1 . Whenever anyone asks me what tech I’d like to see invented, I always say the universal translator, which lets you understand and speak any language.
Meta AI recently announced the start of the universal speech translator (UST) project, which aims to create AI systems that enable real-time speech-to-speech translation across all languages, even those that are spoken but not commonly written. Meta says that today’s AI translation models are focused on widely-used written languages, and that more than 40% of primarily spoken languages are not covered by such translation technologies.
According to Meta, the model is the first AI-powered speech translation system for the unwritten language Hokkien (闽南语), a Chinese language spoken in southeastern China. The system allows Hokkien speakers to hold conversations with English speakers, a significant step toward bringing people together wherever they are located.
To build UST, Meta AI focused on overcoming three important translation system challenges. It addressed data scarcity by getting more training data in more languages and finding new ways to use the data it had found. It solved the modeling problems that arise as models grow to serve many more languages. And it sought new ways to improve on its results.
Meta AI claims that the techniques it pioneered with Hokkien can be extended to many other unwritten languages—and eventually work in real time. For this purpose, Meta has released the Speech Matrix, a large collection of speech-to-speech translations, which enables other research teams to create translation models for other languages.
Artificial (人工的) speech translation could play a significant role in our world. For interactions, it will enable people from around the world to communicate with each other more smoothly, making the social net more interconnected. For content, using artificial speech translation allows you to easily localize content.
Yashar Behzadi, CEO and founder of Synthesis AI, believes that technology needs to enable more natural experiences if the digital world is to succeed. He says that one of the current challenges for UST models is the computationally expensive training that’s needed because of the wide range and very slight differences in meaning or sound of languages. Also, to train strong AI models requires vast amounts of typical data. A significant bottleneck to building these AI models in the near future will be to ensure training data collect the privacy in agreement with rules and law.
1. What is the feature of the UST project?| A．It changes spoken languages to written forms. |
| B．It attracts wider attention to written languages in translation. |
| C．It adds 40% of spoken languages into translation technology. |
| D．It enables real-time speech-to-speech translation across all languages. |
| A．Lack. | B．Mistake. | C．Recovery. | D．Management. |
| A．It is expensive to collect typical data. |
| B．It increases the use of a certain language. |
| C．Its techniques are finally developed for Hokkien. |
| D．It helps inspire interactions and content localization. |
| A．AI Translation: Make Translation Faster |
| B．AI Translation: Meet You in All Languages |
| C．Unwritten Language: Bring People Together |
| D．Unwritten Language: Translation Challenge |
2 . Slow schools and slow education can refer to different aspects of education. Some people use the term slow schools to refer to schools that are attempting to bring slow food to the cafeteria or dining room. For others it has far more implications and includes aspects of connection to knowledge, tradition, moral purpose and all that is important in life. In this sense it refers to the curriculum (课程), the way it is delivered, the process of learning, management of the school, and even if school is the best vehicle through which to educate our children. So in this sense, it refers to bringing the slow movement into education.
In many Western countries that have Anglo-Saxon origins, governments and schools have strict control structures in place and schools are driven by standardised curricula with tests and targets to ensure uniform outcomes. The emphasis is on the outcome not on the process. The process is about things like how ideas are conceptualised, how can we support learning and the knowing of how to learn, as well as the love of learning and investigating.
Slow education is also about connection to knowledge and to learning—real learning. It is about doing no harm and having respect for all living and non-living things. Slow education is a concept of ‘ecological literacy’. Michael Stone and Zenobia Barlow have put together a collection of authors in Ecological Literacy: Educating our Children for a Sustainable World to give us ways to adapt to the way we live on Earth and the way we can educate our children to their highest capacities. This book is recommended to parents and educators who are engaged in creative efforts to develop new curricula and improve children’s ecological understanding. Slow education is about supporting our children to develop values and ethics (道德规范) that will enable them to live a joyous life in the slow lane.
The similarities of debate about Fast Food vs Slow Food and the debate about Fast Schools vs Slow Schools are self- evident upon reflection. Fast schools like fast food are not concerned with the process, preparation and connection. They are concerned with the standardised end product which in the case of schools is the results from standardised tests and targets, and in the case of food is the standardised hamburger or fried chicken etc. ，that look like all others the outlet produce quickly.
The process of education is not about supplying students with lumps of information to be repeated on demand. It is about enabling students to learn how to learn. It is also about giving them opportunities to hear what others have learnt (knowledge) and to then discuss, argue, and reflect on this knowledge to gain a greater understanding of its truth for them and of how this knowledge will be of use to them.
1. What does the underlined phrase “uniform outcome” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．The same results. | B．The unique courses. |
| C．The positive effects. | D．The special clothes. |
| A．To present the purpose of slow education. |
| B．To encourage people to develop new courses. |
| C．To prove slow education is popular among parents. |
| D．To offer materials to learn about ecological literacy. |
| A．Education is a mirror reflecting the world. |
| B．People should rethink what to teach in schools. |
| C．We should reflect on ourselves on a daily basis. |
| D．Better reading skills should be attained in school. |
| A．Slow Schools- connecting children to life. |
| B．Slow Food- -turning schools into a new style. |
| C．Slow Education- -helping students get better grades. |
| D．Slow Movement- -being different from the fast world. |
3 . The term “metaverse (元宇宙)” is the latest popular word to catch the tech industry’s imagination. Neal Stephenson coined this term in his novel Snow Crash:“In the lingo, this imaginary place is known as the metaverse. Hiro spends a lot of time in the metaverse.” In its current meaning, it generally refers to the concept of a world of endless, interconnected virtual communities where people gather to socialize, play and work, using VR headsets, AR glasses, smartphone apps or other devices. It is a “virtual environment” you can go inside of — instead of just looking at on a screen. It also could be a game-changer for the work-from-home shift during the COVID-19 epidemic. Instead of seeing co-workers on a video call, employees could join them in a virtual office.
A big reason why metaverse is popular with young people is the more real gaming experience.Gamers will feel that they themselves are playing in an alternate world rather than controlling a game character.This creates a real-time experience for all the players.
In addition, it has more far-reaching significance. Some advocates believe that blockchain (区域链) technology and decentralized (分散式的) apps will be the keys to unlocking the next big step forward for the Web: the metaverse, a place where AR, VR, next-generation data networks and decentralized financing and payment systems contribute to a more realistic digital world where people can socialize, work and trade digital goods. It is known that many products need to be tested and it costs a lot. With metaverse, the variables and environment can be changed within the digital world to obtain more comprehensive results and the new product will be tested with minimum cost. In the medical field, using metaverse patients just do not have any need to visit doctors physically. They can just interact with them face to face in real-time in the digital world. Additionally, the newcomer to medicine can learn and practice inside the alternate world by gaining experience before they can take on real-world tasks.
Metaverse brings many new and advanced technologies such as VR headsets, blockchain and other requirements. However, every individual on this planet does not have access to advanced technologies. For example, fast Internet connectivity is one of the mandatory (强制性的) requirements for participating in the metaverse. Majority of people worldwide cannot access fast Internet and cannot capitalize on the full potential of the metaverse. Furthermore, with the objective of introducing immersive experiences to users, the metaverse makes the gap between real and virtual worlds less clear. It also brings the possibilities of influencing the ways in which people perceive real relationships and interactions.
Despite the arguing, metaverse is a new windfall for the future development of the Internet. The companies can seize the opportunity that the metaverse presents to connect with audiences in ways that were never possible before and provide exciting and memorable brand experiences.
1. The author mentions Neal Stephenson’s novel to show ________.| A．the effect of metaverse | B．the origin of metaverse |
| C．the definition of metaverse | D．the popularity of metaverse |
| A．To show the potential of the metaverse. |
| B．To state the limitations of the use of metaverse. |
| C．To introduce new and advanced technologies. |
| D．To teach how to have access to advanced technologies. |
| A．It helps people develop real relationships and interactions. |
| B．It provides cheaper labor cost to make product testing easier. |
| C．It can be accepted in medical field for its help to doctors and patients. |
| D．It is welcomed because people prefer to control a character in a game. |
| A．Neutral. | B．Approved. | C．Opposed. | D．Doubtful. |
4 . I bet your grandparents never imagined they would see the day when they could plug in a car like a lamp. No more smelly gasoline (汽油)! No more waste gases polluting the atmosphere! One way to address the climate crisis, we are told, is to electrify transport. This will remove our dependence on fossil fuels like gasoline that pollute the atmosphere and trap greenhouse gases that make our planet warmer. Currently, electric vehicles make up 2 percent of the global car market. The U.S. plans to have at least half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. run completely on electricity by 2035 and stop making gas-powered cars within the next 20 years.
However, electric cars use 1-2 kg of magnets (磁体) to power them and each of these magnets uses special materials. It turns out that getting the required supplies is harder than you think. Let’s find out why.
Rare earth metals (also called Rare Earth Elements or REEs) have strong magnetic properties that make them ideal for powering many of the devices we use today, such as smartphones, computers and electric car batteries. REEs aren’t really rare, at least not in the way you might think. Even the rarest REE is 125 times more common than gold! REEs are “rare” because they are mostly found only in small quantities. Generally, they are found in a rare igneous rock (火成岩) called carbonate (碳酸盐), which contains 17 minerals — which must all be separated. The process is hard, dirty and can be very expensive. Keep in mind, however, that producing and processing are different steps. Producing is the act of mining metals; processing is the act of separating the minerals. Many countries mine carbonate including the United States, Australia, Brazil and Canada. China alone produces 63 percent of REEs today, which is down from a high of 90 percent! China now controls 85 percent of REEs processing. That is because the producing countries send their REEs to China for processing.
Electric cars are increasing in popularity with many traditional car companies introducing all-electric models. This switch will increase the demand for REEs which is prompting car companies to work directly with the mines to save costs. Many people still have concerns about the environmental effects of increased mining. Though several companies are working to go green, mining is known to have a history with known dangers such as pollution and the risk of deadly accidents. The mining of these metals is even known to produce radioactive (放射性的) wastewater!
A new chapter in climate history is possible if mining can be done safely. In fewer than a hundred years, most cars on the road will use electricity or two different types of power. The traditional cars, harmful to the environment, will be a thing of the past.
1. Why is it hard to get required supplies for electric cars?| A．Because they are not as common as gold. |
| B．Because the step of producing is very difficult. |
| C．Because they are also used in many other fields. |
| D．Because they are hard to separate from carbonate. |
| A．There are more countries processing REEs than mining them. |
| B．Electric cars may get more widely used if mining can be safer. |
| C．Car companies prefer to seek professional teams to mine REEs. |
| D．Electric cars account for almost half of the global car market now. |
| A．The Challenges of Electric Cars | B．The Future of Rare Earth Metals |
| C．The History of Rare Earth Metals | D．The Development of Electric Cars |
5 . Even if we used to know the truth, our brains can start repeating false information that is against the facts.
Our brains are wired to believe information automatically — even if it’s false — because it helps us learn efficiently. “In many instances it’s a useful skill for us to accept what people tell us, because often what people tell us is true,” says David Rapp, PhD, a psychology and education professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, US.
When we hear new information, those fresh facts don’t override what we already knew before. Instead, both the new and old information live together in our minds. A few factors determine which one we’ll draw on when the situation comes up.
Oftentimes, we’ll quote (引用) the information we heard most recently — even if it’s wrong. Because they’re fresher in our minds, short-term memories are easier for our brains to access than facts we heard longer ago. We’d have to think back further to remember previous knowledge, so people will often ignore those facts in favour of new inaccurate information, says Dr Rapp, who recently published an article on recalling inaccurate information in the journal Current Directions in Popular Science. “Previous knowledge isn’t difficult to recall, but it isn’t as readily available,” he says.
We are also used to buying into the facts that seem more believable.Often,this means they fit better with what we want to believe, which could explain why people quote such different facts in political debates. “Both candidates said something that was objectively true or not, but people would ignore that information and go with their hopes, wishes, or preferences because it goes along with what they hope to be true,” says Dr Rapp.
You’re especially unlikely to bother thinking critically about information when you’re reading for pleasure, like with a novel or a We-Chat status, because your brain is in the mindset of relaxing, not keeping an eye out for falsehood, says Dr Rapp.
With all that potentially false information overload, it’s worth putting in the extra effort to double-check information that strikes you as doubtful. Seek out reliable sources that back up what they say with data, quotes and other evidence, says Dr Rapp. “With the ease that we can look things up on the internet, there’s no reason not to,” he says.
1. According to the passage, when we get new information, ________.| A．our mind evaluates its reliability |
| B．our previous knowledge is replaced |
| C．it stays together with previous knowledge |
| D．we still believe in our previous knowledge |
| A．People mind accuracy when they read for pleasure. |
| B．We vote for a candidate because what he says is true. |
| C．Our short-term memory is more reliable when we quote. |
| D．Believing what people tell us often improves learning efficiency. |
| A．The methods of dealing with doubtful information. |
| B．The results of believing in false information. |
| C．The effect of overloaded information. |
| D．The source of right information. |
| A．Where do we find reliable information? |
| B．How do we choose proper information? |
| C．Why do we remember false information? |
| D．Whether should we believe fresh information? |
6 . Preparing for a job interview can be stressful: what do you wear? What questions will they ask you? Not to mention that, no matter how much you prepare, your interviewer’s first impression of you could be tarnished the moment you say a single word.
Surprisingly, the word is not “like” or “honestly” (though you should probably be careful about those, too). The word is “actually.”
Used properly, the word “actually” represents a contradiction. For instance, take the famous movie line “love actually is all around”: the speaker is contradicting those who think that it’s not. It can also be used to justify something: “That movie was awful, huh?” “Actually, I really liked it.”
You may wonder what harm a commonly used word like that could possibly do. However, we often don’t use it that way. When used a certain way, saying “actually” can instantly make you seem less reliable. Dictionary. com says that we use it as a “crutch word,” a word “that we slip into sentences in order to give ourselves more time to think.” Since using it this way adds emphasis rather than meaning, it automatically suggests that whatever you’re saying can’t stand on its own. Southern Living claims that the word makes listeners “subconsciously... question if there’s more unspoken information.”
Take this example: imagine you’re in a job interview, and your interviewer asks, “What was your last full-time job?” You reply, “I actually worked at Reader’s Digest.” The word doesn’t contradict or justify anything in the question, so there’s no reason for you to say it at all.
And it’s not just job interviews: Southern Living suggests that you stay away from this word completely. If you’re not using it to actively contradict something, and it’s just adding meaningless stuff to your sentence, avoid it. No longer relying on a “crutch word”, your statement will have more attraction.
1. The underlined word “tarnished” in paragraph 1 means______.| A．corrected | B．improved | C．damaged | D．ignored |
| A．have no words to say | B．need more time to think |
| C．may be more dependable | D．may hide some information |
| A．Disapproving. | B．Fearful. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Uncertain. |
| A．—Why do you choose our company? —Actually because of your good reputation. |
| B．—How do you describe your personality? —Actually I’m responsible and cooperative. |
| C．—What do you expect from the job? —Actually I hope to get more experience. |
| D．—What do you think of being a nurse? —Actually I love it though some think it’s tiring. |
7 . Attracting Children to Museums
When you were young did your parents ever take you to a museum? Do you remember what it was like or if it was an exciting experience for you? Very often parents do things like going to museums with their young children because they think it is something they must do.
Museums understand that it is important to attract children and get them interested in going frequently to museums. They want them to start going as children and continue to go as adults.
The first thing to remember is that children are active and learn better by doing, not just by passively looking.
| A．They also learn by playing and discovering |
| B．Parents, too, are welcome to go into the Children's Discovery Centre. |
| C．If everything works right, the child will leave with wonderful memories. |
| D．But just as often the children get bored quickly and don't have a good time at all. |
| E．If you were the director of a museum, what would you do to attract more children? |
| F．And every group gets to do some sort of activity rather than just walking through the museum. |
| G．One other way the museum tries to attract children is through a school group visit program. |
1讲座的目的、时间(10月15日9点-10点)和地点(报告厅);
2.同学们期待的讲座内容
3.其他具体要求
注意1.询数100 词左右;2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数，提示词:学习方法 learning methods
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Recent research suggests that if an argument gets resolved，the emotional response tied to it is significantly reduced or almost completely erased．Thus，it may be worth bringing up issues with your friends， family members，or classmates rather than holding them back．
There is a difference between arguing and fighting．Arguing is that you and your opponent present your concerns and discuss the feelings and issues related to those concerns．You can engage in an argument respectfully without stirring up（激起） anger．Fighting，however，usually involves personal attacks，raising of voices， and storming out．Discussing your issues and resolving them instead of stuffing them down can improve your emotional health．In a study，2.000 people were asked to record their feelings and experiences for eight days in a row．When people had an argument that they considered resolved， they had half the reactivity （情绪反应） of those who avoided an argument．Reactivity is an increase in negative emotions or a decrease in positive emotions．In other words，resolving an argument cuts your negative feelings by half．One day later， people who had a resolved argument reported no increase of negative emotions compared with those who avoided an argument． This means that resolving an argument can feel like you have reached a state of resolution——and you are less likely to be annoyed．
Moreover，the older you are，the more likely you will come to a resolution after an argument．This may be because more life experience usually leads to more defined priorities．You are more likely to distinguish between what matters and what does not．
It is easier to avoid a discussion，but risking talking about it may eventually lead to a better outcome．
1. According to this passage，what is arguing？2. Why is it that“the older you are， the more likely you will come to a resolution after an argument”？
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement，then underline it and explain why．
Resolving arguments can improve your emotional health，because it increases your reactivity and reduces the chance of you getting angry．
4. In addition to improving emotional health，what do you think are some other benefits of resolving an argument？ （In about 40 words）
10 . According to statistics published by the BPI (Buying Power Index) a couple of months ago, digital streaming (流媒体) now accounts for 80 percent of the music consumption in the UK. Despite the incredible growth of online streaming platforms like iTunes, Apple Music and Tidal over the past 15 years, a more traditional medium has also seen a return of interest and sales in the music industry. In 2020, almost one in five of all albums purchased in the UK is vinyl (黑胶唱片), and it has once again become the most popular physical musical medium.
With digital streaming so easy and convenient, why are so many people drawn to traditional records? Some experts claim that vinyl is a physical medium for experiencing music, something tangible (有形的) to hold and own. For most people, having something tangible and interacting with it gives depth to the experience of music. Listening to an album and touching it the way the artist intended can make them feel more connected to the music and the artist. Records are physical products that can be not only displayed but also gifted, shared, traded and passed down through generations.
Sound quality is another hot topic. A lot of music lovers feel that the analogue sound (模拟声音) vinyl offers is superior to modern digital audio, particularly with regards to the compressed formats streaming platforms use. There’s a common belief that old-school analogue audio has a warmer, fuller sound than digitised music. For vinyl followers, the very defect traditional recorders often have, such as the familiar crackle (劈啪作响) when the record starts, bring the music to life in a different way.
There’s a ritualistic aspect to vinyl that a lot of people are drawn to, too. The act of putting a record on—carefully removing the record from the sleeve, placing it on the record player and gently dropping the needle on the right groove (凹槽)—is a more assiduous (一丝不苟的), mindful way of engaging with music. When you’re listening to vinyl, you can’t tap a button and go about your day while the streaming service provides hours of music. You need to stay close to the record player to move the needle and flip the record over.
It’s clear that the vinyl interest is well underway, and vinyl records are truly making a comeback. In an increasingly digital society, there’s something to be said for analogue experiences. Perhaps one of the great things about being alive in the 21st century is our ability to have the best of both worlds—the timeless appeal of physical records alongside the easy access to vast music libraries that streaming offers.
1. What are the statistics published by the BPI used to show?| A．An increase in music consumption. |
| B．The recovery of music industry. |
| C．A comeback of a physical medium. |
| D．The acceptance of online streaming. |
| A．It attracts people by its realistic feel. |
| B．It offers simple access to different music. |
| C．It shares a new way to enjoy music. |
| D．It provides people with perfect sound effect. |
| A．Overlooked by society. |
| B．Updated very frequently. |
| C．Performed as part of a ceremony. |
| D．Kept for a long time without changing. |
| A．Traditional records will get underway. |
| B．The analogue experiences may matter more. |
| C．Vinyl sales will boom with technological advance. |
| D．There should be a good mix of old and new. |
