1.

Judging from the context, what does the word boost mean? (第39期考題) 


2. Firefighters are _____ heroes, who risk their lives to help others. (第33期考題) 


3. University fees in many countries _____ and many people cannot afford them. (第41期考題) 


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


5.   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) 


6. The _____ of the company’s service has been greatly improved, and there are now fewer customer complaints. (第36期考題) 


7. 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) 


8. 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) 


9. To live a better life, _____ is learn from our past mistakes. (第41期考題) 


10. Despite the disabilities, Nathan's parents treated him like an ordinary child ----- he felt inferior to others. (第38期考題) 


11. 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) 


12. Apparently, Mr. Flately has _____. He does not drink anymore and is helping her wife run the grocery store. (第32期考題) 


13. Studies indicate that too much _____ to the sun harms our skin. Before going out, please put on some sunscreen. (第39期考題) 


14. _____, he was killed together with his whole army. (第40期考題) 


15. The fireworks display was so _____ that the visitors could hardly take their eyes off it. (第39期考題) 


16. On Christmas Eve, all flights were cancelled _____ the heavy snowstorm. Many tourists were disappointed about the delay of their family reunion. (第42期考題) 


17. Tim _____ mad at others easily. However, ever since he took the course of anger management, he has seldom lost his temper. (第36期考題) 


18. The ingredient labels on the food package aim to provide accurate information to _____ consumers’ safety. (第32期考題) 


19. The students had a heated _____ over the issue of the death penalty in their civics class. (第34期考題) 


20. It is dangerous for us to _____ without grasping the whole picture. We need to clarify all the uncertain points before we make decisions. (第42期考題) 


21. The latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says _____ is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of diseases and infections. (第41期考題) 


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


23. 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) 


24. Reading novels is great mental exercise because it stimulates your _____ as well as improves your brain power. (第39期考題) 


25. Tina _____ when Tim offered to sell her the house at such a low price. She knew that something was not right. (第36期考題) 


26. Jim is afraid of making mistakes. _____ this fear that prevents him from making progress. (第39期考題) 


27. Tourism is Egypt’s _____ lifeline, representing almost 12% of its national income. (第34期考題) 


28.

What can influence the effectiveness of the research mentioned in this article? (第39期考題) 


29. There are some easy ways to _____ water. For example, we can turn off the water while we are shaving or brushing our teeth. (第40期考題) 


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


31. This is a well-reviewed series of lessons for beginners as well as for those who want to _____ their French. (第40期考題) 


32. _____ you believe it or not, I have witnessed the terrible car crash. (第42期考題) 


33. The famous fashion designer, Jason Wu, preferred to play with dolls and dressed them up, _____ play sports when he was a little boy. (第42期考題) 


34. Paris has long been _____the most romantic city in the world. (第32期考題) 


35. Stop being so childish. _____ you like it or not, you must learn to be responsible and fulfill your obligations. (第36期考題) 


36. German _____ power was restricted after World War II. The entire army was restricted to just 100,000 men, and the navy was reduced to just 15,000 men. (第40期考題) 


37. Lucy _____ temptation and ate the last piece of chocolate. (第33期考題) 


38. 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) 


39. Yellowstone National Park was the first national park in the U.S. It _____ in 1872. (第40期考題) 


40. 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) 


41. Smartphones are rather helpful in many aspects, and, as a result, many _____ it difficult to do without one. (第37期考題) 


42. Due to the heavy rain, the citizens couldn't drive their cars, ----- take buses because the roads were flooded. (第38期考題) 


43. The woman is new in our neighborhood. Do you know _____? (第39期考題) 


44. The train _____, we had no choice but to spend another three hours waiting for the next one. (第36期考題) 


45. While the election campaign was filled with fake news, important public issues were often _____. (第39期考題) 


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


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


48.

※請依上文回答問題※ According to the passage, which of the following is true? (第40期考題) 


49. An intelligent discussion can quickly _____ into a battle if the two parties allow it. (第41期考題) 


50. Kim is _____ going to be furious when she sees the mess you made in the office. (第33期考題)