1 . How writing has helped my life

Writing has and is changing my life and these are some of the ways it has greatly helped me over the years.

My writing got better.

Writing did make me become a better writer.     1     It’s almost impossible to keep doing something over and over again without getting better at it, so when I say writing has improved my writing skills, it would be foolish to disagree.

I feel much more confident with words.

Writing helped me build a good relationship with the English language. Before, I had to check and recheck every word I wanted to use in an article to be sure I was using it correctly.     2     And I’m proud to say that I can use words effectively without having to run to a dictionary every second.

My imagination and speed grew.

The more I wrote, the more my imagination grew so that everything around me started becoming an inspiration for an article.     3     I also went from someone who struggled to come up with a 450-word essay, to someone who could put together a 1,000-word essay in less than 30 minutes.

    4    

Just the act of putting down some words and creating a work of pure imagination gives me inner joy and peace. Whenever I feel down, I write.

Finally ...

Writing is a skill that anyone could acquire if they put hard work into it. So next time you’re lonely or just bubbling with anxiety, try writing.     5     Just pour out your heart on your paper or screen.

A．My mental health has improved.

B．Writing helps me recover memories.

C．Now, that weight is off my shoulders.

D．We all know the saying “Practice makes perfect.”

E．I’ll never stop developing this beloved craft.

F．Don’t worry about being perfect because no one is.

G．I can look at a pencil and come up with a 500-word essay about it

2 . For most ordinary purposes, machine translation (MT) has got a lot better in the past years. The biggest source of improvement has been the adoption of “deep learning” in training translating systems. But improvement has also come about through the expansion of clever companies solving individual tasks. Some have created specialist dictionaries so that important terms can be translated accurately and consistently. Other inventions combine MT with a human translator’s editing tools, which means translators spend most of their time checking and perfecting MT output, rather than doing the work of the translating themselves.

For some translators, being a machine’s editor may sound depressing. This can be seen the other way around, however. A human repeatedly translating identical formulae can get bored. Allowing the machine to do these boring jobs frees the translator to apply specialized knowledge, solving more intellectually satisfying problems.

What are those problems? One Madrid-based translator for a big law firm describes a recent task. It involved making a critical distinction in a legal document: a Spanish word (dolo) that’s properly translated as “wilful misconduct” was translated only as “misconduct” by software. Since the law requires considerably severer punishment when the misconduct is “wilful”, the omission (省略) was potentially disastrous.

Today, many translation firms are proud of using MT, not as a crutch (依赖) but as a means to cut costs and turnaround times. Part of their job becomes knowing what can be automated and what cannot. Instruction manuals can be left to MT while others like a novel legal argument cannot.

The bad news for some translators is that a tap of repeatable, easy work is being turned off. The good news is that what remains will be brain-challenging stuff for people who know a language and something else. Tales of artificial intelligence usually test humans against machines. But the translators of the future will be neither entirely human nor machine. They will be human beings with mechanical enhancements.

1. What can we learn about machine translation from paragraph 1?

A．It has been mostly used by specialists.

B．Lots of efforts have been made to improve it.

C．Some clever companies have made a fortune from it.

D．It has replaced human translators in some simple tasks.

2. What can be inferred from the case mentioned by the Madrid-based translator?

A．Experienced translators are hard to find.

B．Machine translation can be inaccurate.

C．Machine translation has led to many misjudgments.

D．It is difficult for translators to tell“wilful misconduct”from“misconduct”.

3. What is many translation firms’ attitude towards using machine translation today?

A．Positive.

B．Critical.

C．Uninterested.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Technology contributes to productive translators

B．Translation is faced with a great technical challenge

C．The translator of the future is a human-machine hybrid

D．Career opportunities in the field of translation are increasing

3 . How much time do you spend doing the research before you make a big decision? The answer for many of us, it turns out, is hardly any. When picking a doctor, for instance, many individuals simply use recommendations from friends and family rather than consulting medical professionals or sources such as healthcare websites or articles on good physicians.

While there are people who go over every detail before making a choice, a fair number of individuals are quick to jump to conclusions. Psychologists call this way of thinking a cognitive bias (认知偏差), a tendency toward a specific mental mistake.

It has been found that hasty (仓促的) judgments often lead to errors in behavior and thinking. Jumpers made more errors than nonjumpers on problems that require thoughtful analysis. Consider this brainteaser: “A baseball bat and ball cost $1.10 together. The bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?” Many people jumped to the conclusion of 10 cents, but a little thought reveals the right answer to be five cents.

So what is behind jumping? Psychological researchers commonly distinguish between two pathways of thought: automatic, known as system 1, which reflects ideas that come to the mind easily and without effort; and controlled, or system 2, comprising intentional and effortful reasoning that is analytical and mindful. Jumpers and nonjumpers are equally influenced by automatic thoughts. The jumpers, however, do not adopt controlled reasoning to the same degree as nonjumpers.

It is system 2 thinking that helps people counterbalance (抵消) mental biases introduced by the more knee-jerk (本能地做出的) system 1. To put it another way, jumpers were more likely to accept the conclusions they made at first glance without thorough examination or questioning. A lack of system 2 thinking was also more broadly connected to their problematic beliefs and faulty reasoning. Happily, there may be some hope for jumpers: it is suggested that using training to target their biases can help people think more meticulously.

1. How do many people choose their doctors according to paragraph 1?

A．They surf healthcare websites.

B．They read articles by good doctors.

C．They talk with medical professionals.

D．They ask their friends and family for advice.

2. How is paragraph 3 mainly developed?

A．By making a prediction.	B．By giving an example.
C．By introducing a concept.	D．By referring to another study.

3. What problem do jumpers have when making a conclusion according to the text?

A．They are less engaged in system 2.

B．They are unable to think analytically.

C．They think less about maths problems.

D．They ignore the errors made in system 1.

4. What does the underlined word “meticulously” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Effortlessly.	B．Specifically.
C．Independently.	D．Thoroughly.

5 . 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。

It’s part of life to have challenging experiences that get you down. At times like this, you might try to change your mindset,     1    (remind) yourself that it won’t last forever or to focus on the bright side. Changing how you think about     2    (emotion) events in this way can change how you feel about them.     3     sometimes this is easier said than done.

Imagine you lost a dream opportunity and you may wonder whether you’ll ever get another chance like that again. It can be difficult to break out of your mindset when having negative experiences.     4    (fortunate), getting a good friend’s perspective(见解) can help.

Here     5    (come) the question: Is getting a friend’s perspective when rethinking a negative event more powerful than rethinking it     6     your own? According to some research     7    (conduct) lately, we can choose the former. How you think and feel can     8    (shape) by getting a friend’s perspective, both in the moment and over time. The next time you can’t get rid of your negative thought     9    (pattern), remember that humans are fundamentally social creatures. It’s okay to turn to the people around you and your friends, from     10     you can get new perspectives and some help.

6 . My wife and I parked by a rough path the same time as a young man covered in tattoos (纹身). I ______ he was unfriendly，so we tried to ______ ourselves from him. But he struggled hard to ______ and wanted to talk some. We slowed down. He said he was recovering from a bad time in his life. We ______ left him in the dust，heading up the river.

Hours later we turned back ______ a flash flood had taken out the bridge. There he was again, following to ______ us. He shared a little more of his ______. He lost his mother and sister in a car accident and he was permanently ______ too. We slowed down to the pace he could ______ for the whole way back.

He continued, “During much surgery and ______ I came to hate life...” Then he pulled up his shirt to show us a ______ life size tattoo from neck to waist. It was two ladies in a ______ light waving to him. “This is my mom and this is my sister,” he pointed, “They told me to stop hating everything. They loved me just as they always had and ______ me to live in love too!” He explained the brightly colored tattoo was the exact dream he had that day.

My ______ went away. It had painted a wrong picture of this wonderful person with a beautiful ______ . I learned more than he hoped to tell.

1.

A．assumed

B．remembered

C．admitted

D．confirmed

2.

A．tell

B．distance

C．save

D．free

3.

A．turn away

B．set out

C．catch up

D．settle down

4.

A．politely

B．secretly

C．carelessly

D．accidentally

5.

A．though

B．unless

C．because

D．before

6.

A．impress

B．interrupt

C．persuade

D．engage

7.

A．target

B．story

C．plan

D．journey

8.

A．confused

B．discouraged

C．ignored

D．injured

9.

A．observe

B．judge

C．manage

D．challenge

10.

A．silence

B．pain

C．failure

D．guilt

11.

A．massive

B．funny

C．random

D．popular

12.

A．brilliant

B．gentle

C．weak

D．sensitive

13.

A．allowed

B．begged

C．forced

D．expected

14.

A．doubt

B．sympathy

C．prejudice

D．resistance

15.

A．reputation

B．message

C．appearance

D．insight

7 . 4 YouTube Channels That You Need to Watch

Yes Theory
6.57M Subscribers

Driven by the motto “Seek Discomfort,” Yes Theory aims to spread a message of positivity and fearlessness through pursuing projects and missions that help bring people outside their comfort zones. There is no doubt that many of us may feel too scared to pursue ambitious goals, which is why Yes Theory takes on some of the most daunting (令人望而却步的) adventures to show people that discomfort helps achieve a great life.

Nas Daily
2.45M Subscribers

Being a graduate of Harvard, Nuseir Yassin, also known as Nas Daily, makes an effort to provide a YouTube channel that highlights the “most incredible humans on planet Earth.” His videos often feature individuals who are creating change in the world, and he also covers some of the most important topics of discussion like climate change.

TED-Ed
13.7M Subscribers

TED-Ed is one of the most famous YouTube channels when it comes to learning and inspiration. The channel has no specific video producer as it features presentations from people all around the world. These videos feature a wide variety of topics, and there is no specific subject that the channel focuses on. Instead, it provides insight into anything that can benefit the viewers, and it truly is a great resource to use if you would like to learn something new.

Be Inspired
7.4M Subscribers

Be Inspired is a YouTube channel that provides videos to help people improve their overall well-being. These videos include a wide variety of topics such as sleep, stress, economics, jobs, setting and achieving goals, and creating plans. The channel also includes short and inspirational videos that help people realize the mistakes they are making and ways to solve them.

1. Which channel encourages viewers to challenge themselves?

A．Be Inspired.

B．Yes Theory.

C．Nas Daily.

D．TED-Ed.

2. What benefit will viewers most probably get from Be Inspired?

A．Learning the latest news.	B．Meeting incredible humans.
C．Having access to job opportunities.	D．Improving their overall well-being.

3. What do the four channels have in common?

A．They are inspirational.

B．They are favored by students.

C．They all have over 6M subscribers.

D．They all have one specific video producer.

8 . 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。

The year 2013 marked a turning point in my life. In June, my husband was offered a new Job in Ghana. Feeling that I had hit a career bottleneck as a photographer and copywriter (广告文字撰写人), I, without any hesitation, made the decision to relocate with him.

While my husband engaged in work, my visa didn’t grant me the same privilege. But that’s okay. I didn’t know what to do anyway. I was left isolated, homesick and lacking purpose. Our new home was a bungalow near a river that cut across expansive grasslands. With few people around our home, I turned to nature, which had been a fondness of mine since childhood. Every day, I would take my camera and wander around, photographing aimlessly.

It wasn’t long before September arrived, bringing the full flow of the rainy season. After one particularly bad thunderstorm, I found a finch (雀) — a poor little thing barely a month old with one wing broken — on the ground. Evidently, he had been abandoned by his flock, his nest blown from a tree. The sight was heartbreaking. He was the size of my lite finger. His eyes were tightly shut and he was shuddering, too young to survive alone. I somehow felt a connection with it. Immediately I scooped him up and cautiously placed him in a cardboard box with towels, mimicking a nest, and stayed up all night researching how to care for him.

The next day, he seemed to regain some energy. He woke with his mouth open, though still too weak to let out a call. I fed him some food and chirped (叽喳) at him. To my amusement, he chirped back and even climbed into my hand. I affectionately gazed at this adorable creature, who was now boldly pecking (啄) my fingers now and then. A surge of warmth ran through me. Tenderly stroking his feathers, I chirped a lullaby, singing him to sleep. Gradually, his eyes drooped and he drifted off. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene — as far as he was concerned, I was his mother.

Para 1. “I will take care of you.” I murmured, making my promise to him.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Para 2. At that moment I realized that as I dedicated myself to the finch’s care, something within me changed.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 . I was born in 1990 — the year of the white horse. A girl born under this zodiac (生肖) is believed to have a wild, steed-like (骏马般的) spirit that will block her fortunes, bringing her family trouble. These beliefs were planted in my mind as a girl growing up in South Korea. I was repeatedly told to fight against my steed-like spirit and instead try being still, gentle, and quiet.

Actually, when I was young, I loved exploring the mountainous trails behind our house, examining the various soil layers in nearby fields, and generally running wild outdoors. I often returned home with soiled clothes.

In high school, I settled on a quiet career choice: I would become a lawyer. However, when I was accepted into a pre-law program, I found the courses boring. That’s when a teacher said, “You could always get a science degree, and go back into law.”

I took her advice and landed in the United States to study geology (地质学). Shortly thereafter, though, culture shock set in. I was not ready for the intense physical requirements of my field courses. One 6-week summer course required strenuous (费劲的) hikes, camping in extreme heat, and heavy lifting. My cultural upbringing had discouraged such “wild” activities and I had never gone on extended hikes or camps before. But other women in my program were an inspiration. I saw beauty in their strength, and I wanted to be like them.

By the end of my undergraduate degree, I had fully accepted my love of being a tough girl. And I’d given up on the idea of becoming a lawyer. My parents didn’t quite know what to make of my adventurous field life. But they were supportive when I told them about the change in my career direction.

I’m now a postdoc with years of experience collecting samples in challenging field environments, and I’m thankful I resisted the cultural expectations placed on me. My wild, steed-like spirit wasn’t something to suppress (压制). Instead, it led me to a career that’s a perfect fit for me.

1. What can we learn about the author in her childhood?

A．She was a quiet and shy girl.	B．She was encouraged to study hard.
C．She brought misfortunes to her family.	D．She spent much time exploring the outdoors.

2. What was the reason for the author studying geology?

A．The bright employment opportunity.

B．The difficulty of getting a law degree.

C．Her desire to act against her cultural expectations.

D．Her disappointment at the pre-law program courses.

3. What happened to the author when she started to learn geology?

A．She was strongly opposed by her family.	B．She was not interested in the field courses.
C．She was not used to doing strenuous activities.	D．She was looked down upon by other women.

4. Which of the following best describes the author’s parents?

A．Careful.

B．Demanding.

C．Far-sighted.

D．Open-minded.