The problem of robocalls has gotten so bad that many people now refuse to pick up calls from numbers they don’t know. By next year, half of the calls we receive will be scams(欺诈). We are finally waking up to the severity of the problem by supporting and developing a group of tools, apps and approaches intended to prevent scammers from getting through. Unfortunately, it’s too little, too late. By the time these “solutions”(解决方案) become widely available, scammers will have moved onto cleverer means. In the near future, it’s not just going to be the number you see on your screen that will be in doubt. Soon you will also question whether the voice you’re hearing is actually real.
That’s because there are a number of powerful voice manipulation(处理) and automation technologies that are about to become widely available for anyone to use. At this year’s I/O Conference, a company showed a new voice technology able to produce such a convincing human-sounding voice that it was able to speak to a receptionist and book a reservation without detection.
These developments are likely to make our current problems with robocalls much worse. The reason that robocalls are a headache has less to do with amount than precision. A decade of data breaches(数据侵入) of personal information has led to a situation where scammers can easily learn your mother’s name, and far more. Armed with this knowledge, they’re able to carry out individually targeted campaigns to cheat people. This means, for example, that a scammer could call you from what looks to be a familiar number and talk to you using a voice that sounds exactly like your bank teller’s, tricking you into “confirming” your address, mother’s name, and card number. Scammers follow money, so companies will be the worst hit. A lot of business is still done over the phone, and much of it is based on trust and existing relationships. Voice manipulation technologies may weaken that gradually.
We need to deal with the insecure nature of our telecom networks. Phone carriers and consumers need to work together to find ways of determining and communicating what is real. That might mean either developing a uniform way to mark videos and images, showing when and who they were made by, or abandoning phone calls altogether and moving towards data-based communications—using apps like FaceTime or WhatsApp, which can be tied to your identity.
Credibility is hard to earn but easy to lose, and the problem is only going to get harder from here on out.
1.How does the author feel about the solutions to problem of robocalls?
A.Panicked. B.Confused. C.Embarrassed. D.Disappointed.
2.Taking advantage of the new technologies, scammer can ________.
A.aim at victims precisely B.damage databases easily
C.start campaigns rapidly D.spread information widely
3.What does the passage imply?
A.Honesty is the best policy.
B.Technologies can be double-edged.
C.There are more solutions than problems.
D.Credibility holds the key to development.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Where the Problem of Robocalls Is Rooted
B.Who Is to Blame for the Problem of Robocalls
C.Why Robocalls Are About to Get More Dangerous
D.How Robocalls Are Affecting the World of Technology
Alice Moore is a teenager entrepreneur(创业者), who in May 2015 set up her business AilieCandy. By the time she was 13, her company was worth millions of dollars with the invention of a super-sweet treat that could save kids’ teeth, instead of destroying them.
It all began when Moore visited a bank with her dad. On the outing, she was offered a candy bar. However, her dad reminded her that sugary treats were bad for her teeth. But Moore was sick of missing out on candies. So she desired to get round the warning, “Why can’t I make a healthy candy that’s good for my teeth so that my parents can’t say no to it?” With that in mind, Moore asked her dad if she could start her own candy company. He recommended that she do some research and talk to dentists about what a healthier candy would contain.
With her dad’s permission, she spent the next two years researching online and conducting trials to get a recipe that was both tasty and tooth-friendly. She also approached dentists to learn more about teeth cleaning. Consequently, she succeeded in making a kind of candy only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria.
Moore then used her savings to get her business off the ground. Afterwards, she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner, who finally agreed to sell Moore’s product—CanCandy.
As CanCandy’s success grows, so does Moore’s credibility as a young entrepreneur. Moore is enthusiastic about the candy she created, and she’s also positive about what the future might bring. She hopes that every kid can have a clean mouth and a broad smile.
Meanwhile, with her parents’ help, Moore is generally able to live a normal teenage life. Although she founded her company early on in life, she wasn’t driven primarily by profit. Moore wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles. She donates 10% of AilicCandy’s profits to Big Smiles. With her talent and determination, it appears that the sky could be the limit for Alice Moore.
1.How did Moore react to her dad’s warning?
A.She argued with him. B.She tried to find a way out.
C.She paid no attention. D.She chose to consult dentists.
2.What is special about CanCandy?
A.It is beneficial to dental health. B.It is free of sweeteners.
C.It is sweeter than other candies. D.It is produced to a dentists’ recipe.
3.What does Moore expect from her business?
A.To earn more money. B.To help others find smiles.
C.To make herself stand out. D.To beat other candy companies.
4.What can we learn from Alice Moore’s story?
A.Fame is a great thirst of the young.
B.A youth is to be regarded with respect.
C.Positive thinking and action result in success.
D.Success means getting personal desires satisfied
Want to explore new cultures, meet new people and do something worthwhile at the same time? You can do all the three with Global Development Association(GDA). Whatever stage of life you’re at, wherever you go and whatever project you do in GDA, you’ll create positive changes in a poor and remote community(社区).
We work with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds. Most of our volunteers are aged 17-24. Now we need volunteer managers aged 25-75. They are extremely important in the safe and effective running of our programmes. We have such roles as project managers, mountain leaders, and communication officers.
Depending on which role you choose, you could help to increase a community’s access to safe drinking water, or help to protect valuable local cultures. You might also design an adventure challenge to train young volunteers.
Not only will you help our young volunteers to develop personally, you’ll also learn new skills and increase your cultural awareness. You may have chances to meet new people who’ll become your lifelong friends.
This summer we have both 4-week and 7-week programmes:
Country | Schedule | |
4-week programmes | 7-week programmes | |
Algeria | 5 Jul. — 1 Aug. | 20 Jun. — 7 Aug. |
Egypt | 24 Jul. — 20 Aug. | 19 Jun. — 6 Aug. |
Kenya | 20 Jul. — 16 Aug. | 18 Jun. — 5 Aug. |
South Africa | 2 Aug. — 29 Aug. | 15 Jun. — 2 Aug. |
GDA ensures that volunteers work with community members and local project partners where our help is needed. All our projects aim to promote the development of poor and remote communities.
There is no other chance like a GDA programme. Join us as a volunteer manager to develop your own skills while bringing benefits to the communities.
Find out more about joining a GDA programme:
Website:www.glodeve.org
Email:humanresources@glodeve.org
1.What is the main responsibility of volunteer managers?
A.To seek local partners. B.To take in young volunteers.
C.To carry out programmes. D.To foster cultural awareness.
2.The programme beginning in August will operate in ________.
A.Egypt B.Algeria C.Kenya D.South Africa
3.The shared goal of GDA’s projects to ________.
A.explore new cultures B.protect the environment
C.gain corporate benefit D.help communities in need
单词拼写
1.These hotels don’t have all the necessary__________(设施)，but each of them offers something different.
2.It is such a _______(challenge) job as no one would like to apply for.
3.I don’t know why the young couple are getting into an_________(argue).
4.I advises the thief________(refer) to be put into prison.
5.He spent much of his life________(探索) the wildness.
6.The animal was still________(breath),so we knew it was still alive.
7.He stood there, ______(集中注意) his eyes on his mother.
8._______(assume) that his story is true, what should we do?
9.China suggests________(解决) the conflict through peaceful means.
10.________(judge) by his actions, he is rather selfish.
11.The government has taken a _______(系列) of measures to improve the air quality.
12.There had been much _____(辩论) on the issue of childcare.
13.He was _______（frighten）to death by the strange snake。
14.Nervously_______(走近) the table, Son said,”Erm…Dad, can we talk?”
15.As we all know, WTO is short for World Trade __________(组织)
16.The mountains are _____(visible) because of the clouds.
17.“Smart” can mean “intelligent” or “sarcastic” depending on the _______(上下文)
18.He_______(respect) by all who knew him for his kindness.
19._______(尽管，虽然) some mistakes, few people think badly of him
20.All of the children behaved themselves and left a good_______(impress) on us.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
A reporter from Jiangsu Province went to Australia and some other countries with his father for a 3-month trip. His father spent most of his life 1.（work）in the field. The son started the 2.（amaze）trips with his father around the world because the farmer father got cancer—a serious 3. (ill).
The reporter wanted to take his father to travel，4.（hope）that his father can find his younger self in his last days. They 5. (travel)more than 13,000 kilometers and took over 110, 000 pictures on their trips to different countries. Well，a miracle(奇迹) happened during the “rebirth” trips. 6. their surprise，his father got 7.(good)and became more openhearted.
He even taught himself to play 8.violin，and then gradually he played it very well，9.encouraged him a lot. Now he is expecting another trip to Africa. He is the most stylish dad ever.
Time carves (雕刻) his face 10.youth flows in his blood. This is the real style.
Many years ago, Dad worked as a farmhand （农场工人）. At that time, he had a horse. Every Saturday he________to the town after dinner and spent a few hours on social________ with other farmhands, such as drinking, chatting, and playing cards in the café. On Saturday evenings, the café was ________ because many farmhands were there. Before midnight Dad returned home on his horse, quite satisfied with his________. In his words, he________ thought of changing his job.
At the age of 31, Dad married my mother who was a schoolteacher. In the following spring I came________ into the world. Life became hard, so my mother felt________. She told Dad that they must make a ________.
My mother had ________of how some famous persons, especially Thomas Edison who was born in a poor family, fought against fate and achieved greatness and ________. And she ________ that I would some day become a great leader ________ men or cities and Dad should be a successful businessman. So she ________Dad to give up his job as a farmhand, sell his horse and ________a small business of his own. And I went to high school and college. She even sent me abroad for ________ education when I graduated from college. Under the drive of my mother's hope, Dad and I________what we have today. Dad runs a big international ________and I am a successful lawyer ________great fame in my country, ________not a leader as my mother expected.
Dad said, without my mother, we wouldn't be what we are today; at least, he would remain a farmhand. ________ he got a lesson of life —sometimes we really need drive from outside.
1.A.rode B.walked C.ran D.drove
2.A.conversations B.games C.relationships D.activities
3.A.cold B.crowded C.quiet D.dirty
4.A.horse B.entertainment C.life D.beer
5.A.often B.ever C.never D.sometimes
6.A.laughing B.singing C.sleeping D.crying
7.A.unimportant B.busy C.unsatisfied D.tired
8.A.living B.change C.decision D.house
9.A.dreamed B.heard C.thought D.spoken
10.A.honesty B.money C.fame D.energy
11.A.cared B.knew C.forgot D.hoped
12.A.training B.ruling C.helping D.protecting
13.A.warned B.wanted C.allowed D.persuaded
14.A.start B.find C.design D.sell
15.A.farther B.higher C.easier D.closer
16.A.showed B.kept C.lost D.achieved
17.A.company B.school C.farm D.café
18.A.suffering B.sharing C.enjoying D.following
19.A.though B.if C.and D.since
20.A.So B.However C.Or D.Because
