1 . Why Human Translation Is Better Than Machine?

Will AI replace human translators?     1    . In the following sections, we will explore four reasons why human translation will always be better than machine translation.

●Machines cannot express feelings and emotions like humans

Nowadays, soft skills like communication and relationship building are more important at work than technical skills. AI systems are indeed fast, sufficient, and accurate.     2    . In fact, these are the very skills that make us human. Humans can gain information from non-verbal cues, while machines just can’t.

●    3    

Only a human translator can match and reproduce the style and tone of the source document accurately. With a machine translation, the intended tone and intricate nuances of the original document often get lost. This results in a rather flat and soulless end result. Translating some texts, such as poems and argumentative essays, is challenging for machines. Robots are unable to convey the feeling of the text, resulting in a flat translation.

●Machines can’t keep up with language changes

Machine translation software has to be constantly updated to keep up with these changes. Updating these programs is challenging because they are based on a sophisticated algorithmic system. Human translators, on the other hand, do not have to deal with such difficulties. As we all know, humans are much more adaptable.     4    .

●Machines don’t understand complex human cultures

When it comes to cultural translations, some words may have a specific meaning in one culture but a completely different meaning in another. In fact, in some occasions, even human translators have difficulty achieving a perfect translation, let alone a machine translator.

There’s no denying the importance of machine translation. It has come a long way in recent years,     5    . A professional human-based translation service is still by far the best option for translating high-quality content.

A．Machines can’t match style and tone of a human being

B．Machines can’t match the intelligence of a human being

C．but it still has a long way to go

D．Of course not, there is no replacement for human translation

E．However, they are not wise, emotional, or culturally sensitive

F．A translation cannot be complete without the human touch

G．Hence they can keep up with language changes faster than any AI program

2 . According to a survey performed by the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work (EAH-SW), 45% of the workers surveyed suffer from painful or tiring positions at work, 25% from back pain, and 20% from muscle pain. Studies show that half of all European workers could be affected by work-related diseases by 2030.

Wearable technologies can reduce such pains. One example is the Ironhand soft robotic glove from Bioservo Technologies, providing five times the strength of a 30-year-old man. The system consists of a glove fitted with sensors and artificial tendons that increase grasping forces. The glove is programmed through an android app, where the user can choose individual preferences for forces needed depending on the task.

When you grasp or pick up an object like a container, fingertip sensors detect the action and activate motors that immediately respond and operate the tendons in the glove’s fingers. The higher the pressure on the sensors, the more power delivered by Ironhand. An app can be used to control the strength and sensitivity of the grip.

“Programming is quite easy,” said Mikael, Bioservo’s marketing director. “It takes about an hour for an user to set the system and understand how the glove can help in different situation. The hard part is getting the user to accept that he is getting help. It can be a tough task to make them understand they don’t need to apply as much power and can relax.”

1. Why does the author mention EAHSW’s survey in the first paragraph?

A．To make a comparison.	B．To introduce the topic.
C．To provide an example.	D．To make the text interesting.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly tell us about the Ironhand?

A．How it works.

B．How it looks.

C．What it consists of.

D．Why it is developed.

3. What does Mikae say about the Ironhand system?

A．Users are slow to adapt to it.	B．It’s popular with young users.
C．Operators need patience to wear it.	D．It’s not suitable for all situations.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Treatment of work-related Diseases	B．Necessity of Using Robots in Factories
C．Soft Robotic Glove promotes Workers’ Grip	D．Soft Robotic Glove limits Workers’ productivity

3 . In 1931, Americans were suffering through the Great Depression. It was The Good Earth by Pearl Buck that brought comfort, the top-selling book that year.

Born into a religious workers' family in 1892, Pearl Buck left the United States and moved to China with her parents. Her education began at home with her mother teaching her American school things while a Chinese tutor taught her other subjects, including writings of Confucius. In 1910, she went back to America to study philosophy. After graduation, she returned to China and married John Lossing Buck, an agriculture expert, eventually settling down in a small village in the north of China.

It was her first child Carol, who had an unusual disease causing her to have trouble learning, that made Pearl Buck become a famous writer. The reason was money. She needed it to pay for her daughter's care. She recalled why she chose China and its people as the subjects, “If non e of you want to write these wonderful farmers, I will write about them. So I wrote The Good Earth.”

The Good Earth tells the story of a poor Chinese man named Wang Lung and his wife O-Lan. It tells how they work hard and finally make enough money to purchase some land for a farm. They stick to the land even in times of starvation. Wang finds happiness in owning land and raising crops. He even prohibits his sons to sell the land after his death.

Pearl Buck told her China stories with honesty and Americans were impressed by the new images of the Chinese. The book earned Pearl Buck the Pulitzer Prize and in 1938, she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．her hobbies

B．her education

C．her appearance

D．her reputation

2. Why did Pearl Buck decide to write books?

A．Some Chinese advised her to do it.	B．She desired a good education for her kid.
C．She couldn't bear the boring rural life.	D．She was in desperate need of money.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 4?

A．Good luck always favors the characters.	B．Owning land is the lifeline for Chinese farmers.
C．Chinese farmers live a terrible life.	D．The characters make a fortune by buying and selling land.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A．The moral values of The Good Earth.

B．The fighting spirit of Chinese farmers.

C．A woman writer's sacrifice to save her ill child.

D．A woman's great China-themed literary achievements.

4 . Yellowstone National Park, located in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, was established as the first national park in the United States. The park is a popular destination for visitors who enjoy ecological tourism as it offers forests, mountains, and many ecosystems to explore. Some of Yellowstone’s most well-known landmarks are its geothermal hot springs and geysers, the most famous of which is named Old Faithful.

Last fall, Lisa and her friends decided to take a camping trip to Yellowstone National Park. For their camping trip, they brought their backpacks, sleeping bags, some food and drinks. They set up their tents immediately upon arriving at their campsite.

During their trip, Lisa and her friends hiked the many trails of the park, exploring its natural surroundings. In the forest, they saw a lot of local wildlife. Lisa was blown away by a family of grizzly bears, some gray wolves, and even bald eagles flying overhead. Unexpectedly, she seemed to quite enjoy being in such a great place. They were well protected.

Since Yellowstone contains many hot springs and the world’s largest area of active geysers, Lisa and her friends visited many different geyser sites. Of all of the sites, Lisa and her friends agreed that Old Faithful was the most fascinating. Lisa and her friends waited patiently for the geyser to erupt. After about 40 minutes, a stream of boiling water over 100 feet tall sprayed from the ground and up into the air. Luckily, no one got wet!

1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

A．An introduction to Yellowstone National Park.

B．Reasons for building Yellowstone National Park.

C．The history of Yellowstone National Park.

D．Benefits of Yellowstone National Park.

2. What did Lisa and her friends decide to do last fall?

A．To do volunteering in Yellowstone National park.

B．To take a trip to Yellowstone National Park.

C．To find a campsite for travelers.

D．To do some wildlife research.

3. How did Lisa feel when she saw the wildlife?

A．Uninterested.

B．Surprised.

C．Cautious.

D．Fearful.

4. What did Lisa and her friends do at Old Faithful?

A．They cleaned the site.

B．They played with water.

C．They waited for the geyser to erupt.

D．They had a look at some wild animals.

6 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

It was the day of the big cross-country run. Students from seven different primary schools in and around the small town were warming up and walking the route(路线)through thick evergreen forest.

I looked around and finally spotted David, who was standing by himself off to the side by a fence. He was small for ten years old. His usual big toothy smile was absent today. I walked over and asked him why he wasn’t with the other children. He hesitated and then said he had decided not to run.

What was wrong? He had worked so hard for this event!

I quickly searched the crowd for the school’s coach and asked him what had happened. “I was afraid that kids from other schools would laugh at him,” he explained uncomfortably. “I gave him the choice to run or not, and let him decide.”

I bit back my frustration(懊恼). I knew the coach meant well—he thought he was doing the right thing. After making sure that David could run if he wanted, I turned to find him coming towards me, his small body rocking from side to side as he swung his feet forward.

David had a brain disease which prevented him from walking or running like other children, but at school his classmates thought of him as a regular kid. He always participated to the best of his ability in whatever they were doing. That was why none of the children thought it unusual that David had decided to join the cross-country team. It just took him longer—that’s all. David had not missed a single practice, and although he always finished his run long after the other children, he did always finish. As a special education teacher at the school, I was familiar with the challenges David faced and was proud of his strong determination.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答.
We sat down next to each other, but David wouldn’t look at me.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I watched as David moved up to the starting line with the other runners.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7 . What were you doing when you were nine years old? Making crafts from a Klutz book? Kicking around a soccer ball? Designing a business plan to deal with plastic pollution and relieve childhood poverty? Zymal Umar showed us the latter. The Pakistan’s youngest businesswoman has started a project entitled Zee Bags, which aims to reduce plastic pollution by providing an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic grocery bags.

When Zymal was on a shopping trip with her parents three years ago, she was shocked by the number of plastic bags on the streets. Depressed by the plastic pollution, she was reminded of the severe consequences our habits have on the environment. Then, she noticed a shopkeeper handing out newspaper bags. And at that moment, Zymal knew she had to act. Since then she has created beautiful, unique reusable newspaper bags for hundreds of customers.

It’s amazing to see this youngster using her brains and business skills for good. And she should certainly feel proud of the work she is doing. After all, plastic grocery bags are killing thousands of marine animals every year through their contribution to plastic waste. According to The Earth Institute, over one trillion plastic bags are used worldwide annually—that’s about two million bags used per minute around the world.

And those bags certainly don’t disappear into thin air. Instead, they end up in our oceans, putting approximately 700 marine species in danger of extinction due to the threat from pollution. And plastic bags are just one of the many forms of plastic trash that ends up in the oceans—in fact, an astonishing 8. 8 million tons of this material make their way from land to the oceans every single year.

But with Zee Bags, we’re all empowered to make more thoughtful choices about our trash production. And Zymal’s amazingness doesn’t stop there—the profits from her sales go towards helping poor children.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．How Zymal felt about her shopping trip.

B．How Zymal learned about plastic pollution.

C．How Zymal was received by the shopkeeper.

D．How Zymal was inspired to create her bags.

2. Why are figures mentioned in the third and fourth paragraphs?

A．To praise Zymal for her great efforts.

B．To urge readers to stop using plastics.

C．To stress the seriousness of plastic pollution.

D．To show the rich knowledge of the author.

3. What can we infer about Zymal from the last paragraph?

A．She is amazing in every aspect of her life.

B．She has concern for the disadvantaged.

C．She urges everyone to be eco-friendly.

D．She earns a lot of money from her business.

4. Which of the following best describes Zymal?

A．Caring.	B．Determined.
C．Confident.	D．Optimistic.

8 . In our youth-obsessed culture, one would assume that your self-esteem peaks in your 20s—but that’s not the case. Researchers from the University of Bern set out to determine when the average person’s self-esteem is the highest, and the good news is that your peak comes decades later.

Researchers found that self-esteem increases throughout one’s lifetime, with a slight plateau during those awkward teen years. Our self-esteem levels then start rising again and don’t peak until well into midlife. The highest point for self-esteem level happen at age 60 when they can retire and stay there until a slight decline in one’s 70s and 80s.

This news that our self-esteem will continue to rise or stay steady during the majority of our lives is exciting. We often hear of increased stress in the decades of midlife, but there are upsides too. “Midlife is, for many adults, a time of high stability in relationships and work. Moreover, most people further invest in their roles, which might promote their self-esteem,” researcher Dr. Orth told the journalist. “For example, people take on managerial roles at work, maintain a satisfying relationship with their spouse or partner, and help their children become responsible and independent.”

As we age and our roles tend to change, it’s natural for self-esteem to take a small hit. “Old age frequently involves loss of social roles as a result of retirement, the empty nest, and, possibly, widowhood. In addition, aging often leads to negative changes in other possible sources of self-esteem, such as socioeconomic status and health.” Dr. Orth said. However, it’s important to remember that it’s only a slight decrease. Dr. Orth believes that most people maintain a high self-esteem level even into their 90s and beyond.

1. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to “peak”?

A．Minimum.	B．Maximum.
C．Average.	D．Height.

2. Who is more likely to have the highest self-esteem level?

A．A newly-retired person.	B．A teenage boy.
C．A person in his/her 80s.	D．A middle-aged person.

3. What does Dr. Orth think of the decrease in self-esteem for the old people?

A．It is destructive.	B．It is unnatural.
C．It is important.	D．It is acceptable.

4. Where is the text most likely from?

A．A guide.	B．A fiction.
C．A textbook.	D．A magazine.

9 . Endangered Species (濒危物种) Books for Kids

Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species

Written from the unique view of a 13-year-old author, this book interests children in the lives and challenges of endangered species, helping other young people learn about these animals as the first step toward saving them.

♦Author: Alexandra Wright

♦Publication Date: September, 2011

Almost Gone: The Worlds Rarest Animals

Have you ever seen a wombat or an Eastern barred bandicoot? Probably not. These animals are almost gone from the earth, and they’re not alone. Simple, informative text and cul-paper paintings introduce basic endangered species knowledge to young children.

♦Author: Steve Jenkins

♦Publication Date: January, 2016

A Poetic Journey into the Wild

Take a journey across land and sea to meet 21 endangered and threatened animals. Lovely paintings and poems introduce amazing animals from around the globe and show the dangers they face. The book also lists activities and organizations that provide more detailed information about endangered species protection.

♦Author: Rachel Allen Dillon

♦Publication Date: February, 2019

Eyewitness: Endangered Animals

This DK Eyewitness book is an exploration of endangered animals around the world, including factors that are driving them toward extinction (灭绝) and ways that we can help them survive. Blocks of text and diverse photographs keep readers turning the pages.

♦Author: Ben Hoare

♦Publication Date: August, 2015

1. Which book is written by a teenage author?

A．A Poetic Journey into the Wild.

B．Eyewitness: Endangered Animals.

C．Almost Gone: The World's Rarest Animals.

D．Will We Miss Them? Endangered Species

2. What can we find in A Poetic Journey into the Wild?

A．Activities of hunting wildlife.

B．Poems about amazing animals.

C．Paintings about some extinct animals.

D．Surroundings of the endangered wildlife.

3. What is the purpose of the text?

A．To list some endangered animals.

B．To encourage protection of animals.

C．To introduce endangered species books.

D．To call on readers to fight illegal hunting.