1 . Imagine this. You need an image of a balloon for a work presentation and turn to an AI text-to- image generator, like Midjourney or DALL-E, to create a suitable image. You enter the prompt (提示词) “red balloon against a blue sky” but the generator returns an image of an egg instead.

What’s going on? The generator you’re using may have been “poisoned”. What does this mean? Text-to-image generators work by being trained on large datasets that include millions or billions of images. Some of the generators have been trained by indiscriminately scraping online images, many of which may be under copyright. This has led to many copyright infringement (侵害) cases where artists have accused big tech companies of stealing and profiting from their work.

This is also where the idea of “poison” comes in. Researchers who want to empower individual artists have recently created a tool named “Nightshade” to fight back against unauthorised image scraping. The tool works by slightly altering an image’s pixels (像素) in a way that confuses the computer vision system but leaves the image unaltered to a human’s eyes. If an organization then scrapes one of these images to train a future AI model, its data pool becomes “poisoned”. This can result in mistaken learning, which makes the generator return unintended results. As in our earlier example, a balloon might become an egg.

The higher the number of “poisoned” images in the training data, the greater the impact. Because of how generative AI works, the damage from “poisoned” images also affects related prompt keywords. For example, if a “poisoned” image of a Picasso work is used in training data, prompt results for masterpieces from other artists can also be affected.

Possibly, tools like Nightshade can be abused by some users to intentionally upload “poisoned” images in order to confuse AI generators. But the Nightshade’s developer hopes the tool will make big tech companies more respectful of copyright. It does challenge a common belief among computer scientists that data found online can be used for any purpose they see fit.

Human rights activists, for example, have been concerned for some time about the indiscriminate use of machine vision in wider society. This concern is particularly serious concerning facial recognition. There is a clear connection between facial recognition cases and data poisoning, as both relate to larger questions around technological governance. It may be better to see data poisoning as an innovative solution to the denial of some fundamental human rights.

1. The underlined word “scraping” (para. 2) is closest in meaning to ____.

A．facilitating

B．collecting

C．damaging

D．polishing

2. According to the passage, adding poisoned data might ____.

A．increase the accuracy of returned information

B．cause users to forget the prompt key words

C．interfere with the training of generative AI

D．discriminate against great masterpieces

3. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A．Data poisoning is somehow justified to direct attention to human rights.

B．Computer scientists has learned to respect the copyright of most artists.

C．Nightshade is being abused by human rights activists to recognize faces.

D．The issue of technological governance has aroused the lawyers’ interest.

4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A．Data Poisoning: Government Empowering Citizens to Protect Themselves

B．Data Poisoning: Addressing Facial Recognition Issues Among Artists

C．Data Poisoning: Risks and Rewards of Generative AI Data Training

D．Data Poisoning: Restricting Innovation or Empowering Artists

2 . Human faces cut into stone up to 2,000 years ago have again been found on a rocky area along the Amazon River in northern Brazil. The stone carvings (雕刻品) appeared as a result of a big drop in water levels because of dry weather in parts of northern Brazil. The water level had dropped to the lowest level in the history of the river.

“People had reported some of the stone carvings before during periods when water levels were low. But now a greater number have been identified. That will help researchers establish the history of the carvings, and more secrets of historical relics will come to light,” researcher Jaime de Santana Oliveira said recently.

One area shows smooth marks in the rock thought to be where natives once sharpened their tools such   as arrows and spears before European settlers arrived.

“The carvings are prehistoric, or precolonial (殖民地时期前的). We can’t be sure of their precise date but based on the evidence of human living places of the area, we believe they are about 1, 000 to 2, 000 years old.” Oliveira said.

The rocky area is on the north shore of the Amazon River near the place where the Rio Negro River joins it.

Oliveira said the carvings were first seen in 2010, but this year’s drought has been more serious than earlier dry periods. The Rio Negro’s levels have dropped 15 meters since July, uncovering large areas of rocks and sand where there had been no beaches.

“This time we found not just more carvings, but the statue of a human face cut into the rock,” said Oliveira, who works for the Brazilian government’s National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute. The organization watches the care of historic places in Brazil.

1. What plays a key role in finding the stone carvings?

A．People’s report.	B．Natural disaster.
C．High technology.	D．Researchers’ effort.

2. What can researchers do with more identified stone carvings?

A．Explore the history of historical sites.	B．Move the valuable carvings to safety.
C．Discover more underwater stone carvings.	D．Make the carvings popular among visitors.

3. What does the underlined word “precise” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Fixed.

B．Exact.

C．Best.

D．Future.

4. What does Oliveira stress in the last paragraph?

A．The human face stone carvings.	B．The number of stone carvings.
C．The real value of stone carvings.	D．The place where stone carvings were found.

3 . Five Ways to Be Healthy on a Budget

●Go to bed an hour earlier.

Lighting and electronics, including TVs, laptops and computers, account for around 30 per cent of your electricity usage. So it’s obvious that going to bed earlier could save you money. Getting adequate sleep makes you less stressed and puts you in a better mood, as well as improving your immune system and helping to protect you from heart disease, diabetes (糖尿病) and dementia.     1    

●Get fit on the cheap.

There’s no need for an expensive gym membership or classes, or costly kit: the internet is a rich resource for videos on activities as varied as yoga, high intensity or low-impact workouts, or dance.     2     Being outdoors in nature is also good for your mental health.

●Abandon the car for short journeys.

For local things or meeting people, walk or cycle. This will save money on fuel, plus help prevent you from being too sedentary (久坐的).     3     Besides, it is linked with conditions like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

●    4    

Meat is expensive, so substitute other, cheaper forms of protein a couple of times a week. Eggs, canned fish and dried beans are inexpensive and nutritious. Buy cheaper frozen or canned vegetables instead of fresh — they’re usually just as good for you. Skip highly processed foods, from biscuits to ready meals, as these are often high in fat and salt, and choose simple, fresh ingredients you can cook yourself.

●Turn the heating down a little bit.

We don’t want anyone to be living in a cold home, but many of us still keep our heater higher than necessary.     5     According to the World Health Organisation. 18℃ is the ideal temperature for healthy, adequately dressed people.

A．Make smart food changes.

B．Keep a healthy and balanced diet.

C．Inactivity has been called the “silent killer”.

D．If you want to get more fresh air, then choose to walk or run.

E．It is advised that we should take exercise for an hour every day.

F．A room that’s too hot can cause skin problems, dry eyes and headaches.

G．Research has even shown that people who go to bed later gain more weight.

4 . Phonetic (语音) information—the smallest sound elements of speech - is considered by researchers to be the basis of language. Babies are thought to learn these small sound elements and add them together to make words. But a new study suggests that phonetic information is learnt too late and slowly for this to be the case. Instead, rhythmic (有韵律的) speech helps babies learn language and is effective even in the first few months of life.

Researchers from the Trinity College Dublin investigated babies’ ability to process phonetic information during their first year. Their study, published in the journal Nature Communications. found that phonetic information wasn’t successfully encoded (编码) until seven months old, and did not occur very often at 11 months old when babies began to say their first words. From then individual speech sounds are still added in very slowly—too slowly to form the basis of language.

The researchers recorded patterns of brain activity in 50 babies at four, seven, and eleven months old as they watched a video of a primary school teacher singing 18 nursery rhymes (童谣) to a baby. They found that phonetic encoding in babies appeared inchmeal over the first year of life, beginning with labial sounds (e.g. “d” for “daddy”) and nasal sounds (e.g. “m” for “mummy”), with the “read out” progressively looking more like that of adults.

“The reason why we use nursery rhymes is because that is the best way for babies to discover and connect sounds with language, so we are teaching them how to speak,” said Giovanni Di Liberto, lead author of the study at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. “Parents should talk and sing to their babies as much as possible or use baby-directed speech because it will make a difference to language outcome,” she added.

1. What should babies learn in the first few months of life according to the new study?

A．Small sound elements	B．Rhythmic information.
C．Phonetic information.	D．Individual words.

2. What does the author mainly discuss in paragraph 2?

A．The poor phonetic encoding in babies.	B．The advantages of phonetic information.
C．The babies’ great ability to learn language.	D．The babies’ growing process in the first year.

3. What does the underlined word “inchmeal” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Gradually.

B．Suddenly.

C．Successfully.

D．Occasionally.

4. What is the best title of the text?

A．When Babies Are Able to Say Their First Words

B．How Phonetic Information Changes Over Time

C．Why Phonetic Is Better Than Rhythmic for Babies

D．Why Babies Need Nursery Rhymes for Language Mastery

5 . Felicia Jackson was certified in CPR, but that didn’t stop her from drawing a blank in the face of a real-life crisis. When her son stopped breathing in the back seat of her car, she froze in panic. Thankfully, her husband remained calm and was able to save their child. However, Felicia was shaken to find that, with all her years of medical experience, she wasn’t able to respond to her son’s emergency under pressure.

This unpleasant situation inspired Felicia to come up with a simple tool to make performing CPR easier, especially in high-risk situation. She created the CPR Wrap, a pocket-sized packaging device that can be laid over the body of the victim to show where the rescuer should put their hands and mouth. Not only does the product provide helpful instructions, but it also includes a face shield (挡板) and a one-way breathing barrier. This cuts down on the transfer of germs while performing mouth-to-mouth.

“Even people experienced in CPR can forget their training in stressful situations,” reads the description on the product’s website. “CPR Wrap makes it possible for those individuals to effectively perform CPR at a moment’s notice.”

Although that CPR Wrap was launched in 2017, one video on the TikTok account has recently gone viral. In the video, Felicia shows viewers the simple process of using her product to perform CPR. She adds that it’s “so easy a child could do it.” The brand now boasts over 100,000 followers and 2 million likes.

Felicia Jackson is the inventor, founder, and CEO of CPR Wrap. Her son’s near-death experience inspired her to become the entrepreneur (企业家) she is today. After receiving her A.A.S in Physical Therapy in 2018, she continued to pursue education. She graduated from Launch of Chattanooga Entrepreneurial Academy in 2020 and established the Colab Accelerator Program in 2021. She and her husband now have three children. Felicia hopes to pass on her entrepreneurial spirit to her children so they may one day start businesses of their own.

1. How did Felicia feel about her reaction to her son’s near-death experience?

A．It’s touching.	B．It’s convincing.
C．It’s shocking.	D．It’s irresponsible.

2. Why did Felicia invent the device CPR Wrap?

A．To establish her own business.

B．To help others be prepared for emergency.

C．To improve professionals’ first aid skills.

D．To rescue her son in a high-risk situation.

3. What is Felicia’ CPR Wrap like?

A．Cheap and flexible.	B．Attractive and accurate.
C．Eco-friendly and simple.	D．Portable and user-friendly.

4. What does the author mainly try to show in the last paragraph?

A．Felicia’s achievements.	B．Felicia’s hope for children.
C．Felicia’s early experience.	D．Felicia’s son’s impact on her.

6 . Tips for Closing the Gaps in Relationships

Be curious, not angry

Ask in a spirit of real curiosity and openness. After you ask the question, be concerned only with understanding the other person’s story. Be ready to listen to the other person’s views and experiences.     1    . Try to avoid immediate reaction. If someone says something that makes you react in the moment, breathe and put that aside to listen, and hear what they have to say.

Put body language together with intentions

    2    . We also express our opinions with manner of speaking and body language. Do our voice and manner show doubt, anxiety, or anger—or concern, respect, and the willingness to have an honest conversation? We can’t pretend that fears don’t exist, but we can pass on our main purpose to express concern in order to improve our connection.

Listen for understanding

Our good intentions for asking questions are not enough.     3    . Explore real listening without fixed ideas. Try to listen not only for content but for feelings, for disagreement, as well as for chances and ways to settle problems together.

    4    

Of course, how the other person reacts will determine the conversation that follows, which may require a good deal of openness, presence, and skill. Our reaction to whatever the person says will require continued openness, trust, kindness, clarity, and honesty. As you speak, clarify the gap between your experience of the relationship and your opinion or expectations of a healthy relationship. Noticing the gaps is helpful since it defines the problem.     5    .

A．Mind the gaps

B．Ask when we care

C．And be willing to be interested

D．This is a step towards settling the problem

E．How we ask this question makes a big difference

F．We express our purposes not only with our words

G．At the moment, our most important job is to listen carefully

7 . This is a story about a heart-warming rescue. A lucky cat was ______ by a team of brave firefighters in Cornwall, thanks to a clever and friendly dog.

Mowgli, a lovely cat, had been ______ for six long days, leaving his owner, Michele Rose, filled with ______ and nearly admitting the fact that she would never see her pet again. However, ______ appeared again when she noticed her dog, Daisy, “going ______ ” , running crazily in and out of the nearby woods around her home in Harrow.

Daisy guided her master along a footpath ______ the old mine. She came to a sudden stop next to a ______ well at a depth of 100 feet.

“Daisy is a hero; she’s an amazing dog,” Rose said. “Without Daisy’s behaviors, Mowgli might still be ______ down there. She was exactly leading me to that ______ ; it was truly amazing.”

Following the exciting ______ , the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(RSPCA)and Cornwall Fire and Rescue ______ a call for help. The team found Mowgli about 100 feet down and he was pulled to safety. The cat was ______ not injured.

Rose said Daisy shares a ______ tie with both of her cats, Mowgli and Baloo. “Daisy was already a year old when the little cats ______ , and they have been together ever since,” she said. “She is like their ______ , looking out for them, and they also love her.”

1.

A．raised

B．fed

C．saved

D．bought

2.

A．playing

B．missing

C．travelling

D．hunting

3.

A．determination

B．worry

C．anger

D．confusion

4.

A．hope

B．doubt

C．problems

D．signs

5.

A．hungry

B．wrong

C．quiet

D．mad

6.

A．leading to

B．cutting off

C．making up

D．breaking through

7.

A．new

B．smooth

C．deep

D．wet

8.

A．attacked

B．beaten

C．found

D．trapped

9.

A．moment

B．place

C．goal

D．level

10.

A．discovery

B．change

C．process

D．rescue

11.

A．expected

B．made

C．paid

D．received

12.

A．surprisingly

B．obviously

C．absolutely

D．actually

13.

A．limited

B．strong

C．common

D．strange

14.

A．grew

B．gathered

C．arrived

D．disappeared

15.

A．master

B．partner

C．observer

D．mother

8 . With the arrival of winter, the world is covered in a sheet of shining snow, and it brings an invitation to take part in exciting snow sports. Beyond the great wonderland and the great joy of sliding down hills, attending winter sports offers many physical, mental, and social benefits.

Taking part in winter snow sports is an excellent way to stay physically active during the colder months. Whether you’re skiing down a mountainside, or skiing along peaceful paths, these activities provide a full-body workout. Downhill skiing, for example, is known as a way to burn a lot of calories, making it an effective cardiovascular (心血管的) exercise. The combination of cardiovascular fitness and strength training can help keep a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular health, and keep overall physical health.

The connection between outdoor activities and mental health is well-established, and winter sports are no exception. The fresh mountain air, the amazing snowy hills, and the excitement of rushing down the hill all help to improve the feelings. Snow sports also get you in natural sunlight, which helps increase vitamin D levels.

Winter sports offer more than just personal physical and mental benefits—they create chances for social interaction (交流) and community building. Whether you’re hitting the hills with friends, joining a ski club, or taking a family snowboarding trip, these activities form a sense of friendship. Shared experiences on the mountain create lasting memories and strengthen social ties, developing a sense of belonging and connection.

The benefits of winter snow sports spread far beyond the excitement of downhill drops. Winter activities not only keep you physically fit but also benefit your mental well-being and provide chances for social communication.

Winter wonderland is waiting for you, promising a season full of joy, health, and unforgettable experiences. So, when the snow arrives, consider putting on your skis and enjoying the benefits winter sports bring to your body and mind.

1. What is the benefit of downhill skiing?

A．Keeping fit.	B．Reducing stress.
C．Improving athletic ability.	D．Building friendships.

2. What can we learn from paragraph 5?

A．Attending winter sports has lots of fun.	B．Social interaction is very important.
C．Winter sports are good for relationships.	D．Outdoor activities improve mental health.

3. What is the author’s purpose in the last paragraph?

A．To give advice on winter sports.	B．To teach methods of doing winter sports.
C．To encourage people to join in winter sports.	D．To introduce different kinds of winter sports.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．The Beauty of Winter Snow Field	B．Pleasure Created by High Speed
C．Winter Snow Sports and Mental Health	D．The Benefits of Winter Snow Sports

9 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Carden in Haikou, South China’s Hainan Province,     1     (prepare) toys, bamboo shoots, and fruits for the pandas     2     (celebrate) the fifth anniversary

(周年) of the arrival of the giant pandas Conggong and Shunshun on Saturday. It also held a variety of activities and games,     3     attracted a lot of visitors.

At     4     celebration event, citizens and tourists offered their     5     (wish) for the pandas’ arrival on the island with     6     (write) greeting cards, and the pandas’ fans from across the world including China, Belgium, Japan, and New Zealand also sent their honest greetings in short videos.

Ma Xuefeng, director of the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden, said the garden     7     the two giant paonlas have established a strong emotional bond (纽带).

Shang Xiao, chairman of the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden, thanked the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda     8     its professional guidance and strong support over the last five years.

Gonggong, born on August 18, 2013, and Shunshun, born a few days later on August 27, at the Sichuan Ya’an Bifengxia base of the China Conservation and Research Center,     9     (send) to the garden in Haikou on November 10, 2018. They started to meet visitors on November 25 that year, making up for the     10     (absent) of giant pandas on the island.

10 . Membership Levels and Benefits of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

$70 Individual/ $40 Student
·Free year-round ALL ACCESS admission
·Invitation to members-only hours
·Free access to members-only lectures, programs and Saturday Members Tours
·Discounted tickets to MFAH Films
·Discounted parking at an MFAH garage (车库)
·12% discount when eating at Le Jardinier
·15% discount at Cafe Leonelli
·10% discount at the MFA Shop
$95 Double
All the Individual/Student benefits for two adults, plus:
·Invitation to the annual Members’ Holiday Party
$115 Family
·Benefits extended to all children 18 and under living in the member’s household
·Discount on children’s art classes at the Museum’s Glassell School of Art
·Invitation to family art-making programs just for members
$350 Supporting—Best Value
·Ten free ALL ACCESS admission passes for guests
·Invitation to special ArtSmart programs
·Free admission to 12 art museums throughout Texas, including the Blanton Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum, San Antonio Museum of Art, and the Chinati Foundation
·Two single-use guest passes for daytime previews
$800 Sponsor (赞助商)
All the Supporting benefits, plus:
·Unlimited ALL ACCESS admission for accompanying guests
·One free exhibition list of your choice
·Four single-use guest passes for daytime members’ previews
·Two free passes to MFAH Films
$1, 500 Benefactor (捐款人)
All the Sponsor benefits, plus:
·Invitation to Leadership Circle reception with private exhibition viewing
·Three free “staff-pick” lists
·Four free parking passes for the MFAH parking garages
·Six single-use guest passes for daytime members’ previews
·Invitation to special Behind-the-Scenes experiences
1. What can you do as a student member?

A．Eat at Le Jardinier at a discount.	B．Attend ArtSmart programs.
C．See MFAH films for free.	D．Experience Behind-the-Scenes.

2. How much should parents pay so that their kids can attend art classes at a discount?

A．$40.

B．$70.

C．$115.

D．$350.

3. Which membership can enjoy free parking?

A．$115 Family.	B．$800 Sponsor.
C．$1, 500 Benefactor.	D．$350 Supporting—Best Value.