’t understand British English |
A.phone the police for help | B.phone his friend for help |
C.tell his friend he couldn’t visit her | D.apologize for his being late |
A.he wanted to have a rest | B.he wanted to go to the toilet |
C.he wanted to go to bed | D.He wanted to go to a department store |
4 . Human beings have used tools for a very long time. In some parts of the world you can still find tools that people used more than two million years ago. They made these tools by hitting one stone against another. In this way, they broke off pieces from one of the stones. These chips of stone were usually sharp on one side. People used them for cutting meat and skin from dead animals, and also for making other tools out of wood. Human beings needed to use tools because they did not have sharp teeth like other meat-eating animals, such as lions and tigers. Tools helped people to get food more easily.
Working with tools also helped to develop human intelligence. The human brain grew bigger, and human beings began to invent more and more tools and machines. The stone chip was one of the first tools that people used, and perhaps it is the most important. Some scientists say that it was the key to success of mankind.
Since 1960, a new kind of tool has appeared. This is the silicon chip (硅芯片). It is smaller than a finger nail, but it can store lots of information. It is an electronic brain. Every year these chips get clever, but their size gets smaller, and their cost gets less. They are used in watches, calculators and intelligent machines that we can use in many ways. In the future we will not need to work with tools in the old way. Machines will do everything for us. People will have plenty of spare time. But what will they do with it?
Human beings used stone chips for more than two million years, but human life changed very little in that time. But now life is changing faster every day. What will life be like twenty years from now? What will the world be like two million years from now?
1. From paragraph 1, we can know ________.A.why early human beings cut skin from dead animals | B.how early human beings discovered the tools |
C.what early human beings used the tools for | D.what food early human beings stored |
A.was very important to the development of mankind |
B.led to the invention of machines in the early time |
C.developed cooking abilities of mankind |
D.was one of the first tools of mankind |
A.stress the importance of the silicon chip |
B.introduce a new kind of tool |
C.give an example of using tools |
D.show that the ability of humans to use and create tools is improved |
A.out of order | B.less colorful |
C.hard to predict (=foretell) | D.full of meanings |
5 . A recent story on TikTok showed how two neighbors found companionship (陪伴) and a new spirit in life during COVID-19, thanks to a shared love of the piano.
The heartbreaking story started when Giorgio Lo Porto heard his neighbor playing the piano through their dividing wall. Lo Porto is an Italian living in London. He reached out to his neighbor and left a note, saying if he or she could play My Heart Will Go On. The mystery neighbor agreed, suggesting they play together. Over time the music between two complete strangers became a regular weekend engagement(约会).
A week later, the pair finally met and “it was better than expected,” shared Lo Porto. The mystery pianist happened to be a78-year-old Polish man named Emil. “He lost his wife in December due to COVID-19 and all he has been left is the piano. And he plays at 2 p.m. every weekend because his wife loved it,” shared Lo Porto.
While Emil didn’t want to appear on any of the videos, he did share his thankfulness to Lo Porto for keeping him motivated during a most emotional and lonely time.When the pair offered each other company, Emil also inspired Lo Porto to continue writing his own song. And Emil reported being happier after playing music with Lo Porto and was thankful to those who watched their performance.
The bittersweet story shows the unbelievable influence two complete strangers can have on each other. Emil moved out at the end of February. Lo Porto wrote, “Dear Emil, you changed my life. You gave me back my passion (激情),and we shared that with the world. You’ll be in my heart. I’ll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you’ve been mine too. Bye, Emil.”
1. What happened after Lo Porto left a note for Emil?A.Emil helped with Lo Porto’s studies. |
B.Emil started to share his music online. |
C.They worked together to create new mu sic. |
D.They performed music together through the wall. |
A.To remember his wife. |
B.To improve his piano skills. |
C.To express his thanks to Lo Porto. |
D.To cheer people up during COVID-19. |
A.They missed their ordinary life in the past. |
B.They encouraged each other through music. |
C.They wished to spend more time with their families. |
D.They wanted to become famous by posting their music online. |
A.We should be independent in difficult times. |
B.Young people should do their part to help the old. |
C.We all can be the light of somebody if reaching out. |
D.People should take some time to enjoy their hobbies. |
When I was in primary school, I disliked doing exercise. I felt tired when I did any kind of exercise. My parents were really
During all our life, we may face a lot of
7 . Jacky Hunt-Broers ma, who lost one leg to cancer, is seeking to break a world record by completing 102 marathon runs. She set her goal in mid-January. And since then, she has been running the distance of a marathon. Most of the time, she averages just over five hours to complete a run. If she keeps successfully completing marathon runs every day, she will reach her goal by April 28.
Until five years ago, she was not very active. But then she looked into running and decided to give it a try. The sport ended up being quite costly. Currently, she runs on an artificial leg made of a strong, light material known as carbon fiber. The material, which is designed specially for running, costs about $10, 000.
But Jacky says her investment has been well worth it. The biggest struggle used to be that she had to admit part of her body was gone. “Running really changed my life,” she said. “It helped me accept myself as an amputee (截肢者). It gave me a sense of freedom. I fell in love with the process of pushing my body further just to see what I could do.”
However, she has faced both physical and mental difficulties during her record-breaking attempt. On one recent day, Jacky said she felt like giving up at 24 kilometers and began to cry. “I had a total emotional breakdown. I was like, ‘I just can’t do this.’” she said.
Jacky is documenting her progress online and has also gained a large social media following. As she nears the end of her goal, Jacky is hoping to inspire a single thought in others. She tells people, “You’re stronger than you think and you’re able to do so much more.”
1. What is Jacky’s goal according to paragraph 1?A.To defeat a deadly disease. | B.To break her 5-hour record. |
C.To be a professional runner. | D.To finish 102 marathon runs. |
A.Difficult but rewarding. | B.Interesting but challenging. |
C.Enjoyable and eye-opening. | D.Stressful and time-consuming. |
A.To prove her ability. | B.To encourage others. |
C.To gain wider attention. | D.To increase her confidence. |
A.Health is the key to happiness. |
B.Actions speak louder than words. |
C.Chance favours the prepared mind. |
D.Nothing is impossible to a willing heart. |
8 . Astronauts drink their own pee (尿)—after it's been cleaned.
Chris Hadfield, who lived on the space station for five months, says, "Before you feel uncomfortable with the thought of drinking your leftover wash water and your leftover pee, keep in mind that the water that we end up with is purer than most of the water that you drink on a daily basis at home."
Astronauts, however, tend to be more adventurous than the average person. On Earth, cities in very dry parts of the world have attempted to introduce wastewater purification systems.
A.And you wouldn't be alone. |
B.And the disapproval remained strong. |
C.what comes out is clean enough to drink. |
D.On the International Space Station, water is a precious resource. |
E.Lots of people feel sick at the thought of drinking recycled wastewater. |
F.Though some of these programs have succeeded, others failed miserably. |
G.Would you pick up a glass of water that's been through a wastewater cleaning system? |
9 . My mother is 92. Unless I have to be out of town, each week I take my mother to do her
Last week she walked up to the store, but when she went to pay for her groceries, she was
At this store, people
My mother was so
So, whoever you are, thank you for the random act of
A.exercise | B.housework | C.cooking | D.shopping |
A.reward | B.medicine | C.company | D.shelter |
A.return | B.collet | C.order | D.buy |
A.short | B.cautious | C.wrong | D.concerned |
A.aim | B.way | C.advice | D.reason |
A.weight | B.things | C.mask | D.glasses |
A.raise | B.add | C.bring | D.switch |
A.show up | B.call in | C.check out | D.sit down |
A.store | B.select | C.deliver | D.bag |
A.stranger | B.cashier | C.friend | D.doctor |
A.looked for | B.talked about | C.threw away | D.put back |
A.receipt | B.soap | C.cash | D.bottle |
A.asked | B.waited | C.cared | D.searched |
A.repay | B.trust | C.recognize | D.help |
A.luck | B.chance | C.gift | D.turn |
A.surprised | B.amused | C.touched | D.convinced |
A.in case | B.even if | C.as though | D.so that |
A.energy | B.money | C.space | D.time |
A.faith | B.courage | C.kindness | D.honor |
A.made her day | B.changed her mind | C.caught her eye | D.met her demand |
10 . Who is a genius? This question has greatly interested humankind for centuries.
Let’s state clearly: Einstein was a genius. His face is almost the international symbol for genius. But we want to go beyond one man and explore the nature of genius itself. Why is it that some people are so much more intelligent or creative than the rest of us? And who are they?
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin. Perhaps this is not a surprise. It’s said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
A study recently published by Science found that as young as age six, girls are less likely than boys to say that members of their gender(性别)are “really, really smart.” Even worse, the study found that girls act on that belief: Around age six they start to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really, really smart.” Can our planet afford to have any great thinkers become discouraged and give up? It doesn’t take a genius to know the answer: absolutely not.
Here’s the good news. In a wired world with constant global communication, we’re all positioned to see flashes of genius wherever they appear. And the more we look, the more we will see that social factors(因素)like gender, race, and class do not determine the appearance of genius. As a writer says, future geniuses come from those with “intelligence, creativity, perseverance(毅力), and simple good fortune, who are able to change the world.”
1. What does the author think of victors’ standards for joining the genius club?A.They’re unfair. | B.They’re conservative. |
C.They’re objective. | D.They’re strict. |
A.They think themselves smart. |
B.They look up to great thinkers. |
C.They see gender differences earlier than boys. |
D.They are likely to be influenced by social beliefs |
A.Improved global communication. |
B.Less discrimination against women. |
C.Acceptance of victors’ concepts. |
D.Changes in people’s social positions. |
A.Geniuses Think Alike | B.Genius Takes Many Forms |
C.Genius and Intelligence | D.Genius and Luck |