We have many trips for you to explore the world your way. Our travel ideas are as diverse as the world itself and are designed to let you experience it. Please start with the following four trips.
Athens and Crete Explorer
Visit Greek’s famous capital, Athens, and its largest island, Crete, on this Greece vacation. In Athens, tour the iconic Acropolis and head to nearby Delphi to see the home of the ancient Oracle, before flying to the island of Crete where you can explore its capital, Heraklion, and enjoy its world-famous diet of seafood and cheese.
Duration: 8 Days Prices From: US$ 892
Trip Type: Romance & Honeymoon, Tailor-made Travel Ideas
London for Families
Designed to thrill people of all ages, this family London vacation explores the sights, history and magic of this great city. Visit the world of Harry Potter, the original Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and take the Original London Sightseeing Tour.
Duration: 9 Days Prices From: US$ 634
Trip Type: Family Vacations, Stopovers/City Breaks, Tailor-made Travel Ideas
Australia & New Zealand
Explore the two most popular cities of Australia and New Zealand on this air-land tour. Start in Sydney, where you’ll tour the Sydney Opera House, sail across the famous harbour, and see koalas and kangaroos at Taronga Zoo. Then head on to Auckland where you’ll explore the twin harbours, learn about Maori traditions, and enjoy unbeatable views of the landscape.
Duration: 11 Days Prices From: US$ 1,999
Trip Type: Vacation Packages with Airfare
Classic Egypt
This tour is a true classic designed to give the traveler with limited time a superb introduction to the civilization of Ancient Egypt, focusing on the Nile and its importance to the people. The ancient land of Egypt inspires the imagination like no other. Unlock the land of the Pharaohs on this 9 day journey along the Nile.
Duration: 9 Days Prices From: US$ 1,495
Trip Type: Classics (Bestsellers), Tailor-made Travel Ideas
1.Which trip is more likely taken by a newly-married couple?
A.London for Families. B.Australia & New Zealand.
C.Classic Egypt. D.Athens and Crete Explorer.
2.From the text, it can be learnt that all the four trips ________.
A.have the same trip type B.take more than one week
C.take more than US$ 1000 D.enjoy their famous diet
3.Where is the text probably taken from?
A.A travel brochure. B.A science fiction.
C.A storybook. D.A textbook.
Translation
1.说到故宫新开的火锅餐厅， 许多网民指责其过度商业化。 （ accuse）
2.在二十世纪五十年代，尽管他对古典音乐心怀热情，但他不得不向现实低头。 (despite)
3.学术造假如此致命，一个小事就可以毁了一个好不容易建立的名声。 （So）
4.一个有远见的领导能让其员工客服软肋，发挥潜能， 齐心协力，从而打造一支高效的团队。 （thus ）
Summary Writing
We Girls Can Do Anything-Right , Barbie!
Barbie, the 11,5 inch fashion doll from Mattel Toys, Inc., is one of the most popular toys in history. The success and longevity, practically unheard of in the toy industry, makes Barbie one of the hottest American popular items of the twentieth century. The product’s endurance is due to its inner play value. With imagination, as well as hands, a child can use the doll in many ways; it becomes whatever she wants.
Affordability of the fashion has also been a factor in Barbie’s popularity. The Live Action dolls of 1971, dressed in rock and roll outfits, were among the first in which the appeal could be obtained only by purchasing the doll.
Early on, critics alleged that Barbie over-emphasized beauty, fashionable dress, and the acquisition of material things. In 1964 the National stated, “She is a social climber and a tedious self-lover.” Two years later a critic attacked Barbie’s obsession with fashion in Women’s Wear Daily.
The company claimed that Barbie was never intended to be a role model for girls. But like all dolls, Barbie replicates the human body and therefore human characteristics are projected onto it. Girls playing with the doll were unaware that their collections of Barbie’s dresses were of haute couture(高级时装) in nature, but they recognized similar styles in their mother’s closets. Girls also understood low neck dress and skintight pants like Barbie herself, represented the world of grown-ups, a world they were preparing to enter.
The doll is many things to many people. Barbie’s negative aspects cannot be denied, but she can be a vehicle for growth.
Many of us have already lost the “race against the machines” - we just don’t know it yet. That is the conclusion of new research by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Unlike most studies into the impact of automation, this one does not rely on informed guesswork about what machines will be able to do in 20 years’ time. 1. They are literacy, numeracy and problem-solving with computers - and compares our performance against the abilities of machines. The results are sobering, but rather than a reason to despair,
In the survey a group of computer scientists was given the same test and asked which questions computers could answer, using technology that exists but has not necessarily been rolled out yet in the workplace. The conclusion? Almost a third of workers use these cognitive skills daily in their jobs and yet their competency levels have already been matched by computers. About 44 per cent are still better than the machines. The remaining 25 per cent have jobs that do not use these skills every day.
There are two caveats. First, the OECD only asked computer scientists how well they thought machines could do. 2.. Second, just because technology exists does not mean it will be deployed quickly in the workplace. It depends on how easily it can be made operational, how much it costs relative to the value it creates, and whether companies have the appetite to invest.
3.. Stuart Elliott, the author, concludes that in 10 to 20 years, only workers with very strong literacy and numeracy skills will be comfortably more proficient than computers. At the minute, only about one in 10 working-age adults in OECD countries are of this standard.
It is true that the education systems in most countries have been raising their game: younger people tend to have better skills than older people (the UK being one notable, and worrying, exception). But even if you take the most skilled generation in the most skilled country - young people in Finland - two-thirds still do not meet these top levels of literacy and numeracy. 4..
The risks to workers from ever smarter computers are clear, but the opportunities will lie in maximizing the value of their human skills. For some people, such as talented chefs, the battle is already won. Others might need to harness the computers to leverage their human talents.
A.And yet, the implication of the study are hard to dismiss.
B.on many of these fronts, computers are behind humans, if they are in the race at all.
C.Technology does not necessary mean doom to all but the highest skilled.
D.Instead it takes three basic and compares our performance against the abilities of machines.
E.Apart from astonishing improvement in education, it looks like only a minority of people can win this race.
F.The result would be more alarming if machine were actually put to the test.
War is expensive and it is bloody. That is why America's Department of Defence wants to replace a third of its armed vehicles and weaponry with robots by2015. Such a change would save money, as robots can be much cheaper to replace than people. Just as importantly for the generals, it would make waging war less prey to the politics of body bags. Nobody mourns a robot.
The US military already routinely uses robotic aero planes known as unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs ). In November 2001 two missiles fared from a remote-controlled Predator UAV killed Mohammad Atef, al-Qaeda's chief of military operations and one of Osama bin Laden's most important associates, as he drove his car near Kabul. But whereas UAVs and their ground-based equivalents, such as the machinegun-toting Sword robots, are usually controlled by distant human operators, the Pentagon would like to give these robots increasing amounts of autonomy, including the ability to decide when to use lethal force.
To achieve this, Ronald Arkin of the Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta, is developing a set of rules of engagement for battlefield robots to ensure that their use of lethal force follows the rules of ethics. In other words, he is trying to create an artificial conscience. Dr Arkin believes that there is another reason for putting robots into battle, which is that they have the potential to act more humanely than people. Stress does not affect a robot's judgment in the way it affects a soldier's.
His approach is to create what he calls a "multidimensional mathematical decision-space of possible behavior actions". Based on inputs ranging from radar data and current position to mission status and intelligence feeds, the system would divide the set of all possible actions into those that are ethical and those that are not. If, for example, the drone from which the fatal attack on Atef was launched had sensed that his car was overtaking a school bus, it might then have held fire.
There are comparisons to be drawn between Dr Arkin's work and the famous Three Laws of Robotics drawn up in the 1950s by Isaac Asimov, a science-fiction writer ,to govern robot behaviour. But whereas Asimov's laws were intended to prevent robots from harming people in any circumstances, Dr Arkin's are supposed to ensure only that they are not unethically killed.
This is an admirable goal in theory, but even if ethics can be neatly encoded into software, pitfalls remain. Although a completely rational robot might be unfazed by the chaos and confusion of the battlefield, it could still make mistakes. Surveillance and intelligence data can be wrong, and conditions and situations on the battlefield can change.
1.America’s military force wants to replace people with robots NOT because ________.
A.war cost a lot and it is bloody
B.people show sympathy for a person not a robot
C.. the armed vehicles and weapons are too expensive
D.the general would receive less criticism from the masses
2.Which of the following statements is True?
A.Atef was killed by two missiles fired from a remote-controlled manned aerial vehicle.
B.The department of force already uses UAVs with relatively high autonomy.
C.The study done by Dr. Arkin is similar to Three Laws of Robotics.
D.In Arkin’s opinion, a soldier’s judgment can be affected but robot’s won’t.
3.What’s the main idea of this article?
A.Ronald Arkin is developing a set of rules to increase autonomy.
B.Ronald Arkin is making efforts to create an artificial conscience.
C.Atef was precisely bombed by a remote-controlled Predator UVA.
D.There are comparisons between Dr. Arkin’s work and Three Laws of Robotics.
4.What’s the author’s attitude about Arkin’s approach?
A.His approach is an admirable goal and it can be realized.
B.Robot would fight without any mistakes in the battlefield.
C.Dr. Arkin’s approach is ethical and faultless.
D.Robots are not substitute for people in the battlefield.
When you leave retirement planning too late, it may be difficult to start putting aside adequate funds in the years when you have other financial commitments.
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board conducted a Facebook contest (apps.facebook.com/areyoureadysg) last year, collecting stories and anecdotes others have to share on their difficulties in managing their finances, relating to cash flow, housing, healthcare and retirement.
Thankfully, there is now an easy way to start with the latest CPF Board initiative, Are You Ready(AYR). Launched in 2011, AYR is designed to encourage Singaporeans to kick-start their financial and retirement planning.
Through tools, talks and games, AYR provides an informative and interactive way for Singaporeans to understand the importance of retirement planning; and take an active role in working towards it.
AYR revolves around 4 checklists built upon 4 key messages:
Managing your cash flow
A basic step in financial planning, this puts you in a better position to consider other aspects of retirement planning and adequacy.
Buying a house within your means.
This theme focuses on helping Singaporeans understand the principles of prudence and affordability in making their most expensive financial commitment.
Taking charge of healthcare costs
Singaporeans need to plan ahead to be financially and physically prepared for health uncertainties.
Securing your retirement
Increasing life expectancy means putting a financial plan in place as early as possible; to be financially independent in old age.
1.The purpose of Are You Ready initiative is to ___________.
A.stimulate the interaction among Singaporeans.
B.provide an incentive to contribute more in work
C.inspire Singaporeans to jump off in retirement planning.
D.familiarize Singaporeans with the financial system
2.Which of the following might the author most agree with?
A.The effort to buy a house made people hold off on buying other items.
B.With people living longer, people have to save more money for retirement.
C.Health issue turns out to be the biggest consideration in retirement.
D.Retirement requires people withdraw excessive income to maintain flexibility.
3.What might be the best title for the passage?
A.Are You Ready-Hand-on Approaches
B.Real-life Stories -Pressing Financial Burdens
C.A Light for Singaporeans-Early Retirement
D.Let It Go-Retirement Planning
