1 . HOW TO DO HARD THINGS

It’s an inconvenient truth that the road to success isn’t a secret. Most of us know exactly what we need to do to improve our lives.     1     We prefer things that feel good and avoid things that we know are hard but most effective. Follow these tips to get hard things done with less struggle.

First, you need to make sure you know what the hard, but effective thing is in the skill or job that you want to improve.     2     It’s usually the thing that creates the output. For writers, it’s writing. For musicians, it’s writing a song. For athletes, it’s doing a workout.

Figure out your why. Make sure you know why you want to do this hard thing.     3     So figure out your why and frequently remind yourself of it. Write it down and put it where you can see it. The stronger your why, the better.

    4     Every day at a particular hour, you will do this hard thing. Pure focus, no multi-tasking. Take it easy at first and gradually lengthen the amount of time you spend on this. Enjoy it, too. You’re a winner and you can do it.

Leave the doubts behind. When you’re doing something hard, your brain will try to find ways to stop doing it. You’ll want to look things up or find easy ways of doing the hard thing. Don’t give in to these tempting arguments during your hard work sessions.     5    

If you keep improving yourself by doing hard things, you’ll be getting better at your targeted skill. So don’t spend too much time working around the hard task. Just do the hard thing instead.

A．This should be easy to figure out.

B．Change your thinking so the hard thing looks good.

C．But we don’t do those things because they are hard.

D．Make a commitment and turn the hard thing into a habit.

E．If you are not clear about it, you’ll lose motivation quickly.

F．Do whatever you want after or before, but stay focused during.

G．Life is hard sometimes, and you will have to do hard things at some point.

2 . There’s been an enormous amount of progress in language-generating AI over the past couple of years. OpenAI’s GPT-3, for example, is a language generator that’s been trained on 570 GB of text, and is able to write convincing essays. Google, of course, is working on language generators too, and its latest one helps you write like a legendary poet.

Google’s new AI tool, Verse by Verse, allows users to compose a poem using “suggestions” from classic American poets. The AI generates these suggestions based on what it’s collected from reading the poets’ oeuvres. That is, the program uses machine-learning algorithms (算法) to identify the language patterns of a particular poet’s work, then applies those to text it generates as the suggestions.

The tool works by allowing users to select from 22 American poets for the suggestions, including legends like Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, and Edgar Allen Poe. After a user has selected up to three poets, they then pick the type of poem they’d like to write. The program offers various poetic forms, and even allows users to select the number of syllables per line.

Users then give the program a first line, and AI generates the rest of the poem. The AI makes suggestions line by line, however, making it more interactive than other top language generator s out there. As far as results, they’re interesting, but not nearly as impressive as GPT-3’s writings.

According to Google engineer Dave Uthus, “The system was trained to have a general understanding of what lines of verse would best follow a previous line of verse. So even if you write on topics not commonly seen in classic poetry, the system will try its best to make lines that are relevant. The widely varying degrees of Verse by Verse output quality show that while good lyrical gems (宝石) may occasionally emerge, further work by the AI team remains to be done.”

1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?

A．To introduce a new AI tool for writing poetry.

B．To compare different language-generating tools.

C．To discuss the progress of langauge-generators.

D．To analyze the latest essays of OpenAI’s GPT-3.

2. What does the underlined word “oeuvres” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Suggestions.

B．Works.

C．Messages.

D．Patterns.

3. What can the Verse by Verse tool do?

A．Collect poems for inspiration.

B．Give the program a starting line.

C．Generate different poetic forms.

D．Compose poems as good as GPT-3.

4. What is Dave Uthus’s attitude to the capability of Verse by Verse tool?

A．Doubtful.

B．Objective.

C．Puzzled.

D．Confident.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. Who might the woman be?

A．A famous pianist.

B．A news broadcaster.

C．The hostess of a cultural activity.

2. What did Daniel Robinson do at the age of 10?

A．He wrote his own music.

B．He started learning the piano.

C．He joined the Julliard School.

3. What will Daniel Robinson do?

A．Give a speech.

B．Give a concert.

C．Sign some books.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What’s the discounted price of the blouse?

A．$58.

B．$54.

C．$50.

2. What does the man say about the blouses on the Internet?

A．They are cheaper.

B．They are out of style.

C．The quality is not as good.

3. Why does the man agree to sell the blouse for $47?

A．He is in a hurry.

B．The woman is a regular customer.

C．Something is wrong with it.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What did the woman say about the handbag?

A．It cost her fifty dollars.

B．She paid full price for it last month.

C．She left it somewhere on the fifth floor.

2. What was one of the items in the woman’s handbag?

A．Her passport.

B．Her car keys.

C．Three hundred dollars cash.

3. What did the woman want to buy after she left the cafe?

A．Something to read.

B．Something to eat.

C．Something to listen to.

6 . Looking back, the memory of doctors, nurses and the conclusion of appendicitis (阑尾炎) was still clear. ______, nothing hurt more than three days with appendicitis. After a series of emergencies, I could merely lie ______ and beg my body to stop hurting.

All the ______ acquired from years of swimming was eaten away. Previously, I could swim miles daily. Now it was a(n) ______ to sit up and I couldn’t swim for almost three months.

When I finally returned to the pool, I struggled with my ______ ability. Race after race, I ______ my goals. Every time I ______ to enter the national competitions, I failed by a tiny amount.

Finally, I came to the last event that could ______ me for nationals. This was my last ______ : now or never. After so many failures, I couldn’t help being furious about recent events.

The race started, and I dived in, throwing the pain, ______ and anger I had experienced recently into the pool. My mind focused, self-limitation was ______ and I devoted all my attention and strength to my moves.

When I saw my time, a wave of ______ swept over me. I eventually ______ self-doubt and won what almost ______ from me. Nationals were waiting for me, and by no means would I let anything ______ my advancement.

1.

A．Normally

B．Frankly

C．Fortunately

D．Hopefully

2.

A．motionless

B．disappointed

C．unconscious

D．senseless

3.

A．experience

B．knowledge

C．muscle

D．honor

4.

A．option

B．effort

C．fantasy

D．embarrassment

5.

A．regained

B．fundamental

C．reliable

D．limited

6.

A．took notice of

B．fell short of

C．was aware of

D．ran away from

7.

A．attempted

B．applied

C．declared

D．determined

8.

A．train

B．sponsor

C．qualify

D．instruct

9.

A．enemy

B．performance

C．failure

D．shot

10.

A．strength

B．uncertainty

C．depression

D．criticism

11.

A．taken over

B．knocked down

C．given away

D．cut off

12.

A．sorrow

B．gratitude

C．confusion

D．relief

13.

A．overcame

B．understood

C．ignored

D．recognised

14.

A．benefited

B．resulted

C．originated

D．escaped

15.

A．see through

B．look over

C．hold back

D．account for

7 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Asian Para Games is the largest multi-sport event for the disabled in Asia. Up to now, the organizers     1     (host) it three times successfully. The torch relay for the fourth Asian Para Games     2     (official) started on Thursday in the city of Hangzhou in East China’s Zhejiang province, with many torchbearers     3     (run) along a relay route on the first day.

The launch ceremony kicked off     4     Thursday morning at Xiushui Square near the lake of Qiandao,     5     must-see tourist site in Hangzhou’s Chun’an county. The torch was relayed in the counties of Jiande, Tonglu, Fuyang and Xiaoshan along the Xin’an, Fuchun and Qiantang rivers, which all have world-class cultural tourism     6     (attraction). The torch finally arrived at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center to light up the main torch tower on Sunday.

Athlete Tan Yujiao,     7     was the first torchbearer among a total of 600 torchbearers, told the reporters on Thursday that she felt extremely honored and excited     8     (hold) the heavy torch.

As 188 torchbearers were representatives with a disability, intelligent bionic (仿生学的) hands and legs as well as intelligent guide dogs     9     (use) during the torch relay.

“We wish to convey the idea that technology can be much     10     (convenient) to the lives of disabled people,” said Du Zuofeng, deputy (副的) commander of the Hangzhou Asian Para Games Torch Relay Command Center.

8 . The health of our oceans is related to the planet’s overall environmental condition, with ocean currents (洋流) playing a key role in reflecting Earth’s climate. A recent study has shed new light on the impact of rising ocean temperatures on one of these vital current systems.

This significant research provides the first documented proof of a significant slowdown in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation or AMOC (大西洋经向翻转环流). Alexey Mishonov and his team dive deep into the data in NOAA’s World Ocean Atlas to track down the AMOC’s performance over time. Their findings reveal a change: from 1955 to 1994, the AMOC’s flow remained unchanged. However, starting in the mid-1990s, a marked decline in its strength was observed, with a striking reduction in its speed.

Mishonov explains the signs of weakening circulation in Atlantic ocean currents, stating, “If AMOC slows down, the heat exchange will be reduced, which in turn will affect the climate, causing hot areas to get hotter and cold areas to get colder.” This imbalance could have far-reaching effects on global climate patterns, possibly leading to more extreme weather conditions, rising sea levels, disorders to marine (海洋的) ecosystems, and a mass of other climate feedbacks.

Mishonov’s research also touches on the cultural spirit, referring to the dramatic description of a similar scene in the 2004 disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow. While he stated that the film’s scenes with explosive effects is highly exaggerated and not supported by the scientific community, the hidden message — that a significant slowdown in the AMOC could lead to great and unpredictable climate changes — resonates with (与……共鸣) many experts.

As the scientific community continues to uncover the mysteries of our oceans, the significance of Mishonov and his workmates’ work cannot be overstated. Their research contributes to our understanding of the relationship between ocean currents and global climate.

1. How was the research carried out?

A．By referring to huge data.	B．By recording ocean movements.
C．By modeling the ocean currents.	D．By doing practical experiments.

2. What can we learn from Mishonov?

A．The increased heat exchange has an impact on the climate.

B．Rising sea levels from climate change could be prevented.

C．The slowdown of AMOC leads to extreme climate conditions.

D．The heated temperature may quicken the movement of the ocean.

3. Why is the movie The Day After Tomorrow mentioned in Paragraph 4?

A．To stress how scientific the story is.

B．To warn people of uncertain climate change risks.

C．To criticize the exaggerated threat in the movie.

D．To draw attention to the explosive effects of the movie.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The AMOC: A Potential Risk to the Earth

B．Ocean Currents: The Very Signals of Our Planet

C．Water Temperature: A Lasting Unavoidable Change

D．Climate Change: An Increasing Concern Around the World

9 . Steph Morris is a talented UK artist who specializes in hyper-realistic drawings of sneakers (运动鞋). Her works are so true-to-life that even closeups of the drawings are ________ to distinguish from the real thing.

When it comes to sneaker ________, Manchester-born Morris is famous for her unmatched realism. She has always had a thing for sneakers, so pairing up this passion with her ________ talent just made sense. She didn’t ________ plan to make a living out of drawing sneakers. At first, she was more interested in ________ them, as she sought a career in sports. But a number of injuries forced her to ________ her option and come up with a plan B. She ________ a pencil and started drawing the things she ________ most.

“I’ve always loved sneakers since I was a ________so exploring that in my work is very ________.” Morris said. “It was actually a pair of sneakers that I drew to hang on my wall that got me here in the first place. It’s one of my favorite sneakers, and I collected many ________ growing up.”

While ________ as a graphic designer, Morris ________ a phone call from Reebok and was invited to a Future x Reebok event in New York. Since she couldn’t get any ________ off from work, she decided to just ________ her job and take up drawing full time.

1.

A．tiring

B．hard

C．relaxing

D．painful

2.

A．fans

B．stores

C．drawings

D．brands

3.

A．acting

B．athletic

C．musical

D．artistic

4.

A．eventually

B．fortunately

C．originally

D．obviously

5.

A．designing

B．advertising

C．washing

D．wearing

6.

A．ignore

B．reevaluate

C．discuss

D．maintain

7.

A．took up

B．threw away

C．sold out

D．turned in

8.

A．discovered

B．visited

C．loved

D．needed

9.

A．dreamer

B．kid

C．mother

D．failure

10.

A．surprising

B．boring

C．natural

D．stressful

11.

A．sheets

B．answers

C．paintings

D．pairs

12.

A．working

B．learning

C．talking

D．teaching

13.

A．missed

B．got

C．made

D．forgot

14.

A．information

B．business

C．money

D．time

15.

A．quit

B．find

C．record

D．enjoy

10 . Our old, artificial Christmas tree was in rough shape by the time we retired it. At least a decade had passed since my wife and I bought the tree, a medium-size fake tree with built-in lights, at a Target in Brooklyn and carried it on the subway to our tiny apartment. Over the years, we dragged that tree from apartment, jammed it onto a moving truck to Los Angeles and later packed the weathered box onto another moving truck, this time to Chicago and our current home. By the end, layers of duct tape (强力胶布) held the box together, the wear and tear of a decade of delivering holiday cheer.

Our little tree looked run down, but it was the only tree our family ever knew. It stands proud and glowing in the background of photos of me and my pregnant wife during our last Christmas in Brooklyn without children. Our oldest was born a month later during a January snowstorm. The tree shows up again in the next year’s photos, this time surrounded by holiday gifts for a boy about to turn 1. Then it appears in photos of our son and his 1-month-old brother, this time with California palm trees just outside the door. And in more recent photos, our tree lights up windows overlooking shining Chicago snow. This year, after much debate, we decided to retire our dear old tree, with its bent branches and the lights that had burned out years ago. Rather than feel depressed, we used the moment to launch a new family tradition: our first real Christmas tree.

So here’s a toast to all your family’s traditions—the old and the new. I hope you enjoy this issue, which we have filled with stories of seasonal joy and holiday cheer. Happy holidays!

1. Where is the author’s present home?

A．In Chicago.

B．In Brooklyn.

C．In California.

D．In Los Angeles.

2. Why did the author keep the old tree for so long?

A．His budget was tight.	B．He was attached to it.
C．It was in good condition.	D．It was environmentally-friendly.

3. Who is probably the author?

A．An editor.

B．A salesman.

C．A delivery man.

D．A home designer.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．The finest diamond must be cut.

B．Out with the old, in with the new.

C．Old friends and old wine are best.

D．All things in their being are good for something.