7．Why do human beings still risk their lives under ground and doing one of the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs in the world？It's an increasingly urgent question，given the recent mining accidents in Sago．W．Va．a(chǎn)nd Huntington，Utah．A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work．
Robotic technology，in particular，holds much promise，McAteer says，especially when it comes to mapping mines and rescuing trapped miners-the special operations of the mining industry．
One of the first mining robots was developed five years ago at Canegie-Mellon University's Robotics Institute．It was called Groundhog．It used lasers to"see"in dark tunnels and map abandoned mines-some of the most dangerous work in the business．
The latest design is called Cave Crawler．It's a bit smaller than Grondhog，and even more advanced．It can take photos and video and has more sensors that can discover the presence of dangerous gases．The robot has a real sense of logic，which is hard to believe．If it comes across a thing in the way it gets confused．It has to think through the process and where to go next，and sometimes it throws a fit just like a real person．
The greatest problem，though，is cost．The money of the earliest research project was provided by the government，but that money has dried up，and it's not clear where future money will come from．Partly for that reason，and partly because of advances in safely，mining is not nearly as dangerous as it was in the past．Since 1990，fatalities（致命性） have declined by 67percent and injuries by 51percent，according to the National Mining Association．
Some experts predict that robots in the mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry．The robot do the most boring and dangerous jobs，but don't eliminate the need for human workers．
51．The latest robot is more advanced than Groundhog mainly becauseD．
A．it's a bit smaller
B．it can map abandoned mines
C．it can see in the dark tunnel
D．it has a real sense of logic
52．The underlined phrase"throws a bit"in Paragraph 4probably meansA．
A．gets angry B．gets sick
C．becomes hungry D．becomes cheerful
53．We can infer from the last paragraph thatC．
A．robots in mines will serve much in the automotive industry
B．there will be no need for human workers in mines
C．the mine robots will have a very bright future
D．robots in mines only do some simple jobs now
54．We can learn from the text thatC．
A．a(chǎn) mining robots can help miners have an operation
B．Groundhog can discover the presence of dangerous gases
C．experts are trying to make robots help miners with dangerous work
D．robots have helped improve the safety of mining
55．What can be the best title for the text？B
A．Mining Accidents in America
B．Robots in Mines
C．Cave Crawler，the Latest Robot
D．The Future of Robots．
分析 本文主要介紹了一種新研發(fā)的機器人，和以前的Groundhog相比，它有真正的邏輯能力，最重要的是，它可以幫助礦工們做一些危險的事情．
解答 51．D細節(jié)理解題．根據(jù)第四段The robot has a real sense of logic，which is hard to believe．可知最新的機器人比"Groundhog"更先進，因為它有真正的邏輯能力．故選D．
52．A詞義辨析題．根據(jù)第四段If it comes across a thing in the way it gets confused．It has to think through the process and where to go next，and sometimes it throws a fit just like a real person．可知當遇到障礙時機器人會感到迷惑，然后思考程序和下一步該怎么走．有時（障礙不能解決時）也會像人一樣大發(fā)脾氣．由此推知，"throws a fit"意思是"大發(fā)脾氣"．故選A．
53．C細節(jié)推斷題．根據(jù)最后一段Some experts predict that robots in the mines will serve much of the same function that they do in the automotive industry．可知礦場機器人有更光明的未來．故選C．
54．C推理判斷題．根據(jù)最后一段The robot do the most boring and dangerous jobs，but don't eliminate the need for human workers．可知專家正在努力讓機器人幫助工人做危險的工作．故選C．
55．B標題選擇題．根據(jù)第一段A small group of engineers and robotics experts look forward to a day in the not-too-distant future when robots and other technology do most of the dangerous mining work．可知這篇文章講的是研究人員正研究在礦場代替工人做危險工作的機器人．第二、三、四段講述采礦機器人的發(fā)展；第五段談到發(fā)展存在的障礙；第六段指出，雖然有障礙但專家預測采礦機器人前景廣闊．故選B．
點評 本文考察學生的理解推斷能力以及細心程度，只要抓住文章的關(guān)鍵詞，采用尋讀的方法查找細節(jié)，就能找到正確答案．
