2 . After astonishing breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, many people worry that they will be replaced by AI. Global Google searches for “is my job safe?” have doubled in recent months, as people fear that they will be replaced with large language models (LLMs). In a recent paper Tyna Eloundou of OpenAI and colleagues say that “around 80% of the US workforce could have at least 10% of their work tasks affected by the introduction of LLMs”.

Economists, however, tend to enjoy making predictions about automation more than they enjoy testing them. In the early 2010s many of them loudly predicted that robots would kill jobs by the millions, only to fall silent when employment rates across the rich world rose to all-time highs.

Few of the doom-mongers (末日论者) have a good explanation for why countries with the highest rates of tech usage around the globe, such as Japan, Singapore and the Republic of Korea, consistently have among the lowest rates of unemployment.

Here we introduce our first attempt at tracking AI’s impact on jobs. Using American data on employment by occupation, we single out white-collar workers.

White-collar roles are thought to be especially sensitive to generative AI, which is becoming ever better at logical reasoning and creativity. However, there is as yet little evidence of an AI hit to employment. In the spring of 2020 white-collar jobs rose, as many people in service occupations lost their job at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. And in the past year the white-collar share of employment in professions thought to be at risk from generative AI has risen by 0.5%.

Of course, it’s still early days for generative AI. Few firms yet use generative Al tools at large scale, so the impact on jobs could merely be delayed.

Another possibility, however, is that these new technologies will end up destroying only a small number of roles. While Al may be efficient at some tasks, it may be less good at others, such as management and working out what others need.

AI could even have a positive effect on jobs. If workers using it become more efficient, profits at their company could rise which would then allow bosses to ramp up hiring.

A recent survey by Experis, an IT-recruitment firm, points to this possibility. More than half of Britain’s employers expect AI technologies to have a positive impact on the number of their staff over the next two years, it finds.

To see how it all shakes out, we will publish updates to this analysis every few months. But for now, a job apocalypse seems a long way off.

1. In terms of artificial intelligence, people worry about ______.

A．how to avoid being replaced by machines

B．how to keep up with the trend of technology

C．how to master new technological skills

D．how to earn higher wages by using technology

2. Economists’ predictions about automation show that ______.

A．machines prove to deal a blow to employment

B．technological breakthroughs bring an economic boom

C．economic theories don’t work well in practice

D．it is difficult to clarify the impact of machines on jobs

3. According to the text, since the spring of 2020, white-collar jobs ______.

A．have become more diverse	B．have decreased in number
C．have been threatened by service jobs	D．have not suffered noticeable losses

4. How may artificial intelligence influence employment?

A．It may cause mass unemployment.	B．It may create new jobs for people.
C．It may enable employers to hire more.	D．It may decrease people’s salaries.

5. What could be the best title for the passage?

A．Boy Cries Wolf: Generative Al is not yet killing jobs

B．Batten Down the Hatches: Generative AI will replace most of human jobs

C．Generative AI: The greatest threat to white-collar workers.

D．Generative AI: The greatest invention of the 20th century

3 . 假定你是李华，你校英文报 Campus Life 专栏现围绕“如何开展有意义的班会课(class meeting)”这一主题向全校学生征稿，请你写一则短文投稿，内容包括：
1.推荐活动；
2.说明理由。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

Class Meetings: Fostering Engagement and Growth

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5 . I was thirty-four the first time I saw the real Santa.

My husband had lost his job earlier, and we _________ expenses everywhere we could . He’d been hunting for jobs and _________ often, but the process was slow.

One afternoon, we were feeling particularly _________, so we decided to treat ourselves to a meal outside. It was a(n) _________ for us to get out of the house, too. Plus, the pizzas were _________ our names in the restaurant.

When we got to the counter to pay, the employee said our meal had been covered by the truck ahead. While people did this sometimes, and it was always a lovely _________, this time we really didn’t want to just take the gift and leave. Instead, we attempted to keep the _________ going by offering to pay for the order for the car behind us.

“No need, that man just paid for everyone in line.” We had no choice but to get _________ with the fact that a stranger had just done something kind for us, and there was no way to _________ the kindness.

Looking toward the truck, I thought I could see the man’s __________ in the driver’s side mirror. He stuck his hand out the window and gave a __________ wave, which __________ reminded me of the scene where Santa was flying away into the night, gloved hand __________ in a goodbye wave.

My husband found a wonderful job shortly afterwards. We’ve gone on to do __________ acts of kindness for others, remembering the effect this __________ meal had on us when Santa drove a truck with a big smile and a little wave.

1.

A．cut back on

B．got down to

C．caught up with

D．broke away from

2.

A．fleeing

B．resigning

C．researching

D．interviewing

3.

A．annoyed

B．low

C．confused

D．scared

4.

A．pity

B．excuse

C．ability

D．choice

5.

A．showing

B．mentioning

C．calling

D．inviting

6.

A．suggestion

B．approach

C．introduction

D．gesture

7.

A．mission

B．responsibility

C．chain

D．reaction

8.

A．impressed

B．patient

C．comfortable

D．familiar

9.

A．pay forward

B．pass through

C．light up

D．bring out

10.

A．frown

B．smile

C．enthusiasm

D．confusion

11.

A．brave

B．cheerful

C．continuous

D．fearless

12.

A．gradually

B．possibly

C．carefully

D．instantly

13.

A．raised

B．tied

C．seized

D．covered

14.

A．formal

B．precious

C．admirable

D．random

15.

A．delicate

B．fancy

C．free

D．costly

6 . On a bright afternoon, Jordan, Mahir and Mahir’s father gathered at the foot of a mountain. “Hey, Jordan, over here!” Jordan’s best friend, Mahir, waved his hand, pointing to a crack in the side of the mountain. “We could _______ this!”

Jordan tied his safety harness (系带) and checked his rope. He weighed one of them in his hand, determining its weight. Then he looked for _______ locations, considering the difficulty of the task. “That crack is _______ narrow. I don’t think we’d get up very high.”

“At the time of a test, a person rises or falls.” said Ghanim, Mahir’s dad. Shaking his head in _______ over the foreign proverb (谚语), Jordan examined the crack. It was nothing more than a sliver in the solid face of the cliff. He shifted in his harness as Mahir gave the proverb his own explanation: “If you’re not reaching the _______, you’re not trying hard enough.” Jordan recognized the bit of advice from a previous climbing lesson.

His own father’s voice resounded in his thoughts, as if in a half-forgotten dream. “Climb a mountain, son, and you climb the insecurity in your own life. You climb over your shadow, climb over your _______.”That was five years ago, before the automobile _______ that took his dad’s life. Jordan’s father swiftly turned his car and effectively _______ a car from going over a cliff (悬崖). The sudden move had saved the people in that car. But his father’s car went off a cliff. _______ with the difficult situation, Jordan’s dad had never hesitated before making the decision.

And now Jordan wouldn’t either. ________ on his balance, he took a deep breath and began to climb. Finally, they made it to the peak of the mountain.

1.

A．master

B．pack

C．climb

D．dive

2.

A．worthwhile

B．possible

C．unique

D．immediate

3.

A．acceptable

B．classical

C．amazingly

D．unbelievably

4.

A．confusion

B．awareness

C．understanding

D．appreciation

5.

A．agreement

B．destination

C．balance

D．crack

6.

A．shock

B．power

C．doubt

D．struggle

7.

A．accident

B．journey

C．event

D．trap

8.

A．discouraged

B．connected

C．pulled

D．prevented

9.

A．Agreed

B．Faced

C．Ended

D．Gone

10.

A．Concentrating

B．Depending

C．Moved

D．Carrying

7 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Tanni was born with an illness,     1     made her unable to move her muscles normally. Tanni was interested in sports, but when she was growing up she didn’t see many disabled athletes on television. Then several years later, while watching the London wheelchair marathon, she saw an athlete she knew. She dreamed that she     2     (be) on the starting line, competing in the marathon too. Finally, her dream     3     (come) true. She was not only on the starting line, but also the winner at the finish line. Tanni believes you’ll never know     4     you can do unless you try.

8 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Running is very relaxing and beneficial. It is a great sport for beginners. You do not need any special equipment. Just a good pair of running shoes will do. Running     1     (help) you get fit and prevents you from diseases. It will give you good upper and lower body strength. It makes your heart     2     (strong) than before and allows more blood to flow around your body. It also strengthens your immune system. Besides, anybody who is feeling down can go for a run     3     (cheer) themselves up.

9 . 阅读下面短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

One study shows that the media can play an important role in     1     (build) an image of a modern person. Some people are so interested in a “perfect” image in the media that they try     2     (they) best to become as good as that “perfect” image. Actually, that is not necessary. The truth is     3     those who think themselves less attractive should pay more attention to books rather than looks.

10 . It wasn’t easy to practice gratitude (感激) every day. After I ______ Cushing’s disease (库兴综合征) and had an operation a few years ago, my ______ was that everything would be OK. However, I was wrong. I had ongoing aches and pains, and ______ myself to a new life was difficult for me. ______, I began to notice that I’d become a hateful person.

One day, I heard a discussion about gratitude by Dr Tony Evans. It ______ me and forced me to take a long, hard, honest look at myself. I have a(n) ______ spouse (配偶) and parents. I’d heard the stories of other people’s ______ with Cushing’s disease. Their spouses had left them and they didn’t have family to ______. I didn’t face any of these problems, yet I didn’t realize that.

I made a decision to start practicing gratitude daily. Once I decided that, my ______ improved, and I began to approach situations differently. ______ viewing situations negatively, I started to see them as opportunities.

This led me to practice the concept of ______ and reaping (收获), which I learned from my parents. They didn’t just talk the talk, but rather they ______ his concept to us. However, it wasn't until I had my own experiences that I understood what it meant.

Let me explain. When I was ______ in my own pity, my ______ in life was ruined, because everything I was sowing was negative. Since I started practicing gratitude, so many different doors of opportunity have opened up for me.

My advice is starting practicing gratitude until it becomes a part of your daily routine. Take note of the ______ it will make in your life.

1.

A．studied

B．caught

C．struck

D．treated

2.

A．solution

B．ambition

C．assumption

D．determination

3.

A．adapting

B．showing

C．releasing

D．referring

4.

A．Immediately

B．Frequently

C．Occasionally

D．Gradually

5.

A．annoyed

B．challenged

C．fooled

D．amused

6.

A．gentle

B．wise

C．supportive

D．active

7.

A．competitions

B．promotions

C．connections

D．struggles

8.

A．rely on

B．take on

C．live on

D．carry on

9.

A．image

B．mood

C．ability

D．character

10.

A．Even if

B．Apart from

C．Instead of

D．Owing to

11.

A．taking

B．gaining

C．sowing

D．learning

12.

A．explained

B．demonstrated

C．reported

D．translated

13.

A．involved

B．interested

C．engaged

D．lost

14.

A．harvest

B．achievement

C．interest

D．pleasure

15.

A．energy

B．effort

C．opportunity

D．difference