1 . One of the problems damaging our planet is the number of things we throw away. Rubbish of all kinds is piling up in landfill and polluting our rivers and oceans. A more recent addition to the list of things we throw away is e-waste — electronic items that are broken and not recycled. Now solutions are being found to give this stuff a new life.
A UN report claims the 50 million tonnes of e-waste generated every year will more than double to 110 million tonnes by 2050 and that’s partly because it’s cheaper to replace them than fix them, but also because we lack the skills to repair them.
However, there’s a growing trend for repair events and clubs which could be part of a solution to the growing amount of electrical and electronic junk. The BBC visited a Restart Project in London. One of its volunteers, Francesco Calo, said that “this project allows you to reduce waste, extend the life of objects, and it helps people who cannot afford to get rid of items that have gone wrong.”
As many electrical items contain valuable metals, another idea is e-waste mining. An experiment at the University of New South Wales involves extracting (提取) these materials from electronic gadgets (部件). It’s thought that doing this could be more profitable than traditional mining. With phones typically containing as many as 60 elements, this could be part of the solution to our appetite for new technology.
These projects make total sense — collections of e-waste for recycling are “not growing or even decreasing” according to Ruediger Kuehr, a professor of the United Nations University. And in countries where there is no relevant laws, much of it just gets dumped. However, the European Union, for example, is trying to tackle the problem by insisting manufacturers have to make appliances longer-lasting and will have to supply spare parts for machines for up to 10 years.
1. What does the underlined part “this stuff” in paragraph 1 refer to?A.Our planet | B.E-waste | C.Recycling system | D.Rubbish |
A.By offering high prices to recycle e-waste. | B.By training volunteers to promote e-waste. |
C.By creating long-lasting items to avoid e-waste. | D.By fixing electrical items to reduce e-waste. |
A.To emphasize the value of e-waste mining. | B.To suggest a way for people to earn a living. |
C.To explain the process of e-waste mining. | D.To provide a way of dealing with rubbish. |
A.Why our planet is getting worse. | B.What can be done to manage e-waste. |
C.Why technology is not a good thing. | D.How we can protect the environment. |
2 . Being an opinion writer and journalist, I was demanded that I make a public statement about hot issues online. The voices yelling at me and anyone else who failed to post seemed to believe that not making a statement was itself a statement — and an immoral one, at that.
On social media, people take a position that results in positive comments but reduces complex issues to a simple yes or no. Taking simplistic stands can also lead to twisting words. This kind of simple thinking is deeply unserious and further fuels hatred (敌意), changing personal opinions into extremism and mistaking the expressions of anger for brave action in the face of horror.
These loud, reductive declarations reflect genuine fear about horrors that lie beyond words. Simple binaries (二元对立) imply simple solutions. And it’s much more pleasant to tell yourself you stand on the side of good, against evil, than to question whether the lines of boundaries were drawn correctly.
Sitting with uncertainty is hard, especially when social media has urged us to expect perfect real-time information during unfortunate events and immediate answers and resolution. Moral certainty is a point we stand on when factual certainty is not possible. And the faster we express it, the more certain we appear.
Such thoughtless posts are not what bother me most, though. Instead, it’s the idea that not posting is wrong somehow — that everyone needs to speak, all the time. It discourages shutting up and listening and letting the voices that matter the most be heard over the noise. It suggests that having any doubts about what’s happening or forming moral conclusions that don’t make sense to share on social media is unacceptable.
I do have opinions, of course, but they don’t fit on social media. While I’ve regretted posting half-formed thoughts too quickly, I’ve never regretted waiting until I was less angry or not posting at all.
1. What does the author think of people’s quick posts on hot issues?A.Positive. | B.Irresponsible. | C.Uncaring. | D.Unkind. |
A.Reasons why people rush to post opinions. | B.Ways people use to express ideas. |
C.Means by which people solve difficult problems. | D.Facts on which people base their judgement. |
A.Too many posts online. | B.Too much false information. |
C.People’s judgement on not posting. | D.People’s unawareness of current issues. |
A.It’s useless to post ideas on social media. | B.It’s better to keep silent than blindly follow suit. |
C.Everyone has the right to voice his opinion. | D.Everyone must guard network security. |
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均只限一词;
2. 只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Kevin,
I am so grateful to have a wonderful teacher like you. Under your careful guidance last year, I made a rapid progress in English. The encouraged atmosphere in your class helped me voice my opinions freely, that has greatly enhanced my speaking fluency.
For further improvement, I hope to interact with you less in class. Discussions in pairs or groups does help us, but your timely feedback can allow us to improve your learning effect. What’s more, it is thoughtfully of you to speak slowly. So the faster speed which you talk with other native speakers may better sharpen our listening skills.
I sincerely hope these suggestion will be useful. Looking forward to your wonderful lessons next semester.
Yours,
Li Hua
The Qiaoxi Historical and Cultural Block in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is perfect for visitors
Once a busy market for local trade in ancient times and
The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal
5 . Performing First-Aid During a Nose Bleed
Nose bleeds are common and can occur naturally. Nose bleeds occur when the inner lining of one’s nose is hurt or dry.
Position your body. To begin, sit down, since it is more comfortable than standing.
Pinch (捏) the nose. With a finger and thumb, pinch the lower fleshy end of the nose, completely blocking the nostrils. Pinching at this point directly applies pressure at the region where the blood vessels are damaged.
Wash your nose and rest. After bleeding has stopped, you can clean the area around your nose with warm water. After you have cleaned your face, you should rest for a while.
A.Cool yourself down. |
B.Watch your body reaction. |
C.It will help stop the flow of blood. |
D.A hospital check is then quite necessary. |
E.This is to help to prevent further bleeding again. |
F.Do not lie down as this can cause blood to pass down the throat. |
G.The resulting damage to small blood vessels in the nose causes bleeding. |
6 . In the face of technological change, creativity is often held up as a unique human quality.
Today however, AI applications such as Chat GPT and Midjourney seem to threaten to upend this special status. These new AI models learn from huge database and user feedback, and can produce new contents in the form of text, images, and sounds. As such, jobs focused on delivering contents — writing, creating images, coding, and other jobs — now seem likely to be uniquely affected by AI. The situation seems more concerning when most of these applications are so easy to use that even children with elementary-level skills in their natural language can use them to create contents right now.
This isn’t a necessary threat to people who do creative work, though. Rather than putting many creators out of work, AI allows them to do it with greater speed and efficiency and reduces the time and effort required to come up with new ideas. Of course, humans will still have to devote time to possibly correcting and editing the information AI produces, but, overall, creative projects should be able to move forward more quickly.
But what we can’t ignore is that AI produces contents cheaply and fast. So there’s always a trend that human writers, producers, and creators practice less and less new human intellectual thoughts and gradually rely on AI design totally. In this way there’s a real risk that innovation will slow down over time and thus significantly change the present structure for creative work.
Creativity has always been of great importance to innovation process and hence competitiveness. So, we need to understand the threats and challenges AI brings. And once we understand what is to change and how, we can adopt AI to create greater value and it is quite hopeful that we see further liberation for creativity.
1. Why do new AI models seem to threaten human creativity?A.Because they collect huge information. | B.Because they do creative work. |
C.Because they disturb humans judgement. | D.Because they offer easy access. |
A.By bettering the creating process. | B.By sorting out information into groups. |
C.By helping correct creator’s mistakes. | D.By reducing the producing cost. |
A.AI drives humans out of work. | B.It is hard to discover Al’s mistakes. |
C.Humans rely on AI too much. | D.No innovation is in AI’s design. |
A.Who Changes the Structure of Creative Work? | B.Creativity: Unique Human Quality at Last |
C.AI Is Destroying the Field of Creativity | D.Could AI Threaten Human Creativity? |
1. 时间管理的原因;2. 管理时间的做法;3. 号召大家管理好时间。
注意:1. 词数100左右。2. 题目已为你写好。
Manage Our Time
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . In January 2008, Rachel Lapierre, a full-time nurse and part-time volunteer aid worker, made a life-changing decision. After an exhausting day at work she
True to her word, Lapierre spent all her life through her
Over the years, Le Book has
Le Book Humanitaire, born from Rachel’s lottery win, continues to be a source of
A.booked | B.bought | C.noticed | D.delivered |
A.agreement | B.choice | C.wish | D.deal |
A.quit | B.earn | C.fund | D.improve |
A.adapt | B.ease | C.devote | D.compare |
A.prize | B.competition | C.game | D.profit |
A.team | B.research | C.nursing | D.charity |
A.comment | B.plan | C.survey | D.record |
A.pay | B.help | C.treat | D.attract |
A.encouragement | B.bravery | C.generosity | D.kindness |
A.orders | B.messages | C.meals | D.speeches |
A.word | B.money | C.dream | D.career |
A.valuable | B.unusual | C.efficient | D.positive |
A.worked with | B.developed into | C.accounted for | D.focused on |
A.research | B.organization | C.firm | D.hospital |
A.representing | B.imitating | C.predicting | D.recommending |
A.designed | B.completed | C.invested | D.introduced |
A.rescuing | B.deciding | C.protecting | D.touching |
A.inspiration | B.enthusiasm | C.relief | D.fantasy |
A.assist | B.shape | C.affect | D.liberate |
A.explore | B.satisfy | C.rule | D.save |
9 . Although travelling alone may sound discouraging, solo travel is continuing to rise in popularity. There may be numerous reasons why someone is travelling independently. Here are our top reasons to travel by yourself.
Time for you
Some people say solo travel is the comfort and relaxation of having your very own. However, for those looking for some more adventurous “me-time,” solo tours also typically offer plenty of free time to go it alone. During your time at leisure, you have the freedom to do your own exploration, see the sights you want to see or simply relax and take it easy. With no-one to compromise with, it’s totally up to you.
Meet like-minded people
Solo travel doesn’t mean you have to travel alone. Solo travelers come from all walks of life, but they usually all share the same passion — a desire to see the world! It’s often the people you meet on holiday that are the max highlight of the entire trip and, even though you’re travelling alone, you’ll have amazing memories of the shared experiences you had together with people in your group. Take plenty of pictures to remember forever.
You’ll never be alone
Group travel is ideal for solo travelers as it offers the opportunity to a group of like-minded people, each interested in their chosen destination. Being part of a group provides extra security (especially key for independent female travelers who may feel anxious about being on their own) and for everyone there is the benefit of an expert local guide who is keen to share their knowledge. The guides also accompany you on tours and can offer suggestions on what to see and do in your leisure time to ensure you have an authentic and enjoyable experience.
So, if your friends and family are unable to join you on your dream holiday, don’t let that stop you. Travel Department is delighted to partner with Reader’s Digest and offer their readers an exclusive discount on 2023 & 2024 holidays. To discuss any questions or make a booking simply call 0203 966 0527.
1. What is the best part of the entire solo trip?A.The beautiful scenery on the way. | B.The freedom to choose your destination. |
C.The people you meet during the trip. | D.The pictures you take along the way. |
A.Protection and security measures. | B.Company and personalized suggestions. |
C.Knowledge and leisure activities. | D.Freedom and enjoyable experience. |
A.To educate. | B.To explain. | C.To advertise. | D.To instruct. |
10 . Lots of animals play. But the behavior is best known in mammals (哺乳动物) and birds. Now the scientists at London’s Queen Mary University report that bumblebees (大黄蜂) know the same thing. But before this, there were no reports of insects playing.
Dr. Lars Chittka began to wonder if bumblebees played during an earlier test. In that test, Chittka guided bumblebees to move balls into a goal for food. He noticed that some bees were rolling (滚动) balls even when they weren’t given food. He wondered if they were playing.
To test the idea, the scientists at his lab set up a new test. First, they numbered 45 young bumblebees between one and 23 days old. The numbers let them follow bumblebees’ behavior. Then, they set up a clear pathway from the bumblebees’ home to a feeding area. On either side of the open pathway, the researchers placed small colored wooden balls. On one side of the path, the balls couldn’t move. On the other side, the balls could roll around. For three hours a day, over 18 days, the scientists opened the pathway between the home and the feeding area. The bumblebees never had to leave the pathway to find food, but they left anyway. They weren’t interested in the side where the balls didn’t move, but they made lots of visits to the side with the rolling balls.
Catching the balls with their legs, the bees would move their wings to pull on the balls, causing them to roll. The 45 numbered bumblebees did this 910 times during the test. Though some only did it once, others did it a lot. The younger ones liked to spend more time rolling balls while the older ones showed less interest in it. One bee was recorded rolling balls 44 times in a single day. One was seen rolling balls 117 times over the whole test.
The test raises important questions about how the insects’ minds work and whether they have feelings.
1. What did Chittka want to do about bumblebees in the earlier test?A.Discover if they played. | B.Train them to move balls. |
C.Make them learn to relax. | D.Find out if they’d share food. |
A.They named each of them. | B.They let them interested in balls. |
C.They had all of them go hungry. | D.They marked them one by one. |
A.They held their attention for longer. | B.They understood simpler numbers. |
C.They were less active in rolling balls. | D.They helped the young pull on balls. |
A.Bumblebees Are First Insects Known to Play |
B.Two Tests Prove Bumblebees Expect to Play |
C.Bumblebees Are the World’s Smartest Insects |
D.Scientists Make Bumblebees Work for Them |