1 . Think of the words in your head: that tasteless joke you wisely kept to yourself at dinner; your unvoiced impression of your best friend’s new partner. Now imagine that someone could listen in.

Recently, scientists from the University of Texas, have made another step in that direction. In a study published in Neuroscience, the team showed it was possible to read people’s thoughts with a non-invasive brain scanner called fMRI and large language models (LLMs) built with GPT.

The study centered on three subjects, who lay in an fMRI scanner recording their brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow in parts of their brains while they listened to online stories. By integrating this information with the LLMs’ ability to understand how words relate to one another, the researchers developed an encoded (编码的) map of how each individual’s brain responds to different words. Then, the team worked backward. They recorded the fMRI activity while the participants listened to a new story. Using a combination of the patterns previously encoded for each individual and LLMs, the researchers attempted to translate this new brain activity.

While many of the sentences it produced were inaccurate, the decoder generated sentences that got the main idea of what the person was thinking. For instance, when a person heard, “I don’t have my driver’s license yet,” the decoder spat out, “She has not even started to learn to drive yet.” Alex Huth from the university said, “We were shocked and impressed that this worked as well as it does.”

The researchers also found that the technology isn’t one-size-fits-all. Each decoder was quite personalized and worked only for the person whose brain data had helped build it. Additionally, a person had to voluntarily cooperate for the decoder to identify ideas. If a person wasn’t paying attention to an audio story, the decoder couldn’t pick that story up from brain signals.

While the technology was still far from perfect, the result could ultimately lead to seamless devices that help people who can’t talk or otherwise communicate easily. However, the research also raises privacy concerns about unwelcome neural overhearing. The team said the potential of the technology was such that policymakers should proactively address how it can be legally used. Jerry Tang from the team said, “Nobody’s brain should be decoded without their permission. If one day it does become possible to get accurate decoding without a person’s will, we’ll have a regulatory foundation in place.”

1. What is the study mainly about?

A．The working principle of a smart scanner.

B．The potential impact of mind-reading GPT.

C．The advance in brain-decoding technology.

D．The breakthrough in large language models.

2. How did the team work backward?

A．They fed the decoder data on people’s brain activities.

B．They employed the scanner to encode people’s thoughts.

C．They recorded the fMRI activity to assess thinking ability.

D．They used brain activity patterns to read the subjects’ mind.

3. What did the researchers find?

A．The decoder worked as expected.

B．The decoder can get the wording right.

C．The decoder required willing participation.

D．The decoder can be applied to different people.

4. What will the team most probably do next?

A．Personalize the technology.	B．Establish proper regulations.
C．Apply the technology across fields.	D．Break limitations of the technology.

2 . As you leave the Bandhavgarh National Park in India, there is a notice which shows a huge tiger. The notice says, “You may not have seen me, but I have seen you.” There are more than a billion people in India and Indian tigers probably see humans every single day. Tigers can and do kill almost anything they meet in the jungle. However, it is a little strange that attacks on humans are not that frequent.

Some people might argue that these attacks were in fact common in the past. But there were far more tigers around in those days. So, to some extent, attacks appear to have been as rare then as they are today.

People think it is because of fears, but what exactly are tigers afraid of? Can they really know that we may be even better armed than they are? Surely not. Has the species programmed the experiences of all tigers with humans into its genes to be inherited as instinct? Perhaps. But I think the explanation may be simpler and, in a way, more interesting.

I suspect that a tiger’s fear of humans lies in the way he actually observes us visually. Imagine a tiger sees a man who is 1.8 meters tall. A tiger is less than 1 meter tall but he may be up to 3 meters long from head to tail. So when a tiger sees the man face on, it might not be unreasonable for him to assume that the man is 6 meters long. If he met a deer of this size, he might attack the animal by leaping on its back, but when he looks behind the man, he can’t see a back. From the front the man is huge, but looked at from the side he all but disappears. This must be very disturbing. A hunter has to be confident that it can kill its prey, and no one is confident when they are disconcerted.

The opposite is true of a squatting human. A squatting human is half the size and presents twice the spread of back, and appears like a medium-sized deer. Many incidents of attacks on people involve villagers bending over to cut grass. The fact that humans stand upright may not just distinguish them from other species, but also help them to survive in an unpredictable environment.

1. As for some people’s opinion on tiger attacks, the author is ________.

A．objective

B．unconcerned

C．supportive

D．disapproving

2. Why does the author raise three questions in Paragraph 3?

A．To present assumptions.	B．To evaluate arguments.
C．To question findings.	D．To confirm opinions.

3. What does the underlined word “disconcerted” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?

A．Confused.

B．Annoyed.

C．Depressed.

D．Surprised.

4. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?

A．It is the genes that cause the tiger’s fear of humans.

B．It is hard for a tiger to make out the shape of humans.

C．Tigers sense the danger the moment they spot humans.

D．Tigers are less confident when facing squatting humans.

3 . Amish Country is one of Ohio’s most beautiful places. In addition to good food and shopping, you can also learn about Amish history and experience their culture through Amish home tours and buggy rides.

a buggy ride

Amish Heartland Tours

If you would like to learn about Amish life and culture while enjoying a tour of the beauty of Amish country, Amish Heartland Tours can make it happen, offering buggy rides, custom bus tours, and special “Backroad” experiences with meals in the homes of the Amish people. You will learn about the day-to-day life of the Amish from experienced tour guides and the local people themselves.

Tours last between 1 to 3 hours depending on your choice of destination and activities.

Yoder’s Amish Home

If you or your school group would like to learn more about the life of the Amish, a trip to Yoder’s Amish Home might be perfect for you. With guided tours of the house, property, and so on, you’ll learn about the history and lifestyle of the Amish up close.

Pet the animals in the old barn, learn a little German and meet their Amish teacher in their one-room schoolhouse, take a ride in a real Amish buggy, and enjoy a sweet treat from their bakery! Tours are led by local guides and last about 40 minutes.

Troyer’s Amish Tours

Experience the Amish Country with a personalized, and custom touch. Troyer’s Amish Tours offers several tours including 2 and 3-hour experiences, dinner in Amish homes, as well as special events. All of the tours are tailor-made with advance notice.

For the most memorable experience, use their online contact forms to plan your visit in advance.

Amish Heritage Tours

Amish Heritage Tours offers seasonally themed tours including many of the best things to do in Amish Country, with one to multi-day experiences including pick-up from your hotel, dinner, shopping, area theatre, and museums.

Plan your visit online in advance. Their website offers sample itineraries for each tour to make your stay rewarding and unforgettable.

1. Which tour is intended for school children?

A．Amish Heartland Tours.	B．Yoder’s Amish Home.
C．Troyer’s Amish Tours.	D．Amish Heritage Tours.

2. What is special about Troyer’s Amish tour?

A．It presents seasonally themed tours.	B．It features real Amish buggy rides.
C．It provides a museum experience.	D．It meets individualized needs.

3. What is the purpose of this passage?

A．To promote tours.	B．To introduce travel services.
C．To highlight a lifestyle.	D．To celebrate the local culture.

4 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

In New York, longtime Kunqu artists and students are working together to pass down the ancient traditional form from generation     1     generation, and Kunqu societies     2     (be) active in the city for over 30 years. And recently, these Kunqu Opera artists, young and old, staged a performance at the Big Apple     3     (celebrate) the 35th anniversary of the Kunqu Society of New York, a nonprofit culture and arts organization.

5 . Last September, Sarah, 44, slipped on a platform and ________ in the gap between a train and the platform edge. When the train left the station, it ran over her right arm and leg. Unfortunately, another train pulled in, causing further ________. A few minutes later, someone noticed her and called emergency services. They ________ to the scene and took Sarah to the hospital, but doctors were ________ to save her arm and leg.

________, Sarah is now the world’s first woman to use a £250.00 bionic (仿生) arm ________ by AI.

“It’s hard to explain but when I think about a ________ — say ‘open my hand’ — my muscles twitch (颤动) in a particular way. The sensors in it will ________ these twitches, and send signals to make my hand work. And if it ________ the fact that I point my finger often, it will learn that I like to do that and make it easier for me to do so,” said Sarah.

In February, Sarah returned to work and a few months later she attended a conference in Rome to give a speech about the accident.

“I do miss myself before the accident. But at the end of the day, I’m just ________ that AI can give me a piece of my life back. I know I am blessed to be able to keep moving forward with my family.”

1.

A．fell

B．jumped

C．stood

D．filled

2.

A．changes

B．worries

C．injuries

D．failures

3.

A．moved

B．turned

C．walked

D．rushed

4.

A．uncertain

B．unable

C．patient

D．eager

5.

A．Naturally

B．Normally

C．Obviously

D．Luckily

6.

A．powered

B．developed

C．graded

D．treated

7.

A．pattern

B．signal

C．movement

D．moment

8.

A．protect

B．detect

C．, connect

D．reflect

9.

A．cares about

B．talks about

C．figures out

D．points out

10.

A．hopeful

B．grateful

C．concerned

D．amused

6 . 请用方框中所给单词的正确形式完成句子，并将答案写在答题卡相应位置。

comfort          science          entire          anxiety          motivate

1. I admit it was ______________ my fault.
2. He seemed ______________ about the coming exam.
3. He is intelligent enough but he lacks ______________.
4. I was so ______________ and warm in bed so that I didn’t want to get up.
5. We should adopt a more ______________ approach in the future research.

7 . 请用方框中所给的单词或短语完成句子，并将答案写在答题卡相应位置。

accompany demonstrate evaluate break down in charge of in turn

1. He put Steve ______________ the research team.
2. Ken agreed to ______________ me on a trip to Africa.
3. I can’t ______________ his ability without seeing his work.
4. Listen up! Please come up ______________ to collect your books.
5. Let me ______________ to you some of the difficulties we are facing.
6. A smile can ______________ barriers.

8 . 阅读下面句子，根据句意，从方框中选择恰当的词或词组，并用其正确形式填空。

bend       abandon       have an impact on       boil down to       leave out significant       boost       for instance       be known as       on the contrary

1. Anne Sullivan was a superb teacher who ________ Hellen Keller.
2. Susan’s success in business ________ her determination and bravery.
3. They’re building new hotels in order to ________ tourism in this area.
4. I still remember one time I had to ________ my car in the heavy snow.
5. It’s no trouble for me at all! ________, it’ll be a great pleasure to lend you a hand.
6. John explained the case to his boss, being careful not to ________ any important details.
7. The discovery of the new drug is of great ________ to/people suffering from heart disease.
8. Near the top of the hill, the path ________ sharply to the right and enters an open grassland.
9. We made many improvements to our house. ________, we painted the walls and bought a sofa.
10. In the third mass extinction, which ________ the “Great Dying” now, more than 90% of all species died out.

9 . Bingo has been a beloved game for generations, and for good reason.     1     Whether you’re looking for a way to spend some quality time with friends and family, or you’re just looking for a fun activity to do at home, hosting your own bingo party is a great option.

    2     First, up are the bingo cards. You can either choose to create your own bingo cards or use pre-made ones available online. You’ll also need bingo markers, which can be anything from small pieces of paper to pennies or even candy.

Once you have your supplies, it’s time to invite your guests. You can invite your friends and family over for a fun night of bingo, or you can even host a virtual bingo party over video chat.     3     Should you be hosting a virtual party, make sure to send out the video chat link ahead of time.

Once everyone has arrived, it’s time to start the game!     4     Each card should have a unique combination of numbers on it ranging from 1 to 90. Make sure that all players have a pen or marker to take down the numbers as they are called out.

The caller is responsible for drawing the numbers and calling them out to the players. Players keep marking the numbers on their cards until someone achieves a winning pattern. There are various winning patterns in bingo, such as completing a row, column, or diagonal line, or achieving a specific shape or design on the bingo card.     5     When a player achieves the winning pattern, they should call out “Bingo” loud and clear to signal that they have won.

The goal here is to have fun. While some organization is required, try not to tun it into a military operation. After all, bingo is the type of game that can bring people together and create a fun and exciting atmosphere.

A．Hand out the bingo cards to each player.

B．You can ask your guests to bring their favourite bingo balls, cards and markers.

C．It should be decided before the game starts, and known to all players.

D．To host your own bingo party, you’ll need a few supplies.

E．Instead of using traditional bingo numbers and letters, mix it up with different themes.

F．If you’re hosting an in-person party, make sure to let your guests know what time to arrive.

G．It’s a fun, exciting game and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

10 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

Nowadays, a lot of young people seem to spend much of their free time either watching television or playing computer games. Certainly, these things are entertaining, but they don’t contribute much to developing their brains. Many believe that reading books, and especially fiction, is a much more effective way of achieving this. The most obvious benefit we get from reading a good story is a growing vocabulary. We come across new words in reading and try to understand these words through context. Gradually, we become more confident with complex words. In addition, we improve in other areas such as speaking and writing just by reading regularly.

It has also been established that reading fiction is a good way of developing a good self-image. Non-readers or poor readers often have low opinions of themselves. Besides, they may perform poorly in other subjects because they cannot read and understand the material.

Most importantly, however, reading fiction helps us to develop our brains. The human brain can work well when we just do regular things, like driving or walking. However, learning expert Dr. Brian E. Walsh suggested that it can perform more effectively when an element of surprise is added, because this helps to build connections in the brain. In this respect, the positive effects of reading may be much stronger than previously thought.

Recent research has shown that the brain reacts more strongly to unpredictable than to predictable things. This may explain why people enjoy reading fiction, which generally contains lots of unpredictable things. Reading fiction enables us to experience fresh scenarios(情节) and identify with the people we are reading about. When we mentally create the scenes, the look of the characters, the smells, and the sounds in the book, we are exercising our brain. The brain is challenged. This is a positive thing because it will continue to grow and develop if properly stimulated. The more it is used, the better it becomes.

1. How does reading help us improve vocabulary?
______________________________________________________________________
2. What are the problems for people who seldom read according to the passage?
______________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
> Reading fiction has more positive effects on our brain since fiction shows more predictable things in our daily life.
______________________________________________________________________
4. Apart from what are mentioned in the passage, what other benefit(s) have you gained from reading fiction?
______________________________________________________________________