While the start of a new school year is always exciting, this year was even more so for some elementary school students in Auckland, New Zealand. They became the world’s first kids to be “taught” by a digital teacher. Before you start imagining a human-like robot walking around the classroom, Will is just an avatar that appears on the student’s desktop, or smartphone screen, when ordered to come.
The autonomous animation platform has been modeled after the human brain and nervous system, allowing it to show human-like behavior. The digital teacher is assigned to teach Vector’s “Be sustainable with energy”— a free program for Auckland elementary schools.
Just like the humans it replaced, Will is able to instantly react to the students’ responses to the topic. Thanks to a webcam and microphone, the avatar not only responds to questions the kids may have, but also picks up non-verbal cues. For instance, if a student smiles at Will, he responds by smiling back. This two-way interaction not only helps attract the students’ attention, but also allows the program’s developers to monitor their engagement, and make changes if needed.
Nikhil Ravishankar believes that Will-like avatars could be a novel way to catch the attention of the next generation. He says, “I have a lot of hope in this technology as a means to deliver cost-effective, rich, educational experience in the future.”
The program, in place since August 2018, has been a great success thus far. Ravishankar says, “ What was fascinating to me was the reaction of the children to Will. The way they look at the world is so creative and different, and Will really captured their attention.” However, regardless of how popular it becomes, Will is unlikely to replace human educators any time soon.
1.What was special for some elementary school students in Auckland?
A. A digital teacher taught them.
B. They first saw something digital.
C. This was the start of a new school year.
D. They could get close to smartphone screen.
2.What is the benefit of this two-way interaction?
A. It can smile back. B. It can use microphone.
C. It can talk any topic for free. D. It can change if necessary.
3.What’s Ravishankar’s attitude to Will’s replacing Human educators soon?
A. Optimistic. B. Doubtful.
C. Unclear. D. Disapproving.
4.What might be the best title for the passage?
A. New High-tech Contributes to Education
B. The World’s First Digital Teacher Appears in Classroom.
C. The World’s First Digital Teacher, a Help to Students
D. New Zealand Will Replace Teachers in Classrooms
In a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, Dieudonne Twahirwa looks nothing like the traditional African farmer. The 30-year-old owner of Gashora Farm knows what a difference that makes.
“You need more role models,” he said, standing among knee-high rows of chilli (辣椒) plants. “If you have young farmers, they have land and they drive to the farm, others may think, ‘Why can’t I do that?’”
Mr. Twahirwa, a university graduate, bought a friend’s tomato farm six years ago for $ 150. He made $ 1, 500 back in two months. “You have to link farming with entrepreneurship and real numbers,” he said.
Many young Africans are abandoning areas in the countryside, choosing not to work hard and for a long time in fields — a job made tougher by climate change.
But Twahirwa is one of the growing band of successful farmers working to make agriculture’s image on the continent more attractive. Some 1, 000 farmers now produce chillies for him. He is starting a fourth farm of his own, and exports fresh and dried chillies and oil to Britain, the United States, India and Kenya.
Africa has the world’s youngest population and 65 percent uncultivated arable land (耕地后备资源).Yet accessing land and loans is difficult, and African productivity is low with crop yields just 56 percent of the international average.
“Agriculture is mainly associated with suffering and no young person wants to suffer,” said Tamara Kaunda. She believes African agriculture needs a change to get rid of its old-fashioned image of very hard and tiring work with a hoe. “Show young people with tractors, green fields, nice irrigation systems smartphones,” she said.
Getting young people involved in agriculture does not mean they have to work on a farm. For example, in coffee production, the beans go from the farm to the washing station , then to be separated from the husks (外壳).
1.What does “Why can’t I do that?” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Why can’t I drive to the farm?
B.Why can’t they farm?
C.They follow the example of those farmers.
D.They bought a friend’s tomato farm.
2.What makes it harder for farmers to work?
A.Poor land.
B.Climate.
C.Low income.
D.Long working hours.
3.What can we learn about Twahirwa according to Paragraph 5 ?
A.He made a fortune by growing chillies.
B.His chillies are try growing chillies.
C.Farmers working for him live a simple life.
D.The locals aren't willing to buy his chillies.
4.When it comes to agriculture in Africa, what do people think about it?
A.Loans are difficult.
B.Most land is uncultivated.
C.Crop yields are rather low
D.Farming methods are out of date
Below you will find a profile of each gap year program. If there is a specific program you are interested in or a question you have regarding these programs, please feel free to contact them directly.
Youth International
Since 1997, Youth International has provided many people with the most exciting and educational experience of their life. It is a learning program that combines international travel, inter-cultural exchange, home stays, volunteer community service work and outdoor adventures.
Phone:1-720-270-3323
Carpe Diem Education
Through volunteer service, travel and cultural exchange, students of Carpe Diem Education receive a personal insight into themselves and their culture. We specialize in guiding summer and semester programs for high school students. Each course is carefully crafted to develop leadership and self-awareness within our students, who return home better prepared to be leaders in thought and action.
Phone:503-285-1800
Center for Interim Programs
Founded in 1980, the Center for Interim Programs is the first independent gap year organization in America. Based or students' interests and budget, our experienced teachers help make individual course choices including low cost volunteer options, language programs, research trips, and so on. We are committed to helping students find more experiences of formal education and work.
Phone:413-585-0980
EF Gap Year
An EF Gap Year offers students the ability to explore several countries where you will learn a language, volunteer for a good cause gain international work experience 12-week semester or 26-week academic. Choose between a personalize your program to meet your learning. You can then by deciding where, when, and how you wish to stand interests own. Our well-structured curriculum even allows you to have college-level classes and earn credits toward graduation.
Phone:1-800-726-9746
1.Which phone number can you dial if you want to improve your leadership?
A.1-720-270-3323 B.503-285-1800
C.413-585-0980 D.1-800-726-9746
2.What is EF Gap Year's unique feature?
A.Its reasonable fee.
B.Its experienced teachers
C.Its flexible study time.
D.Its diverse curriculum choices
3.What do the four programs have in common?
A.They pay attention to volunteer service work.
B.They combine education with home stays.
C.They mainly offer cross-cultural education.
D.They raise students' interest in adventure.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
On my way home, I found a wallet which contained only three dollars and a letter that looked as if it had been in there for years. The envelope was worn and the only thing that was clear to read on it with the return address. The letter was written almost 60 years ago, which told Michael, the recipient(收信人), that the writer could not see him anymore because her mother forbade it. Even so, she would always love him. It was signed “Hannah.”
I called information in the hope that the operator could find a phone listing for the address on the envelope. The operator helped me find the woman who bought Hannah’s parents’ house 30 years ago. She remembered that Hannah had to place her mother in a nursing home several years ago.
I called the nursing home. A man told me the old lady had passed away but Hannah was staying with them. Even though it was late at night, I asked if I could come by to see her. “Well,” the man said hesitatingly, “if you want to take a chance, she might be in the day room watching television.”
I drove over, and the night nurse and a guard greeted me at the gate. Accompanied by the nurse, I went up to the 3rd floor. In the day room, the nurse introduced me to Hannah.
I told her about finding the wallet and showed her the letter. The second she saw the envelope, she took a deep breath and said, “Young man, this letter was the last contact I ever had with Michael. I love him very much. But my mother felt I was too young. Michael Goldstein was a wonderful person. If you should find him,” she hesitated, almost biting her lip, “tell him I still love him. You know, I never did marry…”
I said good night to Hannah. At the gate, the guard asked, “Was the old lady able to help you?” I told him she had given me a last name which might help me find the owner of the wallet.
注意：
1. 所续写的短文的词数应为150词左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
When I showed him the wallet, he said, “Hey, that’s Mr. Goldstein’s wallet!” _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
The three of us went back to the day room to find Hannah. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
假定你是李华，计划去英国伦敦旅游并顺道看望朋友Sue。请给Sue写一封信，内容要点如下：
1. 到达时间；
2. 旅游安排；
3. 约Sue见面。
注意：1.词数80字左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Traveling can be a wonderful adventure.Traveling by airplane, however, can be very 1.(tire) .The following are some tips 2. (help) reduce the discomfort of your next long plane trip.
Don't pack too much.It's no fun3.(carry) a heavy suitcase around everywhere. Instead, pack only4.you know you are going to wear.Choose clothes that can5.(wear) together. For example, take one pair of pants and three matching tops.
In your carry-on bag(a small bag that you keep with you on the plane) , pack your toothbrush, medicines, and any other important6.(person) items(物品) . Also , pack some extra clothes so that you can survive if your suitcase is7.(lose) .
Try to book the8.(early) flight of the day. Delays are less likely if your flight is the first one to leave.
Take a neck cushion9.you on board for a lengthy flight. A neck cushion reduces tiredness10. prevents you form getting a painful neck after a long flight.
