• 1、What will the woman do first?
    A、Hand in her homework. B、Go to the library. C、Go to the classroom.
  • 2、Which subject does the woman do worst in?
    A、Math. B、Physics. C、English.
  • 3、What color does the man prefer?
    A、Blue. B、Gray. C、Dark green.
  • 4、What does the woman suggest the man do?
    A、Give up. B、Change subjects. C、Take a break.
  • 5、What are the speakers mainly talking about?
    A、A restaurant. B、A robot. C、A camera.
  • 6、阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。

    A Lunchbox Stitched with Love

    Michael had watched it all unfold. For twelve long months, the silence between his father Jack and uncle Sam hung heavier than the winter fog clinging to their small town. It started with their late (已故的) father's old workbench (工作台) — hand-carved by their grandfather, a piece they'd both cherished. When their dad passed away, Uncle Sam took it to restore, but his father Jack thought he'd taken it for himself forever. "You always got first pick," Jack snapped; Sam shot back, "At least I'm not letting it rot." Doors slammed, and they'd not spoken since.

    Jack, once a man who laughed so loud that the neighbors knocked to complain, now moved like a ghost: mornings without the clatter (哐啷声) of his favorite coffee mug, evenings staring at the unlit fireplace in dead silence.

    One afternoon, Michael found his dad on the porch (门廊), staring at a photo — Jack and Sam, arms slung over each other's shoulders at the workbench, both grinning wide. "Why don't you call him?" Michael asked. Jack's jaw tightened. "Some things can't be fixed, kiddo." But Michael shook his head. He'd watched his mom mend his favorite sweater with a needle and thread, turning a hole into something stitched with care. Michael also noticed that Aunt Clara, Uncle Sam's wife, still called Mom, asking gently how his dad was doing. Maybe broken things just needed the right hands to fix them.

    That night, Michael slid a list of Uncle Sam's favorite foods into his pocket — the ones Dad had always bought at the market on weekends, the two of them laughing over plates together. By morning, Michael had come up with a plan: something sweet might fix. With his allowance, he set out to fill his dad's old lunchbox with what was on the list. Michael hit the market: Mrs. Hernandez's warm meat pies; Mr. Patel's spicy mango sauce and buttery cookies. Although his shirt was stained with jam, and his shoes were coated in dirt, Michael smiled, seeing the lunchbox was full.

    (1)续写词数应为150个左右;

    (2)请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

    When Michael finally stood on Uncle Sam's porch, his heart pounded like a drum.

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    A few minutes after Aunt Clara's phone call, the front doorbell rang again.

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  • 7、假定你是李华,你所在学校最近举行了一场主题为"How to use DeepSeek to enhance English learning?"的演讲比赛,请你为校英语报撰写一篇报道,内容包括:

    1. 比赛流程;

    2. 精彩瞬间。

    注意:写作词数应为80左右;

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  • 8、Mr. Dalton taught us plane geometry (平面几何) 37 years ago. I was a quiet kid, neither getting in much trouble nor getting1. Somehow, plane geometry really2 for me in his class.

    Toward the end of the year, Mr. Dalton wanted to3 our knowledge and gave us a 25-question true/false nationally standardized test. The test presented each problem with a conclusion shown. We were required to write out the4 using our theorems (定理).

    I completed 24 problems quickly, but number seventeen was a lion5 I spent thirty minutes on that proof and6 I pulled it off with all my efforts. With7 I marked the question true and handed in the test.

    The next day I got my score, a 96, and number seventeen was8 wrong When Mr. Dalton asked if there were any questions, for the first time, my hand9.

    Instead of10 this was a nationally standardized test and that there couldn't be any11. Mr. Dalton did the most powerful thing I've ever seen a teacher do: he held out the chalk to me with an encouraging smile. Murmurs spread through the classroom — some classmates exchanged12 glances, while others leaned forward, curiosity sparking in their eyes. I was hesitant for a moment, then went to the board and demonstrated my proof, using the whole board and three different colors of chalk. In the end, everyone clapped. Mr. Dalton gave13 for my answer, and I ended up with a full mark.

    When I returned 37 years later to visit him again, Alzheimer's (阿尔茨海默氏症) had14 his mind, but he still wore a happy grin.

    I have been grateful to Mr. Dalton, for I could15 have remained silent rather than challenging his authority or speaking up when I think I'm right.

    (1)
    A 、punished B 、noticed C 、confused D 、caught
    (2)
    A 、clicked B 、existed C 、accounted D 、twisted
    (3)
    A 、expand B 、further C 、evaluate D 、witness
    (4)
    A 、result B 、reasoning C 、category D 、principle
    (5)
    A 、out of control B 、ahead of time C 、above average D 、in the way
    (6)
    A 、gradually B 、eventually C 、mostly D 、constantly
    (7)
    A 、depression B 、satisfaction C 、embarrassment D 、fascination
    (8)
    A 、proved B 、entitled C 、detected D 、marked
    (9)
    A 、shot up B 、took up C 、came up D 、got up
    (10)
    A 、suspecting B 、admitting C 、implying D 、arguing
    (11)
    A 、reasons B 、methods C 、conclusions D 、mistakes
    (12)
    A 、sceptical B 、cheerful C 、admiring D 、indifferent
    (13)
    A 、fame B 、scholarship C 、credit D 、faith
    (14)
    A 、claimed B 、undergone C 、lowered D 、crossed
    (15)
    A 、merely B 、therefore C 、otherwise D 、still
  • 9、When your Home Becomes a Tourist Attraction

    Have you ever looked at a beautiful little new house in London and thought "It must be so amazing to live there"? But for the people who actually do live in those homes, social media photography has changed what it means to live in a pictures que place.

    Alice Johnston is a longtime resident of Notting Hill, the London neighborhood famous for the beautifully-painted row houses and for being the setting of the movie of the same name. Johnston, a journalist, has complicated feelings about her Instagram- beloved neighborhood. She lives on Portobello Road, one of the capital's most famous streets. Once, she and a friend were walking his bulldog when a tourist asked if they could "borrow" the pup for a quick photo. The friend and the dog agreed, so the Instagrammer posed with the dog in front of a bright blue door and then handed over five pounds as a thank you. In that story, everybody had a good time. "I was once woken up at 6 a.m. on Easter Sunday by a French teenager taking pictures outside," Johnston says.

    Johnston, for example, tries to be sympathetic to travelers coming to her hometown, recalling how she loved taking pictures of historic neighborhoods in Paris, Rome and the like. In fact, she recently found photos of herself as a teenager hanging out at the Notting Hill Carnival years before she moved to the capital herself. "I feel lucky that it's cool enough that people want to come where I live."

    A. If so, you're not alone.

    B. But there can be a darker side.

    C. For her, nothing beats the pleasure to see so many people excited about it.

    D. Living in a much-photographed place, some people try to take the good with the bad.

    E. However, when private homes become tourist attractions, quarrels can occur.

    F. And she has witnessed all kinds of behavior committed to getting a perfect picture.

    G. As a travel lover, she has become pretty understanding when seeing the crowds again.

  • 10、Regardless of how famous they are, and despite the star treatment they receive, many celebrities make it a point to give back to charities. Some have even set up their own private foundations. Their widely publicised visits to troubled areas of the world help to raise awareness of issues such as famine and poverty. According to Jane Cooper of Unicef UK, celebrities have a unique ability to reach huge numbers of people, many of whom might not otherwise be engaged in charitable causes. She pointed out that famous faces had played a significant role in raising funds in recent years, and their energies had produced tangible results, such as enabling millions of children in poorer countries to attend school.

    But in spite of these successes, there is evidence to suggest that celebrity endorsement (代言) may be overrated. In a survey of members of the public to find out if celebrity involvement would encourage people to donate, researchers found that the impact was not as great as previously thought. When shown a list of well-known organisations and famous people who represent them, over half of respondents were unable to match the celebrity with the cause. What's more, three quarters claimed that they didn't respond to celebrity endorsement in any way. The survey also showed that a few names did stand out as being associated with particular charities. But the presence of a celebrity in a campaign, was not a significant factor when it came to a decision to donate time or money. Instead, the majority of people contribute because of personal connections in their lives and families which make a charity important to them.

    In another study aimed at young people, most participants cited a compelling (无法抗拒的) mission as their main motivation to give. The second most important drive was if a friend or peer recommended supporting a particular cause. Only two percent of respondents said they were motivated by celebrity endorsement. This seems to contradict the general assumption that teenagers are particularly influenced by famous people. One possible explanation is that there is a general fatigue (疲倦) with celebrity culture. There is also a suspicion that the stars are the ones who benefit most when they offer to do charity work. Some critiques have accused that celebrities might actually take attention away from issues by attracting more attention than the causes they represent.

    So taking all these issues into account, is it time for charities to rethink their campaign strategies and look for alternative ways to reach new audiences? Whichever point of view you favour, there seems to be opportunities for more research into how charity campaigns might develop relationships with celebrities to maximise their potential. This in turn will open up more engagement, and better targeted campaigns — which can only benefit those who really matter — the people and animals that are in need of assistance.

    (1)、What does the underlined word "tangible" in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
    A、Controversial. B、Celebrated. C、Definite. D、Temporarily.
    (2)、Which of the following statements is correct according to Paragraph 2?
    A、Celebrity involvement is key to motivating people to donate. B、All people are not influenced by celebrities in charity donations. C、Most people contribute to charities because they are inspired by the family. D、None of the people believe celebrities make any difference to their donation.
    (3)、The 3rd paragraph is mainly about ________.
    A、how young people react to celebrity culture B、who is to blame for taking attention away from charities C、what mainly motivates young people to be engaged in charitable giving D、why young people are rarely influenced by celebrities in charity donations
    (4)、What is the author's attitude towards celebrity doing charities?
    A、Objective. B、Positive. C、Negative. D、Unclear.
  • 11、Soaring above a desert expanse in an aircraft, two scientists looked down with trained eyes at trees and bushes. After an hour's flight, one of the scientists jotted in his book, "Look here for probable metal". Meanwhile, aboard another plane cruising over a mountainous terrain, scientists sent a message to other counterparts on the ground, "Gold possible." Walking across hilly ground, four scientists documented their findings," This ground should be searched for metals. "From an airplane hovering over a hilly wasteland, a scientist sent back by radio one word," Uranium."

    None of the scientists possessed X-ray eyes: they had no supernatural powers for looking down below the earth's surface. They were merely employing one of the most cutting- edge methodologies for locating minerals in the ground-using trees and plants as indicative markers that certain minerals may lie beneath the ground on which the trees and plants take root and flourish. This approach to mineral exploration is predicated upon the principle that minerals deep in the earth may affect the kind of bushes and trees that grow on the surface.

    At Watson Bar Creek, a brook six thousand feet high in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada, a mineral search group gathered bags of tree seeds. Boxes were filled with small branches from the trees. Roots were dug and put into boxes. Each bag and box was carefully marked. In a scientific laboratory the parts of the forest trees were burned to ashes and tested. Each small part was examined to learn whether there were minerals in it.

    Analysis of the roots, branches, and seeds disclosed an absence of silver. But small amounts of gold were detected in the roots, with lower gold concentrations present in the branches and seeds. The seeds growing nearest to the tree trunk had more gold than those growing on the ends of the branches.

    Had the trees not provided indications of gold in the ground, the scientists would not have allocated funds for digging into the depths. They did excavate and uncovered additional gold reserves below the surface. Further digging revealed substantial quantities of the precious metal.

    (1)、Why could scientists tell possible mineral existence from plants?
    A、Scientists are trained to see through the earth's surface and detect minerals. B、Some minerals deep in the earth can influence the type of surface vegetation. C、The roots can absorb and transport minerals to branches and seeds in large quantities. D、Plants growing in mineral- rich areas have unique shapes easy to identify from the air.
    (2)、The study of the plants' roots, branches, and seeds suggests that ________.
    A、branches tend to hold more gold than roots B、roots contain less gold than seeds near the trunk C、gold content in branches far from the trunk is higher than in seeds D、seeds closer to the trunk likely have more gold than those at branch ends
    (3)、How does the writer support trees and plants indicate minerals?
    A、By presenting a case study. B、By listing different types of minerals. C、By making a comparison. D、By explaining the chemical mechanism.
    (4)、What would be the best title for the passage?
    A、Scientists Study Tree Components for Gold. B、Trees and Plants: Clues to Underground Minerals. C、New Ways of searching for Underground Minerals. D、The Process of Gold Exploration in Trees and Plants.
  • 12、The road stretched endlessly ahead. I paused to take a few careful sips of water — only enough to moisten my tongue, since the bottle was already half-empty — and weigh my options. The shade from the trees did little to ease the burning sun as I struggled to make sense of the maps. The original plan was to stay overnight at a tourist park near Logue Brook Dam, where I could finally reach my wife, but right then, I didn't have the faintest idea where I was. Wearily, I pushed myself upright, remounted my bike and started to double back in the hope of spotting clear trail markers, but this only made things worse: the trees seemed to press in around me as I desperately scanned for landmarks — and the cicadas (蝉) had erupted into a deafening chorus.

    After cycling slowly along the sandy trail for about two hours, I was delighted to see seemingly recent cycle tracks. Encouraged, I moved on, keeping a sharp eye on the tracks. However, I soon realised that they were my own. I was covering the same ground.

    Discouraged, I lay my bike aside, and sank down under a tree with a heavy sigh. I had no more water, and my tongue felt swollen. I felt sleepy as groups of flies settled on me in a vain attempt to find dampness.

    A sudden warm breeze stirred me. I opened my eyes, caught the distant hum of an engine, and glanced weakly upward, yet the sound faded away. After a short while, I heard it once more, but this time it seemed nearer. I dragged my feet and marched toward the source of the sound. When I made it to the top of the hill, I gasped in utter disbelief. There in front of me lay Logue Brook Dam, with boats pulling water skiers and folks sunbathing out in the open. I went back to my bicycle, pushed it up the hill, and let it coast into the lovely cool waters of the dam, where I rolled around wearing my full cycling gear.

    (1)、What can be inferred about the 1st paragraph?
    A、The author desperately contacted his wife at the tourist park. B、The author found the trail markers easily after doubling back. C、The author felt confused and helpless in the current environment. D、The cicadas' noise was so loud that the author couldn't find landmarks.
    (2)、When did the author realize he was cycling in circles?
    A、When trail markers disappeared. B、When he recognized his own bike tracks. C、When the loud cicada noises disturbed him. D、When he noticed the change in sandy trail conditions.
    (3)、Why were the flies mentioned?
    A、To show he was awed at the abundant wildlife. B、To describe the surroundings were becoming tougher. C、To illustrate his physical discomfort was intensifying. D、To inform he unconsciously entered a dangerous zone.
    (4)、What happened to the author in the end?
    A、He deserted his bike near the coast. B、He failed to locate the dam and gave up. C、He pushed his bike and rolled about the dam. D、He had the bike freewheel downhill and had fun.
  • 13、China Daily, in partnership with relevant organizations, is launching the International Cartoon and Illustration Exhibition 2025 on a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind, hoping to promote the trustworthy use of technology for the benefit of humanity through creative cartoons and illustrations.

    Exhibition focus

    The theme of this year's exhibition is "Technology and Life". Potential topics include:

    1. Displaying how technology changes people's lives

    2. Envisioning future technological advancements

    3. Honoring scientists and other technology professionals

    Timeline of the event

    Work Submission: By July 15,2025

    Review and assessment: July to August 2025

    Awards Ceremony: Between September and October 2025

    Awards

    The awards are categorized into 4 types: Gold Prize (1 winner) with ¥30,000 prize money; Silver Prize (2 winners) with ¥20,000; Bronze Prize (3 winners) with ¥10,000; 10 Outstanding Prize winners with an award. Additionally, all the winners will receive a certificate and portfolio (作品集) book.

    Requirements for submission

    1. The submitted works must be original. Participants should be fully responsible for their entries.

    2. The works should be submitted in JPEG format, with a resolution of 300dpi, file size no less than 2M and not exceeding 10M.

    3. The submitted works should include a title and a brief textual description.

    4. For AI-assisted works, please label as "AI-generated".

    5. Student participants should additionally provide their school name and grade year. The names of their instructors or training institutions are optional.

    6. Register and upload your submission on the following website: https://artcontest.chinadaily.com.cn/2025.html

    (1)、What is the main purpose of the exhibition?
    A、To show admiration for technology experts. B、To encourage reliable application of technology. C、To show the latest cartoon and illustration techniques. D、To promote the development of artificial intelligence.
    (2)、Which of the following works may meet the requirements?
    A、An 11M submission marked AI-generated. B、A reproduced cartoon drawing in JPEG format. C、An illustration of 6M with a video explanation. D、A titled entry without the instructor's signature.
    (3)、Who are the most likely target readers?
    A、Cartoonists and illustrators. B、College students. C、exhibitors and organizers. D、AI enthusiasts.
  • 14、阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。

    No One Will Ever Know

    Karen, Judy and I were the last ones back in the classroom after lunch, which was mostly empty. All of the other sixth graders were already outside playing happily, since it was a pleasant spring day.

    "Look what I found this morning in the storage cupboard when I was getting out some art supplies for Mrs. Eiffler." With a broad grin on her face, Karen held up a wooden box filled with short pieces of chalk in every color of the rainbow.

    "Wow! What fun it would be to write on the blackboard while everyone is outside." Judy's eyes twinkled with anticipation. "But Mrs. Eiffler doesn't want us writing on the blackboard," I responded, already feeling guilty, although we had not yet done a thing. "Don't be such a ‘fraidy cat', Janet. No one will ever know," said Karen, reaching into the box and drawing out a piece of chalk. "Right. Everyone is outside, so we're safe." Judy was already drawing a house with sure strokes. I hesitantly joined my friends in the artwork, wanting to be part of what was going on, but afraid of being caught.

    Trying various colors, we drew houses, trees and flowers. It was fun! All the time we were watching the clock, knowing that our fun would be over if anyone walked into the room. Then I had an idea. I chose a white piece from the box and wrote my name using my left hand. The handwriting was a bit shaky, but no one would doubt that it said "Janet".

    "We'd better get this board cleaned off before Mrs. Eiffler comes back," said Judy, eyeing the clock. She picked up an eraser and began erasing our handiwork from the board, trying not to leave any erasing marks.

    Everything came off... but my name!

    In disbelief, I looked at the chalk I held in my sweaty hand. Gosh! It wasn't chalk at all. I had picked up a small piece of white color crayon which was mixed in with the pieces of chalk.

    My stomach hurt and my knees felt weak. What would Mrs. Eiffler do to me?

    注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;

    2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

    "Quick, get some wet paper towels to make it come off," said Judy, springing into action.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Mrs. Eiffler walked in soon afterward, but she didn't seem to notice the erasing marks.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

  • 15、假定你是李华, 你校英语俱乐部即将举行主题为"The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China—The Compass"英语演讲比赛, 请你投稿参赛。

    内容包括:详细指南针的起源、发展和影响等。

    注意:1.词数80词左右;

    2.可以适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯;

    3.开头语已为你写好, 不计入总词数。

    The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China—The Compass

    Good morning boys and girls, My name is Li Hua, coming from Class 10 Senior 3. It's my great honor to deliver a speech here and today my topic is "The Four Great Inventions of Ancient China—The Compass".

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Yours,

    Li Hua

  • 16、阅读下面短文,在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

    US influencer (网红) IShowSpeed has taken Chinese social media by storm (recent).

    Born in 2005, IShowSpeed, real name is Darren Watkins Jr., became famous for live streaming sports games and his travels across Europe and Asia. Chinese fans call him "Jia Kang Ge" because his excited emotions and big body language.

    In late March, he started a live-streaming tour in China, (visit) places like Shanghai, Beijing, Henan, Sichuan and Chongqing. He experienced Chinese history and culture, tasted local food and met excited fans and people from all (walk) of life.

    In Shanghai, he joined park activities and learned about China's electric cars. In Henan province, he visited the Shaolin Temple and (learn) Kungfu. IShowSpeed's videos give a real picture of China is like and are changing how many people around the world see country. "After watching his videos, I realized how foolish my previous views on China were. I feel that I don't go to China, I'll regret for the rest of my life," a US (view) said on YouTube.

  • 17、I consistently give the same advice to aspiring photographers: Wherever home is, that is where you should begin. Having lived and worked everywhere but in Sweden for most of my life, I was1 at following my own advice. For me, Sweden has always been a place to rest, relax, and spend time with family. I have rarely explored it in the same way that I've explored destinations like Madagascar and Zambia-until now.

    With all of my foreign trips2 this year, I decided to make the most of the closed borders and travel north from my home near Stockholm.

    Sweden spans roughly the same latitudes (纬度) as Alaska. While climate change is bringing milder winters in its wake, it does not have any impact on the3 of our daylight. And yet, traveling across the snow and ice on dogsleds, skis or snowmobiles, or lying on my back staring up at the magical light show of the Northern Lights, I4 minded the lack of daylight. Instead, what5 my attention was the fascinating beauty of the white, frozen landscapes and the endless shades of blue. Away from buildings and roads, the snow would be clearly lit up even on the darkest of nights.

    But Johan Stenevad, my host at Lapland Guesthouse, opened my6 to something else. One day, on a snowmobile path lined with tall trees on both sides, he turned off his engine and asked me what I saw.

    "Trees," I answered. "A forest."

    He7 his head.

    "Not a forest. A plantation. Soon, this is all that will be left," he said, explaining that the straight rows of trees were being farmed. They were all of the same species,8 and size.

    Johan was right. For over half a century now, the great northern wilderness — the ancient forests that once seemed so9 has continued to be cruelly clear-cut for biofuels (生物燃料) and paper, and, in its place now stand plantations of spruce (云杉) or pine. Only a fraction of the ancient forests10, and that fraction grows smaller every year.

    The Sámi — a native people who live mainly in the northern reaches of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia — are facing a(n)11 crisis. Their lives and culture are closely12 to the ancient forests and the reindeer that populate the region. The slow-growing lichen (地衣) and mushrooms upon which the reindeer depend for their survival are not found in spruce or pine plantations, so the death of one means the death of the other, and a(n)13 future for an entire people.

    "We're not14 in nature, " said Brita Stina Sjaggo of the Luokta-Mávas reindeer herding district. "We're part of the forest, and the forest is part of us. "

    Hers is a sentiment (看法) that resonates deep within me. It is one that too many of us have forgotten, and one that I believe to be15 for our own survival as well as that of the natural world.

    (1)
    A 、annoyed B 、good C 、surprised D 、terrible
    (2)
    A 、canceled B 、disapproved C 、organized D 、stretched
    (3)
    A 、length B 、location C 、quality D 、standard
    (4)
    A 、always B 、frequently C 、hardly D 、recently
    (5)
    A 、caught B 、inspired C 、reversed D 、undertook
    (6)
    A 、ears B 、eyes C 、hands D 、shoulders
    (7)
    A 、beat B 、held C 、nodded D 、shook
    (8)
    A 、age B 、color C 、spot D 、temperature
    (9)
    A 、endless B 、powerful C 、rare D 、traditional
    (10)
    A 、decays B 、multiplies C 、remains D 、shrinks
    (11)
    A 、emotional B 、existential C 、memorial D 、physical
    (12)
    A 、compared B 、devoted C 、known D 、linked
    (13)
    A 、predictable B 、promising C 、remote D 、uncertain
    (14)
    A 、players B 、residents C 、visitors D 、volunteers
    (15)
    A 、compulsory B 、essential C 、inevitable D 、unusual
  • 18、I was on a long-haul trucking trip, somewhere between Mississauga and Montreal, but my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking about my personal journey and wondering whether this was my future. I had dropped out of university, and now I was riding with a family friend who owned a trucking company to see whether this might be a viable career option for me.

    When I was younger, I had been a straight-A student with aspirations to attend a top university. But things started to go downhill for me in middle school after the 9/11 attacks perpetrated (做坏事) against the United States, where I was living as a recent immigrant from Pakistan.

    Then, my parents divorced and my mother moved to Canada. I chose to stay with my beloved ageing grandfather. I became depressed and struggled with my academics. I barely graduated from high school and enrolled at the only university that offered me a spot, feeling that I had already failed. I began to suffer from severe depression, and the death of my grandfather was the final straw.

    That's when I went on the trucking run. During those long hours on the road, my grandfather's last words of advice, in a letter he wrote when I started university, came back to me: "Please be brave, accept the challenges of life, work hard and harder, and you will see the bright future. It is now or never. I hope you will never disappoint us. "    My path suddenly became clear: I had to finish what I had started and go back to school.

    To get back on track, I needed to redo grade 12. I graduated from high school (again). After completing my bachelor's degree, I went on to a master's and now a Ph. D. , winning several research awards along the way — something I scarcely could have imagined just a few years earlier.

    At first, the fear of failure that had doomed my previous university endeavor continued to linger at the back of my mind. But later, I realized that the outcome didn't matter as much as knowing I tried my best, and over time I learned to keep my fear of failure in check. I hope I have made him proud.

    A. I knew it would hold me back if I didn't do something about it.

    B. With his words ringing in my ears, I discovered a newfound resolve.

    C. The racism posed a clear threat to the safety of my family and pushed us to move back to Pakistan.

    D. I finally internalized the words my grandfather wrote to me in that letter all those years ago.

    E. However, I couldn't shake the sense that I would be choosing this route with feelings of failure looming over my head.

    F. However, I was too discouraged to thrive in my studies, and my resulting struggles reinforced my belief that I was failing.

    G. With no real hope for the future, I dropped out and returned to my mother and sisters in Mississauga.

  • 19、Many weapons are banned, and for good reason   

    什么样的武器会被国际法禁止?

    Israel was accused of using white phosphorus bombs (白磷弹), a type of banned bomb, in the Palestine-Israel conflict in October. However, the Israeli military (军方) later claimed in a statement that it didn't use such a weapon, reported Reuters.

    White phosphorus is a highly flammable (易燃的) chemical that can create intense heat, light and smoke, reaching over 1,000 ℃ when burned. The flame it produces is difficult to put out, leading to lethal (致命的) burns on the human body.

    The chemical is also toxic (有毒的). Those coming into contact with it may suffer heart, kidney (肾脏) or bone damage. And bomb-hit areas are likely to be polluted by white phosphorus, resulting in long-term environmental damage.

    This news sparked public concern about destructive weapons. International humanitarian law (IHL) prohibits any weapon "of a nature to cause superfluous (过多的) injury or unnecessary suffering". Such a weapon can cause indiscriminate harm, injuring or killing soldiers as well as civilians.

    The Geneva Conventions (《日内瓦公约》) and their Additional Protocols, which form the core of international humanitarian law, have set requirements for all countries to follow about how wars are carried out. For example, the use, production, stockpiling (储备) or selling of biological and chemical weapons are forbidden (被禁止).

    Chemical weapons, such as mustard gas (芥子气), are poisonous. They can cause temporary or permanent damage to people and have various effects, such as severe eye pain, breathing difficulty, and blistering (起水泡) of the skin. Biological weapons, usually developed from viruses or bacteria, attack the human immune (免疫的) system, often with deadly consequences.

    Other international conventions also have made related rules, which apply to the countries that have agreed to them. For example, according to the IHL database, any actions expected to result in widespread, long-lasting destruction of the environment are prohibited.

    "During the Vietnam War, the US military employed a highly effective defoliant (落叶剂) called Agent Orange," Zhang Gaosheng, a researcher at China Institute of International Studies, told CCTV News. "This resulted in the destruction of about 20 percent of Vietnam's forests, leading to significant damage to the ecosystem." The usage of the chemical was subsequently banned, he added.

    (1)、What is the primary concern regarding the use of white phosphorus bombs in wars?
    A、The intense heat and light produced. B、The difficulty in putting out the flame. C、The harm to people and the environment. D、The damage to buildings and infrastructure.
    (2)、What does the underlined word "indiscriminate" in paragraph 4 most probably mean?
    A、Deliberate. B、Unselective. C、Effective. D、Controlled.
    (3)、What does paragraph 6 mainly talk about?
    A、The development of biochemical weapons. B、The long-lasting impact of chemical weapons. C、The urgency of prohibiting biochemical weapons. D、The consequences of using biochemical weapons.
    (4)、What consequence was brought by the use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War?
    A、Half of Vietnam's forests were destroyed. B、Many people suffered from severe eye pain. C、A large number of animals became extinct. D、The local ecological environment was damaged.
  • 20、Learn all about chips made for AI

    AI芯片到底强在哪?

    In this age of rapid AI technological advancement, most people would know the name NVIDIA, a prominent (著名的) US technology company. 

    For a long time, NVIDIA has been dominating the graphics cards (显卡) industry with its advanced computer chips. Earlier this year, it became the first chipmaker to have a market worth of 2 trillion dollars (about 14.5 trillion yuan), showing fast growth due to its focus on developing chips specifically designed for running AI models.

    What is an AI chip? 

    The uniqueness of AI chips comes from the GPU, or graphics processing unit, which is the core (核心的) component of  a graphics card. It was developed by NVIDIA in the late 1990s. Initially designed for video game development, it presents surprising computing power. Unlike a central processing unit (CPU), which can only process one piece of data at a time, a GPU can process many pieces of data at once, which is called "parallel processing (并行处理)". This allows a GPU to handle complex tasks, such as rendering (渲染) high-resolution graphics and processing large amounts of data, much more efficiently than a CPU.

    Therefore, gamers buy GPUs to get a better video game experience since GPUs can help create 3D characters and scenes that run smoothly and look realistic. People also saw the value of GPUs in solving complex calculations required for cryptocurrency (加密货币) mining. That's why the price of GPUs doubled or even tripled between 2019 and 2021.

    Nowadays, as GPUs prove to be key to AI model training, more advanced AI chips are being made for specialized AI tasks. Companies such as OpenAI and Google use AI chips to speed up and enhance (增强) their AI, machine learning, and deep learning algorithms (算法). These chips are especially useful for improving the performance of large language models. With their excellent ability to handle numerous pieces of data at a time, the sky's the limit for AI chips.

    For everyday people, AI chips in our phones allow AI processing to happen on the device rather than in the cloud. This makes data processing faster, safer, and more energy-efficient.

    (1)、What does the underlined word "dominating" in paragraph 2 most likely mean?
    A、Promoting. B、Controlling. C、Learning about. D、Paying attention to.
    (2)、What makes GPUs important for AI model training?
    A、Their availability at low prices. B、Their capacity for storing large amounts of data. C、Their ability to process multiple pieces of data at once. D、Their performance in cryptocurrency mining.
    (3)、What is the main focus of paragraph 5?
    A、The high demand for CPUs. B、Possible applications of GPUs. C、Why GPUs are popular. D、How GPUs perform complex calculations.
    (4)、How do AI chips contribute to the development of AI technologies?
    A、They boost CPU performance. B、They improve the gaming experience. C、They increase the value of cryptocurrencies. D、They enhance deep learning algorithms.
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