| take to break down be aware of around the corner die out in particular a matter of |
2. Some people believe football is
3. As a computer engineer, there’s always a new challenge just
4. This is a programme run by The Gorilla Organization to raise money to save the world’s last remaining gorillas from
5. Even today, he still does not easily
1. What does the speaker do now?
| A．A gardener. | B．A cook. | C．An office worker. |
| A．He drives to the country. | B．He repairs his truck. | C．He plants trees. |
| A．Picking up leaves. | B．Buying old radios. | C．Collecting old cookery books. |
1. What are the speakers doing?
| A．Doing some exercise. |
| B．Making a training plan. |
| C．Attending a sports meeting. |
| A．Four weeks. | B．Two weeks. | C．Six weeks. |
| A．Cycling. | B．Running. | C．Swimming. |
| A．Interesting. | B．Easy. | C．Stressful. |
1. Where is Las Vegas?
| A．In the desert. | B．Near a forest. | C．Close to New York. |
| A．Swimming pools. | B．Fashion. | C．Card games. |
| A．Museums. | B．Restaurants. | C．Music clubs. |
| A．To teach visitors about playing cards. |
| B．To get families to bring their children. |
| C．To suggest different activities for visitors. |
1. What does the man want the woman to do?
| A．Help him with his research paper. | B．Go on a business trip with him. | C．Write a report for him. |
| A．Thursday. | B．Friday. | C．Next Monday. |
| A．To the library. | B．To a meeting room. | C．To a café. |
6 . As I reflect on my educational journey, it becomes evident that the impact of education extends far beyond the ranges of the classroom. Education has been the guiding force that has shaped not only my academic progress but also my personal development and outlook on the world around me.
From my earliest days in school, education has stimulated my intellectual curiosity and developed a deep-seated passion for learning. I remember the thrill of getting on a voyage of discovery with each new lesson, as my understanding of the world expanded through the acquisition (获得) of knowledge and the development of critical thinking skills. These experiences have not only nurtured (培养) my intellectual growth but have also equipped me with the tools to navigate the complexities of the modern world.
However, the impact of education goes beyond the field of academia. It has played a critical role in shaping my character and values, equipping me with a sense of sympathy, understanding, and respect for others. Through interactions with peers from diverse backgrounds and exposure to various perspectives, education has been beneficial in cultivating my social and emotional intelligence. It has taught me the value of cooperation, the importance of embracing diversity, and the power of empathy (共情) in making meaningful connections with others.
Furthermore, education has opened doors to opportunities that have paved the way for my future hard work. It has provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue my passions, offering a platform for personal and professional growth. The transformative potential of education is evident in the countless stories of individuals whose lives have been improved through access to quality education, breaking the barriers of social and economic inequality.
In conclusion, my journey through the fields of education has been nothing short of transformative. It has expanded my horizons, enriched my understanding of the world, and equipped me with the toots to make meaningful contributions to society. As I continue on this path of lifelong learning, I am deeply grateful for the profound impact of education on my life and remain committed to nurturing its transformative power in the lives of others.
1. According to Para. 2, how did education expand the author’s understanding of the world?| A．By equipping the author with knowledge. |
| B．By encouraging the author to accept others’ ideas. |
| C．By informing the author of latest scientific development, |
| D．By making the author more curious about others’perspectives. |
| A．It made the author competitive and individualistic. |
| B．It taught the author to value cooperation and varies. |
| C．It made it easier for the author to solve the difficulties. |
| D．It encourages the author to stick to his own opinion. |
| A．Education has unlimited potential to make individuals’ lives more colorful. |
| B．Education is primarily focused on maintaining social development. |
| C．Education ensures better working opportunities in the future. |
| D．Education has the power to fight against inequality. |
| A．The importance of education technology. | B．The role of author’s family education. |
| C．The transformative power of education. | D．The improvement of individuals’ education. |
7 . Many got sleepless nights after Sora amazed the world with its remarkable ability of creating videos directly from text instructions. Discussions about what the artificial intelligence model can do and make a difference continue.
Some said it could give a huge blow to traditional industries such as film and television making, looking forward to the day when a movie can be created right after a novel is put into the model. But others remain skeptical about how powerful the model can be in changing the landscape of AI application.
Developed by a group of young talent from Microsoft-backed company OpenAI, the text-to-video model can generate videos up to a minute long while maintaining visual quality and adherence to the user’s prompt.
Shen Yang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University , said, “Sora represents a revolutionary leap in the field of AI-generated content (AIGC).”
As one of the leading scholars in AI research in China, Shen leads a team that studies the philosophy of AI. Until he learned about Sora on February 16, Shen was quite satisfied with his team’s AI-generated videos. A two-minute video on the Spring Festival produced by Shen’s team have recently won many likes on social media platforms. “Compared with the new model Sora, what we used are tools of the previous generation. There’s a huge gap in between," said Shen.
As a frequent user of AI, Shen said the technology not only helps improve his productivity, but also benefits his daily life. His wife was suffering from cancer and many complications, and he used AI to assist in finding treatment, which has remarkably prolonged her life. He even wrote an award-winning science fiction novel using AI.
However, new technologies do not mean good news to everyone. Many also concern about AI models’ safety issues since related regulations are lagging behind.
Sora is going to bring changes in many fields, including short video, film and television, news, games, advertising, education, and even industrial manufacturing, according to Shen. There is still much room to improve AI models. For instance, current AI models are not capable of drawing characters accurately and quickly. Shop signs lack meaning in Sora’s demo video showing a woman walking down a street in Tokyo. But these problems are believed to be solved as models update.
1. Which of the following might have similar meaning to the underlined word in Paragraph 2?| A．push. | B．strike. | C．warning. | D．bonus. |
| A．All people can not benefit from the new AI technologies. |
| B．AI model’s safety isn’t concerning despite lagging legal restrictions. |
| C．The AI-generated videos by Shen Yang’s team were better than those created by Sora. |
| D．The text-to-video model was developed by a group of young talent from Tsinghua University. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Objective. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Reserved. |
| A．Sora: An AI video. | B．Video Making: AI Models. |
| C．Sora: A Powerful AI Tool. | D．Video Making: Future of AI. |
8 . Cafeterias have been filled with challenges — right from planning, purchasing, and preparing, to reducing waste, staying on budget, managing goods, and training staff. Through the tedious process, restaurateurs lacked a unified platform for efficient management. To bring consistency to the unorganised catering (餐饮) industry, childhood friends Arjun Subramanian and Raj Jain, who shared a passion for innovation, decided to partner in 2019 to explore opportunities in the cafeteria industry.
In May 2020, they co-founded Platos, a one-stop solution for restaurants with a custom technology kit to streamline all aspects of cafeteria management. The company offers end-to-end cafeteria management, staff selection and food trials to ensure smooth operations and consistent service. “We believe startups solve real problems and Platos is our shot at making daily workplace food enjoyable again. We aim to simplify the dining experience, providing a convenient and efficient solution that benefits both restaurateurs and customers and creating a connected ecosystem,” says Subramanian, CEO and co-founder.
Platos guarantees that a technology-driven cafeteria allows customers to order, pay, pick up, and provide ratings and feedback. It also offers goods and menu management to effectively perform daily operations. Additionally, its applications connect all shareholders for a smart cafeteria experience. “We help businesses that are into catering on condition that they have access to an industrial kitchen setup where they’re making food according to certain standards,” Jain states.
Since the beginning, Platos claims to have transformed 45 cafeterias across eight cities in the country. Currently, it has over 45,000 monthly users placing more than 200,000 orders. Despite facing challenges in launching cafeterias across major cities in the initial stages, Platos has experienced a 15% increase in its month-over-month profits.
As for future plans, the startup is looking to raise $1 million from investors as strategic partners, bringing in capital, expertise, and networks. “Finding the right lead investor is the compass that points your startup toward success,” Subramanian says.
1. What does the underlined word “tedious” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．Time-consuming. | B．Breath-taking. |
| C．Heart-breaking. | D．Energy-saving. |
| A．To connect customers with a greener ecosystem. |
| B．To ensure food security and variety in cafeterias. |
| C．To improve cafeteria management with technology. |
| D．To make staff selection more efficient and enjoyable. |
| A．Platos has achieved its ultimate financial goal. |
| B．Platos has gained impressive marketing progress. |
| C．Challenges in food industry can be easily overcome. |
| D．Tech-driven cafeterias have covered most urban areas. |
| A．To reduce costs. | B．To increase profits. |
| C．To seek investment. | D．To innovate technology. |
9 . Faced with many challenges in his life, John has never let them stop him. Despite having his leg amputated as a young man, he has gone on to be first a Paralympic champion and more recently an astronaut in training! Let’s learn more about his story…
John first discovered his love for sports when he was young, and he quickly became passionate about running and hockey. When he was 19 and visiting Vietnam, he had a bad accident that required one of his legs to be amputated.
When he returned to his home country of England, he missed running. Eventually, he was provided with an artificial leg that allowed him to run again. He started to compete in events that were designed for disabled athletes and, after much hard work, won several medals in international competitions, including the Paralympics.
Following his success in running, John studied exercise and medicine. He continued to focus on how to manage his emotions to not allow his disabilities to limit the possibilities for his life. When he learned that the European Space Agency (ESA) was looking for new astronauts, it intrigued him. He decided to give it a try, among 22,000 other applicants!
John was selected by the ESA to become the first “para-stronaut” the world has ever known. The ESA will work with John to understand how a person with a disability can operate in space. If all goes well, it will be at least five years before John goes into space as an astronaut.
John’s story is truly inspiring, and it shows us that anything is possible if we set our mind to it. No matter what challenges we face in life, we can overcome them and achieve greatness if we work hard and persevere. So, keep pushing yourself to be the best you can be, and never let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your dreams.
1. What do we know about John according to this passage?| A．He won medals in Olympics. | B．He was born with disability. |
| C．He was athletic from childhood. | D．He made great efforts before success. |
| A．He wanted to show off his talent. | B．He wanted to prove his sports personality. |
| C．He refused to accept impossibility. | D．He experienced various emotions. |
| A．To make the longest stay in outer space. | B．To become the first global astronaut in space. |
| C．To lead the work of the ESA. | D．To study the performance of disabled astronauts. |
| A．Generous and intelligent. | B．Interesting and patient. |
| C．Inspiring and determined. | D．Ambitious and humorous. |
