1 . With nations preparing to spend billions to redesign their cities with a new focus on cycling, it's worth remembering how the invention of the bicycle changed societies all over the world.
The person generally credited with inventing the modern bicycle was an Englishman named John Kemp Starley. In 1885, the 30⁃year⁃old inventor began experimenting in his workshop with a chain⁃driven bicycle featuring two much smaller wheels. When it first appeared at a bicycle show in 1886, his invention was regarded as a curiosity. But two years later, when the next model was paired with the newly invented rubber tire—which not only cushioned the ride but also made the new bicycle about 30 percent faster—the result was magic.
For a few years in the 1890s, almost anyone wanted to learn to ride, and almost everyone did. The sultan of Zanzibar took up cycling. So did the czar of Russia. But it was the middle and working classes around the globe that truly made the bicycle their own. For the first time in history, the masses were able to come and go as they pleased. No more need for expensive horses and carriages.
The rocketing demand led hundreds of new companies around the world to offer their own versions. At the Stanley Bicycle Show in London in 1895, about 200 bicycle makers exhibited 3,000 models. One of the biggest makers was Columbia Bicycles, whose factory in Hartford, Connecticut, could turn out a bicycle a minute thanks to its automated assembly line (流水线)—a pioneering technology that one day would become the backbone of the automobile industry. By 1898, a third of all patent applications in the US were bicycle⁃related.
The bicycle even improved the human gene (基因) pool. Newly liberated young people rode around the countryside at will, meeting up in distant villages. Women were especially enthusiastic. They abandoned their troublesome skirts and took to the road in groups. Marriage records in England show a marked rise in inter⁃village marriages during the bicycle craze of the 1890s.
1. What can we know about John Kemp Starley's first model?| A．It was invented in 1888. | B．It had two bigger wheels. |
| C．It did not have rubber tires. | D．It was accepted immediately. |
| A．In the 1860s. | B．In the 1870s. | C．In the 1880s. | D．In the 1890s. |
| A．The fast⁃growing demand for bicycles. |
| B．The huge success of the bicycle industry. |
| C．The great convenience offered by bicycles. |
| D．The popularity of the newly invented bicycles. |
2 . Even if we’ve never laid eyes on a certain person, the sound of their voice can relay a lot of information: whether they are male or female, old or young, or perhaps an accent indicating which nation they might come from. While it is possible for us to randomly deduce someone’s facial features, it’s likely that we won’t be able to clearly piece together what someone’s face looks like based on the sound of their voice alone. However, it’s a different matter when machines are put to the task, as researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have discovered in developing an AI that can vividly reconstruct people’s faces with relatively impressive detail, using only short audio clips(音频片段) of their voices as reference.
Named Speech2Face, the neural(神经的) network — a computer that “thinks” in a manner similar to the human brain — was trained by scientists on millions of educational videos from the Internet that showed over 100,000 different people talking. From this dataset, Speech2Face learned associations between vocal cues(声带) and certain physical features in a human face, researchers wrote in a new study. The AI then used an audio clip to model a photorealistic face matching the voice.
However, the tool was far from perfect. Speech2Face turned out “mixed performance” when confronted with language variations. For example, when the AI listened to an audio clip of an Asian man speaking Chinese, the program produced an image of an Asian face. However, when the same man spoke in English in a different audio clip, the AI generated the face of a white man, the scientists reported.
Thankfully, AI doesn’t know exactly what a specific individual looks like based on their voice alone. Voice privacy otherwise would be a concern like face recognition for us. The neural network recognized certain markers in speech that pointed to gender(性别), age and ethnicity(种族), features that are shared by many people, the study authors reported.“As such, the model will only produce average-looking faces,” the scientists wrote. “It will not produce images of specific individuals.”
1. What can best replace the underlined word “deduce” in Paragraph1?| A．Mistake. | B．Guess. | C．Record. | D．Search. |
| A．It produces the results with great accuracy. |
| B．It allows thousands of people to talk at the same time. |
| C．It has learnt the connection between speech and appearance. |
| D．It can tell the differences between the Chinese and the Europeans. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Confused. | C．Favorable. | D．Worried. |
| A．MIT’s New Discovery Give a Surprise to People. |
| B．AI Generated Your Faces by Listening to Your Voices. |
| C．Your Voice Could Give Away Your Nationality with the AI Tool. |
| D．Speech2Face: Neural Network Recognized You Behind a Picture. |
3 . From hawk hikes to private sleepovers at the zoo, there is a great selection of animal-related experiences available to groups. Here are some top options to get closer to various wonderful wildlife.
Chester Zoo
The newest attractions here are the Madagascar Lemur Walkthrough experience, which gives visitors the opportunity to walk alongside ring-tailed and red-ruffed lemurs, and the interactive American Wetland Aviary, which is home to birds like scarlet ibises and flamingos. Group rates are available for parties of 15 or more and there are various catering options, including sit-down meals at the restaurant at the heart of the zoo.
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
Until September 2022, it is offering groups of up to 60 the opportunity to experience a private Nature Night, on which they’ll get to explore the zoo privately after the public has left, take part in activities like quizzes, camp overnight, and get up early for a private tour along the green trail before it reopens to the public again.
West Midland Safari Park
The latest attraction at the park is the new African Walking Trail. Opened in May, the trail features three viewpoints that allow visitors to see the park’s African animals on foot. There’s also a four-mile drive-through safari area with red panda, penguin and lorikeet areas. Groups of ten plus, arriving in the same vehicle, can save more than 40%.
Knowsley Safari Park
The five-mile safari drive through the site takes you past free-roaming lions, rhinos and more than 100cheeky baboons. There’s a foot safari area, where the highlight is the Amur Tiger Trail with transparent walled viewing areas where you can get nose-to-nose with 450-pound tigers. Groups of 15 people and more, arriving in one vehicle, qualify for special ticket rates.
1. Who is the passage intended for?| A．Animal-loving students. |
| B．Forest hiking fans. |
| C．Group tour organizers. |
| D．Wildlife preservationists. |
| A．Chester Zoo |
| B．ZSL Whipsnade Zoo |
| C．West Midland Safari Park |
| D．Knowsley Safari Park |
| A．delicious meals are offered to tourists in the four parks |
| B．private tours are available in the four parks |
| C．all the parks can provide driving-through services |
| D．visitors can have access to walking trails in the four parks |
4 . 
Over eight million people live in London and it has about 26 million visitors each year. So what can you see in three days? Here are some must-see places.
DAY 1
THE RIVER THAMES is the heart of the city. There are 104 bridges—London Bridge and Tower Bridge are the most famous. Cross the new Millennium Bridge on foot. It’s London’s first bridge in 100 years.
SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE THEATER was built in 1997! (A) In the summer you can see plays there. (B) You can shout during a performance just like in Shakespeare’s time! (C) Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in the world. (D)Take an umbrella—there’s no roof!
TATE MODERN is the world’s largest modern art gallery. Located in an old power station, it’s a fantastic place to visit. However, don’t miss the British Museum with its collection of over 8 million objects. Follow the museum’s three-hour guide of the highlights.
DAY 2
THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT and BIG BEN are London’s landmarks, so don’t forget your camera. You can go inside and watch the politicians in the two chambers (会议厅) — the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Big Ben, which has four faces, sits at the top of the clock tower in the Houses of the Parliament. So no matter where you stand, you can read the face of the clock.
The King’s or the Queen’s official London home is BUCKINGHAM PALACE. It’s got 775 rooms! About 50,000 guests a year come to parties and events-sorry, invitation only! But you can see the Changing of the Guard.
THE LONDON EYE is the world’s largest sightseeing wheel and the most popular UK tourist attraction with about 3.5 million visitors a year. You can often see distances of 40 kilometers.
DAY 3
London’s cathedral, ST PAUL’S is 108 meters tall and over 300 years old. The entrance ticket isn’t cheap, but the cathedral is impressive, and the dome has got amazing views. At 309 meters tall, the new Shard building is the second tallest building in Europe. You can’t miss it!
Where’s the best place to go when it’s sunny or to relax? One of London’s many large parks such as HYDE PARK, KENSINGTON GARDENS or REGENT’S PARK. There isn’t time for LONDON ZOO, but it’s in Regent’s Park.
The best place for shopping is CAMDEN MARKET. You can find vintage (优质的) clothes, jewelry, great food and all sorts of things. Or go to Harrod’s, the world-famous department store. It’s got over 330different departments and an unbelievable Food Hall.
1. When was Shakespeare’s Globe Theater built?| A．In 1699. | B．In 1837. | C．In 1997. | D．In 2000. |
| A．On the bank of the River Thames. | B．In an old power station. |
| C．On Tower Bridge. | D．In Regent’s Park. |
| A．Businessmen. | B．Scholars. | C．Police officers. | D．Politicians. |
| A．The Millennium Bridge is the first bridge on the River Thames. |
| B．You can only attend the King’s or the Queen’s parties with an invitation. |
| C．St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is over 300 years old. |
| D．For many people Camden Market is the best shopping place in London. |
| A．In the summer you can see plays there. |
| B．You can shout during a performance just like in Shakespeare’s time! |
| C．Shakespeare is one of the greatest writers in the world. |
| D．Take an umbrella—there’s no roof! |
5 . You know that classics like Little Women and To Kill a Mockingbird started as novels. But you probably didn’t know that these other famous movies also came from books.
Hidden Figures
This film told the story of real-life Katherine Johnson and other female African-American mathematicians who helped drive the United States into space in the 1960s. It was actually based on a 2016 non-fiction book and the movie did boost sales of the book.
Forrest Gump
The 1994 movie which was based on the book by Winston Groom won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for the star Tom Hanks. Although the movie’s critical and box-office success gave the book a huge boost, it’s the film that made its mark on pop culture history.
The Girl on the Train
Paula Hawkin’s psychological thriller, about a woman on a train who thinks she sees something strange out of the window, was a huge success. But unlike the fast—paced, can’t-be-put-down quality of the novel, the movie was boring.
Field of Dreams
It’s hard to describe the plot of this movie: Ray Kinsella hears a voice telling him to build a baseball field in his Iowa cornfield, and what happens next explores the themes of lost dreams, childhood heroes, and healing the pain of the past. The 1989 movie is based on W. P. Kinsella’s 1982 original, Shoeless Joe, but cuts out some extra characters.
1. Which is the best choice for a person who loves math?| A．Hidden Figures. | B．Forrest Gump. |
| C．The Girl on the Train. | D．Field of Dreams. |
| A．Tom Hanks. | B．Winston Groom. |
| C．Paula Hawkin. | D．W. P. Kinsella. |
| A．It is a romantic comedy. | B．It presents several themes. |
| C．It shows all the figures in Shoeless Joe. | D．It was released in 1982 for the first time. |
6 . One Earth Award
About this award
Sponsored by the One Earth Fund, the One Earth Award offers $1,000 scholarships for four students whose works address the pressing issue of human-caused climate change.
Why should I create art or writing about climate change?
Some consequences of climate change include: sea-level rise, increase in air pollution, hurricane, droughts, extreme weather, and rising temperatures, among others. Your work can advance our thoughts about climate change and our understanding of solutions. It can also improve awareness of actions that we can take, in order to reduce the harm that human action has on our environment.
How do I apply?
Enter your work to any category in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. When selecting the category of your work, choose the One Earth Award. You will be required to include a personal statement on your work.
What should I write for the personal statement?
Your personal statement should be 50 words or more and answer the following questions:
What specific aspect of climate change does your work address?
What is your personal connection to this aspect of climate change, and why do you think talking about climate change is important?
Getting started on your work
These resources can help you learn about climate change and create your own art and writing about it.
Consider how poets talk about climate change with the Poetry Foundation.
Explore visual art activities and writing activities from the Teacher’s Climate Guide.
Try writing exercises developed by English Teachers Concerned about Climate Crisis.
1. What is the first thing to do to get the One Earth Award?| A．Choosing the One Earth Award. |
| B．Contacting the One Earth Fund. |
| C．Presenting the personal statement. |
| D．Visiting the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. |
| A．What action you will take. | B．What you are concerned about. |
| C．Why your work is important. | D．What suggestion you will make. |
| A．How do I apply? |
| B．About this award |
| C．Getting started on your work |
| D．What should I write for the personal statement? |
7 . On a tram smoothly pulling into the heart of Luxembourg City, Marck gives a smile and takes a look at the fabric of the seat next to him. For him, the city’s trams are more than just transport. More even than the focus of his job. They are about transforming his country and, perhaps, changing the world.
Marck is the director general of Luxtram, Luxembourg’s modern trams. It first started running services two years ago. Next year, Luxembourg will become the world’s only country to get rid of fares on all its forms of public transport. Luxembourg’s traffic problems come from its army of workers. The population of the capital city almost doubles during the working day, when more than 110,000 people travel in and out.
After three decades when its roads have become so crowded, Luxembourg is going to do something remarkable. Free fares, and a plan to persuade people to switch from cars to trams or trains. Marck, along with many others, is excited to see what happens next. “The fact that this is free means that everyone can use it — young or old, rich or poor,” he said. “Everyone can say to themselves it’s better to leave the car at home. We must continue to improve and extend the network. It must always be comfortable, well-connected, efficient.”
Lydie Polfer, the city’s mayor, says she hopes to reach the point where more than a third of people come into the city using public transport — at the moment, it’s less than one in five. She said, “It’s not practical to ban cars because some people, like the elderly, need them. But everyone has to be aware that he or she can do something to improve the situation. There is an expression in German — you are not in the traffic jam — you are the traffic jam, and that is true. I think that making it free will be the biggest arguments for people to use public transport. ”
1. Why does Marck think the city’s trams are more than just transport?| A．The trams are his goal that he strives for. |
| B．There are more means of transportation than trams. |
| C．City’s trams bring more changes beyond transport. |
| D．The trams are the heart of Luxembourg City transport system. |
| A．The cause of the traffic problems. | B．The means of public transport. |
| C．The development of running services. | D．The increase of working population. |
| A．The convenience. | B．The fare. | C．The comfort. | D．The efficiency. |
| A．The elderly needn’t use public transport. |
| B．It’s possible to persuade most people to use the trams. |
| C．Everyone can do his part to improve transport situation. |
| D．Those who don’t take public transport cause traffic jams. |
8 . We’ ve tested hundreds of mom- approved products that happen to make perfect Mother’ s Day gifts. Here are our recommendations.
Babbel
If your mom has always wanted to learn a new language, give her the gift of gab with Babbel.
Each online course will be personalized by her interests and molded into bite- -sized lessons so she can easily learn at her own pace. It’s a great budget-friendly option for diving into a new language. We tested it and found it to be a fun and effective language learning tool.
Thermo Works Thermapen Mk4
When it comes to the best digital meat thermometers, it doesn’t get better than Thermo-Works. We highly recommend the Thermapen ONE, which was the fastest and most accurate thermometer we tested and would have been our top pick if it wasn’t so expensive. But it’s waterproof, precise and fast-acting.
A Bouqs Subscription
Fresh flowers at Mom’ s doorstep will always be appreciated, especially on Mother’ s Day. This year, instead of just one bouquet, gift her a subscription to Bouqs. You can change the frequency of the delivery along with the type of blooms she receives- roses one month, sunflowers the next. She may adorably text you a picture of her bouquet every month it arrives and remind you to maintain the subscription. Go ahead and switch it up to keep Mom on her toes.
A Personalized Collage(拼贴画)
There are few gifts better than personalized ones, especially when it comes to the mom who pretty much already has everything. With services like Minted, you can upload your own photos for a collage and watch your beautiful creation come to life. Customize the frame and color theme to best match mom’s style and watch her fall in love with her new heartfelt gift.
1. What might discourage people from choosing the Thermapen ONE?| A．Price | B．Function | C．Accuracy | D．Appearance |
| A．It can be canceled at any time | B．It texts reminders to renew |
| C．It is restricted to monthly deliveries | D．It offers a choice of flowers |
| A．Life | B．Wellness | C．Literature | D．Science |
9 . The library is the heart of a university——its collections, services, and study spaces are central to every student’s educational journey. Let’s take a look at some famous university libraries around the world.
Magdalen College Old Library
Oxford University is famous for its academic programs, but it’s also known for its outstanding libraries that are said to include more than 11 million books. The Old Library at Magdalen College is the crown jewel of the university’s library system. It contains more than 20,000 rare books and manuscripts. Nearly all of these volumes were published before 1800.
TU Delft Library
The library at the Delft University of Technology was constructed in 1997, which has more than 862,000 books, 16,000 magazine subscriptions and its own museum. But it will only take a glance to be attracted, as it is a sight to remember. The building itself exists beneath the ground, so you can’t really see the actual library. What makes it interesting is the roof, which is a grassy hill.
Trinity College Library
The Trinity College Library in Dublin is the oldest library in Ireland, founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It contains more than 200,000 of the library’s oldest books. Treasures of the library’s extensive collection include a rare copy of the 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic and a beautiful 15th century harp (竖琴).
Joe and Rika Mansueto Library
Opened in 2011, the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago is designed with a grand glass roof, perfect for staring out when you are tired. The library can hold around 3.5 million volumes through its underground automatic storage and retrieval system. If you are not already impressed, the librarians, robotic cranes, will knock your socks off. They can locate and bring you any book within an average time of 3 minutes.
1. What do Magdalen College Old Library & Trinity College Library have in common?| A．Both house stringed instruments. | B．Both feature attractive designs. |
| C．Both boast numerous ancient books. | D．Both gain recognition as crown jewels. |
| A．TU Delft Library. | B．Trinity College Library. |
| C．Magdalen College Old Library. | D．Joe and Rika Mansueto Library. |
| A．The glass roof. | B．The volume of books. |
| C．The storage system. | D．The robotic librarians. |
10 . Have you gotten price shock lately when you looked at the cost of a new car? It’s not your imagination .The average price of a new car is the highest ever for the first quarter, according to CNBC. At $33, 319, the price is about $1,000 more than in 2018. Because of that, new car sales dropped by as many as 2.5 million units compared to the same quarter last year.
You’d think the drop might concern car makers, but as it turns out, the increase of the price reflects a choice. Many carmakers are stopping producing less expensive cars in favor of SUVS and pickup trucks, which bring in bigger profits(利润).
“Carmakers always say they build what people want.” The Wall Street Journal reporter Dan Neil said. “But they never mention the fact that they spend billions telling people what they want. It wasn’t that consumers wanted to have a truck that was as big as a house. No, that was a gradual process. And it has been mainly pushed by carmakers because bigger equals more profits.”
In late 2018, Ford announced it was gradually stopping producing its Fiesta, Focus, and C-max models in the United States while continuing to make the Mustang and Focus Active. Other big carmakers did the same, with General Motors ending production of the Chevy Volt, Cruz, Impala, Buick Lacrosse. Cadillac XTS, and Cadillac CT6 in the United States. And Fiat Chrysler is putting the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 to an end. “I can tell you right now that both the Chrysler 200 and the Dodge Dart, as great products as they were, are the least financially rewarding business that we’ve carried out in the last eight years,” said Fiat Chrysler CEO.
So where does that leave consumers? Well, if you’re in the market for an SUV or a top-of-the-line pickup truck, you can expect better features. But if you’re looking for a smaller, less expensive car you might be squeezed (挤)out of the market. More and more buyers are likely to look to used cars instead. But before car shopping, make sure you know the secrets car dealers don’t want to tell you.
1. What caused the drop in new car sales this year?| A．The decline of cars quality | B．The rising price of new cars |
| C．The change of market demand | D．The decrease of carmakers’ number |
| A．Carmakers always know the true need of consumers |
| B．Carmakers produce bigger cars because of the social trend |
| C．Consumers really depend less on carmakers in buying cars |
| D．Consumers’ shopping decisions are influenced by carmakers |
| A．are driven by profits | B．can be unwise sometimes |
| C．may influence the quality of cars | D．fail to meet some people’s demands |
| A．Most people don’t prefer small cars any more. |
| B．Producing small cars brings less profit to carmakers. |
| C．Small cars can’t provide better features for consumers. |
| D．Buying second-hand cars is a good choice for some people. |
