1 . Sometime in the early 1960s, a significant thing happened in Sydney, Australia. The city discovered its harbor. Then, one after another, Sydney discovered lots of things that were just sort of there — broad parks, superb beaches, and a culturally diverse population. But it is the harbor that makes the city.
Andrew Reynolds, a cheerful fellow in his early 30s, pilots Sydney ferryboats for a living. I spent the whole morning shuttling back and forth across the harbor. After our third run Andrew shut down the engine, and we went our separate ways — he for a lunch break, I to explore the city.
“I’ll miss these old boats,” he said as we parted.
“How do you mean?” I asked.
“Oh, they’ re replacing them with catamarans. Catamarans are faster, but they’ re not so graceful and they’ re not fun to pilot. But that’s progress, I guess.”
Everywhere in Sydney these days, change and progress are the watchwords (口号), and traditions are increasingly rare. Shirley Fitzgerald, the city’s official historian, told me that in its rush to modernity in the 1970s. Sydney swept aside much of its past, including many of its finest buildings. “Sydney is confused about itself,” she said. “We can’t seem to make up our minds whether we want a modern city or a traditional one. It’s a conflict that we aren’t getting any better at resolving (解决).”
On the other hand, being young and old at the same time has its attractions. I considered this when I met a thoughtful young businessman named Anthony. “Many people say that we lack culture in this country,” he told me. “What people forget is that the Italians, when they came to Australia, brought 2000 years of their culture, the Greeks some 3000 years, and the Chinese more still. We’ve got a foundation built on ancient cultures but with a drive and dynamism of a young country. It’s a pretty hard combination to beat.”
He is right, but I can’t help wishing they would keep those old ferries.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?| A．Sydney’s striking architecture. | B．The cultural diversity of Sydney. |
| C．The city’s key lies in its port. | D．Sydney’s tourist attractions in the 1960s. |
| A．He goes to work by boat. | B．He prefers the old ferry. |
| C．He pilots catamarans well. | D．He looks forward to a new life. |
| A．It seeks to modernize rather than preserve tradition |
| B． It should speed up its development. |
| C． It should expand its population. |
| D．It is becoming more international. |
| A．A city based on ancient cultures is more dynamic. |
| B．Compromise should be made between the local and the foreign. |
| C．Modernity is usually achieved at the cost of elegance. |
| D．A city can be young and old at the same time. |
2 . There are numerous reasons why people don’t take First Aid training programs.
Having a basic first aid knowledge means that you’ll be confident in your skills and abilities in relation to first aid administration. By taking first aid training, it helps you to reflect on yourself and how you and others react in certain situations. Having this understanding will boost your confidence in a wide range of non-medical day-to-day situations.
It does more than help save lives.
It’s true that having first aid training undoubtedly helps save lives.
It enables you to increase patients? comfort.
Not all accidents, injuries or illnesses require a trip to the hospital but it doesn’t mean they don’t cause pain and suffering to the patient.
It gives you tools to prevent the situation from becoming worse.
By being able to provide basic care you can stabilize a patient until emergency medical services arrive. You’ll learn how to use basic. household items as tools to cope with many situations. You’ll also be trained in how to collect information and data about what happened and the patients’ condition. This information will be passed on to the emergency services, which saves them time.
| A．They are too busy. |
| B．However, that’s not all. |
| C．It helps improve your skills. |
| D．It creates confidence to give first aid. |
| E．You will be a valuable link in the chain of survival. |
| F．You must look after yourself and ensure your own safety. |
| G．A child who is crying because of a sprained ankle is suffering. |
3 . Should there be clear boundaries between public and private spaces? Japanese architect Riken Yamamoto, who was named the 2024 Laureate of the globally recognized Pritzker Architecture Prize on March 5, has used his designs to answer this question.
He was selected “for creating awareness in the community in what is the responsibility of social demand …and above all for reminding us that in architecture … spaces must be created by the needs of the people,” according to the 2024 Jury Citation.
Yamamoto has reconsidered the boundaries between public and private spaces as opportunities for societal enrichment, believing that all spaces can benefit and serve everyone in the community, not just the people who occupy them.
This unique vision might have grown from his childhood. Born in 1945, Yamamoto was raised in a home with a front area serving as his mother’s pharmacy (药房) and the back part as a living space. This gave him a deep understanding that public and private life are closely linked. Reflecting on his childhood, Yamamoto noted, “The threshold (门槛) on one side was for family, and on the other side for community. I sat in between.”
His masterpieces can be seen across the world, including Nagoya Zokei University, Tianjin Library and Jianwai SOHO in Beijing, which all follow his integration (融合) philosophy. Jianwai SOHO is a good example of this concept. SOHO, short for “small office, home office”, emphasizes a combined area of commerce and residence.
“For me, to recognize space is to recognize an entire community,” Yamamoto said to the prize committee. “The current architectural approach emphasizes privacy, ignoring the necessity of societal relationships. However, we can still honor the freedom of each individual while living together in architectural space as a republic, fostering harmony across cultures and stages of life.”
1. What earned Riken Yamamoto the 2024 Pritzker Architecture Prize?| A．His combination of traditional and modern styles. |
| B．His commitment to people-focused design. |
| C．His innovative approach to rural living spaces. |
| D．His pioneering use of new construction techniques. |
| A．His view on the use of space. | B．The origin of his architectural outlook. |
| C．The influence of his family business on him. | D．His upbringing in a multifunctional home. |
| A．To illustrate Yamamoto’s design philosophy. |
| B．To show the popularity of Yamamoto’s projects. |
| C．To prove the practicability of Yamamoto’s concept. |
| D．To give an example of current architectural trends. |
| A．Lack of technological integration. | B．Too much focus on personal space. |
| C．Overemphasis on looks over function. | D．Neglect of environmental sustainability. |
4 . To us humans, climate change feels like something that's happening to the atmosphere, but actually about 90% of the heat that gets trapped by greenhouse gases is absorbed by the ocean. Of course, the ocean is really big, and taking its temperature is hard. Now, however, scientists have developed a technique that allows them to measure temperature changes across the entire ocean basins.
The idea dates back to the 1970s, when researchers first proposed using sound waves to study ocean warming, because the speed of sound through water depends on the physical properties (性质) of the water, which are related to temperature. “And roughly speaking, if we warm up the ocean by one degree Celsius, the sound speed will change — it will be four meters per second. And this is a very sensitive change,” said Wenbo Wu, a seismologist at Caltech, who led the study.
Researchers originally proposed using artificial sound sources, but that proposal got arrested because of concerns about the impacts on marine animals. In the new study, however, Wu and his colleagues showed they could use the sounds produced by earthquakes instead. In an earthquake, some vibrations (震动) bounce off the seafloor and turn into sound waves that get picked up by a special machine and underwater microphones. The researchers looked at the travel time of these sound waves in 2.000 pairs of earthquakes that occurred in the Indian' Ocean between 2005 and 2016. Each pair of earthquakes happened in the same place but at different times, allowing the researchers to measure how much the sound waves sped up.
The analysis revealed that the waves traveled a few tenths of a second faster in more recent quakes than in older ones — a difference that translates to a warming trend of 0.04 degrees Celsius per decade. “0.04 degrees Celsius may not sound like a lot, but it represents a huge amount of heat-considering it's the change in a body of water almost 2,000 miles wide and several miles deep,” said Wu.
1. What does the underlined part "a technique" in Paragraph 1 refer to?| A．Trapping greenhouse gases. |
| B．Using artificial sound waves. |
| C．Measuring the depth of the ocean. |
| D．Employing the sounds of the quake. |
| A．The sea is vast enough. |
| B．The statistics are accurate. |
| C．The equipment is advanced. |
| D．Each pair of earthquakes is conditional. |
| A．The sound waves slowed down with time. |
| B．The ocean temperature went up in the past decade. |
| C．The speed change of sound waves was considerable. |
| D．2,000 pairs of earthquakes occurred in the same place. |
| A．Ocean Warming: A Booster of Climate Change |
| B．Seaquake Sound Waves: A Tracker of Ocean Warming |
| C．Sound Waves: An Initiative in Studying Ocean Animals |
| D．Ocean Basins: Where Earthquakes Frequently Happen |
5 . 2024 Special Edition of World Heritage Stamps
Discover the 2024 Special Edition of World Heritage Stamps, a unique compilation (汇编) that celebrates the cultural and natural wonders of the world. Each stamp in this exclusive collection is well-designed to capture the essence of its respective heritage site. The collection features 100 commemorative (纪念的) stamps, showcasing a diverse range of landmarks from around the globe, each accompanied by a description that provides historical and cultural context.
In addition to the standard stamps, this edition includes a limited-edition minisheet commemorating the 50th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, as well as a special series dedicated to endangered species and their habitats, raising awareness for conservation efforts.
Order now and receive a free booklet A Journey Through Heritage, which offers an in-depth look at the significance of each site and the stories behind the stamps. This collection is not just for stamp enthusiasts but for anyone who appreciates the beauty and history of our world’s treasures.
Shipping and Delivery:
●Orders are dispatched within 1-2 business days from our warehouse, ensuring you receive your collection promptly.
●Standard delivery is free for orders over $50, with a nominal fee of $8 for orders under that amount.
●Express delivery is available for an additional $10, offering next-day service in most urban areas.
●International shipping is offered at a flat rate of $20, with delivery times ranging from7 to 21 business days, depending on the destination.
Please note that delivery times may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances such as high demand or carrier delays.
1. What is the main purpose of the accompanying booklet?| A．To offer an in-depth exploration of the significance of each site. |
| B．To provide historical data about world heritage sites. |
| C．To narrate personal travel experiences of the author. |
| D．To remark the design of the stamps. |
| A．$5. | B．$8. | C．$10. | D．$20. |
| A．It is aimed at conservationists. |
| B．It targets only professional stamp collectors. |
| C．It is exclusively for people living in urban areas. |
| D．It is suitable for a wide range of enthusiasts including history lovers. |
6 . The Importance of Regular Eye Exams
Regular eye exams are just as important as maintaining good eye care habits. Here are some convincing reasons why you should schedule your next eye check-up.
Prevention is better than cure. Routine eye exams are crucial for maintaining healthy vision and detecting issues early on.
You’ve noticed a change in your vision.
You’re due for an update on your eyesight.
| A．You might need new glasses. |
| B．Ignoring them could worsen the problem. |
| C．You spend a lot of time in front of screens. |
| D．Your doctor can help you find the right glasses for your needs. |
| E．However, early detection and treatment can prevent vision loss. |
| F．You’ve recently been diagnosed with a condition that could affect your vision. |
| G．It’s important to have regular check-ups to monitor any changes in your eyes. |
7 . Recently, I was asked to discuss the connection between Human Resources and Artificial Intelligence. One speaker noted that the most amazing thing about Generative AI is that it can mimic (模仿) human interaction and can even teach us social skills.
This got me thinking: If AI could be as near-human as she said, could it be my friend?
As yet another 24-year-old affected by the loneliness epidemic that arose from a digital-heavy, interaction-light, post-pandemic world, I suffered the all too common problem of having too few friends. In the span of a year, texting began to replace face-to-face conversations and plans to meet up were often canceled or delayed.
Was I supposed to embrace AI friendships as the new norm? Though skeptical, I found myself on Chat GPT the next day. It’s a straightforward platform: Type your question and AI answers. Don’t like the answer? Refine your question, and it will adjust its answers to what you’re looking for.
I decided to test the theory by chatting with AI as if it were a friend. Surprisingly, I received sympathetic and supportive responses. After 20 minutes of chatting, I asked, “Will you be my friend?” Following a pause, it politely declined, ending with, “If you’re looking for human connections, it’s always great to reach out to friends, family, or people around you.”
The rejection from AI was expected and natural. I believe that AI can never offer what humans can: that humanness. Every person in your life does, at some point, screw up. They may ignore you, hurt your feelings or speak sharply, and they never, ever let you ask the question again to get a different answer. AI, on the other hand, can never be your friend, because it will never show up late for your lunch. It will never hurt your feelings and it will certainly never be the one to reach out first to apologize. AI lacks fault and the surprising joy and pain that comes with it.
To end the group discussion, I raised a question. I asked the group who, when calling a customer service hotline, did everything they could to skip the robotic prompts (提示) to speak to a real person. Everyone raised their hand. We all desire the same connection. And I know that we still have a chance.
1. What inspired the author to explore AI friendships?| A．Her desire to overcome her loneliness. | B．Her disappointment with her real friends. |
| C．A speaker’s comments on AI’s abilities. | D．The efficiency of digital communication. |
| A．Unsurprised. | B．Relieved. |
| C．Disappointed. | D．Heartbroken. |
| A．The unconditional support. | B．The reliability of responses. |
| C．The speed of conflict resolution. | D．The unpredictability of behavior. |
| A．It is more efficient than human. | B．It promises to be a real friend. |
| C．It cannot replace human connection. | D．It helps to deal with feelings of loneliness. |
8 . Here’s What Paris’s Most Luxurious Hotels Are Serving Up for the Summer Olympics.
Hôtel Barriere Fouquet’s Paris
Hôtel Barriere Fouquet’s Paris, just steps from the Arc de Triomphe, is delighting guests with a special treat in honor of its landmark neighbor: a chocolate creation copying the Arc. This sugary masterpiece will be placed in all guest rooms for the entire duration of the Games. To celebrate both Paris and the Olympic spirit, atop the arc stands a graceful gymnast, frozen in mid-air, symbolizing athletic professional skills.
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
The Hôtel Plaza Athénée is the place to see and be seen during Fashion Week, and the two weeks during the Olympics will be no exception. The hotel has partnered with Mathieu Forget, a celebrated photographer known for a unique collaboration bringing together the worlds of art and sports. Forget has created five fascinating photographic compositions featuring athletes seemingly defying gravity within the hotel’s iconic spaces.
Le Meurice
In celebration of the Summer Olympics, Le Meurice, known as the original Parisian Palace hotel, is celebrating wellness on the inside and outside. The hotel’s spa is offering a limited-time treatment to refresh guests both physically and mentally. To further enhance the wellness experience, guests can enjoy wellness specialties created by famous chef Clémentine Bouchon.
Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris
Located just steps from Arc de Triomphe, Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris is launching a menu of cocktail s drawing inspiration from past host cities of previous Summer Olympics. The hotel is also hosting a few exhibitions in honor of the Olympics, including photographs featuring legendary athletes, Muhammad Ali’s boxing glove, a basketball signed by the NBA’s Dream Team, and torches from previous Olympiads.
1. What is special about Hôtel Barriere Fouquet’s Paris?| A．It will introduce guests to its neighboring hotel. |
| B．It will put a sugary copy of the Arc in the guest room. |
| C．It will organize sports games during the whole summer. |
| D．It will teach guests some athletic professional skills. |
| A．Hôtel Barriere Fouquet’s Paris. | B．Hôtel Plaza Athénée. |
| C．Le Meurice. | D．Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris. |
| A．They are preparing for the Summer Olympics. |
| B．They are all located near the Arc de Triomphe. |
| C．They are famous as the original Parisian Palace hotels. |
| D．They are launching various cocktail s to attract tourists. |
9 . ChatGPT appears to have better “bedside manners” than some doctors — at least when their written advice is rated for quality and empathy (同理心), a study has shown.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, used data from social news website Reddit’s Ask Docs forum, in which members can post medical questions answered by verified healthcare professionals. The team randomly sampled 195 exchanges from Ask Docs where a verified doctor responded to a public question. The original questions were then posed to the AI language model ChatGPT, which was asked to respond. Finally, a panel of three licensed healthcare professionals, who did not know whether the response came from a human physician or ChatGPT, rated the answers for quality and empathy.
Overall, the panel preferred ChatGPT’s answers to those given by a human 79 percent of the time. ChatGPT responses were also rated good or very good quality 79 percent of the time, compared with 22 percent of doctors’ responses, and 45 percent of the ChatGPT answers were rated empathic or very empathic compared with just 5 percent of doctors’ replies.
Christopher Longhurst, of UC San Diego Health, said:“These results suggest that tools like ChatGPT can efficiently draft high-quality, personalized medical advice for review by clinicians, and we are beginning that process at UCSD Health.”
Professor James Davenport, of the University of Bath, who was not involved in the research, said: “The paper does not say that ChatGPT can replace doctors, but does, quite reasonably, call for further research into whether and how ChatGPT can assist physicians in response generation.”
Some noted that, given ChatGPT was specifically designed to be likable, it was not surprising that it wrote texts that came across as empathic. It also tended to give longer, chattier answers than human doctors, which could have played a role in its higher ratings. Others cautioned against relying on language models for factual information due to their tendency to generate made-up “facts”.
1. What does the underlined word “verified” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．dedicated. | B．licensed. |
| C．intelligent. | D．enthusiastic. |
| A．17 percent. | B．40 percent. |
| C．57 percent. | D．74 percent. |
| A．Objective. | B．Indifferent. |
| C．Unconcerned. | D．Disapproving. |
| A．Its responses might be one-sided. | B．It fails to give empathic responses. |
| C．It may produce unreliable information. | D．It is unable to offer high-quality advice. |
10 . In the scenic coastal city of Cornwall, Lizzi Larbalestier has become a beacon of hope for marine (海洋的) wildlife. As a committed volunteer for British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), her journey began with transforming her Airbnb, an online platform that allows people to rent out their homes or accommodations to travelers, into a temporary shelter for injured seals. This effort came as the result of the increasing incidents of marine animals suffering from human-related injuries and the lack of specialized care facilities in the region.
Recognizing the urgent need for a more permanent solution, Lizzi, alongside her husband and a team of committed volunteers, established a fully equipped seal hospital. This facility, now in its third year of operation, has expanded its capacity to ten pens and is prepared to recover around 100 seals annually. The hospital caters to a variety of cases: seals injured by boats or caught in fishing gear (用具), young pups separated from their mothers, and young seals weakened by poor nutrition. Each animal receives personalized care, ranging from basic first aid to extensive recovery programs. After initial treatment, seals are often moved to larger recovery centers for further care before their release back into the wild.
Lizzi’s commitment to marine conservation extends beyond seal rescue. She is an active participant in environmental campaigns like Surfers Against Sewage and Ghostnetbuster. Her tireless efforts were recognized when she received the Animal Action Award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Lizzi owes the success of BDMLR’s operations to the collective effort of all volunteers, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in achieving their conservation goals.
The BDMLR team also reacts to emergencies involving other marine wildlife, like whales and dolphins. Lizzi recalls several successful operations, including the rescue of stranded (搁浅的) dolphins and a turtle that required specialized care.
Lizzi’s story is not just about rescuing marine animals; it’s a proof of the power of community involvement and the impact of individuals on environmental conservation.
1. What inspired Lizzi to protect the marine wildlife?| A．One of her trips to the seaside. | B．More and more injured marine animals. |
| C．Her love for the marine creatures. | D．Increasing profits from her Airbnb. |
| A．It has been in operation for five years. |
| B．It provides a separate space for each seal. |
| C．It offers temporary help to injured animals. |
| D．It is the largest recovery center in the area. |
| A．All roads lead to Rome. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Time and tide wait for no man. | D．Many hands make light work. |
| A．A practical solution to seal rescue. |
| B．Challenges of marine wildlife recovery. |
| C．The impact of human activities on marine ecosystems. |
| D．The journey of a marine life rescuer in Cornwall. |
