On October 25th, 2018, Christie's (佳士得拍卖行) had a very unusual sale. It sold the first piece of artwork created by artificial intelligence for $432,500.
The painting was created by an AI program written by Obvious, an AI research studio in Paris. Soon questions rang through the media: Is this art? Who is the artist? How about the owner? Are machines now creative, too?
All good questions—but too early. The technology is far from advanced (高级的), as Obvious suggested, because the public is completely confused about what AI is, and what it is able to do.
In fact, the painting was just one of the countless artworks AI could produce. It was the team behind Obvious that chose this one. The team first programmed the AI, and then they chose 15,000 paintings to train the software (软件). Connecting the painting with the algorithm (计算程序) was just a clever marketing tool. AI did not produce the painting on its own at all.
Lots of artists are using the same software as Obvious, but none of them are worried about losing jobs because of AI. As they build the machine themselves and work with it every day, they know how limited it is. What interests the artists is to create works together: the way AI lets them go beyond their natural ability.
Artists also laugh at the idea that AI is creative. It certainly creates things, sometimes in new and successful ways, but it does so without a purpose. It is the artist who shapes its output. "You make a fire and it produces interesting shapes, but in the end the fire is not creative. AI is a glorified (被美化的) campfire," said one of the pioneers of using AI in art.
1.The underlined word "confused" in Paragraph 3 probably means _________.
A.easy to understand B.angry C.unable to think clearly D.certain
2.Paragraph 4 mainly talks about ________.
A.what the painting was created for
B.how AI learned to paint
C.why the painting was connected with the algorithm
D.why the painting was not created by AI alone
3.According to the article, the AI technology makes artists able to __________.
A.paint on the computers B.come up with new ideas
C.improve their painting skills D.save time and money
4.We can learn from the article that the AI technology __________.
A.can produce countless artworks B.requires no programming
C.can think for itself D.makes artists lose jobs
Hobbies are something we enjoy doing in our free time for fun. It is often the case that we first become interested in something, and then we practise it ourselves. When we often do it or practise it for fun, it becomes our hobby.
Almost everyone has some kind of hobby. The choice of hobbies is different from person to person. It depends on one's own interests and jobs. People who sit at a desk all day long like to develop active hobbies while people like sports players like to take up quiet hobbies. Everyone should do something for a change so as to keep a balance between work and play.
People can choose hobbies that are very popular and easy to develop, such as watching TV, reading, window-shopping, going to the movies and so on. These hobbies need no special training. They can also choose hobbies that are not so easy to develop, such as painting, playing musical instruments, taking part in sports, etc. These hobbies need special training and talents.
Most people take up one hobby or another for relaxation while others, such as old people, have hobbies for killing time. However, students have to study. They have to finish a lot of homework, to take many exams and to fight for their future. But as the saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." Students need hobbies to refresh themselves in order to have better performances in their studies.
1.Which of the following people will be most likely to take up active hobbies according to the article?
A.A football player. B.A fireman. C.A swimming coach. D.A history teacher.
2.What hobbies are not so easy to develop?
A.Window-shopping and reading.
B.Painting and playing musical instruments.
C.Watching TV and taking part in sports.
D.Going to the movies and singing.
3.What can we learn from the article?
A.Students need hobbies to balance work and play.
B.Students have to study hard without any hobbies.
C.Everyone has his or her own hobbies.
D.Interests are something we practise ourselves.
Water is important in our daily life. When you are thirsty, you might want to drink water. However, a new study has found that drinking water is not the best way to stay hydrated (补水的).
Water does a good job of hydrating the body quickly, according to British researchers. However, drinks with a little bit of sugar, fat or protein (蛋白质) can do a better job.
Why is that? The more you drink, the faster the drink leaves your stomach and goes into your bloodstream. There, it can dilute (稀释) the body's fluids (液体) and keep you hydrated. Milk, for example, has some sugar, protein and fat. These make fluids leave your stomach more slowly and keep you hydrated for a longer time.
However, drinks with more sugar, such as fruit juice or soda, are not more hydrating. When these drinks go into the small intestine (小肠), they take more water from the body into the small intestine to help deal with the sugar. This will make you feel even thirstier.
Which drinks hydrate us the most?
No. 1: Milk | It's more hydrating than water or other drinks. |
No. 2: Water and coffee | A cup of coffee is about as hydrating as a cup of water. However, drinking two to four cups of coffee will make you thirstier. You can put one or two spoonfuls of milk in your coffee to keep you hydrated. |
No. 3 Fruit, Juice and soda | If you have to choose between these drinks and water, always go with water. |
1.Which of these drinks can hydrate you the most?
A.Milk. B.Water. C.Soda. D.Fruit juice.
2.Why can't sugary drinks keep you hydrated?
A.Because these drinks can't go into your bloodstream.
B.Because these drinks leave the stomach quickly.
C.Because it takes more water to deal with the sugar.
D.Because the small intestine can't dilute these fluids.
3.How does water keep you hydrated?
a. Water goes into the bloodstream.
b. Water enters your stomach.
c. They body is hydrated.
d. Water leaves the stomach.
e. The body's fluids get more water.
A.b–a–d–c–e B.b–d–a–e–c C.b–a–e–d–c D.b–d–a–c–e
Welcome to Oasis Mall! We offer shoppers an excellent shopping experience. With all kinds of stores, the mall has something for everyone. Here is the map of the ground floor of Oasis Mall.
1.Centrepoint is on the ________ of Oasis Mall.
A.ground floor B.second floor C.third floor D.fourth floor
2.According to the map, which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.Centrepoint may be a popular fashion place for ladies.
B.Carrefour Market is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
C.If shoppers enter Oasis Mall from the main entrance, they will find Fun City on their left.
D.E-max sells top-class brands only.
When I got home the other day, I found a lovely red envelope(信封) waiting for me. It was a note from a friend of mine, congratulating(祝贺) me on my new book. It was _______ unexpected and joyful.
In a _______ world where everyone is too rushed for everything, here are some ways that you can be a more wonderful human:
Rediscover snail mail
And not just for life’s big events. Consider _______ ones you can stick a stamp on and send love toward. Maybe someone lost their dog, and you want to express your _______. Maybe a classmate did something brave, and you want to show gratefulness or thanks.
Smile and dial
When was the last time you _______ someone to wish them a happy birthday, to get well or to say thank you? Text messages are great. But when someone picks up the phone, you hear their voice and can share a laugh (or even a cry) together, and it _______ an emoji(表情符号) any day of the week.
Ask someone their goals + give a little something
Ask someone about their goals for the year is a very generous act. This kind of question goes _______surface(表面的) conversation and leads you to really get to know a person. Ask just out of curiosity.
Besides, give them something that might help them: a book, a connection, or even just a few words of _______.
Share your blessings
I made a promise earlier this year to give a little money every month to charity. I _______ myself often of something that Anne Frank wrote: “How wonderful it is that ________ need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” The power’s always ours.
1.A.completely B.carefully C.correctly D.peacefully
2.A.lazy B.busy C.crazy D.silly
3.A.luckier B.better C.smaller D.stranger
4.A.sadness B.carelessness C.happiness D.illness
5.A.asked B.told C.mistake D.called
6.A.loses B.shuts C.steals D.beats
7.A.through B.beyond C.across D.for
8.A.encouragement B.development C.government D.instrument
9.A.reach B.record C.remind D.remember
10.A.everybody B.nobody C.anybody D.somebody
—Mr. Smith is not in. Would you like me to give him a message?
—________
A.Never mind. B.Yes, please. C.That's all right. D.Don't mention it.
