For two centuries, the famous University of Cambridge debating society has hosted many prominent figures, from world leaders to scientists to comedians.
On Nov 21, the Cambridge Union hosted its first-ever non-human guest. Designed by IBM, Project Debater is a machine that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to form a spoken argument. It can even listen and answer to opposing statements, much like a real person.
Speaking with a voice similar to Siri, Project Debater uses AI to search journals, newspapers and other information sources. It then filters out(过滤) useless information, picks the strongest arguments, and arranges them into a persuasive argument.
“In the Cambridge test debate, it argued the topic: AI will ultimately do more harm than good. According to IBM, it is the first machine that can debate complicated topics with humans.
Before the debate, more than 1,100 arguments for the positives and negatives of AI were submitted to the IBM website. The machine then analyzed these sources and formed the basis of its arguments in minutes. Project Debater then showed off its AI by arguing for both sides of the debate.
Over a four-minute speech, it argued first that, “AI can only make decisions that it has been programmed to solve, while humans can be programmed for all plots, possible events.”
In support of AI, it then argued that AI would create new jobs and “bring a lot more efficiency” to the workplace.
This isn’t the first test for Project Debater. In June 2018, the machine went back-and-forth for 20 minutes against champion debater Harish Natarajan.
According to New Scientist, on both occasions, Project Debater repeated points and didn’t always sufficiently support them.
Speaking to Cambridge Independent, Noam Slonim, the project’s lead engineer, said, “The AI is not perfect, but it’s going in the right direction.” The team hopes to improve the AI by researching why humans find certain arguments more persuasive than others.
1.In which way does Project Debater behave like a real person?
A.It can listen and answer to opposing statements.
B.It can speak with a voice similar to Siri.
C.It can create various useful sources.
D.It can deal with any situation.
2.What were prepared for the machine before the Cambridge test debate?
A.Analyzed sources.
B.Useless messages.
C.Materials for arguments.
D.Items about human debaters.
3.We can infer from the text that _________.
A.AI did better than humans in arguments
B.the machine had rich ideas to support its points
C.the machine beat Harish Natarajan in the first test
D.AI needs more persuasive arguments in debates
4.What is Noam Slonim’s attitude to the AI ?
A.Supportive. B.Unconfident.
C.Negative. D.Indifferent.
Flying has shrunk the world! It’s now possible to travel around the globe quickly and easily. Jumping on a plane and jetting off on holiday or a business trip is the norm for many of us, and with the rise of budget airlines, the number of people taking to the skies is increasing. But while air travel is costing us less, the cost to the environment is going up.
Climate change is something we’re all aware of now, and aviation companies know that some of the blame for this is being pointed at them. Last year airlines were forecasted to use about 97bn gallons of jet fuel.
But while we could think twice about taking a flight in the first place, particularly a short trip that could be made by train, technology might be the answer to reducing emissions and minimising the environmental damage.
Recent developments have focused on reducing the amount of fuel airliners(大型客机) burn. Making flying green and sustainable was the hot topic at the recent Dubai Air Show. There was talk of advances in engine technology, making them more efficient, and possibly using biofuel to power aircraft.
Rios Galvan, a bioenergy expert and professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, told the BBC that “these have the capacity to reduce the carbon footprint anywhere between 50-80 percent when you compare them to fuels.”
And Phil Curnock, chief engineer of the civil future programme at Rolls-Royce, also suggested that electric hybrid engines (混合动力发动机) could play a part for smaller aircraft, covering shorter distances. He says “it offers the possibility of a carbon-neutral flight for a limited range.”
Of course, aircraft manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to make their planes more fuel efficient. Boeing’s Dreamliner, for example, is already in operation and uses 25 percent less fuel per passenger compared with aircraft of a similar size. Other improvements include better aircraft aerodynamics (空气动力学), changes to ways aircraft taxi (滑行) on runways, and the use of lighter materials.
1.What can we infer from Paragraph 1?
A.The earth gets smaller.
B.Budget airlines become popular.
C.Flying is favorite among passengers.
D.Air travel can do harm to environment.
2.What does the underlined word “minimising” mean?
A.Lowering. B.Consolidating.
C.Weakening. D.Increasing
3.Which of the following is true, according to the passage?
A.Boeing’s Dreamliner is a green aircraft.
B.Biofuel is a necessity to power airliners.
C.Electric hybrid engines have their limitations.
D.Ways will be found to reduce fuel consumption.
4.How can aircrafts be made more fuel efficient?
A.By bettering runways. B.By making smaller aircrafts.
C.By using the lighter materials. D.By using aircraft aerodynamics.
With bushfires continuing to swallow different parts of Australia, a local zoo in New South Wales - the state which is the easiest to catch fire - has hit the headlines with a heartwarming story.
Right in the line of a bushfire, the keepers of Mogo Wildlife Park managed to protect all 200 animals from harm after they received evacuation orders, according to reports.
Netizens were quick to react on social media and praised the bravery of the zoo keeper and staffs, as they stayed and managed to protect animals from uncontrolled fires and even sheltered some at their own house.
The 40-year-old zoo keeper, Chad Staples, described the situation as the worst catastrophe, which felt like Armageddon (大决战) here. Luckily, his team had made a precise plan ahead of time by moving everything flammable from the area and the larger animals to safe places.
What’s remarkable is that as the smaller ones needed extra shelter, Staples decided to take them to his own house.
“Right now in my house there are animals of all descriptions in all the different rooms. They are safe and protected … not a single animal lost,” he said.
BBC news also mentioned that “there’s a tiger to the back of the house.”
Some media outlets highlighted the “heroic job” in their headlines. Online users also reacted with thumbs-up and were glad to see all the staff and animals coming through the horrific fire.
Located in the southern coast of New South Wales, Mogo Wildlife Park houses Australia’s largest collection of primates, also including different and unique animals such as zebras, giraffes, rhinos and red pandas.
1.New South Wales hits the headlines because of ________.
A.its famous zoo
B.its endangered animals
C.the heartwarming event
D.being easy to catch fire
2.Which of the following is true about Mogo Wildlife Park?
A.It belongs to Chad Staples.
B.None of the animals is missing.
C.It merely holds rare animal species.
D.Extra shelters were built for emergencies.
3.Which word can probably describe Chad Staples?
A.Irresponsible. B.Considerate.
C.Selfish. D.Energetic.
4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.The Heroic Job.
B.The Horrific Fire.
C.The Extinct Animals.
D.The Brave Zoo Keeper.
Some of the best museums across China are putting their exhibitions online in VR format for free. While stuck at home due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, why not take a detailed online tour at museums that you would not otherwise have time for?
The Palace Museum
The Palace Museum is known as the Forbidden City. Although the museum is now closed due to the current epidemic prevention, it's possible for visitors to take a virtual tour of parts of the museum without actually setting foot on the majestic grounds.
Visitors can browse all the buildings of the Palace Museums. More than 400,000 imperial artifacts have been digitized online, which can definitely help you gain knowledge and immerse yourself in a cultural atmosphere.
The websites: https://pano.dpm.org.cn/gugong_app_pc/index.html
https://www.dpm.org.cn/shuziduobaoge/html
Shanghai Museum
Shanghai Museum is a large and famous museum, which collects over 120,000 precious artistic relics from more than 5,000 years ago to the Qing Dynasty. The marvelous bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphies offer a visual feast for the eyes, and also provide a good chance for people to learn the profound Chinese history and culture.
If you are into ancient Chinese arts and crafts, then the online Shanghai Museum is definitely worth your time.
The website: https://www.shanghaimuseum.net/treasure/show/show
Mogao Caves
The Mogao Caves, also known as Thousand Buddha Grottoes, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near Dunhuang in northwest China's Gansu Province.
Now visitors can directly browse dozens of classic caves and appreciate the murals(壁画) by cave rooms through the “Digital Dunhuang”, the website of the Mogao Caves. The development of “Digital Dunhuang” not only shocks visitors in a visual sense but also “moves” the Mogan Grottoes outside.
The website: https://www.e-dunhuang.com/index.html
1.The people interested in ancient Chinese arts and crafts should visit ________.
A.https://www.e-dunhuang.com/index.html
B.https://www.dpm.org.cn/shuziduobaoge/html
C.https://pano.dpm.org.cn/gugong_app_pc/index.html
D.https://www.shanghaimuseum.net/treasure/show/show
2.What can the visitors see through “Digital Dunhuang”?
A.Precious imperial artifacts.
B.Classic caves and the murals.
C.Ancient people living in the caves.
D.All the artistic relics of Dunhuang.
3.What is the purpose of writing the passage?
A.To guide what to do at home.
B.To recommend an online tour.
C.To support the sickness prevention.
D.To invite visitors to real scenic spots.
假定你是李华，你班交换生 Jim 因“新冠”肺炎的原因无法返校，来信向你咨询学习事宜。请你给他写一封邮件，内容包括：1.开学日期推迟；
2.学校辅导（在线教育、心理……）；
3.如有调整，及时通知。
注意: 1.字数 100 左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，使文章行文连贯。
参考词汇：新型冠状病毒 novel coronavirus; 心理的 psychological
Dear Jim,
I hope everything goes well with you.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours truly,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改同桌写的以下作文。文中共有 10 处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧ )，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删减：把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。
修改：在错词下面划一横线, 并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改 10 处, 多者(从第 11 处起)不计分。
I still remember that at the age of twelve, I was asked to deliver a speech entitled An Unforgettable Experience before the whole class! How terrible shy I was the moment when I thought of that. I had no choice but prepare for it, though. First, I drafted the speech, which was easy. But the hardest part lies in my oral presentation. The real moment began as I stood on the platform with my legs trembled and my mind blank. But my listener were waiting patiently. Gradually I found myself back, giving my speech fluently. After which seemed to be ages, I found my audience applauding. I made it! From then on, my fear disappeared. Actually with your confidence building up, I now turn out to be the great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on the way to success is fear. Overcome it, or you will be able to achieve your goals.
