1 . If you mention “voice technology”, most people think of Siri, Alexa or Cortana. While personal artificial intelligence (AI) assistants are becoming increasingly popular in our everyday lives, they are just one use of voice tech, and are primarily designed for adults.
Irish tech company SoapBox Labs wants that to change. The company has developed speech recognition technology designed specifically for children, and it’s already in use across a range of applications, from toys to education apps.
Children’s voices differ from that of adults. “Typically, they have a higher pitch (音高), and may use different language or speech patterns, which regular voice technology cannot always pick up on.” explains Patricia Scanlon, the founder of SoapBox. “It’s understandable that an industry that has spent decades working on technology and only focusing on adults runs into a fairly significant problem when they try to apply it to children.”
Rather than making slight changes to the available voice technology already on the market, SoapBox builds its voice engine from scratch-focusing on children aged 2 to 12. The company says it created a data set to train its AI system, made up of thousands of hours of children’s speech collected in real-world noisy environments-kitchens, classrooms and cars-from kids of all ages, accents and dialects (方言)，from a total of 192 countries.
This opens up a whole new market, for which there’s growing demand. More than 8 billion digital voice assistants are expected to be in use, and there is an increased focus on adapting the tech for children.
SoapBox, which is selling a technology rather than a product, has attracted more than 50 clients from around the world. The technology can help a child learn to read or learn a language. It acts as a helpful adult, reacting immediately to the child and giving them one-on-one time, and it can also help to record a child’s progress and provide recommendations to a teacher or parent.
1. What makes SoapBox different from Siri?| A．Its use of voice tech. |
| B．Its creative use of AI. |
| C．It is designed for children. |
| D．It is used on many applications. |
| A．A lot of effort has gone into developing SoapBox. |
| B．Voice technology has much room for development. |
| C．There has been great demand for a system like SoapBox. |
| D．SoapBox understands adults’ voice better than that of children. |
| A．Recordings of 192 dialects. |
| B．Data from a previous system. |
| C．Speech from people of all ages. |
| D．Newly-collected speech of children. |
| A．Markets. | B．Suggestions. | C．Experiments. | D．Problems. |
2 . The Chinese Students and Scholars Association in the UK held a Spring Festival gala (庆典) on Wednesday in London to count down to the Chinese New Year. More than 900attendees, including representatives from British universities and education institutions, as well as Chinese students and scholars, joined to enjoy a feast of Chinese culture.
This year’s Chinese New Year falls on Saturday, and 2024 is the year of the dragon based on the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is considered by the Chinese people to represent dignity, prestige, and fortune.
The festival gala, with a theme of “Soaring Dragon’s Spring Melody”, featured Chinese folk music, dance, singing, martial arts performance and more.
During the event, Zheng Zeguang, China’s ambassador to the UK, made a speech to the attendees, highlighting major accomplishments achieved in the past year and stating China’s future development focuses.
He pointed out that China will determinedly pursue high-quality development and Chinese modernization to advance the great rejuvenation (复兴) of the Chinese nation. China will also call for an equal and orderly multipolar (多级的) world as well as for inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, Zheng noted. “Our motherland has bright prospects for future growth,” he said.
The ambassador praised Chinese students and scholars for being hardworking and behaving in a controlled way, saying that the number of Chinese students in the UK has significantly increased due to the transformation of China. “I hope you will carry on the tradition of patriotism. I hope you will ai m high and work hard. I hope you will unit e and help each other, as well as make friends widely. I hope you will grow into the backbone of the nation in the near future,” he said.
Alistair Fitt, vice-headmaster of Oxford Brookes University, extended warm wishes of good fortune and prosperity in the year of the dragon and expressed hope for progress in Sino-British relations. “I am very sure that our two great nations will continue to expand all of our very successful relationships,” he said.
1. What does the underlined word “prestige” in Paragraph 2 mean?| A．The condition of being strange and alone. | B．The condition of being respected and admired. |
| C．The condition of being large and frightening. | D．The condition of being followed and monitored. |
| A．Advertising activities have been organized well in China to promote British universities. |
| B．Chinese students are most attracted by the scenery in the UK. |
| C．The education fees in the UK have been reduced. |
| D．Great changes have taken place in China. |
| A．His suggestions. | B．His surprises. | C．His arrangements. | D．His expectations. |
| A．Spring Festival gala brings joy to Chinese students in UK |
| B．Chinese students in UK count down to Chinese New Year |
| C．Warm wishes of good fortune expressed in year of dragon in UK |
| D．China’s ambassador to UK states China’s future development focuses |
3 . I moved from America to Italy 14 years ago and I have learned a lot along the way. Here are several money-saving tricks I have picked up from living in Italy — most of which can apply to wherever you live too!
Buy fewer groceries at a time.
Italians tend to buy more fresh food — and buy it in smaller quantities. We have just what we know we’ll consume in a few days, before anything has a chance to spoil and go to waste.
Eat seasonally.
I love strawberries, cantaloupe and watermelon, but in Italy, I can only get them in the summer, when they’re ripe. Out of season, these fruits would have to be imported.
Cook more meals at home.
I live in a small town where we have no fast-food restaurants other than a pizzaria that does carry-out. OK! Not only do we save money on expensive restaurant meals, but we get more quality family time by cooking, eating and cleaning up together.
Yes, bigger cities have more options for fast food, delivery and carryout.
| A．Of course, it takes a little more meal planning. |
| B．We also end up having healthier meals. |
| C．Another way Italians save is by growing their own produce. |
| D．It takes a long time to transport goods from foreign countries. |
| E．McDonald’s plans to open 200 new restaurants and hire 12000 staff in Italy by 2025. |
| F．They’d be a lot more expensive, of lesser quality and quite possibly grow n in an industrial greenhouse. |
| G．But even where the community is less closely connected, cooking and sharing meals with family and friends is still a big part of the social structure in Italy. |
4 . In today’s society, kids are interested in films, music and video games. However, many parents are looking for exciting, protected and educational hobbies which their kids can get pleasure from.
One of the several reasons why collecting coins is a hobby that is fantastic for children is that it is an activity that can be enjoyed by oneself or as a family activity. It can teach them the significance of collecting potentially worthwhile items.
In terms of coin-collecting supplies, a lot of parents choose to obtain coin-collecting starter kits (入门套件). Coin-collecting starter kits may be different.
Depending on kids and their age, parents can educate them on collecting coins and the possibilities it holds. For instance, even if kids are just interested in collecting coins for entertainment, they must know that their coins collected may turn lucrative (赚钱的) one day. Of course, for that to take place, all coins collected need to be properly stored and cared for.
As previously stated, collecting coins is an excellent, protected and fun hobby for children of all ages to take pleasure in.
| A．There are a number of choices |
| B．Kids can learn how to save money from it |
| C．Coins collected by kids can be handed to their parents |
| D．But a lot come equipped with how-to guides or coin albums |
| E．Not only can this hobby be a single activity that is educational for children |
| F．Depending on kids’ age, parents can supply them with useful guides for collecting coins and coins resources |
| G．An additional reason why collecting coins is a hobby excellent for youngsters is that it is relatively affordable |
5 . The TV series Wolf Pack starring Sarah Michelle Gellar is centered around the lives of a group of Los Angeles teenagers, whose lives are changed forever when a supernatural creature is freed after a series of unexplained wildfires break out.
Not much is known about Gellar’s character on the show, except for the fact that she is playing Kristin Ramsey, an expert who moves to Los Angeles to find the person who started the wildfires. She spoke to Fox News Digital about her big return to TV, and explained why she thought she was drawn to projects featuring monsters (怪物).
“For me, it’s always about the stories, and in talking today, we have discovered that the superhuman allows you to tell the most human stories because it really allows you to use these monsters to explore emotions, fears and anxieties that you can’t experience in other worlds,” Gellar explained.
“I think it’s a really important conversation that people will be along for the ride, but then realize what the meaning is behind all of it,” she added. Gellar’s co-star, Rodrigo, agreed with her, saying he hoped audiences could look at the deeper meanings behind the monsters on the show and realize they were all metaphors (隐喻) to discuss in our own inner monsters.”
Gellar recently told SFX Magazine she was very proud of the show.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．The cause of wildfires. | B．A creature’s activity. |
| C．A group of teenagers’ lives. | D．The plot of Wolf Pack. |
| A．Rich experiences. | B．Monsters in the story. |
| C．Wildfires in a show. | D．Discussion with each other. |
| A．Satisfied. | B．Frightened. | C．Moved. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Nature. | C．Science. | D．Entertainment. |
6 . Over the last half century, obesity (肥胖症) rates have skyrocketed. In 1962, 46 percent of adults in the US were considered overweight. By 2010, that figure had jumped to 75 percent.
Obesity is a complex problem with many causes. But among the likely suspects, sugar is high on the list. A variety of research has drawn a link (联系) between sugar consumption (消耗) and overweight. As sugar consumption has increased, so has our waistline.
“I don’t think we have enough evidence yet to suggest that sugar is the reason for obesity,” says Johns Hopkins, a cardiologist. “But there is enough evidence to say that too much sugar consumption is an important contributor to weight gain.”
All those sweet snacks seem to be affecting the heart as well. In a study published in JAMA: Internal Medicine in 2014, researchers compared people who consumed a lot of added sugar accounting for 17 to 21 percent of their total daily calories with people who ate less sugar — just 8 percent of their total calories. Those in the high-sugar group had a 38 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease.
Excess weight increases the risk of many diseases like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 diabetes. Research by the team of Ndumele has shown that those factors usually explain the link between obesity and heart disease. “All of those factors make it more likely that someone will develop heart disease,” says Ndumele.
In other words, there are many reasons to aim for a healthy weight. And cutting back on sugar is a good place to start.
1. What does the underlined word “skyrocketed” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Risen quickly. | B．Dropped rapidly. |
| C．Led to many diseases. | D．Caught much attention. |
| A．Unsure. | B．Negative. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Supportive. |
| A．Obesity can cause heart disease. | B．Sugar contributes to weight gain. |
| C．Heart disease is linked to sugar intake. | D．Overweight increases high blood pressure. |
| A．Obesity—The Heart Killer | B．Less Sugar—A Good Start for Health |
| C．What to Do with Disease | D．How to Take Care of Your Sweet Teeth |
Nancy is used to getting up early every day. She is a young mother. By seven, she has already eaten breakfast, had a cup of coffee, washed the dishes, taken her shower, and put on her make-up. Then, it’s time to do the housework.
One early Saturday morning, when she was washing her son’s vacuum bottle (保温瓶), she felt upset. After having been used for long, the bottle was in poor condition. It was high time that she should buy a new one for her kid Bill, but her budget was limited. She had to decide that she would buy a new one only months later. Complaining wasn’t how she would normally choose to start the day, especially with the sun shining.
To cheer up and continue the day a bit more optimistically, she left the housework for later and set out with her little kid Bill for their morning walk on the beach a little earlier than usual. The local shops hadn’t opened yet. It was quiet outside; there were few people around.
Walking through the down town area, something on the pavement caught her attention. From a distance, it appeared to be a package of some sort. They walked over and Nancy picked it up. Upon examination, it turned out to be a brown paper bag. The downtown had nine blocks with stores. Grocery stores, furniture shops, cake shops, banks, bookstores, home-goods stores, clothing shops, and other businesses lined the street. Looking around, Nancy found none of them had been open for business. It was too early.
Nancy knew all this indicated that the object had most likely been purchased by someone the evening or day before. Since it was near the road, Nancy guessed someone must have dropped it, probably while loading other bags into a car.
Nancy looked inside the bag for more information. After opening it, she found there was a small handbag. In the bag, there were many cards. Among them, there was the owner’s ID card, which showed the owner’s address and name. Besides, there was a box in the brown bag. “What may be in the box?” Nancy thought to herself.
注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
She checked it, surprised to find there was a new vacuum bottle for kids in it.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nancy looked at the owner’s address again and made sure where the owner lived.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Exceptional” medieval village crowned southern France’s most beautiful hidden gem
If you want to avoid tourist traps and spend your next holiday somewhere breathtaking, this tiny French village is well worth your
Car rental firm Avis previously
Le Malzieu-Ville only has around 900 inhabitants, so you certainly won’t have to fight through crowds if you choose to have your next holiday there - and you can drive there too,
Speaking of the 13th century medieval city’s nickname, Pearl of the Valley, France Voyage states: “Natural curiosities, tourist facilities and shops combine
“The small village of Malzieux is beautiful with lots of little cobbled streets,”said Cindy in a review of one local Airbnb, while Charlotte described the area as “A real little slice of paradise.”
As
A trip to Le Malzieu-Ville also offers exceptional French cuisine, charming accommodation options, warm summer weather,
9 . Out in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 60 miles off the northwest coast of Africa, lie the Canary Islands. In the 1950s, the boom in package tourism showed promise as a new cash crop. But while the Canary Islands had the sunshine, warm climate and ease of access from Europe needed for this new industry, they were missing a vital element picture postcard sandy beaches.
So the developers on Tenerife in the Canary Islands constructed a breakwater (防波堤) over half a mile long. And then, from the Western Sahara on Africa’s northwest coast, they shipped in 270, 000 tons of sand. By 1973, the project was complete. As anticipated, tourists arrived. Along the engineered beach, rows and rows of tourists relax on beach chairs under umbrellas or walk across soft sand to cool down in the water.
Unanticipated was what their presence gave to one of the world’s most endangered fish species, angel sharks — visibility. The gentle wind creates tiny waves on the water’s surface, a magical cover for what lies beneath — an angel shark nursery. Female angel sharks regularly migrate to these ideally sheltered waters to give birth to pups (幼崽), who remain in the shallows for about a year. Feeding on small fishes, they grow to around the same length as a newborn human baby.
Surveys have shown that other beaches in the Canary Islands are also potential nursery sites. Interestingly, most of them have been remade to make them more attractive to people. Playa Chica has another long sweep of imported sand. It’s an attraction for divers as well as angel sharks, so the number of sightings of mature angel sharks of this shoreline is one of highest in the islands.
Normally, massive, environmentally disruptive projects are bad for wildlife. But what’s clear is that after the breakwater was built and the sand arrived, people followed, and in the calm, shallow waters they began to see baby angel sharks. And unlike how many an association between humans and wildlife ends-in conflict and dead animals, this time it led to conservation.
1. Why did the developers on Tenerife carry out the project?| A．To build a base for shipping. | B．To boost the local tourism industry. |
| C．To fight against the rising sea. | D．To protect the island’s eco-system. |
| A．It caused the disappearance of some fishes. |
| B．It made a magical tourist attraction. |
| C．It gave angel sharks a home. |
| D．It created conflicts between sharks and tourists. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unclear. | D．Intolerant. |
| A．To highlight the financial benefits of tourism. |
| B．To introduce potential human-wildlife coexistence. |
| C．To explain the situation of endangered species. |
| D．To emphasize the importance of wildlife conservation. |
10 . VAX PLATNUM POWERMAX carpet washer
Deep clean and remove up to 93% of bacteria with ease.
Proven to clean better than the leading rental.
VAX Platinum Power Max cleans carpets with ease and leaves them dry in as little as 1 hour.
Deep cleaningWe’re obsessed with removing bacteria from our homes, but what about our carpets? Even if vacuuming makes them look spotless, potentially harmful stuff could still be living deep down -a layer of bacteria that can’t be removed by vacuuming alone. The Vax Platinum Power Max cleans carpets 5 times better than a high-performance vacuum cleaner and handles like one too-it’s simple to use, allowing you to get rid of up to 93% of bacteria easily.
VAX technologyIt’s packed with technology, treating the carpet with a precise mix of water and Vax Platinum solution. Our SpinScrub Technology and powerful XL brush bar agitate（搅动） the carpet in two different directions, pushing the solution into the fibres before the bacteria and dirt are sucked away. In fact, the Vax Platinum Power Max cleans carpets better than the leading rental.
Simple to useFill one tank with water and the other with Vax Platinum Solution, then AutoMix does the rest. There’s no measuring, just pour it in and you’re ready to go. When you’re done just tip the dirty water away. Our Quick Clean function will have your carpet smelling fresh and dry again in as little as l hour.
Clean more than just your carpetsThe Vax Platinum Power Max comes loaded with handy tools. The pre-treatment wand helps you get busy areas clean with ease. The SpinScrub tool and hose give your car interior, stairs and upholstery a deep-down clean; allowing you to remove the most stubborn of stains. Plus, when you buy direct from Vax, receive a free Steamer worth 49.99.
1. The passage is intended to ______.| A．merely compare the differences between the leading rental with a carpet washer |
| B．tell readers the potentially harmful stuff left in the carpet after using vacuuming |
| C．recommend potential customers to buy a carpet washer |
| D．teach people how to clean carpets quickly |
| A．While filling the tank, you should pay attention to the amount of water needed. |
| B．The Vax Platinum Power Max cleans carpets much better than vacuum cleaner. |
| C．If the carpet washer is bought from Vax directly, a free Steamer will be included. |
| D．The Vax Platinum Power Max together with handy tools will be contained. |
| A．outside of a car | B．stairway |
| C．interior decoration | D．hard-to-clean stains |
