1 . I’m used to seeing small leaps in technological progress, but occasionally, there are things that will still shock me. At the end of last year, a company called Open AI released a truly jaw-dropping demonstration of a new AI technology that feels almost like technology has skipped ahead by a few generations.
This new AI technology is called ChatGPT, a computer program that can understand and respond to human language. It is trained on a lot of text, so it can understand what people are saying and respond in a way that sounds like a real person. What’s even more amazing is that ChatGPT seems frighteningly human in its ability to understand questions and answer them competently. “Write a story about Leonardo da Vinci in the style of Roald Dahl,” you can ask it, and it’ll spin up a pretty good children’s story.
One area where I’ve found ChatGPT to be enormously useful is its ability to write computer code. This has particularly amazed me as unlike the English language, when you write code it has to be very precise (精确的) and carefully structured — but when I asked it to write me a program that would put some data into a database for me, in a particularly complex way, within seconds it generated something that would have taken me hours to do manually (人工地). ChatGPT isn’t completely human, however. For example, it sometimes generates things that sound true, but are actually just nonsense. This is because of the way the AI learns through pattern recognition. There’s no real intelligence operating there — it is just repeating something based on what it has “read” before. ChatGPT is better at some tasks than others: it can write a brilliant invitation email, but its ability to rhyme leaves a lot to be desired.
And this is why I’m pretty convinced that ChatGPT is going to change the world, sooner rather than later. It’s already hugely impressive, but what exists at the moment is just a demonstration. Once the same AI is built into other apps and can connect to the live internet to learn more, it will become even more advanced. Our computers will no longer be just our word processors, but our writing partners too.
1. Which aspect about ChatGPT especially amazed the author?| A．Its structure. | B．Its variety. | C．Its efficiency. | D．Its correction. |
| A．ChatGPT has some limitations. |
| B．There’s no real intelligence in the world. |
| C．ChatGPT is better than other chatbot AI. |
| D．AI cannot think the same way as humans do. |
| A．Worried. | B．Doubtful. | C．Optimistic. | D．Unconcerned. |
3 . Emily checked her shoelaces(鞋带) and began to jog in small circles
“Hi, sorry, I’m late. It’s a good day for a run, don’t you think?” Sierra
Continuing her warm-up, Emily asked, “Are you racing next week in the big regional meet?” “Yeah, the coach encourages everyone to
“Oh.” Emily followed after Sierra just a bit, thinking about this information as they ran across the field. Knowing Sierra was easily the faster runner, Emily was very
Race day arrived, and Emily gathered with the other team members to receive a colored wristband(手环) that showed their school. “Sierra, where’s your band?”
“You’re running in my place today because your times will
“Wow, you’d give up a race for me?” Emily gave her friend a quick hug and thought this
| A．kindly | B．sadly | C．carefully | D．slowly |
| A．friend | B．partner | C．competitor | D．coach |
| A．passed | B．arrived | C．rose | D．tested |
| A．change | B．waste | C．improve | D．manage |
| A．join | B．learn | C．move | D．register |
| A．confused | B．shocked | C．anxious | D．awkward |
| A．pass down | B．turn down | C．shutdown | D．slowdown |
| A．concentrate | B．help | C．recommend | D．organize |
| A．chance | B．risk | C．service | D．spirit |
| A．lesson | B．race | C．test | D．activity |
4 . Buffalo &Erie County Public Library
MY ACCOUNT
You must have a PIN to access your account at any library terminal(终端) remotely through the B&ECPL’s website. To create or reset a PIN, click the Forgot My PIN link.
If your account is not in good standing, it will run out 6 months after it is issued.
An account is in “good standing” when the charges are not over $50.00 or there are 15 or less overdue(逾期的) items.
BORROWING LIMITS
Most card holders are allowed to check out as many as 50 items at one time.
The length of time is different depending on the type of material borrowed.
Material | Loan Period |
| Books and Audio Books | 21 days |
| New Fiction | 7 days |
| Music CDs; Exam Books and Computer Software | 5 days |
| Downloadable e-books | 14 days |
To renew online 24/7, access My Account on our website. To renew by telephone 24/7, call 716-845-9040. You must have your library card number and PIN ready.
Stop by any B&ECPL library (except the Central Library) to renew in person or call 716-858-8900 during Central Library open hours.
Most B&ECPL libraries have outdoor drop boxes in place for 24-hour returns without any charge.
1. Which account is in good standing?| A．An account without a reset PIN. | B．An account with a $60.00 charge. |
| C．An account without any checkouts. | D．An account with 10 overdue items. |
| A．21. | B．14. | C．7. | D．5. |
| A．Visit any drop box. | B．Access the B&ECPL’s website. |
| C．Call the number 716-858-8900. | D．Stop by the Central Library in person. |
7 . It’s always exciting to receive a letter in the mail. Even today, when the world is digitally connected, receiving an actual letter in your mailbox from a distant land is a great way for children to make new friends.
The Peaceful Pen Pals Project is a beautiful project that blends together global connection and self-expression. The project is part of the nonprofit Kids for Peace, founded by Jill McManigal and Danielle Gram in California in 2006. It is open to all children, ages two through seventeen. To date, there are 1,500 children from 17 countries participating in the program according to the organization. Currently, all letters are written in English. When children sign up, they can select if they would rather be matched with a USA Peaceful Pen Pal or an international one.
Each child is then matched to a pen pal of similar age. This establishes a point of connection quickly for the children and facilitates (促进) a stronger bond. If the letter writers are in the same grade, they can chat about school, their teachers, and what they are studying. They can also compare what different states or countries learn about and how the atmosphere of the classroom are, whether socially or academically. Children may also be more likely to write about problems they are having if they feel like they are speaking to a peer in a similar situation. Although pen pals may live in different countries, they may find common ground. The writer lists their favorite activities to do outside, plus what they like best and least about school. This gives the writer an opportunity to express and receive advice or feedback (反馈) from the pen pal.
“Hearing first-hand stories from an international pen pal can encourage teens to take someone else’s viewpoint and to think outside of themselves,” writes Rebecca Fraser-Thill on Very Well Family. “Having a foreign pen pal can also encourage interest in geography, history and culture.”
1. What can we know about the Peaceful Pen Pals Project?| A．It helps strengthen links between kids. |
| B．It is aimed at improving children’s English. |
| C．It encourages children to help people in need. |
| D．It is created for teenagers to take online lessons. |
| A．The necessity of discussion in study. |
| B．The approaches to making new friends. |
| C．The purpose of the Peaceful Pen Pals Project. |
| D．The benefits of having friends of similar ages. |
| A．Careful. | B．Supportive. | C．Uninterested. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Writing Enriches Kids’ Life | B．Friendship Teaches Kids a Lesson |
| C．The Pen Pal Project Connects Kids | D．Communication Skills Better the World |
The Land of Smiles: A Beginners Guide to Etiquette (礼仪) in Thailand
To: JohnnyBoy0303@hotmail.comSender: Farang555@gmail.com
Subject: RE: I’m coming to Thailand! ! !
Hey Johnny!
Great news about your visit to Thailand. I shall roll out the red carpet for your arrival! I’m still having a great time here. It’s difficult to work in this heat, but the people here are so kind, and life is generally quite relaxed, so it beats another rainy winter in Scotland. About your questions:
1. Yes, you should learn a little bit of Thai if you can! It’s not an easy language to speak or read, but a little effort will go a long way. Thais are really respectful people. When they greet you, they’ll usually put both of their hands together, and bow their head a little bit. If anyone does it to you, it’s very important that you do it back.
2. Yes, the food is spicy! But it’s so delicious. Thais use a lot of exotic ingredients like coconut, lemongrass, and lime leaves when they’re cooking, so you get some really rich flavours. Actually, I think I never want to eat British food again after living here! Don’t worry—you’re going to love it, and it’s cheap too!
3. Yes, there are a few things to be aware of. Firstly, Thais look at the head as being sacred, so don’t go around patting people on the head, not even kids. The head is the highest part of the body, and the feet are the lowest, so guess what? Don’t do things with your feet. I know it sounds stupid, but just be careful that you’re not pointing your feet at people or kicking them to get their attention or anything like that, and definitely do not put your feet up on tables or chairs—it will be considered very rude.
I think it’s very important to remember that Thais love their royal family too, so you should be respectful towards that. Once, my friend and I were visiting Bangkok, and he dropped a coin, I stamped on it to stop it rolling, and some people seemed quite angry, and we couldn’t work out why. A hotel staff explained to us: Putting my foot on the coin was like stamping on a picture of the king! We told the hotel staff how sorry we were. I think it’s really important to be aware of these things that might mean a lot to other people even though you would never think of them yourself.
Anyway, don’t worry too much. Just be polite and respectful. You’ll have a great time here.
Looking forward to seeing you in the Land of Smiles!
Archie
1. What does the writer feel about Thailand?2. According to the third answer in Archie’s email, please write down the question that Johnny might ask.
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Some Thais seemed quite angry when seeing the writer use his foot to stop the coin rolling because it wouldn’t work.
4. Suppose Johnny is coming to China. He is curious about etiquette in China and asks you for help. Please write 1 or 2 tips for him. (In about 40 words)
9 . Is Space Exploration Necessary?
We see space exploration updates in the news almost every week now. This is great for those who want a future like in science fiction movies. On the other hand, some believe space exploration is not necessary because there are a few reasonable cons to it. So, read further to see what the space exploration pros and cons are.
It’s true that space exploration technologies are costly and consume many resources. Only launching space exploration satellites takes at least $ 40 million per launch and can go for as much as $ 400 million. Analyzing some space exploration facts, we are aware that space exploring costs a lot. While the UN says $ 30 billion could end world hunger, NASA is being offered a lot every year. And this is a good argument for those who are against space exploration.
While space exploration is highly important for learning about who we are, some are worried about what it can do to humanity. Countries can use their space crafts and satellites to collect information about other countries they’re in conflict with. Obviously, this can lead to tensions between countries and eventually to wars.
Another issue that space exploration brings is that it poses a great danger for astronauts involved in it. Nasa mentions in an article how damaging cosmic (外太空的) radiation is for the human body because it can damage the nervous system both severely and in the long run. Besides, cosmic radiation sickness causes extreme tiredness, nausea (呕吐感), anorexia, and vomiting. From this point of view, space exploration does put our astronauts at great risks. However, preventive measures are taken, and their health is kept in check through intensive training and daily checkups.
While all previously mentioned observations are very good and make great points, space exploration still has more benefits than negative effects. It allows us to develop our technologies, which are already advanced thanks to space exploration. Moreover, by exploring space, we can discover new resources that we could use to better our lives here on Earth. And another thing is certain as well: we couldn’t build a better future for our children without space exploration.
1. Why does the author show the amount of money spent on Space exploration in Paragraph 2?| A．To show the disadvantage of space exploration. |
| B．To prove space exploration is highly important. |
| C．To criticize NASA for spending too much money. |
| D．To call on more money to be spent to stop world hunger. |
| A．Avoids. | B．Provides. | C．Causes. | D．Prevents. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Supportive. | C．Opposed. | D．Neutral. |
| A．To stress the importance of space exploration. |
| B．To argue against the advance of space exploration. |
| C．To show people’s concern about the astronauts’ health. |
| D．To introduce the problems that space exploration brings to people. |
| run out, make an attempt to, crash into, bring about, earn a living, carry on, figure out |
2. Don’t brake suddenly, the car behind might
3. First you should consider how to equip yourself to
4. Only actions can
5. Her bravery has given him the will to
6. You should
7. Soon, the money began to
