8 . On the evening of April 8, Dunhuang Academy and Huawei jointly launched a brand-new technology-driven tour experience at the Mogao Grottoes (莫高窟). Using Huawei’s newly-released Hetu AI platform, coupled with the output of the Digital Dunhuang project, visitors to the Mogao Grottoes can enjoy a fantasy experience prior to entering the attraction.
Zhao Shengliang, director of the Dunhuang Academy, said that it has been cooperating with Huawei since March 2019. Using Huawei’s latest Hetu technology, visitors are able to see the detailed contents of the Dunhuang Art Murals (壁画) outside the caves, through their Huawei mobile phones. This will reduce the time tourists spend inside the cave, aiding the protection of the cultural relics, while at the same time helping to increase the amount of information visitors can obtain. It is also considered to be a new way of promoting Dunhuang Art.
The Dunhuang Academy has used digital technology to preserve the research and exploration of Dunhuang Grottoes since the early 1990s. It has collected a wealth of data and has realized the goal of sharing of digital Dunhuang globally. It has played an important role in the protection and research of cultural site, as well as promoting the development and progress of related work.
The Huawei Hetu platform unites Dunhuang’s study findings, high-resolution images of the site’s murals and virtual, three-dimensional models with the real Mogao Grottoes. It has not only re-created the real tour of the scenic spot, but also developed a new way of digitally experiencing the grottoes. When people visit the site, they not only have the experience of seeing the real grottoes, but they can appreciate the admirable artworks more clearly and in greater detail.
In the future, Dunhuang Academy will continue to cooperate with Huawei to create more colorful virtual content to enrich the experience of Mogao Art on the platform, helping people around the world get to know Dunhuang Art better.
1. Which is NOT the advantage of the Hetu technology?| A．Help to protect the cultural relics. | B．Provide more information for tourists. |
| C．Increase the popularity of Dunhuang Art. | D．Decrease the cost of the visitors. |
| A．About a year. | B．More than 30 years. | C．90 years. | D．10 years. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Opposed. | C．Indifferent. | D．Promising |
| A．Dunhuang Academy Preserves Grottoes Well |
| B．Dunhuang Grottoes Attract Tourists |
| C．AI Tech Helps Tourists Enjoy Dunhuang’s Art |
| D．Huawei Newly Released Hetu AI |
9 . As a winner of the NSLI-Y Scholarship in high school, and then the Critical Language Scholarship in college, I lived in China for two summers with host families, studying Mandarin for nine hours a day. Tack on to that the approximately 2,000 classroom hours I spent learning Mandarin as an undergraduate, and it seems fair to say that a small fortune of resources has been invested in my Mandarin ability.
Yet even with so much practice, I am not still achieving fluency, and it’s unclear whether I’ll use my language skills regularly in my career. This leads me to reflect: What is it that drives me to drill tones and memorize characters?
Many people are quick to point out the value of language skills in an increasingly competitive workforce. However, language is about much more than just the ability to communicate. Foreign language study is tied to increased levels of empathy (同情心), enhanced cognitive development, and more creative insight on the human condition. Increasingly, research shows that these benefits also apply to those with exposure to multiple languages, and not just those who achieve fluency.
A beneficial future for the U.S. and China will be built upon understanding, respect and recognition. Language exchange can provide cultural insight and strengthen the common ground we stand on. It is not the economic potential of my language skills that leads me to persist. Studying Mandarin is the most modest way I can think of to approach China, a nation with over 5,000 years of complex history. From this point, I have experienced the beauty, hospitality of China. And my experience of studying Mandarin has helped me form a sense of curiosity and a commitment to understanding and respect—and that’s a start.
1. What do we know about the author?| A．He has enjoyed his life living in China. |
| B．He began to learn Chinese in high school. |
| C．He has worked hard at learning Chinese. |
| D．He has won many scholarships in China. |
| A．It just needs to drill tones and remember words. |
| B．It can promote learners’ mental development. |
| C．It needs the experience of living with a host family. |
| D．It is only used for effective communication. |
| A．Language exchange can help the U.S. and China understand each other better. |
| B．The U.S. and China always respect and recognize each other. |
| C．The U.S. and China start to share the same cultural insight. |
| D．The U.S. and China will certainly have a bright future. |
| A．To show off his language talent. |
| B．To get some economic profits. |
| C．To achieve the language fluency. |
| D．To have a close look at China. |
1. 表示歉意并解释原因;
2. 成就展的方式和内容;
3. 邀请对方撰写英文贺词并发言。
注意：1. 词数80左右;
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯;
3. 开头和结语已为你写好。
Reference word: pandemic (疫情)
Dear Liz,
I am Li Hua, chairman of the Students’ Union.
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Yours,
Li Hua
