News anchors(主播) must have been reluctant to ...

News anchors(主播) must have been reluctant to read out the following news: Xin Xiaomeng began working as the world’s first female artificial(人工的) intelligence news anchor at Xinhua News Agency on Sunday, three months after a male robot joined the profession.

Unlike previous news robots though, Xin does not read news like a cold machine; she reads it almost like a human being. The muscles on her face stretch and relax — and her reactions change as she continues reading. That’s why many news anchors were worried: Will AI replace us in the near future?

To find the answer, we have to analyze the technologies that support Xin at her job. Three key technologies are used to support Xin. First, samples of human voices are collected and synthesized (合成). This is followed by the collection and synthesis of human muscle movement samples. And third the voices and movements are married in a way that when the AI news anchor reads, the micro- electric motors behind her face move to make her expressions seem more human.

Yet we need a thorough knowledge of deep learning technology to make a robot imitate a person’s voice. The developer needs to collect tens of thousands of pieces of pronunciations, input them into the machine and match them with the text for the AI to learn and read. The process for imitating facial movements is similar. The developer has to analyze the movements of the 53 muscles in the human face, make a model set from the collected data for the AI news anchor to learn, and imitate the movements of facial muscles via programs

Both the technologies used to make Xin’s performance impressive are mature. The real difficulty lies in the third — the technology to match the pronunciations with facial movements so that Xin’s expressions vary according to the content of the news report. In fact, Xin’s expressions don’t always change according to the content. As a result, her expressions look anything but human. Actually, AI is still no match for human qualities.

1.What does the underlined word “reluctant” in the first paragraph mean?

A.Delighted B.Unwilling

C.Confused D.Optimistic

2.What can we infer about previous news robots?

A.They read news without expressions. B.They looked like a human being.

C.They could interview sports stars. D.They could interact with audience.

3.From the last paragraph, we can draw a conclusion that 　　 .

A.human news anchors should learn from AI anchors to save their jobs

B.Al anchors perform much better than human news anchors at present

C.Al news anchors won’t replace human news anchors in the near future

D.Xin Xiaomeng’s expressions vary so naturally that they are true to life

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Issues around children learning to read are rarely out of the news, which is hardly surprising—becoming a successful reader is of vital importance in improving a child’s life chances. Nor is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children’s reading.

Underachievement (学业不良) in groups of children in the UK is recognized in international studies—and successive governments have sought to address the issues in a range of ways. Reading to dogs, so far, has not been among them, but it’s time to look at the strategy more seriously.

Many children naturally enjoy reading and need little encouragement, but if they are struggling, their confidence can quickly decrease—and with it, their motivation. This brings about the destructive cycle, and therefore reading ability fails to improve.

So how can dogs help?

A therapeutic (疗法的) presence

Reading to dogs is just that—encouraging children to read alongside a dog. The practice originated in the US in 1999.

The presence of dogs has a calming effect on many people—hence their use in Pets as Therapy schemes (PAT). Many primary schools are becoming increasingly pressurized environments and children (like adults) generally do not respond well to such pressure. A dog creates an environment that immediately feels more relaxing and welcoming. Reading can be an independent activity, but can also be a pleasurable, shared social event. Children who are struggling to read benefit from the simple pleasure of reading to a loyal, loving listener.

Children who are struggling to read, for whatever reason, need to build confidence and rediscover a motivation for reading. A dog is a reassuring, friendly audience who will not mind if mistakes are made. Children can read to the dog, uninterrupted; comments will not be made. Errors can be addressed in other contexts at other times. For more experienced or capable readers, they can experiment with intonation and “voices”, knowing that the dog will respond positively—and building fluency further develops comprehension in readers.

For children who are struggling, reconnecting with the pleasure of reading is very important. As Marylyn Jager-Adams, a literacy (读写) scholar, noted in a seminal review of beginner reading in the US: “If we want children to learn to read well, we must find a way to attract them to read lots.”

Reading to a dog can create a helpful balance, supporting literacy activities which may seem less appealing to a child. Children having difficulty with reading, for example, need focused support to develop their understanding of the alphabetic code (字母代码). But this needs to be balanced with activities which support independent reading and social enjoyment or the child can become less motivated.

Creating a virtuous circle

Breaking a negative cycle will inevitably lead to the creation of a virtuous circle—and sharing a good book with a dog enables children to apply their reading skills in a positive and enjoyable way.

Research evidence in this area is rather limited, despite the growing popularity of the scheme. A 2016 systematic review of 48 studies—“Children Reading to Dogs: A Systematic Review of the Literature” by Hall, Ge and Mills--demonstrated some evidence for improvement in reading, but the evidence was not strong. There clearly is more work to do, but interest in reading to dogs appears to have grown through the evidence of case studies. The example, often given in the media, is that of Tony Nevett and his pet dog Danny. Tony and Danny’s involvement in a number of schools has been transformative, not only in terms of reading but also in promoting general well-being positive behavior among children with a diverse range of needs.

So, reading to dogs could offer many benefits. As with any approach, it is not a cure—but set within a language—rich literacy environment, there appears to be little to lose and much to gain.

Title: How Dogs Could Make Children Better 1. ▲

高二英语语法填空困难题查看答案及解析

If you want to get the most out of the study of a language, you must also read for pleasure: novels, plays, travel books, and so on. And in reading books of this kind the important thing is to get on with the reading; to try to grasp what the writer is going to tell you in the book as a whole. This is impossible if you stop and think over the meaning of every single word which happens to be unfamiliar. You can not enjoy a story if you stop half a dozen times on every page in order to look up words in the dictionary. You may even prevent yourself from understanding the story as a whole by doing this.

When you are reading books of this kind, therefore, you will usually have to rely mainly on the context to help you. If you meet an unfamiliar word, do not let it take too much of your attention from the main thread(主线) of the story. In all probability you will meet the same word again a few pages later on in a slightly different context, and each time you see it that your understanding of it will become more exact.

1.The phrase “to get on with reading” in the passage has the same meaning as “_________”.

A．to try to grasp the meaning of every sentence in the book

B．to try to catch the meaning of every word in the book

C．to try to understand all the writer is going to tell you

D．to try to understand the main idea of the book

2.When you meet new words in reading such kinds of books, you’d better _________.

A．stop and look them up in a dictionary        B．stop and think them over

C．try to guess their meanings from the context   D．have none of them

3.From the passage the best way to read novels, plays and travel books is _____.

A．to read very slowly                      B．to read quickly and not too carefully

C．to read very carefully                    D．to read very seriously

4.The best title for this passage is “___________”.

A．Read for Pleasure                       B．Get on with the Books

C．Reading Skills                          D．The Importance of Reading

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you want to get the most out of the study of a language, you must also read for pleasure: novels, plays, travel books, and so on. And in reading books of this kind the important thing is to get on with the reading; to try to grasp what the writer is going to tell you in the book as a whole. This is impossible if you stop and think over the meaning of every single word which happens to be unfamiliar(不熟悉). You can not enjoy a story if you stop half a dozen times on every page in order to look up words in the dictionary. You may even prevent yourself from understanding the story as a whole by doing this.

When you are reading books of this kind, therefore, you will usually have to rely mainly on(依靠) the context (上下文) to help you. If you meet an unfamiliar word, do not let it take too much of your attention from the main thread(主线) of the story. In all probability(可能) you will meet the same word again a few pages later on in a slightly different context, and each time you see it that your understanding of it will become more exact.

1.To read for pleasure means _____________.

A．to take pleasure in reading

B．to be satisfied in reading book

C．to read such books as novels, plays, travel books, etc

D．to go on with reading pleasantly

2.The phrase “to get on with reading” in the passage has the same meaning as “_________”.

A．to try to grasp the meaning of every sentence in the book

B．to try to catch the meaning of every word in the book

C．to try to understand all the writer is going to tell you

D．to try to understand the main idea of the book

3.、When you meet new words in reading such kinds of books, you’d better _________.

A．stop and look them up in a dictionary         B．stop and think them over

C．try to guess their meanings from the context    D．have none of them

4.According to the passage the best way to read novels, plays and travel books is _____.

A．to read very slowly      B．to read quickly and not too carefully

C．to read very carefully    D．to read very seriously

5.The best title for this passage is “___________”.

A．Read for Pleasure                   B．Get on with the Books

C．Reading Skills                      D．The Importance of Reading

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Can you imagine the difficulty I have ______ the lost child?

A. found　　 B. finding

C. to find　　 D. been found

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

You know you have to read “between the lines” to get the most out of anything. I want to persuade you to do something equally important in the course of your reading. I want to persuade you to “write between the lines”. Unless you do, you are not likely to do the most efficient kind of reading.

I insist, quite bluntly, that marking up a book is not an act of damage but of love. There are two ways in which one can own a book. The first is the property right you establish by paying for it, just as you pay for clothes and furniture. But this act of buying is only the first step to possession. Full ownership comes only when you have made it a part of yourself, and the best way to make yourself a part of it is by writing in it. A comparison may make the point clear. You buy a piece of beef and transfer it from the butcher's icebox to your own. But you do not own the beef in the most important sense until you eat it and get it into your blood. I am arguing that books, too, must be absorbed in your blood to do you any good.

There are three kinds of book owners. The first has all the standard sets and bestsellers — unread, untouched. The second has a great many books — a few of them read through, most of them dipped into, but all of them as clean and shiny as the day they were bought. The third has a few books or many — every one of them worn, shaken and loosened by continual use, marked and scribbled (涂写) in from front to back.

Why is marking up a book necessary to reading it? First, it keeps you awake.(And I don’t mean only conscious; I mean wide awake. ) In the second place, reading, if it is active, is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words, spoken or written. The marked book is usually the thought­through book. Finally, writing helps you remember the thoughts you had, or the thoughts the author expressed.

1.The third kind of owners of books must be ______.

A.experienced readers B.untidy readers

C.active readers D.careless readers

2.Marking up a book means ______.

A.writing down difficult sentences

B.finding the extra meanings of unknown words

C.writing in the space the ideas you get through careful reading

D.making notes to show you understand what you have read

3.What does the author persuade you to mark?

A.Whatever you have given deep thought to while reading.

B.Words and sentences that bring up rich ideas.

C.Primary questions that challenge you.

D.Whatever disagreements you may have with the book

4.A great advantage of marking up a book is ______.

A.to absorb all the brilliant ideas it contains

B.to make yourself a part of it

C.to make yourself conscious that you are reading actively

D.to enable yourself to pick up the book for continual reading

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

THE WAY TO READ FAST
Perhaps you have been told about some habits（习惯） which stop a person reading fast and have been strongly asked to break those habits which you might have.

Do you still have any of these bad habits7 Check yourself by answering "yes" or "no" to these questions:

1. Do you move your lips(嘴唇) when reading silently？

2. Do you point to words with your finger as you read?

3. Do you move your head from side to side as you read?

4. Do you read one word at a time?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, start at once to break the habit.

If you move your lips, hold your fingers over them, or hold a piece of paper between your lips while you are reading. Then if your lips move, you will know it and can stop them.

If you point to words, hold the two sides of your book, one side with your left hand, the other side with your right hand. Then you will not have a free finger to use in pointing while reading.　　 If you move your head, place your chin（下巴）in one hand, and hold your head still(不动地).

If you read no more than one or two or three words at a time, you need to work very hard in learning to take in more words at each glance(看一眼) as your eyes travel across the lines of words.

1.You may hold your fingers over your lips while reading　　　　

A. to hold a piece of paper between them　　 B. to feel whether y our lips move or not

C. to tell others to be silent　　 D. to stop yourself talking to others

2.When your eyes travel across the lines of words,　　　　　　

A. you need to read the words out　　 B. you need to look at every word carefully

C. you need to remember every word　　 D. you need to read several words at a time

3.When you read, 　　　　　

A. don’t use your finger to point to words　　 B. don’t hold your books with your hands

C. don’t hold your head still　　 D. don’t do any of the things mentioned(提到)above.

4.This passage mainly talks about　　　　　 .

A. the importance of fast reading　　 B. the bad habits in reading

C. the way to read fast　　 D. both A and B

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

—What’s up, Jack?

—My money        . I must go to the bank to draw some of the savings out before I have none in hand.

A、has run out     B、is running out      C、has been run out    D、is being run out

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

To the Editor,

I have been reading your newspaper, the Hometown Gazette, for the past two years, ever since I moved to Smithville. We moved here from New York City, so I am accustomed to reading excellent newspapers such as The New York Times. In fact, we still have the Times delivered on Sundays. The entire family enjoys reading the recipes(食谱) in the newspaper, as well as the Styles section.

The Times is great, but the Gazette is another story. I've never read an article that doesn't contain at least three or four spelling or grammatical errors. For instance, in last week's issue, you misspelled the word “secretary” used a singular verb with a plural noun, and used “it's” as a possessive(所有格). And that was just in the lead story! In case you never went to elementary school, “it's” means “it is”. It's not a possessive adjective!

It's a pity that this tiny little hick (乡下) town has only one newspaper, because I' d like to have an alternative to the rag (烂报) you publish. I find it hard to believe your news stories. If you can' t spell correctly, how can you get your facts right？

I've been meaning to get this off my chest for some time. Please cancel my subscription(订阅). And buy yourself a dictionary.

Sincerely,

Jane Z. Jones

1.Which phrase from the passage shows the writer' s prejudice(偏见)？

A. get this off my chest

B. tiny little hick town

C. reading the recipes in the magazine

D. three or four spelling or grammatical errors

2.The author's tone in this passage can best be described as ________.

A. happy        B. humorous        C. objective (客观的)        D. angry

3.Which statement from the passage is a fact?

A. We still have the Times delivered on Sundays.

B. It's a pity this town has only one newspaper.

C. The Times is great, but the Gazette is another story.

D. You never went to elementary school.

4.Which statement of the following is NOT true according to the passage？

A. The writer once lived in New York City, so he was used to reading newspapers like The New York Times.

B. The entire family enjoys reading the Styles section in the local newspaper.

C. The writer has long been planning to express his dissatisfaction with the local newspaper.

D. It is obvious that the editors of the newspaper are not very careful about their work.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

There must have been something wrong with the society _______ no one offers to help those who are in trouble.

A. when           B. where            C. which           D. that

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析