1 . Humans feed thousands of songs to AI (人工智能). And it is able to analyse the basic information and recognize patterns that can be used to create original music. Such AI-created music is similar to those that any musician might compose.
Recently, an AI-powered system, the Flow Machines, has released a song Daddy’s Car. This system is able to analyse the composers’ original ideas and come up with more ideas to assist them in composing. The system tries to combine the human mind with AI.
Another great invention is Jukedeck, which works very easily. In order to create a new piece, the user just needs to select items like the desired music style (folk, rock, etc.) and the mood (sad or happy). After a few seconds, AI provides a piece of music for the user to download. Each user can create music tailored to his or her interest.
Some musicians use AI to achieve what they could not do on their own. For example, Yacht, an American pop group, has used AI to break out of their comfort zone and try to create something different from their previous songs. Soon they have their new album, which contains 10 songs, all of which are very popular.
The development of AI technology also comes with some concerns. Some human composers fear that their work might be replaced by a machine. Some others are worried about music itself and the music industry, as AI is now able to create music more and more similar to human-composed music.
Faced with this challenge, on one hand, human musicians need to remain creative; on the other hand, they should understand how to use these new tools to explore new frontiers. Perhaps the future role of the human musicians will be to focus on emotions, leaving the machines to take care of other procedures.
1. What is the new development about AI in the text?| A．Its progress in replacing humans. | B．Its ability in music composing. |
| C．Its influence on human emotions. | D．Its focus on changing human mind. |
| A．Because they stuck to their former music style. |
| B．Because they went beyond themselves with AI. |
| C．Because they put in more than ten original songs. |
| D．Because they insisted on composing by themselves. |
| A．Problems about AI composing. | B．Limitations of AI technology. |
| C．Challenges for human composers. | D．Suggestions to human musicians. |
| A．Objective. | B．Doubtful. | C．Uncaring | D．Confused. |
2 . Do you ever get restless if you haven’t checked your phone for a few minutes? If so, you’re not alone. Studies show that people these days check their phones once every four minutes on average! Some of this usage may be related to work. However, much of it is because many apps —particularly social media apps—use “clever techniques” to keep us coming back for more.
One of such techniques is to push notifications. You’re getting on with your work or something else when—ping!—a notification pops up on your screen, informing you that a friend has posted something new or commented on your post. It may seem like a small interruption, but it often is enough to break your concentration and make you go back to your phone again.
Another method is to make a game of the in-app experience by setting up a competitive goal element. Some apps, for example, uses streaks (连续纪录), which count the number of days you have used the app. If you keep a streak going, you might get a medal or some other rewards. Therefore, keeping one’s streak alive becomes a major reason to return to the app again and again.
Once you’ve opened an app, its goal is now to get you continue using it. Messaging apps use a simple but effective trick (伎俩) to keep you engaged even when you’re not writing anything. Have you ever noticed that in some apps, three dots (…) appear to let you know your friend is typing a reply? This trick is designed specifically to create your expectation or curiosity. You wonder what your friend is going to say. Well, you’ll have to keep waiting and see.
While using social media apps is certainly fun, becoming addicted definitely isn’t. Now that you know some tricks used by these apps’ designers, you’ll be better equipped to reduce their influence and keep a healthier relationship with your phone.
1. How does the author introduce the topic in paragraph 1?| A．By raising a question. | B．By quoting a saying. |
| C．By making a comparison. | D．By doing an experiment. |
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
| A．Ongoing pings will inform you of new posts. |
| B．Competitive games will greatly discourage you. |
| C．Everyday use of the app might earn you a medal. |
| D．Appearance of three dots might disturb your typing. |
| A．Can People Break Their Addition to Games? |
| B．Could Technology Further Improve Phones? |
| C．The Social Media Apps That Waste Your Time |
| D．The Tricks That Keep You Glued to Your Phone |
3 . Generally, people take vacations to relax themselves. However, one loving grandpa didn’t. When Grandpa David arrived at his Mexican destination, he made a shocking discovery in his suitcase, and went to “work” throughout his vacation.
David found several Peppa Pig toys when unpacking. It turned out that his granddaughter Lisette had placed the toys there. She hoped those toys would keep her grandpa company during the vacation. Instead of simply ignoring the Peppa Pig toys, David came up with an idea to create videos with them. David said, “I’m going to film everything I do with those toys. And I’ll put the videos together as a gift to my granddaughter.”
This thoughtful grandpa started making videos of the Peppa Pig toys swimming, sunbathing, and taking a trip to see the whales. He added, “I enjoy being silly and playful.” Then David posted them online. His videos went viral on social media. People fell in love with David’s sweet and loving gesture and wanted to know more about this grandpa’s film-making adventures.
The reaction from David’s granddaughter, 4-year-old Lisette, was precious and priceless. The child couldn’t contain her excitement when watching those videos. She was extremely delighted to see her toys enjoying this vacation with her grandpa.
At the end of the video, David explained why he chose to spend his vacation busy creating the video for his beautiful granddaughter, “I saw Lisette’s toys in my suitcase, and I knew she loved those toys. Yet she gave them to me. I wanted to do something for her in return. You know, one of the joys of being a grandparent is to see the smile on those cute little faces.”
1. What did David do during his Mexican vacation?| A．He relaxed himself. | B．He bought toys. |
| C．He accompanied Lisette. | D．He made videos. |
| A．Spread wildly. | B．Suffered attacks. |
| C．Sold well. | D．Raised doubts. |
| A．Easy and amazing. | B．Busy but worthwhile. |
| C．Silly and adventurous. | D．Dangerous but sweet. |
| A．Seeing is believing. | B．Travel broadens the mind. |
| C．Love is the reward of love. | D．East or west, home is the best. |
4 . Dublin is the capital of Ireland. Located on the island’s east coast, it is a paradise for tourists. Let’s take a look at some things to see and do in Dublin!
Visit Trinity College
Trinity College Dublin, founded in 1592, is Ireland’s oldest university. The most famous part of this beautiful college is the Old Library. The library houses the Book of Kells, which is an ancient collection of art and stories about some famous people.
Enjoy Nature at Phoenix Park
When the weather is fine, there’s nothing better than a visit to Phoenix Park, Dublin. This large walled park has plenty to hold your interest. The Dublin Zoo is located within the park, but the zoo isn’t the only place to see animals. The park has been home to a herd of wild deer since the seventeenth century.
Take a Walk Across the Ha’penny Bridge
Another fun thing to do in Dublin is to simply walk around the historic city. A proper walk around Dublin should include the charming Ha’penny Bridge. It was built over the River Liffey in 1816, and its name came from the cost of walking across it—one halfpenny. Take a few pictures and then enjoy a meal at one of the nearby pubs and restaurants.
1. What can we know about Trinity College?| A．It enjoys a long history. | B．Its library is little-known. |
| C．It owns a large walled park. | D．It’s home to a herd of deer. |
| A．It was built half a century ago. | B．The nearby pubs sold food at half price. |
| C．People spent half a penny crossing it. | D．Tourists took pictures halfway across it. |
| A．A book review. | B．A news report. |
| C．A travel brochure. | D．A course plan. |
Museums inspire dreams-to become an astronaut, an
For students seeing everything
Students thrive in the program. To date, over 1,000 students
6 . I looked down at Paisley the Dog, my stomach filled with butterflies. This was our moment. This was what we had
I didn’t want anyone to know it was our first
The whole exercise went
The judge called a few more moves and then our task was
| A．stood | B．trained | C．run | D．called |
| A．trial | B．exercise | C．meeting | D．class |
| A．laugh at | B．look at | C．take over | D．knock over |
| A．love | B．trust | C．ignore | D．blame |
| A．ahead | B．down | C．back | D．aside |
| A．quietly | B．awkwardly | C．brilliantly | D．safely |
| A．calm | B．still | C．silent | D．close |
| A．teacher | B．kids | C．crowd | D．judge |
| A．show | B．admit | C．reflect | D．understand |
| A．Sighs | B．Protests | C．Laughter | D．Tension |
| A．calmest | B．smartest | C．proudest | D．youngest |
| A．advice | B．time | C．fun | D．way |
| A．adjusted | B．divided | C．postponed | D．completed |
| A．assumed | B．remembered | C．realized | D．prayed |
| A．by myself | B．on purpose | C．in person | D．at will |
7 . Time management skills refer to the ability to use your time effectively, which include several other soft skills, such as being able to plan, schedule, and organize tasks. Time management skills can’t be developed overnight.
A popular first step to kickstart better time management is to get an agenda (日程表) of any type. A journal, schedule, or planner—whatever suits your personal preferences best.
It might be tempting to multi-task (多任务处理) if you’re in a rush, but avoid doing so.
Setting goals has been proven to increase motivation and provide focus. Having clear and time-bound goals in mind will help you manage your time more wisely and be more productive.
| A．Then start your day early. |
| B．Some people prefer to plan daily. |
| C．It requires a conscious effort from within. |
| D．Multitasking may seem like a good way to save time. |
| E．Multitasking allows you to perform multiple tasks at once. |
| F．Good organizing skills make sure you do not lose track of your schedule. |
| G．Similarly, having a realistic deadline can help you keep focused on the task. |
8 . A few decades ago, farmers often had the skills and tools needed to quickly make repairs if their machinery (机器) broke down. These days, however, it’s not that simple. Most modern farm equipment is technologically advanced, containing computers and sensors that collect and transmit data. As a result, specific software tools are necessary to deal with mechanical failures.
However, most companies refuse to make those tools available to farmers. They can’t even go to an independent mechanic, since manufacturers (制造商) won’t sell them parts or tools either. This leaves farmers no choice but to take their broken equipment to a licensed dealership (特许经销店).
This isn’t cheap. A farmer might spend thousands of dollars on a simple adjustment. On the other hand, this arrangement has proven lucrative for manufacturers. For example, Deere& Company, a major American manufacturer of farm machinery, can earn up to six times more money with parts and repairs than selling equipment itself.
But money isn’t the only problem-it’s also a matter of time. Oftentimes on a farm, tasks like planting and harvesting have to be done within a window of just a few days when the conditions are just right. If machinery breaks during that window and a dealership can’t make an appointment immediately, the wait can cut severely into the farmers’ annual yields and income.
There’s also the issue of privacy. Equipment manufacturers collect lots of data about soil, weather, and other factors, which they can then share with or sell to others. Even worse are other potential security risks. Because most modern machines can be operated and shut off remotely, some farmers and experts worry that hackers could disable thousands of machines at a time. Such an act could affect the entire country’s agricultural production, threatening livelihoods and food security.
1. What is the major concern of farmers?| A．The poor skills to use farm equipment. |
| B．The rising prices to buy modern machinery. |
| C．The old software to maintain farm equipment. |
| D．The limited choice to repair modern machinery. |
| A．Profitable. | B．Useful. | C．Impossible. | D．Popular. |
| A．They must work extra hours. |
| B．They must handle security risks. |
| C．They may suffer economic losses. |
| D．They may experience staff shortage. |
| A．To comment on the danger of big data. |
| B．To point out the influence of high technology. |
| C．To put forward a method to increase farm yields. |
| D．To argue for farmers’ right to repair their machines. |
9 . From chocolate toothpaste in the Philippines to salt and vinegar potato chips in the UK, products popular in one place often receive a cool reception elsewhere. It of course poses a challenge to food companies seeking to export their brands.
The snack-food company Frito-Lay addresses the issue by discovering the best-loved flavours in each of their markets. So while cheese, spicy chilli and barbecue are popular flavours in the USA, Turkey goes for yogurt. The French prefer olive and Japan likes sushi flavours. But all of them are sold under the globally familiar Doritos brand. Frito-Lay’s understanding of local tastes around the world-and the successful adaptation of their product-has made Doritos one of the world’s most popular snack foods.
Everyone everywhere loves ice cream, it seems. The Anglo-Dutch food giant Unilever sells it in over 40 countries. The company used to sell their ice cream under a lot of different brands, which created the sense that the companies were local. In 1998, the company launched the ‘Heartbrand’ logo (标志) to increase international brand awareness, but kept the familiar local names for the ice cream products. This helped avoid the problem of some names not sounding good in other languages. So in Bulgaria and Greece, you buy Algida, but in China, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK, it’s Wall’s.
There are some products that will always remain at home, such as the durian (榴莲), known as the ‘the king of fruits’ in its homeland of Southeast Asia. The fruit’s most notable feature is its strong smell, described by some as that of rotten onions and by others as old gym socks, though it is said to taste delicious by its fans. Though some durians are grown outside of Southeast Asia, the only place the fruit enjoys any wide popularity at all is in Southeast Asia and even there, some people can’t stand it! So don’t expect to see durians in your local supermarket any time soon.
1. What does the underlined word “It” in paragraph I refer to?| A．The snack culture. |
| B．The cold welcome. |
| C．The food preference. |
| D．The global popularity. |
| A．They provide chips of high quality. |
| B．They make snacks to suit local tastes. |
| C．They unite markets of different countries. |
| D．They use advertising to build new brands. |
| A．Anglo-Dutch. | B．Algida. | C．Heartbrand. | D．Wall’s. |
| A．Durians’ sales dilemma. |
| B．Durians’ nutritional value. |
| C．Durians’ smell problems. |
| D．Durians’ attractive features. |
10 . I got the opportunity to pursue an unmatchable educational vision at Stanford University. I was flooded with feelings of relief and excitement. It was a miracle that the American Dream had exposed its colors in my favor.
Upon arrival at the campus, ambition burned within me. I imagined becoming President of the Student Union, a member of Cardinal Calypso, and so on. I wanted Stanford to be a place for me to really learn about the vast world.
I was extremely occupied beyond the classroom. As an active member of nearly twelve VSOs (Voluntary Service Overseas), I could hardly focus on my study. Ultimately, my academic journey at Stanford was characterized by a lack of consistency (连贯性). The letter informing me of my academic suspension (停学) did not come as a surprise.I knew I would have to face consequences.
Fortunately, Infomineo, a research organization, offered me the opportunity to complete a six-month internship (实习) . This experience has done wonders for me, giving me insight into who I am, what I want to do, where I want to be, and how I can get there. I should have known that the freshman year is about testing out courses and extra-curriculars, and that each decision should end up helping me in the future.
Most significantly, I’ve learned big changes are born of little consistencies. This is what I will carry for the rest of my life, especially at Stanford University. Consistently attending professors’ classes or routinely setting aside time to review notes outside the classroom. This is where I stand now, and ready to tackle Stanford again. This time, with clearer sight of how to accomplish my goals, I feel that I have detected and revealed a new power within me.
1. How did the author feel when arriving at Stanford?| A．Excited and nervous. |
| B．Grateful and curious. |
| C．Ambitious and hopeful. |
| D．Relieved and puzzled. |
| A．He was rejected by the Student Union. |
| B．He failed to meet academic requirements. |
| C．He was burdened with heavy schoolwork. |
| D．He managed to establish voluntary groups. |
| A．Demanding. | B．Beneficial. | C．Fruitless. | D．Risky. |
| A．Dreams work wonders. |
| B．Changes promote progress. |
| C．Consistencies make the difference. |
| D．Opportunities favor the prepared mind. |
