1 . Debate about artificial intelligence (AI) tends to focus on its potential dangers: algorithmic (算法) discrimination, the mass destruction of jobs and even, some say, the extinction of humanity. As some observers worry, however, others are focusing on the potential rewards. AI could, they claim, help humanity solve some of its biggest and toughest problems. And, they say, AI will do this in a very specific way: by speeding the pace of scientific discovery, especially in areas such as medicine, climate science and green technology.
Such claims are worth examining, and may provide a useful counterbalance (抵消) to fears about large-scale unemployment and killer robots. Many previous technologies have, of course, been falsely praised as panaceas (灵丹妙药). The electric telegraph was praised in the 1850s as a sign of world peace. Experts in the 1990s said the internet would reduce inequality.
But the mechanism by which AI will supposedly solve the world’s problems has a stronger historical basis, because there have been several periods in history when new approaches and new tools did indeed help bring about bursts of world-changing scientific discovery and innovation.
In the 17th century microscopes and telescopes opened up new vistas (视野) of discoveries, while the introduction of scientific journals gave them new ways to share their findings. From the mid-20th century, computers in turn enabled new forms of science based on simulation and modelling, from the design of weapons and aircraft to more accurate weather forecasting.
And the computer revolution may not be finished yet. As we report, AI tools and techniques are now being applied in almost every field of science, though the degree of adoption varies widely: 7.2% of physics and astronomy papers published in 2022 involved AI. AI is being employed in many ways. It can identify promising candidates for analysis, such as molecules with particular properties in drug discovery, or materials with the characteristics needed in batteries or solar cells.
All this is to be welcomed. But the journal and the laboratory went further still: they altered scientific practice itself and unlocked more powerful means of making discoveries. AI has the potential to set off such a transformation.
1. How does the author develop the first paragraph?| A．By providing evidence. | B．By listing debates about AI. |
| C．By making classification of AI. | D．By explaining a phenomenon. |
| A．Skeptical. | B．Objective. | C．Disapproving. | D．Favourable. |
| A．Scientific journals bring about successful data analysis. |
| B．Scientific journals and computers remove people’s discrimination. |
| C．Scientific discovery and innovation have some potential problems. |
| D．Scientific progresses benefit from new approaches and new tools. |
| A．How Al can revolutionise Science |
| B．Why Al Decides Human Beings’ Future |
| C．When Human Beings No Longer Fear Al |
| D．Where Al Performs Better in Scientific Fields |
2 . Three scientists jointly won this year’s Nobel Prize in physics for proving that tiny particles (粒子) could keep a connection with each other even when separated, a phenomenon once doubted but now being explored for potential real-world applications such as encoding information. Frenchman Alain Aspect, American John F. Clauser and Austrian Anton Zeilinger were quoted by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for experiments proving the “totally crazy” field of quantum entanglements (量子纠缠) to be all too real. They demonstrated that unseen particles, such as photons (光子) , can be linked, or “entangled”, with each other even when they are separated by large distances.
In quantum entanglement, establishing common information between two photons not near each other “allows us to do things like secret communication, in ways which weren’t possible to do before”, said David Haviland, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics. Quantum information “has broad and potential effects in areas such as secure information transmission, quantum computing and sensing technology”. The kind of secure communication used by China’s Micius satellite, as well as by some banks, is a “success story of quantum entanglement”, said Harun Siljak of Trinity College Dublin.
The Nobel Committee said Clauser developed quantum theories first put forward in the 1960s into a practical experiment. Aspect was able to correct an error in those theories, while Zeilinger demonstrated a phenomenon called quantum teleportation that effectively allows information to be sent over distances. “Using entanglement you can send all the information which is carried by an object over to some other place where the object is.” Zeilinger said. He added that this only works for tiny particles. “It is not like in the Star Trek films transporting something, certainly not the person, over some distance,” he said.
1. Which of the following statements about quantum entanglements is NOT true?| A．Scientists were doubtful whether it exists in the real world. |
| B．The Nobel Prize winner has put it into practical experiment. |
| C．Two particles can actually be connected regardless of distances. |
| D．The more distant 2 photons get, the less entangled they’ll become. |
| A．Affecting. | B．Transforming. |
| C．Communicating. | D．Spreading. |
| A．The achievements these 3 scientists have got individually. |
| B．The explanation for information transmission over large distances. |
| C．The clarification that science fiction is no equal to scientific theory. |
| D．The reason why these 3 scientists share this year’s Nobel Prize in physics. |
| A．Classical physics can be applied to tiny particles. |
| B．Quantum physics is the focus of modern physical research. |
| C．Particles, photons, and quanta are all the basic composition of matter. |
| D．Quantum entanglements can contribute to more cutting-edge technologies. |
3 . In many movies, the clothing the actors wear is an important part of the story. In Rome, there is a workshop that has been a big part of Italian and international film history for 60 years.
Tirelli Costumes in Rome is a workshop that makes special clothing and costumes. It has earned the name the “Oscar tailor’s shop” for its work in film costume design.
In recent years, its workers helped create the costumes for Ridley Scott’s movie Napoleon. The film’s costume designers were nominated (提名) for an Oscar. “Maybe it will win! Let’s add another medal to the medal collection,” the shop’s current head, Dino Trappetti said. “Of course, the Oscar is not won by the shop. The Oscar is won by the costume designers. But the tailor’s shop has the honor of having participated to make it win.”
Umberto Tirelli started the shop in November 1964. It has been behind 17 Academy Awards for best costume design. The beginning of the workshop started with Tirelli’s passion for collecting old clothes. He searched for clothing in the markets worldwide. He slowly collected more than 15,000 real pieces of clothing that date from 1750 to 1980. At the start, the shop had a sewing machine and two cutters.
Tirelli could have accepted many international projects because the market was immediately interested. But Tirelli, who died in 1990, was not sure enough though the co-workers agreed on expanding the market. Dino Trappetti remembered him saying: “I’m not going to America. If America wants, America will come looking for me.”
Over 60 years, the tailor’s shop has created more than 300,000 costumes which feature hand-cut, hand-sewn creations. Costume designers come up with ideas from historical information.
1. Why is Tirelli Costumes called the “Oscar tailor’s shop”?| A．It makes contributions to film costume design. |
| B．Its costumes are popular with many Oscar actors. |
| C．It is a film workshop and shoots many Oscar films. |
| D．It offers interesting stories about costume designers. |
| A．To promote the film. |
| B．To praise Tirelli Costumes. |
| C．To show the film’s achievements. |
| D．To explain the importance of costume designers. |
| A．Time waits for no man. | B．Well begun is half done. |
| C．Hobbies make for success. | D．All roads lead to Rome. |
| A．His sudden death. | B．Trappetti’s opinion. |
| C．The co-workers’ protest. | D．His lack of confidence in the market. |
4 . Top Stays for Travelers Who
Prioritize Sustainability
Here’s a look at four hotels that are taking the green lead, bravely committing to a net-zero future.
Boutiquehotel Stadthalle
In a restored turn-of-the-century house surrounded by solar panels and garden beds, the 79-room hotel has been running on solar power and other renewables since 2009. Its rooms are equipped with recycled wine bottle chandeliers (枝形吊灯). Breakfast is in the garden among herb pots and flowers. Up above, the flower roof attracts many butterflies and bees.
Hackengasse 20, 1150 Wien, Vienna; +43-1982-4272
Room2 Chiswick
Recognizing the climate crisis, room2 owner Robert Godwi spent two years planning a "whole life" net-zero hotel. There are a host of invisible elements like a blue roof that changes rainwater into energy. A biodiverse green roof uses 200 tons of soil and wildflowers aimed at absorbing CO₂.
10 Windmill Rd, Chiswick, London; +4420-3988-0220
Comfort Hotel Solna
In June 2021, Scandinavia welcomed its first certificated "zero-energy" hotel. The 336-room hotel lies a few miles north of central Stockholm. The building has 2,500 square meters of colorful solar cells which provide energy to cool and heat the building. This "energy-smart" hotel shows off Nordic design while being relatively easy on the wallet.
Evenemangsgatan 48, 169 56 Solna, Sweden; +468-1216-1480
Four Elements Hotel
This hotel uses the wind to produce energy for air conditioning and heating. It uses solar energy to produce electricity and heat water. The "Earth, Wind & Fire" idea came from engineer Dr Ben Bronsema. The top-floor Wind Sky Bar and the Herbs Garden restaurant of the hotel are must-tries.
Bert Haanstrakade 1074, 1087 H, Amsterdam; +312-0714-2040
1. Where can you see some recycled items?| A．At room2 Chiswick. | B．At Comfort Hotel Solna. |
| C．At Four Elements Hotel. | D．At Boutiquehotel Stadthalle. |
| A．A CO₂-absorbing roof. | B．A line of colorful solar cells. |
| C．The Herbs Garden restaurant. | D．A meal among herb pots and flowers. |
| A．Travelers who are on a budget. | B．Children who are nature lovers. |
| C．Visitors who want a green travel. | D．Parents who are fond of biodiversity. |
5 . In 2014, then-57-year-old bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel wrote an infamous essay titled, “Why I Hope to Die at 75”. His argument boiled down to this: it’s not worth living as long as humanly possible if those added years are characterized by disease and poor health.
Nearly a decade later, neither Emanuel’s mind nor the statistics have changed much. Emanuel still says he plans to stop most life-extending medical care once reaching age 75. And there is still a yawning gap between the average number of years people can expect to live and the number of years they can expect to live in full health. Experts often refer to this as the gap between “lifespan” and “healthspan”.
Healthspan, however, has consistently lagged behind, largely due to high rates of age-associated diseases including cancer, dementia, and heart disease. Many people also don’t sleep enough, exercise enough, or eat enough nutritious food, all of which can prevent people from long-term well-being.
Closing the gap between lifespan and healthspan is an appealing goal. The American Heart Association is striving to extend U. S. healthy life expectancy by at least two years over the same decade. Meanwhile, startups are selling consumer-targeted solutions, like DNA tests that give personalized recommendations around how to eat and exercise for extended health. And some companies are developing therapies(疗法) meant to fight against the effects of aging.
Emanuel agrees that expanding healthspan is the right goal; he just has a different take on what that should look like. Rather than developing new anti-aging drugs that would likely attract wealthy people who can pay for them, Emanuel feels the medical system should tackle long-standing health problems such as hypertension and diabetes which are treatable or preventable, and are most common among the underserved populations that are also most likely to die and develop diseases even younger than the national average. As he sees it, it is a more urgent priority than chasing the “pipe dream” of a future in which aging is optional.
1. What does the underlined word “yawning” probably mean in Paragraph 2?| A．Wide. | B．Declining. | C．Hidden. | D．Strange. |
| A．Lack of desire to live a long life. |
| B．Excessive sleep, exercise, and nutrition. |
| C．Frequent occurrence of age-related diseases. |
| D．Unavailability of life-extending medical care. |
| A．Medical progress in anti-aging treatment. |
| B．Efforts being made to lengthen healthspan. |
| C．Different attitudes to lengthening healthspan. |
| D．Reasons for the gap between lifespan and healthspan. |
| A．Developing new anti-aging drugs. | B．Dealing with existing health problems. |
| C．Providing personalized DNA tests. | D．Offering practical advice on lifestyles. |
6 . I received my architectural training in Italy, earning a traditional degree that didn’t involve working with Computer-Aided Design (CAD). However, my journey with computers began through my passion for music, using sound sampling systems, which catch the “sound reality” of an instrument, and also computer-assisted music composition systems. Little did I know that this exploration would greatly influence my approach to computer science and AI in the years to come.
Self-taught in computer science during my architectural studies, I sought opportunities to specialize further. Ultimately, my journey led me to a pioneering laboratory in Marseille, France, known for its groundbreaking work in computer science applied to architecture. Surrounded by a community of innovators, I improved my skills to explore the transformative power of technology in preserving cultural heritage.
In 2019, the world watched in horror as Notre Dame de Paris (巴黎圣母院) was consumed in flames. Determined to contribute to the restoration efforts, I took the lead in developing a digital ecosystem for the restoration operation. We developed groundbreaking AI tools generating 3D representations from photographs. By tracking the position and shape of voussoirs (拱石), and digitizing them from photographs, we were able to use the fine geometric information of the voussoirs to reconstruct the arch, thus giving valuable information to the architects about the structure, the exact geometry, and especially about constructive details of the oldest areas of the church from the 13th century. Notably, AI played a pivotal role in the process.
As the restoration project progresses, the AI-driven preservation continues to advance. This knowledge will definitely serve as raw material to be used for AI systems, for example, for studies that can be extended to other buildings. Today, the restoration project is in an extremely advanced state. We hope to complete the restoration work before the 2024 Paris Olympics, so that this architectural masterpiece can regain its former glory.
1. What led the author to computer science initially?| A．Composing music with CAD. | B．Exploring computers for music. |
| C．Studying for a degree in architecture. | D．Developing sound sampling systems. |
| A．The application of AI in restoration. | B．The structure of Notre Dame de Paris. |
| C．The destruction of Notre Dame de Paris. | D．The development of AI digital ecosystem. |
| A．Secondary. | B．Independent. | C．Discouraging. | D．Crucial. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Skeptical. | C．Optimistic. | D．Objective. |
7 . Sometimes trees can be a little too respectful of one another’s boundaries. Or maybe they just stop growing when they get too close. The phenomenon is called crown (树冠) shyness-the tops of individual trees do not touch each other, creating a visible gap between the tree crowns.
Experts aren’t exactly sure why the naturally occurring phenomenon happens, but they’ve been studying it for decades and have a few theories. In 1955 a biologist Putz noticed that the trees, which grow close together, can rub against each other when the wind is strong enough. The resulting abrasion (磨损) helps form and maintain the shyness gaps. In 1986, this theory was backed up by Dr. Miguel Franco, who noticed that the branches of Picea sitchensis and Larix kaempferi trees suffered physical damage during abrasion, which killed the leading branches. The presence of broken tips at the points where branches meet lends support to the abrasion theory.
However, one Malaysian scholar suggests that shyness gaps result from the influences individual trees have on one another. Trees cannot move, so if they have nearby neighbors, they are forced to compete for resources, especially light. According to this theory, each tree forces its neighbors into a pattern that maximizes resource collection and minimizes harmful competition. Trees grow in the direction of light, so branches would naturally try to avoid other plants that could shade them or prevent their growth, creating a gap between the tree crowns.
Another possible reason for crown shyness is to prevent the spread of harmful insects, which could eat the tree’s leaves. Still someone believes the best scientific explanation so far is that the leaves of the tree release certain chemicals to stop other trees from growing too close.
The answer could be just one of the above, or a combination of more. But some species have been adapted to take advantage of crown shyness to grow into shapes that go well with nearby trees and therefore economic profits can be maximized out of the phenomenon.
1. What is crown shyness according to the text?| A．A behavior exhibited by insects in the crown of trees. |
| B．A disease that affects the leaves of certain tree species. |
| C．A phenomenon where trees grow taller than surrounding ones. |
| D．An occurrence where crowns of trees avoid touching each other. |
| A．Supportive. | B．Critical. | C．Tolerant. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．The blowing wind effect. | B．The release of a special chemical. |
| C．A natural way of shade avoidance. | D．An adaptation to stop insect spreading. |
| A．A further explanation of the theoretic framework. |
| B．Supporting evidence for the research conclusions. |
| C．A reasonable doubt about the research implications. |
| D．Practical application of crown shyness phenomenon. |
8 . With mounting evidence that nanoplastic particles (纳米塑料微粒) are in our bodies, there is growing concern over their potential health impacts. Now a new study finds a relation between nanoplastics in the brain and a higher risk for Parkinson’s disease.
Nanoplastics appear when the plastic packaging breaks down into small pieces. These particles can enter the blood and cross the blood-brain barrier, with European researchers reporting earlier this year that in animal experiments, it can take two hours or less for certain nanoplastics to reach the brain after being eaten.
In humans, it’s long been thought that environmental factors play a role in Parkinson’s disease but specific causes are still unclear. The new study from the Duke University School of Medicine details how nanoplastics cause chemical changes in the brain that can, in turn, make Parkinson’s and related types of diseases more likely.
That’s because the nanoplastics attract a protein (蛋白质) called alpha-synuclein, known to play a role in Parkinson’s and related disorders. In lab and animal studies, the plastic’s interaction with it leads to increases in the affected neurons in the brain. This interaction appears related to favorable conditions in which Parkinson’s can develop.
The study authors note that Parkinson’s disease existed long before nanoplastics appeared in the environment, but they think that this “nanoplastics pollution in the human brain” may prove a new poison.
Further, the Duke team led by Dr. Andrew West notes that Parkinson’s disease is among the fastest growing nervous diseases in the world, even as the amazing amount of plastic pollution builds across the planet. This is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
“The technology to monitor nanoplastics is still at the earliest possible stages and not ready yet to answer all the questions we have,” West said. “But hopefully efforts in this area will increase rapidly, as we see what these particles can do in our experiments.”
1. Where is the text most probably taken from?| A．A product advertisement. |
| B．A science journal. |
| C．An art magazine. |
| D．A travel brochure. |
| A．The conditions leading to Parkinson’s. |
| B．The cause of alpha-synuclein’s appearance. |
| C．The principle of nanoplastics’ impact on Parkinson’s. |
| D．The difference between Parkinson’s and related disorders. |
| A．Plastic pollution will by no means be avoided. |
| B．Nanoplastics are impossible to deal with at present. |
| C．Fewer people will suffer from Parkinson’s in the future. |
| D．More efforts in the study of nanoplastics will be put in. |
| A．Nanoplastics can enter the brain through blood |
| B．Nanoplastics may promote Parkinson’s disease |
| C．Alpha-synuclein plays a role in Parkinson’s disease |
| D．Nanoplastics will do serious harm to human health |
9 . In 2019, after retiring from her career as a social worker, Ane Freed - Kernis decided to build a home workshop and devote all of her free time to stone carving. “I might be covered head to to e in dust but I’m happy — it was something I needed more of in my life when I hit 60,” she says.
This appeal has its origins in Freed - Kernis’ childhood. Growing up on her father’s farm in Denmark, she used to wander through the fields with her eyes fixed on the ground, looking for stones to add to her collection. “I’ve always been drawn to the shapes and textures(质地) of stones,” she says.
After moving to England in 1977 and training as a social worker, Freed - Kernis soon became occupied with her busy career and the demands of raising her son. Stones were the last thing on her mind, until her father died in 2005. “He took a stone carving course in his retirement, and I always thought stone seemed so fun but never had the time to look into it myself,” she says. “After he died, I became determined to learn in his honour.”
Signing up for a week-long stone carving course at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Freed - Kernis began to learn how to turn a block of rock into well-designed shapes. “It was really scary at the start because you would spend hours just hammering(锤打).”
Now 65, Freed - Kernis has a thriving small business built largely through word of mouth. She creates 12 to 15 pieces a year that can take anywhere from a few days to three weeks to complete, while her prices range from £ 200 to £ 3,000. “I’m making smaller ones,” she says. “I don’t have to depend on the money much, so I want to keep prices in the range that people can afford, mainly just covering costs and labour(劳动力).”
1. Freed-Kernis was first attracted by stones when ______.| A．she was 60 | B．she was a child |
| C．her father died | D．she moved to England |
| A．She never cared about her father. |
| B．She led a disappointing life in Denmark. |
| C．She spent lots of time studying stone carving. |
| D．She learned stone carving under the influence of her dad. |
| A．Hopeful and proud. |
| B．Confident and satisfied. |
| C．Nervous and frightened. |
| D．Impatient and unprepared. |
| A．They are easier to move by her. |
| B．They are more affordable to people. |
| C．She wants to save costs and labour. |
| D．She is too old to focus on making large ones. |
10 . Artificial intelligence(AI)models have long surpassed (超过) just creating text responses and images. Now, with only one sentence, OpenAI’s latest text-to-video model, Sora, can turn your words into video with good visual quality while faithfully following your content instructions.
Sora is said to perform better than many other existing models with similar functions. The Al model can create video at suitable aspect ratios (屏幕高宽比) for different devices, such as both widescreen videos and vertical videos that we usually see on social media. It also lets users quickly test out content in lower quality before making the high-quality version, which helps speed up output.
Aside from this, its ability to present videos in a realistic and smooth manner is amazing. Sora can create detailed scenes with several characters, scientific types of motion, and accurate subject and background details while generating multiple shots with a single video. Beyond the user’s requests, it also understands how these elements exist in the real world. For example, reflections in the water changes as a woman walks by.
Sora’s performance wouldn’t be possible without its helpful assistant, ChatGPT, which transforms simple sentences into detailed descriptions. improving the accuracy of output according to the user’s prompts (提示语).
However, the current model isn’t perfect. It may have trouble accurately showing how things move in a complicated scene and might not get how one action leads to another. For example, if someone eats part of a cookie in a Sora-made video, the cookie might not look like it’s been bitten into. The model might mix up directions like left and right, and find it hard to describe events in the right order.
As of February, Sora is still in the testing stage of development. OpenAI is now inviting cybersecurity professionals to make random attacks on Sora’s system, aiming to test the model’s possible weaknesses and risks. Sora has also been open to some visual artists, designers and filmmakers. Their feedback (反馈) will assist OpenAI in enhancing the model to better serve creative professionals.
1. What is the main focus of paragraphs 2-3?| A．Sora’s strengths. | B．Sora’s variety. |
| C．Sora’s development. | D．Sora’s techniques. |
| A．By specifying user input. | B．By providing verbal feedback. |
| C．By examining sample videos. | D．By improving video quality. |
| A．To stress Sora’s potential safety risks. |
| B．To illustrate Sora’s existing limitations. |
| C．To show Sora’s perfect performance. |
| D．To explain the concept of a space time patch. |
| A．It has been made available to various industries. |
| B．Its commercial release has been called off. |
| C．It has exposed alarming security issues. |
| D．It is undergoing testing and improvement. |
