1 . With almost all big employers in the United States now using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in their hiring processes, the public is considering some urgent questions: How can you prevent discrimination in hiring when a machine is keeping the discrimination? What kind of methods might help?
Some 83% of employers, including 99% of Fortune 500 companies, now use some form of automated tools as part of their hiring process, said the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s ( EEOC) chair Charlotte Burrows, at a hearing on Tuesday. She said everyone needs to speak up on the debate over these technologies. “The risks are simply too high to leave this topic just to the experts.”
Last year, the EEOC issued some guidance around the use of cutting-edge hiring tools, noting many of their shortcomings. The agency found that resume( 简历) scanners which prioritize keywords and programs which evaluate a candidate’s facial expressions and speech patterns in video interviews can create discrimination. Take, for example, a video interview that analyses an applicant’s speech patterns to determine their ability to solve problems. A person with a speech problem might score low and automatically be screened out. The problem will be for the EEOC to root out discrimination or stop it from taking place.
The EEOC is considering the most appropriate ways to handle the problem. It’s agreed that inspections are necessary to ensure that the software used by companies avoids intentional or unintentional discrimination. But who would conduct those inspections is a more challenging question. Each option presents risks, Burrows pointed out. A third party may turn a blind eye to its clients, while a government-led inspection could potentially stop innovation.
In previous remarks, Burrows has noted the great potential that AI decision making tools have to improve the lives of Americans, but only when used properly. “We must work to ensure that these new technologies do not become a high-tech pathway to discrimination,” she said.
1. What does Burrows suggest people do?| A．Make their own voice heard. | B．Follow the experts’ suggestions. |
| C．Stop using AI in hiring processes. | D．Watch debates about technologies. |
| A．By scanning keywords. | B．By evaluating resumes. |
| C．By analyzing personalities. | D．By assessing speech patterns. |
| A．High expense. | B．Unfair results. |
| C．Age discrimination. | D．Innovation interruption. |
| A．Favourable. | B．Disapproving. | C．Cautious. | D．Doubtful. |
2 . Thirteen-year-old Kaylee has a lot of friends — 532, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Kaylee’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not Words With Friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platforms (平台).
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger, “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual words, we will have little time for our real-world friendships.” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need someone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To summarize the text. | B．To tell about true friends. |
| C．To bring up a discussion. | D．To encourage online friendship. |
| A．In person. | B．In advance. | C．In any case. | D．In full measure. |
| A．Worried. | B．Positive. | C．Confused. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．It’s wise to turn to friends online. |
| B．It’s easier to develop friendships in reality. |
| C．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
| D．Teenagers need focus on real-world friendships. |
3 . While driving home after work, Jane Hodgson noticed a car pulled over at the side of the road and a crowd beginning to gather around someone who was lying on the ground.
Jane, who had completed a first aid at work course, pulled over to see if she could offer any help — and it turned out to be lucky for the young injured girl that she did.
Describing the scene she came across, Jane says: “The onlookers were ashen-faced and looking lost. They were so shocked that they hadn’t even thought to call for an ambulance yet.”
After speaking to the emergency services, Jane started finding out what had happened and what injuries the young girl called Jenny had. The girl had been hit by a car and gone over the handlebars of her bike, landing on her head and shoulder. Her shoulder and arm were twisted (扭曲) underneath her.
“She hadn’t been wearing a helmet (头盔) when she got knocked down, and I thought that she should not be moved as I couldn’t be sure about a spinal injury (脊椎损伤), but after looking her over and checking the circulation in her injured arm I did feel fairly confident that she had escaped relatively unhurt.
“As we were waiting for an ambulance, the amount of pain the girl was in was increasing. To distract (分散注意力) her and minimize the risk of her going into shock I kept her talking. She held my hand tightly when the pain got too much and this helped. I told her I could handle it — we laughed about that,” describes Jane.
Later, a doctor from the local hospital’s ICU stopped at the scene too. The ICU doctor decided that Jenny should lie on her back, making her much more comfortable until the emergency services arrived.
Thinking back, Jane says: “For me, knowing that in a small way I helped that girl through what was a frightening experience is all the reward I need. I felt great to know I’d made a difference and I’d do it again.”
1. We can learn from the text that Jane Hodgson _____.| A．is an ICU doctor | B．is a first⁃aid trainer |
| C．works in a local hospital | D．has learned some first aid |
| A．Jenny had a spinal injury |
| B．Jenny didn’t have serious injuries |
| C．Jenny couldn’t remember what had happened |
| D．Jenny lost her helmet when she was knocked down |
| A．Jenny refused to talk | B．Jenny went into shock |
| C．Jane was a little impatient | D．Jane kept giving Jenny confidence |
| A．Strict but caring. | B．Tough and generous. |
| C．Proud but determined. | D．Warm-hearted and helpful. |
4 . Teenagers are especially likely to suffer loneliness. Here are some suggestions for speeding a recovery from loneliness.
Reach out to others, but start small. A smile and a friendly greeting for the student behind you in line at the cafeteria won’t make you best friends.
Find a safe place to make connections. If going to the school dance makes you feel like you just don’t belong, try joining a specialinterest group. Maybe it’s the drama club or the marching band.
Find other ways of making connections. Lonely people hunger for acceptance and friendship. Sometimes feeling accepted and liked comes more easily when you do something for others.
You get what you expect, so expect the best. If you expect others to be friendly, you will behave in similar ways.
| A．But it will make you both feel pretty good. |
| B．So consider becoming a volunteer. |
| C．Some teens aren’t so adaptable, however. |
| D．Encourage people to be friendlier to you. |
| E．Choose the right people. |
| F．For most young people, loneliness is only temporary. |
| G．Look for a group that allows you to join in gradually and cheerfully. |
5 . Three years ago, Liu Mama was an unknown middle-aged farmer from the Dongbei region, in northeastern China. Then she started
People were
Liu Mama’s
| A．ignoring | B．celebrating | C．showing | D．suffering |
| A．introduced | B．contained | C．disagreed | D．disliked |
| A．base | B．role | C．request | D．voyage |
| A．recognized | B．persuaded | C．refused | D．decided |
| A．short | B．long | C．clear | D．fond |
| A．organizing | B．determining | C．viewing | D．sitting |
| A．frightening | B．terrible | C．interesting | D．silent |
| A．difference | B．tip | C．recognition | D．advantage |
| A．set up | B．focus on | C．calm down | D．work out |
| A．hardly | B．nearly | C．quickly | D．only |
| A．farmers | B．survivors | C．beggars | D．followers |
| A．grew | B．removed | C．sank | D．debated |
| A．replacing | B．harvesting | C．competing | D．deserving |
| A．schools | B．homeland | C．fields | D．stadiums |
| A．arises | B．solves | C．bursts | D．owns |
| A．rise | B．protection | C．appreciation | D．attention |
| A．successful | B．online | C．secure | D．personal |
| A．appearance | B．loss | C．try | D．test |
| A．considered | B．attached | C．succeeded | D．formed |
| A．coming | B．learning | C．recovering | D．ranging |
6 . When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was to spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sports to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I delivered newspapers to people’s homes. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket: stacking shelves and working at the checkout.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage(成人仪式). It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV(简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employer’s organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
1. How did the author feel about doing part-time jobs on weekends when he was a teenager?| A．Delighted. | B．Interested. | C．Unwilling. | D．Angry. |
| A．Learning to be independent. | B．Gaining some life experience. |
| C．Being prepared for future jobs. | D．Spending what they earn as they like. |
| A．Valuable. | B．Harmful. | C．Necessary. | D．Impossible. |
| A．Students should spend all their time on studies. |
| B．Students should have as many part-time jobs as possible. |
| C．Doing part-time jobs must affect students’ school results. |
| D．It’s important for students to balance part-time jobs and studies. |
7 . Attitudes to industrial espionage (间谍活动)
What do people think about stealing and selling industrial secrets?
A. Sarah J. , an industrial chemist
For some years now I have been engaged in highly secret chemical research. Because there is so much industrial espionage now, I have got used to a certain lack of freedom. There is an atmosphere of suspicion almost everywhere, and I am well aware of the dangers of talking about my work, or even of telling new acquaintances where I work. I know I must keep my work secret.
B. Charles S. , an inventor
There was a time, when I was employed as a scientific adviser to a large company, where I though there was too much secrecy in industry. I have an agent who looks after a part of my business and she has always insisted that I take out patents on all of my inventions, however ridiculous they may look. She also insists on my locking away all plans and technical drawings.
C. Peter L. , a science teacher
I teach chemistry and physics to young people up to the age of 18 to the best of my ability in the hope that they will go to university and eventually go into industry. I hate the whole business of industrial spying. I know it goes on and I warn my students about getting involved in buying or selling secrets. And old friend of mine is a mechanical engineer and although he says he has no important information, he has had his phone tapped (窃听), and he has been approached b a representative of another large company.
D. Laura B. , an advertising executive
Some fellow sales executives and I were discussing the question of industrial espionage in conference recently. While the others felt it only took place in the manufacturing industries, I pointed out that it was just as prevalent in area like sales, advertising, insurance and other service industries. It’s a fact of life: we all have our secrets that other companies would pay a lot of money to see.
1. Who points out that spying takes places even in service industries?| A．Sarah. J. | B．Laura | C．Charles S. | D．Peter L. |
| A．important | B．attractive | C．different | D．common |
| A．a magazine. | B．a poster. | C．a science fiction | D．an ad. |
My wife is crazy about shopping on the Internet.
Nowadays,
9 . Guangzhou （Xinhua）——12 people were killed and 20 injured early yesterday morning when they jumped from a burning train car into the path of an oncoming goods train in Southern China. When No. 247 Wuchang——Guangzhou passenger train was passing the Dayaoshan Tunnel in Guangdong Province,South China at 00 ：17 hours yesterday, a fire caused by passengers’ smoking broke out on No. 17 car. They wanted to extinguish fire. As the train stopped some frightened passengers jumped from windows. 12 people were crushed to death and 20 others injured by a northward passing goods train（No. 1766）.
1. When did the accident happen？| A．At 00：17 am. | B．At 00：17 pm. |
| C．At seventeen past one. | D．At seventeen to one. |
| A．In Wuchang. | B．In Guangzhou. |
| C．In Hubei. | D．In Guangdong. |
| A．To put out the fire. | B．To let the passengers jump out. |
| C．To let the other train pass. | D．To pick up some other passengers. |
| A．A heavy rain. | B．High temperature. |
| C．Carelessness. | D．Fear. |
10 . Kids and science seem to be made for each other!
The basic science is a combination of thought and experiment called the scientific method. It’s where you start with an idea, create a way to prove or disprove your idea, and show what you learned based on facts. Learning to follow this process helps you think logically and carefully. These important thinking skills can be used in many areas of study. To give a child practice with these thinking skills is like giving vitamins to a developing mind.
One of the greatest things we can teach our children is to love learning. Learning science is a great way to do so. Children are easy to be interested in science. Because much of science is hands-on, it attracts most children. Nothing makes a child sit up and take notice like the “WOW!” of a great science showing.
Science opens doors to many subjects at school. Building love for science can be helpful in other areas of study. For example, one cannot love science for very long without becoming good at its language-math! So science encourages children to study math. An interest in science is an interest in how things were once understood compared to how they are understood now. Thus studying science lends itself easily to studying history. And after you do an experiment, you need to write a lab report. Therefore, writing becomes an important part of science.
Science is the basic thing for much of our life. The science of farming shows how our food is produced; biomedical science keeps us healthy; even our beds these days are designed according to scientific facts. We almost eat, sleep and breathe with the help of science! When we prepare the next generation of voters, creators and policy makers, it is important to make sure they are not only comfortable but also good at science.
1. According to Paragraph 2, what does learning the scientific method mean to kids?| A．Learning to do experiments. | B．Learning many areas of study. |
| C．Helping them develop thinking skills. | D．Refusing any ideas that are not logical. |
| A．Science is too difficult for children. | B．Children usually consider science boring. |
| C．Science can arouse children's interest in learning. | D．Children who are careless shouldn't learn science. |
| A．He usually has no time for other subjects. | B．He usually loses interest in other activities. |
| C．He is usually bad at such subjects like history. | D．He is likely to learn many other subjects well. |
| A．Why Kids Should Learn Science | B．Why Science Is Important |
| C．How Kids Can Make Use of Science | D．What Kids Should Learn at School |
