1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Sora: OpenAl will now let you create videos from verbal cues

Artificial intelligence leader OpenAI introduced a new AI model called Sora which it claims can create “realistic” and “imaginative” 60-second videos from quick text instructions. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company said Sora is capable of generating videos up to 60 seconds in length from text instructions,     1     (serve) up scenes with multiple characters, specific types of motion, and detailed background details.

This is the latest effort from the company behind the viral chatbot ChatGPT,     2     continues to push the generative AI movement forward.     3     “multi-modal models” are not new and text-to-video models already exist, what sets this apart is the length and accuracy that OpenAI claims Sora to have, according to Reece Hayden, a senior analyst at market research firm ABI Research. Hayden said these types of AI models     4     have a big impact on digital entertainment.

Sora     5     (make) available to online security professors soon in order to assess the product for harms or risks. It is also granting access to a number of visual artists, designers and filmmakers to collect feedback on     6     creative professionals could use it.

For now, OpenAI said Sora is still a work     7     progress with clear “weaknesses,” particularly when it comes to spatial details of a prompt-mixing up left and right-and cause and effect. The latest update comes as OpenAI continues to advance ChatGPT. Earlier this week, the company said it is testing a feature in which users can control ChatGPT’s memory, allowing them to ask the platform to remember chats to make future conversations     8     (personalized) or tell it to forget something previously     9     (discuss). The company also said it plans to work with a team of experts     10     (test) the latest model and look closely at various areas including misinformation,hateful content and prejudice.

2 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

First published on October 15, 1952, “Charlotte’s Web” is a popular children’s book written by well-known American author E. B. White and     1    （illustrate）by Garth Williams that deals with themes of the nature of friendship, loss, fate, acceptance, and renewal. The story centers on a pig named Wilbur and the unlikely but deep friendship     2     shares with an uncommonly talented spider named Charlotte.

While it’s normal in the course of events on a farm for pigs     3    （kill）when they reach a certain size and age, clever Charlotte works out a scheme to keep Wilbur from his fate by weaving words into her web to create what amounts to a one-pig publicity campaign. By promoting Wilbur to celebrity status, Charlotte ultimately saves him     4     his date with the butcher’s knife.

The ending of the “Charlotte’s Web” is bittersweet, however,     5     while Wilbur survives, Charlotte does not. But even Charlotte’s passing is a lesson-for Wilbur and those reading his story-about the nature of death and renewal.

Death and destiny are both themes that the book explores. While Charlotte is willing to help Wilbur avoid a destiny that’s being imposed on him by outside forces beyond his control, she also understands that some fates are inevitable: All living creatures are born,     6    （have）a life cycle, and die. Charlotte accepts her role in this natural circle without regret.

Charlotte helps Wilbur realize that immortality is not about living forever, but rather,     7    （ensure）that new generations will follow. She also helps him understand that love and friendship are not fixed in quantity. While we may lose a friend, new friendships can come along, not as replacements for     8     we’ve lost, but as blessings to build on what we’ve learned.

“Charlotte’s Web” got its inspiration from true experiences that author E. B. White had on his farm in Maine,     9     he penned the book and lived until his death in 1985．While the author claims that the book     10     never be considered a moral tale, certain messages related to moral principles, or rights and wrongs, are obviously established in “Charlotte’s Web”.

4 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Imagine you are out fishing on the high seas - the wind and water are clean and comfortable and you begin bringing up your first catch of the day. That's when everything goes wrong. Your fishing nets are tangled up (缠成一团) in older, abandoned fishing tool, and you're unable to untangle them. Your equipment    1    (ruin), and all of the fish you have worked so hard to catch are trapped. They will die    2    you are unable to draw or free them. Ghost fishing has claimed yet another victim.

Ghost fishing is what abandoned fishing tool does. It still catches fish, but no one benefits. Trapped fish die and attract scavengers (清道夫)    3     also get caught, creating a vicious cycle. In fact, lost fishing tool, or "ghost tool," is among    4    (great) killers in the oceans. This tool further reduces the already declining number of fish.

Environmental agencies estimate that 10 percent of all seawater litter is lost or deserted fishing tool    5    (equal) 640,000 tons every year. Fortunately, these agencies are asking why this is happening and what    6     be done to stop it.

It's not the intention of the majority of fishermen to lose their tool. In most circumstances bad weather is to blame. But in other cases fishermen throw their tool in the ocean on purpose, risking expensive fines. But to them, it's worth the risk    7    (free) up space onboard, cut fuel costs or avoid paying handling fees.    8     equipment loss is accidental or not, a strategy involving tool identification seems to be a practical solution.

By marking tool with electronic tags and utilizing GPS technology, owners are more likely to recover lost tool and less likely to abandon it. Currently, ownership regulations are reportedly very weak. Leading the effort for tagging fishing tool and creating accountability is the GGTI (Global Ghost Tool Initiative).    9     (launch) in 2015, the GGTI is the first organization of its kind. It's brought together an organization of governments, fishing-industry executives, seafood companies and non-profits. Their efforts to get back and recycle the tool    10    (improve) marine environment, protecting fish and fishermen's way of life.

Ghost fishing poses a serious threat to the fishing industry worldwide, and a global effort is needed to solve it.

5 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

When people need to make important decisions, one of their first steps is usually to collect information about the issue at hand. And the more crucial the decision is, the more information people or businesses and organizations usually want.     1     computers are capable of collecting and analyzing far more information than human beings, it makes sense that organizations would use them for this purpose. This use and analysis of large amounts of information is known as big data.

To decide if data sets count as big data, they are evaluated using three standards,     2     (know) as “the three Vs.” The first is volume: Big data involves large amounts of data, most of     3     comes without structure or organization. The second is velocity meaning speed: Big data is received quickly because it often reaches the programs that use it directly from the internet. Many of these programs     4     (design) to adapt to changes in the data quickly as well. Finally, big data offers     5     (great) variety than traditional data, including more unstructured data. Because of the three Vs, human analysts can only work with big data with the help of computer programs designed to manage it.

Businesses can use big data to help understand their customers, either as a group or individually. For example, some     6     (stream) websites rely on big data to suggest music or television offerings tailored to the user’s interests. Big data can also help companies decide how much inventory (库存) they need so that they don’t waste money producing and storing products that customers     7     not buy.

In healthcare, programmers     8     (develop) tools to help doctors and patients to make medical decisions using big data. This can process information about specific patients from at-home medical devices such as heart-rate monitors.

Governments can use big data     9     (plan) efficient public transportation systems and identify roads that need maintenance. When used for this purpose, big data is not controversial. But some oppose other uses of big data by governments     10     they might impact on citizens’ privacy in an attempt to control behavior.

Big data can be a useful tool for many types of organizations that seek to use it to make better decisions to benefit people.

6 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Why more young Americans are cyber-bullying themselves

On a Friday night in 2016, Natalie Natividad, a 15-year-old in Hebbronville, took an overdose of pills after enduring months of cyber-bullying. Most of the alleged taunts(所谓的嘲弄)—that she was ugly, that she should kill herself—came on After School, an app    1     allows classmates to discuss one another anonymously(匿名地). Her act led to an investigation. The app’s operators tracked which accounts had sent the abuse, while officials interviewed teachers and students. “We just want some justice,” said Natalie’s sister. “     2     is bullying, I hope that they stop.”

There were no bullies to find. The inquiry revealed that Natalie     3    (send) the abusive messages to herself secretly. Such anonymous “digital self-harm” is increasingly common. But why do it?

Ana, a 20-year-old from Alabama, says she wanted to see     4     someone would stand up for her. At 14, she anonymously posted insults about her appearance to Ask. com, a public question-and-answer site. Then she waited for other people     5    (defend) her. Her motivations, to express self-loathing(厌恶) and to get a reaction, are some of the most common among children who abuse themselves online. In fact, over half of those     6    (interview) say digital self-harm achieved what they had hoped for.

However, much about digital self-harm is still poorly understood. Even the reason for its recent increase has puzzled researchers. Mr Hinduja guesses that the rise is related to increasing emotional instability among adolescents. That     7    (reflect) in a host of other online trends. Some young people turn to a less direct version — seeking out existing self-destructive content.     8     hint that they want a response by posting emotional confessions on social media in the hope that friends will comfort them.

As a technological matter, identifying digital self-harm is relatively easy. Usually this involves finding the computer or account that created the harmful material. The harder part is     9     to do after that, says Mr Patchin. Teachers and parents     10     treat digital self-harm as an indication of other underlying problems. The worst response, according to Ms Englander, would be to dismiss evidence of bullying simply because it might be faked.

7 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

“Wow ... what a beautiful girl!” you think to yourself. Today, you logged into Facebook and saw a friend request from a lovely stranger. You think that she must be a model    1     all of her photos look very professional. She doesn’t have many friends, but maybe she’s just new to Facebook. You may       2     (tempt) to accept her request and say hello, but you’d better think twice because you might get catfished!

Catfishing is an online cheat     3     someone on a social media platform pretends to be someone they’re not. The word was made popular by a 2010 documentary film with the same name. Just like in the movie, most catfishing cheats start with the catfish     4     (try) to sweet talk their victim into falling in love with them. Why? There are a variety of reasons people catfish.

Some catfish attempt     5     (charm) their victim into trusting them, and then ask them for money. Others will ask for sensitive information or private pictures     6     they can then use them to blackmail (敲诈) their victims into sending them money. But in some situations, catfish are just lonely people,     7     (dissatisfy) with their lives and using social media to live in an alternate reality.

On social media, it’s possible to remain anonymous (匿名的) even after you     8     (start) building a relationship with someone. According to the Better Business Bureau in the U.S., around 85 percent of catfishing schemes start on Facebook and the Facebook Dating service. In 2021 as the pandemic pushed many to search for love online, romance schemes, such as catfishing, rose       9     80 percent compared to 2020. These cheats cost victims around $1.3 billion in losses and left many with psychological and emotional damage.

The internet is a wonderful tool that allows users to learn new things, play games and meet interesting people. However, everyone     10     be careful of the catfish who hide in the shadows. If someone seems too good to be true, they probably are!

8 . Directions: After reading the passage below. fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word: for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Hard Labour

When James returned from the hospital after the birth of his son, he was surprised to find a bottle of whisky and some cans of beer on his doorstep. The mystery was soon solved. Under covid-19 rules, James was allowed into the hospital     1    his partner Annie was due to give birth only once active labour had begun.

Thirty-six hours after     2    (admit)for an induction(生产), Annie found herself on a delivery ward in the early hours of the morning desperately trying to wake up her sleeping husband by phone. When that failed, she resorted to ordering a delivery from a local store in the hope     3    the doorbell would prove more effective. In the event, he woke before the booze arrived.

James made it to the hospital on time and all went well.     4    have not been so lucky. “I’ve heard real horror stories of what women have had to face alone,     5    it’s awful news at a scan or going through a difficult birth     6    your partner there,” says Joeli Brearley of Pregnant Then Screwed, a campaign group. As Britain locked down in March, hospitals limited the number of visitors allowed on their premises(场所). Non-essential retail reopened in June, followed by pubs and restaurants in July, but tight restrictions     7    (remain)in place so far limiting access to maternity services and post-birth visits by new fathers. A petition(请愿书)calling for the rules     8    (loosen)across Britain has received over 440,000 signatures and the backing of 60 MPs.

The Royal College of Midwives, a trade union and professional body, acknowledges that “the support of a partner during scans and labour is important”, but argues that restricting access to some services means that “maternity teams     9    continue to deliver good-quality, safe care, protecting pregnant women and the midwives who care for them.” Others are     10    (convinced). “It’s important to remember that the vast majority of birth partners live with the woman giving birth,” says Jeremy Davies of the Fatherhood Institute, a think-tank. Evidence suggests the presence of partners leads to better medical outcomes, partly because it reduces stress and anxiety during birth.

10 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Rob and Jane are classmates at a university. It is the beginning of the semester and time to buy books for various classes. Their university not only makes paper textbooks available but also offers digital textbooks to its students. Rob and Jane     1     (talk) about which type of book they prefer.

Rob: I think I’m going to study digitally this year.

Jane: What do you mean?

Rob: Well, the majority of the textbooks I need for my classes     2     (offer) digitally. So I’m going to buy access in that form. That way I can study on my computer, phone or e-reader. The content is the same as a paper textbook.

Jane: Are you sure? I’ve heard that not all textbooks are compatible (与……一致的) with all media devices. I had a friend last year who had some problems     3     (access) her books on certain devices.

Rob: Really? I’ve never heard that. The people to     4     I talked said it was super convenient. Besides, my budget is very limited right now. The digital format costs less than half the price of the paper textbook.

Jane: True. But at the end of the semester, you can sell back a paper textbook. That way you can recover some of your money.

Rob: I also have to work most days after class.     5     (study) digitally means I don’t need to carry around a bunch of heavy books. So it would be much more convenient for me.

Jane: Convenience isn’t     6    . I find it much easier to focus on what I’m reading in a real book. It’s also easier to follow a lecture and turn to the page that’s being discussed.

Rob: Yes, but I can access a page by searching for a word, so I can find it easily.

Jane: I find it easier to recall information I want to remember     7     I mark it in an actual book. Rob: But you can do that     8     digital material, too.

Jane: Have you ever had a textbook that you wanted to keep for future reference? You know some textbooks are only available the semester you buy it. After that, you lose access to it.

Rob: Oh! I’ll have to look into     9     digital books I’d have permanent access to, then.

Jane: You know, I also read that when people read digitally their comprehension is weaker. People apparently read faster on a screen. But they don’t remember details as     10     (well) as someone who reads it on paper.

Rob: I guess I’ll find out. Anyway, I’m going to try it.

Jane: Let me know how it works. I’m sticking with paper.