1 . Over the last 60 years, many spacecraft have flown by, orbited and even landed on Mars. But human explorers could work faster and be more flexible than machines. Setting foot on Mars would be a major milestone in space exploration.
First, a roundtrip to Mars causes many extra health risks. For one thing, floating in microgravity for long periods weakens bones and muscles. For another, it allows fluid to build up in the head.
Then there’s space radiation to worry about. The Earth’s magnetic field protects astronauts near Earth from high-energy cosmic (宇宙的) rays. Those cosmic rays might raise the risk of cancer and other health problems.
Planning a trip to Mars isn’t just about keeping astronauts safe.
| A．Exploring space always comes with risks. |
| B．It also involves protecting Mars from astronauts. |
| C．They can’t restock like astronauts on the space station do. |
| D．On longer journeys astronauts would face prolonged exposure. |
| E．That’s why certain nations are interested in dispatching humans to Mars. |
| F．This can lead to increased pressure in the eyes and result in vision complications. |
| G．Establishing and surviving in a Mars colony would present numerous challenges. |
2 . Starship Technologies originated in Estonia but is now based in San Francisco. The company employs dozens of six-wheeled delivery robots on college campuses. Starship is also adding four new schools to its operational field: University of Illinois Chicago, University of Kentucky, University of Nevada, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Currently, the company operates on 20 college campuses in 15 states with a global fleet that totals 1,000 robots. This expansion will add 85 more robots to that fleet. Starship states that it has done over 1.5 million deliveries worldwide since its founding in 2014. The company has raised $102 million so far, including $17 million in fresh funding announced earlier this year.
Each robot in Starship is electric, has a box that can fit about 20 pounds of goods, and has a number of cameras to identify objects in the way and help guide it to its destination. The robots have a delivery area of three to four miles and can travel at a maximum speed of 4mph, which is obviously slower than a delivery by a human on a bike or in a car. And they can climb the edge of roads but not stairs, which may limit their appeal to customers who live in high-rise buildings.
Delivery via robots is still relatively brave in the US. There are a handful of start-ups operating delivery robots of varying sizes, everything from fully-sized minivans like Udelv to robots that are almost similar to Starship’s like Amazon and Yandex. Recently, Postmates has also invented a delivery robot called Serve that can carry 50 pounds of goods. There are even some newly produced robots like Nuro, which has made what can be best described as a mini-robotic car, and others that fall somewhere in between. All claim to be automated, but some still require humans to follow their movements.
Demand for delivery robots has risen since the pandemic, though it remains to be seen whether that will hold up as the economy reopens and fewer people rely on takeout from restaurants.
1. What do we know about Starship Technologies from Paragraph 1?| A．It operates globally. |
| B．It employs university students as designers. |
| C．It is spreading its service on campuses. |
| D．It is diversifying into the field of scientific education. |
| A．They are likely to get lost. |
| B．They work much slower than men. |
| C．They have difficulty going up stairs. |
| D．They are unable to identify customers. |
| A．New. | B．Efficient. |
| C．Conventional. | D．Courageous. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Objective. |
| C．Skeptical. | D．Worried. |
3 . I grew up hearing, “Figure it out, but don’t look it up.” I use this advice when I’m tempted (诱惑) to turn to a search engine for answers. Should all of us limit our use of technology?
Nicholas Carr, the author of The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, says that we should take some time away from screens. “Deep thinking happens only when our minds are calm and attentive.” It is difficult to focus while we are using the Internet. People tend to look up a question and end up skimming (浏览) through unrelated information. Some people might not even notice when they start mindlessly clicking.
In “Cognitive Offloading: How the Internet Is Changing the Human Brain”, Philip Perry describes a test that compared two groups. One group couldn’t use any sort of device to answer questions. The other group was allowed to use Google. The group that had access to their smartphones immediately looked up answers on the Internet. The group without smartphones were quicker at answering questions because they didn’t reach for their smartphones. While it’s true that the Internet gives us answers quickly and reliably, we may forget that we can get the answers so easily.
David Price, a guest blogger on a website, says that teaching may be getting easier with Google because parents can now use the Internet to help with their kids’ homework. This led me to think about our schooldays. When my class had a math test, most of us used calculators (计算器) at every opportunity even though everyone in that room was able to solve each problem. The Internet is like that because we know the answers to many questions we search for. We have to at least attempt to use our minds for problem-solving so we don’t forget how to do so. If we always turn to technology for answers, we’ll never learn anything on our own.
I understand that the problems with technology are only when it is used in a certain way, but it’s not the solution to every problem. The positives of technology don’t remove the negatives. It’s time to take a step back from technology and take a break from our devices.
1. What may happen when we’re using the Internet?| A．We will be in a good mood. |
| B．We will become less efficient. |
| C．We will find it hard to think deeply. |
| D．We will respond quickly to information. |
| A．People are easily tempted by the information on the Internet. |
| B．People don’t have to rely on the Internet all the time. |
| C．A limit to the spread of the Internet is necessary. |
| D．Webs can offer answers more reliably. |
| A．To show different learning methods at different times. |
| B．To stress the importance of learning by ourselves. |
| C．To express his agreement to Price’s opinion. |
| D．To praise the development of technology. |
| A．Is teaching becoming easier with parents’ help? |
| B．Is the Internet teaching people not to think? |
| C．How to use the Internet more wisely? |
| D．What does technology bring us? |
4 . The Young ICCA (国际大会与会议协会) Essay Competition is a competition organized by Young ICCA, with the support of ICCA. It is open to all students below the age of 40. The Competition furthers the mission of Young ICCA to open the doors of international arbitration (仲裁) to talented young students. It will give them a platform to show their writing skills. You must be a member of Young ICCA to participate, and you can apply for membership and become part of the world’s leading arbitration knowledge and skills network for young students.
The person who wins the Competition will get to speak at the ICCA Congress in Edinburgh, Scotland. The winning essay will be included in a book that will be printed and sold. The winner will also be provided with travel and hotel expenses, which will be covered by the organizers.
Key submission requirements:
·Deadline: 30 April 2024.
·Word count: no more than 3, 000 words (not including footnotes) .
·Participants may only submit one entry, which must be an original work. Co-authored works will be declined.
·Submissions are to be written in the English language only.
·Participants can invite instructors to polish their essays.
If you have any questions about the Young ICCA Essay Competition, you can email organizers at essaycomp@youngicca.org.
1. Who is eligible to participate in the Young ICCA Essay Competition?| A．Those who have authored books. |
| B．Those who are above 40 years old. |
| C．Those who support international arbitration. |
| D．Those who are members of Young ICCA. |
| A．The winner will be employed by the ICCA Congress. |
| B．The winner will have his or her winning essay published. |
| C．The winner will attend a speech given by the organizers. |
| D．The winner will cover his or her own expense to travel to the Congress. |
| A．They can write their essays in Chinese. |
| B．They can contact the organizers by phone. |
| C．They can seek guidance from teachers to improve their essays. |
| D．They can collaborate with friends to write the essays together. |
5 . Royce is 98. His wife, Frankie is 97. The couple have been married for 77 years. Thanks to some special people who helped them
The couple have been like
In 1944, Royce was in the U.S. Air Force and got the final
In the past time, their life together has more than made up for what their wedding
For anyone who doesn’t believe true love can
| A．announce | B．celebrate | C．advertise | D．remember |
| A．thought about | B．gave up on | C．missed out on | D．brought back |
| A．patients | B．customers | C．audience | D．family |
| A．flexible | B．cautious | C．perfect | D．hurried |
| A．order | B．test | C．signal | D．chance |
| A．detailed | B．formal | C．simple | D．regular |
| A．moment | B．message | C．image | D．performance |
| A．owned | B．contained | C．valued | D．lacked |
| A．rewards | B．kindness | C．information | D．stories |
| A．prepare | B．remember | C．hide | D．watch |
| A．pushed | B．surrounded | C．led | D．followed |
| A．bright | B．red | C．clear | D．dry |
| A．waste | B．last | C．escape | D．store |
| A．standard | B．goal | C．question | D．example |
| A．encourage | B．persuade | C．educate | D．stop |
Last summer, I traveled to Rockville, Maryland, to visit my parents. The trip was special because I had brought along my ten-year-old dog Dakota, who had been part of my family since he was a puppy. My parents had not seen him since I moved to California two years ago, and they were excited about seeing him again.
On the way back, my brother dropped Dakota and me at the airport. After checking in, I stayed with Dakota until an airport worker came to get him. Seeing him off, I headed to the gate and boarded the plane.
About two hours into the flight, the captain came up to me. He told me that he had received a call from the airport worker who said that Dakota had been carelessly loaded in the wrong cargo hold (货舱). He went on to explain that the plane was divided into two cargo holds — forward and rear. The rear cargo hold was designed as animal cargo, as it was lighted, pressurized and heated, while the forward cargo was not designed or used for animal cargo. He said Dakota had been misplaced in the forward cargo hold, and since it was not properly heated, he could not be sure that Dakota was okay, especially in the freezing temperatures at thirty thousand feet.
I couldn’t believe what he was telling me. I turned white as a ghost as my eyes watered with tears. The captain then told me that he was going to make an unscheduled landing in Denver. Again he said that he did not know if Dakota was still alive. Even though I was very upset, I was grateful that the captain was going to stop in Denver. He went on to explain that once we landed, I could go with him to check if Dakota was alright.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Unfortunately for Dakota and me, we had another hour to go before we could land in Denver.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When we landed in Denver, I could hear the ground crew opening the cargo hold door.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. 请解释这句话的含义；2. 失败带来的好处；3. 呼吁采取行动。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80左右；2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Ladies and gentlemen,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you.
In recent years, there has been a
Guochao is visible in many ways. JongMay Urbonya, an American lady living in Beijing, is
9 . On a cold morning in May, I received a fascinating email from a high school friend. inviting me to a 10-day all-female surfing adventure in Portugal. The offer was irresistible, and I instantly knew my answer was yes.
The trip seemed simple enough. Ten women, ranging from 30 to 45 years old, all strangers, will gather on the Portuguese coast to embrace the challenge of surfing the Atlantic waves.
As a travel enthusiast, I quickly sought permission from my boss for this once-in-a- lifetime journey.
Through my 33 years, I’ve observed a common adult tendency: we often limit ourselves to refining skills we already possess. There’s a certain pride in improving our expertise, becoming increasingly knowledgeable in our chosen fields, yet unintentionally, this focus often leaves other skills undeveloped and leads to neglecting other areas of potential growth.
Two days later, I arrived in Ericeira, a charming surf town, where I met my surfing group. Despite our different personalities and backgrounds, we were all united in a persistent desire to challenge ourselves, learn, tackle and grow.
The shores at Ericeira, where the beginners learn to surf, are shallow and covered with slippery rocks. They make for softer waves but are difficult to navigate (驾驭).
Guided by our amazing coaches, together, we faced the waves. Sometimes, it poured with rain, and the waves crashed around us, but we were still out there. And with every slip and fall, words of encouragement filled the air.
Honestly, I probably spent most of my days frozen to the bone, but that didn’t matter because a new level of genuine joy and personal achievement had been unlocked.
Learning a new skill taught me the humbleness that can come from doing badly at something new, and the pride that develops when you finally manage to grasp something you’ve been working on.
While surfing might not be my calling, trying it out inspired me to take more risks in life, to step outside of my comfort zone and to never stop believing in myself. You never know what you’re capable of if you don’t go out there and try.
1. Why did the writer decide to go on a surfing trip to Portugal?| A．To get better at skills they already had. |
| B．To complete some work tasks in Portugal. |
| C．To face a new challenge and pick up a new skill. |
| D．To reconnect with an old friend from high school. |
| A．It limits one’s skills. |
| B．It’s crucial for doing well in one’s career. |
| C．It encourages creativity and exploration. |
| D．It messes with balancing work and personal life. |
| A．Calming but unforeseeable. | B．Demanding and annoying |
| C．Challenging but fulfilling. | D．Dull and uneventful. |
| A．The significance of specializing in one particular area. |
| B．The advantages of traveling with people you don’t know. |
| C．The necessity of getting formal training for all new abilities. |
| D．The importance of stretching your boundaries and experimenting. |
1. Where is Kakadu National Park?
| A．In Austria. | B．In Australia. | C．In Belgium. |
| A．Worried. | B．Disappointed. | C．Pleased. |
| A．It was easy. | B．It was popular. | C．It was cheap. |
| A．Azure Kingfisher. | B．Kakadu Culture Camp. | C．Sunrise & Sunset. |
