| A．makes | B．is made | C．made | D．make |
| A．who | B．that | C．whom | D．which |
Every girl dreamed when she was young and Cindy was no exception. Her favorite ballet was Swan and Lake and she had read dozens of books from the library or in the bookstore on how to become a ballerina. She anxiously hoped that one day her dream would come true. She had taken ballet lessons and all her teachers confirmed that she was a good student and full of potential, which made her look forward to the future.
One day she saw an advertisement that a famous ballerina troupe (剧团) would be performing in her hometown. Her thoughts ran wild, “I must meet up with the leader of the troupe and show him my skills,” she murmured to herself. She dressed herself in her ballerina costume and managed to avoid the guards and hid in the dressing room to wait, with her heart pounding. It was uncertain whether she could see the leader.
Luckily, the leader entered and she timidly knocked at the door.
She bravely approached him and handed him a bunch of red roses. And in her excitement, she pricked (刺) her finger on the thorns but she did not make a big thing about the pain. The leader observed her action, nodding his head slightly, as she told him her dream. “All right, you dance and I will give you my judgment.”
But half way through the dance he stopped her and said with an impish (恶作剧的) smile Cindy didn’t notice, “I’m sorry you’re not good enough!” On hearing this, Cindy was too ashamed to ask the leader the reason and ran crying away, as fast as her legs could carry her without a brief stay. Shaking his head in disappointment, the leader said to himself, “Persistence matters more than talent.”
Three years passing, she was still chasing her dream. Then one day she heard that the same ballet troupe was performing in her town again. Bitter memories of the leader’s harsh words came flooding back to her. This time she was determined to find out why the leader had told her she was not good enough when all her teachers thought otherwise.
The leader glanced at Cindy in peace, “I remember how you had pricked yourself but you carried on bravely.”
At the thought, she ran after the leader immediately.
Minutes can make a difference when a life is on the line. The American Red Cross has begun offering free training and certification (合格证书) so high school students can act fast in medical emergencies.
Traumatic injuries (创伤性损伤) are the leading cause of death in Americans younger than 45. “What we are trying to do is take lessons that we learned from the battlefield — people with life-threatening injuries might have a much better chance of surviving if they can have immediate treatment,” said Craig Goolsby, a professor of Military Emergency Medicine at the Uniformed Services University. “If people can stop bleeding, particularly bleeding from arms and legs, we have a lot better chance of saving the lives of those people once they reach the hospital,” he said.
First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) training is available to teach high school students how to talk to each other effectively during an emergency, how to make sure that the scene is safe so additional people don’t get hurt and how to stop bleeding with a tourniquet (止血带) or direct pressure. “Just some of those really basic things that can be lifesaving before an ambulance arrives,” Goolsby said.
“My team has done a series of research studies over the past several years looking at the public’s ability to apply tourniquets or apply direct pressure. We’ve found that even very brief education, like 15 minutes of education, can have a great effect on how people will react,” Goolsby added. “They start out at a lower level of likelihood of response, get the training, and then all of a sudden, they’re more likely to respond.”
Goolsby noted that in many emergencies, average people on the street jumped in to help people who were injured. “Giving the public these tools and the courage to say ‘I can do this.’ is really important. The FAST program does that. And so we’re excited to be able to empower this next generation of Americans to take those steps,” he said.
1．What did Craig Goolsby learn from the battlefield?| A．The difficulty of surviving. | B．The types of traumatic injuries. |
| C．The importance of immediate treatment. | D．The lifesaving measures taken by medical staff. |
| A．How to move the injured to a safe place. | B．How to help the injured deal with pressure. |
| C．How to communicate effectively in emergencies. | D．How to make tourniquets using materials on hand. |
| A．Most people have little first aid experience. |
| B．Educated people are more likely to offer help. |
| C．Most people find it difficult to apply direct pressure. |
| D．People tend to help others willingly after the training. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Critical. |
Best wishes
Li Hua
Plastics have been found from the top of Mount Qomolangma to newly-formed beaches in Hawaii. The amount of plastic in our environment is shocking. What can we do about it? I’m inspired by Kate Nelson, who has lived without using single-use plastic for over ten years. Kate is also the founder of Sea the Mermaids, an organization focusing on stopping human-sourced ocean pollution through education and community action.
She recently wrote an inspiring and practical guidebook I Quit Plastics: and you can too, which is full of information and tips on how to cook, clean, shop, wear and live plastic-free. Upon first opening, you will see a recipe for Cashew Cheese that looks amazing! Not only does this book provide many delicious recipes, but also explores interesting problems about plastic pollution.
For example, Kate explores the problems about plastics and social justice, including plastic privilege(特权). She points out that wealthier countries, such as the USA, export their plastic waste to Southeast Asia, but many of these countries cannot process their own waste. In addition, most of the affordable food, though processed and unhealthy, is heavily packaged in plastic. People that live in “food deserts” in cities and depend on corner stores have no choice when it comes to avoiding plastics. Kate writes in the book, “Not everyone will have bulk (散装) food stores or farmers’ markets near where they live.”
Kate’s writing is easy to read without sounding preachy (说教的). Her explanations and reasoning are clear. From food to beauty to cleaning, Kate’s practical recipes and tips make it easy for everyone to reduce their chances of using single-use plastic. She develops effective strategies that others can easily adopt and offers clear steps to help people improve on the plastic quifting journey.
1．Why does the author talk about plastic in the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the topic. | B．To share an experience. |
| C．To doubt serious pollution. | D．To explain plastic pollution. |
| A．Famous persons. | B．The latest news. |
| C．Classic music. | D．Reusable shopping bags. |
| A．They eat too much unhealthy food. |
| B．They can’t afford to buy enough food. |
| C．They can’t avoid plastic-packaged food. |
| D．They prefer bulk food to packaged food. |
| A．An environment report. | B．A book review. |
| C．An author’s introduction. | D．A scientific research. |
Jim slumped (倚,靠) on the sofa. Mother’s Day was coming up, and he didn’t have a present. “How can I buy a present without any money?” he thought.
Jim picked up the newspaper that was lying on the sofa. He noticed a large advertisement (广告) on the front page. The local department store was sponsoring (赞助) a contest. “Tell us why your mom is special and win a shopping spree (疯狂购物) for her,” said the ad.
“This is perfect!” thought Jim. He ran to his room with the newspaper. Taking a pencil and a blank piece of paper from his desk, he started to write.
“My mom is the best mother in the world. She always makes a lunch for me to take to school, and she never forgets my dessert. She reads as many books to me before bed as I want. She always remembers to check under the bed for monsters (怪兽). And she gives me the best hug.”
Jim liked what he had written. He copied it neatly and got an envelope and a stamp from his dad. He ran to the mailbox with his entry (参赛作品), “Mom will love having a shopping spree,” he thought.
Jim checked the mailbox every day for his prize. Days passed by, and then weeks. Soon it was the day before Mother’s day. Jim still hadn’t heard anything about the contest. “What am I going to do now?” he wondered. He didn’t have a present, and he didn’t have a shopping spree, and he still didn’t have any money. He had to think of something. Jim closed his eyes and thought so hard.
Suddenly he had an idea.
The next morning Jim handed his present to his mom.
Since 1992, people have been talking about “Dunbar’s number,” the supposed upper limit of the number of people with whom a person can maintain stable social relationships. Named for British scientist Robin Dunbar, its value, rounded from 148 to 150, has permeated both professional and popular culture.
The Swedish taxation authority keeps offices under 150 people as a result of it, and the standard facilities of the W. L. Gore and Associates company are based around the concept. Dunbar’s number was cited in the bestselling book Tipping Point, and it also has a fair amount of academic influence.
Despite its fame, Dunbar’s number is probably wrong, according to a new study.
Less well known than the value of Dunbar’s number is how he came up with it. The value of 150 is determined by looking at the ratio(比率) between the size of a certain part of the primate(灵长类动物) brain and the average size of groups they form. These ratios were then applied to data on the human brain, and the average value of roughly 150 relationships was determined.
In the new study, the researchers did similar calculations but with updated information on the size of monkey brains and social networks. When the researchers applied Dunbar’s exact same methods to their new data, they got a 95% confidence interval(置信区间) between roughly 5 and 292 people. This is far too wide a range to be of any use.
Additionally, the researchers noted the fact that human brains often work differently than those of our nearest cousins, as evidenced by our ability to create things. The idea that we would process social information exactly like other primates do is a bold and largely unsupported claim.
So, is there a new Dunbar number? Well, this isn’t the point of this study. The researchers end their paper with: “It is our hope that this study will put an end to the use of ‘Dunbar’s number’ within science and in popular media.”
1．What does the underlined word “permeated” in paragraph 1 mean?| A．Well preserved. | B．Deeply affected. |
| C．Depended heavily on. | D．Take full advantage of. |
| A．By giving examples. | B．By extending definitions. |
| C．By drawing comparisons. | D．By making classifications. |
| A．The samples were too small to be of any use. |
| B．Dunbar’s number has always been the subject of debate. |
| C．The calculation leading to Dunbar’s number is too complex. |
| D．The ratio from primates could not be carried over to humans. |
| A．To replace Dunbar’s number. |
| B．To offer Dunbar’s number new evidence. |
| C．To stop the spreading of Dunbar’s number. |
| D．To find new applications of Dunbar’s number. |
Recent research reveals that the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) by companies in the US has a disproportionate impact on women. According to a recent analysis, approximately 79% of the jobs lost to AI were held by women. This difference can be due to several factors.
Women are more likely to work in industries that are highly be influenced by automation, such as retail, hospitality, and administrative support. These sectors often involve repetitive tasks that can be easily automated by AI technologies. Consequently, women employed in these industries face a higher risk of job displacement.
Gender biases in AI algorithms (运算法则) can worsen the situation for women. AI systems are trained on historical data, which may reflect existing gender biases in hiring and promotion practices. This can result in biased decision-making during recruitment and performance evaluations, putting women at a disadvantage in the workplace.
The lack of diversity in the development of AI technologies contributes to the gender difference. The underrepresentation (代表名额不足) of women in the field of AI means that their perspectives and experiences are not adequately considered during the design and development process. As a result, AI systems may not fully understand or cater to the needs of women, continuously leading to gender inequalities.
To address these challenges, it is crucial to prioritize diversity and inclusion in the development and deployment of AI technologies. This involves increasing the representation of women in AI-related fields and ensuring diverse perspectives are considered during the design and testing phases. Additionally, companies should actively work towards eliminating gender biases in AI algorithms and regularly assess their impact on different demographic groups.
In conclusion, although men currently dominate the labor market, women bear a disproportionate burden due to the adoption of generative AI. The combination of industry composition, gender biases in algorithms, and lack of diversity in AI development contribute to this disparity. To relieve these effects, it is essential to prioritize diversity and inclusion in AI development and address gender biases in algorithms. Only through these efforts can we ensure that the benefits of AI are distributed equitably among all individuals, regardless of gender.
1．Why are women in the US workforce more influenced by the adoption of generative AI than men?| A．Women are less adaptable to technological changes. |
| B．Women have a lower level of education compared to men. |
| C．Women are generally less skilled in technology and AI-related fields. |
| D．Women are more likely to work in industries that are highly automatable. |
| A．Increasing gender proportion in AI development teams. |
| B．Providing targeted training and programs for women and giving them more chances in AI-related fields. |
| C．Encouraging women to pursue careers in non-automatable industries. |
| D．Offering financial supports to companies that prioritize gender diversity in AI programmes. |
| A．It ensures equal opportunities for women in the workforce. |
| B．It promotes innovation and creativity in AI solutions. |
| C．It reduces the risk of biased algorithms that perpetuate gender inequalities. |
| D．It improves the overall performance and effectiveness of AI systems. |
| A．The impact of AI on job losses in the US. |
| B．The role of women in AI-related fields. |
| C．Gender biases in AI algorithms and their effects on women. |
| D．Solutions to address challenges faced by women due to generative AI. |
The New Technology and Travel Revolution
Technological advances have changed the way we travel, and these new developments promise an even more
Today, nobody
The cell phone has become our tour guide, travel agency, best restaurant locator, map, and more. It’s
This is why there’s a need to
Augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) have also entered the travel world, and the truth is that it’s a trend
In addition, we’re all familiar with Siri and Alexa, the
| A．relative | B．extensive | C．interactive | D．positive |
| A．in trouble | B．in store | C．in a box | D．in the middle |
| A．doubts | B．greets | C．concludes | D．reasons |
| A．individual | B．joint | C．separate | D．independent |
| A．innovative | B．peculiar | C．prevalent | D．initial |
| A．from all sides | B．side by side | C．on your side | D．by our side |
| A．place | B．devote | C．direct | D．adapt |
| A．recognition | B．reservation | C．support | D．revision |
| A．status | B．statue | C．environment | D．stair |
| A．regulating | B．restoring | C．eliminating | D．storing |
| A．instead of | B．due to | C．contrary to | D．along with |
| A．visual | B．digital | C．actual | D．virtual |
| A．enlist | B．participate | C．attach | D．resemble |
| A．specifically | B．generally | C．specially | D．equally |
| A．altered | B．performed | C．launched | D．imposed |
搜索
