1 . My phone was an extension of myself. I couldn’t go anywhere _________ it. I scrolled through my friends’ _________ into late night and turned my phone on before my eyes were fully open. I enjoyed having it until that day when I realized that what had started as a useful tool had turned into a(n) _________. So, I made a _________ decision to turn off that smartphone and _________ my old dumb phone out of hiding.

When I was watching TV shows or movies and there was a boring part, I _________ picking up the phone and checking out “what everyone else was doing.” Now I had to pay attention or find a way to _________ myself with my thoughts instead. When I visited New York City, I had to write out _________ and ask people where an intersection (十字路口) was _________ pulling out my phone.

I have welcomed silence into my life with open arms and am enjoying the increased __________ from not constantly having to fight with the __________ to check my phone while I’m trying to get something done. I am allowing my thoughts to speak to me instead of my phone. I am connecting with others in a __________ way that isn’t all about me. Instead of always posting about what’s going on in my __________ perfect life, I am connecting with my friends one-on-one, talking about the reality of our lives and being there for them from a place of __________.

As much as having a smartphone was __________, not having one is freeing on a much bigger level.

2 . Over the past few decades, technology has profoundly transformed the way we live and work. The digital revolution has brought about________ changes to industries, economies, and societies worldwide. As we continue to navigate this rapidly changing landscape, it is crucial to understand the ________ impact of technology on various aspects of our lives.

In the realm of employment, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping job markets. Routine tasks that were once carried out by humans are now________ by machines with remarkable efficiency. While this automation has increased productivity and reduced errors, it has also ________ concerns about job displacement and the need for upskilling.

The education sector has not been immune to technological advancements either. Online learning platforms and digital resources have________ traditional classroom settings. This shift offers flexibility in learning, but it also requires learners to possess strong________ skills to navigate digital environments effectively.

Communication has been revolutionized by technology as well. Social media platforms enable instantaneous global________, connecting people across borders. However, the rapid spread of information in the digital age has________ challenges related to misinformation and privacy breaches.

Healthcare has witnessed the integration of technology through telemedicine and remote monitoring. While these innovations improve access to medical services, they also raise questions about the ________ of personal health data and the potential loss of the human touch in patient care.

In the realm of creativity, technology has opened new avenues for artistic expression. Digital art, virtual reality experiences, and interactive storytelling have________ boundaries in the creative world. However, concerns linger about the ________ of originality and the potential loss of tangible artistic experiences.

The environment benefits from technology through innovations in renewable energy and resource management. Yet, the________ footprint of electronic devices and the challenge of electronic waste management underscore the ________ implications of the digital revolution.

In conclusion, technology’s far-reaching influence touches every aspect of our lives. Its ________ can be both empowering and concerning. To navigate this complex landscape, individuals, businesses, and policymakers must work together to harness the potential of technology while addressing its________ challenges.

3 . I don’t usually watch TV at night. Last Thursday night, I finished my homework early and _________to watch TV for half an hour. To my surprise, there was a wonderful _________.

The program was about food waste (食品浪费). It asked cooks (厨师) to make meals from food that people threw away (扔掉). The cooks went to _________to find food. They found lots of bread. The bread was three days old but was _________very good. At some street markets they found bananas and strawberries. The _________was a little brown, but it was OK to eat!

From the program, I learned how much food people throw away every week. It is _________. We waste so much food because we _________so much and we can’t eat it all! The program also showed that some farmers throw away a lot of their vegetables because they aren’t the right _________for the shops!

People don’t want carrots when they are very big or very small, _________ the farmers throw them away or give them to pigs!

The program showed people that food waste is a big problem. We must __________food waste together. From now on, I will eat everything in the fridge (冰箱).

5 . Climate experts have warned about the many ways a warming planet can negatively affect human health. ________ global temperatures are predicted to increase by 1.5℃ by the 2030s, that risk is becoming increasingly real.

One long-held prediction that appears to be coming true — according to the results of a study recently published in Nature Scientific Reports — is how climate change might enhance ________ of bacteria that thrive and spread through warm sea waters and cause an infection with a particularly high ________ rate.

Vibrio vulnificus (创伤弧菌) flourishes in salty or brackish waters above 68℉. Infections are currently rare in the U.S., but that’s likely to change. Using 30 years of data on infections, scientists at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. found that Vibrio vulnificusis ________ from its historic Gulf Coast range, with more Northern states reporting infections as waters become warmer.

“We’re seeing the core ________ of infections extending to areas that traditionally have very few and very rare cases,” says Elizabeth Archer, a Ph.D. researcher and ________ author of the study. “But these areas are now coming into the main area of infections.”

Based on the latest data on how much the world’s water and air temperatures will rise, the scientists predict that by 2081, Vibrio vulnificus infections could reach every state along the U.S. East Coast. Currently, only about 80 cases are reported in the U.S. each year; by 2081, that could go up to over three-fold, the authors say.

Such a proliferation could have serious health consequences. Vibrio vulnificus kills approximately 20% of the healthy people it infects, and 50% of those with weakened immune systems. There is little evidence that antibiotics can ________ the infection, but doctors may prescribe them in some cases. People can get infected either by eating raw shellfish like oysters or by exposing small ________ to waters where the bacteria live, which can lead to serious skin infections.

Warming sea temperatures aren’t the only reasons behind the rise of Vibrio vulnificus. Hotter air also draws more people to the coasts and bays, bringing them into closer contact with the bacteria.

“The bacteria are part of the natural marine environment, so I don’t think we can ________ it from the environment,” says Archer. “It’s more about mitigating infections by increasing ________ of the risk.”

To alert people to the growing threat, ________ systems are needed to track when concentrations of bacteria start to rise, similar to currently available pollen and pollution alarm.

Vbrio vulnificus is so ________ to temperature changes that concentrations could bloom after even a day of warmer water, so consistent monitoring and alerts are critical, says Iain Lake, professor of environmental epidemiology at University of East Anglia and senior author of the paper.

Lake says the expansion of Vibrio vulnificus is concerning for public health since the bacteria are now invading waters closer to heavily ________ areas, such as New York and Philadelphia. “Everyone can get a Vibrio vulnificus infection,” he says. “But the more ________ there is between warmer waters and people, the more the bacteria can move into populations ________ the elderly and those with other health conditions, who are more vulnerable to infections.”

7 . Since 2020, the world has set a goal of safe water for all and has advanced toward it. However, the fast-growing bottled-water industry is _______ countries’ failure to achieve the goal.

The fast-growing bottled water can _______ the progress safe-water projects, by _______ their attention to a less reliable option(选择). The latest UN University report showed that the annual _______ of the global bottled-water market are expected to $ 500 billion worldwide this decade. This can increase _______ in water-depleted (缺水的) areas while _______ to plastic pollution on land and in the oceans. In fact, the industry’s greatest impact seems to _______ the progress of nations’ goals to provide its residents with equal access to affordable drinking water. In the Global North, bottled water is often understood to be healthier and _______ than tap water. It is more a luxury than a necessity. Meanwhile, in the Global South, it is the absence of reliable public water _______ that drives bottled water markets.

Therefore, in many low- and middle-income countries. ________ consumption of bottled water can be seen as a ________ of decades of governments’ failure to ________ commitments(承诺) to safe public water systems. This further widens the global ________ between the billions of people who lack access to ________ water services and those who enjoy water as a luxury. So it’s time to strengthen legislation (立法) to. ________ the industry and its water-quality standards.

8 . Ambition is a necessary quality in life. It is the ________which drives us on to use whatever talent we have got. If we haven’t got some degree of ambition, these talents will not be used for our own and others’ ________.

Ambition,________ , can have several faults. First of all, it can be________. We may not be able to see the limits of our own abilities, so we do ambitious things that are completely beyond us. Our career masters can see our good qualities and our limitations________. They may tell us that we haven’t the ability to deal with people and would not make good businessmen. We refuse to take their ________. We keep on trying. Many years and many ________ later we are forced to accept their judgement. But what a waste of time our ill-founded ambition has caused us!

Secondly, our ambition can be too concentrated. Our attention is devoted to one   ________aim, such as getting distinctions in a science subject. Everything that may draw us away from this aim is cut out of our lives. In the end we get our distinctions. But what   ________we have caused ourselves in the process! We are isolated beings only caring about a particular examination. And we probably won’t make good scientists. We________the breadth of vision necessary for success at a higher level.

Thirdly, our ambition can be limited to lifeless objectives. We want to gain money, or power, or membership of some circles. Persons who feel inferior try to________by seeking the respect of others through possession of these artificial signs of worth.

Fourthly, our ambition may be ________. Instead of directing some of our ambitions towards community improvement, we may exploit members of the community in the interests of self-advancements. In later life we may be ambitious for the success of our children but we regard this success as only a further ________of our own success.

Ambition is necessary in the lives of individuals—necessary for their own improvement and for the improvement of the community in which they live. But, like all blind forces, it must be ________ if it is not to cause disaster. It must be tightly controlled by the head and the heart. Otherwise ambition may demand too high a price ________human qualities.

10 . One of the most important sections of the Human Development Report is the Human Development Index. The Index ________ a country’s achievements in three ways: life expectancy, education and income. The ________ has some surprises. Norway is ________ the list, while the US is at number 7. The bottom ten countries are all African countries. China is in the middle of the list. It is one of the examples of successful ________. China increased life expectancy by 13 years. In the last ten years in China, 150 million people moved out of ________. However, a great many people in ________ countries are facing problems of food. Over half of who get ________ are in South Asia or Africa. In developing countries about 115 million children are not ________. And ________ more than 1 billion people don’t have safe water to drink, so the report suggests that we need to make greater ________ in the future.