1 . This era of “Industry 4. 0” is being driven by the same technological advances that enable the capabilities of the smartphones in our pockets. It is a mix of low-cost and high-power computers, high-speed communication and artificial intelligence. This will produce smarter robots with better sensing and communication abilities that can _________ different tasks, and even adjust their work to meet demand without the input of humans.

In the manufacturing industry, where robots have arguably made the most headway of any division, this will mean a(n) _________ shift from centralized to decentralized cooperative production. _________ robots focused on single, fixed, high - speed operations and required a highly skilled human workforce to operate and maintain them. Industry 4. 0 machines are flexible, cooperative and can operate more independently which _________ removes the need for a highly skilled workforce.

For large-scale manufacturers, Industry 4. 0 means their robots will be able to sense their environment and communicate in an industrial network that can be run and _________ remotely. Each machine will produce large amounts of data that can be _________ studied using what is known as “big data” analysis. This will help _________ ways to improve operating performance and production quality across the whole plat, for example by better predicting when repairing is needed and automatically _________ it.

For _________ manufacturing businesses, Industry 4. 0 will make it cheaper and easier to use robots. It will create machines that can be rearranged to perform __________ jobs and adjusted to work on a more diverse product range and different production volumes. This part is already beginning to benefit from robots designed to cooperate with human workers and analyse their own work to look for __________.

While these machines are getting smarter, they are still not as smart as us. Today's industrial artificial intelligence operates at a __________ level, which gives the appearance of human intelligence exhibited by machines, but designed by humans.

What's coming next is known as “deep learning”. Similar to big data analysis, it involves processing large quantities of data in real time to __________ what is the best action to take, The __________ is that the machine learns from the data so it can improve its decision making. A perfect example of deep learning was __________   by Google's Alpha Go software, which taught itself to beat the world's greatest Go players.

1.

A．compare with

B．adapt to

C．pick out

D．hold on

2.

A．extensive

B．accidental

C．convenient

D．dramatic

3.

A．Traditional

B．Removable

C．Fashionable

D．Potential

4.

A．temporarily

B．thoroughly

C．eventually

D．initially

5.

A．arranged

B．evaluated

C．monitored

D．composed

6.

A．gradually

B．collectively

C．similarly

D．approximately

7.

A．identify

B．reserve

C．exploit

D．indicate

8.

A．dominating

B．imposing

C．eliminating

D．scheduling

9.

A．high-speed

B．mass-produced

C．small-to-medium

D．multi-cultural

10.

A．multiple

B．feasible

C．profitable

D．independent

11.

A．promotions

B．improvements

C．highlights

D．resolutions

12.

A．separate

B．peculiar

C．narrow

D．mysterious

13.

A．come up with

B．account for

C．give way to

D．make decisions about

14.

A．difference

B．commission

C．phenomenon

D．expectation

15.

A．introduced

B．described

C．prepared

D．demonstrated

2 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

A. cultivate       B. reassuring       C. opposing       D. objective       E. confidence F. evidence       G. perceived       H. functioning       I. estimate       J. existing K. scientism

Why Doubt Is Essential To Science

The confidence people place in science is frequently based not on what it really is, but on what people would like it to be. When I asked students at the beginning of the year how they would define science, many of them replied that it is a(n)     1     way of discovering certainties about the world. But science cannot provide certainties. For example, a majority of Americans trust science as long as it does not challenge their     2     beliefs. To the question “When science disagrees with the teachings of your religion, which one do you believe?” 58 percent of North Americans favor religion; 33 percent science; and 6 percent say “it depends.”

But doubt in science is a feature, not a bug. Indeed, science, when properly     3     , questions accepted facts and leads to both new knowledge and new questions — not certainty. Doubt does not     4     trust, nor does it help public understanding. So why should people trust a process that seems to require a troublesome state of uncertainty without always providing solid solutions?

As a historian of science, I would argue that it's the responsibility of scientists and historians of science to show that the real power of science lies precisely in what is often     5     as its weakness: its drive to question and challenge a possible explanation. Indeed, the scientific approach requires changing our understanding of the natural world whenever new     6     emerges from either experimentation or observation. Scientific findings are hypotheses that contain the state of knowledge at a given moment. In the long run, many of are challenged and even overturned. Doubt might be troubling, but it stimulates us towards a better understanding; certainties, as     7     as they may seem, in fact block the scientific process.

Scientists understand this, but in the     8     force between the public and science, there are two significant traps. One is a form of blind     9     — that is, a belief in the capacity of science to solve all problems. And the other is a form of relativism borne out of a lack of     10     in the very existence of truth.

3 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Charles Dickens

It has been 150 years since Charles Dickens died, 184 years since his first work was released to the public and 156 years since his last completed book came out. In all of this time, these novels have never been out of print. Dickens may have left us, but his work remains timeless,     1     (fascinate) the majority of those who open their pages.

Most people have read, watched or at least heard of Dickens’ stories, but what makes him and his work so popular? Since he began novel writing in his 20s, Dickens constantly produced quality classics. Year after year his awaiting fans were not left     2     (disappoint) as their minds were fed with complex tales of romance, crime, hope and despair.

In the Victorian era he lived in, much of the work Dickens produced     3     (model) on the literature before him. He was one of the first writers of the time     4     (portray) honest examples of working-class people, giving many something to relate to. He focused on unfolding the good and bad qualities of characters which allowed his readers to follow their journeys and understand     5     they may have acted in the unusual or shocking ways that they did.

Any Dickens fans will know the diverse and outrageous (耸人听闻的) characters coming to life between the pages.     6     was special about this novelist’s ability in imagining these characters’ stories is that it comes from his own life’s path.     7     a young boy left to take care of himself in a workhouse to the wealthy figure he became through his writing successes, he knew what it was like to see in different lights. This deep understanding of his characters gave his fictional stories the strong element of believability     8     is needed in a good novel.

Over a century and a half later, Dickens’ themes can be relevant to today’s world problems. His words and imagery have been transformed further into the media of modern film, television and even musical adaptations.     9     set in a time unfamiliar to readers today, his work still enables everyone to relate to the love, hardship and sense of family that pours from the narratives. It is this aspect     10     has carried Charles Dickens into the 21st century.

4 . Hello, Stranger

Attitudes to strangers tend to follow a familiar pattern. Children are taught never to speak to unknown grown-ups, especially those regarded by their parents as untrustworthy. The onset of adolescence and young adulthood brings a bursting desire to interact with all sorts of people, which. of course, might not gain family approval.

    1    

Social circles generally narrow again as people find life-partners, form households and produce offspring of their own. Time becomes scarce; new friendships are often based on sharing the burden of child care.     2    As is often the ease, that is because professional duties expand even as parental ones diminish. Then in old age, even if ouriosity and charisma remain undimmed, lack of mental and psychological energy makes new serendipitous connections harder to establish.

But that is not the whole story.     3     However short, it somehow touches a nerve. It might involve nothing more than a smile, or a chance remark that hits an emotional spot; or it might be an unexpectedly deep conversation on a plane or train, a surge of mutual understanding that is life-affirming even if the companion is never seen again.

In the age of covid-19 and Zoom, the chronological pattern has been changed. Instead of their vague possibilities and risks, strangers have assumed the all-too-literal role as a looming source of infection. During lock-downs they are officially to be avoided. Yet youngsters still long dangerously, for the pleasure of interaction, not just with individuals but anonymous crowds.     4     And we can hear the burden of wearing a mask through the whole movie just to enjoy the comforting sense of fellowship in a cinema or theatre audience.

A．This aspect of the story and fear of strangers has bring about frustration among people.

B．Some people never recover the youthful enthusiasm for unforeseen encounters.

C．Middle-aged people gradually realize that the exchange will be a one-off which can permit freedom and frankness.

D．People of all ages have come to miss the human stimulation of busy high streets or trains.

E．In mid-life and beyond people can still experience the joy of a random meeting.

F．Despite this, the resulting interactions can generate an appealing feeling of escaping familiarity.

5 .

IRELAND’S NUMBER ONE FOOD MAGAZINE Welcome The thing I love most about Irish people is our tolerance and acceptance of the fact we have no clear summertime. Sunshine hits our shores for the week here and there from April to October. So, we have adopted a “take it when we can get it” attitude and are ready to sunbathe and barbecue on a moment’s notice, and if all else fails, we will do it anyway. This July / August issue is our summer special edition and it’s brimming with summer eating ideas for any occasion when the sun peeks through the clouds--a family barbecue on when a whim, children’s garden party, a picnic with friends on the beach or an ice-cream sitting on your doorstep, we’ve got it covered. Check out 5 ways with skewer p. 42 so you can whip up something for the barbecue at a minute’s notice, 30 speedy salads and dressings p. 46 will mean you won’t arrive to a friend’s house empty-handed. Cooking begins at home, and most of us learned from one or both of our parents. Every junior cook should start their own collection of recipes, marking their favourites, tweaking them to their liking as they learn how to enjoy new ingredients. This is why we have created Easy Juniors p. 58 --our new cut-out-and-keep recipe page just for our younger readers. Speaking of cooking talent, I am delighted to say that the Easy Food Home-Cook Hero Awards 2013 is officially open for entries! This cookery competition is our annual event in which we ask everyone to enter their favourite recipes across a variety of categories. The top three finalists, as chosen by us, in each category are asked to join us on Saturday, November 9th in Cooks Academy Cookery School in Dublin city centre to cook their dish. Each dish will be judged by our panel of judges and then winners are announced at a black-tie awards ceremony in the Shelbourne Hotel that evening. People of all ages can enter and there are lots of categories to choose from, so go to p. 15 for full details on how to enter and best of luck. As always, I hope you enjoy reading. Dee Laffan, Editor Easy Food 3

1. According to the passage, which of the following statement is TRUE?

A．What Irish people love most is sunbathing at the shore in summer.

B．Salads and dressings seems like preferable gifts when visiting a friend.

C．All the people learn to cook following one or both of their parents’ recipes.

D．The winner of cookery competition will be announced at a formal ceremony.

2. This passage is mainly written to ________.

A．introduce the content covered in the magazine

B．provide cut-out-and-keep recipe for junior cooks

C．invite cooking talents to take part in a competition

D．call on Irish people to enjoy precious summertime

3. Easy Food is most probably written for ________.

A．a food critic working for Michelin

B．a mother of a new-born child

C．a student interested in cooking

D．a chef full of experience

6 . In American culture, I am noticing a lack of respect, especially among children. This should be treated _________ since disrespectful children will become disrespectful teenagers, and then disrespectful adults. American culture is _________ the ways of teaching respect, while other cultures have methods that Americans could learn from.

In 1995, I spent a couple of months in Kenya where I lived with a pastor’s family. This pastor was a part of the Maasai tribes that have some unique customs. One of them is the _________ that the children give the adults. When an adult approaches a Maasai child, the child will _________ and tilt their head slightly saying “Suppa”. The adult responses by saying “Ippa” touching the top of their heads. This simple act shows respect for the adult. The children _________ that they are their elder and that the adult deserves respect.

In my early 20’s, I worked at a children’s home in South Carolina where the children from 4 to 19 years old were taught to respect their elders. They _________ me as “Mr. Vince” and every adult worker there with a “Mr, Mrs, or Ms.”. However, as I counsel and talk to teachers and other professionals who work with children now, there seems to be a _________ in such as friendly behavior that children give adults. Fewer students treat teachers with respect: Children frequently talk back to their teachers, parents or seniors, interrupt conversations, and disregard their _________. Children casually speak with other adults like waiters, store clerks, postmen, cashiers, etc. in the way as if they are children’s _________.

Immanuel Kant expressed two __________ attitudes in Europe that are still dominant today. One is that only humans are persons because they have autonomy—they freely choose to act on principles by __________ laws on themselves, and not on desires. It is this mind based on __________ that gives humans special status. Second, to learn to follow principles instead of desires, a human child needs to learn __________ to the laws of adults. They must practice __________ regulation before they are able to practice autonomy. Kant said that “act in the way you want others to act in the situation, taking other people as persons, not __________ you use for your own goals”. Only in this way can you become a real person with intrinsic values.

1.

A．passionately

B．steadily

C．publicly

D．alarmingly

2.

A．challenging

B．faking

C．piloting

D．abandoning

3.

A．assistance

B．greeting

C．blessing

D．guarantee

4.

A．come forward

B．drop by

C．show off

D．fall down

5.

A．pretend

B．suspect

C．determine

D．acknowledge

6.

A．located

B．ranked

C．addressed

D．defied

7.

A．delight

B．delay

C．decline

D．distress

8.

A．gesture

B．secret

C．behavior

D．authority

9.

A．peers

B．enemies

C．guards

D．owners

10.

A．controversial

B．accepted

C．foreign

D．equivalent

11.

A．twisting

B．imposing

C．banning

D．sparing

12.

A．reason

B．solution

C．harmony

D．consciousness

13.

A．similarity

B．response

C．obedience

D．approach

14.

A．environmental

B．external

C．voluntary

D．flexible

15.

A．luxuries

B．glories

C．instruments

D．models

7 . Shortages of flu vaccine are nothing new in America, but this year’s is a whopper. Until last week, it appeared that 100 million Americans would have access to flu shots this fall. Then British authorities, concerned about quality-control problems at a production plant in Liverpool, bailed all further shipments by the Chiron Corp. Overnight, the U.S. vaccine supply dwindled by nearly half and federal health officials found themselves making an unusual appeal. Instead of pleading with us all to get vaccinated, they’re now urging most healthy people between the ages of 2 and 64 not to. “This re-emphasizes the fragility of our vaccine supply,” says Dr. Martin Myers of the National Network for Immunization Information, “and the lack of redundancy in our system.”

Why is such a basic health service so easily knocked out? Mainly because private companies have had little incentive to pursue it. To create a single dose of flu vaccine, a manufacture has to grow live virus in a 2-week-old fertilized chicken egg, then crack the egg, harvest the virus and extract the proteins used to provoke an immune response. Profit margins are narrow, demand is changeable and, because each year’s flu virus is different, any leftover vaccine goes to waste. As a result the United States now has only two major suppliers (Chiron and Aventis Pasteur) and when one of them runs into trouble, there isn’t much the other can do about it. “A vaccine maker can’t just call up and order 40 million more fertilized eggs,” says Manon Cox, of Connecticut-based Protein Sciences Corp. “There’s a whole industry that’s scheduled to produce a certain number of eggs at a certain time.”

Sleeker technologies are now in the works, and experts are hoping that this year’s complete failure will speed the pace of innovation. The main challenge is to shift production from eggs into cell cultures—a medium already used to make most other vaccines. Flu vaccines are harder than most to produce this way, but several biotech companies are now pursuing this strategy, and one culture-based product (Solvay Pharmaceuticals’ Invivac) has been cleared for marketing in Europe.

For America, the immediate challenge is to make the most of a limited supply. The government estimates that 95 million people still qualify for shots under the voluntary restrictions announced last week. That’s nearly twice the number of doses that clinics will have on hand, but only 60 million Americans seek out shots in a normal year. In fact, many experts are hoping the shortage will serve as an awareness campaign — encouraging the people who really need a flu shot to get one.

1. Shortage of flu vaccine show that ________.

A．America relies too much on foreign suppliers

B．the demand of flu vaccines is high this year

C．quality problem is a serious problem in flu vaccine production

D．the supply of flu vaccines is rather weak and America has no back-up measures to make it up

2. Private companies have little interest in producing flu vaccines because of ________.

A．complicated process, high cost, low profit and high risk

B．shortages of fertilized chicken eggs

C．difficulty in growing live virus

D．fast changing of flu virus

3. From the last paragraph we can infer that ________.

A．the government hopes to solve the problem by way of volunteer restrictions

B．more than 47 million Americans who are qualified to get flu vaccine shots cannot get hem this year

C．America has to deal with a limited supply of flu vaccines this year

D．normally only a small percentage of American population gets flu vaccine shots each year

4. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．All Americans are persuaded not to get vaccinated this year.

B．The big problem in innovating flu vaccine producing technique is how to grow virus in a new way.

C．More flu vaccines cannot be produced in a short time because private companies refuse to produce more.

D．Flu vaccines are easier than most vaccines to produce through cell cultures.

8 . Directions: Read the following three passages. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Four-day Workweek

In the United States, employees typically work five days a week for eight hours each day. However, many employees want to work a four-day week and are willing to accept less pay in order to do so. If a law required companies to offer their employees the option of working a four-day workweek for four-fifths (80 percent) of their normal pay, it would benefit the economy as a whole as well as the individual companies and the employees who decided to take the option.

The shortened workweek would increase company profits because employees would feel more rested and alert, and as a result, they would make fewer costly errors in their work. Hiring more staff to ensure that the same amount of work would be accomplished would not result in additional pay the company has to prepare for these people, because four-day employees would only be paid 80 percent of the normal rate. In the end, companies would have fewer overworked and error-prone(容易出错的) employees for the same money, which would increase company profits.

For the country as a whole, one of the primary benefits of offering this option to employees is that it would reduce unemployment rates. If many full-time employees started working fewer hours, some of their workload would have to be shifted to others. Thus, for every four employees who went on an 80 percent week, a new employee could be hired at the 80 percent rate.

Finally, the option of a four-day workweek would be better for individual employees. Employees who could afford a lower salary in exchange for more free time could improve the quality of their lives by spending the extra time with their families, pursuing private interests, or enjoying leisure activities.

9 .    

About Old Faithful —The Most Famous Geyser (间歇性喷泉) in the World Discovered in 1870 by the Washburn Expedition, Old Faithful geyser was named for its frequent eruptions (喷发) — which number more than a million since Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. When does Old Faithful erupt? Basic prediction of Old Faithful is dependent upon the duration of the previous eruption. During visitor center hours, geyser statistics and predictions are maintained by the naturalist staff. People speak of the average time between eruptions. This is misleading. The mathematical average between eruptions of Old Faithful is currently 74 minutes, but it doesn’t like to act average! Intervals can range from 60-110 minutes. Visitors can check for posted prediction times in most buildings in the Old Faithful area. How high does Old Faithful erupt and how long will it last? Old Faithful can vary in height from 100–180 feet with an average near 130–140 feet. This has been the historical range of its recorded height. Eruptions normally last between 1.5 to 5 minutes. I heard Old Faithful isn’t as faithful as it used to be. Is it slowing down? It depends on what you call faithful. The famous geyser currently erupts around 20 times a day and can be predicted with a 90 percent confidence rate within a 10 minute variation. Prior to the 1959 earthquake, Old Faithful erupted 21 times per day. That’s a significant decrease in activity for geologists tracking each eruption, but to visitors seeing one or two eruptions…it looks just fine. How many gallons of water are expelled during an eruption? It depends on the duration of the eruption. Scientists estimate that the amount ranges from 3,700 gallons (for a short duration of 1.5 minutes) to 8,400 gallons (for a longer duration of 4.5 minutes). How hot is the water in Old Faithful? During an eruption, the water temperature at the vent has been measured at 204°F (95.6°C). The steam temperature has been measured above 350°F!

1. You and your friend just watched the eruption of Old Faithful at 12:26 p.m., at what time is it possible for you to enjoy the next one?

A．13:06

B．14:06

C．15:06

D．16:06

2. Which one of the following statement about Old Faithful is true?

A．The geyser’s name indicates that it always erupts regularly, 20 times a day, once every 74 minutes.

B．When it is erupting, people should keep a safe distance due to its freezing coldness.

C．Old Faithful is a well-known geyser which can expel at least 3700 gallons water each time.

D．To check the eruption time, visitors may refer to predictions on the posted timetables.

3. Where does the article most probably appear?

A．The Yellowstone official website.

B．Local travel pamphlets introducing Yellowstone.

C．A recently-issued guide book on Yellowstone.

D．A travel magazine column about Yellowstone.

10 . Directions: Read the following three passages. Summarize the main idea and the main point（s） of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible.

Ann Grand: a visual thinker

Ann Grand is a visual thinker. When somebody speaks to her, the words are instantly translated into pictures. like a video in her head. Unlike most people, her thoughts move from ideo-like images to generalizations and concepts. Furthermore, her memories usually appear in her imagination in order of time. and the image visualized are always specific. For example. if she thinks about a chimney, she sees detailed pictures. like the one in her old house. and then those in her hometown. That one word can turn into a full-length video in her head. Grand's mind works like the Internet search engine which produces dozens of images of an object a user is searching for.

Visual thinking has enabled Grand to build entire systems in her imagination, which works similarly to a computer program because it can produce three-dimensional design simulations. This was important to her as an equipment designer for the livestock industry. Before she started construction on her designs, she would test-run the equipment in her mind. She formed mental pictures of her designs in every possible situation, with different sizes and breeds of cattle and in different weather conditions. This process made it possible for her to correct mistakes before construction started.

Grand's mind is also sensitive to details, which was important in her work with cattle. Her sharp awareness of the visual world led to noteworthy observations about animals. She noticed many little things that most people would not consider that scared the cattle. For example, a coat on a fence or a pipe on the floor would frighten them away. Grand's visualization abilities have also helped her understand the animals she has worked with. This led her to create designs ranging from sweeping, curved fences intended to reduce the stress experienced by animals that were going to be killed to systems for handling sick cattle and pigs.

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