1 . China has set new rules limiting the amount of time children can play online games. The rules limit children to just three hours of online game playing a week. That is one hour between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday most weeks.
Li Zhanguo has two children aged 4 and 8. Even though they do not have smartphones, they enjoy playing online games. Like many other parents. Li is happy with new government rules. But experts say it is unclear if such policies can help prevent addiction to online games. Children might just get addicted to social media instead. In the end, experts say, parents should be the ones to set limits and support good practice.
There has been a growing concern in China about gaming addiction among children. Government reports in 2018 found that about one in ten Chinese children were addicted to the Internet. The new rules are part of an effort to prevent young people from spending too much time on unhealthy entertainment. That includes what officials call the “irrational fan culture”
Under the new rules, the responsibility for making sure children play only three hours a day as largely on Chinese gaming companies like Net Ease and Ten cent. Companies have set up real-name registration systems to prevent young users from going past game time limits. They have used facial recognition technology to check their identities. And they have also set up a program that permits people to report what is against the law. It is unclear what punishments gaming companies may face if they do not carry out the policies. And even if such policies are performed, it is also unclear whether they can prevent online addiction.
A specialist treating Internet addiction expects about 20 percent of children will find ways to break the rules by borrowing accounts of their older relatives and find a way around facial recognition. In his opinion, short-video alps such as Douyin and Kuaishou are also very popular in China. They are not under the same restrictions as games.
1. When can children play games according to the new rules?| A．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Friday. | B．Between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. On Tuesday. |
| C．Between 10 p. m. and 11 p. m. On Saturday. | D．Between 10 p. m. and all p. m. On Thursday. |
| A．the new rules can stop children’s addiction to social media |
| B．companies are more responsible for kids ‘ obeying the rules |
| C．the new rules will help prevent children playing online games |
| D．parents play a greater part in limiting the time of online games |
| A．Design an advanced program. | B．Use facial recognition systems. |
| C．Set up real-name registration systems. | D．Borrow accounts of their older relatives. |
| A．Rules Limiting Short-video alps | B．Rules Limiting Video Game Time |
| C．Rules Banning Irrational Fan Culture | D．Rules Breaking Addition to Social Media |
2 . Insect numbers have plunged (骤降) by half in some parts of the world due to climate change and intensive agriculture, a study has found. The combined pressures of global heating and farming are driving a “substantial decline” of insects across the globe, according to UK researchers. They say we must acknowledge the threats we pose to insects, before some species are lost forever. But preserving habitat for nature could help ensure vital insects thrive.
Lead researcher, Dr Charlie Outhwaite of UCL, said losing insect populations could be harmful not only to the natural environment, but to “human health and food security, particularly with losses of pollinators(传粉昆虫)”. “Our findings highlight the urgency of actions to preserve natural habitats, slow the expansion of high-intensity agriculture, and cut emissions to mitigate climate change,” she added.
Plummeting populations of insects around the world — a so-called “insect apocalypse” — have caused widespread concern. However, scientific data gives a mixed picture, with some types of insects showing sharp declines, while others are staying steady. In the latest study, the researchers pulled together data on the range and number of nearly 20,000 insect species, including bees, ants, butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies, at about 6,000 different locations. In areas with high-intensity agriculture and substantial warming, insect numbers have plunged by 49% and the number of different species by 27%, compared with relatively untouched places that have so far avoided the most severe impacts of climate change, according to the research published in Nature.
But the researchers said there was some cause for hope in that setting aside areas of land for nature created a shelter for insects, which need shade to survive in hot weather. “Careful management of agricultural areas, such as preserving natural habitats near farmland, may help to ensure that vital insects can still thrive,” said Dr. Tim Newbold, also of UCL.
Study researcher, Peter MeCann, added: “We need to acknowledge how important insects are for the environment as a whole, and for human health and wellbeing, in order to address the threats we pose to them before many species are lost forever.”
1. What caused the number of insects to decrease quickly?| A．The natural law of survival of the fittest. | B．Improvement of human environment. |
| C．Global heating and farming. | D．Destruction of the food chain of insects. |
| A．release | B．stop | C．relieve | D．prevent |
| A．Not all types of insects show decline in numbers. |
| B．The number of insects in untouched places shows the most severe decline. |
| C．There is no need to set aside areas of land for nature. |
| D．Careful management of agriculture areas can help all the insects thrive. |
| A．To stress the effect of global warming. |
| B．To arouse people’s concern for the decline of insect numbers. |
| C．To show the relationship between insects and human beings. |
| D．To present the process of the research. |
3 . China has a history of thousands of years, which gives it a lot of historical sites, which include the Summer Place, the Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army, the Potala Palace and the Mogao Grottoe. All of these are UNESCO World Heritage
The Summer Palace: China’s Largest Imperial GardenLocation: Beijing
The Summer Palace is China’s largest imperial garden. UNESCO added this 300-hectare site to the World Heritage List in 1998. There are numerous stores in Suzhou Street, selling souvenirs like antiques, snacks, silk, jewelry and tea. The shop assistants there are dressed in the costumes of the Qing Dynasty.
The Terracotta Warriors: First Emperor Qin’s Buried ArmyLocation: Xi’an
The museum covers an area of 22,780 square meters. Over 8,000 life-size terracotta soldiers and horses, and more than 10,000 bronze weapons were unearthed. The Terracotta Army is candidate for the title “eighth wonder of the world”
The Potala Palace: Masterpiece of Tibetan ArchitectureLocation: Lhasa
It was first built as the palace of Songtsen Gampo (617-650), founder of the Tu-Bo Dynasty. After being rebuilt in the 17th century, it was the residence of Dalai Lamas.There are plenty of precious historical relics in the palace, including over 10,000 Buddha statues made of gold, silver, jade, wood or clay.
The Mogao Grottoes:a Holy Land of Buddhist ArtLocation: Dunhuang
The Mogao Grottoes has 735 grottoes, 450,000 square meters of mural paintings, 2,415 colored Buddha statues made of clay, and more than 50,000 historical relics. All of these make the Mogao Grottoes the largest and the most significant land of Buddhist art.
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1. Where can you buy gifts for your friend who is a tea lover?
| A．At the Potala Palace. | B．At the Terracotta Warriors. |
| C．At the Summer Palace. | D．At the Mogao Grottoes. |
| A．magnificent mural paintings | B．Buddha statues made of jade |
| C．terracotta soldiers and horses | D．grottoes with mural paintings |
| A．The Terracotta Warriors is the eighth wonder of the world. |
| B．The Mogao Grottoes is the most important place of Buddhist art. |
| C．Only three tour packages are available for tourists to choose. |
| D．The Potala Palace was first constructed for the residence of Dalai Lamas. |
6 . As the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Jessica Pels is responsible for managing the content of one of the world’s largest young women’s media brands. Pels has ambitiously navigated her career to the top role relatively quickly, but the path she took wasn’t traditional.
Pels learnt ballet as a child and found her way to New York City dancing for a summer, but eventually gave up dance when she knew she “wasn’t good enough to be a star”. She didn’t give up her dream of working in the big city, though. Pels attended a film school at New York University and as a sophomore (大学二年级), got her first internship at The New Yorker. After graduation in 2008, many brands were in a hiring freeze.
But Pels was not affected. She got a job doing communications for a charity.
Six months into her first job, Pels got a job at Glamour Magazine to work for the Editor-in-Chief Cindy Levy. She would turn this first assistant role into her career, and finally found her way to Cosmopolitan, where she became the youngest editor-in-chief in the magazine’s history.
Reflecting on her career and the worst advice she’s ever received, Pels said it was “to say yes to everything”. It was a habit she had to learn to break. And while she acknowledges the importance of seizing opportunities, she doesn’t think that strategically saying “no” would have been a damage to her career.
She remembers the conversation with her boss Kate Lewis that changed her perspective on over- committing. “I had just started at Marie Claire as the digital director, and she said, I worry you’re going to burn out because you’re saying yes to everything and you are acting in such an aggressive way, and you need to take a step back and prioritize. ‘And that really changed my life. I thought that was an incredible career moment.”
1. Why did Jessica Pels give up dancing?| A．She wasn’t eager to be a star. | B．She didn’t think she was a gifted dancer. |
| C．She didn’t want to practice hard. | D．She wanted to take an untraditional career. |
| A．She always refused to help others. | B．She didn’t seize opportunities in time. |
| C．She didn’t knowhow to ask for advice. | D．She seldom refused others’ requests. |
| A．Creative and generous. | B．Humorous and confident. |
| C．Ambitious and determined. | D．Considerate and energetic. |
7 . The scent of hot bread drifting from the shops along the Street of Flour was sweeter than any perfume Arya had ever smelled. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to the pigeon. It was a plump one, speckled brown, busily pecking at a crust that had fallen between two cobblestones, but when Arya’s shadow touched it, it took to the air.
Her stick sword whistled out and caught it two feet off the ground, and it went down in a flurry of brown feathers. She was on it in the blink of an eye, grabbing a wing as the pigeon flapped and fluttered. It pecked at her hand. She grabbed its neck and twisted until she felt the bone snap.
Compared with catching cats, pigeons were easy.
She tied the pigeon to her belt and started down the street. A man was pushing a load of tarts by on a two-wheeled cart; the smells sang of blueberries and lemons and apricots. Her stomach made a hollow rumbly noise. “Could I have one?” she heard herself say. “A lemon, or…or any kind.”
The pushcart man looked her up and down. Plainly he did not like what he saw. “Three coppers.”
Arya tapped her wooden sword against the side of her boot. “I’ll trade you a fat pigeon,” she said.
“The Others take your pigeon,” the pushcart man said.
The tarts were still warm from the oven. The smells were making her mouth water, but she did not have three coppers... or one. She gave the pushcart man a look, remembering what Syrio had told her about seeing. He was short, with a little round belly, and when he moved he seemed favor his left leg a little. She was just thinking that if she snatched a tart and ran he would never be able to catch her when he said, “You be keeping your filthy hands off. The gold cloaks know how to deal with thieving little gutter rats, that they do.”
Arya glanced warily behind her. Two of the City Watch were standing at the mouth of an alley. Their cloaks hung almost to the ground, the heavy wool dyed a rich gold; their mail and boots and gloves were black. One wore a long sword at his hip, the other an iron cudgel. With a last wistful glance at the tarts, Arya edged back from the cart and hurried off. The gold cloaks had not been paying her any special attention, but the sight of them tied her stomach in knots. Arya had been staying as far from the castle as she could get, yet even from a distance she could see the heads rotting atop the high red walls. Flocks of crows squabbled noisily over each head, thick as flies. The talk in Flea Bottom was that the gold cloaks had associated themselves with the Lannisters, their commander raised to a lord, with lands on the Trident and a seat on the king’s council.
1. The story is set in a place where ______.| A．people raised pigeons | B．only privileged people lived |
| C．people sold and bought food | D．the watchmen received training |
| A．metaphor | B．overstatement |
| C．personification (拟人) | D．rhetoric rhyme |
| A．Remembering people’s appearance so that you can recognize them. |
| B．Perceiving people’s intention so that you can properly talk to them. |
| C．Understanding people’s living conditions so that you can help them. |
| D．Knowing people’ strengths and weaknesses so that you can beat them |
| A．Arya was more hunger than terrified in the story. |
| B．The Lannisters was a big enemy of the gold cloaks. |
| C．The atmosphere of the castle was agreeable and welcome. |
| D．The authority treated the executed people’s dead bodies in a cruel way. |
8 . I live on Canada’s west coast and my son lives on its east coast. He has visited his mother and me a number of times and we have visited him there with some
Then, one day, there was a knock at the door and when I opened it, in walked my son carrying a pot of flowers. He hadn’t told us he was coming and seeing him was a wonderful
I think that, as parents we tend to think of our children as being young and being in need of
My son left recently for his home and again I was in tears but it was
| A．frequency | B．appointment | C．privilege | D．preference |
| A．fence | B．distance | C．ocean | D．continent |
| A．on our own | B．by ourselves | C．of our own | D．in person |
| A．shock | B．cheat | C．fault | D．pray |
| A．understanding | B．sympathy | C．guidance | D．empathy |
| A．Anyhow | B．Somehow | C．Somewhat | D．Furthermore |
| A．legal | B．pure | C．sudden | D．embarrassing |
| A．encouragement | B．saving | C．mercy | D．support |
| A．maintaining | B．protecting | C．calculating | D．forecasting |
| A．comfortable | B．dynamic | C．elegant | D．harmonious |
| A．calling off | B．putting off | C．taking off | D．setting off |
| A．agenda | B．chaos | C．panic | D．load |
| A．convincing | B．humble | C．competent | D．gentle |
| A．similar | B．related | C．different | D．visible |
| A．relieved | B．released | C．impressed | D．moved |
| A．transmission | B．permission | C．admission | D．possession |
10 . In this issue, as part of our ongoing Century of Science project, we dig deep into how the extraordinary advances in computing over the last 100 years have transformed our lives, and we ponder implications for the future. Who gets to decide how much control algorithms (算法) have over our lives? Will artificial intelligence learn how to really think like humans? What would ethical AI look like? And can we keep the robots from killing us?
That last question may sound imagined, but it’s not. As freelance science and technology writer Matthew Hutson reports, lethal autonomous drones (致命自动无人机) able to attack without human intervention already exist. And though killer drones may be the most dystopian (反乌托邦的) vision of a future controlled by AI, software is already making decisions about our lives every day, from the advertisements we see on Facebook to influencing who gets denied parole (假释) from prison.
Even something as basic to human life as our social interactions can be used by AI to identify individuals within supposedly anonymized data, as staff writer Nikk Ogasa reports. Researchers taught an artificial neural network to identify patterns in the date, time, direction and duration of weekly mobile phone calls and texts in a large anonymized dataset. The AI was able to identify individuals by the patterns of their behavior and that of their contacts.
Innovations in computing have come with astonishing speed, and we humans have adapted almost as quickly. I remember being thrilled with my first laptop, my first flip phone, my first BlackBerry. As we’ve welcomed each new wonder into our lives, we’ve bent our behavior. I could download a productivity app that promises to train me to stay focused, but using the phone to avoid the phone seems both too silly and too sad.
Not enough computer scientists and engineers have training in the social implications of their technologies, Hutson writes, including training in ethics. More importantly, they’re not having enough conversations about how the algorithms they write could affect people’s lives in unexpected ways, before the next big innovation gets sent out into the world. As the technology gets ever more powerful, those conversations need to happen long before the circuit is built or the code is written. How else will the robots know when they’ve gone too far?
1. Why does the author raise a series of questions in the first paragraph?| A．To stress the importance of AI ethic. |
| B．To comment on future AI implication. |
| C．To introduce the recent advances in computing. |
| D．To explain the significance of Century of Science project. |
| A．he has been able to concentrate on things better than before |
| B．some apps are indeed beneficial to people’s daily life |
| C．we are influenced by innovations around us unconsciously |
| D．software is already making decisions about our lives every day |
| A．Panicked. | B．Confused. | C．Disappointed. | D．Concerned. |
| A．Advertisements on Facebook revealed our personal information to AI. |
| B．What computing specialists lack is the training in the area of AI ethics. |
| C．AI is able to identify people based on the data collected from their conversations. |
| D．Autonomous drones’ offensiveness to human beings are under certain instructions. |
| A．Computer has changed everything. What’s next? |
| B．How can AI identify people even in anonymized datasets? |
| C．Why not embrace your robot, your next family member? |
| D．When it comes to lethal autonomous drones, what’s safe enough? |
