1 . The holidays can be a divisive season. Because the holidays are full of merriness, some love them. Others can feel troubled by them, affected by the financial pressure and family gatherings often accompanying the holidays.
Begin tracking how you’re feeling on the day-to-day life. You can keep a journal or take a brief walk where you can reflect at the end of your day. Doing this lets you see a pattern of what may be activating your negative feelings.
After getting your triggers written down, let’s make a plan. If it is money fueling the discomfort, let’s strategize how you can cut down the financial expectations. You can select a thoughtful low-cost decoration or a bunch of flowers.
Rethink how to love yourself rather than care for others too much. If you have to be with someone, are you at risk of yourself because of arguments or conflicts?
| A．Keep track of your daily actions. |
| B．It will help you get through the tense situation. |
| C．Hosting a gathering can be another costly issue. |
| D．Feeling joyless during the holidays can be really awful. |
| E．You can also offer meaningful time spent with loved ones. |
| F．The truth is that it is hard to engage with people who hurt you. |
| G．Let’s begin by identifying what is causing you the intense anxiety. |
A powerful storm erupted in North Carolina, causing many roads to be severely damaged and some houses to collapse. In the aftermath of the terrible storm, an animal protection society discovered a surprise at their booster that both broke and warmed their hearts.
The surprise was that a group of baby dogs were left with a sad note, revealing a tale of sympathy in the hardship. The note, written by a homeless man, explained that the heartbreaking circumstances led him to adopt the baby dogs. He regularly fed their mother dog, but he discovered that she had unfortunately been hit by a car. Despite his own homelessness, he had provided the baby dogs with a chance to have a better life. However, the storm destroyed his temporary residence, and he had to leave them at the animal protection society’s doorstep with a heartfelt request for help.
The note read, “Please help! I was sad to find a local homeless dog that I used to feed when I could, dead by the road. What made me sadder was that her babies were left homeless. I’m sorry for leaving them like this, but I am also homeless and cannot afford to look after them. My heart breaks for them and their mother. I just want them to be taken good care of. I know that it’s wrong to abandon them. But please don’t think poorly of me. I really don t have any other choice. Sincerely, a homeless man, George.”
David, who was in charge of the animal protection society, posted the story, on the social media pages, expressing gratitude to the homeless man and admiration for his selfless act. David assured nim that his kindness, had not gone unnoticed and promised to honor his gesture by offering the baby dogs the love and care they would deserve. David also gave an invitation to him which read, “If you would like, please come to the animal protection society to see how the baby dogs will live, and I think that they will be glad to see you again!”
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。
A few days later, George, the homeless man, walked into the animal protection society.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Then George and David started looking for new homes for the baby dogs.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . Hundreds or even thousands of jackdaws (寒鸦) are known to launch into the winter sky at once from the treetops at sunrise, and then split into smaller groups to feed throughout the day. Now, ecologists know that this synchronized (同步的) departure is timed with a complicated behavior called “consensus decision-making”, where the majority agree to take action.
To figure it out, researchers in the United Kingdom recorded hundreds of hours of their bird calls in Cornwall over several months. They measured when the first jackdaws began their calls, how loud the birds were, and how quickly the swell (增强) of calls rose, and then compared these sounds to footage (镜头) of those birds’ departures. The team found that the jackdaw group left together once the chorus of calls reached a critical mass--the more rapidly the chorus swelled, the earlier the birds left.
“They all leave together in a few seconds. The sky just fills with black birds forthwith. It is just like a black snowstorm,” Alex Thornton, an ecologist at the University of Exeter, UK, told New Scientist. Every call is a jackdaw casting its vote to leave. “At first you just get a few calls, then more and more birds join in and it builds and builds. And the steeper the increase, the earlier they leave,” Thornton added. On rare occasions, when the intensity of the chorus doesn’t build enough and the jackdaws don’t agree, the birds instead launch off in small numbers.
The team also found that once jackdaws reached a consensus they departed almost immediately, with hundreds of individuals flying in less than five seconds. When scientists played past recordings of calls back to the jackdaws, getting in the way of the group’s natural crescendo (渐强的声音), they were able to push forward the birds’ launching by more than six minutes. The birds did not, however, change their launch times in response to other noises.
“The gregarious (群居的) birds prefer to leave as a group, although each jackdaw will have a slightly different preference as to when they want to leave, based on factors like their size and hunger,” Alex Dibnah, a University of Exeter graduate student and lead author of the study, said in a statement. “Leaving the roost (栖息处) together has various benefits, including safety from predators and access to information such as where to find food.”
This research shows the critical role vocalizations (发声) play in group decision-making for this species. One next step for this research, according to the authors, is to figure out how human-created noises might affect this process and the spread of information throughout these communities.
“Imagine a big roost near a town or busy road,” Thornton said. “If the birds can’t hear each other and can’t form a consensus to leave together, it could have big impacts on their population.”
1. What is the purpose of the research in Cornwall?| A．To understand how jackdaws reach an agreement. |
| B．To study what makes jackdaws’ departure time unique. |
| C．To make a comparison of jackdaws’ calls with other birds’. |
| D．To assess the importance of jackdaws’ complicated behaviors. |
| A．Frequently. | B．Gradually. | C．Traditionally. | D．Immediately. |
| A．It can reach an agreement within seconds. |
| B．Its launch times vary little from season to season. |
| C．It can distinguish its natural calls from other noises. |
| D．It makes no response to the past recordings of calls. |
| A．The impacts of human hunting on jackdaws’ population. |
| B．The effects of noises on jackdaws’ group decision-making. |
| C．The way jackdaws spread information in their communities. |
| D．The role of jackdaws’ vocalizations in group decision-making. |
注意：1. 写作词数应为80左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
I choose to exhibit
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.
The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.
When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.
The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.
“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.
1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?| A．It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly. |
| B．It receives commands from an operator through the Internet. |
| C．The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors. |
| D．The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders. |
| A．Medical consultation. | B．Sports events. |
| C．Outdoor workouts. | D．Virtual tourism. |
| A．It fails to appeal to potential investors. |
| B．Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly. |
| C．Its present version still requires to be updated. |
| D．Its transmission of data came across technical problems. |
| A．Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on |
| B．iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people |
| C．Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely |
| D．New advances in technology enable people to travel at work |
1. Why does the man make the call?
| A．The quality of the pizzas is poor. |
| B．His delivery is seriously delayed. |
| C．He got the wrong number of pizzas. |
| A．Return the money. | B．Send the pizzas once more. | C．Take back the delivered pizzas. |
| A．Annoyed. | B．Carefree. | C．Apologetic. |
1. How much is the most popular ticket?
| A．39. | B．43. | C．35. |
| A．A French king. | B．An art teacher. | C．A footballer. |
| A．In London. | B．In Amsterdam. | C．In Washington. |
| A．Have a rest in a cafe. | B．Hand out some guidebooks. | C．Tour around the museum shop. |
1. What is broken in the sales department?
| A．A light. | B．A copy machine. | C．An air conditioner. |
| A．Deal with other urgent repairs. |
| B．Entertain important customers. |
| C．Arrange a lunch appointment. |
1. How many people are expected to attend the party?
| A．About 250. | B．About 300. | C．About 350. |
| A．There's not enough room. |
| B．The decoration isn't good. |
| C．It is a bit far. |
| A．Listen to a report. | B．Take part in a party. | C．Work on a speech. |
10 . Over the past few decades, technology has advanced at an unprecedented rate, revolutionizing industries and shaping new ways of life.
According to the International Telecommunication Union, a key advocate of technological advancement, the rapid growth of technology has significantly improved the quality of life in numerous communities. It cites studies that show the integration of technology into daily lives has led to increased efficiency, more access to information, and even progress in healthcare in numerous regions.
Those who embrace technological progress argue that it creates new opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. For instance, farmers in remote areas can now access real-time market information and weather updates through smartphones, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their crops. Additionally, small businesses can expand their reach globally through online platforms.
Furthermore, critics fear that the unchecked growth of technology may have negative impacts on society and the environment. For example, the rise of social media and the internet has led to an increase in cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the spread of misinformation. Moreover, the overuse of technology may contribute to do-nothing lifestyles and other health issues.
One thing is certain about technological progress — it is an inevitable trend. The rapid pace of innovation and the widespread availability of technology make it impossible to turn back.
| A．But how can we take control of technology to our advantage? |
| B．The question arises: Is technological progress beneficial for all? |
| C．This digital divide can lead to increased social and economic gaps. |
| D．However, critics of technological advancement hold a different view. |
| E．These advancements have been particularly evident in rural and underserved areas. |
| F．It ensures that the benefits of technological progress are shared equally across society. |
| G．The challenge now is finding ways to command the power of technology to benefit all. |
