“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” An old tale tells seemingly unbelievable story of a magic mirror, but now the magic is no longer unachievable.

In August 2018, news went viral (广为传播的) that the police had caught criminal suspects who attended Chinese singer Jacky Cheung’s concerts. How did the police pick out the suspects among thousands of screaming fans? The helping hand is Al facial recognition technology. The low-key yet powerful tool is no longer far-fetched, but entering the world of China’s top investors and companies.

Facial recognition is a technology able to identify a person from digital image or a frame from a video source. Tang Wenbin, CTO of Face++, an Al computer vision technology company in China, vividly explained the workflow. According to him, facial recognition is the identification of our appearance, including knowing the sex, age and identity of a person. You may think it is like a brain or a neural network. You use data to train it, and then, it learns the pattern.

Facial recognition technology has been traditionally allied with the security work but today there is active expansion into other industries including mobile phones, marketing and finance.

Chinese start-ups have seen the potential of AI facial recognition for simplifying and speeding up tasks in multiple industries. And the market is now crowded and competitive.

China is starting the Al revolution and has made breakthroughs in facial recognition. “If applying AI to different industries is a marathon, the companies there probably have just got off the blocks.” said Tian Feng, director of Alibaba Cloud Research Center. He also thinks that in the future, everybody will be able to use AI as it will soon become a basic tool for work and life.

1.Why does the author mention mirrors in Paragraph 1?

A.To imply that such magical mirror is achievable.

B.To lead to the topic that such magic has become reality.

C.To prove that old tales are based on true stories.

D.To describe the background of facial recognition.

2.Which of the following best explains“allied with”underlined in Paragraph 4?

A.Content with. B.Compared with. C.Burdened with. D.Associated with.

3.What is Tian Feng’s attitude towards the future of AI?

A.Favorable. B.Pessimistic. C.Indifferent. D.Objective.

4.What can be a suitable title for the text?

A.Breakthroughs of Chinese Technology B.Effects of AI Technology

C.The Eye of AI in China D.Facial Recognition in Security

    Marielle Bacason was 22 when she experienced the storm that would change her life. On November 8, 2013, she held onto whatever she could as the wind of up to 315 kilometers per hour destroyed everything in its path. When the wind finally died down and the storm became less violent, this is what she saw:

“You could not distinguish the roads and dead bodies of people and animals everywhere. We feared for our safety every day, especially during the night. We just wanted to leave Tacloban... I was traumatised,” she says.

In her hometown of Tacloban, in the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines, southeast from the capital of Manila, her home and everything she owned was damaged Super Typhoon Haiyan was the strongest storm to hit the country reportedly killing over 6,300 people, though the locals said the toll (伤亡人数) was much higher.

Recovering from an event like this is no easy task. Marielle and others asked: Why me? Why did this happen? Who is responsible? For the past five years, Marielle has been trying to find the answers. That’s why she along with other amazing women, are taking on some of the world’s largest coal, oil and gas companies, including ExxonMobil, bp, Chevron and Shell, for contributing to the human harm resulting from the impacts of climate change.

Caused by a petition (请愿书) filed in 2015 by representatives of communities and organizations across the Philippines, this investigation (调查) by the Commission on Human Rights (人权委员会) of the Philippines is the first of its kind to be launched by an independent constitutional office. The result, which won’t be known until early 2019, could be game changer for the fossil fuel industry.

Marielle, who is now working as research nurse in London, puts it simply:

“All I ask of these big companies is to allow our children, grandchildren, and the future generations to be able to enjoy an undamaged planet I just ask that they consider the long-term effects of their actions.”

1.How did Marielle feel after the storm?

A.Puzzled. B.Shocked. C.Embarrassed. D.Disappointed.

2.What’s Marielle’s’purpose of fighting against those companies?

A.To push them to help her hometown recover.

B.To completely drive them out of her country.

C.To get back all her possessions lost in the storm.

D.To ask them to be environmentally responsible.

3.What do we know about the investigation mentioned in Paragraph 5?

A.It might greatly influence the fossil fuel industry.

B.It’s being carried out by Marielle and her colleagues.

C.It’ll have long-term-effect on Tacloban’s economy.

D.It’ll measure the damage caused by Super Typhoon Haiyan.

4.Which of the following best describes Marielle?

A.She’s an easy-going woman. B.She cares little about climate change.

C.She holds strong social responsibility. D.She used to be a research nurse in London.

    The USA Gap Year Fairs lists broad range of Gap Year programs.

The High Mountain Institute Gap

The High Mountain Institute Gap unites outdoor advantage and conservation to cultivate (培养) the next generation of civically-minded leaders. With programs traveling through Patagonia and the American West, students discover more about the world and themselves, become independent in their outdoor skills, develop intellectual maturity and effective leadership, and are more prepared to succeed in college and beyond.

Program location(s): USA, Argentina

Phone: 719-486-8200

National Outdoor Leadership School

For nearly 50 years, National Outdoor Leadership School has been the leader in wilderness education. More than 221, 000 students have learned in the world’s most spectacular and wild classrooms.

Program location(s): Alaska, Amazon Australia, East Africa, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Argentina

Phone: 800-710-6657

The International School or Earth Studies

It’s private, interdisciplinary (跨学科的) institution specializing in earth-based studies. The programs encourage students to explore the seeds of greatness, with a view to developing tomorrow’s environmentally sensitive spokespersons and leaders. The principle goal is to help students develop responsibility inspired through appreciation and love for natural places and the environment.

Program location(s): Newfoundland, Canada

Phone: 819-647-3226

The Experiment in International Living

It provides summer abroad programs for high school students who want to connect deeply and engage meaningfully with the richness and complexities of another country. Programs are designed to equip participants not only with essential cultural skills and, in many cases language skills, but also with a deeper awareness of and sensitivity to critical global issues shaping the diverse communities and regions we visit.

Program location(s): Europe, the Americas, Africa, south of the Sahara

Phone: 800-345-2929

1.What do the first two programs help participants do?

A.Learn diverse cultures. B.Find ways to protect the environment.

C.Develop outdoor skills and leadership. D.omplete wilderness education in college.

2.If you want to learn about program focusing on the environment,you can dial________.

A.819-647-3226 B.800-710-6657

C.800-345-2929 D.719-486-8200

3.Which of the following is ideal for participants who are interested in culture and language?

A.The High Mountain Institute Gap. B.National Outdoor Leadership School.

C.The Experiment in International Living. D.The International School for Earth Studies.

假定你是李华，计划在下个月与父母一起到伦敦旅游。请给你的英国笔友Martha写封邮件，内容包括：1. 旅游目的（体验不同文化，提高英语水平）；2. 请她介绍景点和风俗习惯等。

注意：1. 词数100左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Martha,

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。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。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，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。

We have a small piece of land to grow vegetables, that are growing better than ever. Today, my mother picked a lot of vegetables and asked me to send any to one of her colleagues, whom I call Auntie. She was very happily. She liked the fresh vegetables very much and said thank to me. She also sent his regards to my mother.

After supper, I was about to doing my homework when I heard a knock at the door. When I open the door, I saw Auntie standing outside with many gifts are in her hands. I knew immediately that she came thank us for the vegetables. What a thoughtful or kind woman!

    There’s nothing like a heartwarming rescue (营救) story, especially when it involves two animals. Africa is known for its many kinds of wild animals, so spotting a wild animal isn’t________.

A farmer is used to spotting large creatures. One day, he saw something usual. Upon a closer look, it became ________to the farmer that this was a baby giraffe. Not only was the little baby all on its own, but it also________to be no more than a few days old. It seemed that it needed some________.Since the newborn was obviously without its________,the farmer knew he had to find a safe place for the baby. The closest one was a rhino (犀牛) health recovery center.________It wasn’t their specialty (专业), the center________to take care of the baby giraffe. The caretakers couldn’t turn down a(n)________ creature There, they________ the baby giraffe jazz.

Apart from the workers, there was one animal who________to leave Jazz’s side, and that was a dog, Hunter. He seemed to want nothing more than to________friendship to any suffering animals. He ________ watched over Jazz from the moment the baby was________Hunter appeared hopeful although Jazz’s ________was not good. The dog slowly________the sleeping giraffe, doing all he could t________the poor creature without hurting the young animal. Several days later, Jazz clearly appreciated Hunter’s________, because before long he was beginning to get closer to the dog.

The dog selflessly gave his friendship. The animals were________species, but they________ to become friends.

Before long, Jazz was looking like any________baby giraffe. He was sitting tall at his best friend’s side. Meanwhile, Hunter looked happier than ever.

1.A.enjoyable B.fortunate C.uncommon D.awful

2.A.clear B.aggressive C.unfair D.informal

3.A.proved B.appeared C.attempted D.meant

4.A.comment B.motivation C.balance D.help

5.A.family B.freedom C.courtyard D.respect

6.A.Because B.Though C.Unless D.If

7.A.disliked B.forgot C.agreed D.demanded

8.A.helpless B.cautious C.outgoing D.friendly

9.A.created B.directed C.called D.handed

10.A.pretended B.failed C.determined D.refused

11.A.explain B.award C.offer D.apply

12.A.gently B.fluently C.eventually D.practically

13.A.given away B.take in C.picked up D.put off

14.A.condition B.incident C.birthplace D.injury

15.A.requested B.hired C.followed D.approached

16.A.defeat B.control C.care for D.rely on

17.A.honest B.patience C.belief D.evidence

18.A.dangerous B.different C.familiar D.huge

19.A.struggled B.aimed C.decided D.managed

20.A.weak B.modest C.healthy D.funny

Things You Shouldn’t Do While Shopping

● Leave your kids alone.

If you plan to bring your children with you to do holiday shopping, make sure that they are well-rested and fed. 1. It’s also not the staffs responsibility to watch over your children since they have to attend to other customers. If you do have to take your kids with you, use this as an opportunity to teach them the manners every parent should teach their children.

● Park like you own the place.

The only thing worse than shopping in stores during the holidays is parking at the store. Be patient in the parking lot and avoid unnecessary honking (鸣笛). It is also suggested that you leave your car at home and take a cab, Lyft, or Uber instead. 2.

● Keep the shopping cart (购物车) in the middle of the passageway.

Keep in mind that the flow of traffic in the passageways is the same as on the road—stick to the right and let people pass on the left. 3. You shouldn’t park your shopping cart in the middle of the passageway, because that could make it difficult for other shoppers to get by.

● 4.

For the clothes that don’t fit after the try-on, fold or hang them and return them to a staff member on your way out. This will make the shopping experience more pleasant for both the shoppers and the staff since the changing rooms won’t be filled with unwanted and messy clothes. 5. By keeping your changing room clean, you’re showing respect for your fellow shoppers and the staff who work there.

A.Otherwise,the staff have to organize them.

B.Leave unwanted clothes in the dressing room.

C.Especially rude driving habits could be dangerous,too.

D.The extra cost could be worth the lack of parking stress.

E.If it is possible to shop without a cart,you could save some money.

F.If you’re looking at something,park your cart to the right side of the passageway.

G.You should never leave your kids unattended because they may injure themselves.

    A new coffee culture is forming in and around San Francisco, California. A growing number of coffeehouses there are barring paper cups. Instead, they are using glass containers or creating “bring your own cup” policies. The movement started among neighborhood cafes in an effort to reduce waste. Now it is gaining support from large businesses in the city—and around the country.

Famous cook Dominique Crenn is opening a cafe in San Francisco next year that will not use to-gabags, throw-away coffee cups or any plastic. Diners who plan to buy a to-go drink from boutique Crenn will be asked to bring their own coffee cups, a spokeswoman said.

The Blue Bottle coffeehouse company uses about 15,000 to-go cups each month at its 70 shops across the U.S. The company recently said it wants to “show our guests and the world that we can get rid of disposable (一次性的) cups”.

Blue Bottle plans to stop using paper cups at two of its stores next year. The move is part of a promise to produce “zero waste” by the end of next year.

Larger coffee and fast-food businesses around the U. S. are feeling a sense of urgency (紧急) to be more environmentally friendly, said Bridget Croke. She is with the New York-based investment company Closed Loop Partners. It is working with Starbucks and McDonald’s to develop a substitute (替代品) for the disposable coffee cup.

Today’s to-go cups for hot drinks are not only made from paper, they also have plastic to prevent leaking. This makes them hard to recycle, Croke said. She admitted that it is not likely that large national food and drink companies will stop using disposable cups totally or ask all customers to bring their own.

So, her company is looking for other solutions. In partnership with Closed Loop, Starbucks and McDonald’s paid $10 million to develop the “single-use cup of the future”. The result is expected to be recyclable and to break down naturally.

1.What does the underlined word“barring”in the first paragraph mean?

A.Using. B.Inventing. C.Improving. D.Banning.

2.What do boutique Crenn and Blue Bottle have in common?

A.They will desert throw-away cups.

B.They’ve decided to improve service.

C.They want to attract more customers.

D.They will open some new coffee shops.

3.Why are traditional to-go cups bad for the environment?

A.They are made from wood.

B.They are needed in great quantity.

C.The hard to recycle.

D.They encourage people to drink more coffee.

4.What do Starbucks and McDonald’s aim to do in the future?

A.Refuse to offer cups to consumers.

B.Invent environmentally friendly cups.

C.Run together with another company.

D.Spend a lot on the development of new coffee.

    The popularity of Chinese-owned video-sharing service TikTok (抖音) continues to grow among young people in the United States. In 2019, experts say the service more than doubled its American user base to 37 million. TikTok is especially popular with teens and young adults.

The service lets users create and share their short videos that they think interesting and useful, and many of them are under 15 seconds. The TikTok app offers a wide choice of sounds, brief parts of songs and special effects tools to help create a video. Some TikTok-based memes are very popular. Videos often include popular songs from well-known artists and TikTok has even helped launch the careers of new music stars.

TikTok is considered a competitor to the video-sharing app Snapchat, as well as Facebook’s Instagram service. Snapchat and Instagram also mainly interest young users with a wide mix of photos and videos centered largely on fashion, pop culture and humor.

Last year, TikTok was the second-most downloaded app from Apple and Google stores. Only WhatsApp was downloaded more. Research company Sensor Tower guesses people have downloaded the TikTok app 1.65 billion times.

TikTok has been used by many major companies to reach young people who use little or no traditional media. One of those companies is American-based e. l. f. Cosmetics. The makeup company’s chief marketer, Kory Marchisotto, said that TikTok is “where the Gen Z party is”. Gen Z is a name used to call the generation born between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. “That’s where they’re all hanging out,” Marchisotto said.

Companies appearing on TikTok can make money through advertising. Often, the companies create user “challenges” as part of their ad campaigns. In challenges, users are invited to publish their own videos in which they perform similar dance moves. One campaign by e. l. f. Cosmetics, for example, asked people to wink and move their lips while following a song. TikTok users created 3 million videos that received more than 4 billion view.

1.Which word can best describe the videos created on TikTok

A.Traditional. B.Formal. C.Various. D.serious.

2.Which was downloaded most from Apple and Google stores last year?

A.TikTok. B.Snapchat. C.Instagram. D.WhatsApp.

3.What can companies do on TikTok?

A.Challenge their competitors. B.Make advertisements.

C.Hold music concerts. D.Promote users’abilities to make videos.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.China’s TikTok Keeps Growing Among US Youth

B.TikTok Helps Users Create and Share Short Videos

C.China-based TikTok achieves great Success

D.Companies Benefit Much from TikTok

    I was dropping my mom and sister off at the train station after their holiday visit. On the way I saw a man in a wheelchair in an empty car park. It looked like he wasn’t wearing shoes.

After dropping off my family, I went back to the park and he was still there. His chair was on the incline (斜坡) that led to the street and it looked like he was struggling with his bare (赤裸的) feet to keep the wheelchair from sliding (滑) away into the street. I asked if he wanted me to pull him back up. He nodded. I asked him to pick up his feet and pulled him back up into the park. He didn’t react when I asked if this was far enough. Then, I opened the box I had brought with me. It was a shoe box with an old pair of shoes that I had kept in my car in case I found someone in need.

You could imagine the look on his face. First it was shock, then it was pure delight. When he spoke, I couldn’t understand what he said, but I knew he was thanking me.

On the way back to my car, I saw a couple who were in need and gave them a couple of my bags for the homeless. As I drove past the first man, I saw he had already put on one shoe and was working on the second.

Keeping old pairs of shoes in my car for situations like this is so much more important than throwing them out or selling them at a yard sale.

1.What caught the author’s attention while driving?

A.An empty park. B.A holiday visit experience.

C.A train station. D.A man with bare feet.

2.What was the disabled man doing when the author saw him for the second time?

A.He was putting on a shoe. B.He was asking passers-by for help.

C.He was preventing his chair going down. D.He was pulling himself into the street.

3.What made the man feel shocked?

A.The author’s beautiful car. B.The old shoes offered to him.

C.The questions asked by the author. D.The author’s effort to pull him back.

4.What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?

A.The author is always ready to help others. B.A homeless couple asked the author for help.

C.The author was praised for his kindness. D.The disabled man had difficulty putting on shoes.