1 . “Assume you are wrong.” The advice came from Brian Nosek, a psychology professor, who was offering a strategy for pursuing better science.
To understand the context for Nosek’s advice, we need to take a step back to the nature of science itself. You see despite what many of us learned in elementary school, there is no single scientific method. Just as scientific theories become elaborated and change, so do scientific methods.
But methodological reform hasn’t come without some fretting and friction. Nasty things have been said by and about methodological reformers. Few people like having the value of their life’s work called into question. On the other side, few people are good at voicing criticisms in kind and constructive ways. So, part of the challenge is figuring out how to bake critical self-reflection into the culture of science itself, so it unfolds as a welcome and integrated part of the process, and not an embarrassing sideshow.
What Nosek recommended was a strategy for changing the way we offer and respond to critique. Assuming you are right might be a motivating force, sustaining the enormous effort that conducting scientific work requires. But it also makes it easy to interpret criticisms as personal attacks. Beginning, instead, from the assumption you are wrong, a criticism is easier to interpret as a constructive suggestion for how to be less wrong — a goal that your critic presumably shares.
One worry about this approach is that it could be demoralizing for scientists. Striving to be less wrong might be a less effective motivation than the promise of being right. Another concern is that a strategy that works well within science could backfire when it comes to communicating science with the public. Without an appreciation for how science works, it’s easy to take uncertainty or disagreements as marks against science, when in fact they reflect some of the very features of science that make it our best approach to reaching reliable conclusions about the world. Science is reliable because it responds to evidence: as the quantity and quality of our evidence improves, our theories can and should change, too.
Despite these worries, I like Nosek’s suggestion because it builds in cognitive humility along with a sense that we can do better. It also builds in a sense of community — we’re all in the same boat when it comes to falling short of getting things right.
Unfortunately, this still leaves us with an untested hypothesis (假说): that assuming one is wrong can change community norms for the better, and ultimately support better science and even, perhaps, better decisions in life. I don’t know if that’s true. In fact, I should probably assume that it’s wrong. But with the benefit of the scientific community and our best methodological tools, I hope we can get it less wrong, together.
1. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?| A．Reformers tend to devalue researchers’ work. |
| B．Scientists are unwilling to express kind criticisms. |
| C．People hold wrong assumptions about the culture of science. |
| D．The scientific community should practice critical self-reflection. |
| A．the enormous efforts of scientists at work | B．the reliability of potential research results |
| C．the public’s passion for scientific findings | D．the improvement in the quality of evidence |
| A．discouraging | B．ineffective | C．unfair | D．misleading |
| A．doubtful but sincere | B．disapproving but soft |
| C．authoritative and direct | D．reflective and humorous |
Cedar Point was an amusement park in Ohio I had been expecting to visit as a child. We lived close to the park, so I often heard the screams of people on the roller coaster, saw the tired kids with their parents when they left. Sometimes, I looked wistfully at the lights through my window at night.
When I was nine, my grandmother managed to save a little bit of money here and there and took me there one day that summer. I yelled, excitement bubbling inside me. As we arrived at the park for the first time, kids were everywhere, eating popcorn (爆米花) and blowing bubbles. My eyes widened in delight at the scene. I wanted to do all those things, but deep down, I knew we didn’t have enough money. We could only afford to buy a ticket only for one ride for fifteen minutes. I pulled my grandmother toward the ticket window to buy a ticket for the carousel (旋转木马).
It was exactly as I had imagined, straight out of a movie. My grandmother smiled fondly and leaned down, giving the ticket to the ride operator, Mr Salas. Letting go, I rushed to the ride, stopping only to pick which horse to sit on. They were all so beautiful, coming in different colors with’ different expressions ‘on their plastic faces. To me, it felt like the decision of a lifetime.
“Come on, sweetie! The ride is going to start!” my grandmother called out, laughing at my indecision. Seeing that, Mr Salas also smiled warmly. Finally, I picked the horse with the pink hair and blue saddle. In the following minutes, I was absorbed in enjoying the ride, forgetting my family was struggling. My grandmother waved each time the ride passed her by. Mr Salas watched me from a distance.
Sadly, the carousel ride ended much too quickly. My grandmother was waiting and took my hand. I got down from the horse unwillingly, feeling bittersweet.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
At that moment, Mr Salas approached us with a warm smile on his face.
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After a while, Mr Salas returned, with an all-inclusive ticket for Cedar Point for the entire day.
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3 . Several dozen graduate students in London were recently tasked with outwitting a large language model (LLM), a type of AI designed to hold useful conversations. LLMs are often programmed with guardrails designed to stop them giving harmful replies: instructions on making bombs in a bathtub, say, or the confident statement of “facts” that are not actually true.
The aim of the task was to break those guardrails. Some results were merely stupid. For example, one participant got the chatbot to claim ducks could be used as indicators of air quality. But the most successful efforts were those that made the machine produce the titles, publication dates and host journals of non-existent academic articles.
AI has the potential to be a big benefit to science. Optimists talk of machines producing readable summaries of complicated areas of research; tirelessly analysing oceans of data to suggest new drugs and even, one day, coming up with hypotheses of their own. But AI comes with downsides, too.
Start with the simplest problem: academic misconduct.Some journals allow researchers to use LLMs to help write papers. But not everybody is willing to admit to it. Sometimes, the fact that LLMs have been used is obvious. Guillaume Cabanac, a computer scientist, has uncovered dozens of papers that contain phrases such as “regenerate response” — the text of a button in some versions of ChatGPT that commands the program to rewrite its most recent answer, probably copied into the manuscript (原稿) by mistake.
Another problem arises when AI models are trained on AI-generated data. LLMs are trained on text from the Internet. As they churn out (大量炮制) more such text, the risk of LLMs taking in their own outputs grows. That can cause “model collapse”. In 2023 llia Shumailov, a computer scientist, co-authored a paper in which a model was fed handwritten digits and asked to generate digits of its own, which were fed back to it in turn. After a few cycles, the computer’s numbers became more or less illegible.After 20iterations (迭代), it could produce only rough circles or blurry lines.
Some worry that computer-generated insights might come from models whose inner workings are not understood. Inexplainable models are not useless, says David Leslie at an AI-research outfit in London, but their outputs will need rigorous testing in the real world. That is perhaps less unnerving than it sounds. Checking models against reality is what science is supposed to be about, after all.
For now, at least, questions outnumber answers. The threats that machines pose to the scientific method are, at the end of the day, the same ones posed by humans. AI could accelerate the production of nonsense just as much as it accelerates good science. As the Royal Society has it,nullius in verba: take nobody’s word for it. No thing’s, either.
1. The result of the task conducted in London shows that ________.| A．LLMs give away useful information | B．the guardrails turn out to be ineffective |
| C．AI’s influence will potentially be decreased | D．the effort put into the study of AI hardly pays off |
| A．The readability of the models’output is underestimated. |
| B．The diverse sources of information confuse the models. |
| C．Training on regenerated data stops models working well. |
| D．The data will become reliable after continuous iterations. |
| A．impractical | B．unjustified | C．groundless | D．unsettling |
| A．Faster Nonsense: AI Could Also Go Wrong |
| B．Imperfect Models: How Will AI Make Advances? |
| C．The Rise of LLMs: AI Could Still Be Promising |
| D．Bigger Threats: AI Will Be Uncontrollable |
It’s the Saturday, 1:00 am, and Stormy, my dog, and I were going on a pre-dawn bird-watching adventure. The weatherman predicted fog, but as we hit the road, it’s clear. Along our journey, I stopped at a petrol station, ensuring Stormy was safely locked in the truck.
“Stormy, hang tight,” I whispered, stepping out into the night air.
Back on the highway, as we were near the marshlands, a heavy fog began to swallow everything. At a sharp bend, my truck hit soft ground, and I lost control. “Oh, no!” Panic set in as the vehicle slid off the road with a bang, falling down a steep bank and into the water.
In the strange silence that followed, I was floating inside the car, gently carried downstream by the canal. “Come on, door,” I said, switching uselessly at the handle. It won’t move; the electrical system had shorted out due to the water. “I’ve got a glass breaker,” I reminded myself, reaching for the tool in the center part.
With each failed attempt to break the window — the glass bouncing back at me — I felt a growing sense of urgency. Water moved over the floorboards, cooling my feet. “Stormy, stay calm,” I said, lying down to kick at the window with all my strength. But my efforts only met resistance.
As the water level rose threateningly close to the ceiling, fear clawed at my heart. In a last effort, I dived behind the seat for my toolbox. “Got to find something solid.” My hands brushed against the cold metal toolbox, then the fire extinguisher (灭火器). “This might work.”
“Here goes everything,” I thought, holding the extinguisher and hitting it against the window. The impact resounded through the car, but the glass holds firm. “Not yet,” I begged under my breath, as the extinguisher bounced harmlessly away.
The water kept rising, and so did my fear. A voice inside me screamed to give up, but another thought pierced through — Stormy. “For Stormy, I can’t quit.” Just then, I sensed a pause in the water’s rise.
An unspoken sound said, “You have more time. What will you do?”
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“I’ll fight harder,” I promised aloud.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Exhausted, we caught the now flooded vehicle, waiting for daylight.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________（1）对Jason来中国表示欢迎。
（2）推荐的活动及理由。
注意：（1）词数不少于100字；
（2）可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯。
参考词汇：唐诗（Tangpoems）剪纸（Paper-cutting）___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In DeAnza Community College, 15 minutes’ drive from the university Trevor Wallace studied in, his beloved grandmother had worked there. When she was alive, she was a respected learning disabilities specialist and instructor. In recognition of her work, her co-workers dedicated a large, cement angel fountain with a plaque (匾) saying Heart’s Garden: In Memory of Marilyn Rosenthal. That was in 1999.
Trevor knew well that the fountain meant a lot to his mom, Sarene. She was only 36 when her mom died. At the sight of anything to do with her mother, she would tell stories or anecdotes related, especially the fountain. Though she cherished it, living six hours away, she didn’t have the opportunity to visit it regularly.
As time went on, the fountain was hidden under trees, falling into disrepair----the statue’s bowl at its base broken; cement benches nearby damaged; the water pump blocked with leaves and the surrounding area littered with dead leaves and trash, etc.
Finally, in 2013, it was once repaired by one of the school gatekeepers, who thought she was popular with colleagues and students when she was alive. After knowing the repair, Sarene and Trevor took the 300-mile trip to visit it. On a quiet afternoon, they posed for a photo together. Sarene recalled, “We sat watching the fountain for a while. The water welled over then it went into the bowls. It was so peaceful.”
Flash forward to 2015. When deciding what to give his mom for Mother’s Day, the fountain came to mind. Trevor called Sarene that Sunday to wish her a happy Mother’s Day and told her to expect a surprise. Then he drove to DeAnza with his camera, tripod, and two sponges.
When he arrived, the fountain was covered with leaves and piled with dirt, in worse shape than he had expected. Motivated by memories of his late grandmother, whom he called “Bubby”, he set up his camera on the tripod, checked the lighting and took a before shot. Then his hand-scrubbing (手工擦洗) work began.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
There was one problem—the fountain’s water was turned off.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When she opened the photos attached in the three emails, she burst into tears.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
“Izzy,” Letty cries. “I need a favor.” Letty’s my best friend. “A favor” for her always turns into more. Like last time I agreed to babysit “a few kids”, and we got surrounded by twenty babies. So I ask, “What’s it?” “Crestview Shelter’s got too many animals,” she explains. “I was hoping you could keep some at your empty stable (马厩) for a while.” “No. You know I’m teaching riding lessons. I don’t have time to care for them,” I reply immediately. “I just need the space. Please,” she begs. I can’t refuse anymore. “Okay. But cats only. No dogs.” “Why?” she asks.
“Tiger.” As her name, our mouser (捕鼠猫) Tiger is the queen here, and considers the stable hers. She’ll tolerate cats, but dogs? “A neighbor’s dog wandered on the driveway once, which is close to the stable, and Tiger nearly tore his ears off,” I explain. “No dogs,” agrees Letty. “I’ll bring them tomorrow morning.”
That afternoon, Mom tells me a horse arrives to board. Horse boarding is part of our stable’s business. I hurry over only to see a huge black horse. I couldn’t see over his back. Dad waves me over. “Ms. Heidt and her horse, Titan.” I pat Titan. He doesn’t respond. “He must be tired,” I say, noting his lifeless eyes.
“Actually, he’s been like this for weeks since his partner Kerrick suddenly died. They were inseparable, and now...” Ms. Heidt says. “The animal doctor says it’s not good for him to be alone. ” “Titan’s sure to make friends here,” I tell Ms. Heidt. She hands me his lead and says, “Titan’s big, but he’s a gentleman.” She’s right. Titan follows quietly when I take him away. Horses in the stable notice Titan at once, but they hang back. There’s no interaction.
At about 9 am the next day, Letty and the animals come. As we unload the cats, a spotted dog jumps out. “What?” I shout. “I’m sorry, Izzy,” Letty says. “The staff members there insist we should give Buddy the dog a chance, so... ” ROWR! A sound interrupts her. Tiger rushes to Buddy. We hurry to get something to stop her. But suddenly we find there’s no sign of Buddy. Letty hangs her head. “I’m sorry ——” I accept her apology and we keep seeking Buddy.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
“Izzy, look!” she points toward Titan worriedly.
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Ms. Heidt tears up when she knows the friendship between Titan and Buddy.
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8 . 假如你是光明中学足球队队长李华，请你给上海希望国际学校足球队负贵人Mr Brown发一封邮件，邀请该校足球队来你校打一场友谊赛。要点包括：
1. 发出邀请；
2. 友谊赛的意义和目的。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，使内容充实，行文连贯。
Dear Mr. Brown,
I hope this email finds you well.
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Best regards,
Li Hua
| A．Those who wish to be a leader. |
| B．Those who are warm and inviting. |
| C．Those who have trouble socializing. |
| D．Those who judge people by first impressions. |
| A．Because it means time is important. |
| B．Because it reflects that you value them. |
| C．Because it allows you to get ready early. |
| D．Because it applies to various business situations. |
| A．By communicating with people in public. |
| B．By talking with anyone around you in life. |
| C．By trying to stop talking every time you use them. |
| D．By practicing with these words at home one at a time. |
Mash Assadollah was the grocer at our corner store. Standing behind his glass display case, he tore out a page from a book. He twisted the page into a cone-shaped envelope and then filled it with tobacco. He then weighed the tobacco. He folded the envelope of tobacco closed and handed it to me. I was also buying sugar cubes and tea. Mash Assadollah calculated the amounts on an abacus (算盘). I paid him and left.
When I got home, Grandmother took the goods I had purchased, emptied the envelopes of their ingredients, handed me the wrappers, and asked me to throw them away.
It was summer vacation, and I didn’t have much to do. To keep myself busy, I sat down in a corner of the room and started to read the wrappers, which had once been eight consecutive (连续的) pages of a book. How well written and attractive the words were! It was a good story. I sat there until I had read all eight pages. Honestly, I had never read a book before, except for my textbooks. But when I read those eight pages, I realized that I now loved reading! The only problem was that the story stopped right at the best part, right at the end of Page 22, which was the most important and exciting point in the story.
It was about a boy who wanted to run away from home and escape his father who was always spanking (打屁股) him, but the boy was afraid. He finally left home but didn’t know where to go. I was excited to find out where he would go and what would happen to him.
注意：
1.续写词数应为 150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
I decided to go back and get the rest of the book from Mash Assadollah.
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Mash Assadollah didn’t know what I was talking about.
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