1. She was _____ during the surgery, so she didn’t feel any pain. (第33期考題) 


2. His arrogance and vanity stopped him _____ what really mattered to him. (第32期考題) 


3. James asked his father to drive him to the airport early; he wanted to _____ two hours before the flight. He was afraid to miss the flight. (第41期考題) 


4.   Facial recognition technology is coming of age. The new iPhone can be unlocked simply by looking at it, and accessing your smartphone is just one of many ways that facial recognition will change our daily lives. Soon we'll be using our faces to pay for groceries, catch trains, pass through airport security, and more.
  In China, you can already use your face to gain access to office buildings and authorize ATM withdrawals. In Europe, high-end hotels and retailers use it to identify celebrity customers to make sure they get special treatment. Australian airports are installing a system that lets airline passengers glide through security without passports--and facial recognition systems are beginning to appear in U.S. airport too.
  "Everybody's face is slightly different, so it's almost like a 3D fingerprint," says Lyndon Smith, professor of computer simulation and machine vision at the University of the West of England. According to him, we can even differentiate between identical twins when we're applying this kind of technique. Smith is developing a system that he believes could replace train tickets. Like the new iPhone, it uses infrared scanning to recognize patterns in facial features and then compares them against a database of known facial patterns. He claims the system would work well in stores and banks as well as train stations, so wherever we go in the world, we could, rather than carrying a card around with a PIN and all the complexity, just simply use our faces.
  Experts say facial recognition systems can be extremely reliable. Apple claims its new iPhone has no trouble telling a real face from a photo--and can even recognize individuals if they grow a beard or wear eyeglasses. And researchers in the U.K. and India have developed a system that they say can peer through disguises--including fake beards and scarves that obscure part of the face. It uses 14 key landmarks around the eyes, nose, and lips. That is, if some factures are hidden, it uses others to make the identification.
  The system is intended to "take a lot of criminals off of the streets," says Amarjot Singh, a graduate student and one of the researchers in engineering the University of Cambridge. He is excited that the system can function well as an X-ray to look into people's identity. Excitement aside, Singh is among those who worry that the rise of facial recognition technology raises privacy concerns. Some worry governments could abuse the systems to assert inappropriate control over their citizens and stifle protests. Others worry that facial recognition systems will reveal information that individuals might wish to keep private. Last year, Stanford University researchers sparked a controversy when they published research suggesting that facial recognition can predict an individual's sexual orientation.
  The bottom line? Facial recognition technology is already out there, although how to use it without putting people at risk invading their privacy remains a hot debate topic. Smith insists that their intention is certainly not to have some kind of Big Brother thing going on; they wouldn't want this system to be used by anybody who didn't want to use it. He reassures the public that they're not trying to monitor people--they're trying to help people in their everyday lives.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as one of the uses of facial recognition technology?

The word stifle is closest in meaning to _____ . (第37期考題) 


5. When Sebastian fainted, we quickly laid him down on his back. Fortunately he _____ before we called 911. (第40期考題) 


6. Dying to pass the upcoming exams with flying colors, all Sarah has to do is _____. (第37期考題) 


7. I have made up my mind. _____ hard you persuade me, I won’t change my decision. (第36期考題) 


8. Unable to stand his daughter’s bad attitude anymore, Mr. Collins flew into a rage and slapped her across the face _____.  (第36期考題) 


9. Even though he seems _____ most of the time, none can be more careful than he in terms of handling thorny situations. (第37期考題) 


10. Love, respect, trust, and acceptance are important _____ in a happy and lasting marriage. (第34期考題) 


11. Our homeroom teacher was _____ when she knew two students skipped class and smoked on campus. (第42期考題) 


12. _____ the more money you spend on lunch dates, birthday parties and gifts. (第41期考題) 


13.   Facial recognition technology is coming of age. The new iPhone can be unlocked simply by looking at it, and accessing your smartphone is just one of many ways that facial recognition will change our daily lives. Soon we'll be using our faces to pay for groceries, catch trains, pass through airport security, and more.
  In China, you can already use your face to gain access to office buildings and authorize ATM withdrawals. In Europe, high-end hotels and retailers use it to identify celebrity customers to make sure they get special treatment. Australian airports are installing a system that lets airline passengers glide through security without passports--and facial recognition systems are beginning to appear in U.S. airport too.
  "Everybody's face is slightly different, so it's almost like a 3D fingerprint," says Lyndon Smith, professor of computer simulation and machine vision at the University of the West of England. According to him, we can even differentiate between identical twins when we're applying this kind of technique. Smith is developing a system that he believes could replace train tickets. Like the new iPhone, it uses infrared scanning to recognize patterns in facial features and then compares them against a database of known facial patterns. He claims the system would work well in stores and banks as well as train stations, so wherever we go in the world, we could, rather than carrying a card around with a PIN and all the complexity, just simply use our faces.
  Experts say facial recognition systems can be extremely reliable. Apple claims its new iPhone has no trouble telling a real face from a photo--and can even recognize individuals if they grow a beard or wear eyeglasses. And researchers in the U.K. and India have developed a system that they say can peer through disguises--including fake beards and scarves that obscure part of the face. It uses 14 key landmarks around the eyes, nose, and lips. That is, if some factures are hidden, it uses others to make the identification.
  The system is intended to "take a lot of criminals off of the streets," says Amarjot Singh, a graduate student and one of the researchers in engineering the University of Cambridge. He is excited that the system can function well as an X-ray to look into people's identity. Excitement aside, Singh is among those who worry that the rise of facial recognition technology raises privacy concerns. Some worry governments could abuse the systems to assert inappropriate control over their citizens and stifle protests. Others worry that facial recognition systems will reveal information that individuals might wish to keep private. Last year, Stanford University researchers sparked a controversy when they published research suggesting that facial recognition can predict an individual's sexual orientation.
  The bottom line? Facial recognition technology is already out there, although how to use it without putting people at risk invading their privacy remains a hot debate topic. Smith insists that their intention is certainly not to have some kind of Big Brother thing going on; they wouldn't want this system to be used by anybody who didn't want to use it. He reassures the public that they're not trying to monitor people--they're trying to help people in their everyday lives.
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as one of the uses of facial recognition technology?

Which of the following statements is true about the technology? (第37期考題) 


14. It is important to be logical and clear when you write. You have to make yourself ----- by your readers. (第38期考題) 


15. I know this discussion is an uncomfortable one, but please don't _____. Let's come straight to the point and get over with it. (第40期考題) 


16. A _____ heat wave hit Southwestern Asia in late July and early August 2011, with temperatures in Iraq exceeding 49°C. (第40期考題) 


17. A: Lance has been ----- all day today. B: Yes, he has an allergy to particles in the air and that's why. (第38期考題) 


18. As a result of all the efforts the local government has been making, this small town _____ a large industrial city. (第37期考題) 


19. Ever since Larry’s best friends betrayed him, he has had trouble _____ close relationships with others. (第36期考題) 


20. Hazel’s boyfriend bossed her around _____ she were his slave. (第41期考題) 


21. We have to _____ the connection between these two events in order to solve the problems they have caused. (第40期考題) 


22. The building plan ----- by Frank Lin, who has no idea what the clients need. (第38期考題) 


23. Since the building has tilted sideways after the earthquake, it has to be ----- to ensure public safety. (第38期考題) 


24. The Greek national _____ has been played at every Olympics closing ceremony to honor Greece’s role as the birthplace of the Olympic Games. (第41期考題) 


25. _____ online video games, Paul has very little physical activity and spend less time with family and friends. (第32期考題) 


26. Many people find _____ impossible to lose weight without the help of a professional. (第41期考題) 


27. The use of _____, although a traditional part of the celebration, has over the years led to many injuries and deaths.There have been incidents every year of users being blinded, losing body parts, or suffering other injuries, especially during festivities such as Chinese New Year season. (第41期考題) 


28. Sarah _____ the cat that had fallen onto the MRT tracks and prevented it from getting hurt. (第33期考題) 


29. After a series of tests, Brian proved to be the most competent among all the _____ , the one everyone could look to. (第37期考題) 


30. The corpse was _____ on the basis of dental records. That is, by examining the teeth of the dead, we can find out who the body is. (第33期考題) 


31. The disadvantage of this job is that the heavy workload and long working hours _____ of my family life. (第42期考題) 


32. The boxing legend inspired his fans to never give up. When he got _____, he got back up again and kept fighting. (第33期考題) 


33. A: Are you familiar with the please _____ in the TV show?
B: No, I don't know any of them. (第39期考題) 


34. The supervisor plans to talk to his team _____ the meeting. He thinks a pre-discussion is needed to facilitate the meeting. (第42期考題) 


35. Identity theft, the _____ use of someone else’s personal information, is a criminal act and should be reported to the police. (第41期考題) 


36. Maggie considers that hustle and bustle of New York annoying as she _____ in the tranquil countryside. (第37期考題) 


37. Feeling like an outsider in the family, John doesn’t know how to chat with his siblings easily and always has a sense of _____. (第42期考題) 


38. _____ that the leader of the labor union decided to protest against the unfair treatment to the workers. (第42期考題) 


39. To everyone's surprise, Paul _____ , devoted himself to charities, and even organized a non-profit organization helping the needy. (第37期考題) 


40. Mr. Lee was fortunate enough to make a full _____ from the stock market before this recession. (第33期考題) 


41. The weather took a turn for the worse, the sailors _____ for the shore. (第33期考題) 


42. I lost my wallet on the MRT. It _____ stolen. (第42期考題) 


43.

What is the best title for this article? (第39期考題) 


44. Thirty years later, I can still identify several people in the photo -----. They haven't changed that much. (第38期考題) 


45. You should take the _____ and create chances for yourself instead of waiting passively. (第32期考題) 


46. Whatever you say, I will _____ my principles and won’t change my opinions. (第33期考題) 


47. To cut costs, Veronica suggested _____ her apartment for shooting the scene. (第39期考題) 


48. A: I don't feel like cooking today.
B: _____ ordering a pizza instead? (第39期考題) 


49. Mackenzie Narbonne is a _____ athlete who has excelled in softball, soccer, floor hockey, powerlifting, and athletics. (第41期考題) 


50. The food company is recalling several dairy products for they have been _____ with plasticizer. (第32期考題)