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What is a Boy?
Between the innocence of babyhood and the seriousness of manhood we find a delightful creature called a “boy”. Boys come in different sizes, weights, and colors, but all boys have the same belief: to enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to fill the air with noise until the adult males pack them off to bed at night.
Boys are found everywhere--- on top of, under, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around, or jumping to this and that! Mothers spoil them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers love them, and God protects them. A boy is TRUTH with dirt on its face, BEAUYTY with a cut on its finger, WISDOM with chocolate in its hair, and HOPE of the future with a snake in its pocket.
When you are busy, a boy is a trouble-maker and a noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a wild creature bent on destroying the world and himself with it.
A boy is a mixture--- he has the stomach of a horse, the digestion of stones and sand, the energy of an atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the imagination of a superman, the shyness of a sweet girl, the brave nature of a bull, the violence of a firecracker, but when you ask him to make something, he has five thumbs on each hand.
He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings, and fire engines. He is not much for Sunday schools, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.
Nobody else is so early to rise, or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs, and breezes. Nobody else can put into one pocket a rusty knife, a half eaten apple, a three-foot rope, six cents and some unknown things.
A boy is a magical creature---he is your headache but when you come home at night with only shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams, he can mend them like new with two magic word, “Hi, Dad!”
61. The whole passage is in a tone of _______ .
A. humor and love                   B. respect and harmony   
C. ambition and expectation            D. confidence and imagination
62. What does the underlined sentence in Pare 4 probably mean?
A. He has altogether five fingers.       B. He is slow, foolish and clumsy.
C. He becomes clever and smart.       D. He cuts his hand with a knife.
63. According to the writer, boys appreciate everything in the following EXCEPT ___________.
A. ice cream      B. comic books     C. Saturday mornings   D. Sunday schools
64. What does the writer feel about boyhood?
A. Curious.      B. Tiring.          C. Delightful.          D. Unsafe.
65. The writer is probably ________ .
A. a cheerful young bachelor           B. a keenly observant father
C. an appreciative fond mother         D. a spoiled naughty kid

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Certain forms of AI are indeed becoming ubiquitous. For example, algorithms (算法) carry out huge volumes of trading on our financial markets, self﹣driving cars are appearing on city streets, and our smartphones are translating from one language into another. These systems are sometimes faster and more perceptive than we humans are. But so far that is only true for the specific tasks for which the systems have been designed. That is something that some AI developers are now eager to change.

Some of today's AI pioneers want to move on from today's world of "weak" or "narrow" AI, to create "strong" or "full" AI, or what is often called artificial general intelligence (AGI). In some respects, today's powerful computing machines already make our brains look weak. AGI could, its advocates say, work for us around the clock, and drawing on all available data, could suggest solutions to many problems. DM, a company focused on the development of AGI, has an ambition to "solve intelligence". "If we're successful," their mission statement reads, "we believe this will be one of the most important and widely beneficial scientific advances ever made."

Since the early days of AI, imagination has outpaced what is possible or even probable. In 1965, an imaginative mathematician called Irving Good predicted the eventual creation of an "ultra﹣intelligent machine …that can far surpass all the intellectual (智力的) activities of any man, however clever." Good went on to suggest that "the first ultra﹣intelligent machine" could be "the last invention that man need ever make."

Fears about the appearance of bad, powerful, man﹣made intelligent machines have been reinforced (强化) by many works of fiction﹣Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and the Terminator film series, for example. But if A I does eventually prove to be our downfall, it is unlikely to be at the hands of human﹣shaped forms like these, with recognisably human motivations such as aggression (敌对行为). Instead, I agree with Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom, who believes that the heaviest risks from AGI do not come from a decision to turn against mankind but rather from a dogged pursuit of set objectives at the expense of everything else.

The promise and danger of true AGI are great. But all of today's excited discussion about these possibilities presupposes the fact that we will be able to build these systems. And, having spoken to many of the world's foremost A I researchers, I believe there is good reason to doubt that we will see AGI any time soon, if ever.

(1)What does the underlined word "ubiquitous" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?   

A.

Enormous in quantity.

B.

Changeable daily.

C.

Stable in quality.

D.

Present everywhere.

(2)What could AGI do for us, according to its supporters?   

A.

Help to tackle problems.

B.

Make brains more active.

C.

Benefit ambitious people.

D.

Set up powerful databases.

(3)As for Irving Good's opinion on ultra﹣intelligent machines, the author is    .

A.

supportive

B.

disapproving

C.

fearful

D.

uncertain

(4)What can be inferred about AGI from the passage?   

A.

It may be only a dream.

B.

It will come into being soon.

C.

It will be controlled by humans.

D.

It may be more dangerous than ever.

For the past five years, Paula Smith, a historian of science, has devoted herself to re﹣creating long﹣forgotten techniques. While doing research for her new book, she came across a 16th﹣century French manuscript (手稿) consisting of nearly 1,000 sets of instructions, covering subjects from tool making to finding the best sand.

The author's intention remains as mysterious (神秘) as his name; he may have been simply taking notes for his own records. But Smith was struck mainly by the fact that she didn't truly grasp any of the skills the author described. "You simply can't get an understanding of that handwork by reading about it," she says.

Though Smith did get her hands on the best sand, doing things the old﹣fashioned way isn't just about playing around with French mud. Reconstructing the work of the craftsmen (工匠) who lived centuries ago can reveal how they viewed the world, what objects filled their homes, and what went on in the workshops that produced them. It can even help solve present﹣day problems: In 2015, scientists discovered that a 10th﹣century English medicine for eye problems could kill a drug﹣resistant virus.

The work has also brought insights for museums, Smith says. One must know how an object was made in order to preserve it. What's more, reconstructions might be the only way to know what treasures looked like before time wore them down. Scholars have seen this idea in practice with ancient Greek and Roman statues. These sculptures were painted a rainbow of striking colours. We can't appreciate these kinds of details without seeing works of art as they originally appeared﹣ something Smith believes you can do only when you have a road map.

Smith has put the manuscript's ideas into practice. Her final goal is to link the worlds of art and science back together. She believes that bringing the old recipes to life can help develop a kind of learning that highlights experimentation, teamwork, and problem solving.

Back when science﹣then called "the new philosophy"﹣took shape, academics looked to craftsmen for help in understanding the natural world. Microscopes and telescopes were invented by way of artistic tinkering (修补), as craftsmen experimented with glass to better bend light.

If we can rediscover the values of hands﹣on experience and craftwork, Smith says, we can marry the best of our modern insights with the handiness of our ancestors.

(1)How did Smith feel after reading the French manuscript?   

A.

Confused about the technical terms.

B.

Impressed with its detailed instructions.

C.

Discouraged by its complex structure.

D.

Shocked for her own lack of hand skills.

(2)According to Smith, the reconstruction work is done mainly to    .

A.

restore old workshops

B.

understand the craftsmen

C.

improve visual effects

D.

inspire the philosophers

(3)Why does the author mention museums?   

A.

To reveal the beauty of ancient objects.

B.

To present the findings of old science.

C.

To highlight the importance of antiques.

D.

To emphasise the values of hand skills.

(4)Which would be the best title for this passage?   

A.

Craftsmen Set the Trends for Artists

B.

Craftsmanship Leads to New Theories

C.

Craftsmanship Makes Better Scientists

D.

Craftsmen Reshape the Future of Science

Baggy has become the first dog in the UK﹣and potentially the world﹣to join the fight against air pollution by recording pollutant levels near the ground.

Baggy wears a pollution monitor on her collar so she can take data measurements close to the ground. Her monitor has shown that air pollution levels are higher closer to ground level, which has helped highlight concerns that babies and young kids may be at higher risk of developing lung problems.

Conventional air pollution monitors are normally fixed on lampposts at about nine feet in the air. However, since Baggy stands at about the same height as a child in a pushchair (婴儿车), she frequently records pollution levels which are much higher than the data gathered by the Environment Agency.

The doggy data research was the idea of Baggy's 13﹣year﹣old owner Tom Hunt and his dad Matt. The English youngster noticed that pollution levels are around two﹣thirds higher close to the ground than they are in the air at the height where they are recorded by the agency. Tom has since reported the shocking findings to the government in an attempt to emphasise that babies are at higher risk of developing asthma (哮喘).

Matt Hunt said he was "very proud" of his son because "when the boy gets an idea, he keeps his head down and gets on with it, and he really does want to do some good and stop young kids from getting asthma."

"Tom built up a passion for environmental protection at a very early age," Matt added. "He became very interested in gadgets (小装置). About one year ago, he got this new piece of tech which is like a test tube. One Sunday afternoon, we went out to do some monitoring, and he said, 'why don't we put it on Baggy's collar and let her monitor the pollution?' So we did it." Tom said, "Most of the time, Baggy is just like any other dog. But for the rest of the time she is a super dog, and we are all really proud of her."

(1)With a monitor on her collar, Baggy can    .

A.

take pollutant readings

B.

record pollutant levels

C.

process collected data

D.

reduce air pollution

(2)What can we learn from the Baggy data?   

A.

High places are free of air pollution.

B.

Higher pushchairs are more risky for kids.

C.

Conventional monitors are more reliable.

D.

Air is more polluted closer to the ground.

(3)What is Tom's purpose of doing the research?   

A.

To warn of a health risk.

B.

To find out pollution sources.

C.

To test his new monitor.

D.

To prove Baggy's abilities.

(4)According to the passage, which word can best describe Tom Hunt?   

A.

Modest.

B.

Generous.

C.

Creative.

D.

Outgoing.


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(1)Who can provide Lancom with a huge potential for innovation in learning?   

A.

Culture researchers.

B.

AI specialists.

C.

Language experts.

D.

Art designers.

(2)What lies at the core of the Lancom app?    

A.

A flexible system.

B.

An effective method.

C.

The brain﹣training technique.

D.

The informative content.

(3)Lancom claims that it is unique in its   .

A.

personalised courses

B.

multiple languages

C.

pricing policy

D.

service team

Monkeys seem to have a way with numbers.

A team of researchers trained three Rhesus monkeys to associate 26 clearly different symbols consisting of numbers and selective letters with 0﹣25 drops of water or juice as a reward. The researchers then tested how the monkeys combined﹣or added﹣the symbols to get the reward.

Here's how Harvard Medical School scientist Margaret Livingstone, who led the team, described the experiment: In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screens. On one part of the screen, a symbol would appear, and on the other side two symbols inside a circle were shown. For example, the number 7 would flash on one side of the screen and the other end would have 9 and 8. If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen they would be rewarded with seven drops of water or juice; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with the sum of the numbers﹣17 in this example.

After running hundreds of tests, the researchers noted that the monkeys would go for the higher values more than half the time, indicating that they were performing a calculation, not just memorizing the value of each combination.

When the team examined the results of the experiment more closely, they noticed that the monkeys tended to underestimate(低估)a sum compared with a single symbol when the two were close in value﹣sometimes choosing, for example, a 13 over the sum of 8 and 6. The underestimation was systematic: When adding two numbers, the monkeys always paid attention to the larger of the two, and then added only a fraction(小部分)of the smaller number to it.

"This indicates that there is a certain way quantity is represented in their brains, "Dr. Livingstone says. "But in this experiment what they're doing is paying more attention to the big number than the little one."

(1)What did the researchers do to the monkeys before testing them?   

A.

They fed them.

B.

They named them.

C.

They trained them.

D.

They measured them.

(2)How did the monkeys get their reward in the experiment?    

A.

By drawing a circle.

B.

By touching a screen.

C.

By watching videos.

D.

By mixing two drinks.

(3)What did Livingstone's team find about the monkeys?   

A.

They could perform basic addition.

B.

They could understand simple words.

C.

They could memorize numbers easily.

D.

They could hold their attention for long.

(4)In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?   

A.

Entertainment.

B.

Health.

C.

Education.

D.

Science.

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