1 . Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only   be used once. Note that there is one word more than youneed.

A. boast 　B. underrepresented　 C. shared 　D. participation 　E. pursuit　 F. launched G. confirmed 　H. female　I. barriers 　J. agreements 　K. advancing

Gender equality has powerful potential to improve the economy, security and the overall well-being of a population.

“If the world closed the gender gap in workforce    1    , global [Gross Domestic Product] would increase by 28 trillion dollars by 2025... That’s about a quarter of the world’s current GDP, and almost half of the world’s current debt,” said U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Catherine Russell in a recent speech. She also noted that “studies have found that countries with less gender inequality are more secure, and peace     2    last longer when women are at the negotiating table.”

Nonetheless, no country in the world can     3    that it has achieved full gender equality.

“Around the world, women are vastly     4    in politics and the workforce, particularly in leadership positions and other high-paying jobs,” said Ambassador Russell. At the same time, women make up the majority of the poor. “I’ve heard people say that poverty has a     5    face, and that makes sense when you consider that women control just one-fifth of global wealth,” said Ambassador Russell.

World leaders are beginning to recognize that everyone benefits from     6    gender equality, she said. This is why gender equality is part of U.S. foreign policy. A key part of U.S. efforts focus on educating and empowering girls. In the past 18 months, the United States     7    its global strategy to empower adolescent girls, as well as Let Girls Learn, which is a Presidential initiative that focuses on educating girls.

We are also working with numerous countries to remove    8    that keep women from inheriting or owning property, entering the formal job market or accessing banking services.

“Gender equality sometimes looks like an impossible task —a     9    without an end,” said Ambassador Russell. “But...we can make progress, and that progress is worth making. Little by little, discussion by discussion, step by step, we can improve the lives of women and girls, men and boys all around the world. And in doing so, we can reach our     10    goals of peace, prosperity, and security.”

2 . Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need.

Smart Homes Around the Corner

Internet-connected lights, locks and laundry machines are close to becoming everyday household items, thanks in part to voice-activated speakers such as Amazon’s Echo and Google Home.

The market has witnessed increasing sales of lights that turn off when you say “good night,” smart locks that let in your friends before you get home, and other smart-home gadgets (小配件). Smart speakers and their digital assistants also have been growing in     1    . From your couch, you can ask these smart assistants to play your favorite music, check the weather, order pizza or    2    flights.

While the devices are still relatively expensive—you can get six     3    light bulbs for the price of a single smart one—    4    is likely to pick up further as prices fall in the future.

Moreover, the more people use such speakers, it turns out, the more things they want them to do. In some cases, that leads     5    to other smart gadgets for the home. People who own an Echo are    6    more likely to install other smart gadgets, said David Limp, Amazon’s senior vice president of devices and services. “They don’t start by rewiring the whole home. They start with a switch.” That switch, known as a smart plug, can make any appliance remote-controllable by cutting or    7    its power—just ask an assistant to turn it off or on.

U.S. sales of smart speakers have more than tripled (增至三倍) to nearly 25 million in 2017, as shown by a CTA (Commodity Trading Advisors)     8    . They’re expected to grow further this year, to about 36 million, as Apple’s HomePod joins the competition.

Smart-home products such as lights and security cameras are lagging behind, but they have been catching up. “We’re still in the early stages,” said Jeff Patton, a smart-home executive at General Electric. “While the gadgets aren’t yet     9    ” he said, “average people are much more aware of them”.

Alex Hawkinson, CEO of Samsung’s Smart Things smart-home business, said that about half of his new customers are coming because of smart speakers “    10    a lot of excitement.” Once people get their first smart product, such as a   smart plug, they are likely to buy more, market researchers say. They also tell friends and neighbors about them, and might buy some as gifts.