1 . Emma Stone was seven years old when she experienced her first panic attack: She was just sitting at a friend’s house, and all of a sudden the house was on fire. Stone remembers her chest started to tighten. She phoned her mother, who didn’t understand what was happening, but came to pick her up anyway. Stone says her fear eventually disappeared that day, but the anxiety still existed.
Stone had massive separation anxiety from her mother. That was a large part, she thinks, of what was setting off her anxiety. But going to school meant that she would have to be away from her mother for hours in the day. “I started to receive treatment around age eight, because it was getting really hard for me to leave the house to go to school,” she says.
Despite her anxiety—or maybe because of it—Stone began acting when she was 11; by age 15, she had convinced her parents to move from Arizona to Los Angeles so she could go on auditions (试镜). Stone found that acting was a way to remain in the present moment, without worrying about the past or the future. Plus, she adds, “As an actor, all of my big feelings are productive.”
Stone won the Academy Award in 2017 for her performance in the movie musical La La Land, and was nominated (提名) for Oscars for her performances in Birdman and The Favourite. She has been nominated again this year for her starring role in Poor Things.
In Poor Things, which Stone both starred in and produced, she plays Bella, a woman who has nearly died by killing herself and then is brought back to life by a strange surgeon. After that, Bella has the brain of a baby and the body of a grown woman. When her brain develops into a young adult brain, Bella leaves the surgeon to go on an adventure with a man who has become crazy about her.
Stone says, “Anxiety is like rocket fuel because I can’t help but get out of bed and do things. That’s really a gift.”
1. What happened to Emma Stone when she was seven?| A．She witnessed a fire accident. | B．She had a fight with her friend. |
| C．She experienced her second panic attack. | D．She couldn’t reach her mother on the phone. |
| A．Her illness. | B．Her education. | C．Her adventures. | D．Her achievements. |
| A．Stone. | B．Bella. | C．The surgeon. | D．The baby. |
| A．She often felt anxious when acting. |
| B．She tried to kill herself but was rescued. |
| C．She turned her anxiety into an advantage. |
| D．She didn’t get along well with her family. |
2 . About 20 years ago, I was attending a law school while still doing my part-time job to provide my tuition. Despite that, my grades were still among the top ten percent of the class.
After several weeks, I completed the legal research and began writing my paper. Two weeks later, I ended my paper draft.
Later, I wrote a letter to the local newspaper detailing this story and explaining how paper grades were subjective. The letter was then published. Knowing this, the professor was awkward. Luckily, I didn’t mention his name. He emailed me and explained he’d made a mistake and confused my paper with another student’s.
| A．So I had nothing to complain about. |
| B．It was published and I got the check. |
| C．In fact, my paper should have been given an A. |
| D．Though annoyed, I could do nothing but accept it. |
| E．During the graduation season, I had to write an essay. |
| F．In order to win the competition, I prepared my essay very hard. |
| G．I showed it to some of my classmates, who gave me some constructive suggestions. |
3 . We learn about the world through the knowledge accumulated over thousands of years. standing on the shoulders of great men, we don’t have to experience endless trial and error, just as the wheels do not have to be reinvented each time to run a car. But where does our ability to learn from others come from?
A study led by Markus Paulus, professor at Loyola Marymount University, shows that the ability has its roots in earliest childhood. “It’s generally assumed that children’s ability to imitate (模仿) is inborn, but according to our observation, children imitate because they themselves are imitated by caregivers. This interaction enables a cultural transfer of knowledge, which, through generations’ efforts, consequently leads to the development of human beings,” says Markus Paulus.
In this research, Paulus recorded the interaction between mother and child over several months. The babies came into the lab for the first time at the age of6 months , while their final visit was when they were18 months old. As they engaged in various play situations , the interactions and imitations of mother and child were analyzed. The long-term study showed that the more sensitive a mother was in her interactions with her six- month-old child and the more often she imitated the baby, the greater the child’s overall ability was at the age of18 months.
Paulus’ research shows that mutual imitation is the keystone of knowledge transfer , through which children successfully learn various skills, such as how to use objects , waving and acquisition of language. “This interaction is the nucleus of learning and, finally, gives rise to evolutionary success of human,” says Paulus.
“Cultural learning is an essential part of human evolution, and it is rooted in the imitation of others, particularly our caregivers during our earliest childhood,” says Paulus. “Through this, we learn from each other and pass on knowledge to the next generation, so certain actions or techniques do not have to be constantly invented again. ”
1. Why does the author mention the example of wheels?| A．To praise the invention of car wheels. | B．To describe the process of trial and error. |
| C．To emphasize the necessity of new tools. | D．To show the importance of prior knowledge. |
| A．Children’s imitation was recorded by mothers. |
| B．Sensitive mothers encouraged children’s imitation. |
| C．Children’s ability was analyzed through interaction. |
| D．Effective interaction promoted children’s development. |
| A．Core. | B．Result. | C．Aim. | D．Content. |
| A．Why does Evolution Matter? | B．How to Interact with Children? |
| C．Imitation: The Engine of Evolution | D．Cultural Learning: The Root of Imitation |
4 . In an era where data centers are becoming increasingly vital for our digital society, China has begun a groundbreaking endeavor to push the boundaries of innovation and sustainability.
Nestled off the coast of Sanya, Hainan province, China is in the process of constructing the world’s first commercial underwater data center. This project aims to revolutionize the industry by using the power of the ocean depths while saving a significant amount of energy and land. With the potential to equal the computational (计算的) abilities of about 6 million conventional personal computers, this underwater data center is bound to be a game-changer.
The data center modules (模块) of China’s underwater facility are being carefully installed on the seafloor at depths of around 35 meters. Designed to withstand the harsh underwater conditions, these modules are expected to operate sustainably for up to 25 years. Each watertight storage module weighs an impressive 1,300 tons and boasts the capability to process over 4 million high-definition images every 30 seconds. When combined, the entire facility is projected to match the computational power of surprising 6 million conventional PCs working together.
The construction of the underwater data center is a result of collaboration between Sanya officials and several Chinese tech firms. With the initial deployment of one storage module in April and the recent addition of a second module, the project is well underway. The ambitious plan aims to have a total of 100 modules fully operational by 2025, marking a significant milestone in sustainable data center development.
The motivation behind this pioneering project extends beyond technological advancement. By choosing an underwater data center, China is actively addressing the challenges of land conservation. Traditional data centers can occupy vast amounts of land, often equal to the size of multiple soccer fields. In contrast, this underwater marvel takes up minimal dry space, preserving land for other essential purposes. Additionally, the use of natural seawater cooling reduces the strain on traditional energy sources, leading to a significant reduction in carbon emissions. This environmentally conscious approach agree with global sustainability goals and sets an example for the industry to follow.
1. Why does China start the data centre project?| A．To push the boundaries of the country. | B．To innovate the digital field. |
| C．To use the power of the ocean depths. | D．To save a significant amount of energy and land. |
| A．China has successfully constructed a data center. |
| B．The whole underwater facility weighs 1300 tons. |
| C．The facility is more powerful than a conventional data centre. |
| D．All the modules are not equipped. |
| A．Cooperation | B．Conflict | C．Compromise | D．Conclusion |
| A．By analyzing the fact. | B．By providing reasons. |
| C．By making comparison. | D．By giving examples. |
5 . People duck responsibility for reasons ranging from simple laziness or a fear of failure, through to a sense of feeling frightened by the scale of a problem or a situation. Whatever the reason, if people fail to take responsibility, they’ll fail in their jobs, they’ll fail their teams, and they’ll fail to grow as individuals. All of this makes it important to address the issue.
Signs of not being responsible
There are several signs to watch out for. These include:
Lacking interest in their work, and in the well-being of the team
Blaming others for mistakes and failures
Missing deadlines
Avoiding challenging tasks and projects, and not taking risks
Regularly complaining about unfair treatment by team leaders and members and engaging in self-pity
Avoiding being dependent on others for work, advice and instructions
Lacking trust in team members and leaders
Ways to encourage responsibility
Start by talking
Your first step is to talk to the individuals concerned. Are there circumstances that are contributing to the situation, or problems that you can deal with?
Communicate roles, responsibilities and objectives
Your people need to know clearly what their roles and responsibilities are. Ensure that you have an up-to-date job description for each team member, and be as detailed as possible about every responsibility that they have.
Re-engage people
Your people will be more engaged if their work is supported with their values. Talk to them to find out what they are. Then, illustrate how their daily tasks and responsibilities go with those values.
Give plenty of praise
Finally, be sure to give your people plenty of praise when they do take responsibility. And help them improve by providing them with regular, effective and fair feedback.
1. What will happen if John fails to take responsibility?| A．He can complete his jobs. |
| B．His teams may suffer. |
| C．His growth will continue. |
| D．He will lose his life. |
| A．“It’s not my fault.” |
| B．“I’ll have it completed tomorrow.” |
| C．“It’s tough, but I can manage it.” |
| D．“I need resources to solve the problem. ” |
| A．Let him know their specific tasks. |
| B．Get them to find out the values of work. |
| C．Praise them for their good jobs. |
| D．Have a chat with him to find out problems. |
6 . When it’s time for a wardrobe makeover (形象改造), who’s the best person to give you some advice? You’ll probably turn to your friend for some feedback and fashion tips — they know you best and can offer an honest opinion about which colours don’t match and which outfit makes you look pretty.
However for someone like me, who’s not a follower of fashion and has a more practical dress sense, I don’t need help-it’s just jeans or... jeans! But for people who care about their appearance, they can now get some trustworthy advice with the aid of technology.
Of course, using social media is a good way when you are at a loss about fashion, but this—sometimes brings in too much conflicting advice and opinions that are sometimes straightforward! That’s why one woman has developed an app to help women crowdsource advice from stylists in a safe, non-violent communication environment.
Sophia Matveeva’s Style Counsel app allows users to post a photo and receive “yes” or “no” answers from other users, or more detailed advice from fashion stylists and bloggers very quickly. According to Mathew Wall, BBC Technology of Business editor, this is a growing business; with several new apps such as AskAnna, Mallzee and StyleDotMe all offering young women tips on suitable and fashionable clothes to wear.
There’s also a website called EyeFitU which finds clothes to fit your figure. Its chief executive, Isabelle Ohnemus, says there are no international standards in clothes sizes but she explains, “We can set up your size profile in a few seconds with 80% accuracy just knowing your gender, height, weight and age”. This information is used to find clothes that suit your actual shape. And the internet giant, Amazon, has also developed a camera that links to a “style check” function that compares photos and gives its opinion of which outfit is better, based on fit, colour, style and current fashion trends.
But does technology make fashion advice a bit impersonal? Sophia Matveeva admits that women in particular are social creatures and that “AI will never stop us talking to each other. . . girls will always want the approval of the cool girl at school.” But as for me: an app with someone I don’t know could be the place to start with some careful-in-speech fashion tips!
1. What is the problem of asking for fashion advice on social media?| A．No feedback. | B．Dishonest opinions. |
| C．Too many choices. | D．Contradictory advice. |
| A．Cool boys at school. | B．Young women fashion-goers. |
| C．Fashion stylists and bloggers. | D．People with a practical dress sense. |
| A．By developing a super camera. | B．By assessing current fashion trends. |
| C．By analyzing users’ basic information. | D．By setting agreed standards for clothes sizes. |
| A．Fashion Anxiety | B．New Fashion Trends |
| C．Wardrobe Decoration. | D．Tech-driven Fashion Advice |
7 . Jennifer DeStefano answered a call from an unknown number only to hear a man threatening her 15-year-old daughter’s life and demanding money, as well as the sound of her daughter crying for help. But while she kept him on the phone, her friends managed to reach her daughter, discovering that she was, in fact, free and well on a skiing trip in Arizona. The voice used on the phone was cloned.
A brief sample (样本) of a voice can be used to train an AI model, which can then speak any given text sounding like that person. Now the dangers are starting to be talked aloud.
ElevenLabs, an AI start-up, offers users the chance to create their own clones in minutes and the results are disturbingly accurate. When generating a playback, the system allows users to choose between variability and stability (稳定性). Select “variability”, and the voice will have a lifelike intonation (语调), including pauses like “er...”. Choose “stability”, and it will come across more like a calm and unemotional newsreader. Taylor Jones, a linguist and consultant, took a careful look at the quality of ElevenLabs’s clone of his voice in a video. A low-tech test, a “conversation” with his own mother, fooled the woman who raised him.
For several years, customers have been able to identify themselves over the phone to their bank and other companies using their voice. This was a security upgrade, not a danger. Not even a gifted voice actor could fool the detection system. But now the banks are forced to change in order to prevent crime.
Creative industries could face trouble. Voice actors’ skills, trained over a lifetime, can be copied in seconds. But some actors may, in fact, find cloning congenial. One actor, who has lost much of his voice to throat cancer, was delighted to have his voice restored for his new movie. Others may be spared the trouble of heading for the studio for retakes. Another industry that will have to deal with the rise of clones is journalism. Secret recordings have long been the contributor to the big news. Now who will trust a story based on an audio clip (音频片段)?
1. How does the author lead in the topic?| A．By telling a story. | B．By explaining a concept. |
| C．By making a guess. | D．By making a comparison. |
| A．To analyze the use of voice cloning. | B．To draw readers’ attention to AI. |
| C．To prove ElevenLabs’s achievements. | D．To show the danger of voice cloning. |
| A．Annoying. | B．Shocking. | C．Suitable. | D．Inventive. |
| A．AI Technology: Good or Bad? | B．AI-based Voice: A Potential Risk |
| C．Cloned Voice: Who to Blame? | D．Voice Cloning: A New Phenomenon |
8 . People are flying more than ever. From short trips to traveling around the globe, many are on the move. But finding the way at the airports has never been easy in the US, due to crowding and a lot of tasks like checking in, taking care of baggage, screening and finding your gate. It is often difficult to get to where you are going. If you are in a wheelchair or visually (视觉地) challenged, it’s even harder.
The new terminal (航站楼) at the Kansas City International Airport is designed to fix many of these shortcomings. The new facility features indoor play areas, changing rooms, and a quiet room for people who cannot handle the noise or activity of a busy airport. There is even a pet relief area for people traveling with their fury family members. One innovation (创新) is the glass-walled jet bridge for people who are worried about getting on and off planes. And for people who are uncomfortable with the whole airport and flying process, there are simulators (模拟器) that allow travelers to go from boarding to taking off virtually.
Justin Meyer, with the Kansas City Aviation Department, said the new terminal sets a level of inclusivity that passengers will expect in other airports. “The goal isn’t that we’re forever at the head of the line,” Meyer said. “My goal was just to raise the bar, so if someone else wants to build the most accessible airport in the world, they’re going to have to start from where Kansas City stopped. In the end, passengers win.”
While making airports more accessible to people with different abilities may seem to be expensive or difficult, the benefits certainly outweigh the costs. Accessible airports mean that more people and their families will be able to travel and then the skies will be friendly to all.
1. What is the function of paragraph 1?| A．To call on airports to improve their services. |
| B．To explain the background to the new terminal. |
| C．To stress the annoyance of frequent air travelers. |
| D．To show the complexity of boarding procedures. |
| A．People who take a pet. | B．People who use a wheelchair. |
| C．People who travel with their families. | D．People who have flight anxiety. |
| A．It needs further improvement. | B．It has the best passenger services. |
| C．It sets a higher standard for airport services. | D．It aims to lead the world in accessibility. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Conservative. | C．Unprejudiced. | D．Doubtful. |
9 . Oaks Farms is a combination of experiences that are designed to keep your students engaged in fun and exciting learning opportunities. We are truly a classroom without walls, offering educator-developed programs and field trips. We invite you here to explore sustainability (可持续发展), which includes not only the environment but also animal welfare, safety and our community.
The Pig Adventure
This program will help you learn all about pork and its benefits and discover the growth cycle of pigs from little babies to full grown-ups. Monitor the development of baby pigs and see how the farm works at the Pork Education Center. You will get first-hand knowledge about how our feeding system works.
The Dairy Adventure
This program encourages you to play as you learn, by opening up a fun space for dairy discovery including learning how to use a “real” station. Understand the nutrition of the animal products, and how robots are used in the Voluntary Milking System. You can start at the entrance to the adventure, and then stop by our Birthing Barn, which is an independent education center, and take a look inside.
The Crop Adventure
Explore the Crop Adventure program to learn about the importance of working to feed
8 billion people, the many uses of corn outside of consuming it, and how we can be sustainable with limited resources. See how a tractor (拖拉机) can tell you about the nutrients in the soil. Explore how technology assists farmers and the amazing biodiversity on the Farmer’s Garden.
The Pig Adventure ($3/student)
The Dairy Adventure ($5/student)
The Crop Adventure ($4/student)
Whole Adventures — include admission to the Pig Adventure, the Dairy Adventure, and the Crop Adventure ($7/student)
1. What is Oaks Farms?| A．A special tour zone. | B．A creative program. |
| C．An educational base. | D．An adventurous activity. |
| A．Taste some delicious milk products. | B．Witness the smart milking process. |
| C．Explore the process of pigs’ growth. | D．Understand the importance of nutrition. |
| A．$7. | B．$8. |
| C．$9. | D．$10. |
10 . Lying awake for hours before falling asleep is a common problem. Even if you can finally fall asleep, taking too long to fall asleep can lead to too few hours of sleep altogether.
Parents know from experience that gentle music can help babies fall asleep. Science supports this, showing that children of all ages, from babies to elementary school children, sleep better after listening to comfortable music. Fortunately, children aren’t the only ones who can benefit from gentle music before bedtime.
Listening to music likely improves sleep for more than one reason. Music can promote sleep directly by affecting your physiology (生理机能).
| A．It can guarantee sufficient sleep. |
| B．It’s natural to wonder about the best type of music for sleep. |
| C．The quality and quantity of our sleep become poor as we age. |
| D．Listening to music can reduce your stress and inspire positive feelings. |
| E．This can have a serious effect on a person’s quality of life if it continues. |
| F．People across age groups report better sleep quality after listening to soft music. |
| G．Useful personal playlists may include relaxing songs that have helped with sleep in the past. |
