1 . “We are running out of space and the only places to go to are other worlds... Spreading out may be the only thing that saves us from ourselves. I’m convinced that humans need to leave the earth.” These are the words of the famous scientist Stephen Hawking, spoken at a science festival in Norway in 2017, a year before his death.

Hawking was not alone in this view. Many experts feel that the only way for humanity to last far into the future is to colonise (移民于) other planets. That way, if a terrible disease, nuclear war or some other disasters strike the earth, civilisation as we know it would still have a chance. Mars is one of the most attractive destinations. NASA, the United Arab Emirates, the private company SpaceX, and the organisation Mars One all have plans to send humans there. “Either we spread the earth to other planets, or we risk going extinct,” SpaceX founder Elon Musk said at a conference in 2013.

But not everyone agrees that colonising Mars or any other planet is such a great plan. The most common argument against going is that it’s just too expensive or dangerous. It will take huge amounts of money and other resources just to get people there,let alone set up a place for them to live. It’s not even clear if humans could survive on Mars. One of the biggest dangers is its deadly radiation that ruins the planet.

Maybe all the time and money people would pour into a Mars mission would be better spent on more urgent projects here on Earth, like dealing with poverty or climate change. Some experts argue that handling a problem like an asteroid (小行星) strike or a disease outbreak while staying here on Earth would be much easier and less expensive than surviving on a new planet.

In addition, moving to a new planet could harm or destroy anything that already lives there. Mars seems uninhabitable, but micro-organisms could exist on Mars. Human visitors may destroy these lives or permanently change or damage the Martian environment. Some feel that’s too much of a risk to take.

1. Why did the author mention NASA, the United Arab Emirates, SpaceX and Mars One?

A．To stress the risk of dying out on Earth.

B．To provide evidence for Hawking’s theory.

C．To show growing intention of moving to Mars.

D．To explain the advanced technology in astronomy.

2. What can we learn from the passage?

A．It is costly and risky to colonise Mars.

B．Civilisation is difficult to maintain on Earth.

C．Poverty is the most urgent problem to handle.

D．All the time and money should be spent on Earth.

3. What does the underlined word “uninhabitable” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Not steady to keep.

B．Not fit to live on.

C．Not easy to approach.

D．Not safe to set foot on.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Mars, Our Future Planet

B．Moving to a New Planet

C．Should We Colonise Mars?

D．Stay Home or Outer Space?

3 . If you could travel in time, where would you go? Perhaps you would watch an original performance of a Shakespeare’s play in Elizabethan England? What about hanging out with Laozi in the Spring and Autumn Period? Or maybe you’d voyage far ahead of the present day to see what the future holds.

The possibility of time travel is indeed appealing. Stories exploring the subject have been around for hundreds of years. Perhaps the best known example is the science fiction novel The Time Machine, which was written by H. G. Wells and published in 1895 for the first time. It was adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel using a vehicle that allows an operator to travel purposefully and selectively. The term “time machine”, coined by Wells, is now universally used to refer to a vehicle transporting people into the far future.

But could time travel actually be possible? Some scientists say yes, in theory. They propose using cracks in time and space called “wormholes”, which could be used as shortcuts to other periods. Einstein’s theory of relativity allows time travel in extreme circumstances. And British physicist Stephen Hawking said you could travel into the future with a really fast spaceship—going at nearly the speed of light. Though building such a spaceship would of course be no simple task.

Even if you could travel into the past, there is something called the “grandfather paradox”. It asks what would happen if a time traveller were to go back in time and have his own grandfather killed for some reason, and therefore prevent himself from being born. If the time traveller wasn’t born, how would he travel back in time?

And would you really like to visit the future? In H. G. Wells’ book, the main character travels into distant time where he arrives at a beach and is attacked by giant crabs. He then voyages 30 million years into the future where the only living thing is a black object with tentacles (触角). If that’s what’s in store, maybe we are better just living in the present day after all.

1. The novel The Time Machine mentioned in Paragraph 2 aims to show 　　　.

A．people’s interest in time travel

B．the special features of the book

C．the long history of time travel

D．the contribution of H. G. Wells

2. Einstein’s and Hawking’s theories 　　　.

A．have similarities in many ways

B．push the invention of the first spaceship

C．have proved wrong by some time travellers

D．suggest the possibility to invent the time machine

3. In Paragraph 4, “grandfather paradox” probably refers to the idea that 　　　.

A．the traveller is prevented from meeting his grandfather

B．the traveller goes back in time to seek for his grandfather

C．the grandfather’s death makes the traveller’s birth impossible

D．The reunion of the traveller and his grandfather brings happiness

4. What is probably the author’s attitude towards time travel?

A．Unclear.	B．Skeptical.
C．Supportive.	D．Unconcerned.

4 . Given how valuable intelligence and automation are, we will continue to improve our technology if we are at all able to. At a certain point, we will build machines that are smarter than we are. Once we have machines that are smarter than we are, they will begin to improve themselves. The concern is really that we will build machines that are much more competent than we are. And the slightest divergence (分歧) between their goals and our own could destroy us.

Just think about how we relate to ants. We don’t hate them. We don’t go out of our way to harm them. In fact, sometimes we take pains not to harm them. We step over them on the sidewalk. But whenever their presence seriously conflicts with one of our goals, we will kill them without hesitation. The concern is that we will one day build machines that, whether they’re conscious or not, could treat us with similar disregard.

The bare fact is that we will continue to improve our intelligent machines. We have problems that we desperately need to solve. So we will do this, if we can. The train is already out of the station, and there’s no brake to pull. If we build machines that are more intelligent than we are, they will very likely develop in ways that we can’t imagine, and transcend us in ways that we can’t imagine.

So imagine we hit upon a design of super intelligent AI that has no safety concerns. This machine would be the perfect labor-saving device. It can design the machine that can build the machine which can do any physical work, powered by sunlight, more or less for the cost of raw materials. So we’re talking bout the end of human labour. We’re also talking about the end of most intellectual work. So what would apes like ourselves do in these circumstances?

But the moment we admit that information processing is the source of intelligence, we have to admit that we are in the process of building some sort of god. Now would be a good time to make sure it’s a god we can live with.

1. Why does the author mention ants in Paragraph 2?

A．To compare intelligent machines to ants.

B．To show improved machines will get away from us.

C．To stress the presence of machines does conflict with our goals.

D．To explain future intelligent machines could treat us without mercy

2. What does the underlined word “transcend” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．Disable.

B．Inspire.

C．Disappoint.

D．Outpace.

3. How is the passage mainly developed?

A．By making comparisons.

B．By giving assumptions.

C．By showing valid evidence.

D．By analyzing statistics

4. Which of the following statements can best summarize the author’s viewpoint towards Al?

A．Human beings will no doubt be destroyed by AI in the future

B．Super intelligent AI will put an end to human labour eventually.

C．We should keep the development of AI within humans’ control.

D．Human beings should stop the development of super intelligent AL.

7 . The Ig Nobel Prize (搞笑诺贝尔奖) hands out awards for “achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think.” Sometimes the world of design can feel the same way: a pen that can detect cancer mid-surgery, for example. But a musical instrument engineered for zero gravity? Perhaps less so. Nevertheless, both are driven by the desire to improve lives.

The pen, musical instrument and more could be found at the Global Grad Show, which has rapidly become a regional networking opportunity with large commercial value, but that hasn’t stopped grassroots innovation from pushing through.

The graduate show, organized by author and designer Brendan MeGetrick, brought together 150 student projects from 100 universities including MIT and Harvard, and countries as diverse as Jordan. Chile and Pakistan. Schools, McGetrick told CNN, are “where one finds design in its purest and most potentially valuable form.”

“Free from the commercial pressures of professional life, the next generation of designers is channeling their craft to improve the world,” he added. “The next generations do not have the luxury to hope that the present issues will be solved. They anticipate the worst and see how they might channel their talents and training to invent tools that we will need before we urgently need them.

This year’s winner of the Global Grad Show, Mirjam de Bruijn said: “I think we should stop thinking that we can do it on our own. I think designers, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs should start working together. As a designer, I see too many great solutions that are not being used because their design is bad, and I am sure that scientists or technologists think the same with some designs that look better than they actually work.”

1. A pen and a musical instrument are mentioned to show ________.

A．some designs are ridiculous but meaningful	B．some achievements are serious but useless
C．some instruments are supernatural but handy	D．some surgeries are risky bout reasonable

2. How will the Global Grad Show benefit the graduates?

A．By leaching skills and knowledge.

B．By offering scientific researches.

C．By providing commercially valuable opportunities.

D．By inspiring the invention ol the urgently needed tools.

3. According to MeGetrick, the next generation of designers ________.

A．wants to work out the present issues eagerly

B．hates to make their designs on their own

C．feels angry for those solutions not being used

D．tends to find design in its purest form

4. Which or the following statements might Mirjam de Bruijn agree with?

A．Where there is a will, there is a way.	B．Two heads are better than one.
C．Great minds think alike.	D．Birds of a feather flock together.

8 . A "smart city" that features pedestrians, green spaces and self - driving vehicles will be built in Shenzhen and its construction is scheduled to start later in 2020. It will be a model that could be applied to other urban developments after the coronavirus, the project's architect said.

The ambitious city-within-a-city, called "Net City", will be a 2 million square metre neighborhood in the southeastern city of Shenzhen, consisting of Tencent offices and residences for its employees, as well as public entertainment venues and parks.

With fewer streets for cars, "green" garden roofs on buildings and the use of artificial intelligence (Al), Net City is a model for the future of city building", said Jonathan Ward, a design partner at NB- BJ, a United States-based architecture firm.

"This moment strengthens the need to think about designing spaces, buildings and …plentiful in- door-outdoor spaces which are good for overall human health, perhaps even more so during a pandemic (流行病),"Ward said.

Besides, NBBJ considers a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle with rooftop solar panels and well -designed systems for capturing and reusing waste water. Planners also looked at projects for future sea level rises to ensure that buildings are better protected against climate change.

"The city will use technologies such as artificial intelligence," Ward said. "Mangroves (红树林)and other nature-based features will also be employed, for example, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change."

Smart cities are a part of China's plan to recover growth amongst a global economic downturn, authorities said in March. More than 500 smart cities are being built across China, according to government data, equipped with sensors, cameras, and other devices that can collect data on everything from traffic and pollution, to public health and security.

1. What can be learnt about the Net City ?

A．It will be completed in 2020.	B．It is just a city model in conception.
C．It's an example of city development.	D．It lies in northeastern Shenzhen.

2. What is special about the Net City according to Ward?

A．Leaving plenty of space empty.	B．Putting people and environment first.
C．Avoiding using modern technology.	D．Focusing on economic development.

3. Which of the following best explains "mitigate'' in paragraph 6?

A．Ease.	B．Increase,
C．Remove.	D．Strengthen.

4. What does the author intend to do in the last paragraph?

A．Emphasize the topic for the text.	B．Add some background information
C．Summarize the previous paragraphs.	D．Give an argument to support the opinion.

9 . It's said that in China millions of legal cases are now being decided by "internet courts" that do not require citizens to appear in court.

The "smart court" includes non-human judges powered by artificial intelligence, or AI. People seeking legal action can register their case on the internet. They can then take part in a digital court hearing. The system gives users the chance to communicate and receive court decisions by text or through major messaging services. Users completed more than 3.1 million legal activities through the court system from March to October in 2019, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.

China's first internet court was established in the eastern city of Hangzhou in 2017. Hangzhou is a center for major Chinese technology companies. Judicial officials recently invited reporters to the Hangzhou Internet Court to see how it operates. In one demonstration, citizens used video messaging to communicate with virtual, Al-powered judges.

"Does the defendant have any objection to the nature of the judicial block-chain （区块链） evidence submitted by the plaintiff 原告）?” a virtual judge asked during a pre-trial meeting. The non-human judge was represented in the system by an image of a man wearing a black robe. "No objection," the human plaintiff answered.

A Hangzhou court official told China's state-run CGTN television that the internet court system operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is designed to ease the workload of humans and improve the speed and effectiveness of the legal process. Court officials say that even though virtual judges are used, human judges observe the process and can make major rulings.

The internet court in Hangzhou only deals with cases involving legal disputes over digital matters. These include internet trade issues, copyright cases and disputes over online product sales. Digital court cases in China have seen a sharp increase in recent years, as the number of mobile payments and internet-based businesses has grown. The growth is tied to China's huge number of internet users --- about 850 million.

After establishing the court in Hangzhou, China launched similar operations in the cities of Beijing and Guangzhou.

1. What can we infer about the internet court?

A．Human judges have played little role in the internet court.

B．Citizens can only place their cases on file on weekdays.

C．It will become a helper for the court system.

D．It has enjoyed great popularity all over China.

2. How do people seeking legal action get court decisions according to Paragraph 2 ?

A．By Al-powered judges.	B．By receiving text messages.
C．By attending a court hearing.	D．By registering the cases on the internet.

3. Why are there more digital court cases in China now?

A．Because there is a growing tendency in internet-based businesses.

B．Because it is efficient to deal with cases in the internet court.

C．Because legal disputes can only be handled in the internet court.

D．Because China has the perfect digital court system.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Future of the China's Justice.	B．The Future Master of The Internet Court.
C．The Growth of Digital Court Cases.	D．The Rise of China's "Internet Courts5.

10 . What will higher education look like in 2050? That was the question addressed Tuesday night by Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University.

“We’re at the end of the fourth wave of change in higher education,” Crow began, arguing that research universities followed the initial establishment of higher education, public colleges, and land-grant schools in the timeline of America.

In less than a half-century, he said, global market competition will be at its fastest rates of change ever, with several multi-trillion-dollar economies worldwide. According to a recent projection, the nation’s population could reach 435 million, with a large percentage of those residents economically disadvantaged. In addition, climate change will be “meaningfully uncontrollable” in many parts of the world.

The everyday trends seen today, such as declining performance of students at all levels, particularly in math and science, and declining wages and employment among the less educated, will only continue, Crow maintained, and are, to say the least, not contributing to fulfilling the dream of climbing the social ladder mobility, quality of life, sustainable environment, and longer life spans that most Americans share.

“How is it that we can have these great research universities and have negative-trending outcomes?” Crow said in a talk “I hold the universities accountable. … We are part of the problem.”

Among the “things that we do that make the things that we teach less learnable,” Crow said, are the strict separation of disciplines, academic rigidity, and conservatism, the desire of universities to imitate schools at the top of the social ranks, and the lack of the computer system ability that would allow a large number of students to be educated for a small amount of money.

Since 2002, when Crow started being in charge at Arizona State — which he calls the “new American university” — he has led more than three dozen initiatives that aim to make the school “inclusive, scalable, fast, adaptive, challenge-focused, and willing to take risks.”

Among those initiatives were a restructuring of the engineering and life sciences schools to create more linkages between disciplines; the launch of the School of Earth and Space Exploration and the School of Sustainability; the start of a Teachers College to address K-12 performance and increase the status of the Education Department at the university; and broadened access, increasing the freshman class size by 42 percent and the enrollment of students living below the poverty line by 500 percent.

Universities must start, Crow noted, “by becoming self-reflective architects, figuring out what we have and what we actually need instead of what legend tells us we have to be.” Research universities today have “run their course,” he added. “Now is the time for variety.”

During a discussion afterward, Crow clarified and expanded on some of his points. He discussed, for example, the school’s distance-learning program. “Nearly 40 percent of undergraduates are taking at least one course online,” he said, which helps the school to keep costs down while advancing interactive learning technologies.

He said that Arizona State is working to increase the transfer and completion rates of community-college students, of whom only about 15 percent, historically, complete their later degrees. “We’ve built a system that will allow them to track into universities,” particularly where “culturally complex barriers” beyond finances limit even the most gifted students.

1. The fourth wave of change in America’s higher education refers to _______.

A．public colleges	B．land-grant schools
C．initial higher education	D．research universities

2. Which is NOT part of the American dream most people share?

A．People enjoy a quality life.	B．People live longer and longer.
C．The freedom to move around.	D．An environment that is sustainable.

3. Which is an initiative adopted by Crow at Arizona State University?

A．Restructuring the teachers College.

B．Launching the School of Life Sciences.

C．Ignoring the linkages between disciplines.

D．Enrolling more students from poor families.

4. With the distance-learning program, Arizona State University is able to ______.

A．enroll 40% of its students online

B．provide an even greater number of courses

C．attract the most gifted students all over the world

D．keep costs down without a loss of quality