1 . A 3-year-old boy who was lost in the woods for two days is now safe at home with his family. But Casey Hathaway told his rescuers that he was not alone in the rainy, freezing cold woods. He said he was with a friend — a bear.
The child went missing on January 22 while playing with friends near his grandmother's house in North Carolina. When the other children returned but Casey did not, the family searched the area for almost an hour before calling the police.
Police formed a search team to look for the young boy in the nearby woods. But two days went by and—no Casey.
Then on January 24, someone called the police saying he heard a child crying in the woods. Police followed up on the information and found Casey at about 9:30 that night. He was in good health.
Casey told the rescuers he had hung out with a black bear for two days, a bear he called his "friend".
The police officer Chip Hughes spoke with reporters from several news agencies. He said Casey did not say how he could survive in the woods for two days in the cold, rainy weather. "However," the police officer said, "he did say he had a friend in the woods that was a bear with him."
Hundreds of people helped in the search and rescue efforts, including some 600 volunteers, police and members of the army. Doctors at the medical center gave Casey some examination. He was then sent to his family on January 25.
His mother talked with reporters and thanked everyone who joined the search for her son. "We just want to tell everybody that we're very thankful that you took the time out to search for Casey," said his mother. "He is up and talking He's already asked to watch cartoons."
1. When did Caseyget lost?| A．On January24. |
| B．After a 911 call. |
| C．Before his playmates returned home. |
| D．After he left his grandmother's house. |
| A．He survived with the help of a bear. |
| B．The rescuers rescued him from a bear. |
| C．Someone offered key information to find him. |
| D．He was eventually found by officer Hughes. |
| A．To report the detailed situation. |
| B．To show her gratitude and relief. |
| C．To invite everyone to watch her child. |
| D．To appreciate searchers and the bear. |
| A．A newsreport | B．A guidebook. |
| C．A diary. | D．An adverisement |
2 . Many of you may have used Siri, a voice assistant of US tech company Apple. You only have to say “hey Siri” and it will answer to your command. However, we may be sacrificing our privacy to enjoy this convenience.
According to a recent report by the Guardian, Siri can be accidentally triggered and start recording private conversations, such as discussions between doctors and patients. Some of these recordings are then given to workers outside the company to review.
Apple claimed the data was used to help Siri improve, but users were not informed of this measure in the first place.
Apple’s Siri is not the only voice assistant to come under fire.
In 2018, Alexa, a voice assistant developed by US tech company Amazon, recorded a private conversation between a couple and sent it to a stranger without their permission.
These issues deepened concerns that tech companies are infringing users’ rights of privacy.
Many people have long feared that tech companies are listening and collecting data from private conversations, reported Forbes. Using this data, third party companies could then paint an accurate picture of users’ habits and preferences in order to serve them more targeted advertisements, or even worse, sell this private data.
Despite this risk, the popularity of voice assistant seems to be unstoppable.
“In the near future, everything from your lighting to your air-conditioning to your refrigerator, your coffee maker, and even your toilet could be wired to a system controlled by voice,” commented The Atlantic.
Colin Horgan wrote on the blog site Medium that he believed people’s daily lives will soon become a source of data.
“The sounds of our homes, the symphony of life — laughing, crying, talking, shouting, sitting in silence — will no longer be considered memories, but data,” he wrote.
To deal with the issue, Blake Morgan, reporter for The Atlantic, believed that the answer is transparency.
“All companies need to have messaging ready to explain to customers what they do with private data,” she wrote on The Atlantic.
1. What does the underlined sentence mean?| A．There are other fire-proof voice assistants. |
| B．Other voice assistants are also being developed. |
| C．There are other voice assistants being criticized. |
| D．Other voice assistants also need improvements. |
| A．Invading their privacy. | B．Sending their message. |
| C．Making no improvements. | D．Serving them targeted advertisements. |
| A．To stop collecting data through voice assistant. |
| B．To explain their use of the data to customers. |
| C．To make their data more transparent. |
| D．To slow down the pace of technology advancement. |
| A．To show visions of a data world in the future. |
| B．To inform people of what tech companies are really up to. |
| C．To draw attention to the privacy issue voice assistants bring about. |
| D．To criticize companies’ invading customers’ privacy by collecting data. |
3 . Almost one in five drivers had dozed off behind the wheel, a shocking news report had showed. Of those who were dozing off, 29% have done so with their cars speeding at 70 miles per hour. The report also found a quarter of men have fallen asleep while driving, making it almost twice as many as women.
The Safety on Wheel Report, by Post Office Insurance, also looked at how often tiredness or a lack of concentration caused accidents. Three in ten drivers have experienced an accident, from passing a walker crossing to hitting another vehicle, because of a lack of concentration. Meanwhile, almost half (49%) of UK drivers have driven when they do not concentrate.
Paul Havenhand, head of insurance at Post Office, said, “ When tiredness strikes, drivers should avoid the roads.” There is no measurement for tired driving, unlike driving under the influence of alcohol, yet it could result in an equally dangerous accident.
Drivers are advised to take a 15-minute break from driving every two hours. However, a third (36%) are so eager to reach their destination that they will ignore feelings of tiredness. What’s more, almost one in five (18%) will drive for longer than four hours without a break, while 6% carry on for up to 6 hours. Just over a quarter (27%) choose a quick stop to buy a cup of coffee, which is a very popular way for drivers to get rid of tiredness, and only 17% stop to have a rest until they feel energetic again. Mr. Havenhand added, “Drivers should plan ahead and rest before starting a long journey; besides, they can take regular breaks to recharge their batteries while on road; in some cases, if they do feel too tired to concentrate on the roads, they could consider an alternative means of transport.”
1. Which suggestion is NOT put forward by Mr. Havenhand?| A．Preparing well for a long journey and taking a complete rest before it. |
| B．Having breaks regularly in order to feel refreshed. |
| C．Choosing another method of transport instead. |
| D．Choosing a quick stop to grab something to eat. |
| A．Put a new supply of electricity into their batteries. |
| B．Get back their energy by resting for a while. |
| C．Accuse them of stealing batteries. |
| D．Pay twice more money for their batteries. |
| A．drinking coffee |
| B．talking with others |
| C．ignoring feelings of tiredness |
| D．singing songs |
| A．To warn people of the danger of tired driving. |
| B．To tell people to be careful when walking on the street. |
| C．To inform people of the importance of a good rest. |
| D．To introduce some dangers while driving on the roads. |
