1 . Women experience a “gender tenure gap”, lasting in CEO roles at publicly listed companies for shorter periods than men, according to new research which may support the idea that female leaders are subject to a “ glass cliff ” where they are set up to fail.

The concept of the glass cliff is that women are more likely to be appointed as leaders when an organization is in a time of crisis, so that their position is seen as more precarious than male counterparts.

Researchers at the University of Exeter found in 2005 that women were more likely to be appointed as board members after a company’s share price had performed badly. Professor Ryan told the Observer that the Russell Reynolds analysis was “ robust and added to the body of work in this area”.

“If women are more likely to take on leadership roles in times of crisis, then it follows that their time in office is likely to be stressful, more heavily scrutinised and shorter in tenure. This reduced tenure could be for a number of reasons — because there is often higher turnover in times of crisis, because they are judged as not performing well, even though poor performance was in train before their appointment, or because when things start to turn around, men come back into leadership roles.” she said.

Chief executive roles have a very low turnover, she said, which makes progress harder. “I think men can enjoy a greater followership — support within the organization. They can suffer big setbacks and rise again. Women who have been CEOs tend to go off to an alternative career.

However, she said that there was cause for optimism. The number of women on FTSE 350 boards is now 41%, up from 9.5% in 2011, and appointing women is “now the norm”. Russell Reynolds also found in a survey of 1,500 leaders worldwide that there were no significant differences in how women and men were perceived by the people who worked for them, showing that they were equally effective as leaders, although women were seen as being better at coaching and development.

1. What does the underlined word “precarious” probably mean?

A．Dangerous.

B．Profitable.

C．Essential.

D．Available.

2. Which of the following statements is correct?

A．“gender tenure gap” can be found in the majority of companies.

B．Male leaders are less likely to be appointed as board members.

C．Woman leaders in times of crisis tend to be shorter in tenure.

D．Female leaders are generally not performing well during their appointment.

3. What does the last paragraph indicate?

A．Women leaders are destined to eliminate glass cliff in the future.

B．Nowadays woman leaders differ hugely from man leaders in followership.

C．Man leaders are superior to woman leaders in every aspect.

D．Woman leaders are no less competent than man counterparts.

2 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

Released on Aug 30, 2023, a three-episode web series     1     (title) Escape From the British Museum has become popular online for its touching and innovative story. The series follows the journey home of a Chinese jade teapot that has come to life as a girl. She runs away from the British Museum and comes across a Chinese journalist     2     helps the artifact (文物) return to China. The series aims to raise broader awareness of Chinese artifacts that     3       (keep) abroad.

3 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

I always wanted to be like explorers Marco Polo or Ibn Battuta. They traveled the world with curiosity and a desire to share with others the marvels they discovered. They had no Internet, guidebooks, social media, blogs, vlogs, reviews, or slideshows. And with so much information available, how can one possibly be like these travel writing pioneers?

The answer may shock you as it did my travel journalism students. I plan nothing in advance except for a place to stay and let the place reveal itself to me on its own terms. And how does that work out? I have contributed to 130 international publications with articles about what I discovered.

I do not recommend this approach to everyone. But what I do suggest is that you give up your desire to have everything planned in advance, and that you stop obsessing about all the trip details and trying to make it a perfect trip. Whether you are traveling with a tour group, friends, family, or solo, leave unstructured time, so magic can happen.

Many people I know approach travel like a job, and a stressful one at that. They want to make sure they cover all the bases and don’t miss anything. But in my opinion, they copy what others have done before them and check each site off on a list.

So how do you make your trip unique? I call it slow travel. It’s not just about slowing down. Instead of running from place to place, you look around you, you take your environment in, you notice things that perhaps no one has ever noticed before. You can start talking to people. Random people you meet and talk to are a key element you cannot plan for. They may tell you about places and events that will enrich your trip. They give you local insider tips. They may even accompany you or invite you to join them for an experience. They have enriched every trip I have taken. And the more you talk to people — even if you are shy — the more you develop the self - confidence to do more of it. And then you are really in the present, having an experience that is uniquely yours.

1. Why does the author’s way of travelling shock her students?
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What does the author think of most people’s way of travelling?
___________________________________________________________________________
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.

You can make your trip unique by making a detailed plan, noticing new things in the place and meeting local people to experience local life.

___________________________________________________________________________
4. Besides slow travel, in what other aspect （s） in our life do you think we should slow down? Why? （In about 40 words）
___________________________________________________________________________

4 . In 1992, Edward de Bono argued that “creativity is the most important human resource of all.” But might computers have the capacity to be creative? Could artificial intelligence outperform us in even the most human of phenomena? These questions have moved to the forefront of society with the launch of ChatGPT and DALL-E, two powerful deep learning models capable of creating art.

Where human creativity comes from is a complex and heavily-debated topic. One theory supposes that creativity emerges from solving problems in new ways. The game designer Mark Rosewater explains that “if you use the same neural pathways, you get to the same answers, and with creativity, that’s not your goal.” But studies from the University of Virginia suggest humans most default (默认) to solving problems by building on known solutions, restricting originality. Some neuroscientists propose another theory regarding creativity. Research from the University of Calgary reveals that when being creative, humans don’t use the same brain regions associated with thought and problem-solving, implying that creativity is primarily an unconscious process. According to this theory, the brain solves problems best when not directly focusing on them using the frontal lobe (前额叶) , instead letting the other parts of the brain take over.

A. I. cannot currently emulate (仿真) the full complexity of the human mind. Do these deep learning networks even have the required components that we use when we are creative? Douglas Hofstadter explains how “emergent phenomena,” such as creativity, correspond to connections between levels within mental systems. Similar connections could exist in artificial neural networks, even if the mechanics differ. For example, modern artificial intelligence employs attention circuits that may cause it to behave similarly to the frontal lobe where most of the brain’s focusing tendencies come from.

The emergent nature of creativity opens the door for similar tendencies in machines, but they are tuned so carefully to copy existing ideas that it may not be enough for true originality. Mr. Rosewater’s theory on creativity suggests that for A. I. to be creative, it should be able to solve problems in new ways, which is difficult because A. I. is based so heavily on already existing ideas. Alternatively, if creativity is an unconscious process as the University of Calgary research suggests, then it occurs mostly outside the frontal lobe and may not exist in machine learning networks. Either way, current A. I. probably lacks the capacity for genuine creativity and originality, but it can combine existing ideas in interesting ways.

The question of machine creativity has repercussions in many areas, such as developing copyright law regarding A. I. works, considering A. I. submissions in art contests, and determining the use of ChatGPT as a tool for school assignments. Creativity may be, at least for now, a unique human quality. Computers are not yet starting revolutionary artistic movements, but they are already combining what exists into something new, challenging us to look deeper into our own creativity.

1. About the source of human creativity, research from the University of Calgary discovers that ______.

A．human creativity heavily relies on the existing ideas

B．dealing with problems helps develop human creativity

C．being creative is closely related to certain brain regions

D．human creativity is a process that happens automatically

2. The author would probably agree that ______.

A．efforts should be put into the study of human creativity

B．creativity can be attained consciously on most occasions

C．A. I. creates better than humans in some areas at present

D．humans need machines to be more creative in various areas

3. What does the underlined word “repercussions” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?

A．Influences.

B．Objections.

C．Doubts.

D．Causes.

4. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A．Computing Creativity: Is it a good thing?

B．Computing Creativity: Can it be possible?

C．Human Creativity: Why does human develop it?

D．Human Creativity: How can A. I. help human create?

5 . Baleen whales play a vital role in ecosystems. To communicate across vast distances and find each other, baleen whales depend critically on the production of sounds that travels far in dark oceans. However, since whale songs were first discovered more than 50 years ago, it remained unknown how baleen whales produce their complex vocalizations (发音).

A new study in the journal Nature reports that baleen whales developed unique structures in their larynx (喉) that enable their low-frequency vocalizations, but also limit their communication range. The study was led by voice scientists Professor Coen Elemans and Professor Tecumseh Fitch. “The toothed whales and baleen whales were initially land animals that had a larynx serving two functions: protecting the airways and sound production. However, their switching to living in the water placed new and strict demands on the larynx to prevent choking underwater,” says Tecumseh Fitch.

The study shows that baleen whales nevertheless can still produce sound with their larynx, but they have developed new structures to do so, which only exists in baleen whales. “This is probably to keep a rigid open airway when they have to move huge amounts of air in and out during explosive surface breathing,” states Fitch. “We found that this U-shaped structure pushes against a big fatty cushion (垫) on the inside of the larynx. When the whales push air from their lungs past this cushion, it starts to shake and this generates very low frequency underwater sounds,” says Elemans.

To understand how muscle activity could change the calls, the researchers built a computational model of the entire whale larynx. The model predicted the natural vocalizations of the whales very well. However, these newly discovered features that allowed whales to successfully communicate in the vast oceans also poses huge physiological (生理的) limits for many baleen whales. Combining experiments and models, the researchers provide the first evidence that baleen whales are physiologically incapable of escaping noise caused by humans, because it covers up their voices, and thus limits their communication range. “Unfortunately, the main frequency and depth of man-made noise caused by shipping traffic cover the frequency range and maximum communication depth of 100 meters that we predicted,” Elemans says.

The first voice recordings of a certain whale song by Roger and Katy Payne in 1970 attracted global interest in sea conservation efforts. The Payne’s made people aware how quiet the seas were before humans started the widespread use of machine ships. Elemans adds: “Compared to the seventies, our oceans are now even more filled with human-made noise, which affects the whales, because they are dependent on sound for communication. Now we show that despite their amazing physiology, they literally cannot escape the noise humans make in the oceans.”

1. What can we know about baleen whales’ vocalization system?

A．Their airways are closed during explosive surface breath.

B．Their larynx has difficulty preventing choking underwater.

C．Their vocalization system changed when they were land animals.

D．Their fatty cushion shakes to make low frequency underwater sounds.

2. The researchers’ experiments and models show that ______.

A．baleen whales are incapable of recognizing humans’ noise

B．the muscle activity is related to the vocalizations of the whales

C．human-made noises disturb baleen whales’ communication range

D．the bodily features in baleen whales limit their communication depth

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Sea conservation efforts used to be better than now.

B．The special structure protects Baleen whales from noises.

C．Actions should be taken to regulate human activities at sea.

D．The application of technology contributes to sea conservation.

6 . Interested in writing, photography or current events? Looking for an experience to inspire your college essays? Or hoping to explore a world-class city with new friends this summer? If so, check out the Boston University Summer Journalism Academy. It’s a program created and run by Boston University, where high school students:

●     Learn from award-winning, working journalists — including two who have shared in Pulitzer Prizes for their reporting.
●     Report on actual events around Boston or your hometown.
●     Place stories with Boston’s Daily Free Press, one of the top college newspapers.
●     Improve their writing, interviewing, and research skills — applicable for any major and career.

The academy offers two options: an on-campus, residential program over three weeks for students with journalism experience, and a learn-from-home program over two weeks for all experience levels. For students interested in photography, we offer a special photojournalism track for both. Every option is organized in three sections:

●     Classroom starts each day with a review of journalism fundamentals in a collegiate format. A university-level journalism textbook provides daily readings and writing assignments.
●     Newsroom provides time for students to apply what they learn in the Classroom to hands-on journalism assignments. Over the rest of their day, students conduct interviews and gather information.
●    Guest Talks offer students advice and insight from journalism experts in topics such as radio reporting and studying journalism in college. Sessions feature a Guest Talk during each three-week session from journalism experts. Students also visit city newsrooms to hear from famous reporters.

Applications for the on-campus session June 24 to July 12 are due: April 19. Applications for learn-at-home sessions starting June 17, July 1 and July 15 are due: May 10.

●     On Campus, residential: Three weeks, including tuition (学费), activity fees, room and board: $ 6,200. ($ 400 discounts for Early Bird applicants by Mar 8!)

Learn-from-Home: Two weeks, tuition: $ 1,500. ($200 discounts for Early Bird applicants by Mar 8!)

1. In the program, participants can ______.

A．develop their interviewing skills

B．finish their college essays with help

C．get inspiration from retired journalists

D．publish stories in Boston official website

2. If one chooses to learn in on-campus program, one needs to ______.

A．pay at most $ 1,500	B．apply before May 10
C．have journalism experience	D．have knowledge in photography

3. What will the three sections provide for participants?

A．Advice and insight from top photographers.

B．Reviews of reading and writing fundamentals.

C．A weekly talk with leading journalism experts.

D．Chances to put journalism knowledge into practice.

7 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

Wake up early enough and probably you     1     （hear） a pleasant chorus of birds. This early singing can start as early as 4 a. m. and last for several hours. Birds do it     2     （attract） mates and warn other birds to avoid their place. One theory as to     3     they choose the early morning to communicate these important messages is that the low visibility makes it hard to do other bird activities, like searching for food. Keeping their activity level low, they choose to sing instead.

8 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号所给词的正确形式填空。

In America, people use both “fall” and “autumn” to describe the     1     (three) season of the year. According to Dictionary. com, these two words were first documented within a few     2     (century). The period between summer and winter was called “harvest”     3     old English. This word has Germanic origins highlighting the act of gathering and preserving crops before winter. In the 1500s, English speakers     4     (begin) referring to the season between cold and warm months as the “fall of the leaf” which later shortened to “fall”.

9 . Socrates, Galileo, Marie Curie, Einstein ... What did these great thinkers have in common? They all practiced deliberate doubt and used it as a tool to improve their thinking and generate creative ideas.

    1     It is about suspending our certainty and letting go of our preconceived (先入为主的) notions in order to explore new ideas and perspectives. When we’re certain of something, we tend to stop looking for alternative explanations or possibilities.     2     Doubt can, of course, be unsettling, but it can also result in a greater understanding of a subject and inspire fresh thoughts and insights.

    3     But it doesn’t mean we should use it all the time. While deliberate doubt can be a valuable tool for generating creative ideas and exploring complex problems, it can also be counterproductive if it is not practiced in the right way.

It’s important to keep in mind that deliberate doubt is not constant doubt. If we’re continuously doubting our own ideas, we’ll be less likely to pursue them and see them through to completion.     4     We spend so much time doubting everything and end up not doing anything.

    5     We can become self-critical and unsure of our abilities, which can undermine our self-esteem. As a result, we may be too afraid to try new things or take risks.

To avoid these traps, it’s important to strike a balance between doubt and certainty, and to use doubt as a tool to stimulate creative thinking and exploration, rather than as a means of undermining ourselves or others.

A．Deliberate doubt can also lead to a lack of confidence.

B．But when we doubt, we’re forced to consider other perspectives.

C．In this case, deliberate doubt can prevent us from making decisions.

D．When practiced all the time, deliberate doubt can lead to a different belief.

E．By turning doubt into a deliberate process, we open ourselves to new possibilities.

F．Deliberate doubt is the practice of actively questioning our beliefs and assumptions.

G．Deliberate doubt can help us to develop a more open-minded approach to the world.

10 . Mark Brown, 57, had been making films for 30 years, but he found himself feeling tired of it. “I thought, things can only go downhill.” Brown knew he needed to do something else — but what? A few years earlier, he had bought his childhood house and moved in. While Brown wondered about a second care er in gardening, he heard a different internal voice. “That child who used to love drawing whispered to me down the years,” he said. Some unacknowledged longing in him was brought out.

There was a great oak tree near his home. It had stood out to his young self as a “fantastical giant — a treasure home to birds, insects and animals. There was a cave inside. We used to squeeze in through this hole.” He decided to lock himself away for two months to draw it in all its glorious detail.

“While I was drawing,” he said, “there came moments when it was as though the tree was drawing itself. I had spent so much time playing in it. I could feel it. It was deep inside me.” His finished oak held “a real power”, he said. “As you walk towards it, it just grows.” Brown became a tree portraitist.

Over the next few years, he travelled across Britain and spent days with the trees selected with the help of the Ancient Tree Forum, the Tree Council and the Woodland Trust. Brown has started work on a 20-drawing series of Britain’s most important ash trees. “These beautiful old ash trees are going to be lost to us,” he says. “They are 350 years old and they are dying because of a disease that we’ve spread.”

Drawing is not only an act of care and a demand for preservation, but it “gives me that interface between my passion for the natural world and my creativity,” Brown says. It has also given him a different perspective on the passage of time. “I’m an old man yet I’m only 71, and some of the trees I’ve drawn are 1,000 years old. When I’m with them and when I draw them, I think about the end of my life and the brief nature of human life that passes momentarily beneath them.”

1. At the age of 57, Brown ______.

A．moved into his old house	B．awakened a childhood interest
C．reached the peak of his life	D．developed a passion for gardening

2. What can we learn about the oak tree and Brown?

A．It helped him start a new career.	B．It linked him with the world.
C．He built a tree house in it.	D．He studied creatures in it.

3. What is Brown working on?

A．Setting up tree organizations.	B．Looking for cures for tree diseases.
C．Drawing to call for protection for trees.	D．Travelling to select important trees in Britain.

4. When Brown is with trees, he feels that ______.

A．time is endless	B．human life is temporary
C．nature is dynamic	D．life-long learning is crucial