注意：

1）. 词数在100字左右；

2）. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3）.开头已为你写好。不计入总词数。

Dear Sir，

    I've learned from www. xinhua. com that you are looking for articles on how to spend gift money.    

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

    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

Desertification

    Desertification is one of the world's most alarming processes of environmental degradation(退化). The issue is often unclear, however, by a common misperception: that it's a "natural" problem of advancing deserts in faraway developing countries. In fact, desertification is about land degradation: the loss of the land's biological productivity, caused by man-made factors and climate change.

    Each year, desertification and drought cause an estimated $42 billion in lost agricultural production. The risks of desertification are sufficient and clear. It contributes to food insecurity, hunger and poverty, and can give rise to social, economic and political tensions that can cause conflicts, further poverty and land degradation. The great urgency of this challenge led the United Nations General Assembly to state 2006 to be the International Year of Deserts and Desertification (IYDD). It is a strong reminder of the urgent need to address the far-reaching implications of this problem. United Nations General Secretary recently summarizes in this way: "I look forward to working with Governments, civil society, the private section, international organizations and others to focus attention on this crucial issue, and to reverse the trend of desertification and set the world on a safer, more sustainable path of development."

    The IYDD also presents a golden opportunity to get the message across strongly and effectively that desertification is a global problem which we ignore at our risk. It is important to recognize that dry-lands are home to some of the most magnificent ecosystems of this world. These unique natural habitats have been home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. They stand like open-air museums, bearing witness to bygone eras. The Year will therefore also celebrate the delicate beauty and unique inheritance of the world's deserts.

    Once, when I was a teenager my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally there was only one family between us and the ticket counter.

    This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of twelve. You could tell they didn't have a lot of money. Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean, the children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly talking about the clowns, elephants and other acts they would see that night with their brothers or sisters in a low voice. One could sense they had never been to the circus before. It promised to be a highlight of their young lives.

    The father and mother were at the head of the pack, standing proud as they could be. The mother was holding her husband s hand, looking up at him as if to say, "You are my knight in shining armor." He was smiling and responding in pride, looking back at her as if to say "You got that right". The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly responded "please let me buy eight children's tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus.

    The ticket lady gave the price. The man's wife let go of his hand, lowered her head and her lips began to shake. The father leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?" The ticket lady again told him the price. The man obviously didn't have enough money.

    How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight children that he didn't have enough money to take them to the circus? Actually we were not wealthy in any sense, so I understand how the kids would feel. I felt sorry for them.

注意：

1）所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2）应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语：

3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragragh 1:

    Seeing what was going on, my dad seemed to have an idea.

Paragragh 2:

    That day my father and I went back to our car

Jenny was a pretty eight-year-old girl.

One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace, by which she was totally defeated. How eagerly she wanted it! But when she saw the price, her heart sank a little. She gathered up her courage and asked her mother if she would buy it for her. Her mother said, "Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I can buy you the necklace, but when we get home, we should make up a list of housework that you can do to pay for the necklace." Jenny agreed immediately, feeling a burst of joy. So her mother bought the pearl necklace for her. Jenny worked on her housework determinedly and earnestly every day. Soon Jenny paid off the pearls.

Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story. One night when he finished the story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?" "Oh, yes, Daddy, you know I love you." the little girl said delightedly, with a broad smile on her face. "Well, then, give me your pearls." Hearing that, Jenny froze there, an anxious expression twisting her face. "Oh! Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay?" "Oh no, darling, that's okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss, gently and calmly. "Good night, little one."

A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you." the little girl murmured softly, trying to escape from her father's eyes. "Well, then, give me your pearls." "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She is my favorite." The little girl begged. "No, that's okay," her father said, smiling broadly and sweetly and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. "God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams."

注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。

Paragraph 1：

Several days later, when Jenny's father came in to read her story, Jenny was waiting anxiously for him on the bed.

Paragraph 2：

Holding the plastic pearl his daughter offered, the father dragged out a blue box.

As I was looking for a new flat, I was temporarily staying at a lovely small hotel. Unfortunately, during that time, I was due to participate in an online conference for an entire week. I was stuck inside from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm, the entire duration of the cleaning hours. I figured that I could go those five days without my room being cleaned and it wouldn't be a problem. I would just put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on my door.

On the second day as I was heading to get breakfast at the hotel, I bumped（撞见） into the cleaning lady named Anna. I asked her if I could give her my rubbish, and I mentioned that I would be working the entire day so she needn't worry about cleaning my room. She smiled and said it was okay.

The next day, when I returned from my breakfast, my room had already been cleaned. The same happened on the following day. On Friday, I finished my breakfast quicker than usual and the cleaning lady was just heading out. She smiled and said that she was happy that even though I ate quicker than usual, she was still able to finish in time.

I finally realized that all this time, she had been keeping an eye on when I headed for breakfast so she could clean my room. Given that looking for a flat in a new city and working in one of the smallest hotel rooms in London were already very stressful, I was incredibly moved. I thanked Anna and told her that, fortunately, it was the very last day of the conference, but I was very thankful.

The following week, I finally got the keys for my new flat. Excited and grateful for all the help I had received while moving in, I bought a box of chocolates and made my way to the receptionist.

注意：

1.续写词数应为150左右；

2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I said to the receptionist, "Could you please give those to Anna?"

After a while, Anna arrived, looking slightly puzzled.