{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Safety in the highway is not totally out of our hands. Here are four ways we can protect ourselves when we travel.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} people in small cars are injured more often and more severely than people traveling in large cars. Factories of small cars are strengthening their products' safety, which helps. But the mix of large cars and small cars on the road is the main reason of the problem.

    Being thrown into glass and mental cars parts, or being thrown from the car can really hurt or even kill you.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}The safety belt's main purpose is to pull you back if your car has a sudden crash with another vehicle or object, or if it rolls over. A belt can reduce the chance of deadly injury by 45% and the chance of serious injury by 50%.

    Air bags are important. More than half of all new cars sold have air bags. Air bags provide protection in frontal crashes—the type of crash that kills the most drivers—when they are also wearing safety belts. Most people are demanding air bags in the cars they buy.  {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Effective as they are, they can't take the place of safety belts.

    Drunk driving crashes are less likely to happen if you don't drink. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Many people have realised that drunk driving can lead to death and injury, prison time and other results. There are movements to strengthen penalties(处罚) for drinking and driving.

A. How to drive safely?

B. You are safer in a large car

C. How to protect ourselves in the highway?

D. Air bags are not installed in all cars.

E. That's why safety belts should be worn.

F. Drunk driving is the most serious problem.

G. But the protection provided by air bags is limited in side or rear crashes.

    All languages change over time, but some change at a faster rate than others. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} The most important factors are the number of people who speak a language, where they live and whether they move around, the importance of the language for world trade and communication, and changes in technology.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} However, today English is the most widely used language in the world. English is spoken by about 350 million people as a first language in countries such as Great Britain, the United States. In addition, about a billion more people speak English as a second language.

    English started to take over French as an international language during the period of British colonialism (殖民主义) when the English ruled many countries in Africa and Asia. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The colonial period came to an end at the same time that several other changes occurred. For example, the U.S. started to play a greater part in global affairs and the international economy. New means of communication technology such as television and the Internet spread English worldwide. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} In addition, they could use the Internet for information, business, or e-mail communication, all in English. Just as the use of English spread, other languages changed English by contact or by new inventions and technology.

    In contrast, Icelandic is a language that has changed very slowly. Icelandic speakers today can understand poetry written in a slightly different dialect over 1,000 years ago! Why has Icelandic changed so slowly? The main reason is the isolated (孤立的) location of the island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Compared to England, Iceland had no history of colonialism. Iceland's small population has not played a major role in international trade or communication. Today, most Icelanders speak English in addition to their native language. With outside influences, Icelandic is changing more rapidly now.

A. People everywhere could watch the news or sports events in English.

B. These changes have a great influence on the development of society.

C. Isolation meant that for hundreds of years, Icelanders had little contact with speakers of other languages.

D. What are some of the factors that influence how quickly a language changes?

E. The language communication brings about the communication of technology.

F. In the past, other languages such as Latin or French were more important than English.

G. English was the primary means of communication in these colonies.

    In 2017, AlphaGo defeated Chinese player Ke Jie to become the world's No 1, ending thousands of years of human dominance（控制）in the game. AlphaGo is an artificial intelligence（AI）Go-playing program{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Artificial intelligence（AI）is usually defined as the science of marking computers do things that require intelligence when done by humans.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}These include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language-understanding.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}In fact we are increasingly depending. upon computer-based artificial intelligence. As Charlie Qrtiz said, head of AL at the Massachusetts-based software company Nuance Communication, “It has opened a window for us.”Smartphones, self-driving cars, intelligent robots，etc. are constantly coming into our life. According to a recent survey, half of the world's AI experts believe human level machine intelligence will be achieved by 2040. This will open up huge possibilities for the enrichment of mankind, from tackling climate change and treating disease to labour- saving devices.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Physicist Stephen Hawking last year warned that unless we take care, board games might be the least of it. “The development of full artificial intelligence could mean the end of the human race.”{#blank#}5{#/blank#}They believe AlphaGo's victory is a reminder of how fast the world is overcoming the obstacles in the way of AI, and its distribution in the world about us. Although there may yet be no evidence that computers will ever shake off their human masters, we should still treat these development with the humility and caution they deserve.

A. Other scientists have also expressed the concern.

B. Artificial intelligence has both advantages and disadvantages.

C. Defeating a human Go master is not the only thing AI can do.

D. Artificial intelligence will bring us disasters instead of benefits.

E. It was designed by an American Artificial intelligence company.

F. Not all experts hold the optimistic attitudes to the development of AI.

G. Research in AI has so far focused on some special fields of intelligence.

    Experts have recently found that making conversation plays an essential part in connecting with people and building closer relationships. Although most people can hold a conversation, only a few are smooth when they talk. If you have dreamed about being a good talker, or you just want to make some change, then listen up!

    Talk slowly

    Generally, good talkers don't rush into a conversation. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They act as if they have all the time in the world. This makes them come off as centered and collected. Model this way of talking and you will create the same effect.

    Hold more eye contact

    Most people keep eye contact about 2/3 of the time or less when they talk. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} This will convey confidence and interest in interacting with them.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    People with good conversation skills are more likely to notice the kind of things that the average person doesn't notice, and to bring such details into the conversation. They may notice and point out an interesting ring on the other person's hand, a certain foreign accent, or a certain voice tone they use when saying a name. All these details help to leave a deep impression.

    Express Your emotions

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} Express your feelings about those facts. Keep in mind that it is at the emotional (情感) level that people connect best.

    Use the best words

    The ability to talk smoothly has a lot to do with choosing the precise (精确的) words to convey your precise feelings or thoughts. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} It will help you develop a way with words and allow you to express yourself more easily.

    Conversational skills don't improve just like that. It takes time, practice and the ability to learn at a rapid rate from your own experiences.

A. Notice the details.

B. Offer interesting news.

C. Improve conversational skills.

D. Don't just present the facts—you're not a newspaper.

E. It's a very good idea to hold eye contact just a bit more than that.

F. Develop your vocabulary and practice communicating as accurately as possible.

G. They take their time when they think over something and when they say it out loud.

How to Meet New People

    It is easy to find a place where people gather. But once you're in a room full of people, then what? The trick is finding a way to approach someone and get them talking to you.

    Prepare to meet new people before you arrive. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}. Don't think in terms of yes or no questions. You should consider questions that will allow the person to contribute more than a one-word answer to the conversation.

    Arrive at your event or place. Don't panic when you walk in the door. Take your time and look over the room. If this is a classroom, take a seat and look around the room. {#blank#}2{#/blank#}, take time to enjoy the art while looking at the people. Don't rush into talking to someone. You have time, so just get a feel for the group.

    Approach someone. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}. But remember, if the person is at the event alone, they may also be shy and try to break out and meet people. You need to make them feel comfortable by chatting with them.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}. Keep them talking and talk yourself—remember  conversation goes in two directions. You may have a couple of awkward moments, but if you have a few items planned to talk about, you'll find that they'll start adding their own questions and information to the conversation.

    Don't forget to ask them for a friendship follow-up. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}, try asking your new friend if they'd like to go to another event with you. If it is a repeat event, such as a class, try asking them if they'd like to meet for coffee before the next class to study the material.

A. If it is a one-time event

B. If this is an art show

C. If you have picked out someone to approach

D. Mentally pull out your prepared questions

E. You may not meet your next best friend on your first try

F. You might find it easiest to approach someone who is also alone

G. Sit down and write out a list of potential questions you can ask someone

    When I was 16 years old, a boy gave me an important gift. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It was the early autumn of my first year at a junior high school, and my old school was far away. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} I was very lonely, and afraid to make friends with anyone.

    Every time I listened to other students talking and laughing, I felt my heart break. I couldn't talk about anyone with my problems. And I didn't want my parents to worry about me.

    Then one day, my classmates talked happily with their friends, but I sat at my desk unhappily as usual. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} I didn't know who he was. He passed me and then turned back. He looked at me, with a smile on his face.

    Suddenly, I felt the touch of something bright and friendly. It made me feel happy, lively and warm {#blank#}4{#/blank#} I started to talk with other students and made friends. Day by day, I became closer to everyone in my class. The boy with the lucky smile has become my best friend now! {#blank#}5{#/blank#} I believe that the world is what you think it is. If you think it lonely, you might always be alone. So smile at the world and it will smile back.

A. At that moment, a boy entered the classroom.

B. He's living in Australia now and he loves it.

C. It doesn't matter because all the dark days have gone.

D. It was a smile.

E. That smile changed my life.

F. It's practically impossible to make friends here.

G. As a result, no one knew who I was.