1 . The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Bemers-Lee, has won an important award which comes with a prize bag of one million Euros (₤671,000). The “Father of the Web” was named as the first winner of the Millennium Technology Prize by the Finnish Technology Award Foundation. He said he had just been “in the right place at the right time” and did not want his photo taken.
In 1991, he came up with a system to organize, connect and browser (浏览) Net pages which completely changed the internet. The British scientist was knighted (封爵士) for his pioneering work in 2003.
Sir Tim created his program while he was at the particle physics institute (粒子物理研究院), Cem, in Geneva. The computer code he came up with let scientists easily share research findings across a computer network. In the early 1990s, it was called the “World Wide Web”, and is still the basis of the web as we know it.
The famous man never went on to commercialize his work. Instead he worked on spreading the use of the Net as a channel for free expression and cooperation.
“The web is encouraging new types of social networks and opening up new ways for information management and business development. The web has obviously improved many people’s ability to obtain information central to their lives,” said Pekka Tarjanne, chairman of the Millennuim Technology Prize award committee.
Just under 80 people from 22 countries were nominated (提名) for the prize for their work in the areas of health, communication, new materials and the environment.
The Millennuim Technology Prize was set up by the Finnish Technology Award Foundation, an independent body backed by the public and private money which aims to recognize outstanding creations.
Sir Tim currently heads up the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, where he is now based as an academic.
1. What can be learned from the first paragraph?| A．Bemers-Lee was the first to receive the Prize. |
| B．Bemers-Lee’s sense of timing led to his success. |
| C．Bemers-Lee was the one who invented the internet. |
| D．Bemers-Lee was awarded one million pounds. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Modest. | C．Humorous. | D．Careful. |
| A．To enable more people to use the Net. | B．To win more honors and prizes. |
| C．To earn more money to better his life. | D．To set up a company himself. |
| A．The Millennium Technology Prize | B．The History of the Internet |
| C．The World Wide Web | D．An Honor for the Web’s Inventor |
2 . Cold weather not only threatens the life of human beings but also the survival of wild animals. In Houston, it has claimed some unusual animal victims-bats.
Mary Warwick is the wildlife director at the Houston Humane Society. She was doing shopping when the freezing winds reminded her that she had not heard how the area’s bats were going. So she drove to the bridge where over 100 bats looked to be dead as they lay frozen on the ground. But during her 40-minute drive home, they began to come back to life. The bats made sounds and moved around in a box she had placed on her heated passenger seat for warmth. She returned to the bridge twice a day to collect more.
Two days later, she got a call about more than 900 bats rescued from a bridge in nearby Pearland, Texas. On the third and fourth days, more people showed up to rescue bats from the Waugh Bridge, and a special transportation effort was set up to get the bats to Warwick, which touched her a great deal. Each of the bats was warmed in an incubator (恒温箱) until their body temperature rose.
However, there were too many bats for one person to care for. The society’s current buildings did not have the necessary space, so Warwick and others put the bats in her attic (阁楼). The bats were separated by group in containers usually used for dogs. There, they were able to reach a state of hibernation (冬眠). Over 100 bats died because of the cold and the fall from the bridge but the others are being or have been released.
The society is now raising money to build a special room for bats at the society. The society’s entire animal rescue team will be vaccinated (接种疫苗) and trained in rescuing bats as they prepare to move into a larger building with the special bat room. “That would really help in these situations where we continue to see strange weather come through,” she said. “We could really use more space to rescue the bats.”
1. Why did Mary War wick drive to the bridge?| A．To get rid of the dead bats. | B．To check what happened to the bats. |
| C．To reach home a little earlier. | D．To monitor the surviving bats. |
| A．More people were willing to donate. |
| B．More people showed concern about her. |
| C．More people came up with good ideas. |
| D．More people joined her rescue. |
| A．There was not enough space to warm the bats. |
| B．An increasing number of bats died from the cold. |
| C．It was difficult for her to get bats into hibernation. |
| D．The bats’ body temperature didn’t rise as expected. |
| A．Critical. | B．Grateful. | C．Positive. | D．Doubtful. |
3 . When planning a trip, people may find it hard to look for a destination. Luckily, the following fantastic movies might have the answer, and they could have audiences jumping to book their next flight abroad.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Directed by and starring Ben Stiller and adapted by Steve Conrad, the movie sees Walter Mitty break out of his comfort zone and start an adventure across the globe Iceland’s volcano and the Himalayas are just two of the fantastic locations featured. This is a perfect time to get any home-lovers out into the wilderness, enjoying the beauty of nature.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Directed by John Madden, the movie boasts an all-star line-up that includes Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. The movie portrays India in all its glory, with audiences surely wanting to be immersed in its rich culture. It argues that not only is travel good for the soul, but it can make an extraordinary difference within each of us.
The Bucket List
Directed by Rob Reiner and written by Justin Zackham, the movie focused on making the most of life. The leading characters’ terminal illnesses were not going to hold them back from visiting their destinations. While the film is deeply moving, it also promotes a notable message, to get into the world and never stop getting inspired.
Away We Go
Directed by Sam Mendes and written by Vendela Vida, it’s fantastic. Burt and Gloria want to find a new home where they can raise their child safely. The search begins with a visit to Phoenix and their journey takes them to Tucson, Madison, Montreal, Miami and Florida. It’s a tour of some of North America’s wonderful towns and cities, but each time they are viewed through the lens of family, love and support.
1. Which of the following is suitable for those who want to visit India?| A．The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. |
| B．The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. |
| C．The Bucket List. |
| D．Away We Go. |
| A．Ben Stiller. | B．John Madden. |
| C．Maggie Smith. | D．Justin Zackham. |
| A．A road trip. | B．A love story. |
| C．A family reunion. | D．A special family. |
4 . Craig Clark is retired from his job in computers. He grew bored in his retirement and wanted to take on a challenging hobby. He decided to continue doing what he does best, which is to fix computers. In his spare time, he helps individuals and families improve their lives by giving them access to technology.
Craig places ads for his donations on the neighborhood community website. Once he fixes the old computers, he then offers them to community members for free. He was aware that many individuals struggled financially and often couldn’t afford to buy a computer due to the expense (费用). He wanted to find a way to help solve this problem. So far, he has given away more than 430 computers.
Melissa, one of Craig’s computer receivers, proves his giving nature. Her daughter needed a computer for school. But as a single mother of four children, buying a new expensive computer was not in her budget. One day she received a free computer from Craig. It was a lifesaver for her family.
A computer can influence people in many ways. It helps the elderly easily connect with health professionals from the comfort of their homes. It also saves them time and money by having their medicine and food delivered and monthly bills paid with the help of their online accounts. Computers have also connected many young students with online educational programs. They have also helped families connect with relatives living far away through email, social media, and video meetings.
Craig is excited that his labor of love is beneficial to those in need. He is known in his Florida community as the Tech Fairy. He uses his IT skills as a unique way to help improve the lives of hundreds of his community members. He now wants to inspire other technicians (技术员) to join him on his mission of kindness and become tech fairies in their own communities. Together they can improve the lives of many.
1. What does Craig prefer doing in his spare time?| A．Finding solutions to poverty. | B．Selling computers at a low price. |
| C．Repairing and donating computers. | D．Teaching computer-fixing skills. |
| A．Wise and independent. | B．Clever and energetic. |
| C．Brave and determined. | D．Skilled and generous. |
| A．Community members’ gratitude to Craig. |
| B．Local people’s useful advice on Craig’s business. |
| C．The common types of online educational programs. |
| D．The life-changing benefits brought by Craig’s action. |
| A．A tech fairy connects people with technology |
| B．A man calls on people to recycle used computers |
| C．A fun way to improve community relationships |
| D．A man chooses to be a volunteer in his retirement. |
5 . The southwestern United States has experienced drought for more than 20 years. Arizona has increasingly pumped (抽吸) water from underground, but that meets less than half of what the state needs. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of new residents arrive every year, and more communities are built. One report shows that a large area near Phoenix doesn’t have enough groundwater for all the homes that developers want to build there. That means 800,000 people.
Some experts say the solution is to import water from outside the state. One idea is to build a $5.5 billion desalination (脱盐) plant on Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. The plant would remove salt from the water and pump that water to Arizona through a 200-mile pipeline. Supporters say this could provide a water supply for decades.
Environmentalists see a different future. Some of the salt taken out of the Sea of Cortez might end up back in the ocean, harming wildlife. The pipeline would damage land where people and animals live. And the desalination process uses lots of energy. This would create greenhouse gases, the very gases that are causing the conditions that have led to Arizona’s water problems.
Margaret Wilder is a professor at the University of Arizona, in Tucson. She warns that big projects like this one could be used to show much more unsustainable development in the desert in the future. Moreover, desalinating water would likely be a massive expenditure for Arizonans. Cities pay about $50 to $150 for 326,000 gallons. That’s enough for a family of three in Phoenix for a year. Desalinated water could charge 20 times as much.
Environmentalists say the government should focus on cutting the demand for water rather than increasing the supply. That would mean taking water-saving measures and limiting how many homes are built. Thousands of households in Tucson, Arizona, are collecting rainwater and using it for cooking, drinking, and in their gardens. Government leaders have taken notice. Tucson also helps residents pay for equipment that collects rainwater for home use.
1. What is the problem faced by the southwestern United States?| A．A population increase. | B．A serious heatwave. |
| C．A waste of resources. | D．A water shortage. |
| A．It provides a long-term solution to drought. |
| B．It would harm the planet from various aspects. |
| C．It fails to take people’s basic needs into account. |
| D．It draws people’s attention to environmental destruction. |
| A．Affordable. | B．Costly. | C．Unsafe. | D．Beneficial. |
| A．People are unsatisfied with the government’s water measures. |
| B．Collecting rainwater is the key to meeting water demands. |
| C．People are exploring water resources with official support. |
| D．Public concern about water safety has increased. |
6 . Have you ever been annoyed at younger siblings (兄弟姐妹) for stealing your toys?
Siblings help you have a healthier lifestyle. A survey of more than 15,000 people found that 43 percent of people credited their family members for having the biggest positive impact on their physical condition.
They can help you live longer, In a study from the American Sociological Association, older adults, who described themselves as being “extremely close” to the family members, had a six percent chance of dying over the next five years, compared to a 14 percent risk for the people who didn’t.
Having good friends can bring many of the same benefits. We don’t all have brothers and sisters, or you might not have much contact with them. Don’t panic.
| A．Brothers and sisters protect you from depression. |
| B．Have you ever cooperated with your brothers or sisters? |
| C．Or did you fight like cat and dog when you were younger? |
| D．Siblings can make you twice as likely to do good deeds. |
| E．Develop stable and close relationships with people around you. |
| F．Siblings are easily available fitness and healthy-eating partners. |
| G．They made you better at dealing with the tricky situations in daily life. |
7 . Sometimes in life, we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, without learning a lesson, till reality strikes us. Other times, some decisions are very hard, so we often end up feeling we could have gone the other way.
Successful people don't just gain confidence after achieving success. Instead, they have made achievements as they always believe in themselves.
If you agree to do things even if you don't want to, you will welcome more stress in your life. This is why you must be able to and have the courage to turn someone down in a polite way whenever you are not totally ready to do something you are asked to.
Be responsible for your life.
Stay away from people who always drag you down.
We tend to be with people who inspire us or who make us feel better, but sometimes we end up spending time with those who don't appreciate us .
| A．Be brave and willing to say “No”. |
| B．Then what we are left with is regret. |
| C．Accomplish the more urgent tasks-first. |
| D．It is time to cut those people out of your life. |
| E．Avoid things that prevent your concentration. |
| F．It's your responsibility to take charge of your life, so don't always rely on others to determine what your life will be like. |
| G．To overcome all the obstacles in your way, you need to trust yourself to get out of your comfort zone and that requires confidence. |
8 . I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.
And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. The future of our country depends on you. What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.
You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You’ll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to build our country. You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy. We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems.
The circumstances of your life — what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home — none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school. That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. There is no excuse for not trying.
Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your future for you, because here in our country, you write your own future. You make your own future. Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．Students adjust to their new schools easily. |
| B．Students wish they could be still on holiday. |
| C．Students decide to live up to their expectations. |
| D．Students influence the future of the whole country. |
| A．Problem solving. | B．Creativity. |
| C．Critical thinking. | D．Independent thinking. |
| A．Opportunities in creating new jobs. |
| B．Great challenges in this new school year. |
| C．The strategies of protecting environment. |
| D．The responsibilities for students’ own education. |
| A．Talk back to our teachers at all time. |
| B．Have a negative attitude in school occasionally. |
| C．Devote ourselves to whatever we are intended to do. |
| D．Make excuses for neglecting homework if necessary. |
9 . During the Gold Rush, merchants needed a faster way to ship their goods to the West, turning every voyage into a race. The current record holder was the Surprise, which had made the New York to San Francisco trip in ninety-six days. Ellen planned to break that record with her ship, the Flying Cloud.
To achieve the goal, Ellen learned to use navigation (航海) instruments and do the complicated math calculations from her captain father. She also studied positioning charts made by Lieutenant Marthew, Ellen’s race against time began on June 2, 1851. It was her responsibility to keep track of the ship’s progress and current position and to plan the best course for it to follow. She chose a course different from the ones ships normally used and the Flying Cloud passed the equator two days less than ever before.
Heading south, when Ellen and the Flying Cloud was about to reach the Cape Horn, powerful wind slammed into the ship, tipping it sideways. Thirty-foot waves crashed over the deck. Ellen knew that the fastest way to get there was through the Strait of Le Maire. But it was risky. The narrow strip of water was only fourteen miles wide with rocky coasts on both sides. It would not be a problem on a clear day. But Flying Cloud was hit with their worst storm yet. Between the blinding snow and the lack of daylight, visibility was cut to almost nothing. Ellen used dead reckoning to plot a course she hoped would take the Flying Cloud toward the entrance to the strait.Finally, when the skies cleared, Ellen was relieved to see that she were right and everyone were safe on board. On July 22, lucky winds pushed the ship through the strait.Finally, at eleven-thirty the morning of August 3l, 185l, Flying Cloud had completed its voyage in eighty-nine days and twenty-one hours, beating Surprise’s record by an entire week.Crowds gathered on the beach to watch Flying Cloud’s arrival. News of the broken record spread quickly, making Ellen an instant celebrity. Her achievements were recognized in newspapers across the country, The success of her voyage required a combination of skill, experience and courage. Luckily, Ellen had them all.
1. What was Ellen’s main job on the Flying Cloud?| A．Doing math calculation and making charts. |
| B．Analyzing the data and predicting the weather. |
| C．Locating the ship’s position and deciding the course. |
| D．Following the captain’s instructions and drawing maps. |
| A．Intelligent and generous. | B．Brave and straightforward. |
| C．Adventurous and sensitive. | D．Ambitious and committed. |
| A．Personification. | B．Simile. | C．Metaphor. | D．Repetition. |
| A．The powerful waves. | B．The rocky coasts. |
| C．The narrow strip of water. | D．The low visibility |
10 . ChatGPT has been banned by schools in New York and Los Angeles, out of concern that students may use it to cheat on assignments. Despite these concerns, educators needn’t fear Al technology will transform education. Instead, it will help students take ownership of their studies and learn real-life skills. Today’s students need instruction that equips them with the skills of reasoning, analysis and argumentation rather than memorizing basic information. And Al may be a useful tool that promotes these skills.
Our experience with Al is perhaps best understood when compared with previous disturbances in education. When printed books, for example, began to occur in the mid-1400s, university professors were filled with panic. At that time, lectures depended on a specific model: Professors read from their hand-written texts, while students hurriedly copied whatever they heard. If students could simply buy the books, teachers likely thought that they wouldn’t need to come to class. Yet in practice, printing had the opposite effect: The number of universities exploded along with the total number of books. The new technology disturbed the mechanical aspect of education, but in doing so it allowed educators to refocus on higher-level skills.
Similarly, ChatGPT will replace the mechanical production of text, but it won’t decrease the need for higher-level skills. Possessing the skills to ask the right questions or state the right opinions will become crucial as the production of a logical essay becomes a simple task for a machine. Al will serve as a tool for information gathering and mechanical organization, but it won’t remove the fundamental need for critical thinking.Schools must remember that education’s value isn’t a head full of facts but a person with the skill to use these facts with the available tools to enhance their impact on the world. Al is one of these tools and, when used strategically, can improve students’ learning and performance in ways not yet seen. Therefore, it is essential for schools to provide an education that trains students in how to use the available tools for information. Unless they adapt quickly to the changing trends of education, they will be left behind by rapid innovation and change.
1. What is the educators’ major concern about Al technology?| A．The possible changes in education. |
| B．Students’ grades of the assignments. |
| C．Students’ fear of technological reform. |
| D．The lack of instructions and equipment. |
| A．To justify the concern of the professors. |
| B．To show the similar value of Al technology. |
| C．To clarify previous disturbances in education. |
| D．To highlight the influence of printing technology. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Concerned. | C．Critical. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Replace the mechanical production of text. |
| B．Design their courses based on Al technology. |
| C．Catch up with the quick evolution of education. |
| D．Provide a course focusing on information gathering. |
