Ever called a movie theater to find out showt...

Ever called a movie theater to find out showtime? Or called a customer service center for help? Chances are you didn't speak to a human being. You probably gave commands to an Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) system. These types of systems are efficient money-saving tools that allow companies to address many customer concerns with minimum human intervention.

The technology for such a system has advanced greatly since its appearance in the 1950s. One significant recent achievement is the launching of virtual personal assistants (VPAs) on mobile phones. The most well-known of these is Apple’s iPhone VPA, Siri. If you tell Siri that you want to schedule lunch with a friend, “she” can set the appointment on your phone in seconds. The VPA can also hold a basic “conversation” with a sense of humor. However, it can only be set off when the human user speaks certain key phrases or words.

While the potential for communication between a human and a machine may seem exciting, this possibility concerns some people. Some experts worry about people’s attachment to these machines and fear that the art of successful human-to-human conversation will be undeveloped in younger generations. They worry that people won’t be able to display the right emotion or tone in conversations because they haven’t been practicing those skills. Others fear that machines will take over functions that were traditionally performed by humans, such as customer service.

Another concern often associated with the development of new technology is the invasion of privacy. When people use certain speech recognition applications, they leave behind an audio track of their speech. When you ask a VPA for directions, your speech is often sent and saved to a remote server for processing. This digital information may lead to data mining, or the collection of large quantities of personal data.

For now, however, the continuing evolution of ASR software is thrilling to behold. Asking for and acquiring information from an automated source has never been easier. Leading companies in the speech recognition world will make human communication with machines as seamless as possible - in other words, just like communicating with another human.

1.What can we say about Apple’s Siri?

A.It’s a helpful VPA. B.It first appeared in the 1950s.

C.It’s the most advanced ASR system. D.It has the same sense of humor as humans.

2.What are Paragraphs 3 and 4 mainly about?

A.The broad definition of ASR. B.Potential problems with ASR.

C.The fast development of ASR. D.Movements against using ASR.

3.What is the author's attitude towards the future of ASR?

A.Worried. B.Doubtful. C.Hopeful. D.Indifferent.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.Talking to Technology B.The Application of Siri

C.The Art of Conversation D.VPAs on Mobile Phones

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Have you ever tried to draw a straight line, only to find it turns out all wrong? Or, have you ever wanted to show ___36___ at a party and found the song you’d practiced so many times suddenly__37_ more difficult? I’ve had both these__38___. As a senior student, I have to ___39__ many exams. Each time, I think, “ I__40___ fail this time,’’ but I get a low mark. Don’t be surprised---it’s not __41___ I don’t try, do enough preparation, __42__ take it seriously. On the contrary, it is because I give it too _43__ attention. The thought “ I must pass” makes me taste the terrible flavor of failure.

I often___44___ to my friends, “ Don’t be too hard ___45____ yourself.” However, when I __46___ my own goals, I do not listen to my own advice. So why not ___47__ this crazy thought of achieving the best? Just face the problem__48____before you with a calm mind, work and you will succeed.

In my opinion, __49___ a calm state of mind is a skill for life. People__50__ want to succeed realizing this is of __51______ importance. So __52___ time you’re trying to draw a straight line or ___53___ a performance, tell yourself, “ If I can just do it _54___ than last time, it’s a success.” Keep a calm state of mind, and you will be happy __55____you succeed or fail.

12. A. throw away      B. get away         C. take up         D push off

16. A no                B. little         C. very           D. great

18.A. put on             B play on                C. give on         D show on

高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析

Have you ever tried to draw a straight line, only to find it turns out all wrong? Or, wanted to show 36 at a party but the song you’d practised so many times suddenly 37 more difficult?

I've had both these 38.As a Senior 3 student, I have to 39 many exams. Each time I enter one thinking “I 40 fail this time.” , I get a low mark.

But don't be surprised --- it's not 41 we don't try, or do enough preparation, or take it 42. On the contrary, it is because we put ourselves under too much 43. It is thinking ‘I must…’ that makes us taste the terrible flavor of 44.

We often 45 to our friends, “Don't be too hard 46 yourself!”. But when we 47 our own goals, we may not listen to our own advice.

In doing so, we are making our path to success increasingly difficult.

So why not 48 this crazy pursuit(追求) to get the best? Just face the problem 49 before you with a calm mind, enjoy the hard work and you will succeed.

In my opinion, 50  a calm state of mind is a skill for life. For people who want to succeed,   51 this is a very important lesson.

So 52 time when you're trying to draw a straight line or 53  a performance, tell yourself, “If I can just do it better than last time, it's a   54. ”

Keep a calm state of mind, and you will be happy 55 you succeed or fail.

1.                A．up            B．off             C．out  D．in

2.                A．assumes        B．appears         C．listens    D．becomes

3.                A．experiences     B．chances        C．times D．reviews

4.                A．finish          B．measure        C．take D．join

5.                A．shouldn't       B．may            C．can't D．haven't

6.                A．why           B．since           C．when D．because

7.                A．necessarily      B．seriously        C．personally D．sharply

8.                A．care           B．power          C．pressure  D．attention

9.                A．exams          B．difficulty        C．marks    D．failure

10.               A．say            B．speak          C．tell   D．talk

11.               A．off            B．on            C．to    D．for

12.               A．share          B．achieve        C．weigh D．set

13.               A．throw away      B．get away        C．take away  D．let away

14.               A．waiting         B．sitting          C．lying  D．laying

15.               A．staying         B．keeping        C．remaining  D．making

16.               A．trying          B．realizing        C．using D．training

17.               A．last            B．what           C．next  D．high

18.               A．put on         B．play on         C．give on    D．show on

19.               A．success        B．task           C．lesson D．trial

20.               A．if             B．either          C．neither    D．whether

高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析

________more about university courses, call (920) 746-3789.

A. Finding out              B. Find out          C. To find out          D. Having found out

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

_____ more about university courses, call (920) 746-3789.

高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析

_____ more about university courses, call (920) 746-3789.

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Six volunteers are about to find out what it would be like to live on Mars without ever leaving the Earth. Three men and three women will spend eight months living in a special place on the side of a volcano in Hawaii. They are part of an experiment that is designed to mimic（模仿）life on Mars. Their mission began on October 15, 2014. NASA says it could send astronauts to Mars as early as the 2030s. The mission would take more than two years, so NASA needs to know how people would react to living in a small group, isolated from the rest of the world, for such a long time. Some people may become depressed or bored living under those conditions. By studying people living in similar conditions here on Eares NASA hopes to learn how to choose the most suitable people for a space mission, and how to help them get along.

They will live in a two-story building. The ground floor is about 86 square meters, roughly the size of a small two-bedroom apartment. It includes shared areas like kitchen, dining room, bathroom, laboratory and an exercise room. The upstairs is less than half the size of the downstairs. It contains another bathroom and six small bedrooms. The building is located in an abandoned quarry（采石场）about 2,400 meters up the side of Mauna Loa, the second biggest volcano in the world. It is constantly monitored for signs of volcanic activity. NASA chose the location because the appearance looks very similar to Mars.

To make it more like being on Mars in the future, they are only able to communicate by email during the experiment. Meanwhile, there will be a 20-minute delay between the time when a message is sent and that when it is received. When they go outside, they will have to suit up in full spacesuits, just as if they were on Mars.

The commander is Martha Lenio, a 34-year-old Canadian. During the mission, she will run experiments on growing food. The other members have backgrounds in physics and so on. None of them are astronauts.

1.When will the six volunteers end their mission about mimicking life on Mars?

A. On June 15, 2015.　　　 　　 　 B. On October 15, 2015.

C. On October 15, 2030.　　　　 　 D. On June 15, 2032.

2.What’s the main purpose of the experiment?

A. To monitor signs of volcanic activity.　

B. To prepare for a space mission to Mars.

C. To train the six people to become astronauts.

D. To study the difference between men and women.

3.Mauna Loa was chosen as the experimental site because ___________.

A. it is located near a rocket base　　　　

B. other people can hardly find the location

C. its landscape is so much like that of Mars

D. it is a safe place to conduct the experiment

4. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Martha is a famous expert on agriculture.

B. The six volunteers will be sent to Mars in 2030.

C. All the experimental activities are done in doors.

D. It takes about 40 minutes to get a reply to an email.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Ever walked to the shops only to find, once there, you’ve completely forgotten what you went for? Or struggled to remember the name of an old friend? For years we’ve accepted that a forgetful brain is as much a part of aging as wrinkles and gray hair. But now a new book suggests that we’ve got it all wrong.

According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age. In fact, she argues that some studies have found that our brain hits its peak between our 40s and 60s — much later than previously thought.

Furthermore, rather than losing many brain cells as we age, we keep them, and even produce new ones well into middle age. For years it’s been assumed that brain, much like the body, declines with age. But the longest, largest study into what happens to people as they age suggests otherwise.

This continuing research has followed 6,000 people since 1956, testing them every seven years. It has found that on average, participants performed better on cognitive (认知的) tests in their 40s and 50s than they had done in their 20s. Specifically, older people did better on tests of vocabulary, verbal memory (how many words you can remember) and problem solving. Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed — how fast you can push a button when ordered. However, with more complex tasks such as problem-solving and language, we are at our best at middle age and beyond. In short, researchers are now coming up with scientific proof that we do get wiser with age.

Neuroscientists are also finding that we are happier with aging. A recent US study found older people were much better at controlling and balancing their emotions. It is thought that when we’re younger we need to focus more on the negative aspects of life in order to learn about the possible dangers in the world, but as we get older we’ve learned our lessons and are aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy.

1.Barbara Strauch probably agrees that ______.

A.the young are better at handling important things

B.wrinkles and gray hair are the only symbols of aging

C.aging leads to the decline of the function of the brain

D.people’s brains work best between their 40s and 60s

2.The continuing research has found older people perform better on ______.

A.vocabulary tests B.number ability

C.perceptual speed D.body balance

3.People are happier with aging because ______.

A.they know how to share feelings B.they learn to value the time left

C.they cannot focus on negative aspects D.they do not realize the possible dangers

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A.People get happier with age. B.People get more forgetful with age.

C.People get wiser with age. D.People get more self-aware with age.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Ever walked to the shops only to find, once there, you've completely forgotten what you went for? Or struggled to remember the name of an old friend? For years we've accepted that a forgetful brain is as much a part of ageing as wrinkles and grey hair. But now a new book suggests that we've got it all wrong.

According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, by science writer Barbara Strauch, when it comes to the important things, our brains actually get better with age. In fact, she argues that some studies have found that our brain hits its peak between our 40s and 60s— much later than previously thought.

Furthermore, rather than losing many brain cells as we age, we retain （保留）them, and even produce new ones well into middle age. For years it’s been assumed that brain, much like the body, declines with age. But the longest, largest study into what happens to people as they age suggests otherwise.

This continuing research has followed 6,000 people since 1956, testing them every seven years. It has found that on average, participants performed better on cognitive （认知的）tests in their 40s and 50s than they had done in their 20s. Specifically, older people did better on tests of vocabulary, verbal memory (how many words you can remember) and problem solving.

Where they performed less well was number ability and perceptual speed－how fast you can push a button when ordered. However, with more complex tasks such as problem-solving and language, we are at our best at middle age and beyond. In short, researchers are now coming up with scientific proof that we do get wiser with age.

Neuroscientists are also finding that we are happier with ageing. A recent US study found older people were much better at controlling and balancing their emotions. It is thought that when we’re younger we need to focus more on the negative aspects of life in order to learn about the possible dangers in the world, but as we get older we’ve learned our lessons and are sub-consciously aware that we have less time left in life: therefore, it becomes more important for us to be happy.

1.Barbara Strauch probably agrees that ______.

A. people’s brains work best between their 40s and 60s

B. the young are better at handling important things

C. ageing leads to the decline of the function of the brain

D. wrinkles and grey hair are the only symbols of ageing

2.The continuing research has found older people perform better on _____ .

A. number ability　　 B. vocabulary tests

C. perceptual speed　　 D. body balance

3.People are happier with age because ______.

A. they know how to share feelings

B. they learn to value the time left

C. they cannot focus on negative aspects

D. they do not realize the possible dangers

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. People get more forgetful with age.　　 B. People get wiser with age.

C. People get happier with age.　　 D. People get more self-aware with age.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分, 满分30分）

Have you ever tried to draw a straight line, only to find it turns out all wrong? Or, wanted to show 1 at a party but the song you’d practised so many times suddenly 2 more difficult?

I've had both these 3. As a Senior 3 student, I have to 4 many exams. Each time, I enter one, thinking “I 5 fail this time.”

But don't be surprised --- it's not 6  we don't try, or don’t do enough preparation,7don’t take it seriously. On the contrary, it is because we put ourselves under too much 8. It is thinking: “I must…” that makes us taste the terrible flavor of 9．

We often 10 to our friends: “Don't be too hard 11 yourself!” But when we 12 our own goals, we may not listen to our own advice．

In doing so, we are making our path to success increasingly difficult．

So why not 13this crazy pursuit(追求)to get the best? Just face the problem 14 before you with a calm mind, enjoy the hard work and you will succeed．

In my opinion,15 a calm state of mind is a skill for life. For people who want to succeed,16 this is a very important lesson．

So 17  time when you're trying to draw a straight line or 18 a performance, tell yourself: “If I can just do it better than last time, it's a 19．”

Keep a calm state of mind, and you will be happy 20 you succeed or fail．

高二英语完型填空困难题查看答案及解析