"I think I'm nothing more than a dead fish." "I don't want to do anything." "I'm so beat and so sad."... The young generation in our country used to enjoy their "happy culture" but now they have become "beat and sad" slowly and secretly. Some people even called it "the beat culture". The "Beat" youths don't want to do anything. They have no purpose, no desire and they are totally depressed so that they only want to live an aimless life. The "Ge You slouch (葛优瘫)" and the song I feel like having been drained are the examples.

    Many media concern themselves about this phenomenon and try to persuade the youths into embracing positive and healthy feelings and encourage them to work hard to get rid of decadence. This is really a kind gesture. However, we don't have to worry too much about this "beat culture." In fact, it's not a negative thing. "Beat" never means despair, but a way of self-mockery (自嘲) and pressure relief.

    In general, the youths in China are not "beat". According to a recent international research, the youths in China hold positive attitude towards the future. 29% of the Chinese interviewees believe they will live and work in peace in China because "as long as you work hard, you can have your own day". Around 93% of the Chinese interviewees believe the future is promising because of medicine industry, renewable energy sources and computer. Compared with Chinese youngsters, youths in developed countries are more pessimistic.

    Of course there are some social reasons for the appearing of "the Beat Culture". As urbanization develops rapidly, youths living in big cities are facing new challenges that their forefathers have never encountered before. Loneliness and feelings of insignificance and powerlessness are easy to get hold of the young people. Without proper care, they could threaten our mentality and cause many social problems. These problems probably need our attention more.

    An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow（乌鸦）perched（栖息）on their window.

    The father asked his son, “What is this?” The son replied, “It is a crow.”

    After a few minutes, the father asked his son for the second time, “What is this?” The son said, “Father, I have just now told you, it's a crow!”

    After a little while, the old father again asked his son for the third time, “What is this?”

    At this time some expression of irritation（恼怒）was felt in the son's tone when he said to his father with a rebuff（生硬回绝）. “It's a crow, a crow.” A little while later, the father again asked his son the fourth time, “What is this?”

    This time, the son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?”

    A little while later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered（发皱的）diary, which he had maintained since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary:

    “Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question. I did not at all feel irritated but I rather felt affection for my innocent son,

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。

Paragraph 1:

    After reading the diary

Paragraph 2:

    Feeling ashamed, the son got down on his knees before his father

    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

    There was no question of what I wanted to be when I grew up—a radio announcer. The silky voices of the announcers served as a constant companion who brought life, music and hopes to a nine-year-old only child in the 1930s.

    My family settled in Wagga in 1938. Every Saturday at five o'clock the local radio station 2WG would air a children's programme. Kids were invited to perform their talents. I used these opportunities to polish my voice for the time when my dream might come true.

    Working in radio might involve typing. So, I went to the Wagga Commercial College to learn to type. In 1945, when I graduated, I wrote a letter to apply to the Wagga radio station for a job. Surprisingly, I received a telegram asking me to attend an interview. On the day of the interview, I waited in the reception area with mixed feelings of excitement and calm resolution to do my best. The kind-looking manager surprised me by saying, "I'm afraid we have no plans for young women announcers."

   "In any case, your preference is for classical music?" he asked. "We use all manners of music here."

    "Oh," I said in a confident voice. "I have catholic(广泛的) taste in music." He took me to meet the copy chief. "This is the man you will be working for," he smiled. I was to work six days a week from nine to five, plus Friday nights. The salary was pitiful with the long hours, but I was in!

    After a short while I settled into my responsibilities. On quiet Friday evenings, a helpful announcer offered to show me how to operate the controls at the announcer's desk. He taught me how to put the records on the turntable, bring in the relayed news, and all sorts of tricks I could ever never have mastered alone. This man became my mentor(导师). It certainly wasn't part of any formal training scheme but the experience was invaluable. Sadly, after about six months, it seemed that I would never get the chance to use these skills.

注意：

1）所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2）至少使用5个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。

Paragraph 1:

    However, one Friday night the evening announcer suddenly collapsed with appendicitis(阑尾炎) and was rushed to hospital.

Paragraph 2:

    After that, things happened swiftly. Within a fortnight I had my own afternoon programme, Music of the Masters.

    Tired of all the pushing in supermarkets? Fed up with waiting in endless lines to pay for what you have bought? Angry at wasting time in traffic jams only to find no parking spaces when you eventually arrive at the store? If this is you, then online shopping is the answer to your dreams of trouble-free shopping, or is it?

    Online shopping brings its own challenges. Here are a few things to bear in mind when browsing (浏览) various websites. The claim (声明) made by online sites is that shopping online is a safe and secure way to make purchases. The evidence challenges this. In any case, you only have to be the victim of fraud (欺骗) once to experience all the problems that come with this form of deceiving. Use only sites that have a trusted history and an excellent reputation.

    Another problem is that the appearance of items in reality is often quite different from what you see on your computer screen. This might not be a problem if you are buying washing powder but could be a major disappointment when that beautiful blue dress you ordered turns up in green. Also, product descriptions are sometimes simply untrue! Perhaps the wisest plan is to purchase items where design and colour are not essential to customer satisfaction.

    Some even argue that online shopping indirectly contributes to global warming. Yes, your car can stay parked but how are online goods delivered? Often by some large vans pouring out carbon monoxide(一氧化碳) and adding to our already desperate traffic problems. You are also by now becoming increasingly irritated(烦恼的) by the fact that the delivery is late and you have wasted the leave from work to receive it!