while digital technology represents a ______ ...

while digital technology represents a ______ for bridging geographic distance , highly skilled workers are increasingly crowding into cities.

A.canal B.channel C.course D.communication

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

While it may be unlikely for a computer to write a best seller, a technology expert has created a computer program that writes its own fiction stories with minimal user input. The program, called MEXICA, is the first to generate original stories based on computerized representations of emotions and tensions between characters.

An Internet survey was carried out to see the popularity of the computer-generated stories, other computerized stories and stories written solely by a human. The result was that readers ranked MEXICA stories highest for flow and coherence, structure, content, suspense and overall quality. Rafael Pérezy Pérez, the creator of MEXICA, explained that a story might begin with something as basic as, “The enemy wounded the knight. The princess cured the knight. The knight killed the enemy. The knight rewarded the princess. The end.”

The program reads characters as variables (变量) and assigns a numerical value, between a continuum (连续体) from -3 to +3, to emotional connections that are defined as either amorous or non-amorous. The numerical value is equivalent to the degree of emotion, with -3 being intense hate and +3 being intense love. The program also understands story tension, such as linking the word “wounded” with tension. This too is assigned a numerical value.

Once these clusters of emotional links and tensions are established, the program begins what is called an “engagement reflection cycle”. Basically this involves searching a database of story actions and other happenings, which are called “atoms”, and determines the best match for the characters and contexts for that moment.

The process repeats itself again and again until the system can no longer make any matches. At this point, the computer analyzes the story for coherence and “interestingness”. The program views a story as interesting when tension levels increase and fall throughout the piece. If the program finds that the story is boring or incoherent in places, it will replace or insert atoms until a version is thought to be satisfactory.

1.What can we know about MEXICA from the passage?

A. It is a computer program that can write fiction stories on its own.

B. It is a computer program created by Rafael Pérezy Pérez.

C. It is blamed for low quality among many other descriptors.

D. The stories it has written is not very popular among readers.

2.What is basically needed for MEXICA to start to write a story?

A. The beginning and the end of the story should be provided.

B. The background of the story needs to be keyed in.

C. The human operator should come up with a simple storyline.

D. Emotions and tensions between characters should be determined.

3.How does the computer system describe the characters in its story?

A. Characters in the story are given different numerical values.

B. Characters are developed according to the tension preset.

C. Characters are designed by using the language MEXICA can understand.

D. Each character is valued for its value in the construction of the story.

4.What are “atoms” understood by the computer system?

A. The tensions preset for the story.

B. The characters designed for the story.

C. Episodes of action of the story.

D. Events becoming of the characters.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Digital technology — email and smart phones especially — have vastly improved workers' ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey (调查) of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses are doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn't accept it and only 35 percent say it’s tolerated.

Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they’ve watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework，and 28 percent have cooked dinner.

It is true, however，that working at home makes people much more efficient (高效的)， because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.

The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven't come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.

More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who have worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility to manage their time efficiently.

1.Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?

A. They fear losing control of their workers.

B. They want to stick to their routine practice.

C. They have little trust in modem technology.

D. They are used to face-to-face communication.

2.What seems to be most workers’ attitude toward remote working?

A. Doubtful.        B. Favorable.        C. Reserved.        D. Disapproving.

3.What does the author suggest smart firms do?

A. Shorten their office hours.

B. Give employees a pay raise.

C. Adopt flexible work patterns.

D. Reduce their staff’s workload.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

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1.How much will you pay if you want to buy a pair of HCR3 hearing aids?

A.$229. B.$249

C.$458 D.$498

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3.One reason why buying a pair of hearing aids is recommended is that _________.

A.the HCR3 guarantees 100% refund if bought in pairs

B.it will save consumers up to $20 for a pair of hearing aids

C.humans are pre - programmed to better hear with two ears

D.people can hear triple better in various situation with two hearing aids

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Digital technology — email and smart phones especially—have vastly improved workers' ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey (调查) of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses are doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn't accept it, and only 35 percent say it's tolerated.

Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they've watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework，and 28 percent have cooked dinner.

It is true, however, that working at home makes people much more efficient (高效的), because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.

The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven't come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.

More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who haven't worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough ability to change or be changed easily to suit a different situation to manage their time efficiently.

1.Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?

A. They are used to face-to-face communication.

B. They want to stick to their routine practice.

C. They have little trust in modem technology.

D. They fear losing control of their workers.

2.What seems to be most workers' attitude toward remote working?

A. Favorable.        B. Doubtful.        C. Reserved.        D. Disapproving.

3.What does the author suggest smart firms do?

A. Shorten their office hours.

B. Give employees a pay raise.

C. Adopt flexible work patterns.

D. Reduce their staff’s workload.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

There is good reason to believe that emerging digital technologies can improve the functioning of agriculture markets at a very low cost per farmer.

Mobile phones, particularly GPS-enabled smartphones, make the provision of tailored information much easier than before. Recommendations for agrochemical inputs that address specific soil conditions can improve yields while reducing environmentally harmful and wasteful use. Farmers can tailor their investment decisions to expected weather patterns and benefit from improvements in weather forecasting. As smartphone use continues to expand, farmers will increasingly have the means to watch videos demonstrating new agricultural techniques or take pictures of pests affecting their crops and either request automatic identification and recommendations or raise questions with agronomists. Finally, digital agricultural services can improve the functioning of agricultural supply chains. For example, these services could make it easier for farmers to check and compare input or output prices ; and facilitate coordination among farmers in an area and with traders.

However, despite the potential of digital agriculture, reasons for skepticism remain. Overcoming informational restrictions may not result in substantially increased agricultural productivity, given the existence of other barriers such as input shortages at local markets, and missing insurance markets. Informational barriers are also important, and mobile phone messages may not overcome them: some farmers ignore messages, especially from unknown sources. Some farmers are illiterate and have difficulty using voice menus. Senders may design obscure and confusing messages or may provide messages designed to target objectives at odds with farmer interests. Effective communication may require pictures or video. Smartphones are thus required to receive these messages, but few farmers currently have access to this technology in the poorest countries. Finally, farmers may begin to ignore reminders they are repeated too often, or they may be annoyed by unwanted messages,　 which could lead to reduced trust in the messaging system.

1.According to Para 2, what can farmers do in digital agriculture?

A.They can use agrochemical to handle environmental problems.

B.They can adjust investment decisions based on weather forecasts.

C.They can identify pests on their crops by watching videos.

D.They can compete with others in prices in an efficient way.

2.What does the underlined phrase“at odds with”in the last paragraph mean?

A.In disagreement with. B.By means of.

C.In line with. D.Apart from.

3.Which of the following is NOT considered as an informational barrier?

A.Shortages of input in local markets and lack of insurance markets.

B.No access to digital technology in poorest countries.

C.Failure to read or use the voice menu on mobile phones.

D.Loss of interest and ignorance of the intended messages.

4.What is the author’s attitude towards digital agriculture?

A.Supportive. B.Doubtful. C.Objective. D.Negative.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Teenage brains in the digital world

When it comes to technology, adults won't be able to keep up with their children. It took the radio 38 years to reach 50 million people, but it took only 20 years for the phone to reach the same number, and 13 years for the television. In contrast, it took Facebook 3.6 years.　 1.

Over the 15 years, digital communication has brought in more changes than the　 printing press did in 1570. And those most likely to use them in this world are teenagers？ whose brains appear to have an extraordinary capacity to adapt to the world around them. 2.enabling teenagers to keep up with the increasing pace of digital technology　 and giving them an advantage when it comes to multitasking(多重任务处理)．

In the US, on average teenagers spend 8.5 hours a day using computers, mobiles, and　 other devices to learn, interact, and play.　 3.　　 such as talking on the phone while you're　 watching TV. As they stare at these screens, they're taking in and sorting through an incredible amount of information.

4.YouTube indicates that teenagers all over the world are watching the same　 clips and laughing at the same joke, indicating that they are more global-minded than teenagers in the past. They may be keen on texting their friends and posting updates on　 social media sites.

5. By the age of 30, our brains have become more set in their way, making it　 harder for us to adapt and cope with the new technology.

A. However, there is a cut-off.

B. Twitter only needed 88 days.

C. There are concerns about how to make friends online.

D. There is an advantage of the growing digital trend.

E. Having a more flexible brain means certain parts of it haven't developed yet,

F. This means that the teenage brain can adapt to new technology,

G. This increases t0 11.5 hours if you include all the multitasking that goes on,

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

America’s greatest technological achievement, the Hoover Dam, now has a companion piece, a bridge held up by the longest arch in the Western Hemisphere（半球）. The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which opened this month and connects the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, crosses the vast chasm（峡谷）890 feet above the Colorado River that is controlled by the dam.

The striking 1,900-foot-long structure will improve traffic in the region and help protect the dam from being destroyed. It is the seventh highest bridge in the world, behind four in China, one in Papua New Guinea and one in the US state of Colorado.

“The Hoover Dam is the greatest civil engineering achievement in America’s history,” said the bridge project manager Dave Zanatell. “Our goal was not to outdo or outshine it. Our goal was to, in a respectful way, do something that would be great for our generation and that would stand besides Hoover Dam in a respectful and quality way that would become a part of Hoover’s legacy（遗产）.”

Just as the Hoover Dam was built in the heart of the Great Depression（大萧条）and was seen as an example of the nation’s can-do spirit, some hope this project can also provide some uplift.

The bridge is surprising: at 1,050 feet, its support arch holds up a roadway that lies on 300-foot-long concrete pillars（柱子）, some of the tallest in the world. It contains 16 million pounds of steel.

　The idea of the bridge came into being in the 1960s because the top of the Hoover Dam has been a narrow two-lane road that is the fastest route from Arizona to Las Vegas and then the Pacific Northwest and Canada.

　Access to the dam from each direction is a dangerously winding route, but massive trucks and passenger vehicles shared it for decades. During the day, when thousands of tourists travel to the dam from Las Vegas three times as many accidents as on a normal road will happen.

　The bridge has a sidewalk on the side facing the dam. The wall on both sides is 54 inches high, so walkers can take photos there.

1.Which of the following is true of the Hoover Dam?

A. It was completed recently.

B. It was built during the hard times.

C. It has the longest arch.

D. It’s the seventh highest dam in the world.

2.What is one of the purposes of building the bridge?

A. To protect the dam.                                            B. To save the cultures.

C. To outdo the dam.                                                   D. To develop the tourism.

3.The underlined word “uplift” in Paragraph 4 means _____.

A. lift of the heavy object                              B. support in money

C. spiritual encouragement                                   D. instruction in technology

4.Which of the followings shows the right position of the bridge and dam?

5.The text is mainly about ______.

A. the Hoover Dam

B. American western development

C. a tour along the Colorado River

D. a recently built bridge

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Some people disagree with the idea _____ digital textbook will improve education quality while the traditional textbook is out of date.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。

Technology is forever changing the way we get our news. Many people now get a lot of their news on electronic devices, instead of traditional media, such as newspapers, television or radio. An increasing number of people also report turning to social media for information

Now, there is a new technology that could greatly change the way we get the news: computer-created news readers. Recently, China launched what it called the worlds first artificial intelligence, or Al news presenters.

The news readers, supported by machine learning technology, are based on two real-life Chinese newsmen. One is able to present newscasts in English, the other, in Mandarin Chinese Report said machine learning was used to examine video images and sounds of the two newsmen. Similar technology has been used to create video products known as “deepfake” videos. "A deepfake a video that looks real, but was electronically changed. Such videos can make people appear to say things they never said

It's said that the Al presenters will be a great improvement to the news team because they "can work 24 hours a day" on its website and on social media. One of the presenters even promised to work tirelessly" to keep people informed. Some machine learning experts said the system showed off Chinas latest progress in voice recognition, text-to-speech technology and data analysis

Others wondered about the effects robots might have on employment and workers. Some people argued that only low-level jobs requiring heavy labor will be easily replaced by robots. Others praised the technology as a way for companies to make money from low-cost labor machines. Some businesses have experimented with similar technology for possible use in news operations.

Britain’s BBC recently released a video that used machine learning to make it look like one of its news readers speaking different languages. The London-based company that developed the system says its goal is to "remove the language barrier" for many different kinds of video across the internet. Also, Amazon's working on Alexa smart speaker system to create a special news reader voice. Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch Alexas news reader voice in the near future

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高三英语概要写作困难题查看答案及解析