The Shenzhou XVII crew conducted their second spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station on Saturday,
The agency said that mission commander Tang Hongbo and crew member Jiang Xinlin
“With the
The Shenzhou XVII astronauts,
On Dec. 21, the crew performed their first spacewalk
2 . ChatGPT, designed by OpenAI to carry on conversations just like humans, has become a viral excitement. The AI-powered tool went from zero to a million users in just five days! Its ability to provide in-depth answers to user questions has even drawn the attention of distinguished technology companies.
The intelligent robot understands what the user says or types and then responds in a way that makes sense. Its vast body of knowledge has been gathered from the internet and archived books. It is further trained by humans. This makes ChatGPT a useful tool for researching almost any topic.
“We have a lot of information on the internet, but you normally have to Google it, then read it and then do something with it,” says Ricardo, chief science officer and co-founder of AI company Erudit. “Now you’ll have this resource that can process the whole internet and all of the information it contains for you to answer your question.”
ChatGPT cannot think on its own. It depends on the information that it has been trained on. As a result, the AI tool works well for things that have accurate data available. However, when unsure, ChatGPT can get creative and flow out incorrect responses. OpenAI cautions users to check the information no matter how logical it sounds. Also, ChatGPT has only been trained with information till 2021. Hence, it cannot be relied upon for anything that happened after that.
Experts believe ChatGPT has limitless potential to solve real-world problems. It can translate long texts into different languages, create content on almost any topic, and even summarize books.
However, ChatGPT has received mixed reactions from educators. Some believe it could serve as a valuable tool to help build literacy skills in the classroom. It could also be used to teach students difficult science or math concepts. But other educators think ChatGPT will encourage students to cheat. They fear this will prevent them from building critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As a result, many districts are starting to ban its use in schools.
1. What is the unique feature of ChatGPT?| A．It has artificial intelligence. | B．It can answer users’ questions. |
| C．It has the largest number of users. | D．It can engage in meaningful conversations. |
| A．Its capability of information processing. | B．Its accurate information. |
| C．Its availability of up-to-date data. | D．Its vast body of questions. |
| A．ChatGPT is unable to think itself. | B．ChatGPT lacks creativity. |
| C．ChatGPT offers illogical information. | D．ChatGPT is not properly trained. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Objective. | D．Intolerant. |
3 . Chinese spacecraft finds lunar soil could make oxygen and fuel on the moon.
Lunar soil could be used to make oxygen and other products from chemical reactions that mimic photosynthesis (模拟光合作用), according to an analysis of samples brought back to Earth by the Chang’e 5 spacecraft. Reliable supplies of such substances are necessary for any future lunar base.
It is expensive to send goods into space, so any material that can be found on the moon and that doesn’t have to be brought from Earth can save a lot of money.
Yingfang Yao at Nanjing University, China, and his team examined a lunar soil sample to see if it could be used as a catalyst (催化剂) for a system that would transform carbon dioxide and water released by astronauts’ bodies into oxygen, hydrogen and other useful by-products that could be used to power a lunar base.
Yao and his team first analysed their sample using techniques to identify catalytically active components of the soil. They found high levels of iron and magnesium-based compounds (复合物) that could be useful in a reaction mimicking the photosynthesis that occurs in green plants.
The researchers then tested the soil as a catalyst in various chemical reactions that would form part of a photosynthesis-like process to produce hydrogen and oxygen from CO2 and water. They found that the soil’s efficiency wasn’t as good as catalysts we have on Earth and isn’t currently good enough to generate products in sufficient quantities to support human life on the moon, but that slight adjustments to the structure and composition of the lunar soil sample might see significant improvements.
1. Why is the finding about lunar soil’s products important?| A．It gives evidence for plants to grow outside Earth. |
| B．It provides efficient support for future lunar base. |
| C．It makes clear how the moon is mostly made up of. |
| D．It tells how photosynthesis happens on the moon. |
| A．To test its chemical nature. | B．To compare it with that from the earth. |
| C．To analyze its elements and by-products. | D．To find useful mines that are rare on the earth. |
| A．A green plant. | B．An iron component. |
| C．A lunar soil sample. | D．Oxygen and hydrogen. |
| A．It needs further research. | B．It can’t mimic photosynthesis at present. |
| C．It can only be used as soil for plant growing. | D．Its efficiency is better than catalysts on Earth. |
Exploring the moon is a dream that we Chinese have been pursuing for ages, and we are proud of the
On Dec 2, 2013, as
On Dec 8, 2018, China launched its fourth lunar probe, Chang’e 4, toward the far side of the moon,
On Nov 24, 2020, the Chang’e 5 robotic mission
5 . Yesterday, after a day of Zoom (视频会议软件) meetings in my living room, I stepped out for a walk leaving my teen son bored on the couch. Bleecker Street, usually packed with people, was sprinkled with only the occasional pedestrians. Bars and restaurants lining the street were dark. Stores with bright neon lights, doors open, beckoned for the rare passers-by to enter. After just a week of the Covid-19 pandemic, an afternoon walk in Greenwich Village neighborhood felt surreal.
But then I noticed a row of daffodils(水仙)reaching for the sun in the small triangle-shaped park by Minetta Lane. On the windows of a locked restaurant, in bright yellow paint, were the words “We love you, West Village. Take care of each other. ” My phone buzzed—a colleague sent a picture of her newborn baby just home from the hospital. I arrived home to find my son animated on the couch playing a video game virtually with his friends. Life, love, play, and human connection persist, even though our world has been tuned upside down.
In my welcome note to the new students in the Fall, I wrote that this year is about our college’s core values of inclusion, innovation, and impact and emphasized the power of interconnection. Today, these core values persist, with interconnection taking on even greater significance. Our collaborative spirit has always given us an advantage—academically, creatively, culturally, and now, remotely.
A wise person once told me that getting through a crisis is like being given a new hand of cards in the middle of a game. We are halfway through the semester, with new hands to play, but the game hasn’t changed. We will find new ways to continue to work, teach, create and learn. Let’s also continue the informal interactions that make us a community—the study groups, coffee dates, drop-ins just to say hello. In doing so, we will remain connected.
We will come together, from spaces around the world, to meet this new reality. This is who we are. Nothing—not space, nor time—can keep us from moving forward, together.
1. What can be inferred from paragraph 1?| A．The Covid-19 pandemic is unstoppable. |
| B．The effects of the pandemic could be easily felt. |
| C．Nothing is the same except that the business goes slow as usual. |
| D．People have every reason to be worried about the future. |
| A．Daily routines that seemed insignificant. |
| B．Reminders that the world has been changed. |
| C．Events that people can do during the pandemic. |
| D．Things or people that carry symbolic meanings. |
| A．Cooperative. | B．Pioneering. | C．Independent. | D．Adventurous. |
| A．To express wisdom gained from previous experience. |
| B．To give people some tips on how to handle a crisis. |
| C．To deliver an uplifting message over the pandemic. |
| D．To encourage people to enjoy the great outdoors. |
6 . Dr. John Nkengasong, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned against a “vaccine war” among nations. He said on Thursday at a WHO meeting that he “truly feels helpless that this situation is going to greatly influence our ability to fight this virus.” He added, “There is absolutely no need for us humans to go into a vaccine (疫苗) war to fight this pandemic (疫情). We will all be losers.”
It is reported that the Serum Institute of India is delaying major exports of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to meet the rising demand within India. This institute produces the AstraZeneca vaccine being sent to Africa through the COVAX program. It is an international effort to make sure poor countries receive enough vaccines.
South Sudan received its first shipment of 132, 000 doses (剂) of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Thursday. The WHO called the arrival a “big step” toward equal availability of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. At least 28 of Africa's 54 countries have received over 16 million doses through COVAX.
But COVAX has been facing delays related to the limited worldwide supply of the vaccine. Africa has received limited doses and much later than the rest of the world. At least 10 African countries have not yet received any vaccines.
Officials hope to vaccinate (注射疫苗) 60 percent of Africa's 1.3 billion people by the middle of next year to help Africa reach herd immunity (群体免疫), which means when enough people are protected through infection or vaccination, it will be difficult for a virus to continue spreading. But that goal will not be reached without the widespread use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is less costly and easier to store than many others.
Expel warn that until vaccination rates are high worldwide, the virus remains a threat everywhere.
1. Who is likely to win the vaccine war?| A．Indians. | B．Africans. | C．Vaccine producers. | D．Nobody. |
| A．To make money from selling more vaccines. |
| B．To help vaccine companies produce more vaccines. |
| C．To help poor countries get enough vaccines. |
| D．To help African countries develop their own vaccines. |
| A．By staying far away from other people. | B．By taking exercises to improve the immunity. |
| C．By getting infected or vaccinated. | D．By producing enough doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. |
| A．a medicine book | B．a science booklet | C．a popular magazine | D．a newspaper |
7 . University educators largely think highly of the wonders of teaching through technology, but skeptics question whether something is lost when professors and lectures rely too heavily on electronic media or when interaction with students takes place remotely — in cyberspace rather than the real space of the classroom. Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, the Professor of Literature at Stanford University, is one such skeptic. “I think this enthusiastic and sometimes childish and blind pushing toward the more technology the better, the more websites the better teacher, and so forth, is very dangerous — is, indeed, suicidal,” he indicates.
However, Gumbrecht warns that there are few, if any, studies either supporting or rejecting the hypothesis that traditional ways of teaching are superior to teaching via the Internet. He says that he could point only to his “intuition that real classroom presence should be maintained,” and emphasizes the need for educators to examine critically where technology serves a useful pedagogical (教学法的) function and where it does not.
Yet, Gumbrecht allows that, for courses in which knowledge transmission is the sole purpose, electronic media probably can do the job well enough. Indeed, given the 20th century’s knowledge explosion and the increasing costs of higher education, using technology as opposed to real-life teachers for the transmission of information is probably inevitable, he admits. In any case, knowledge transmission should not be the core function of the university, he maintains, noting that universities should be places where people confront open questions, places for “intellectual complexity” and “riskful thinking”.
“We are not about finding or transmitting solutions; we are not about recipes; we are not about making intellectual life easy. Confrontation with complexity is what expands your mind. It is something like intellectual gymnastics. And this is what makes you a suitable member of the society.”
Moreover, discussions in the physical presence of others can lead to the intellectual innovation. “There’s a qualitative change, and you don’t know how it happens. Discussions in the physical presence have the capacity of being the catalyst (催化剂) for such intellectual breakthroughs. The possibility of in-classroom teaching — of letting something happen which cannot happen if you teach by the transmission of information — is a strength.”
1. Which of the following is the best title to this passage?| A．Cyberspace Interaction |
| B．The Core Function of the University |
| C．Information Transmission Cannot Help You Survive |
| D．Electronic Teaching Arouses Uncertainty |
| A．Professors should be keen on teaching technique innovation. |
| B．Technologies applied to classrooms strengthen creative thinking. |
| C．Traditional pedagogical function has its place in classroom. |
| D．The core function of the university is to focus on knowledge transmitting. |
| A．transmitting knowledge is the only purpose of the course |
| B．there’s too much knowledge to put across to the students |
| C．the cost of college education increases greatly |
| D．open questions without possible answers are encouraged |
| A．lead to greatly improved intellectual abilities |
| B．lead to easier and stronger transmission of information |
| C．produce certain energy for intellectual breakthroughs |
| D．produce qualitative change in teacher-students relationships |
8 . "That's awesome”, said NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren, after he ate a piece of red lettuce （莴苣）that was grown in a special box. "Tastes good," agreed US astronaut Scott Kelly, who is spending one year at the research station. "kind of like arugula （芝麻菜），” Kelly added, and then used small bottles to spread olive oil and vinegar on his leaf, much as one might spread ketchup on a hot dog.
NASA says that if space explorers can grow their own food while they are away from the Earth they would be more likely to survive the deep space exploration, which can last months or even years. With no way to resupply a spacecraft making a long journey to and from Mars, the ability to grow food during the trip will be key to survive. "Having the ability for us to grow our own food is a big step in that direction.” Kelly said.
Ray Wheeler, NASA's lead scientist for advanced life support activities at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, also said fresh foods that contain antioxidants, such as tomatoes, blueberries and red lettuce, “could have a positive impact on people's moods and also could provide some protection against radiation in space.”
The red romaine lettuce was grown in a special plant-growing box called a Veggie unit, and was flown to space. The seeds are contained in rooting pillows, which come complete with soil and fertilizer. Since water cannot be poured in space, a special irrigation system delivers moisture to the plant pillows from below.
The seeds were "activated" by Kelly on July 8 and grew for 33 days. On Monday, Lindgren used tongs （夹子）to harvest the lettuce from its growing box, before attaching the leaves carefully to a tray. He cleaned them with food-safe bag and shared with other four members.
A previous crop of lettuce was grown in space last year but was not eaten by astronauts. Instead, it underwent-and passed-food safety tests back on Earth.
1. How did Scott prepare the space-grown lettuce?| A．He cooked it in a special box. | B．He mixed it with some arugula. |
| C．He spread a little bit ketchup on it. | D．He put olive oil and vinegar on it. |
| A．The journey to and from Mars. | B．The way to grow food. |
| C．The building of a research station. | D．The ability of flying in space. |
| A．The lettuce is a great step enabling human to travel to Mars. |
| B．Humans won't be able to arrive at Mars without the lettuce. |
| C．Tomatoes are obviously better than blueberries in size. |
| D．Radiation wouldn,t be harmful if people ate some lettuce. |
| A．There is no enough growing area. | B．It is very hard to send up the seeds. |
| C．A special way of watering is needed. | D．It does not need soil or the fertilizer. |
9 . England and Wales launched a COVID-19 smartphone app on Thursday, allowing users to trace contacts, check the local level of risk and record visits to places such as pubs, four months after the technology was promised to the public.
The NHS COVID-19 app comes as Britain prepares for a second wave of infections, with daily case numbers rising at rates not seen since the peak of the pandemic (流行病）and a testing system unable to cope with demand in many areas.
The government had said a COVID-19 app would arrive in May, but early trials were troubled by problems, and developers abandoned home-grown technology in favor of Apple and Google's model in June.
As the delay lengthened, the governmentdownplayedthe importance of smartphones in fighting COVID-19, saying that rather than an app being central to the test and trace system, it was "the cherry on the cake".
Health Secretary Matt Hancock, however, said that with infection rates rising, every tool available must be used to prevent the spread of the disease, including the latest technology. "We have worked extensively with tech companies, international partners, and privacy and medical experts -and learned from the trials-to develop an app that is secure, simple to use and will help keep our country safe," he said.
The app uses Bluetooth signals to record when a user is in close contact with another user, generally meaning within two meters for 15 minutes or more. If someone tests positive for COVID-19, they can choose to share the result anonymously (匿名地）with their close contacts, who will each receive a warming and will have to isolate (隔离）for 14 days.
People aged over 16 will be encouraged to download the app by advertisements with the slogan:＂Protect your loved ones. Get the app."
1. Which word can best replace the underlined word "downplayed" in paragraph 4?| A．emphasize |
| B．value |
| C．explain |
| D．underestimate |
| A．The app came to market at the peak of the disease. |
| B．The app might help reduce the spread of the disease. |
| C．The app can share the testing result automatically. |
| D．The app is popular with teenagers in England. |
| A．Many hands make light work. |
| B．Haste makes waste. |
| C．One good turn deserves another. |
| D．Knowledge starts with practice. |
10 . Are you one of the increasing number of students who are struggling for college education online? Follow these tips to help you be a successful online learner?
Many students assume that online classes require less work and are easier than traditional classes.
Arrangement according to class schedule is important. Log on to your course according to the required schedule. Manage your time just as you would in a traditional course.
During class, you are advised to be focused. Read and practice everything.
Remember to be active. If you have questions or don’t understand an assignment, tell your instructor.
| A．Go through every screen. |
| B．Online classes require less work |
| C．You’ll understand the instructor better. |
| D．Be sure you have the required software and hardware. |
| E．Your instructor can help you better if you tell him or her. |
| F．In reality, they’re designed just as demanding as traditional courses. |
| G．This is different from traditional classes, where a lot of communication is oral. |
