With production overrunning (泛滥) on Martin Scorsese’s new film, the famous Hollywood director admitted this month he was worried about the “youthi-fication” technology he was employing to smooth out his actors. The leading actor Robert De Niro and Al Pacino played young versions of their characters in the first half of the film, with their wrinkles and jowls (下巴) removed by the technology.
Speaking to the British director Joanna Hogg, the film-maker Martin Scorsese said that good actors should meet some necessary requirements: excellent acting skills, rich imagination, good understanding and so on. However, there was something important that was missing while the technique was used. He added, “I don’t know how to instruct my actors to make their performance more impressive, especially rich eye expressions. Apparently, the technique makes their eyes dull, which disappoints me the most.”
In this case, he isn’t alone. While the technology is doubtless impressive, there have been complaints about the “unnatural valley” effect of digitally de-ageing actors. Film critics (评论家), such as Manohla Dargis of the New York Times, and The Ringer’s Andrew Gruttadaro, observed that “as an audience member watching these films, you get the horrible feeling that you’re not watching a person, but an entity (实体) imitating a person”. Similar reservations have been heard about Anthony Hopkins being de-aged in TV’s Westworld. Later this year, Ang Lee’s Gemini Man will appear, starring Will Smith as a killer who meets his younger self, which is also played by Smith. The problem is that everybody who grew up with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air knows what Will Smith looked like as a younger man, and it wasn’t this one.
To quote Dr Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park, “Scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, and they didn’t stop to think if they should.” De-ageing technology gives us the dazzling impression rather than the effect of youth, as a younger actor would. More goes into the ageing process than mere looks; it betrays a thin understanding of psychology to expect otherwise.
1.What was Martin Scorsese’s concern about his new film?
A.The high cost of the film.
B.The age of his leading actors.
C.The effect of the new technology.
D.The plot in the first part of the film.
2.What quality of an actor did Martin Scorsese probably pay more attention to?
A.Expressive performance. B.Vivid imagination.
C.Deep understanding of acting. D.Good language ability.
3.What can we infer from the examples about the new technology in Paragraph 3?
A.It is popular among directors.
B.It is unacceptable to the audience.
C.It is welcomed by some film critics.
D.It benefits actors like Will Smith.
4.What could be the best title for the text?
A.The improvement of Hollywood movies
B.“De-ageing” technology benefits old actors
C.The breakthrough of Martin Scorsese’s new film
D.Hollywood’s “de-ageing” technology has gone too far
Computer scientists have hoped to give robots technical skills to help them recognize, process and react to humor. But these attempts have mostly failed. AI (人工智能) experts say that in many cases, attempts to make robots understand humor end up producing funny results, but not in the way they were supposed to.
Tristan Miller studied more than 10,000 puns (双关语) in one research project. The pun is a kind of joke that uses a word with two meanings. For example, you could say, “Balloons do not like pop music.” The word “pop” can be a way of saying popular music; or can mean the sound a balloon makes when it explodes. But a robot might not get the joke. Tristan Miller says that is because humor is a kind of creative language that is extremely difficult for computer intelligence to understand.
Allison Bishop is a computer scientist and she also performs stand-up comedy. She explained that machines are trained to look for patterns. Comedy, on the other hand, relies on things that stay dose to a pattern, kit not completely within it. To be funny, humor should also not be predictable, Bishop said. This sets a great obstacle for a machine to recognize and understand what is funny.
Bishop says since robots have great difficulty understanding humor, she feels like it gives her better job security as a comedy performer. It even made her parents happy when her brother decided to become a full-time comedy writer because it meant he wouldn’t be replaced by a machine, she added.
Despite the difficulties, Darmstadt University’s Miller says there are good reasons to keep trying to teach humor to robots. It could make machines more relatable, especially if they can learn to understand sarcasm (讽刺), he noted. Humans use sarcasm to say one thing but mean another. But Kiki Hempelmann thinks differently. “Teaching AI systems humor may make them find it where it isn’t, and they may use it where it’s inappropriate,” he said. “Maybe bad AI will start killing people because it thinks something is funny,” he added.
1.What does the author most probably want to show in Paragraph 1?
A.Robots’ influence on the scientific development.
B.Robots’ challenges of making sense of humor.
C.Computer scientists’ devotion to technical skills.
D.Computer scientists’ concern about AI’s development.
2.Examples mentioned in Paragraphs 2 and 3 are intended to ___________-.
A.prove robots do poorly in funny work
B.explain robots aren’t as intelligent as humans
C.describe language is complex and changeable
D.show language can’t be taught in a set pattern
3.What does the underlined word “obstacle” in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.Barrier. B.Record.
C.Message. D.Possibility.
4.What can we infer about teaching AI system humor from the last paragraph?
A.It will end up in vain.
B.It may be a double-edged sword.
C.It may help improve humans’ humor.
D.It will attract more computer scientists.
A new exhibit at a California museum provides visitors with a modem version of the ancient Chinese art style, literally “shan shui hua”. The show is at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles. It is called Lightscapes. The works show scenes of mountains, rivers and sometimes waterfalls. Chinese artists have been creating the brush and ink works for more than 1,000 years.
Artists Nick Dong and Chi-Tsung Wu found ways to connect the new, digital generation to this traditional form of art. Their works get the essence (本质) of the style in a new way. The exhibit forces the viewers to slow down and experience a different world. That was also one of the goals of shan shui hua artists from long ago.
Dong said, “Actually, all these artists want to create a world where they can hide themselves. And the world can help them avoid or escape from the reality. So, they create a mountain and imagine they could live there.”
One of the works involves a slowly moving light directed at clear plastic boxes on a wall. The piece, created by Wu, is called Crystal City. Wu said, “If we see this through the light, from a different perspective, we could see there’s another world behind that.” That other world Wu noted is the shadows that look more solid than the plastic boxes. Wu said Crystal City is the representative of the modem digital age.
To view Dong’s representation of Heaven, one has to step into a room filled with mirrors from floor to ceiling. There is a small round seat in the middle of the room. Dong said, “Once you’ve entered the installation (装置), at first you’ll see a lot of your reflections. But once you sit down, you touch off the mechanism (机关) of the room. The mirrors actually start to reflect, and you yourself will disappear within the space.”
1.What’s the main characteristic of the new exhibit?
A.It shows the beauty of nature.
B.It puts ancient Chinese art works on show.
C.It enjoys advantages in terms of technology.
D.It’s a good combination of the new and the old.
2.What do the artists want to convey in their works?
A.Their concern about nature.
B.Their curiosity about future life.
C.Their longing for a different world.
D.Their satisfaction with the reality.
3.What can we infer about Crystal City from Paragraph 4?
A.It is Wu’s most famous work.
B.Light and shadows are parts of it.
C.It shows the complexity of plastic boxes.
D.Advanced tools are needed to appreciate it.
4.What is the main idea of the text?
A.Artists have modernized shan shui hua.
B.Lots of artists are attracted by shan shui hua.
C.Traditional paintings face lots of challenges.
D.Traditional paintings should keep pace with times.
Enjoy the sunshine at the four best beaches in Los Angeles, including family-friendly shores and perfect places for surfers (冲浪者).
El Matador State Beach
Malibu
Small and beautiful, El Matador looks unlike any European beach. Comfortable shoes are necessary but remember not to bring too much gear (装备). This western Malibu beach is only accessible via a steep rocky path. There are no lifeguards or other facilities (设施), so you are able to find some privacy on the beach. Arriving early or staying late can reward you with a memorable dawn or sunset.
Good for: nature lovers
Facilities: simple restrooms
Parking: parking lot $10, street parking free (watch out for “no parking” signs)
Zuma Beach
Malibu
It is a popular and touristy spot on weekends and holidays for locals and beach-goers. The wide, sandy beach is good for spreading out on beach towels and water sports, from swimming to volleyball. And it is one of the few beaches in Malibu where bonfires (篝火) are allowed.
Good for: sports lovers, groups
Facilities: restrooms, showers, volleyball courts and swings
Parking: parking lot $3 — $10, street parking free
Leo Carrillo State Park
Malibu
Leo Carrillo State Beach has the best of the both: a well-equipped stretch of sand plus scenic beauty. Groups and families can make use of the on-site camping grounds, picnic area, RV parking lot and coin-operated showers.
Good for: families, groups
Facilities: showers, camp site, RV parking lot and restrooms
Parking: parking lot $3 — $10
El Porto Beach
Manhattan
Newcomers love the sandy beach break, while winter wave hunters can brave overhead waves. Enter the parking lot from 45th Street, and note the five-hour limit. Those that prefer to stay on land can make use of the bike path.
Good for: surfers
Facilities: restrooms, showers and a bike path
Parking: $1.50 per hour metered parking
1.What can we learn about El Matador State Beach?
A.It is large and flat.
B.It is a bit hard to reach.
C.It is well equipped for surfing.
D.It is provided with trained lifeguards.
2.If a large family wants to take a picnic at the beach, they’ll probably go to ___________.
A.El Matador State Beach B.Zuma Beach
C.Leo Carrillo State Park D.El Porto Beach
3.What do the four beaches have in common?
A.They lie in Malibu. B.They allow making bonfires.
C.They provide parking areas. D.They are suitable for water sports.
假定你是李华，你的美国朋友Ann在一个月前来到中国上学，她发来邮件说她与同学相处方面遇到了一些问题。请你根据以下提示给她回一封邮件，内容包括：
1. 表示理解；
2. 提出建议；
3. 表达祝愿。
注意：1. 词数100左右（开头已给出，不计入总词数）；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Ann,
I am sorry to hear that you’re having trouble in getting along with your classmates in your new school.
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Yours,
Li Hua
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
“Tom! Here!” said a father to his boy. The boy was at play. He looked toward his father, but did not want to leave his friends. With an unhappy face, the boy got close to his parent.
“Why do you walk so slowly?” said the father, angrily. “Come quickly! Take this note to Mr. Smith. Now run as fast as you can.”
The boy took the note but he moved away slowly.
“You, Tom! Run!” called the father. “If you are not back in half an hour, I will punish you.”
But the words had little effect. The boy’s feelings were hurt by the unkindness of the parent.
“I never saw such a boy,” said the father, speaking to a friend. “My words make no difference to him.”
“Kind words often prove most powerful,” said the friend. “Kind words are like the gentle rain. They develop and strengthen good feelings. Try a few kind words.”
An hour passed, but his boy wasn’t back. The father felt very angry with the child.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为60-80；
2. 应使用3个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分为一段，开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
But the words of his friend were still in his ears.
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