We’ve heard of robots and AI（Artificial Intelligence）taking human jobs, but I bet mayors（市长）don’t really think their jobs can be threatened any time soon. They were wrong, and the AI running for the mayor of a Tokyo district was clear proof of that.
AI can’t legally run for high-ranking public management positions yet, but one mayoral candidate from Tama City, Tokyo, intended to maximize the use of artificial intelligence in running city affairs. He was running his campaign （竞选运动） as “AI Mayor”. Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone.
“For the first time in the world, AI will run in an election,” human candidate Michihito Matsuda announced on Twitter. “Artificial Intelligence will change Toma City. With the birth of an AI Mayor, we will conduct balanced politics.”
The AI Mayor was campaigning very much like its human competitors. Posters were shown all over Tama City and campaign trucks were blaring out（大声鸣响）promises of an AI utopia （乌托邦）and asking for support.
Some people called Michihito Matsuda’s campaign a stunt （噱头）, as a human would still be the one legally in charge. However, others said that they were excited about the future of AI running things in the background, adding that it had to be a better choice.
1.What’s the advantage of the AI mayor according to Michihito Matsuda?
A.Maximizing the use of AI. B.Replacing human officials.
C.Creating balanced policies. D.Bringing him beneficial effects.
2.How will AI run for the mayor?
A.It will abolish many old policies.
B.It will ask for support on the Internet.
C.It will make public speeches, dressed like a human.
D.It will compete similarly to human competitors.
3.What’s the citizens’ attitude toward Michihito Matsuda’s campaign?
A.They believe AI will win. B.All consider it to be tricky.
C.It is supposed to be a failure definitely. D.Some think it’s worthy of expectation.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.AI Runs for the Mayor. B.The Advantages of AI.
C.AI Replaces Human in Management. D.The Patterns of AI Management.
Now, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long-hours work culture to make more money to buy more things is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them.
Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year. One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny(保姆). Most evenings Daniel wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings
They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales, I always wanted to have a farm here, says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift. It's taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money in car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it's made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.”
Liz, however, is not quite sure. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I'm not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all。”
1.The underlined word“downshifting” in the first paragraph means .
A.repairing your car by yourself
B.spending money carefully
C.moving out to the countryside to live a simpler and better life
D.living in a big house in the suburbs and dining out once a week
2.When Daniel was a reporter, he .
A.lived in central London B.disliked his job
C.missed his children D.was well paid
3.Daniel and Liz both agree that the move to the farm
A.was easy to organize B.has improved family life
C.was extremely expensive D.have been a total success
More and more people like bicycling and it is no surprise. It is fun, healthy and good for the environment.
Maybe that's why there are 1.4 billion bicycles and only 400 million cars on roads worldwide today. Bikes can take you almost anywhere, and there is no oil cost! Get on a bicycle and ride around your neighborhood. You may discover something new all around you. Stopping and getting off a bike is easier than stopping and getting out of your car. You can bike to work and benefit(受益)from the enjoyable without polluting the environment. You don't even have to ride all the way.
Folding(折叠) bikes work well for people who ride the train. Just fold the bike and take it with you. You can do the same on an airplane. A folding bike can be packed in a suitcase. You can also take a common bike with you when you fly. But be sure to look for information by getting on airline websites. Not all airlines are bicycle-friendly to travelers.
Health benefits of bicycling
It helps to prevent heart diseases
Bicycling helps to control your weight
A 15-minute bike ride to and from work three times a week burns off five kilos of fat in a year.
Bicycling can improve your mood.
Exercise like bicycling has been shown to make people feel better, more relaxed and self-confident.
1.From the passage, we know that bicycling is becoming very .
A.popular B.surprising
C.exciting D.expensive
2.Which is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Driving cars is healthier than riding bikes.
B.Bicycling is enjoyable exercise for people.
C.Riding a bike pollutes your neighborhood.
D.Common bikes are welcomed by all airlines.
3.The passage mainly talks about .
A.the benefit of cycling
B.the different kinds of bicycle
C.bicycling is healthier than driving
D.the disadvantages of riding a bicycle
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
US psychotherapist(精神治疗师) Virginia Satir (1916-1988) once said: “We need four hugs a day survival. We need eight hugs a day maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” She believed that hugging was necessary and important. Researchers have found scientific evidence that backs up her beliefs. According to a recent study published in the journal Psychological Science, receiving a hug can reduce stress and help protect us from illness.
In the study, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US invited 404 healthy adults to participate in interviews about how often the experienced conflicts in their daily lives, as well as how many hugs they received within a period of two weeks. These participants were intentionally exposed to cold viruses during the interview.
According to the research, people who received hugs on the same days when they experienced conflicts tended to report fewer negative feelings during the following days. They have also found that people who received hugs were less stressed out. The physical contact that we get through hugging especially loved ones, is a “marker of intimacy(亲密) and helps generate the feeling that others are there to help in the face of adversity(困境)”, according to Scientific American People feel more comfortable and relaxed after hugging.
The researchers have also found that the more hugs people get, the less likely they are to catch colds, Science Daily noted. When people receive hugs, they release more oxytocin(后叶催产素), which is also known as the “love hormone”. According to the researchers, this hormone can decrease one’s heart rate and lower blood pressure. This can put people into a state of emotional well-being. When people are in this state, their immune systems become stronger.
Of course, hugging is not the only way to comfort others. But physical contact like hugging can comfort people without “making any judgments (about right or wrong)”, Michael Murphy from CMU told Time.
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假如你是李华，你们的外教课每天都有一个“Daily Report”，明天刚好轮到你展示，但是你因故不能按时展示，请根据以下要点用英语给你的外教老师David写一封电子邮件：
1. 表示歉意；2. 解释原因；3. 请求调整时间
注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内的单词的正确形式。
Some of you may play Ant Forest, 1. game on Alipay. Users collect “energy” to make their “trees” grow. When the “energy” 2.(reach) a certain level, some 3.(organize) and companies will plant a real tree in a desert area of China. And now it seems that the nation’s efforts to make a greener world have paid 4..
According to a study 5.(publish) in the journal Nature Sustainability, China and India are 6.(main) responsible for making the Earth greener over the past two decades. The study has found that since 2000 the Earth’s green leaf area has increased by 5 percent, or over 5 million square kilometers, 7. is an area equal to the total area of the Amazon rainforest. China and India account for one 8.(three) of the increased greening, but contain only 9 percent of the planet’s land area covered in vegetation(植被). China was the major contributor, adding 25 percent to this increase, while India added 6.8 percent. There is no 9.(deny) that China is one of the most successful countries in 10.(green) the desert.
