1 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

We had moved to a new town for my husband’s work. After living here for just a couple of weeks, I was more than ready to pick up my luggage and move back home. I was lonely for a friend. My boy Samuel was lonely. My husband, Lonny, adapted just fine, but he was occupied with work most of the time.

I missed our old neighborhood. It had been like a closely knitted community where neighbors chatted over fences. Newcomers were welcomed with chocolate brownies (巧克力蛋糕) and carrot bread. It had been easy to find friends there.

Our new community was different. It seemed that family roots grew deep. Deep as the Mississippi River that flowed past this tiny river town. Breaking in was tough.

“I’m so alone here,” I said to Lonny one evening. Lonny is a good listener, and a problem solver. “What have you done to meet people?” he asked. “I go to the park every day. I even dropped by a book salon (读书沙龙) at the library the other day and came across a nice lady with a boy.”

“Sounds not bad,” he said. “Did you talk to her?” The answer was no. It wasn’t that people here were unkind. I just didn’t feel like initiating conversations, and I preferred minding my own business in a new environment.

A few more months passed and winter settled in. It was harder than ever to meet people. I began to feel bitter. I was tired of trying to fit in a place where we didn’t belong.

Lonny noticed my low spirits. “Amy, you look unapproachable, with your arms crossed and everything,” he whispered in my ear one afternoon. He and I were sitting in the yard. Samuel, our five-year-old was playing baseball next to us.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to have friends here.” Just then Samuel looked up. He must’ve heard our whispers. “Mom’s right, Dad. We’ll never ever have friends here. And we just want to go back to our old home.” I sat there and looked at my tiny innocent son. His words mirrored my attitude. And I didn’t like the disturbing reflection.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

That’s when I knew that I needed an adjustment.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

One afternoon, Samuel and I ran into the lady with her boy again at the library.

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3 . Experts worry that teen texting is out of control. Instead of _________, Kenny, 16, often _________ with his friends through the night. “You get a(n) _________,” explains the teen, who lives in Texas. “When I get a text, I’m itching (渴望) to _________ it even if I want to sleep.”

Garcia, a high school senior from Grand Kennedy, has also felt the need to stay constantly _________. We asked how many texts she sent and received each day. “I don’t know… maybe 1,000?” she answered. “It’s too many to _________.”

Dr. Dowdell, at Villanova University, says that many people expect to be able to _________ anyone at any time. “It’s very _________, especially to a high school student. But it reduces the time that could be spent studying, exercising, or just relaxing. Another _________ is, there’s no downtime.” And people need to __________—especially when we have so much to do.

So we decided to have Kenny and Garcia do an experiment. These were the __________: No phone for 48 hours. No computer or Internet either.

“Wow, it was completely __________,” Kenny joked. Though he was sad and missed his friends at times, he __________ “it had benefits.” __________ texting, he went to the gym and caught up on schoolwork. Garcia had an even more __________ result. “I loved it!” she said, “I was hanging out with friends and slept better too.”

1.

A．sleeping

B．exercising

C．reading

D．working

2.

A．studies

B．discusses

C．argues

D．texts

3.

A．power

B．urge

C．approval

D．commitment

4.

A．submit to

B．feed on

C．respond to

D．struggle against

5.

A．surrounded

B．accepted

C．connected

D．acknowledged

6.

A．avoid

B．count

C．anticipate

D．accumulate

7.

A．access

B．challenge

C．consult

D．influence

8.

A．appealing

B．annoying

C．frustrating

D．encouraging

9.

A．benefit

B．expectation

C．assumption

D．concern

10.

A．resist

B．advance

C．concentrate

D．pause

11.

A．components

B．applications

C．rules

D．options

12.

A．painful

B．enjoyable

C．serious

D．helpful

13.

A．instructed

B．hesitated

C．rejected

D．admitted

14.

A．In spite of

B．Instead of

C．But for

D．Along with

15.

A．direct

B．depressing

C．joyful

D．practical

4 . Deepfake: synthetic (合成的) media, including images, videos, and audio, is generated by Al technology to show something that does not exist or events that have never occurred.

Examples of deepfakes have been widely spread, including a video of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg giving a speech about his company’s plan, and a video of Elon Musk dancing and talking about the power of dreams, etc.

It’s easy for AI to produce such deepfakes using two different deep-learning algorithms (算法): one that creates the best possible clone based on a real image or video and another that detects whether the copy is fake (伪造的) and, if it is, reports on the differences between it and the original. The first algorithm produces a synthetic image and receives feedback on it from the second algorithm and then adjusts it to make it appear more real; the loop is repeated as many times as it takes until the second algorithm does not detect any false imagery.

Deepfakers often have evil motives, including creating misinformation and generating confusion. They tend to demean, terrify, and annoy, and have targeted not only celebrities but ordinary citizens as well.

Most of the academic research surrounding deepfakes focuses on the detection of huge amount of deepfake videos emerging online. One detection approach is to use algorithms to identify inconsistencies in deepfake videos. For example, an automatic system can examine videos for errors such as irregular blinking patterns of lighting. However, these approaches have been criticized because deepfake detection is characterized by a “moving goal post” where the production of deepfakes is changing and improving while detection tools are always on the way of catching them up.

However, education and medicine are two of the fields that may benefit from deepfake technology. In the classroom, historical speeches could be deepfaked to offer immersive and engaging lessons. In health care, it can improve the accuracy with which tumors (肿瘤) are spotted, making them easier to treat. Its use also permits using synthesized data instead of that from real patients to avoid privacy concerns.

1. How does AI create a deepfake video according to the passage?

A．By copying and combining the fake images.

B．By constantly teaching itself to perfect the output.

C．By acquiring feedback from multiple sources.

D．By repeatedly generating realistic images from scratch.

2. What is the challenge of detecting deepfake videos?

A．Ever-evolving deepfake techniques.	B．Insufficient academic basis on detection solutions.
C．A massive number of false videos online.	D．Limited availability of detection tools.

3. What is the author’s attitude toward deepfake?

A．Supportive.

B．Critical.

C．Objective.

D．Unconcerned.

4. What is probably the best title for the passage?

A．Potential threats: AI’s new playground	B．Deepfake: Human’s another helping hand
C．Artificial Intelligence: A piece of fake	D．Detecting deepfake: An ongoing battle

5 . An ordinary day in 2008, first grade teacher Alvin Irby stopped by a Bronx barbershop after school for a haircut. Before long, one of his students came in.

“He is getting antsy; he’s kind of looking bored,” Irby recalled. “I’m looking at this student (thinking), ‘He should be practicing his reading.’ But I didn’t have a book.” That moment stayed with Irby, and five years later he started Barbershop Books. Since 2013, the nonprofit has brought more than 50,000 free children’s books to more than 200 barbershops in mainly Black neighborhoods across the country.

According to Irby, they are putting books in a male-centered space. “Less than 2% of teachers are Black males and many Black boys are raised by single moms. Black boys don’t see Black men reading.” So, Irby involves the barbers in his mission—training them to engage boys about reading.

“We want them to encourage kids to use the reading spaces,” he said. “Then they can talk to them about how they like reading, how funny a book was, or tell them about another book another kid was reading.” Irby believes that talking about books with a Black man can be powerful for the boys he serves. “Our goal is not to turn barbers into tutors,” he said. “This is an opportunity to provide boys with male role models.”

Denny Moe was the first barber to work with Irby. Moe had previously offered video games at his Harlem shop, to bring in extra income, but he was willing to forego that to help the community. “I decided to pay it forward by getting rid of the video games, putting books in here, just to get the kids’ minds going,” he said. “You want to make an impact.”

And that’s what keeps Irby motivated. “I’m just excited that we get to create a safe space for boys to do something that’s really life changing,” he said. “That’s what I really believe reading is. It unlocks potential.”

1. What inspired Irby to launch the project Barbershop Books?

A．His encounter with his student in the barber’s.

B．His childhood experience in his neighborhood.

C．His bad impression on Black men.

D．Barbers’ enthusiasm and generosity.

2. What does Irby intend the barbers to do in the project?

A．To collect books for Black boys.

B．To set a good example as a behaved citizen.

C．To help Black boys comprehend books.

D．To draw Black boys to reading.

3. What does the underlined word “forego” in paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Give up.

B．Build up.

C．Give away.

D．Open up.

4. What has contributed to the success of the project?

A．Black boys’ increased interest in reading.

B．New policies concerning barbers’ shops.

C．Irby’s firm belief in the power of reading.

D．Effective cooperation between Irby and Denny Moe.

6 . Artificial intelligence is a complex computer science concept. The following are several examples of artificial intelligence.

1. Olly

An artificial intelligence assistant named Olly, is more advanced and developed than Siri and Alexa. It is integrated with deep learning and natural language processing features. This technology is said to be quite helpful for people living alone or going through sadness. It can copy the reactions of a friend or companion.

2. Pathai

Pathai is a strong example of artificial intelligence that helps pathologists (病理学家) follow the test reports more conveniently. This can help save hundreds of lives by correctly diagnosing and determining the underlying diseases. This interference of AI in the healthcare department has proven to be fruitful for the patients and time-saving for the pathologists.

3. Drone

You must have heard the word drone, but AI-based drones are one step advanced from your typical drones. These aerial devices are used for many different reasons. The use of drones has proven to be very beneficial in the military and surveillance sector (监管部门) but it has also started to benefit the average consumer, saving time and relieving traffic jams.

4. GPS

GPS is a necessity nowadays. It not only helps to reach far places and areas but also assists in the way. Its artificial intelligence predicts the estimated time of reaching a destination by analyzing traffic situations in real-time. GPS also gathers data from thousands of cars and predicts the best route for every car.

1. Which of the following benefits people feeling depressed the most?

A．Olly.

B．Pathai.

C．Drone.

D．GPS.

2. What do Drone and GPS have in common?

A．They are necessities in daily life.

B．They contribute to smooth traffic.

C．They rely on the responses of their owners.

D．They are mainly employed by governments.

3. Which section of a newspaper is the passage possibly taken from?

A．All About Health.	B．Self-driving Adventures.
C．The Theories Explained.	D．Game-changing Innovations.

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the purpose of the speaker?

A．To forecast the weather.

B．To keep people informed.

C．To make an advertisement.

2. What causes flights to South America risky?

A．A terrible storm.

B．Heavy air traffic.

C．Mechanical problems.

3. What will the air companies do for passengers if the flights are canceled?

A．Allow them to change flight routes.

B．Offer them free hotels.

C．Return all their money.

4. Which place is included in the no-go list?

A．Cairo.

B．Panama.

C．Buenos Aires.

10 . Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix 2024

From April 19 to 21, the much-anticipated 2024 Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix will come alive with the roar of engines at the Shanghai International Circuit. Details about tickets for the event are as follows.

Ticket Price:

[Grandstand]              [Session]                                        [Price (RMB)]

A Platinum                    3 Day Ticket                                        3880

• A High                    3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket              2880/490/890/2490

• A Low                    3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket              2280/390/690/1990

• H/K                           3 Day/Fri./Sat./Sun. Ticket              1480/290/590/1290

• C/F/J/L                    3 Day Ticket                                        480

Ticketing Instructions:

• This event adopts electronic tickets with one ticket per person. Children require a full-priced ticket, and children under the age of three are not allowed entry.

• For each session of this event, a maximum of 4 tickets per mobile phone number and 1 ticket per ID card number can be purchased. When purchasing tickets, buyers must provide the audience’s real name, a valid personal ID, and a valid mobile phone number. After a successful purchase, ticket purchasers should retain e-ticket seat information appropriately.

• Ticket refunds can be requested without fees from the date of purchase until 24: 00 on February 29, 2024. From 00:00 on March 1, 2024, to 24: 00 on April 15, 2024, refunds will invite a 10% handling fee. No refunds will be accepted from 00: 00 on April 16, 2024. Returned within 7 working days.

• This event implements real-name verification with ID card and facial recognition for entry.

• The schedule and arrangement of the competition may be subject to changes, and please stay tuned to Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix official WeChat and Weibo for the latest information.

1. What should be offered to buy a ticket?

A．The audience’s nickname.	B．The audience’s e-ticket seat information.
C．The audience’s WeChat number.	D．The audience’s available phone number.

2. How much will be returned if a couple return their Sat. Ticket of K on March 15?

A．59 yuan.

B．531 yuan.

C．1, 062 yuan.

D．1, 180 yuan.

3. What can we know about Formula One Lenovo Chinese Grand Prix 2024?

A．It will last 7 days.	B．It will be exciting and noisy.
C．It doesn’t limit the audience’s age.	D．It will never be postponed or cancelled.