Hollywood's theory that machines with evil(邪恶) minds will drive armies of killer robots is just silly. The real problem relates to the possibility that artificial intelligence(AI) may become extremely good at achieving something other than what we really want. In 1960 a well-known mathematician Norbert Wiener, who founded the field of cybernetics（控制论）, put it this way "If we use, to achieve our purposes, a mechanical agency with whose operation we cannot effectively interfere(干预), we had better be quite sure that the purpose which we really desire."
A machine with a specific purpose has another quality, one that we usually associate with living things a wish to preserve its own existence. For the machine, this quality is not in-born, nor is it something introduced by humans; it is a logical consequence of the simple fact that the machine cannot achieve its original purpose if it is dead. So if we send out a robot with the single instruction of fetching coffee, it will have a strong desire to secure success by disabling its own off switch or even killing anyone who might interfere with its task. If we are not careful, then, we could face a kind of global chess match against very determined, super intelligent machines whose objectives conflict with our own, with the real world as the chessboard.
The possibility of entering into and losing such a match should concentrating the minds of computer scientists. Some researchers argue that we can seal the machines inside a kind of firewall, using them to answer difficult questions but never allowing them to affect the real world. Unfortunately, that plan seems unlikely to work we have yet to invent a firewall that is secure against ordinary humans, let alone super intelligent machines.
Solving the safety problem well enough to move forward in AI seems to be possible but not easy. There are probably decades in which to plan for the arrival of super intelligent machines. But the problem should not be dismissed out of hand, as it has been by some AI researchers. Some argue that humans and machines can coexist as long as they work in teams-yet that is not possible unless machines share the goals of humans. Others say we can just "switch them off" as if super intelligent machines are too stupid to think of that possibility. Still others think that super intelligent AI will never happen. On September 11, 1933, famous physicist Ernest Rutherford stated, with confidence, "Anyone who expects a source of power in the transformation of these atoms is talking moonshine." However, on September 12, 1933, physicist Leo Szilard invented the neutron-induced(中子诱导) nuclear chain reaction.
67.Paragraph 1 mainly tells us that artificial intelligence may .
| A． |
run out of human control |
| B． |
satisfy human's real desires |
| C． |
command armies of killer robots |
| D． |
work faster than a mathematician |
68.Machines with specific purposes are associated with living things partly because they might be able to .
| A． |
prevent themselves from being destroyed |
| B． |
B achieve their original goals independently |
| C． |
do anything successfully with given orders |
| D． |
beat humans in international chess matches |
69.According to some researchers, we can use firewalls to .
| A． |
help super intelligent machines work better |
| B． |
be secure against evil human beings |
| C． |
keep machines from being harmed |
| D． |
avoid robot's affecting the world |
70.What does the author think of the safety problem of super intelligent machines?
A．It will disappear with the development of AI．
B．It will get worse with human interference.
C．It will be solved but with difficulty.
Several years ago, a student working on a research project in my laboratory approached me with concern.“I’m doing something wrong,”she exclaimed. I had seen her research results and knew she was making good progress, so I was surprised to hear that she was having a problem. Over the next several days we went through her experiment; yet I could not find a problem. Finally, I asked her,“Why do you think you’re doing something wrong?” “Because I’m not getting what you said I should get,”she replied with some confusion.
Her response shocked me. I had not told her what she“should get”, but we had discussed some published hypotheses(假说) several weeks earlier. On seeing the research data that did not fit these predictions, I recognized that she had a new finding and came to change my hypotheses. But she was interpreting her results as a mistake. With almost four years of a college science major behind her, this student still had the common misunderstanding that science is a boring exercise in proving something we already know to be true.
But how can this happen? Throughout school, science is often described in textbooks as a series of“known”facts and figures; for example, DNA is a double helix; earthquakes occur at plate boundaries, etc. Unfortunately, the process by which these discoveries were made and how they fit into scientific progress are often ignored in the classroom. These details help show the nature of scientific discoveries and the tails help show the nature of scientific discoveries and the skepticism(质疑) that goes with new discoveries before they are accepted.
Understanding science is more than memorizing that DNA is a double helix. It is to have the ability to take in new information on diet, exercise, or disease and apply it to our own lives. Understanding the process of science and scientific problem-solving can help us make better decisions every day.The student thought her research project had gone wrong because.
| A．she was not making progress |
| B．her teacher told her so |
| C．she couldn’t get enough data |
| D．she had some unexpected findings |
How did the writer feel when he found out the reason for the student’s confusion?
| A．Confused. | B．Surprised. | C．Excited. | D．Pleased. |
What is to blame for the student’s misunderstanding about science?
| A．Her own carelessness. |
| B．Her teacher’s lack of experience. |
| C．The method of science education. |
| D．The publication of some wrong hypotheses. |
What is the last paragraph mainly about?
| A．The meaning of understanding science. |
| B．How to use known facts. |
| C．The best way to make scientific discoveries. |
| D．How to use scientific knowledge in daily life. |
Do you enjoy watching beautiful sunsets and seeing wildlife in some of the best parts of Wisconsin? Do you like being around people who share the same respect and love for natural resources? If you say“yes”, then a fisheries biologist is a great career choice for you.
As you can probably guess, education is very important. A Bachelor of Science degree in fisheries or biology is strongly recommended(推荐). Many biologists have a Master’s degree. But it’s not only good education that prepares you for a career as a fisheries biologist—field experience is also important. Volunteer work, internships(实习) and short-term fish technician positions are good ways to gain valuable training that can give you an edge in the competitive job market.
In addition to good education and field experience, a fisheries biologist needs other skills. You’ll spend a lot of time working with the public, so it’s important to feel comfortable talking to a variety of people. Good communication, listening, and presentation(陈述) skills are a must.
A common misconception among many people is that fisheries biologists get to fish all the time. Most biologists wish that were true. But as a fisheries biologist, you are especially busy during the fishing season, which leaves little time for you to actually go fishing. It’s sad, but true.
Each day brings something different in the life of a fisheries biologist. In the spring and fall, you spend a lot of time on the water shocking fish in order to sample the population, studying fish, and talking with people. The winter is spent analyzing(分析) fish data and communication with the public.
So if you find fish interesting and fun to learn about, and like working both outside and inside, consider a career as a fisheries biologist. You’ll never be bored!We can infer this passage was written to.
| A．advise us to respect and protect wildlife |
| B．encourage us to spend more time working outside |
| C．explain why education is important for our career |
| D．introduce a good career to those who are interested in wildlife |
What are Paragraphs 2 and 3 mainly about?
| A．Education needed to find a good job. |
| B．Requirements for becoming a fisheries biologist. |
| C．The benefits of being a fisheries biologist. |
| D．Some good ways to gain valuable training. |
The underlined word“misconception”in Paragraph 4 probably means“”。
| A．question | B．misunderstanding | C．dream | D．explanation |
It can be inferred from the passage that.
| A．fisheries biologists like working in winter most |
| B．fisheries biologists can easily get bored of their work |
| C．fisheries biologists get to fish all the time all year round |
| D．fisheries biologists spend a lot of time working outside in spring and fall |
England has been the birthplace of most of the great English-language theater written throughout history. Most of the plays in England that are truly famous have something in common. They usually come from a playwright(剧作家) with several famous plays.
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is considered the most famous British playwright. Shakespeare has a large catalog(目录) of tragedies, comedies and history plays, and each category is home to some of the most famous plays ever written. Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Othello and Julius Caesar are all tragedies and performed in theaters around the world every year. Famous comedies include A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Much Ado About Nothing. In the history category, Richard Ⅲ and Henry Ⅴ are very famous.
Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw
Several hundred years after Shakespeare, English people began to enjoy the works of Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Wilde’s plays are still popular now, and The Importance of Being Earnest is both performed and studied extremely frequently. A Woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband are among his other famous works. Shaw and Wilde were born within a few years of each other, but Shaw was a much more productive writer. His most famous plays include Pygmalion and Candida. Shaw’s plays are loved so much that an entire theater company is devoted to performing his work in Niagara-on-the-Lake in southern Ontario.
Harold Pinter
The plays of Harold Pinter certainly have an international presence. His writing was so widely recognized for its importance that he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 2005. Pinter is especially known for his style of writing. Many of his plays such as Betrayal, The Dumb Waiter and his first play, The Room, are extremely well known.The writer wrote this passage to.
| A．advise us to spend more time enjoying plays |
| B．explain why England has so many wonderful plays |
| C．tell us about some famous British playwrights and their works |
| D．tell us the differences among some British playwrights |
What do the works in the underlined part in Paragraph 2 have in common?
| A．They are all Shakespeare’s early works. |
| B．They are all tragedies written by Shakespeare. |
| C．They are all Shakespeare’s famous comedies. |
| D．They all belong to the history category of Shakespeare’s plays. |
Which of the following plays were most probably written in the same period of time?
| A．The Dumb Waiter and A Woman of No Importance. |
| B．Richard Ⅲ and A Woman of No Importance. |
| C．An Ideal Husband and Candida. |
| D．Candida and Betrayal. |
Who was mentioned in this passage that he had received the Nobel Prize because of his writing?
| A．William Shakespeare. | B．Oscar Wilde. |
| C．George Bernard Shaw. | D．Harold Pinter. |
Many people influenced various aspects of my life, based on their personal characteristics, accomplishments, and values. I have been fortunate to have had numerous teachers and professors who I respect for their patience and intelligence. There are artists that have inspired me by their natural talents and original creativity. I value many political leaders, who have inspired me by their contributions to society, and their ability to change our futures. But of all the people I have known in my life, the person I admire most is my father.
As the youngest girl in my family, I always considered myself to be“Daddy’s little girl”. While I grew up, it always made me sad to see so many of my friends and neighbors without a father or father-like figure around. This helped me appreciate how my father always takes an interest in his children’s lives. In every aspect of my life my father continuously pushes me to excel, so I could accomplish my work outstandingly among my people. Whenever I feel like giving up, or have a question or a concern, I know I can always call on him for advice. From him I have also learned that sometimes you have to put others’ needs ahead of your own, but you should make sure you are not taken advantage of by others. His strength seems to be unbreakable during hard times, and he is extremely determined to accomplish anything he sets his mind on, no matter how tiny it is. I highly respect him for how he stands up for what he believes in, and will never back down. I have always admired his open mind, compassion(同情) for people, and sense of understanding. He is a very reserved(保留的) man, but to everybody’s surprise, he has a great sense of humor, and always knows how to put a smile on the faces of his wife, his children and his friends.
Living in his affection and instruction, I am very proud of my father. He also professes (声称) how proud he is of his children, and is still there to support us in whatever we are involved in.What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How my father loved me |
| B．My father—the person I admire most |
| C．I am the apple of my father’s eye |
| D．My father—the one who influenced me most |
Which of the following could not be used to describe the author’s father?
| A．Considerate and humorous. |
| B．Affectionate(慈祥的) and open-minded. |
| C．Knowledgeable and sociable. |
| D．Energetic and helpful. |
Which of the following can best explain the underlined word“excel”?
| A．Do better than others. | B．Show off. |
| C．Be cleverer than others. | D．Keep healthy. |
According to the underlined part, the father was telling the author to.
| A．try to be good to those who were worth making friends with |
| B．try to take advantage of those who were friendly to her |
| C．think about others and help them, so that she could make them serve her |
| D．think about others and help them, but not to be made use of in a negative way |
What can we infer about the author?
| A．She appreciated her father because he solved all the problems for her. |
| B．She considered her father humorous and was often made to laugh by him. |
| C．She had pity on the fatherless. |
| D．She was outstanding in work because her father pushed her hard. |
A man was on the side of the road hitchhiking(搭便车) on a very dark night in the middle of a terrible rainstorm, with no cars on the road. The storm was so strong that the man could hardly see a few feet ahead of him. Suddenly, he saw a car come towards him and stop. The man, without thinking about it, got in the car and closed the door and only then did he realize that there was nobody behind the steering wheel(方向盘)!
The car started to move very slowly. The man looked at the road and saw a curve(拐弯处) coming his way. Terrified, he started to pray, begging for his life. He had not come out of shock when, just before the car hit the curve, a hand suddenly appeared through the window and moved the wheel. The man, paralyzed with fear, watched how the hand appeared every time the car was drawing near a curve. Finally, although terrified, the man managed to open the door and jump out of the spooky(怪异的) car. Without looking back, the man ran through the storm all the way to the nearest town. In a state of complete horror, the man walked into a nearby bar and asked for two glasses of Scotch whisky.
Then, still shaking with fright, he started telling everybody in the bar about the horrible experience he just went through in the spooky car. Everyone in the bar listened in silence and became frightened, with hair standing on end, when they realized the man was telling the truth because he was crying and he was certainly not drunk!
About half an hour later, two other young men walked into the same bar and one said to the other,“Hey, there’s a stupid man who jumped into the car while we were pushing it!”When the car was first drawing near a curve, the man.
| A．felt very curious | B．was extremely frightened |
| C．cried for help | D．remained as calm as possible |
According to the passage, what made the man’s experience believable?
| A．His reasonable behavior. | B．His vivid description. |
| C．His simple appearance. | D．His honest attitude. |
We can infer from the passage that.
| A．it is unsafe for people to take a free ride |
| B．the man was telling a lie to his listeners |
| C．the car probably broke down on the way |
| D．the two young men were familiar with the man |