1 . The Google Brain team has been working on computing systems called “neural networks”—systems that were designed based on how neurons work in the human brain.
This time, they gave a mission to three of the neural networks, which they named Alice, Bob and Eve. Each of the networks had its own job—Alice sent messages to Bob, Eve tried to “eavesdrop”(偷听) and find out the messages, and Alice and Bob had to figure out a way to hide the messages from Eve. All the help that Alice and Bob got from the researchers before the mission began was made up of a set of numbers, which Eve didn’t have access to.
At first, Alice was not very good at sending secret messages. But slowly it worked on a way to encrypt(加密) them—putting information into a special code so that others could not understand it if they got the information—using he numbers given by researchers. And after practice, Bob also came to be able to decrypt(解密) Alice’s messages. Without the numbers or keys, Eve failed to understand Alice’s “speech” most of the time.
This test is considered a big step in the development of computers’ learning skills. “Computing with neural networks on this scale has only become possible in the last few years, so we truly are at the beginning of what’s possible, ” Joe Sturonas of US encryption company PKWARE told New Scientist magazine.
Unfortunately, the test happened only one week after UK physicist Stephen Hawking, While speaking at Cambridge University, warned how AI(artificial intelligence)could develop a will of its own. This could be “either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to human being”, he said.
But just as Sturonas pointed out, no matter what the possibilities of computers are in the future, they are just starting out. We still have plenty of time to work out a solution before they get anywhere near becoming a threat to humanity.
1. For what purpose was the test conducted?| A．To study how neurons work in the human brain. |
| B．To study how computing systems work and learn. |
| C．To find out a more effective way to keep secrets. |
| D．To find out a more powerful way to break the codes. |
| A．encrypting—messages—code—messages—decrypting |
| B．messages—encrypting—code—decrypting—messages |
| C．code—messages—encrypt—decrypting—messages |
| D．messages—code—decrypting—encrypting—messages |
| A．AI must be a blessing. | B．AI should be forbidden. |
| C．AI is sure to be a failure. | D．AI is a double-edged sword. |
| A．Hopeful. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Puzzled. | D．Panicked. |
2 . What defines an eco-house? There are two features to take into consideration. Firstly, the energy efficiency and carbon emissions associated with running the house, and then the type of construction materials used, their associated emissions and the raw materials required.
At Baufritz, we have won awards relating to the sustainability of our houses. This is because as a company we had decided to put environmental stewardship at the core of our values way back in the 1960s. So how do we do it?
Heating is the biggest emissions factor for any house. It is really rather simple to solve this problem — make a house extremely energy efficient and this will no longer be a factor. Ultra low energy houses have become known as Passive houses, where a certain set of design characteristics help to improve efficiencies. You need a very high level of insulation in the walls and roof. Glass should be suitably positioned to optimize solar gaintucmrr (heat from the sun). The house needs to be very well engineered so no heat is lost through cracks or poorly fitted windows and doors. At Baufritz we manufacture Kit houses, and use Modern Manufacturing Methods in our factory to engineer our houses in such a way that leaks are minimized.
We have also developed “HOIZ” insulation. Manufactured from natural wood waste products, HOIZ is placed between the inside and outside layers of our timber framed houses to create the highest level of insulation. Our windows and doors use triple glazing to minimize heat loss. Overheating is one of the biggest challenges Passive houses face and our architects use some very clever ventilation systems to manage internal environmental conditions. All houses still have energy-consuming appliances, but with the addition of solar for both electricity generation and water heating, the carbon footprint of the homes we produce are further reduced.
Embedded carbon in building manufacturing materials such as concrete, as well as a historic tendency to send materials to landfills, results in a high carbon footprint and natural resource exploitation. Baufritz addresses this problem in a number of ways. Our primary manufacturing material is wood. We source from sustainable certified forests where felled trees are replanted. In fact, we believe all building materials should be as natural as possible. We say no to PU construction foams, chemical insulation materials, toxic adhesives and laminate flooring. A house constructed using only natural materials creates a healthy living environment for its residents. As all our houses are manufactured in our state-of-the-art factory, waste is kept to an absolute minimum. At the end of their life-cycle, our houses can also be recycled. Today, demolition（拆除）firms clearing the site for the new build are able to recycle nearly all of the building materials, therefore closing the manufacturing loop.
My house is old, so why is this relevant? There are still lots of things which can be done. Improve your insulation. When your appliances expire, replace based on efficiency. Consider heat pumps instead of gas boilers and explore solar to deliver electricity and water heating. By designing and building houses to ultra low energy standards, and by using natural sustainably sourced materials and recycling the waste products from our manufacturing processes, we are able to deliver Carbon Neutral Houses. This means that the total carbon footprint throughout the life-cycle of each house is zero, which is why we call ourselves eco-house pioneers. All houses are prefabricated at our state-of-the-art factory in Erkheim, Germany, and then assembled on site.
1. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT associated with the sustainability of eco-houses?| A．The raw materials used. |
| B．Energy efficiency of the house. |
| C．Carbon emissions released by house designers. |
| D．Construction materials used and their emissions. |
| A．fail to optimize solar gain |
| B．need to be carefully engineered to trap heat |
| C．use more energy-consuming appliances than Kit houses |
| D．could have less comfortable environmental conditions inside them |
| A．House recycling is an additional service provided free by Baufritz. |
| B．Building materials are obtained from factories to ensure their quality. |
| C．Man-made materials are applied to reduce their impact on the environment. |
| D．The houses are all manufactured in their factory so as to reduce costs and waste. |
| A．argue for the necessity of eco-houses |
| B．advertise Baufritz, an eco-house builder |
| C．explain the underlying values of eco-houses |
| D．expand people’s knowledge of what eco-houses are |
3 . People have speculated (思索) for centuries about a future without work. Some imagine that the coming work-free world will be defined by inequality: A few wealthy people will own all the capital, and the masses will struggle in a wasteland. A different prediction holds that without jobs to give their lives meaning, future people will simply become lazy and depressed.
But it doesn’t necessarily follow from findings like these that a world without work would be filled with dissatisfaction. Such visions are based on the downsides of being unemployed in a society built on the concept of employment. In the absence of work, a society designed with other ends in mind could provide strikingly different circumstances for the future of labor and leisure.
These days, spare time is relatively rare for most workers. “When I come home from a hard day's work, I often feel tired,” says John Danaher, a lecturer at the National University of Ireland, adding, “In a world in which I don’t have to work, I might feel rather different — perhaps different enough to throw himself into a hobby with the enthusiasm usually reserved for professional matters.”
Daniel Everett, an anthropologist (人类学家) at Bentley University studied a group of hunter-gathers in the Amazon called the Piraha for years. According to Everett, while some might consider hunting and gathering work, hunter-gatherers don’t. “They think of it as fun,” he says. “They don’t have a concept of work the way we do.”
Everett described a typical clay for the Piraha: A man might get up, spend a few hours fishing, have a barbecue, and play until the evening. Does this relaxing life lead to the depression and purposelessness seen among so many of today’s unemployed? “I’ve never seen anything like depression there, except people who are physically ill,” Everett says. While many may consider work necessary for human life, work as it exists today is a relatively new invention in the course of human culture. “We think it’s bad to just sit around with nothing to do,” says Everett. “For the Piraha, it’s quite a desirable state.”
1. What might be some people’s attitude towards the work-free world?| A．Objective. | B．Negative. |
| C．Skeptical. | D．Cautious. |
| A．Risks. | B．Losses. |
| C．Challenges. | D．Disadvantages. |
| A．work plays an important role in our future life |
| B．people don’t know how to balance work and life |
| C．people’s work-free future life will be full of charm |
| D．higher unemployment makes life tougher for workers |
| A．To justify John Danaher’s opinion. | B．To show a future life without work. |
| C．To compare different views on work. | D．To introduce the Piraha in the Amazon. |
4 . US cosmologist (宇宙学家) Carl Sagan once said: “Across the sea of space, the stars are other suns.”
For centuries, human beings have dreamed of traveling into space, orbiting (围绕......运行) our little blue planet, and appreciating incredible views of sunrises and sunsets. And soon, it seems that our dream will finally come true, as US startup Orion Span announced on April 6 that it planned to launch the first hotel in space in 2021. It will be ready to welcome guests the following year.
The space hotel, Aurora Station, will orbit 320 kilometers above Earth, circling it every 90 minutes. It’s capable of housing two crew members and four guests. The crew members will likely be former NASA astronauts who worked on the International Space Station. However, there’s a catch: Each guest must pay at least $9.5 million (60 million yuan) for a 12-day stay at the hotel.
Once aboard the Aurora Station, guests will find many exciting things to do. According to Orion Span, guests can enjoy the excitement of zero-gravity as they fly throughout the space hotel. They can watch 16 sunrises and sunsets every day and view the northern and southern auroras (极光) through the many windows. They can take part in research experiments like growing food, and even take it home as a souvenir. And they can stay in touch with their families and friends via a high-speed internet connection.
But most importantly, the trip will offer a real sense of what it’s like to live in space. “The premise (前提) of Aurora Station is for guests to live, feel, and [breathe] what it’s like to be an astronaut,” Frank Bunger, founder of Orion Span, told the Robb Report. “The food and drinks are freeze-dried products. It’s not going to be five-star dining … Fire and gas don’t work the same way in space as they do on Earth.”
To better prepare guests for space travel, the company will require a health screening and provide a three-month training program that helps guests understand basic spaceflight, orbital mechanics (轨道力学) and life in the pressurized environment of space.
Some may have doubts about the project, but the company even has plans to turn part of Aurora Station into private apartments. “Future Aurora owners can live in, visit, or sublease (转租) their space [apartment],” Bunger said in a news release. “This is an exciting frontier (待开发的领域) and Orion Span is proud to pave the way.”
1. What can we learn about Aurora Station?| A．It will be open to guests in 2021. | B．It can only serve four guests at a time. |
| C．It costs every guest $9.5 million a week. | D．It will invite NASA to train the guests. |
| A．View beautiful auroras. | B．Fly outside the space hotel. |
| C．Buy various souvenirs. | D．Enjoy five-star meals. |
| A．To help people learn more about space. |
| B．To offer comfortable space travel experiences. |
| C．To provide real experiences of living in space. |
| D．To prepare people for future space exploration. |
| A．It’s ready for guests to book their first trip. |
| B．Few people are optimistic about its future. |
| C．Its guests must have a basic knowledge of space travel. |
| D．Private apartments are the most popular choice among its guests. |
5 . What will the schools of the future look like? With the introduction of 5G technology, we’re starting to find out.
The answer is smart campuses, with high-tech features to help students learn more effectively and safely. They also bring convenience to teachers and administrators (管理者).
The University of British Columbia has what is believed to be Canada’s first 5G-powered smart campus, according to The Star newspaper. The school has partnered with tech company Rogers Communications to install (安装) a massive 5G network on its campus. Researchers at the school can use the network to test real-time 5G applications, as well as access a data storage facility (设施) similar to “cloud” storage, the newspaper noted.
US tech company Amazon is also looking to get into the smart campus arena (舞台). Alexa, the company’s voice-activated (声控) smart assistant, is being aimed at teachers. They may help to run classes more efficiently, says Amazon. For example, if a teacher has to teach different classes in different rooms, Alexa can remember the teacher’s preferences, such as whether or not they need to use a projector (投影仪).
Smart technology can also be used to keep students and teachers safe. At the Global Indian International School in Singapore, CNET reports that facial recognition scanners (扫描器) allow teachers to automatically lock or unlock classroom doors, while students can store their textbooks in smart lockers linked to their student ID cards.
People often describe college campuses as “mini-cities”. After all, they have their own on-campus infrastructure (基础设施), including transport links, roads, shops, restaurants – even police. And just like the smart cities being designed around the world, many college campuses are adopting smart technology. The University of Michigan in the US, for example, has its own self-driving shuttle (班车) system, allowing students to go from classroom to classroom in a safe and efficient manner.
Unlike cities, universities are seen as a particularly good testing ground for smart technology because many of them have sole (单一的) control over their property (财产). “Cities are so big, and there are so many players and stakeholders (利益相关者), it can be difficult. But many universities around the world have control over their estates (房产). They own all their buildings ... so they can become like a living lab,” said Gemmy Ginty, a designer working on a smart campus development strategy for the University of Glasgow, UK, in a news report by the Guardian.
1. How is the text mainly developed?| A．By giving examples. | B．By making comparisons. |
| C．By following the order of time. | D．By explaining causes and effects. |
| A．It offers free “cloud” storage to its users. |
| B．It is used to test real-time 5G applications. |
| C．It can help improve classroom efficiency. |
| D．It can help monitor students’ class performances. |
| A．Smart technology benefits students the most. |
| B．Universities are full of laboratories and researchers. |
| C．Sole control over their properties makes it easier to test new tech. |
| D．There are many players and stakeholders on university campuses. |
6 . While fossil fuels — coal, oil, gas — still produce roughly 85 percent of the world’s energy supply, it’s clearer than ever that the future belongs to renewable sources such as wind and solar. The move to renewables is picking up the development around the world: They now account for more than half of new power sources going in operation.
Some growth stems from a commitment by governments and farsighted businesses to fund cleaner energy sources. But increasingly the story is about the falling prices of renewables, especially wind and solar. The cost of solar panels has dropped by 80 percent and the cost of wind turbines（涡轮机）by close to one-third in the past eight years.
In many parts of the world renewable energy is already an important energy source. In Scotland, for example, wind turbines provide enough electricity to power 95 percent of homes. While the rest of the world takes the lead, especially China and Europe, the United States is also seeing an amazing shift. In March, for the first time, wind and solar power accounted for more than 10 percent of the power generated in the US, reported the US Energy Information Administration.
President Trump has underlined fossil fuels — especially coal — as the path to economic growth. In a recent speech in Iowa, he dismissed wind power as an unreliable energy source. But that message did not play well with many in Iowa, where wind turbines dot the fields and provide 36 percent of the state’s electricity generation — and where tech enterprise like Microsoft are being attracted by the availability of clean energy to power their data centers.
The question “what happens when the wind doesn’t blow or the sun doesn’t shine?” has provided a quick remark for skeptics. But an increase in the storage capacity of batteries is making their ability to keep power flowing around the clock more likely.
The advance is driven in part by vehicle manufacturers, who are placing big bets on battery-powered electric vehicles. Although electric cars are still uncommon on roads now, this massive investment could change the picture rapidly in coming years.
While there’s a long way to go, the trend lines for renewables are zooming. The pace of change in energy sources appears to be speeding up — perhaps just in time to have a meaningful effect in slowing climate change. What Washington does — or doesn’t do — to promote alternative energy may mean less and less at a time of a global shift in thought.
1. According to Paragraph 3, the use of renewable energy in America ______.| A．has proved to be impractical | B．is as common as in Europe |
| C．faces many challenges | D．is progressing greatly |
| A．wind is a widely used energy source |
| B．wind energy has replaced fossil fuels |
| C．there is a shortage of clean energy supply |
| D．tech enterprises are investing in clean energy |
| A．Its application has increased battery storage. |
| B．Its continuous supply is becoming a reality. |
| C．It is commonly used in car manufacturing. |
| D．Its sustainable exploitation will remain difficult. |
| A．will bring the US closer to other countries |
| B．will accelerate global environmental change |
| C．is not really encouraged by the US government |
| D．is not competitive enough with regard to its cost |
7 . In the movie Jurassic Park (1993) a billionaire creates a theme park filled with dinosaurs, brought back from extinction through cloning by a team of scientists.
Although the film is of course fictional, the methods used in it to bring animals back from the dead may soon become reality.
Scientists from Harvard University in the US are currently working on resurrecting the woolly mammoth, a mammal that became extinct around 4,000 years ago.
However, it wouldn't be an exact copy of the hairy beast. "Our aim is to produce a hybrid elephant-mammoth embryo,” Professor George Church, head of the team of scientists, told The Guardian.
“Actually, it would be more like an elephant with a number of mammoth traits. We're not there yet, but it could happen in a couple of years."
The team is hoping to make a “mammophant”- a mix between an elephant and a mammoth. It would be like a regular elephant but have features from the mammoth that would make it more adaptable to cold weather.
Small ears, a thick layer of body fat and, of course, long hair are what helped the mammoth live in freezing temperatures.
So why go through all the effort and expense to bring back an animal that died out thousands of years ago? The answer lies in climate change.
It's hoped that the creatures will stop frost in the world's tundra from melting and releasing huge amounts of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Mammoths used to keep the tundra from thawing by punching through snow and allowing cold air to come in," said Church. In the summer, they knocked down trees and helped the grass grow."Church and his team are attempting to mix mammoth DNA, recovered from frozen samples of the animal found in Siberia, with that of the Asian elephant, which is its closest relative.
There are critics who believe that the media has got carried away with the story though, after several websites ran headlines such as Woolly mammoths will be roaming Earth again within two years.
“So far, scientists have managed to incorporate traits of the mammoth into elephant DNA. In a few years, they hope to make an embryo, but that's a long way from creating a viable embryo, "Popular Science magazine wrote.
Some have even gone so far as to call the story “fake news". Paleoanthropologist(古人类学家)John Hawks wrote on blog platform Medium: Is this just another case of the media sensationalizing(大肆渲染) what is otherwise a good science story?"
Although we may not be seeing woolly mammoths at the zoo any time in the near future, it's still exciting to know that there is still the possibility of a real Jurassic Park someday, however tiny that possibility may be.
1. The underlined word “resurrecting” in Paragraph 3 probably means__________.| A．making something adaptable to current condition |
| B．studying a sample of something |
| C．bringing something back to life |
| D．producing a hybrid embryo of something |
| A．It would be a combination of elephant, mammoth and dinosaur. |
| B．It would be an exact copy of the woolly mammoth with long hair. |
| C．It would look like a normal elephant but also share some mammoth traits. |
| D．It would be like a bigger sized elephant with small ears and short hair. |
| A．To improve biodiversity. |
| B．To help fight global warming. |
| C．To remove frost in the tundra. |
| D．To help grass grow in the tundra. |
| A．The media holds a cautious attitude toward the mammophant program. |
| B．A hybrid elephant- mammoth embryo is likely to be produced within two years |
| C．The method used to produce mammophants was borrowed from the movie Jurassic Park, |
| D．Scientists still have a long way to fulfill the goals of the mammophant program. |
