Elon Musk, perhaps the world’s most famous businessman, has a habit of making statements that stretch the bounds of believability.
On July 16th, 2019, he introduced a new type of brain-machine interface (BMI), starting from the design of a “neural lace (神经织网)”, a net of thin electrodes (电极) that capture the information from the brain. However, the electrodes must be flexible, so that they do not damage brain tissue and will last for a long time. And to make the implantation (植入) of so many electrodes safe, painless and effective, the process has to be automated.
Mr. Musk’s team does indeed seem to have made progress towards these goals. Its presentation included videos of a robot that is best described as a sewing machine. This robot grabs “threads”, and shoots them deep into the brain through a hole. The firm has also designed a chip that can handle signals from as many as 3,072 electrodes.
With all these technological breakthroughs, the firm now hopes to help people overcome such illnesses as blindness and paralysis. They designed a small device that would sit behind someone’s ear, picking up signals from the implanted chip and passing them on as appropriate. In a few years, using a brain implant to control your devices may be as prevalent as wearing wireless earphones today. Finally, Musk predicts neural lace will allow humans to be combined with AI systems, thus enabling the species to survive.
Though, as this announcement shows, Mr. Musk does have a habit of presenting himself as the hero of the human race, the idea that some machines at least will come under the direct control of human brains seems possible to be carried out. The biggest barrier to this happening will probably not be writing the software needed to interpret brainwaves, but rather persuading people that the necessary surgery, whether by sewing machine or otherwise, is actually a good idea.
1.We can learn from the first two paragraphs that _____.
A.electrodes should be flexible to extend life
B.Elon Musk constantly comes up with unexpected ideas
C.a neural lace is used to store information from the brain
D.electrodes are implanted by top surgeons for safety reasons
2.What does the underlined word “prevalent” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Useful. B.Common. C.Professional. D.Appropriate.
3.What is the hardest part of carrying out BMI?
A.Convincing people to accept the surgery.
B.Developing devices to perform the surgery.
C.Writing the software to interpret brainwaves.
D.Informing people of the success of the surgery.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
A.The Neural Lace, A New Type of BMI.
B.Elon Musk, the Hero of Human Beings.
C.Artificial Intelligence, the Way to Survive.
D.A Brain Implant, A Step to Control Machines.
Living alone in nature is the kind of decision that looks great on paper. You could move away from the pressures of city life, to somewhere with a lower cost of living and more privacy. You could enjoy scenic views all year round, and adopt a simpler way of life. It’s not hard to see the appeal of this at all. But what happens when that all goes wrong?
Paul Kingsnorth is a distinguished writer—his novel The Wake was longlisted for the Booker Prize and won the Gordon Burn Prize. His books help develop an awareness of place and history, so it’s not hugely surprising that his latest book, Savage Gods, is about his own rural existence. Savage Gods is in part about Kingsnorth, his wife, and their children moving to western Ireland. He writes, “In my country a small house and a field is beyond the means of anyone who doesn’t earn much money or who refuses to get into debt to chase a dream.” It’s a feeling that anyone who’s looked longingly at rural tiny houses miles from anyone else can relate to.
But Kingsnorth is aware that this is only part of the story. “Because I am not a real farmer, I have to make my money in other places,” he writes, “I need the Internet or the Dublin-to-Holyhead ferry and sometimes both to put food on my family’s table.” To make matters worse, Kingsnorth’s isolation(隔离) results in a crisis of confidence in his own writing abilities—which becomes one of the central themes of Savage Gods.
Kingsnorth isn’t the only writer to make time spent in a vivid countryside landscape sound less enjoyable than one might expect. The French writer Sylvain Tesson takes this to what may be its most extreme point in his book. He lived alone for six months. His book includes impressive descriptions of the landscape and what it’s like to experience depression in the middle of such a landscape.
Some books neatly remind you of the appeal of such an existence, while others make the drawbacks central to their accounts. In Names for the Sea, Moss summarizes the attraction of wilder places. “We’d come for the landscape, for the pale nights and dark shores, rain sweeping over trees and bushes,” she writes. From that, it’s not hard to see why a life in nature—even with its potential downsides—still appeals to so many.
1.According to Paragraph 1, living in isolation makes people_____.
A.look great B.reveal their privacy
C.overcome pressures D.enjoy a lower living cost
2.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Paul Kingsnorth helps readers develop an awareness of time and space.
B.Paul Kingsnorth starts to have doubts about his ability as a writer.
C.Paul Kingsnorth’s family live comfortably in a rural house.
D.Paul Kingsnorth couldn’t afford a tiny rural house.
3.What do you know about Paul Kingsnorth?
A.He thinks it a perfect idea to live alone in nature.
B.He earns money somewhere else to make ends meet.
C.His latest book is about the attraction of wilder places.
D.Living in the countryside landscape results in his depression.
4.Why does the author mention Sylvain Tesson and his book?
A.To inform readers of a famous French writer.
B.To praise him for his marvelous writing skills.
C.To explain how to live in the peaceful countryside.
D.To emphasize more writers experience similar problems.
New Jersey Middle School Makes Students Go Phone-Free
A middle school in Union County, New Jersey, is forcing its students to stay disconnected in class, by prohibiting cellphones. Maxson Middle School Principal Kevin Stansbury put forward the phone ban last week after he noticed some major issues in the school. “Our test scores were down, discipline was up,” he says. According to him, students were too focused on their phones to pay attention to their lessons. So, he purchased Yondr pouches for the school.
Yondr pouch
When students come into class each morning, they place their phones in the pouch, which is then locked up tight. It can only be opened using a special device at the end of the day. The ban on mobile devices applies not just during class time but during breaks, with the only exceptions being in times of emergency or in cases of students who need such devices to help with disabilities.
Eighth-graders who spoke with News 12 New Jersey say that they noticed a change in a matter of hours. “It’s just better for everyone because you’ll understand how it feels to get more work done instead of paying attention to the phone,” says student Charlene V. “I’m usually listening to music, but today I got to communicate with all my friends,” says student Desiree Duncan.
The program was originally met with resistance from students and parents, so the process was not that smooth. But teachers and administrators say that the program will have a major impact. “Students were talking and laughing and there were no cellphones other than being carried in the pouches,” Stansbury says.
Teacher Nia Cummings says she even noticed students bouncing ideas off each other in class. She says students used to give up quickly and just look for answers on their phones. She says they now try to figure it out themselves. “Everyone is socializing and eating lunch together. That’s what I wasn’t seeing enough of when phone usage was at its worst,” she adds.
Maxson Middle School is currently the only one in the district to use these pouches. Kevin Stansbury also called on all the schools in the community that it’s worth paying close attention to cellphone issues at secondary schools and taking actions when necessary.
1.Maxson Middle School put forward the phone ban because students _____.
A.weren’t focused on school work B.were always listening to music
C.used phones to cheat on exams D.stopped talking with others
2.What did the two eighth-graders tell the newspaper?
A.Opposition from students. B.Teamwork with friends.
C.Daily routine at school. D.Effect of the program.
3.According to Nia Cummings, what change has the phone ban brought?
A.Students discuss more in class. B.Students finish their work on time.
C.Students guess the answers themselves. D.Students check messages during the break.
4.It can be inferred from the passage that the phone ban _____.
A.has brought little change to teaching and learning
B.has gained support from every student and parent
C.might be carried out in other schools in the community
D.might have good influence on students'health conditions
Find your new favorite West End musicals, from heartwarming adaptations and award-winning scores to extremely funny musicals and must-see London shows.
| The Lion King Enjoy songs such as Circle Of Life. The award-winning adaptation of Disney’s The Lion King features music by Elton John, plus outstanding costumes and wonderful special effects. The Lion King delights all ages with rhythms of Africa and touching stories of love and life. Prices from £43.05 Call 077-533-0589 for Booking! |
| The Phantom of the Opera Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous musical, The Phantom of the Opera, tells the tale of a shadowy character who attempts to make Christina the leading lady of the Paris Opera. With a fantastic plot and breathtaking scene, this long-running show is one of the must-see musicals in London. Prices from £30.75 Call 077-916-4545 for Booking! |
| Thriller–Live See Thriller–Live, a musical in memory of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. The show joined London’s West End after three UK tours and popularity across Europe. Celebrate the career of the King of Pop during non-stop hits at this top London theatre show. Prices from £32.72 Call 077-816-3148 for Booking! |
| School of Rock Rock out at this award-winning new musical. Based on the 2003 movie, School of Rock follows the story of Dewey Finn and his discovery to transform a class of A-grade students into a real rock group. But will they make it to the Battle of the Bands? Booking until Feb. Prices from £18.00 Call 077-317-8315 for Booking! |
| Matilda The Musical Be wowed by the Royal Shakespeare Company’s multi-award-winning production of Matilda The Musical. Roald Dahl’s celebrated story bursts into life in this West End musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin. Children and adults alike will be delighted by the little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Prices from £24.00 Call 077-517-8367 for Booking! |
1.The Phantom of the Opera is special because of its _____.
A.excellent costumes B.experienced actors
C.attractive story D.beautiful songs
2.Which of the following musicals would most probably catch the eye of both kids and adults?
A.The Phantom of the Opera. B.Matilda The Musical.
C.School of Rock. D.Thriller–Live.
3.What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To analyze musicals. B.To criticize musicals.
C.To advertise musicals. D.To evaluate musicals.
Ekaterina is a famous skater. She ____ the activity of skating at the age of 4. Since then, she has been devoted to one career that drives her life and ____ beauty, and romance into lives of millions of others.
When she was 11, she found a ____ partner, Sergei Grinkov, 15 years old then, with whom she could perform that activity in the most expressive, most elegant way. They were the most winning pair skaters on the ice in every way: The tiny fragile Ekaterina, in the ____ of her tall, strong, handsome partner, lovingly launched into the ____, tenderly caught, and beautifully skated around the ice.
Gradually, the two of them ____ together into a dream couple and the most beautiful kind of loving relationship. When she was 19, she married him. They had a daughter, a charming girl they both loved and protected. And then, ____ in 1995, during a routine practice session, her mate, her love, her partner, Sergei Grinkov, stopped, fell and died of a heart attack at 28.
Ekaterina’s world seemed to end. It was her mum who lit her ____ to start remaking her life by saying “Little Dasha, having lost a father, needs at least a healthy mother.” This reminded her to ask a friend to send her ____ which had been left in the corner for a long time. Later she said in her book ‘‘____ is the only thing that can help people recover.’’ In February 1996, Ekaterina skated a moving tribute (悼念) to Sergei, which she ____ to the music of Mahler’s Symphony No.5, the couple’s favorite. She was ____ at the beginning, because it had been a long time since she had skated alone. And she was afraid of the ____ the piece would recall. But that night, she did it. She filled up the ____ with her courage.
No one who saw Ekaterina’s that night would forget her performance, just as she would never forget Sergei. But everyone was already learning, as she already learned, that ____ “goodbye” was the beginning of her new life.
1.A.started B.learned C.marked D.watched
2.A.drags B.brings C.pulls D.attracts
3.A.quiet B.brave C.lovely D.perfect
4.A.palms B.memory C.arms D.dream
5.A.earth B.sky C.air D.space
6.A.broke B.talked C.grew D.studied
7.A.naturally B.suddenly C.immediately D.obviously
8.A.determination B.imagination C.curiosity D.career
9.A.gifts B.pictures C.books D.skates
10.A.Interest B.Work C.Medicine D.Ambition
11.A.sang B.applied C.adjusted D.performed
12.A.nervous B.relieved C.happy D.disappointed
13.A.words B.ideas C.emotions D.moves
14.A.ice B.match C.chance D.gap
15.A.crazy B.sad C.long D.favorite
听下面一段独白, 根据题目要求在相应的横线上写下关键信息。每小题仅填写一个词。
A Personal Shopper | |
Job Responsibility | Provide expert 1. and give personal customer service |
Provide advanced knowledge of 2., services, and trends | |
Working Procedure | Come to your home or office |
Make a list of all the 3. you want to shop for | |
Decide what gift would be 4. | |
Pick out gifts | |
Phone No. | 5. |
