1 . If you’ve scrolled through your Facebook feed recently, you may have noticed something surprising: lots and lots of short videos.
What makes this “Reels” feature strange is that it is hugely addictive, which I know quite well from my own personal experience. Last Friday, I took a break and hit on one short clip of someone making dinner and, well, the next time I looked up it was 20 minutes later and the blank document on my computer monitor was confirming to me that my work was still not done.
However, as silly as it seems, Reels-is actually super important, and is at the centre of a major battle between the world’s largest tech firms. The format (格式) was first pioneered by TikTok-the Chinese-owned video app that has taken the world by storm since it launched in 2016. Today, TikTok has around 23 million UK users every month-including basically every person you know under the age of 25. And that fact has made Facebook and its parent company, Meta, very nervous indeed. As TikTok has continued to boom, Facebook has actually fallen in popularity among “Gen Z”. The reason Tik Tok has proven such a powerful challenger to Facebook’s social media dominance is almost entirely down to these sorts of short-form videos.
The format is almost perfectly optimised to be as addictive as possible: Tik Tok’s app shows you a short-form video, and if you don’t like it, you can simply swipe it away and another one will start playing instantly. And because it is portrait, not landscape, videos look “right” when viewed on your phone. What’s also smart is that TikTok’s algorithm (算法) picks videos for you based on what you actually watch, and not what you say you want.
Facebook isn’t the only app trying to do what TikTok does so well. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook’s parent company Meta, has integrated Reels even more aggressively into its app. And even Google is nervous, launching its own TikTok-style video section of YouTube(which it owns)a couple of years ago. As things stand, though TikTok currently maintains a healthy lead in the category, both YouTube and Facebook have deep pockets-so expect to see even more Reels and Shorts popping up in your feed as this intense battle continues to rage. You won’t be able to take your eyes off them.
1. Why did the author mention his own experience in paragraph 2?| A．To illustrate the feature of short videos. |
| B．To stress the importance of short videos. |
| C．To prove his preference to short videos. |
| D．To introduce the functions of short videos. |
| A．It has shown the trend of the fall in popularity among “Gen Z”. |
| B．It is perceived as a potential threat to Facebook’s social media dominance. |
| C．Its number of registered UK users has reached 23 million since it launched in 2016. |
| D．It underestimates the essential role of short videos in competition with large tech firms. |
| A．The beautiful visual effects. |
| B．The high video quality. |
| C．The random recommendation. |
| D．The quick switch between videos. |
| A．The short videos have a profound impact on our daily life. |
| B．TikTok seems to be losing its advantage over short videos in the short run. |
| C．YouTube and Facebook may encounter financial difficulties in developing Shorts. |
| D．A growing number of tech firms have engaged in fierce competition for the short video market. |
2 . Advertising in mass media is powerful. Right ads help create demands of products, campaign for political candidates or ideas and historically, even start wars. Detailed files the social media Companies build for each user, however, make advertising even more powerful by enabling advertisers to tailor their messages to individuals. These files even include your family size and whether you buy a lot of beer.
Consequently, social media has greater abilities to expose people to ideas as fast as they’ll individually accept them. The same ticks that can commend products to just the right person or suggest something addictive just when someone is most fragile can also suggest an extreme Conspiracy (阴谋) theory just when he is ready to consider it.
It’s increasingly common for friends and family to find themselves on opposite sides about important political issues. Many recognize social media as part of the problem, but how are these powerful customized advertising techniques contributing to the divisive landscape?
One important part is that people associated with foreign governments, without admitting that, take extreme positions in social media posts with the deliberate goal of sparking division and conflict. These extreme posts take advantage of the social media algorithms (算法), which are designed to heighten engagement Meanwhile, people seeking to influence others put things to more and more extreme positions. The result is apparent. Rather than most people having balanced views with fewer people holding extreme views, fewer and fewer people are in the middle.
What can be done? Skepticism about social media recommendations matters. Keep on a more deliberate path to information and avoid just clicking on whatever is recommended. Second, consider supporting efforts to require social media platforms to offer users a choice of algorithms for recommendations. Most importantly, invest more time in interacting with friends and family off social media. Probably, you’ll be far off a constructed track toward extremes.
1. What does the passage mainly talk about?| A．Social media can put people’s privacy at risk. |
| B．Advertisements in mass media can influence people a lot. |
| C．Social media advertisements can drive people to extremes. |
| D．Advertisements account for damaged relation among family and friends. |
| A．Advertising on TV to promote the sales of a new product. |
| B．Advertising on apps to sell tailored political ideas individually. |
| C．Advertising in the newspaper to publicize a government policy. |
| D．Advertising in elevators to raise the public awareness of safety. |
| A．Refuse to get exposed to all the social media. |
| B．Manage to master the social media algorithms. |
| C．Interact more with family and friends for their advice. |
| D．Hold a careful attitude to what is proposed by social media. |
3 . Explore some of New Zealand's best skiing & snowboarding field. Whatever your ability, Cardrona has the snow for you!
The 2018 winter season runs from June 16 — October 14,2018.
Half Day & 1 Day lift passes are split into Peak & Off Peak pricing:
Peak — July, August & September Off Peak — June & October
| 2018 Single Day Ski Passes | Half Day* Off Peak | Half Day* Peak | 1 Day Off Peak | 1 Day Peak | 1 Day Learner | 1 Lift |
| Adult | $80 | $85 | $99 | $115 | $65 | $35 |
| Child | $45 | $50 | $50 | $60 | $42 | $25 |
| Student | $70 | $75 | $85 | $95 | $65 | $35 |
| Senior | N/A | N/A | $75 | $85 | $65 | $35 |
* Half day passes: 8.30am — 12.30pm morning, 12.30 — 4pm afternoon
* Rocky Mountain Super Pass holders must book lodging with Cardrona to be eligible for free day passes. Please email reservations@cardrona.com with an accommodation booking request & the lift ticket benefit request.
What pass am I eligible for? Read our lift pass age definitions below to find out.
* Multi passes are valid for both consecutive & non-consecutive days & can be used any time throughout the 2018 winter season at Cardrona only.
Your lift pass will be stored on an electronic RFID pass. To make the most of your clever pass, activate your personal profile online. Once you' re logged into your profile you can:
·Top up your card with lift passes, rental gear, lift & rental packages and lessons.
·Keep track of your on-slope stats at Cardrona (days spent, run count, activities taken, etc. )
Definitions for Lift Passes:
Student: 18+yrs enrolled full time (minimum 32 weeks in a calendar year)with a New Zealand or Australian tertiary institution. Student ID & proof of full time status (letter from institution) is required. ID card must be in English & include a valid expiry date.
Child: Currently attending school, 6-17yrs inclusive. Kids under 6 ski for free in winter, & kids under 9 bike for free in summer! Photo ID will be required.
Senior: 65-74yrs of age. Photo ID will be required.
Under 6yrs &75 Years+: Under 6yrs & over 75yrs, as at June 1, 2018, ski for free. Please collect a complimentary lift pass from the ticket office. Photo ID will be required.
1. After activation of your online profile, what can you do to maximize the value of your pass?| A．You can open up the online account of your clever pass. |
| B．You can store your lift pass on an electronic RFID pass. |
| C．You can monitor what activities you have done at Cardrona. |
| D．You can participate in most tutor lessons without any charge. |
| A．Cardrona is only open to those who are skilled at snowing or skiing. |
| B．Anyone with Rocky Mountain Super Pass can have free access to Cardrona. |
| C．Those with 1 Day Off Peak pass are entitled to ski at Cardrona on Oct. 24th |
| D．One can get in Cardrona from 8.30 am to 4 pm with 1 Day Peak pass. |
| A．$295. | B．$275. | C．$320. | D．$270. |
4 . Tired of dealing with those slow, dumb, and unfriendly hotel staff? How about a hotel that provides chance for minimal interaction with the" people" running the hotel? In the Henn Na Hotel in Japan, there aren’t any!
Being called “Weird Hotel” by locals, the Henn Na Hotel opened in 2016 in the town of Sasebo, is staffed almost by robots. The robots are not just for fun. They do a large amount of work, saving time and money as well. They can greet you when you enter. Also, they play music in the lounge, inform you of the breakfast menu, and control the lights in your hotel room, etc.
Thinking that the hotel should be unique and appealing, the owners made each robot different from each other with a variety of shapes and sizes. One of the robots behind the front desk is designed to look like a dinosaur, “If you want to check in, push one.” the dinosaur says. Then the guest can type the information on a touch panel screen. Inside the room, there’s a small robot called Tuly in the shape of a pink tulip (郁金香). Tuly can answer simple questions like "what time is it?" and "What will the weather be like tomorrow?" With no switches on the wall, Tuly can also turn the room lights on or off if it's told to.
But how do things like check-in and room access work? Well, the screen at the reception captures and registers a digital image of the guest's face during check-in which is used to get access 10 rooms instead of traditional keys. However. the reception shall also provide you card keys on request in case you wish to keep it subtle!
If you're wondering what happens in the case of an emergency, you need not worry. Humans do step in when it's of great importance. According to the hotels website, there are a few human staff members who are available on-call 24X7 and help guests in the case of an emergency.
1. The robots in the Henn Na Hotel can do the following things for the guests EXCEPT______.| A．tell the breakfast menu | B．control the lights in the room |
| C．play music in the lounge | D．respond to all the requirements |
| A．The Hern Na Hotel is managed all by robots. |
| B．A dinosaur-like robot will guide guests to check. |
| C．No human staff can be connected even in an emergency. |
| D．Guests can have access to rooms by using traditional keys. |
| A．entertain the guests all the time in person |
| B．are imaginative and have creative thinking |
| C．are knowledgeable and acquire advanced technology |
| D．attach great importance to the social image of the hotel |
| A．It advocates people to promote hotel equipment |
| B．It compares the robots with human staff in a hotel. |
| C．It introduces a new hotel staffed by intelligent robots |
| D．It describes how wonderful artificial intelligence is |
5 . Find Your Adventure at the Space and Aviation(航空) Center
If you’re looking for a unique adventure, the Space and Aviation Center (SAC) is the place to be. The Center offers programs designed to challenge and inspire with hands-on tasks and lots of fun.
More than 750,000 have graduated from SAC, with many seeking employment in engineering, aviation, education, medicine and a wide variety of other professions. They come to camp, wanting to know what it is like to be an astronaut or a pilot, and they leave with real-world applications for what they’re studying in the classroom.
For the trainees, the programs also offer a great way to earn merit badges(荣誉徽章). At Space Camp, trainees can earn their Space Exploration badge as they build and fire model rockets, learn about space tasks and try simulated(模拟) flying to space with the crew from all over the world. The Aviation Challenge program gives trainees the chance to earn their Aviation badge. They learn the principles of flight and test their operating skills in the cockpit(驾驶舱) of a variety of flight simulators. Trainees also get a good start on their Wilderness Survival badge as they learn about water- and land-survival through designed tasks and their search and rescue of ＂downed＂ pilot.
With all the programs, teamwork is key as trainees learn the importance of leadership and being part of a bigger task.
All this fun is available for ages 9 to 18. Families can enjoy the experience together, too, with Family Camp programs for families with children as young as 7.
Stay an hour or stay a week — there is something here for everyone!
For more details, please visit us online at www.sac.com.
1. Why do people come to SAC?| A．To experience adventures. |
| B．To look for jobs in aviation. |
| C．To get a degree in engineering. |
| D．To learn more about medicine. |
| A．fly to space |
| B．get an Aviation badge first |
| C．study the principles of flight |
| D．build and fire model rockets |
| A．Leadership. | B．Team spirit. |
| C．Task planning. | D．Survival skills. |
