2019年12月四级真题第一套(共10页).docx

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1、精选优质文档-倾情为你奉上Part IIISection AWhen travelling overseas, do you buy water in plastic bottles or take your chances with tap water? Imagine you are wandering about on a Thai island or admiring 赞赏的 / 仰慕的 the ruins of Angkor. Its hot so you grab a bottle of water from a local vendor. Its the safe thing t

2、o do, right? The bottle is sealed封住 , and the label says “pure water”. But maybe whats inside is not so natural天性的 / 自然的 . Would you still be drinking it if you knew that more than 90 percent of all bottled water sold around the world contains含 microplastics?出国旅游时，你是买塑料瓶装的水，还是用自来水冒险？想象一下，你在泰国的一个岛屿上漫

3、步，或者在欣赏吴哥的废墟。天气很热，所以你从当地小贩那里买了一瓶水。这是最安全的做法，对吧？瓶子是密封的，标签上写着“纯净水”。但也许里面的东西不是那么自然。如果你知道全世界销售的瓶装水中90%以上含有微塑料，你还会喝吗？Thats the conclusion of a recently released放行、发布 study, which analysed 259 bottles from 11 brands sold in nine countries, revealing揭示 an average of 325 plastic particles per litre of water.

4、 These microplastics included a substance材料 / 实质 commonly known as PET and widely used in the manufacture of clothing and food and liquid 液态 containers. The study was conducted at the State University of New York on behalf of Orb Media, a journalism organisation. About a million bottles are bought e

5、very minute, not only by thirsty tourists but also by many of the 2.1 billion worldwide who live with unsafe drinking water.这是最近发布的一项研究的结论，该研究分析了9个国家销售的11个品牌的259个瓶子，揭示平均每升水含有325个塑料颗粒。这些微塑料包括一种通常称为PET的物质，广泛用于服装、食品和液体容器的制造。这项研究是由纽约州立大学代表新闻机构ORB Media进行的。每分钟大约有100万瓶被购买，不仅是口渴的游客，全世界21亿生活在不安全饮用水中的人中的许多人也

6、购买了。Confronted with this evidence根据 / 证明 , several bottled-water manufacturers including Nestle and Coca-Cola undertook their own studies using the same methodology. These studies showed that their water did contain microplastics, but far less than the Orb study suggested. Regardless, the World Heal

7、th Organisation has launched a review into the potential潜在 health risks of drinking water from plastic bottles.面对这一证据，包括雀巢和可口可乐在内的几家瓶装水制造商使用相同的方法进行了自己的研究。这些研究表明，他们的水中确实含有微塑料，但远远低于ORB的研究建议。无论如何，世界卫生组织已经启动了一项关于饮用塑料瓶水的潜在健康风险的审查。专心-专注-专业Section BThe quiet heroism of mail delivery邮件递送的默默英雄主义A On Wednesda

8、y, a polar wind brought bitter cold to the Midwest.Overnight ,Chicago reached a low of 21 degrees Fahrenheit below zero, making it slightly colder than Antarctica ( I Ik ) , Alaska, and the North Pole. Wind chills were 64 degrees below zero in Park Rapids, Minnesota and 45 degrees below zero in Buff

9、alo, North Dakota, according to the National Weather Service. Schools, restaurants, and businesses closed, and more than 1,000 flights were canceled.周三，一股极地风给中西部带来了严寒。当晚，芝加哥的气温降至零下21华氏度，比南极洲、阿拉斯加和北极略冷。根据美国国家气象局(National Weather Service)的数据，明尼苏达州帕克拉皮兹的风寒为零下64度，北达科他州布法罗的风寒为零下45度。学校、餐馆和企业关闭，1000多个航班被取消

10、。B Even the United States Postal Service (USPS) suspended mail delivery. “Due to this arctic outbreak and concerns for the safety of USPS employees,” USPS announced Wednesday morning, “the Postal Service is suspending delivery Jan. 30 in some 3-digit ZIP Code locations.” Twelve regions were listed a

11、s unsafe on Wednesday, on Thursday, eight remained.即使是美国邮政服务公司(USPS)也暂停了邮件递送。“由于这次北极疫情的爆发和对USPS员工安全的担忧，”USPS周三上午宣布，“邮政服务将于1月30日暂停在一些3位数的邮政编码地点的投递。”周三，12个地区被列为不安全地区，周四，仍有8个地区被列为不安全地区。C As global surface temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of extreme weather. In 2018 alone, wildfires, volcan

12、ic eruptions, hurricanes, mudslides, and other natural disasters cost at least $49 billion in the United States. As my colleague Vann Newkirk reported, Puerto Rico is still confronting economic and structural destruction and resource scarcity from 2017s Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters can wreck a

13、 community s infrastructure, disrupting systems for months or years. Some services, however, remind us that life will eventually return, in some form, to normal.C随着全球表面温度的升高，极端天气的可能性也在增加。仅在2018年，美国的野火、火山喷发、飓风、泥石流和其他自然灾害就造成了至少490亿美元的损失。正如我的同事范纽柯克(Vann Newkirk)报道的那样，波多黎各仍在面临2017年飓风玛丽亚(Maria)造成的经济和结构破坏

14、以及资源稀缺。自然灾害可以破坏社区的基础设施，扰乱系统数月或数年。然而，一些服务提醒我们，生活最终会以某种形式回归正常。D Days after the deadly 2017 wildfires in Santa Rosa, California , a drone caught footage of a USPS worker, Trevor Smith , driving through burned homes in that familiar white van, collecting mail in an affected area.The video is striking :

15、The operation is familiar, but the scene looks like the end of the world. According to Rae Ann Haight, the program manager for the national-preparedness office at USPS, Smith was fulfilling a request made by some of the home owners to pick up any mail that was left untouched. For Smith, this was jus

16、t another day on the job. “I followed my route like I normally do,” Smith told a reporter. “As I came across a box that was up but with no house, I checked, and there was mailoutgoing mailin it. And so we picked those up and carried on”.D2017年加州圣罗莎发生致命野火几天后，一架无人机捕捉到了美国邮政总局工作人员特雷弗史密斯(Trevor Smith)驾驶那

17、辆熟悉的白色面包车穿过烧毁的房屋，在受影响地区收集邮件的画面。这段视频令人震惊：操作很熟悉，但场景看起来像是世界末日。据美国邮政总局国家准备办公室的项目经理雷安海特(Rae Ann Haight)说，史密斯正在履行一些房主提出的要求，要求取走任何原封不动的邮件。对史密斯来说，这只是工作中的又一天。“我像往常一样沿着我的路线走，”史密斯告诉一名记者。“当我遇到的时候。我检查了一个竖起但没有房子的箱子，里面有邮件-外发邮件。所以我们把它们捡起来，继续下去。E USPS has sophisticated emergency plans for natural disasters. Across t

18、he country, 285 emergency- management teams are devoted to crisis control.These teams are trained annually using a framework known as the three Ps : people, property, product. After mail service stops due to weather, the agencys top priority is ensuring that employees are safe.Then it evaluates the

19、health of infrastructure , such as the roads that mail carriers drive on. Finally , it decides when and how to re-open operations. If the destruction is extreme, mail addressed to the area will get sent elsewhere. In response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, USPS redirected incoming New Orleans mail to

20、 existing mail facilities in Houston. Mail that was already processed in New Orleans facilities was moved to an upper floor so it would be protected from water damage.美国邮政总局有完善的自然灾害应急计划。在全国范围内，285个应急管理团队致力于危机控制，这些团队每年都会接受被称为“三个P”的框架的培训：人员、财产、产品。在邮件服务因天气原因停止后，该机构的首要任务是确保员工的安全，然后评估基础设施的健康状况，如邮递员行驶的道路。

21、最后，它决定何时以及如何重新开放运营。如果破坏非常严重，寄往该地区的邮件将被寄往其他地方。为了应对2005年的卡特里娜飓风，美国邮政总局将收到的新奥尔良邮件重新定向到休斯顿现有的邮件设施。已经在新奥尔良设施中处理的邮件被移到了上层，这样它就可以受到保护，不会受到水的损害。F As soon as its safe enough to be outside, couriers( B m%q ) start distributing accumulated mail on the still-accessible routes. USPS urges those without standing

22、addresses to file change-of-address forms with their new location. After Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, mail facilities were set up in dozens of locations across the country in the two weeks that USPS was unable to provide street delivery.F一旦外面足够安全，快递员(Bm%q)就开始在仍然可以到达的路线上分发积累的邮件。USPS敦促那些没有常住地址的人在他们的

23、新地址上提交地址更改表。2005年卡特里娜飓风来袭后，在USPS无法提供街头递送的两周内，全国数十个地点建立了邮件设施。G Every day, USPS processes, on average, 493.4 million pieces of mailanything from postcards to Social Security checks to medicine. Spokespeople from both USPS and UPS told me all mail is important. But some mail can be extremely sensitive

24、and timely. According to data released in January 2017, 56 percent of bills are paid online, which means that just under half of payments still rely on delivery services to be completed.G美国邮政总局平均每天处理4.934亿封邮件-从明信片到社会保障支票再到药品，应有尽有。USPS和UPS的发言人都告诉我，所有的邮件都很重要。但有些邮件可能非常敏感和及时。根据2017年1月发布的数据，56%的账单是在网上支付的

25、，这意味着略低于一半的支付仍然依赖送货服务来完成。H It can be hard to identify which parcels are carrying crucial items such as Social Security checks, but USPS and UPS try their best to prioritize sensitive material. They will coordinate with the Social Security Administration to make sure that Social Security checks reach

26、 the right people in a timely fashion. After Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Michael last fall, USPS worked with state and local election boards to make sure that absentee ballots were available and received or time.H可能很难确定哪些包裹携带着社保支票等关键物品，但USPS和UPS会尽最大努力对敏感材料进行优先排序。他们将与社会保障管理局协调，确保社会保障支票及时到达合适的人手中

27、。在去年秋天佛罗伦萨飓风和迈克尔飓风之后，USPS与州和地方选举委员会合作，以确保缺席选票可用，并收到选票或时间。I Mail companies are logistics( 物流 ) companies , which puts them in a special position to help when disaster strikes. In a 2011 USPS case study, the agency emphasized its massive infrastructure as a “unique federal asset” to be called upon in

28、a disaster or terrorist attack. “I think were unique as a federal agency,” USPS official Mike Swigart told me, “because were in literally every community in this country.Were obligated to deliver to that point on a daily basis.”i邮件公司是物流(物流)公司，这使它们在灾难来袭时处于特殊的地位。在2011年USPS的一项案例研究中，该机构强调其庞大的基础设施是一项“独特的

29、联邦资产”，可以在灾难或恐怖袭击中调用。“我认为我们作为一个联邦机构是独一无二的，”USPS官员Mike Swigart告诉我，“因为我们几乎在这个国家的每个社区我们有义务每天都能做到这一点。”J Private courier companies, which have more dollars to spend, use their expertise in logistics to help revitalize damaged areas after a disaster. For more than a decade, FedEx has supported the American

30、 Red Cross in its effort to get emergency supplies to areas affected by disasters, both domestically and internationally. In 2012, the company distributed more than 1,200 MedPacks to Medical Reserve Corps groups in California. They also donated space for 3.1 million pounds of charitable shipping glo

31、bally. Last October, the company pledged $1 million in cash and transportation support for Hurricanes Florence and Michael. UPSs charitable arm, the UPS Foundation, uses the companys logistics to help disaster-struck areas rebuild. “We realize that as a company with people, trucks, warehouses, we ne

32、eded to play a larger role,” said Eduardo Martinez, the president of the UPS Foundation. The company employs its trucks and planes to deliver food, medicine, and water. The day before I spoke to Martinez in November, he had beer touring the damage from Hurricane Michael in Florida with the American

33、Red Cross. “We have an obligation to make sure our communities are thriving,” he said.J私营快递公司有更多的钱可花，它们利用自己在物流方面的专业知识，帮助灾后重振受损地区。十多年来，联邦快递一直支持美国红十字会努力将紧急物资送到国内和国际受灾地区。2012年，该公司向加州的医疗预备队团体分发了1200多个药包。他们还为全球310万英镑的慈善航运捐赠了空间。去年10月，该公司承诺为飓风佛罗伦萨和迈克尔提供100万美元的现金和交通支持。UPS的慈善机构UPS基金会利用该公司的物流来帮助受灾地区重建。UPS基金会主

34、席爱德华多马丁内斯(Eduardo Martinez)说，“我们意识到，作为一家拥有人员、卡车和仓库的公司，我们需要发挥更大的作用。”该公司雇佣卡车和飞机运送食物、药品和水。11月，在我与马丁内斯交谈的前一天，他和美国红十字会一起喝着啤酒，参观佛罗里达州迈克尔飓风造成的破坏。“我们有义务确保我们的社区繁荣兴旺，”他说。K Rebuilding can take a long time, and even then, impressions of the disaster may still remain. Returning to a normal life can be difficult,

35、 but some small routinesmail delivery being one of themmay help residents remember that their communities are still their communities. “When they see that carrier back out on the street,” Swigart said, “thats the first sign to them that life is starting to return to normal.”K重建可能需要很长时间，即使到那时，人们对灾难的印

36、象可能仍然存在。恢复正常生活可能很困难，但一些小的例行公事-邮件递送就是其中之一-可能会帮助居民记住，他们的社区仍然是他们的社区。斯威加特说：“当他们看到那艘航母重新出现在街上时，这对他们来说是生活开始恢复正常的第一个迹象。”36.The United States Postal Service has a system to ensure its employees safety.E37.One official says USPS is unique in that it has more direct reach to communities compared with other fe

37、deral agencies联邦机构. I38.Natural disasters can have a long-lasting impact on community life.C39.Mail delivery service is still responsible for the completion of almost half of payments.G40.The sight of a mailman on the street is a reassuring sign of life becoming normal again.K41.After Hurricane Katr

38、ina interrupted routine delivery, temporary临时 mail service points were set up.F42.Postal service in some regions in the U.S. was suspended中止， due to extreme cold weather.B43.Private postal companies also support disaster relief efforts by distributing分发 urgent supplies.J44.A dedicated奉献 USPS employe

39、e was on the job carrying out duties in spite of extreme conditions.D45.Postal services work hard to identify items that require priority treatment.H36.美国邮政服务公司有一套系统来确保其员工的安全。37.一位官员表示，USPS的独特之处在于，与其他联邦机构相比，它更直接地接触到了社区。38.自然灾害会对社区生活产生持久的影响。39.邮递服务仍然负责完成几乎一半的付款。40.在街上看到邮递员是生活恢复正常的一个令人放心的迹象。41.卡特里娜飓风中

40、断日常投递后，设立了临时邮件服务点。42.由于极端寒冷的天气，美国一些地区的邮政服务暂停。43.私营邮政公司也通过分发紧急物资来支持救灾工作。44.一名尽职尽责的USPS员工不顾极端条件仍在工作中履行职责。45.邮政服务努力识别需要优先处理的物品。Section CPassage One AI助手Professor Ashok Goel of Georgia Tech developed an artificially intelligent teaching assistant to help handle the enormous number of student questions i

41、n the online class, Knowledge-Based Artificial Intelligence. This online course is a core requirement of Georgia Techs online Master of Science in Computer Science program. Professor Goel already had eight teaching assistants, but that wasnt enough to deal with the overwhelming number of daily quest

42、ions from students.Many students drop out of online courses because of the lack of teaching support. When students feel isolated or confused and reach out with questions that go unanswered, their motivation to continue begins to fade. Professor Goel decided to do something to remedy this situation a

43、nd his solution was to create a virtual assistant named Jill Watson, which is based on the IBM Watson platform.Goel and his team developed several versions版本 of Jill Watson before releasing her to the online forums. At first, the virtual assistant wasnt too great. But Goel and his team sourced the o

44、nline discussion forum to find all 40,000 questions that had ever been asked since the class was launched. Then they began to feed Jill with the questions and answers. After some adjustments, and sufficient time, Jill was able to answer the students questions correctly 97% of the time. The virtual a

45、ssistant became so advanced and realistic that the students didnt know she was a computer. The students, who were studying artificial intelligence, were interacting with the virtual assistant and couldnt tell it apart from a real human being. Goel didnt inform them about Jills true identity until Ap

46、ril 26. The students were actually very positive about the experience.The goal of Professor Goels virtual assistant next year is to take over answering 40% of all the questions posed by students on the online forum. The name Jill Watson will, of course, change to something else next semester. Profes

47、sor Goel has a much rosier outlook on the future of artificial intelligence than, say, Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates or Steve Wozniak.佐治亚理工学院的阿肖克戈尔教授开发了一种人工智能教学助手，以帮助处理在线课堂上大量的学生问题，这是一种基于知识的人工智能。这门在线课程是佐治亚理工学院在线计算机科学硕士课程的核心要求。戈埃尔教授已经有了八名助教，但这还不足以处理学生每天提出的压倒性问题。由于缺乏教学支持，许多学生退出了在线课程。当学生感到孤立或困

48、惑，并提出一些没有得到回答的问题时，他们继续学习的动力就会开始消退。Goel教授决定做一些事情来纠正这种情况，他的解决方案是创建一个基于IBM Watson平台的名为Jill Watson的虚拟助手。戈尔和他的团队在将吉尔沃森发布到在线论坛之前，开发了几个版本的吉尔沃森。起初，虚拟助理并不是很棒。但Goel和他的团队在网上论坛上找到了自课程推出以来提出的所有4万个问题。然后他们开始向吉尔灌输问题和答案。经过一些调整和充足的时间，吉尔能够在97%的时间内正确回答学生的问题。虚拟助理变得如此先进和逼真，以至于学生们都不知道她是一台计算机。这些学习人工智能的学生正在与虚拟助手互动，无法将其与真人区分开来。直到4月26日，戈埃尔才告知他们吉尔的真实身份。事实上，学生们对这次经历非常积极。戈埃尔教授的虚拟助理明年的目标是接手回答学生在在线论坛上提出的所有问题的40%。当然，吉尔沃森下学期将改名为其他名字。与埃隆马斯克(Elon Musk)、斯蒂芬霍金(Stephen Hawking)、比尔盖茨(Bill Gates)或史蒂夫沃兹尼亚(Steve Wozniak)等人相比，戈埃尔教授对人工智能的未来前景更为乐观。46.What do we le