Technology: Taking the good without the bad?
Very soon, unimaginably powerful technologies will remake our lives．This could have dangerous consequences, especially because we may not even understand the basic science underlyi ng them．There’s a growing gap between our technological capability and our basic scientific understanding．We can do very clever things with the technology of the future without necessarily understanding some of the science underneath, and that is very dangerous．
The technologies that are particularly dangerous over the next hundred years are nanotechnology （納米技術(shù)）, artificial intelligence and biotechnology．The benefits that they will bring are beyond doubt．But they are going to be very, very dangerous．I’m working in the field of artificial intelligence．I have a model design for something that might be 50,000 million times smarter than the human brain．Target date is 2010．The only thing that's not possible in the film Terminator（終結(jié)者） is that the people win．If you're fighting against technology w hich is 50,000 million times smarter than you, you probably will not win．
Nanotechnology．We've all heard of the grey glue problem, that self-replicating nanotech devices might keep on copying until the world has become sticky glue．And certainly in biotechnology, we've really got a big problem because it's converging with nanotechnology and IT．Once you start mixing nanotech with organisms and you start feeding nanotech-enabled bacteria, we can really go an awful lot further than the Borg in Star Trek（星際迷航）．And those superhuman organisms might not like us very much．
Eventually these technologies will become routine．That’s a threat to humanity．I don’t think it’s possible to slow it down．So what we need to do is accelerate the scientific research and try to get some extra tools．The problems facing us in the future are getting bigger and bigger．I think if we don’t get some proper science done, the future is hopeless indeed．
小題1:From the text, we know that the author’s greatest concern is         ．
A．our lack of technological understanding of the process involved
B．our lack of technological capability
C．creating technology without really understanding the basic science
D．Our refusal to face the consequences of the technology we create
小題2:It can be inferred from the text that the author         ．
A．thinks people overvalue the capabilities of technology
B．is not optimistic that artificial intelligence will always be used positively
C．thinks that we should take science fiction movies more seriously
D．believes artificial intelligence is the greatest threat we face technologically
小題3:Why does the author say it is not possible in the film Terminator that the humans win?
A．Because the power of the technology is exaggerated（夸大）．
B．Because the strength of the machines is much greater．
C．Because machines with that much intelligence can easily defeat humans．
D．Because human beings are not courageous enough to win the battle．

小題1:C
小題2:B
小題3:C

試題分析：
小題1:推理題，由第一段第五行technology of the future without necessarilyunderstanding some of the science underneath, and that is very dangerous．可以推出答案，所以選C
小題2:推理題，由第二段第三行benefits that they will bring are beyond doubt．But they are going to be very, very dangerous．可以推出作者對人工智能將被明確的使用很不樂觀，所以選B
小題3:推理題，由第二段最后一句If you're fighting against technology w hich is 50,000 million times smarter than you, you probably will not win．可以推出帶有很多智能的機器能很容易打敗人類，所以選C
點評：本文說明了人們在沒有真正明白最基本的科學創(chuàng)造了技術(shù)，比如人工智能和生物技術(shù)，先通讀全文，然后帶著問題，再讀全文，找出答題所需要的依據(jù)，完成閱讀。本文主要考查推理題，要求學生有很強的推理分析能力。
練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Some scientists say that animals in the ocean are increasingly threatened by noise pollution caused by human beings. The noise that affects sea creatures comes from a number of human activities. It is caused mainly by industrial underwater explosions, ocean drilling, and ship engines. Such noises are added to natural sounds. These sounds include the breaking of ice fields, underwater earthquakes, and sounds made by animals themselves.
Decibels(分貝) measured in water are different from those measured on land. A noise of 120 decibels on land causes pain to human ears. In water, a decible level of 195 would have the same effect.
Some scientists have suggested setting a noise limit of 120 decibles in oceans. They have observed that noises above that level can frighten and confuse whales.
A team of American and Canadian scientists discovered that loud noises could seriously injure some animals. The research team found that powerful underwater explosions were causing whales in the area to lose their hearing, which seriously affected the whales’ ability to exchange information and find their way. Some of the whales even died. The explosions had caused their ears to bleed and become infected(感染的).
Many researches whose work depends on ocean sounds disagree with a limit of 120 decibels. They say such a limit would mean an end to important industrial and scientific research.
Scientists do not know how many and what kinds of noises are harmful to ocean animals. However, many scientists suspect that noise is a greater danger than they previously believed. They want to prevent noises from harming creatures in the ocean.
小題1:The second paragraph mainly tells us that the noises on land and in water       .
A．a(chǎn)re both from human activities.
B．both do harm to sea animals
C．a(chǎn)re measured differently
D．have the same effect on humans
小題2:As to(依據(jù)) the effects of noises on whales, which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．They are deaf to noises.
B．Noises at a certain level may hurt them.
C．They are easily confused by noises.
D．Noises will limit their ability to reproduce.
小題3:Many researchers think that the noise limit of 120 decibels would        .
A．protect whales from noises
B．benefit them a lot in their research work
C．do good to their health
D．increase industrial output
小題4:What will scientists most probably do in the future?
A．Count the number of sea animals.
B．Stop their research on the ocean.
C．Study the effect of different noises.
D．Protect sea creatures from harmful noises.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


D
Knowing the best way to study will help you to be a better student. By using your time properly, you can do your homework more quickly. Learning to study is not difficult.
The first thing to remember is that you must be willing to learn. It doesn’t mean that you must always like the subject. It does mean, however, that you must be willing to do whatever is necessary to learn. Try to understand why it is important and how it will help you now and later to do and learn other things. Knowing mathematics facts will be useful in your whole life.  Knowing how to spell makes any kind of writing easier. Sometimes subject that you think is going to be uninteresting will be exciting when you begin to work at it and understand it more clearly. Learning things can be fun if you are willing to work with them.
Here’s some advice for you: have a certain time each day and a quiet place with good lighting for study, so that you can concentrate on your study without interruptions(中斷); have everything ready before you sit down to study, a dictionary, paper, a pen and books; be sure you understand what you should learn before you start; read carefully and pay special attention to the most important things; when memorizing, first find out the main parts and then recite the whole thing; check your homework after you finish it; never forget the importance of review and preview.
小題1:The main purpose of the article is______
A．to prove that learning is not difficult
B．to make the readers be interested in study
C．to tell the importance of self teaching
D．to tell the students how to study well
小題2: We learn things because______
A．our parents want us to learn
B．every student learns at school
C．we may use these things in the future
D．we like the subjects
小題3:Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the article?
A．To put a pen, paper and books beside you before study.
B．To study at any possible time and place.
C．To review and preview.
D．To pay attention to the most important things.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Research shows that much of our predisposition （傾向） towards determination, sociability and self - control and sense of purpose is in our genes．In fact, our DNA plays a bigger role in influencing these traits （ characteristics）than our upbringing （兒童期的教養(yǎng)）and the company we keep．Taken together, these aspects of personality can make the difference between success and failure, say the Edinburgh University researchers．        
They questioned more than 800 pairs of twins about their attitudes to life to tease apart the influences of nature and nurture．Comparing identical twins, who share all their DNA and their up bringing, with non-identical twins, who have a shared background but are no more genetically alike than other brothers and sisters, is a technique often used by researchers to quantify the influence of genetics．
The results, published in the Journal of Personality, showed that genes play a much bigger role than lifestyle, with self-control particularly etched （銘刻） into our DNA．                   
Our genes a222so largely determine how determined and persistent we are．This is important in terms of success, as someone who refuses to give up is more likely to achieve their dreams than someone who throws in the towel at the first hiccough．
Researcher Professor Timothy Bates said, "Ever since the ancient Greeks, people Lave de hated the nature of a good life and the nature of a virtuous life．Why do some people seem to manage their lives, have good relationships and cooperate to achieve their goals while others do not? Previously,  the role of family and the environment around the home often controlled people' s ideas about what affected psychological well-being．However, this work emphasizes a much more powerful influence from genetics．"
However, those who haven' t been dealt a helpful hand of genes shouldn' t he too depressed．The professor says a sense of purpose is the key and advises those who are eager for success to focus their thoughts on making a difference．
小題1:What does the result of the research indicate?
A．Our DNA is the only factor to decide our traits．
B．Our DNA plays a decisive role, in achieving success．
C．Education plays little part in the formation of our character．
D．Society has Little effect on us in our personality．
小題2:The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to someone who                ．
A．is born successfulB．determines to make a difference
C．makes great effortD．a(chǎn)dmits defeat easily
小題3:Timothy Bates mentions the ancient Creeks in order to indicate that          ．
A．some people can live a good life because they can manage their lives
B．people haven't made it clear yet what is the key personality trait（持點,特征） to be a success
C．in ancient Greece the role of family and the environment was ignored
D．the relationship between personality and success has always been people's concern
小題4:According to the passage, the key personality trait is            ．
A．determinationB．kindnessC．politenessD．sociability
小題5:What is the best title for the passage?
A．How do people work hard?B．Why can some people succeed?
C．DNA determines success or failureD．Several factors determine personality

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多余項。
What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, and red?  71  Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy, and you would rather follow than lead. You tend to be a pessimist（悲觀者）. At least, this is what psychologists（心理專家） tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of colors preference, as well as the effect that colors have on human beings.   72 If you happen to love brown, you did so, as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
 73  A yellow room makes most people feel more cheerful and more relaxed than a dark green one; and a red dress brings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day.  74  A black bridge over the Thames River, near London, used to be the scene of more suicides than any other bridge in the area ---until it was repainted green. The number of suicide attempts immediately fell sharply; perhaps it would have fallen even more if the bridge had been done in pink or baby blue.
  75 It is an established fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or grey.
A．On the other hand, black is depressing.
B．They tells us that we do not choose our favorite color as we grow up——we are born
with our preference.
C．The rooms are painted in different colors as you like.
D．If you do, you must be an optimist（樂觀者）, a leader, an active person who enjoys
life, people and excitement.
E. Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active.
F. Life is like a picture or a poem, full of different colors.
G. Colors do influence our moods——there is no doubt about it .

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

In the past, man did not have to think about the protection of his environment. There were few people on the earth, and natural resources seemed to be____36____ .
Today things are___37_____, the world has become too___38____ . We are using up our natural resources too quickly, and at the same time we are___39____ our environment with dangerous chemicals. If we continue to do this, human life on the earth ___40____survive.
Everyone___41_____ today that if too many fish are taken from the sea, there will soon be none left. Yet, with modern fishing__42_____ , more and more fish are caught. We know that if too many trees are cut down, ___43____will disappear and nothing will grow on the land. Yet, we ___44_____to use bigger and more powerful machines to __45____more and more trees.
We realize that if rivers are polluted with waste products from factories, we will die.___46_____, in most countries wastes are ___47______put into rivers or into the sea, and there are _48_____laws to stop this.
We know, too, that if the___49____ of the world continues to rise at the present rate, in a few years, there will not be enough___50_____. What can we do to solve these problems ?
It we eat more vegetables and less___51____, there will be more food available for everyone. Land that is used to grow crops __52_____five times more people than land where animals are kept.
Our natural resources will _53_____longer if we learn to recycle them. The world population will not rise so quickly if people use modern methods of birth__54_______ .
Finally, if we educate people to think about the problems, we shall have a better and clearer ___55____in the future.
小題1:
A．beautifulB．unlimitedC．rareD．valuable
小題2:
A．commonB．the sameC．changeableD．different
小題3:
A．crowdedB．smallC．dirtyD．busy
小題4:
A．protectingB．savingC．pollutingD．fighting
小題5:
A．may notB．will notC．shall notD．could not
小題6:
A．wondersB．realizesC．considerD．discovers
小題7:
A．polesB．boatsC．methodsD．ideas
小題8:
A．mountainsB．the seaC．treesD．forests
小題9:
A．continueB．haveC．oughtD．will go on
小題10:
A．growB．plantC．saveD．cut down
小題11:
A．ThusB．HoweverC．Generally speakingD．Therefore
小題12:
A．stillB．evenC．a(chǎn)lsoD．certainly
小題13:
A．too manyB．a(chǎn) fewC．someD．few
小題14:
A．productionB．pollutionC．populationD．revolution
小題15:
A．housesB．vegetablesC．foodD．lives
小題16:
A．fruitB．meatC．fishD．grain
小題17:
A．feedsB．increasesC．suppliesD．helps
小題18:
A．useB．stayC．keepD．last
小題19:
A．controlB．bornC．planD．reward
小題20:
A．natureB．seaC．planetD．Forest

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It has been argued that an infant under three who is cared for outside the home may suffer because of the separation from his parents．The British psychoanalyst John Bowlby believes that separation from the parents during the sensitive "attachment" period from birth to three may scar （留下疤痕） a child's personality and incline to emotional problems in later life．Some people have drawn the conclusion from Bowlby's work that children should not be sent to day care before the age of three, and many people do believe this．But there are also arguments against such a strong conclusion．
Firstly, anthropologists （人類學家） point out that the hidden love between children and parents found in modem societies does not usually exist in traditional societies．For example, we saw earlier that among the Ngonis the father and mother of a child did not raise their infant alone．But traditional societies are so different from modern societies that comparisons based on just one factor are hard to understand．
Secondly, common sense tells us that day care would not be so widespread today if parents and caretakers found that children had problems with it．But Bowlby's analysis raises the possibility that early day care has delayed effects．The possibility that such care might lead to more mental illness or crime 15 or 20 years later can only be noticed by the use of statistics．Statistical studies of this kind have not yet been carried out, and even if they were, the results would be certain to be complicated and controversial．
Thirdly, in the last decade, there have been a number of careful American studies of children in day care, and they have reported that day care had a neutral of slightly positive effect on children's development．But tests that have had to be used to measure this development are not widely enough accepted to settle the issue．
小題1:This passage is mainly talking about________．
A．children's personality
B．a(chǎn)dvantages of infants' early care
C．infants' education
D．negative effect of infant school
小題2:The phrase "day care   in the first paragraph probably means_____.
A．nursing schoolB．baby-sitter
C．boarding schoolD．primary school
小題3:According to Bowlby, children under the age of three______．
A．should not be sent to school
B．should be cared for outside the home
C．will not suffer fro m parental separation
D．don't mind who will look after them
小題4:The argument against Bowlby's conclusion shows that___．
A．children have problems with day care
B．there is no negative effect on infants who go to school before three
C．there is a long-term effect on infants who go to school before three
D．children who are sent to school before three are sent to mental illness

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

There was one thought that air pollution affected only the area immediately around large cities with factories and heavy traffic．At present, we realize that although these are the areas with the worst air pollution, the problem is really worldwide．On several occasions over the past decade，a heavy cloud of air pollution has covered the east of the United States and brought health warnings in distant areas away from any industrial cities．In fact，the very climate of the entire earth may be infected by air pollution．Some scientists consider that the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in the air resulting from the burning of fossil fuels(coal and oil)is creating a “greenhouse effect”—— keeping heat reflected from the earth and raising the world’s average temperature．If this view is correct and the world's temperature is raised only a few degrees, much of the polar ice cap will melt and cities such as New York，Boston，Miami，and New Orleans will be in water．
Another view, less widely held, is that increasing particular matter in the atmosphere is blocking sunlight and lowering the earth’s temperature—a result that would be equally disastrous．A drop of just a few degrees could create something close to a new ice age，and would make agriculture difficult or impossible in many of our top farming areas．Today we do not know for sure that either of these conditions will happen．Perhaps，if we are lucky enough，the two tendencies will offset each other and the world's temperature will stay about the same as it is now．Driven by economic profits, people ignore the damage on our environment caused by the “advanced civilization”．Maybe the air pollution is the price the human beings have to pay for their development．But is it really worth-while?
小題1:People used to think that air pollution_________ .
A．caused widespread damage in the countryside
B．a(chǎn)ffected the entire eastern half of the United States
C．had a very bad effect on health
D．existed merely in urban and industrial areas
小題2:As to the greenhouse effect, the author_________.
A．shares the same view with the scientists．
B．is uncertain of its occurrence
C．rejects it as being ungrounded
D．thinks that it will destroy the world soon
小題3:The underlined word “offset” in the second paragraph could be replaced by_______.
A．counter-actB．break fromC．get alongD．communicate
小題4:This passage is primarily about________ .
A．the greenhouse effect
B．the burning of fossil fuels
C．the potential effect of air pollution
D．the possibility of a new ice age

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers．Brain-computer interface（BCI） technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines．
Recently, two researchers, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, demonstrated（展示）a small robotic wheelchair directed by a person’s thoughts．
In the laboratory, Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand．He could even talk as he watched the vehicle and guided it with his thoughts．
“Our brain has billions of nerve cells．These send signals through the spinal cord（脊髓）to the muscles to give us the ability to move．But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the muscles,” Tavella says．“Our system allows disabled people to communicate with external world and also to control devices．”
The researchers designed a special cap for the user．This head cover picks up the signals from the scalp（頭皮）and sends them to a computer．The computer interprets the signals and commands the motorized wheelchair． The wheelchair also has two cameras that identify objects in its path．They help the computer react to commands from the brain．
Prof．Millan, the team leader, says scientists keep improving the computer software that interprets brain signals and turns them into simple commands．“The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories: communication, and controlling devices．One example is this wheelchair．”
He says his team has set two goals．One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from．And the other is to guarantee that they can use the technology over long periods of time．
小題1:BCI is a technology that can         .
A．help to update computer systemsB．link the human brain with computers
C．help the disabled to recoverD．control a person's thoughts
小題2:How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?                                    
A．By controlling his muscles．B．By talking to the machine．
C．By moving his hand．D．By using his mind．
小題3:The team will test with real patients to         .
A．make profits from themB．prove the technology useful to them
C．make them live longerD．learn about their physical condition
小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A．Switzerland, the BCI Research Center
B．New Findings About How the Human Brain Works
C．BCI Could Mean More Freedom for the Disabled
D．Robotic Vehicles Could Help to Cure Brain Injuries

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案