能力提升 I. 閱讀理解 A
On holiday, many will find themselves in places where they do not speak the language. Once upon a time, they might have carried a phrase book. But now, many simple, free apps are good news for those travelers. With these apps' conversation mode, people talk into a phone and a spoken translation is heard moments later. Maybe the best-known app is Google Translate, though small mistakes can happen due to its word-for-word tool may not be suitable for translation at all. Though not perfect, can that ChatGPT, a generative AI system, can produce messages in different languages, producing output like a native speaker.
As AI translation becomes an even more popular all-saving tool, society may divide into two groups. There will be those who want to fully experience other cultures. This group will still take language study, often aided by technology. Others will look at learning a new language with a different attitude: "Good for you, if that's your thing, but a bit painful for my taste." After all, most people do not move abroad or often have contact with a foreign culture. On their holiday, they just want a beer and spaghetti（意大利面）.
As a result, some experts are concerned that AI is leading to a decreasing interest in language learning. Writer Douglas Hofstadter has argued that something meaningful will disappear when people communicate through machines. He describes giving a disconnected, difficult speech in Chinese, which required a lot of work but offered a sense of achievement at the end. Who would boast of（吹噓）taking a helicopter to the top of Mount Everest（珠穆朗瑪峰）?
While AI translation seems practical, we must recognize the social nature of language. When trying to ask directions in broken Japanese or make a joke in awkward German, you are making direct contact with someone. The best relationships do not require a third party.
1. What does the underlined word "that" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Conversation.
B. Language learning.
C. Message writing.
D. Translation.
2. Why does the writer mention "beer and spaghetti" in Paragraph 3?
A. To present an opinion.
B. To support a fact.
C. To make a prediction.
D. To give an example.
3. What can we infer from Douglas Hofstadter's opinion?
A. Reaching Mount Everest is quite easy.
B. Learning a foreign language is less attractive.
C. Talking without the help of technology is worthwhile.
D. Making a speech in another language is too challenging.
4. What is the social nature of language?
A. Direct connection with people.
B. Broken but funny translation.
C. Awkward relations between people.
D. Communication with the third party.
答案：1. D
解析：第二段前文講AI翻譯成為流行工具，此處“can that ChatGPT... can produce messages in different languages”中“that”指代前文的“translation”，D選項正確。
2. D
解析：第三段提到“most people do not move abroad or often have contact with a foreign culture. On their holiday, they just want a beer and spaghetti.”，作者提到“beer and spaghetti”是舉例說明大多數人在假期對語言的需求不高，D選項正確。
3. C
解析：根據倒數第二段“Douglas Hofstadter has argued that something meaningful will disappear when people communicate through machines... required a lot of work but offered a sense of achievement at the end.”可知，他認為不借助技術交流是有價值的，C選項正確。
4. A
解析：根據最后一段“When trying to ask directions in broken Japanese or make a joke in awkward German, you are making direct contact with someone. The best relationships do not require a third party.”可知，語言的社會屬性是與人直接聯系，A選項正確。
B
What makes preschoolers eat their vegetables? Raise their hand? Wait their turn? "Because I say so" is a comment that parents often repeat. But when it comes to getting kids to behave, a recent study by Duke University researchers suggests that the voice of adult authority isn't the only thing that matters. Around age three, fitting in with the group starts to count big, too.
To understand what causes preschoolers to fall in line, the researchers conducted a test in a lab, where they invited 3.5-year-olds to help set up for a pretend tea party. Each of the 104 children was given a blue sticker（貼紙）to wear at the start of the study, and told that the people with that color sticker were part of the same team. Next the researchers watched as the children decided among different kinds of teas, snacks, cups and plates for the tea party, first on their own and then after listening to the choices of other team members.
Sometimes the other team members considered their choice as a matter of personal preference ("For my tea party today, I feel like using this snack"). Other times they presented it as a need shared by the whole group ("For our tea parties today, we always use this kind of snack.").
After listening to the choices of others, most of the time the children stuck with their choice. In other words, children who had said they felt like using, say, the cookie finally picked the cookie no matter what the other person said they were using. But 23% of the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the time the children changed their choice to accept the other person's choice. And when they did, they were more likely to go along with the person when a choice was presented as a group need rather than just a personal preference. The finding held up even when the other person was another child, not an adult.
5. What's the recent study mainly about?
A. Parent training.
B. Social rules.
C. Child behavior.
D. Eating habits.
6. What does the underlined phrase "fall in line" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Stand in a line.
B. Join the group.
C. Listen to the parents.
D. Attend a party.
7. What made children accept others' choice?
A. The common need.
B. The advice of adults.
C. The delicious cookie.
D. The individual preference.
8. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. Adults Are Losing Their Authority
B. 3-Year-Olds Want to Fit into the Group
C. Children Are Not Born Knowing What to Do
D. Kids Are Acting Out of a Sense of Copying Adults
答案：5. C
解析：文章主要研究三歲左右的孩子在群體中行為的變化，屬于兒童行為研究，C選項正確。
6. B
解析：根據第二段“To understand what causes preschoolers to fall in line... after listening to the choices of other team members.”可知，“fall in line”指加入群體，跟隨群體選擇，B選項正確。
7. A
解析：根據最后一段“And when they did, they were more likely to go along with the person when a choice was presented as a group need rather than just a personal preference.”可知，群體需求使孩子接受他人選擇，A選項正確。
8. B
解析：文章主要講三歲左右的孩子開始想要融入群體，B選項“3-Year-Olds Want to Fit into the Group”適合作為標題。
