1 . On February 15, 2024, OpenAI, the maker of Chat GPT, released a new AI tool that can make instant short videos from written commands.
The new text-to-video generator, Sora, isn’t the first of its kind. Google, Meta and Runway ML are among the other companies to have demonstrated similar technology. But industry analysts are deeply impressed by the quality and length of the videos shared so far. Fred Havemeyer, head of AI and software research at Macquarie, said that Sora’s launch marks a big step forward for both OpenAI and the future of text-to-video generation technology.
“Sora’s videos not only run up to 60 seconds in length, but also look so natural that it seems to actually respect physics and the real world,” Havemeyer said. “The length and consistency of the videos represent new opportunities for creatives to generate videos from one or a few written commands.”
Although Sora’s abilities have amazed observers since its launch, anxiety over potential problems of AI-generated video uses also remains.
“Having a potentially magical way to generate videos that look and sound realistic may present a number of issues for the society,” Havemeyer added. “It’s a serious issue that every business and every person needs to face.”
However, tech companies are still calling the shots when it comes to controlling AI and its risks as governments around the world are still struggling to catch up. Last year, the European Union reached a deal on the world’s first comprehensive AI rules, but the act won’t take effect until two years after final approval.
OpenAI promised to take important safety steps before making Sora widely available. “We are working with experts in areas like misinformation, hateful content, and bias,” OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs Anna Makanju said at a conference. “We’re also building tools to help detect misleading content such as a detection classifier that can tell when a video was generated by Sora.”
While Sora can create complex, incredibly detailed scenes, OpenAI admits that there are still some weaknesses. For example, a person might take a bite out of a cookie, but afterward, the cookie may not have a bite mark.
1. What did Fred Havemeyer say about Sora?A.It is more creative than artists. | B.It can make high-quality videos. |
C.It is based on an existing technology. | D.It can work without human intervention. |
A.in charge | B.at a loss | C.out of reach | D.under investigation |
A.OpenAI will help governments to regulate AI. | B.Sora will be available to the public very soon. |
C.OpenAI is sharply aware of Sora’s weaknesses. | D.Sora is smart enough to detect harmful content. |
A.The task itself is too difficult. | B.It is unnecessary to focus on details. |
C.Sora can be easily cheated by humans. | D.Sora cannot understand the real world very well. |
2 . To study the behavior of mysterious animals, scientists routinely fix them with GPS location trackers. But such devices’ battery capacity limits how long they operate, often bringing an early end to vital conservation work.
Solar-powered trackers break easily, making them a poor choice for devices tied to larger mammals—and they don’t work for nocturnal (夜行的) creatures. So biologist Rasmus Worsoe Havmoller of the University of Copenhagen and his colleagues turned to another abundant power source: kinetic energy (动能) generated by an animal’s movements.
Their kinetic tracker, which Havmoller’s team recently tested on domestic dogs, a wild small horse and a European bison, could theoretically survive for the entire life span of an active animal. It is also lighter and cheaper to make than its battery-powered counterparts.
“The design is clever and exciting,” says Mark Hebblewhite, a habitat ecologist at the University of Montana, who was not involved with the new work. The proof-of-concept kinetic tracker works by means of a magnetic pendulum (磁摆) that swings around a copper coil, generating electricity as the tagged animal moves. The dogs and bison in the study were active enough to create the energy to transmit one location per day for 14 days and 17 days, respectively. One of the wild horse’s trackers lasted at least 146 days but didn’t generate adequate power for daily transmissions, the researchers reported in PLoS ONE.
“The limited power generated by the animals’ movements means the technology isn’t ready for prime time just yet,” says ecologist Emily Studd of British Columbia’s Thompson Rivers University, who wasn’t involved in the study. When the researchers want to monitor animals closely, they often need GPS fixes more than once a day. But Studd says that “with a bit more development, this could be a game changer for wildlife animal research and monitoring”.
Havmoller and his colleagues hope conservation workers can one day use this technology to track species such as tigers, leopards and wolves, which can easily destroy solar-powered trackers and which hunt and travel at night.
1. What is the main problem with current GPS location trackers used in conservation work?A.Their batteries are harmful to animals. | B.Their battery life is limited. |
C.They send weak signals. | D.They break easily. |
A.It is expensive to make. |
B.It isn’t suitable for larger mammals. |
C.It doesn’t work for nocturnal creatures. |
D.It can’t produce enough power for daily transmissions. |
A.It needs improvement. | B.It can be widely used now. |
C.It has reached its prime time. | D.It isn’t good for monitoring wildlife. |
A.The Importance of Wildlife Trackers |
B.The Meaning of Monitoring Different Wild Animals |
C.Tough New Wildlife Tracker Runs on Animal Power |
D.Conservation Workers Use New Methods to Protect Animals |
3 . Becky Turney lost her 19-year-old son two years ago. Turney
Turney didn’t
When Turney’s son, Triston,
After Triston’s heart was donated to Kilby, Turney and Kilby exchanged
However, when Turney arrived at the aisle, her husband stopped the
Turney’s husband
A.missed | B.supported | C.believed | D.needed |
A.drew | B.included | C.printed | D.distributed |
A.made | B.unrepaired | C.cleaned | D.unoccupied |
A.desire | B.confirm | C.know | D.acknowledge |
A.waiter | B.chairman | C.guest | D.minister |
A.stayed out | B.passed away | C.went out | D.died away |
A.organs | B.blood | C.riches | D.money |
A.protected | B.entertained | C.instructed | D.helped |
A.exchanged | B.received | C.bought | D.delivered |
A.views | B.greetings | C.essays | D.messages |
A.in person | B.by mistake | C.in public | D.by chance |
A.quietly | B.hurriedly | C.secretly | D.suddenly |
A.flight | B.table | C.room | D.seat |
A.ceremony | B.tradition | C.plan | D.custom |
A.thrilled | B.grateful | C.relaxed | D.puzzled |
A.disappointing | B.wrong | C.strange | D.thoughtful |
A.looking | B.jumping | C.pacing | D.waving |
A.admitted | B.agreed | C.realized | D.announced |
A.sharp | B.shining | C.dry | D.wide |
A.picked up | B.turned down | C.yelled at | D.kicked out |
4 . You may feel like a master multitask er as you drink your morning coffee, catch up on email and tune into a conference call. But did you know for most people, in most situations, multitasking makes us less efficient and more likely to make a mistake.
This might not be as apparent when we’re doing simple and routine tasks, like listening to music while walking, or folding laundry while watching TV. But when the stakes are higher and the tasks are more complex, trying to multitask can negatively impact our lives — or even be dangerous.
So-called multitasking divides our attention. It makes it harder for us to give our full attention to one thing. For example, attempting to complete additional tasks during a driving simulation led to poorer driving performance. It can also affect our ability to learn, because in order to learn, we need to be able to focus. Dr. Kubu, a neuropsychologist, says, “If we’re constantly attempting to multitask, we don’t practice tuning out the rest of the word to engage in deeper processing and learning.” Another pitfall (缺陷) is that trying to do too much at once makes it harder to be mindful and truly present in the moment — and mindfulness comes with a plethora (过量) of benefits for our minds and our bodies. In fact, many therapies based on mindfulness can even help patients suffering from depression, anxiety and other conditions.
Choosing to focus on one task at a time can benefit many aspects of our life. Take surgeons for example. “People assume a surgeon’s skill is primarily in the precision and steadiness of their hands. While there’s some truth to that, the true gift of a surgeon is the ability to single-mindedly focus on one person and complete a series of task over the course of many hours.” Dr. Kubu explains. But surgeons aren’t necessarily born with this ability to monotask. Rather, they develop and perfect it through hours of practice. It is true that we perform best one thing at a time. Why not give it a try?
1. Multitasking will make negative influences when tasks are ________.A.clear and apparent | B.routine and regular |
C.simple and relaxing | D.risky and complicated |
A.By listing data. | B.By stating reasons. |
C.By giving definitions. | D.By making comparisons. |
A.Single-task. | B.Multitask. | C.Efficiency. | D.Task-switching. |
A.Why multitasking doesn’t work. | B.How to improve daily performance. |
C.Which career less needs multitasking. | D.What positive effects multitasking has. |
5 . 2023 was a good year for archaeological discoveries. Here are some of the most interesting new finds.
A moai
In February, volunteers unearthed a stone head called a moai on Easter Island. The statue is small for a moai — a little over five feet tall, while others of the roughly 900 statues on the island are up to 33 feet tall.
Most of the moai were created between 1250 and 1500, and local people regard them as the living faces of their ancestors. But nothing is known about this new moai, including which ancestor it represents.
Two mummy workshops
Archaeologists announced in May that they discovered two more workshops near the ruins of the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. One of the workshops features stone beds meant for the preservation of human bodies, while the other one has smaller beds that were used to mummify animals.
A Maya city
In June, Mexican archaeologists discovered a lost city called Ocomtun. They thought it was a major center from about AD 250 until it was abandoned when the Maya civilization collapsed between 900 and 1000, possibly from drought and civil wars.
Ocomtun covers more than 120 acres and features well-preserved homes, raised platforms and pyramid temples. The remains of the largest pyramid are more than 80 feet high.
Roman jewelry
In June, dozens of precious stones were discovered by archaeologists in the ruins of an ancient pipe system that carried water away from public baths in the third and fourth centuries. It’s thought they were worn by wealthy bathers. Some of these precious stones are carved with images of Roman gods, such as Apollo, Venus, and Mars, while others show animals, such as rabbits and birds.
The public baths were found at Carlisle in England. The city was a regional center in Roman Britain, when it was known as Luguvalium.
1. What is the height of the newly found stone statue?A.About 5 feet. | B.About 33 feet. | C.About 80 feet. | D.About 900 feet. |
A.In Chile. | B.In England. | C.In Egypt. | D.In Mexico. |
A.They are located in North America. | B.They were discovered by volunteers. |
C.They were related to religious celebrations. | D.They can reveal ancient urban development. |
6 . Four Powerful US National Parks
Glacier
Montana
The Crown of the Continent is a playground of peaks, lakes, hiking paths and, of course, glaciers. Twenty-five of the original 150 remain, and scientists warn they may begone by 2030. Don’t miss Going-to-the-Sun Road, with a stop at Logan Pass to stretch your legs on the 2. 8-mile Hidden Lake Overlook Trail.
Yosemite
California
Not only is Yosemite home to the world’s tallest granite monolith (花岗岩巨石), but also North America’s largest waterfall (Yosemite Falls). The park has many 3, 000-year-old giant sequoia trees, so it’s easy to see why this 1, 100-square-mile wilderness is Eden for nature lovers.
Grand Canyon
Arizona
The power of nature on display at the Grand Canyon both humbles and excites the park’s 5 million annual visitors. There are many heart-stopping overlooks on the South Rim, but don’t miss the descent (斜坡) into the mile-deep gorge (峡谷) for adventures on foot, by mule or in a white-water raft.
Denali
Alaska
Travel to this remote park, which celebrated its 100th birthday in 2017, and mark two major items off your list: North America’s highest peak: 20, 310-foot Denali; and Alaska’s “big five”: moose, Dall sheep, caribou, wolves and grizzlies. See it all from the comfort of a bus tour, or explore 35. 5 miles of official hiking paths.
1. Which national park should you visit if you want to travel Going-to-the-Sun Road?A.Glacier. | B.Yosemite. | C.Grand Canyon. | D.Denali. |
A.Watch Alaska’s “big five”. | B.Explore the mile-deep gorge on foot. |
C.Hike on the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail. | D.Admire North America’s largest waterfall. |
A.In Montana. | B.In California. | C.In Arizona. | D.In Alaska. |
7 . Make me a chili pepper lover! People who often chow down on chili peppers may live for longer and have a significantly reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease (心血管疾病) or cancer, research from Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute suggests.
Previous studies have found that capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their characteristic kick, can have anti-inflammatory (消炎的), antioxidant, anti-cancer and blood-glucose regulating effects when eaten. To further investigate the effects of consuming chili peppers, the researchers gathered together the health and dietary records of more than 570,000 patients in the US, Italy, China and Iran, published in four previous large-scale scientific studies.
They found that those who ate chili peppers regularly had a 26% reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) death, a 23% relative reduction in cancer death, and a 25% relative reduction in all-cause death, compared to those who rarely or never ate them.
“We were surprised to find that in these previously published studies, regular consumption of chili pepper was associated with an overall risk reduction of all-cause, CVD and cancer mortality. It highlights that dietary factors may play an important role in overall health,” said senior author Dr. Bo Xu, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute.
“The exact reasons and mechanisms that might explain our findings, though, are currently unknown,” he added. “Therefore, it is impossible to convincingly say that eating more chili pepper can prolong life and reduce deaths, especially from cardiovascular factors or cancer. More research, especially evidence from randomized controlled studies, is needed to confirm these new findings.”
Additionally, as the precise amount and type of chili pepper consumed varied across the four studies used in the research, it’s tricky to determine exactly how much and what type of chili peppers may provide the health benefits. However, the researchers are continuing to analyze the data in the hope of uncovering more concrete evidence.
1. What does the research reveal?A.Chili peppers can cure heart diseases. | B.People who love chili peppers live longer. |
C.Eating hot peppers may be good for the health. | D.Some peppers have been used as medicine. |
A.To correct misunderstandings. | B.To clarify a concept. |
C.To prove researchers’ ideas. | D.To provide readers with the truth. |
A.Tolerant. | B.Doubtful. | C.Objective. | D.Dismissive. |
A.Go on the study to find more proofs. | B.Conduct a large-scale clinical trials. |
C.Discover more potential health benefits. | D.Develop new nutrition dietary guidelines. |
8 . We’ve all been there — staring at a pile of books, desperately hoping that what we study will stick in our mind. Many of us have probably asked if there’s any way that we can get better at remembering things.
Every student who has made flashcards knows that it can be helpful to go back over what they’ve studied before. The Learning Scientists, a group of cognitive scientists, have made a new discovery.
There are also more general things that we can do to improve our memory. Hancock says that being generally organised makes things easier for your brain, while many other experts also recommend avoiding stress, alcohol and smoking, and that we should get a lot of rest and exercise.
A.We don’t know exactly why this happens. |
B.It’s important to the long-term memory. |
C.So, why don’t we look at what memory experts say about this? |
D.Another study tip is to change between different topics as you study. |
E.It could be making letter patterns into words, or by sorting things into categories. |
F.According to them, we can learn things better if we wait for some time before trying to study them again. |
G.So, while it may be hard, improving our memory is something we can control. |
9 . Keeping your home neat and tidy is a continual process that takes a lot of emotional energy and time. Here are some useful decluttering (清理) strategies.
If you have a lot of clutter in your house, ask yourself what has made it hard to get rid of. In many cases, it is due to the fact that you hope to hold on to the past or want a different reality than the one you’re living in.
Take the emotion out of it
Then comes the hardest part: figuring out what to get rid of.
Start small
Don’t try to tidy up all your clutter in one afternoon. Instead, start with something less challenging, like one single bathroom drawer.
You can also work within short time periods. If you only have an hour to declutter your home this week, divide that time into three 20-minute periods. For the first 20 minutes, look for trash to throw away. For the next 20 minutes, identify anything you want to give away or donate.
Make it easy to stay organized
It’s easy to be organized the day after decluttering. But what happens when you come home from a trip and are too tired to unpack your luggage? Or when you get the flu and are too sick to clean up?
A.Understand your unwanted stuff |
B.Don’t bite off more than you can chew |
C.Spend the last 20 minutes putting items back where they belong |
D.It would be much better for you to have a rest or see a doctor first |
E.At this stage, you have to look at your clutter without any emotion |
F.Leave more difficult tasks, like selecting family photos, for another day |
G.The key is to find a system that works for you even when you are too tired or sick |
1.你喜欢的节日(需在标题中注明);
2.你的庆祝方式。
注意:1.词数 100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
My Amazing ______ Experience
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