1 . The more you meditate and achieve mindfulness, the better you’ll feel. There are many free meditation apps that offer guided sessions, calming playlists.
HeadspaceThis app is simple and approachable for meditation beginners. Most of the free sessions focus on teaching the users how to meditate and easing them into the practice, while also acknowledging that meditation can be difficult. Yet to get into the really good stuff, you need to pay for the full membership.
Insight TimerThe app offers a multitude of meditation bells and calming musical notes during self-guided meditations. Featuring a variety of professional instructors and courses, Insight Timer also offers more contents for free users than other apps. Although the free option is extensive, the premium version (高级版) offers courses, downloadable meditations, night mode, and daily insights.
Meditation StudioThe app groups all its free meditations together, so it’s easy to use it without paying. These meditations run from 5 to 30 minutes and are available for download, a feature that other apps typically reserve for premium members. The number of free contents, however, is limited and included mostly basics. The design of the app is also relatively plain.
Breethe: Meditation & SleepA nice feature about Breethe is the calming background music that plays while the app is open, even without opening a meditation or music. Breethe offers a lot of sleep contents, including visualizations and bedtime stories. The app does offer a few 7-day courses for free, but the majority (1,000-plus meditations) is locked behind the paywall.
1. Which app is completely free of charge?| A．Headspace. | B．Insight Timer. |
| C．Meditation Studio. | D．Breethe: Meditation & Sleep. |
| A．Courses from professional coaches. |
| B．Advanced instructions of meditation. |
| C．Bedtime stories and calming background music. |
| D．Guidelines on how to get into meditation at the beginning. |
| A．They have a night mode set. | B．They provide contents on sleep. |
| C．They have calming background music. | D．They offer free contents of the same period. |
2 . Recently, as a journalist, I have published many stories about social media, privacy and artificial intelligence (AI), among other things. So when ChatGPT told me that my output may have influenced its responses to other people’s prompts (提示), I rushed to wipe my data from its memory. As I quickly discovered, however, there is no delete button. AI-powered chatbots never forget what they have learned, because they are trained on data sets including vast numbers of websites and online articles. As long as they exist on the Internet, they get to be remembered.
That means the likes of ChatGPT are possible to let out sensitive personal information, if it has appeared online, and that the companies behind these AIs will struggle to make good on “right-to-be-forgotten” regulations, which force organizations to remove personal data on request. It also means we are powerless to stop hackers (黑客) controlling AI outputs by planting misinformation or ill instructions in training data. All of these explain why many computer scientists are busy to teach AIs to forget. While they are finding that it is extremely difficult, “machine unlearning” solutions are beginning to appear. And the work could prove vital beyond addressing concerns over privacy and misinformation.
The new generation of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT, which produce text in response to our prompts, are underpinned by large language models. These are trained on mountains of data, most of which is scraped from the Internet. From this, they learn to spot statistical patterns, which means they can predict the likeliest next word in a sentence, producing fluent answers to our every question.
The trouble is that the way AI chatbots work means that when they learn something, it can’t be unlearned. This creates a significant problem when it comes to privacy, as Dr. Zhang made clear in recent research. He highlighted how difficult it will be for AI companies to obey the “right to be forgotten”, which the European Union declared a human right back in 2014.
1. Why can chatbots store what it has learned forever?| A．Lack of a delete button. | B．Manual code entry. |
| C．Strong review ability. | D．The way they are trained. |
| A．Because AI has many security risks. | B．Because AI stores limited information. |
| C．Because AI needs to be updated regularly. | D．Because AI imitates humans completely. |
| A．Chatbots can answer 90% of the questions. |
| B．Chatbots’ data comes from the designer’s software. |
| C．Chatbots produce the answers based on the prompts. |
| D．Chatbots can predict your problems in advance. |
| A．Controlled. | B．Adjusted. | C．Boosted. | D．Supported. |
3 . Los Angeles is home to a popular cycling culture. The following bike shops will help you see the city in a whole new light.
Los Angeles Bike Academy
Los Angeles Bike Academy is a bike shop with a critical mission: Provide resources and community for local underserved youth. Its initiative is its Earn-a-Bike program, where students spend time in the shop learning the basics of bike maintenance and running a store, and they graduate with their own bike. LABA also forms competitive cycling teams that race all around the country.
The Cub House
It’s a bike shop, a plant store and a nice place to wander through. It has something for everyone. Here you can play a game of ping-pong on the outdoor table, head into the mini greenhouse for a delicate plant, or just admire the vintage (老式的) cycling clothes hung on the walls. Finally, make sure to swing by the Cub House for the L. A. Invitational, a weekend party featuring multiple bike rides and a vintage car and bike show outside the store.
Frank’s
Some of the wildest bikes in L. A. are rolling out of Frank’s. The house specialty here is BMX, specifically luxury models with large 29-inch wheels. These bikes are as much fun to look at as they are to ride. Since 1992, Frank’s has found a business opportunity for itself as a destination for BMX builds and hard-to-find parts. The display counter has enough attractions to match a jewelry store.
The Bicycle Stand
This spacious store features classic vintage bikes. It’s worth making a trip to this store just to see their amazing collection. The store also specializes in vintage bike repainting and restorations. Besides, the Bicycle Stand team works on all kinds of rides, and the shop has a variety of refurbished (翻新的), ready-to-ride bikes for sale.
1. What is special about Los Angeles Bike Academy?| A．It aims at repairing local bikes. |
| B．It holds national cycling competitions. |
| C．It serves as a community for disabled youth. |
| D．It offers a program for students to earn a bike. |
| A．Los Angeles Bike Academy. | B．The Cub House. |
| C．Frank’s. | D．The Bicycle Stand. |
| A．To discuss benefits of riding. | B．To explain how bike shops work. |
| C．To promote bike shops in L. A. | D．To introduce a riding organization. |
| A．French. | B．English. | C．Italian. |
1. When was the last time the speakers were in a theater?
| A．January. | B．March. | C．July. |
| A．Cats. | B．Romeo and Juliet. | C．Hamilton. |
6 . Celebrating the Yorkshire Dialect (方言)
The Yorkshire Dialect Society (YDS) is kicking off a weekend of activities for Yorkshire Day in Keighley Library with what might be described as an important warm-up event and something unique and special about Yorkshire people—how they talk.
Keynote speakers will include Ian Stevenson on the story behind the Yorkshire dialect, such as the point from which it starts and its gradual development; Rod Dimbleby, Chairman of the YDS, on the 19th-century dialect poet and storyteller John Hartley; and Eric Scaife on readings and recitation s of dialect poems and prose (散文). There will also be an exhibition of books and booklets by the Keighley historian, writer and dialect poet, the late Ian Dewhirst.
The Schedule:10:30 Registration and coffee.
11:00 The welcome speech by Rod Dimbleby.
11:10 The story behind the Yorkshire dialect by Ian Stevenson.
12:15 The lunch break. You may bring sandwiches or go to local cafes in Keighley. During the lunch break, there will be time to see the exhibition in the library to remember Ian Dewhirst who sadly died in 2019.
13:30 A talk on John Hartley’s Clock Almanack, a gold mine of the Yorkshire dialect, by Rod Dimbleby.
14:30-14:45 The tea break.
14:45 “Tyke Talk”——a celebration of the Yorkshire dialect through humorous poems and amusing stories—by Eric Scaife.
16:00 Questions and discussion about the future of the Yorkshire dialect.
16:30 Close.
Tickets:
The admission price is £5 for members and £8 for non-members, both of which include the morning coffee and afternoon tea.
1. Who will give the talk on the origins of the dialect?| A．Eric Scaife. | B．Ian Stevenson. | C．John Hartley. | D．Rod Dimbleby. |
| A．Join in a question-and-answer session. | B．Go into a recitation of poems and prose. |
| C．Make sandwiches in Keighley’s local cafes. | D．Attend an exhibition in memory of a poet. |
| A．It lasts for two days in total. | B．It looks into the dialect’s future. |
| C．It offers a discount to members. | D．It focuses on dialect poets’ life and work. |
7 . Researchers at MIT created a high-tech pill that starts to vibrate (震动) once it makes contact with liquid in the user’s stomach and make him or her feel full. The pill was reportedly thought up by Shriya Srinivasan, currently an assistant professor of bioengineering at Harvard University.
VIBES, short for Vibrating Ingestible BioEleotronic Stimulator, was only recently made public in a study published in the Science Journal, but it is already being announced by the media as the future of weight loss. Although it has yet to be tested on humans, trials on pigs have achieved very hopeful results. After about 30 minutes of VIBES activity, pigs consumed on average almost 40 percent less food in the next half hour than they did without the smart pill. Apparently, the revolutionary device works by activating stretch receptors in the stomach, modeling the presence of food. This in turn signals the hypothalamus (下丘脑) to increase the levels of hormones that make us feel full. The vibrating stimulator, which is about the size of a vitamin pill, is powered by an encased battery and activated either by the gastric fluid (胃液) breaking down a coat around the pill, or by an incorporated timer. After producing the desired effect, the pill exits the body with other solid waste:
The good news is that it is expected to have a cost in the cents to one dollar range, and researchers say that it may eventually be possible to implant the stimulator and thus remove the need for people to constantly swallow it.
“Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of a low-cost, non-operative intervention to reduce food intake and ca lorie consumption. The device functions effectively in the stomach and leading to fullness,” said Giovanni Traverso, co-author of the study. “The device has the potential to revolutionize options for weight loss treatment. However, future studies will need to explore the physiological effects of the device before it’s available for patients.”
Researchers are now exploring ways to scale up the producing of VIBES capsules which could enable clinical trials in humans.
1. What is the outcome of taking the pill?| A．Liquid production. | B．Food storage. |
| C．Sensation of fullness. | D．Recovery of users. |
| A．Its working principle. | B．Its intelligence. |
| C．Its testing history. | D．Its side effect. |
| A．To produce gastric fluid with it. | B．To destroy the coat around it. |
| C．To fix it in human body. | D．To remove solid waste from it. |
| A．Worried. | B．Cautious. | C．Doubtful. | D．Confused. |
8 . Wildlife conservation programs are a great way to get involved in the preservation of endangered species, as well as learn how you can help protect them. If you are a wildlife lover, here are some programs you can choose.
●Animal Rescue Project, South Africa
You will be working with experienced conservationists in Cape Town. A significant challenge is to find new homes for homeless dogs and cats. The project comprises two sections: a fully equipped animal hospital and an adoption center focusing on securing new homes. Due to limited funding, the center can only afford a small number of permanent staff, relying heavily on wildlife lovers to assist with daily tasks and provide hands-on care for these animals.
●Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka
Recent years have witnessed a significant decline in the sea turtle’s numbers due to numerous commercial fishing. As a wildlife lover, your role extends to supporting hatcheries (孵化场) in their conservation efforts. Additionally, your involvement helps these hatcheries with funds, as we provide a placement fee for each wildlife lover, enabling them to generate additional income.
●Wildlife Conservation Program, Australia
You will be engaged in activities such as animal feeding, cleaning, maintenance, and enrichment. This program provides an incredible opportunity to gain firsthand international work experience. For you, this program is an excellent choice. Not only will you contribute to a noble cause, but it also offers a fantastic opportunity to meet people from around the world.
●Marine Conservation Program, Bali
You will be working in Tianyar, where the reef is now in a worsening state. The project was initiated to rest ore and conserve Tianyar’s coral reef, not only to protect its remarkable and delicate ecosystems but also to secure a sustainable future for the residents.
1. What problem does the adoption center meet with?| A．Insufficient equipment. | B．Insecure surroundings. |
| C．Shortage of shelters. | D．Lack of hands. |
| A．Animal Rescue Project, South Africa. |
| B．Sea Turtle Conservation Project, Sri Lanka. |
| C．Wildlife Conservation Program, Australia. |
| D．Marine Conservation Program, Bali. |
| A．To promote program cooperation. |
| B．To advocate restoring ecosystems. |
| C．To introduce endangered species protection. |
| D．To encourage engagement in wildlife preservation. |
1. What was Inhotim like before 1990s?
| A．It was popular. | B．It was unique. | C．It was undeveloped. |
| A．To experience the art. | B．To see the landscape. | C．To visit the farm. |
| A．More employment. |
| B．Better living environment. |
| C．Stronger cultural atmosphere. |
1. When was Rebecca offered the position as a local news reporter?
| A．In 2016. | B．In 2017. | C．In 2019. |
| A．She moved to another city. |
| B．She followed her husband’s advice. |
| C．She wanted to take up a better position. |
| A．Impressive. | B．Enjoyable. | C．Promising. |
| A．Her educational background. |
| B．Her working experience. |
| C．Her professional skills. |
