Jinshanling Great Wall
The Great Wall’s Jinshanling section in Chengde, Hebei, is the most beautiful and charming part in the eyes of many photographers.
In spring, it is in the middle of the white apricot blossom (杏花林). During summertime, the Jinshanling section is full of green trees and plants. In autumn, it shows a sunny golden scene with maple (枫树) leaves everywhere on the mountain. And winter puts the Great Wall in a world of pure white snow.
Jiankou Great Wall
For many backpackers, exploring the “wild wall” is a great experience. The wild wall refers to sections that were kept in a natural state and not rebuilt. The Jiankou section is one of the most famous ones. There, the wall is overgrown with plants. Trees stick out from in between the stones. In some places, you have to climb the rocks, pulling your body up with your arms if you can’t find a place to put your feet. This challenging adventure makes visiting the wild wall more fun.
Badaling Great Wall
The Great Wall’s Badaling section began to be repaired in the 1960s. Now it is the busiest part of the Great Wall. Over 400 leaders of countries around the world have visited it, according to Xinhua.
Indian former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the first foreign leader to visit the Badaling Great Wall, in 1954.
1.As a photographer, you like to visit _________best.
A. Jinshanling Great Wall B. Jiankou Great Wall
C. Badaling Great Wall D. above all
2.The underlined word “ones” in the second part means “________”.
A. plants B. stones C. rocks D. sections
3.Indian former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited the Badaling Great Wall _________.
A. before 1954 B. between 1954 and 1960 C. after 1960 D. after 1960s
4.Which of the following is TRUE about the Great Wall?
A. Exploring the Badaling Great Wall is a great experience.
B. More than 400 leaders have visited the Jiankou Great Wall.
C. You can see a sunny golden scene with maple leaves on the Jinshanling Great Wall in spring.
D. The sectionsling Great Wall is busier than the other parts of the Great Wall.
Students have to take tests. Sometimes, robots do too. Torobo from Japan is one of these robots. Torobo is a robot brain with two arms. It is part of a project called “Can a Robot Get into the University of Tokyo?” A group of Japanese scientists started it in 2011.
To go to the University of Tokyo, Torobo has to take Japan’s national college entrance exam. So in 2013, the robot started to take the test with Japanese students.
Sadly, Torobo has failed the test every year. It couldn’t get a good enough score for the University of Tokyo. This year it was the same.
Torobo has a big database (数据库). So it is good at knowledge and calculations (计算). That’s why it got high scores in physics, history and math.
But Torobo is not good at thinking by itself. So it got poor scores in language and writing.
Scientists started the Torobo project to learn about the intellectual abilities (智能) of machines.
Now after Torobo’s four years of hard work, they may have learned a lot.
1.According to the passage, Torobo is __________.
A. a student B. a robot C. a scientist D. a project
2.Why did Torobo get poor scores in language and writing?
A. It only has a robot brain.
B. It failed the test many times.
C. It is good at knowledge and calculations.
D. It is not good at thinking by itself.
3.Which of the following is not TRUE?
A. Torobo is a robot brain with two arms.
B. Torobo is better at writing than at physics.
C. Torobo is better at math than at writing.
D. Scientists may be studying the intellectual abilities.
4.The passage comes from_______.
A. a newspaper B. a film C. an advertisement D. a novel
Talking to human-like devices (设备) can be great fun – just ask Siri to tell you a joke. But it may also lead to problems.
A recent study by scientists in the US found that human-like devices keep people from finding out normal human interaction when they feel lonely.
During a series of experiments, participants were asked to write about a time when they felt lonely. Participants were then introduced to human-like products. They were also asked to think about their phone in human-like terms.
The results showed that the participants were happy with the comfort they got from the machines and didn’t need to seek out normal human interaction.
But the team also found that there were limits to how far this effect would enlarge.
Researchers believe the results are important for consumers to realize how these types of products could affect their social interaction with real people, especially because so many new products feature interactivity.
“If someone notices they are talking more to Siri lately, maybe that has something to do with feeling lonely,” Olson said. “From that point of view, it’s important to be aware of it.”
The study could also help companies design products that can increase the well-being of people who feel lonely, without losing normal social interaction.
“Maybe it is more about improving our current relationships,” Olson said, “such as taking a break from screens and focusing on developing your real personal connections.”
1.Who did the recent study?
A. The human-like devices.
B. The normal human interaction.
C. The scientists in the US.
D. The human-like producers.
2.What’s the Chinese meaning of the underlined word “participants” in Paragraph Three?
A. 指挥者 B. 参与者 C. 协调者 D. 疏导者
3.What should people do during the series of experiments?
A. They should tell a joke.
B. They were asked to think about their phone.
C. They were introduced to human-like products.
D. They were asked to find out the well-being of people.
4.What’s the advantage of the recent study?
A. Companies will design more products.
B. People will spend more time talking to Siri.
C. People will never feel lonely.
D. People will improve their current relationships.
Who is the most beautiful woman in the world?
If only we could answer that question as quickly as the magic mirror in Snow White, since there is ______ a fixed definition of beauty.
But People has been trying to ______ that tough question since 1990. And this year’s top choice was 49-year-old US actress Julia Roberts. This was her ______ time to win the title.
While Roberts is perhaps not the perfect choice in everyone’s mind. People has its own ______, and it’s not just about her looks. The beauty of Roberts also ______ in her confidence and smarts and good humor.
The choice for 2014 was Nyong’o. She ______ feel very “unbeautiful”. She even prayed to God that she could wake up one day ______ lighter skin － something that, as an African girl, she would never have. But that was ______ 2014 when Nyong’o impressed the world with her Oscar-winning performance in the movie 12 Years a Slave.
“I think happiness is what makes you ______.” Barrymore told People. “If somebody walks into the room and they’re gorgeous (美艳的) and sexy, it’s really fun to look at. But if someone makes you laugh and feel good, that’s a whole other level of beauty.”
Perhaps this is what Australian writer Markus Zusak meant ______ he wrote in one of his books: “Sometimes people are beautiful. Not in looks. Not in what they say. Just in what they are.”
1.A. never B. usually C. often
2.A. accept B. answer C. catch
3.A. nineth B. five C. fifth
4.A. conversations B. questions C. reasons
5.A. forms B. lies C. focuses
6.A. used to B. had to C. would like
7.A. with B. in C. together
8.A. up B. at C. until
9.A. pretty B. sad C. proud
10.A. before B. after C. when
---Sir, would you please give me some suggestions?
---Well, you should _____ making the same mistake if you want to improve yourself a lot.
A. consider B. avoid C. remember
---Have you got the ______ from our new neighbour?
---Certainly. What about going to that party together tonight?
A. instruction B. invitation C. instrument
