1 . The words “caring” and “empathetic” (共情的) aren’t ones normally associated with technology. Yearsley, an Australian enterpriser who is expert in artificial intelligence (AI), is trying to change that.
Yearsley is the founder of Akin, a robotics startup that currently uses a tablet-based system to help users manage the tasks related to home life, whether that’s planning meals or reminding you to pay your cell phone bill. Current home devices made by Google or Amazon or Apple use predictive AI to track patterns, strengthen behaviors and manipulate (操控) buying decisions, some of which, she assumes, are questionable or just unhealthy.
In contrast, the AI that she is developing will be designed to run the human home, encouraging healthful decisions such as taking a nightly walk, refilling the fridge and supporting social interactions like lunches or birthday celebrations with friends. “It’s the hardest AI I have ever built for it’s a complex system,” Yearsley says.
Yearsley began developing the Akin technology in 2017, when she realized the need to better manage the home is hugely ignored. Besides, she realized that women unequally bear the burden of household work. A United Nations’ report estimates that women do2.6 times the amount of unpaid care and domestic work that men do, or close to 30 hours per week in the U. S. alone.
While Yearsley pictures an army of robots someday helping with routine homemade tasks, the first display for Akin will take time and money. Akin has received some early seed money from a handful of investors, and was recently selected as a finalist for tech giant LG Nova’s Mission for the Future program, an annual challenge that seeks to identify businesses having potential to improve life and lead society into the future.
1. What might the Akin’s AI system suggest?| A．Consuming more drinks to enjoy yourself. | B．Staying up late working to make more money. |
| C．Spending more time staying with your family. | D．Purchasing products that may attract you. |
| A．The high cost of current home devices. | B．Akin’s becoming a finalist for a program. |
| C．Financial support from investors. | D．Heavy burden of housewives. |
| A．Questionable and unhealthy. | B．Unstable and insecure. |
| C．Thoughtful and innovative. | D．Mature and ideal. |
| A．To introduce a futuristic AI system. | B．To compare two companies’ AI systems. |
| C．To call on people to care about housewives. | D．To seek support for an AI expert. |
I am a proud mother of three children, my last little one being delivered in the middle of this pandemic (疫情). She was born in August and her name is Aida.
Shortly after having Aida, my mother-in-law Ann showed me something she learned from her friend’s mother in an art class she attended weekly, She had showed me how to knit (编织) a scarf.
I spent a lot of time breastfeeding my sweet little girl, so I had some extra time to do something with my hands throughout the day. I enjoyed making the scarf so I purchased tons of yarn (线) since it was winter. I wanted to make scarves for my three children as Christmas gifts.
There was a new family that moved in down the street. The only daughter of the family was Jane, a shy girl, aged 14, the same age of my oldest son David. It seemed that she came from a financially disadvantaged family, for she always wore old clothes. Worse still, in such cold days, she had no more clothes to wear and trembled with cold.
Due to the pandemic, society was thrown into crisis mode. Schools were closed, food supplies and deliveries were suspended and children were stuck at home. In such discouraging time, however, they became good companions, talking and playing at home or around the houses.
It was dreadfully cold this winter. Every time David came back from outside, with red face, he always cried, “Mum, it is freezing outside!” Then, he came over to see whether I finished the scarf. I could tell how impatient he was to wear my scarf sooner! I had to speed the project to satisfy his expectation. But David comforted me by saying he could wait a few days. What a kind and considerate boy he was! Then my great art project finally was accomplished on the morning ahead of Christmas.
注意：1.续写词数应为150词左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语己为你写好。
Paragraph 1: I wrapped the scarf around David’s neck.
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Paragraph 2: Later that day David came back saying Jane also deserved a scarf.
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3 . Everyone complains. Even if you argue that you are the happiest person in the world, you still complain sometimes. Sometimes you complain without even realizing it, but rarely is it ever helpful.
When you find yourself thinking or saying a negative comment about something or someone, stop and force yourself to say something positive instead. Seek the help of a cheerful friend to change you when you complain and help you to see the positive in the situation.
Make a list of things you are grateful for.
You often complain about the things you don’t have without noticing those things you already have. Be grateful for what you have in your life because you are lucky simply for being yourselves.
Learn to adapt to the changes.
There are many things you can’t change.
Allow yourself to vent (发泄) your feelings every once in a while.
Constantly ignoring negative thoughts could add up. If you are really going through a rough time, don’t be afraid to share your feelings with a close friend or family member or see a therapist.
Find what makes you happy.
| A．Sometimes this list can be easy, full of hobbies you enjoy. |
| B．The best and only thing you can do is to accept them. |
| C．Change the way you think. |
| D．Are you constantly complaining about your present job? |
| E．Set down things you are thankful for and you’ll see that you don’t have any reason to complain. |
| F．Make friends with positive people. |
| G．So how can you manage to force yourselves to end complaining? |
4 . Hannah, an adventurous girl, lived on a small village in a land far away. All of the villagers were used to their
One afternoon, she
From that day on, Hannah
With the good in heart, Hannah started to
Hannah’s passion and
| A．urgent | B．challenging | C．fruitless | D．routine |
| A．camp | B．detect | C．explore | D．relax |
| A．came upon | B．cycled around | C．dropped by | D．stepped into |
| A．astonished | B．confused | C．disappointed | D．relieved |
| A．claimed | B．clarified | C．predicted | D．realized |
| A．bought | B．checked | C．picked | D．searched |
| A．eagerly | B．cautiously | C．patiently | D．roughly |
| A．dangers | B．contradictions | C．conflicts | D．hardships |
| A．called | B．prepared | C．struggled | D．waited |
| A．body | B．brain | C．heart | D．forehead |
| A．adapt | B．share | C．read | D．tell |
| A．ambition | B．benefit | C．word | D．intention |
| A．Convinced | B．Entertained | C．Inspired | D．Affected |
| A．confidence | B．dedication | C．inspiration | D．patience |
| A．pursuit | B．hope | C．love | D．success |
5 . Simple Yet Amazing Ways To Be Wiser
Wisdom is no just a good quality to have but it is also very necessary. There are a lot of ways to become wiser.
You will never grow from being in your comfort zone which is why you need to get out of it. This is the only way you will gain wisdom and become better. You try learning new skills that you never thought of learning or going to places that were on your bucket list. Change your routine and see where life takes you, take control!
Meet new people
Limiting yourself to only one type of people that share the same beliefs as you can be comforting but it doesn’t get you anywhere in life. You need to meet and experience new people and learn what they have to offer. Share what defines you and learn from others. This will make you wise.
Learn and grow from your mistakes
All of us make mistakes in life, but it is the acknowledgment of mistakes that makes us grow and do better next time. Whenever we make a mistake, we should learn from it, thinking over our shortcomings won’t get us anywhere.
Share your knowledge with others
If you have accumulated a lot of knowledge then why not share it with others too?
| A．Try experiencing new opportunities |
| B．Expose yourself to diverse viewpoints |
| C．However, you are advised to start small |
| D．Developing new friendships will be beneficial to you |
| E．We can reflect upon failure in order to improve ourselves |
| F．Being ready to help others out will definitely increase your wisdom |
| G．If something confuses you, try to clear out your problems by yourselves |
6 . Britain has a stubborn enemy called the “devil plant”, the Japanese knotweed (虎杖). The name originated in Japan, but it became a promoter behind a plant disaster in Britain. Initially it was introduced to England as a landscape plant. However, over time it has evolved into a harsh plant difficult to control.
The plant is disreputable (坏名声的) mainly because of its strong ability to survive. The Japanese knotweed can grow at an amazing speed. What’s more, Japan’s knotweed is penetrating. As long as you give it a small gap, it can follow it and make rapid growth. This gap may be a crack in the road, or a wall crack in the house, and even some Japanese knotweed will start to grow from the foundation of the house, gradually “destroy” the whole house. Such an invasion (入侵) is a nightmare for the British. The British simply love and hate the plant, but so far, they are still unable to find an effective way to remove it.
Fortunately, China’s knotweed is not identical to Japan’s, and in the China’s ecosystem, there are many natural enemies against it. As a result, China has not experienced a knotweed invasion as severe as Britain. Additionally, its tender stem can be made into delicious food. The root of knotweed is a very good Chinese medicine. Therefore, in some places there’s also a need to plant knotweed, to obtain economic benefits.
This case gives us a profound inspiration that it is important to be careful when introducing alien species and to fully understand the characteristics of plants or animals and the effects they may cause in a new environment, otherwise it may be easy to spend a huge amount of money every year to clean up the Japanese knotweed, as in the UK.
1. Why did Britain bring in Japanese knotweed at first?| A．To make profits. | B．For decoration. |
| C．For scientific research. | D．To promote biodiversity. |
| A．Fading away. | B．Dying out. |
| C．Multiplying rapidly. | D．Growing steadily. |
| A．China’s ecosystem is not damaged by knotweed. |
| B．Knotweed is in great demand in the whole China. |
| C．Knotweed has made most of the Chinese people rich. |
| D．Chinese medicine includes knotweed’s stems and roots. |
| A．A Natural Phenomenon We Know |
| B．A Plant That People Love and Hate |
| C．Alien Species’ Effect on the Local Economy |
| D．The Fight Against Invasive Plants and Animals |
Rising up in the countryside of Jiangxi Province, Mount Lushan was once one of the famous cultural
Located about 20 kilometres south of Jiujiang City, it runs eastwards to the Mufu Mountains. Dahanyang Peak, the highest peak of Mount Lushan,
As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, a well-known Taoist leader,
However, Mount Lushan didn’t become truly famous until the Song Dynasty. During that time, it was rebuilt by Zhu Xi,
Nowadays, with its beautiful l views and famous temples, the mountain range is
8 . Volunteering is a great way for teenagers to make a difference and meet new people. There are many different types of volunteer opportunities for teens available. Here are a few volunteer opportunities that you could encourage your teen to take up.
Help at a local food bank
Food banks always welcome donations and new volunteers. They provide perfect volunteering opportunities for those who are interested in helping the homeless. Your teen would be involved in anything, from preparing meals to working behind the scenes to repackage donated food items, serving food, and carrying boxes.
Help at a soup kitchen
A soup kitchen is one of the places where the hungry can get free or affordable meals (usually soup and bread). Most soup kitchens run primarily on donations and the generosity of people. As a soup kitchen volunteer, your child may be made to clean the tables and utensils (用具), help distribute food, cook food and more.
Volunteer for Meals on Wheels
By volunteering for Meals on Wheels, your teen will deliver nutritious meals to the elderly or the disabled. It’s perfect for teens who have just received their driving license and love to get behind the wheel for any reason! They can make a massive impact in a short amount of time. Alternatively, your teen can also volunteer in their kitchen and prepare meals for delivery. With a simple gesture, your teen can bring millions of smiles to people’s lives.
Work with Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to build or improve a place that someone could call home. Besides helping the community, your teen will learn valuable skills such as repairing fund-raising, painting, and building. You can sign them up for long-term projects or one-time program.
1. What do a food bank and a soup kitchen have in common?| A．The food available. | B．The source of food. |
| C．The prices of food. | D．The location of stores. |
| A．Lucy, who likes cooking. | B．Linda, who likes drawing. |
| C．Jack, who can drive a car. | D．Peter, who can play football. |
| A．A local food bank. | B．A soup kitchen. |
| C．Meals on Wheels. | D．Habitat for Humanity. |
9 . Getting into science is often difficult for some kids, It’s something Ahmed Muhammad learned quickly while babysitting his niece and nephew.
Muhammad is an 18-year-old senior from California. who attends Oakland Tech High school. One day he asked his niece and nephew if they wanted to do science, and he was upset by their reaction.
“Whenever I babysit them, we do things like playing chess, playing video games, or watching TV or whatever. When I tried to do science with them, they were like, No, I hate science. I’m bad at it.” It was that moment that fueled Muhammad to create his nonprofit called “Kits Cubed” with a mission to introduce kids to science through fun, affordable and accessible means.
“I went into my room and I pulled out some science books. Then I went online and did some research and was able to design some science experiments for them to do at home. The materials were composed of fairly cheap stuff we have around the house, and they loved it” Muhammad said.
After witnessing their joy, he realized other children could benefit from it as well. “Having noticed the long-standing absence of science experiments in our school, I really feel like well need some science kits in the hands of kids,” Muhammad said.
That’s when he took the $200 he had saved to create a website and began creating science kits to sell, and eventually donated the earnings to kids in need. “I had enough money to make the website and enough to put together like 10 or 15 kits. My initial goal was the joy that my niece and nephew felt. I wanted it to get to as many kids as possible,” Muhammad said.
Muhammad, who has been accepted to Stanford University, is just thrilled he was able to help change his niece and his nephew’s opinion of science while inspiring others as well.
1. What is the main pursuit of Kits Cubed?| A．To solve the absence of science at school. |
| B．To promote acceptance of scientific spirit. |
| C．To provide free access to household stuff. |
| D．To set in motion kids’ passion for science. |
| A．Online research he carried out about materials. |
| B．Enjoyable reactions he observed from the kids. |
| C．Science books he published about experiments. |
| D．Science fairs he participated in at his own school. |
| A．It targeted at kids aged from 10 to 15. |
| B．It received donations for kids in need. |
| C．It was primarily funded by local school. |
| D．It initially profited from sales of science kits. |
| A．Composed. | B．Childlike. | C．Charitable. | D．Cooperative. |
Excitement and danger always coexist. Even Rogers had just taken a turn on his mountain bike in April 2020 when he was stopped short by the sight of a woman sitting on the side of the trail. She was cute and had long brown hair and big expressive eyes. What he didn’t know then was that she was also in pain.
Sydney Linden, 28, bad been jogging down Adobe Jack Trail in Sedona, Arizona, when she jumped over a rock and her leg overextended on the landing. The pain was instant. Her right leg collapsed and she hit the dirt hard. Linden tried to stand but collapsed. She wasn’t sure if she had tom her ACL (韧带), broken her leg, or something else. All she knew was that the pain was a 15out of 10.
Linden dragged herself to the shade, “like an animal preparing to die,” she says. She’d called a friend, but after 30 minutes, her friend was lost. That’s when she saw the mountain biker.
Rogers was trying to play it cool. “I didn’t want to be strange,” he says, “so I was just going to casually ride by — at a slower speed.” But Rogers, 33, an active-duty airman, sensed her sufferings and asked if be could help. Linden explained her dilemma. That’s when he noticed the swelling under her leggings. She needed a hospital — now.
Leaning on Rogers, Linden tried to hop along, but the pain was burning. She’d never make it to the trailhead (登山扣) this way. Rogers had another idea. Ho abandoned his bike on the side of the trail and, after a brief discussion, lifted her over his shoulder. Then they began their way over the rocky area and bushes. Although it was spring, the Arizona sun beat down wildly.
Misfortune never came alone.
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Linden was eager to thank Rogers, but he left without any information.
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