1 . Generative AI must seem like a superweapon to people who aim to cause disagreement and argument online. Deep-fake videos imitate public figures. Crowds of conversational chatbots worsen conflict, and efforts to detect and relieve such campaigns remain in their early period.
But can Generative AI also negotiate confict? Chris Bail, a leading expert on artificial intelligence and human behavior, and his colleagues have conducted research indicating that Large Language Models such as ChatGPT can make online conversations more productive, reduce incivility, and increase willingness to have difficult conversations across social disagreements. What’s more, they’re already seeing practical applications. Inspired by such research, Nextdoor, a community-based social-media platform that has struggled to boycott online poison, recently launched a successful, large-scale (大规模的) effort to reduce incivility.
In a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Chris Bail and his team examined whether Large Language Models can teach people conflict-negotiation techniques on a large scale. They enlisted a large group of people with different opinions about gun control and paired them to discuss this topic with someone who does not share their view on an online chat platform the team built.
After exchanging several messages on their platform, half of the research participants began to receive pop-up messages suggesting alternative phrasings for the messages they were about to send to their chat partner. These pop-ups employed GPT-3 to rephrase each post using conflict negotiation principles — without changing the opinion expressed within them. Participants had the option to send these rephrased versions of their message or ignore them.
The researchers found that GPT-3 is surprisingly good at processing difficult conversations. People whose partner used the AI-generated re-phrasings described the conversations as more productive, less stressful, and expressed greater willingness to consider alternative viewpoints.
1. What can we infer from the first two paragraphs?| A．GenAI can be used in wars. |
| B．GenAI can stop online incivility. |
| C．GenAI can be used to deal with conflict online. |
| D．GenAI can make conversations more difficult. |
| A．To build their online chat platform. |
| B．To share ideas on their own platform. |
| C．To collect different ideas about gun control. |
| D．To test the function of Large Language Models. |
| A．By ignoring rephrased messages. |
| B．By making choices for the participants. |
| C．By changing the opinions of participants. |
| D．By expressing the messages in a different way. |
| A．People Share Ideas on Gun Control |
| B．A New Study About Practical Applications |
| C．GenAI Cause Disagreement And Argument Online |
| D．GenAI Could Make Online Conversations More Civil |
2 . Beijing Opera (京剧) is our national opera. It came into being after 1790 and has a history of over 200 years. Its music and singing came from Xipi and Erhuang in Anhui and Hubei. There are four main roles in Beijing Opera; Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. Beijing Opera is full of famous stories, beautiful facial paintings, wonderful gestures and fighting. Some of the stories are from history books, but most are from famous novels. The people in the stories usually can’t agree with each other. They become angry, unhappy, sad and lonely. Sometimes they are frightened and worried. Then they find a way to make peace with each other. Everyone is usually happy in the end.
Beijing Opera is an important part of Chinese culture. In China, it used to be popular with old people while young people didn’t like it very much. However, more young people are becoming interested in it nowadays. And more people around the world are learning about Beijing Opera’s special singing, acting and facial paintings.
1. How old is Beijing Opera in 2020?| A．207 years old. | B．217 years old. |
| C．227 years old. | D．230 years old. |
| A．music and singing | B．acting and fighting |
| C．music and acting | D．singing and fighting |
| A．Angry. | B．Sad. |
| C．Happy. | D．Frightened and worried. |
| A．Beijing Opera used to be popular with old people and young people. |
| B．More people at home and abroad are interested in Beijing Opera nowadays. |
| C．Beijing Opera isn’t a part of Chinese culture. |
| D．There are five main roles in Beijing Opera. |
| A．The History of Beijing Opera |
| B．Beijing Opera |
| C．The Roles of Beijing Opera |
| D．The Changes of Beijing Opera |
3 . With the development of society, the choice of food and drinks for children is more diversified than ever before. However, every coin has two sides. Many facts suggest that children are overweight and the situation is getting worse, according to the statistics. I feel there are a number of reasons for this.
Some people blame the fact that we are surrounded by shops selling unhealthy, fatty foods, such as fried chicken and ice cream, at low prices. This has turned out a whole generation of grown-ups who seldom cook a meal for themselves. If there were fewer of these restaurants then probably children would buy less take-away food.
There is another argument that blames parents for allowing their children to become overweight. I agree to this, because good eating habits begin early in life, long before children start to visit fast food shops. If children are given fried chicken and chocolate rather than healthy food, or are always allowed to choose what they eat, they will go for sweet and salty foods every time,and this will carry on throughout their lives.
There is a third reason for this situation. Children these days take very little exercise. They do not walk to school. When they get home, they sit in front of the television or their computers. Not only is this an unhealthy pastime, it also gives them time to eat more unhealthy food. What they need is to go outside and play active games or sports.
The above are the main reasons for this problem, and therefore we have to encourage young people to be more active as well as guiding them away from fast food shops and bad eating habits.
1. What is the downside about the diversified choices of food and drinks for children?| A．Children don't know how to choose from the food and drinks. |
| B．Children don't have so many coins for food and drinks. |
| C．Children are becoming more and more overweight. |
| D．Children are getting worse because of many food and drinks. |
| A．Some people blame that shops are surrounded by unhealthy food. |
| B．Shops selling cheap but unhealthy foods can be found everywhere. |
| C．Grown-ups are a generation who can't cook for themselves. |
| D．There are fewer restaurants that sell children take-away food. |
| A．Because parents allow their children to visit fast food shops. |
| B．Because parents allow their children to go for sweets. |
| C．Because parents allow their children to carry on eating habits throughout their lives. |
| D．Because parents allow their children to develop bad eating habits from early on. |
| A．Children should be encouraged to take exercise and eat less. |
| B．Children should be guided to stay away from food shops. |
| C．Children should be encouraged to be more active. |
| D．Children should be guided to go and eat outside |
4 . Valencia lives, for the time being, in a mobile home park.
He greeted me when I arrived and poured me a cup of coffee. He told me that his dad had worked at a brick-manufacturing plant. His mother worked at home. Most of his seven brothers and sisters didn’t go to college.
Valencia was determined to be the first, despite his late start. He said he was an average student struggling with math and went to community college a year after graduating from high school but decided quickly it was not for him.
He got into construction and then the insurance industry, but he’d always liked to write and do crossword puzzles. “And I loved to read. A lot,” he said. And he joked with his mother that if he won the lottery, he’d use the winnings for college.
It was around 2007. Valencia got tired of telling himself he was going to go back to school. He told his mother it was finally for real. She said, “I hope you make it, Jerry.” And I told her, “I’m going to make it, Mom. Surely!”
The plan was to capitalize on his former construction experience to study civil engineering—the design, building and repair of roads, bridges, etc. But he discovered other interests.
“He was not the youngest student,” says Grant Tovmasian, coach of the forensics debate team Valencia joined. “But he was the most motivated and dedicated, encouraging fellow students and inspiring them to live a more satisfying life?”
Valencia’s sister Sindi Majors says her brother was always bright, but he went through a couple of rough experiences in his life.
Because Valencia has nearly always been homeless, she bought him a motor home, where he lived from 2009 to 2018.
There is something splendidly irrational about Valencia’s determination to get a four-year degree and then a master’s. At his current pace, he’ll be 90 when he finally achieves his goals.
But that doesn’t influence him. He’s found all the youthful energy and academic opportunity stimulating.
“Valencia’s grade in my class this semester will not show up on his transcripts (大学生的成绩单). But I’m giving him an A and in the most important ways, it counts.” says Tovmasian.
1. What does the underlined phrase “capitalize on” in paragraph 6 probably mean?| A．Make use of. | B．Get rid of. | C．Break down. | D．Appeal to. |
a. Valencia joined the debate team.
b. He went to a community college.
c. He got into construction industry.
d. He planned to study civil engineering.
| A．b-d-c-a | B．b-c-d-a. | C．c-a-d-b | D．d-c-b-a |
| A．Caring and ambitious. | B．Devoted and modest. |
| C．Positive and generous. | D．Determined and motivated. |
| A．Because he hopes to see Valencia graduate as soon as possible. |
| B．Because he admires Valencia for his good quality and performance. |
| C． Because Valencia has done extra work to perform the best in the class. |
| D．Because Valencia has reached his goals earlier inspired by Tovmasian |
5 . In Denmark, bicycling is one of the primary forms of transportation. In sunshine, rain and snow, you will see cyclists on their way to work, to the grocery store, or to social events. The bike is a Dane’s best friend.
Danish cycling culture is as old as the bicycle itself. Bikes were first introduced to the country in the 1880s, and during the 1920s and 1930s, the bicycle became a widespread symbol of equality and freedom. People of all social classes began biking side by side — in the cities on their way to work and in the countryside on their days off.
The increased economy development of the late 1950s saw some Danes replacing bikes with motorcycles and automobiles. Just like their colleagues around the world, Danish urban planners believed the future belonged to cars, trucks, and ever-wider highways. In the early 1970s, however, the Mideast oil crisis terminated that development. “Car Free Sundays” were introduced in Copenhagen, and movements demanding Copenhagen to become car-free took place. Over time, concerns about air pollution, climate change, and the need for people to get enough exercise have helped bicycles make a big comeback. Denmark’s heavy taxes on petrol and automobiles are a factor, too.
Today, cycling is an inseparable part of Danish culture. Newcomers who do not know how to cycle are encouraged to learn as soon as they arrive. Danish children usually learn to bike before they begin school at the age of six — and often much earlier. In school, children learn about traffic rules, road safety, and the importance of wearing a helmet as well as good cycling habits. Another choice for families with children is the cargo bike — a sort of oversized tricycle with a large wooden box on the front. It’s estimated that a quarter of all Copenhagen families with two or more children own one of these cargo bikes for transporting kids, groceries, and other necessities. Danish cargo bikes have also won design awards and become a Danish export success.
Commuting by bike is the fastest, easiest and most environmentally friendly way to get around the cities of Denmark. And the numbers speak for themselves: Residents who cycle in Copenhagen request 1.1 million fewer sick days. Cyclists reduce CO2 emissions by 20,000 tonnes a year on average.
1. What led to the popularity of bicycles in Denmark during the 1920s and 1930s?| A．The convenience of the bike. | B．The development of the economy. |
| C．The idea that the bike symbolizes. | D．The construction of wide highways. |
| A．Improved. | B．Permitted. | C．Ended. | D．restarted. |
| A．They are owned by about 25% families. |
| B．They are designed for practical use. |
| C．They are the national symbol of Denmark. |
| D．They are unpopular among local residents. |
| A．To prove the effectiveness of cycling. |
| B．To compare cycling with driving. |
| C．To show the popularity of cycling. |
| D．To conclude the financial benefits of cycling. |
6 . Hiring processes can be considered as a battle between honesty and dishonesty. You might imagine this is a simple fight between truth — seeking companies and self-promoting applicants, and to a certain extent it is. But companies sometimes deliberately twist the truth in a way that is self-destructive.
Let’s start with job applicants. The point of a CV or a LinkedIn (领英) profile is to make reality as appealing as possible. If anyone who has reached a certain level of experience is a leader who is personally responsible for generating millions in revenue (收入), the world economy would be about 15 times bigger than it actually is. The average Briton spends four and a half hours a day watching TV and online videos. But the average job applicant uses their spare time only for worthy purposes, like volunteering in soup kitchens or teaching orphans to code.
The companies also tend to magnify the truth as applicants do. The typical firm will write a job description that describes the work environment as fast -paced and innovative, and then lays out a set of impossible requirements for the “ideal applicant”, who almost does not exist. Sometimes-as when ads demand more years of experience in a programming language than that language has existed for-these requirements include an ability to go back and change the course of history.
Tracey Franklin, a fan of “realistic job previews” (RJPs), says that one effective strategy is, in text or video, to give would-be employees a genuine sense of the negatives and positives of the job, as well as a clear idea of the company’s corporate culture. Such honesty can be its own reward. A paper in 2011 by David Earnest of Towson University and his co-authors concluded that RJPs lead to lower turnover (人事变更率) and higher employee satisfaction.
1. What do we know about a CV or a LinkedIn profile according to the passage?| A．They highlight relevant volunteer work. |
| B．They demonstrate genuine interests and hobbies. |
| C．They exaggerate one’s achievements and skills. |
| D．They accurately represent one’s qualifications and experiences. |
| A．Ironical. | B．Concerned. | C．Serious. | D．Humorous. |
| A．RJPs lead to higher turnover. |
| B．RJPs contribute to the stability of the employees. |
| C．Companies should avoid sharing corporate culture. |
| D．RJPs fail to influence turnover and employee satisfaction. |
| A．Hire, liar | B．Apply, liar | C．Labor, liar | D．Fire, liar |
7 . To better understand how animals like spiders communicate with pattern and color, Jenny Yi-Ti Sung, a biology doctoral student at the University of Cincinnati, is turning to ancient dramatic art. Sung is studying how Beijing operas convey details about characters to their audiences through the performers’ colorful masks (脸谱).
Like jumping spiders, Beijing opera masks have unique patterns and colors that convey information to their intended audience. For spiders, the unique characteristics broadcast species, sex or even romantic intentions to possible mates. Similarly, in Beijing opera, the masks give the audience clues about a character’s motives, character or virtue.
“I’m interested in understanding how male spiders might use their patterns and colors to tell a female spider they’re the same species and are a good mate,” Sung said. “I saw a parallel in Beijing opera masks. How do these visual patterns evolve to tell a specific identity?”
Sung is investigating whether Beijing opera masks within a particular opera are more similar or different compared with masks in unrelated operas. Her computerized analysis involves scanning and resizing 76 masks for uniformity, employing the Eigenfaces (特征脸) method to identify common or unique facial features. This investigation aims to reveal the importance of differentiation among characters within the same story in the Beijing opera.
Nathan Morehouse, Sung’s advisor, thought highly of Sung’s creative approach, describing it as a delightful marriage of cultural and scientific interests in evolutionary biology. “I think it enriches science and opens up new ways of thinking’ about things,” he said.
Facial patterns, as observed in jumping spiders and various animal species, hold biological significance in conveying information about species, sex and mate suitability. Besides spiders, facial pattern recognition is found in many other animals. “When they live in mixed-species communities, their facial patterns evolve to be distinct so they can distinguish members of the same species at a distance,” Morehouse said.
Sung hopes that her study will shed light on evolutionary divergence (差异), exploring the point at which members of the same species take different genetic paths. “Of course, there’s no punishment to the audience if they don’t recognize the Beijing opera faces properly. But in the wild, you’d get eaten,” she said.
1. What is the aim of Sung’s investigation of Beijing opera masks?| A．To identify the colors used in different masks. |
| B．To find similarities among masks in unrelated operas. |
| C．To understand the features of Eigenfaces in opera masks. |
| D．To uncover the significance of distinguishing characters in operas. |
| A．It applies to many animals. | B．It involves biological sciences. |
| C．It combines science with culture. | D．It involves wildlife conservation. |
| A．They confuse their enemies. | B．They promote species harmony. |
| C．They enable species recognition. | D．They facilitate cross-species interaction. |
| A．He is a famous scientist in evolutionary biology. |
| B．He supports Sung’s research on Beijing opera masks. |
| C．He thinks the study of masks has little value. |
| D．He doesn’t like the idea of combining culture and science. |
8 . Growing up in Ukraine, Vadim didn’t know what it was like to live in a safe, stable home. His parents were alcoholics who would often beat him. They’d even stuff him into a wine container, breaking his little body and leaving only a small opening at the top so he could breathe and see—but only just a little.
By the time Vadim turned 9, he was living in an orphanage (孤儿院). Unfortunately, as is the case with far too many little ones, his life only got worse there. Not only was he hurt, but he was placed in a room on the third floor, making it impossible to get downstairs in a wheelchair.
This left Vadim crawling up and down the stairs, an activity that was both physically and mentally exhausting. He’d often be late for meals. If the food wasn’t already gone by the time he arrived, other kids would steal from him.
Then, a chain effect began when some special folks visited the orphanage. They told him a story about a spiritual figure who advocated love and forgiveness. This conversation helped the 14-year-old find his faith and, in turn, he had more hope than he ever had before.
Today, Vadim is no longer the boy subject to fate. He is a father to his own kids, and his life couldn’t be more different or better. Over the years, he’s discovered a gift for expressing himself through art. This inspired Tim Tebow Foundation, an organization fighting for the most vulnerable (脆弱的) people around the world, to ask if he`d like to create a piece that represented what it looked and felt like for him to have gone from “darkness to light.”
The result? A truly remarkable painting that features Vadim, in his wheelchair, leaving behind his old home, including the wine container his parents stuffed him into. His new direction includes a beautiful forest full of fall leaves and bright light, showing the hope he is said to have found in the inspiring story.
1. According to the passage, Vadim’s parents treated him ________.| A．cruelly | B．forgivingly | C．thoughtfully | D．strictly |
| A．Because his little roommates often did damage to his wheelchair. |
| B．Because other children would take his meal without permission. |
| C．Because he couldn’t use the wheelchair to go downstairs from a high floor. |
| D．Because getting downstairs was demanding for him physically and mentally. |
| A．An effective treatment for Vadim’s disability. |
| B．A series of positive changes occurring in Vadim’s life. |
| C．A sense of hope from the story of a spiritual figure. |
| D．A helping hand from Tim Tebow Foundation. |
| A．He admires the beauty and harmony of nature. |
| B．He leads a miserable life with his own kids. |
| C．He is expert at delicate painting techniques. |
| D．He says farewell to the past and harvests happiness. |
9 . There is growing evidence to show that our past knowledge about Mars was not always the case. Now European researchers say they have discovered the first evidence of a huge groundwater system that once existed below the planet’s surface.
A new study was carried out by Francesco Salese and his team, who studied images of 24 deep craters (n.弹坑) in the northern half of the Red Planet. These pictures were captured by ESA’s Mars Express orbiter (n.宇宙飞船), which was launched in 2003. The study provides the first geological proof that Mars once had a “planet-wide groundwater system.”
According to Salese, scientific evidence already suggests Mars was once a watery world. His team says the images showed that large amounts of successive groundwater activity connected the areas they studied. Evidence of basins and coastlines was also found on the surface of Mars, supporting the idea that water was once present. He added that all the basins seemed to reach about the same height.
Scientists have yet to find out what happened to all that water. And the complex history of water on Mars has linked to whether or not life ever existed on it. During the latest study, researchers also discovered evidence of minerals within some of the identified (adj.被识别的) bodies of water.
The researchers say the findings adds weight to the idea that the water basins on Mars may have once held the materials required to support life. Some of this material could still be buried on Mars, providing possible evidence of life during future exploration. Francesco Salese believes the latest findings could also help us learn new things about our own planet.
1. What can we infer about our past knowledge of Mars?| A．It had no water. |
| B．It had no groundwater. |
| C．It had a great groundwater system. |
| D．It had water on the surface of the planet. |
| A．In paragraph 3. | B．In paragraph 2. |
| C．In paragraph 1. | D．In paragraph 4. |
| A．complicated | B．brilliant | C．continuous | D．incredible |
| A．Evidence of water on Mars enables us learn new things about the earth |
| B．Our past knowledge about Mars was incorrect. |
| C．Evidence of life could be revealed by the discovery of water on Mars. |
| D．The ever existence of groundwater system on Mars was discovered. |
10 . Primary and secondary school learners, university students, and guests were invited on Wednesday and were treated to a colorful celebration at the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi, to mark the beginning of the year of the dragon which officially starts on Saturday. The place featured beautiful decorations with red and gold colors and lucky symbols.
Visitors got an opportunity to participate in cultural experiences including painting, papercutting and pot throwing as well as experiencing Chinese cuisines like spicy hotpot, steamed stuffed buns (包子) , Chinese hamburgers, dumplings and barbecue among others. They were also treated to heartwarming performances including face-changing, lion dance, dragon dance, drumming, Chinese opera, Chinese songs and a talent show featuring Chinese traditional clothes as well as a mixture of Chinese and Kenyan fashion.
Leah Muthoni, a student at the University of Nairobi lauded the Chinese cuisines served at the event, especially noodles and dumplings. She also appreciated the decorations, drawings, pictures and performances. Similar feelings were also shared by George Mwita, another student from the University of Nairobi who greatly enjoyed the pot throwing game.
In his welcoming speech, Professor Stephen Kiama, the vice headmaster of the University of Nairobi who doubles up as the Kenya director of the Confucius Institute, hoped this year will be a good year of development because the Chinese dragon horns represent power and strength, while the drums represent courage and energy.
Kiama said the Confucius Institute at the University of Nairobi has achieved a lot since its establishment in 2005, including winning the Confucius Institute of the Year Award seven times and pioneering the establishment of the Bachelor of Arts in the Chinese language in Kenya. “Last year, with the joint efforts of the various parties and stakeholders we established the first bachelor of education in Chinese in Kenya and we admitted the first group of students,” he said. Kiama hopes that this year the Confucius Institute will gain more force with the blessing of power, courage and vitality from the year of the Chinese dragon. He said the Confucius Institute offers a good platform for cultural exchange between China and Kenya through events like the Chinese Lunar Year celebrations. Kiama hoped that the relationship between China and Kenya would further be strengthened by the blessings of the year of the dragon.
In Chinese methodology (方法论) , the dragon has the power to control seasons, time and harvests, and it’s seen as a symbol of wealth. The Chinese consider dragons to be powerful. sympathetic, wise, kind and warm.
1. What is spoken of as one of the cultural experiences the visitors participated in?| A．Tasting Chinese cuisines. | B．Writing with brushes. |
| C．Reciting Chinese poems. | D．Guessing lantern riddles. |
| A．Mixed. | B．Praised. | C．Delivered. | D．Sold. |
| A．It has the biggest number of students in Africa. |
| B．George Mwita is one of the Chinese teachers there. |
| C．It has won the Confucius Institute of the Year Award seven times. |
| D．They set up the first bachelor of education in Chinese in Kenya in 2005. |
| A．Kiama considers dragons to be powerful and sympathetic |
| B．Confucius Institute offers good platform for cultural exchange |
| C．Kiama wishes year of dragon good for development of Confucius Institute |
| D．Confucius Institute at University of Nairobi marks year of dragon celebrations |
