题目内容
Robots are smart. With their computer brains, they help people work in dangerous places or do difficult jobs. Some robots do regular jobs. Bobby, the robot mail carrier, brings mail to a large office building in Washington, D.C. He is one of 250 robot mail carriers in the United States. Mr. Leachim, who weights two hundred pounds and is six feet tall, has some advantages as a teacher. One is that he does not forget details. He knows each child’s name, their parents’ names, and what each child knows and needs to know. In addition, he knows each child’s pets and hobbies. Mr. Leachim does not make mistakes. Each child goes and tells him his or her name, then dials an identification (识别) number. His computer brain puts the child’s voice and number together. He identifies the child with no mistakes.
Another advantage is that Mr. Leachim is flexible. If the children need more time to do their lessons they can move switches. In this way they can repeat Mr. Leachim’s lesson over and over again. When the children do a good job, he tells them something interesting about their hobbies. At the end of the lesson the children switch Mr. Leachim off.
1.The first paragraph of the passage tells us
A. human beings are not as smart as robots
B. robots will take the place of man to rule the earth
C. we can only use robots to do some regular jobs
D. robots can help people in many different ways
2.What is the most important thing Mr. Leachim can do in his lessons?
A. To meet the needs of each student.
B. To talk to the students in different languages.
C. To keep everyone’s interest in his lessons.
D. To introduce more hobbies to the children.
3.The underlined word “flexible” probably means
A. not strict B. not hard
C. suitable D. changeable
4.Which of the following statements may be TRUE according to the passage?
A. There are 250 robot teachers in the United States.
B. Mr. Leachim is run and controlled by electricity.
C. Bobby works in a large office building in Washington D.C.
D. The lessons taught by Mr. Leachim are given on a TV set.
1.D
2.A
3.D
4.B
【解析】
试题分析:本文介绍了智能机器人的多种用途。Bobby可以从事人们正常的工作,可以送邮件等等,像这样的机器人美国有250个。而机器人Mr Leachim是有着许多优势的老师,他可以去满足不同孩子的不同需求,而且使用方便。
1.D主旨大意题。文章开头提出Robots are smart. With their computer brains, they help people work in dangerous places or do difficult jobs.然后举了两个机器人的例子,由此可知文章中心是介绍机器人在多方面对人类的帮助,所以D选项正确。
2.A细节理解题。文章第一段介绍了机器人老师Mr Leachim的很多优势,从what each child knows and needs to know. In addition, he knows each child’s pets and hobbies.可以推断A选项正确。
3.D词意猜测题。从文章最后一段的介绍可知孩子们可以随时听老师的讲课,也可以一遍遍播放老师的讲课内容,由此推断flexible意思是“灵活的”,所以D选项正确。
4.B推理判断题。从文章最后一段If the children need more time to do their lessons they can move switches. 和At the end of the lesson the children switch Mr. Leachim off. 可以判断机器人老师是由电操作控制的,故B选项正确。
考点:考查社会知识类短文阅读。
A robot is a computer-controlled machine that is programmed to move and handle objects. Robots are able to perform repetitive tasks more quickly, cheaply, and accurately (精确的) than humans. In 1995, about 700,000 robots were used-including over 500,000 in Japan, about 120,000 in Western Europe, and about 60,000 in the United States-all in the industrialized world. Many robots applications are designed for tasks that are either dangerous or unpleasant for human beings. Now, robotic technology can be used in more and more fields. Experts say in the future robots will be able to make new highways, constructsteel frameworks of buildings, clean sewage (污水系统), and such physical work. Besides, another possibility is the development of robotic technology in medical surgery operations.
Perhaps the greatest changes in future robots will improve from their increasing ability to reason. The field of artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from university labs to practical application in industry, and machines of a new kind of robots are being developed, which can perform something involved in the process of understanding and planning, such as the management of a battlefield. Even the control of a large factory will be performed by intelligent computers. And there might be a possibility that these computers can design and make robots of their own.
Is there anything dangerous involved in this artificial intelligence progress then? Robot technology has been making people nervous ever since it was invented. Is it unreasonable to worry that robots will someday become too clever? Is it impossible that these human-like robots will start to think and plan for themselves? Will robots take over the world and force humans to give them energy to survive?
【小题1】 In 1995, about 700,000 robots were working in _____________.
A.Japan | B.the United States | C.Western Europe | D.the industrialized world |
A.Take care of roads. | B.Be used as medicine. |
C.Used as underground pipeline cleaner. | D.Take up jobs of building construction. |
A.Greatest changes in future robots. | B.The field of artificial intelligence. |
C.Machines of a new kind of robots. | D.Practical application in industry. |
A.It is possible that robots will be able to think like human beings. |
B.It is sure that robots might be able to manage battlefields. |
C.There is no doubt that computers can design and make robots of their own. |
D.It is proved that computers can’t reason like human beings. |
A.Future robotic technology might cause dangers. |
B.Future robotic technology might make people too clever. |
C.Future robotic technology might help to do all dangerous jobs. |
D.Future robotic technology might not survive because of its shortage of energy. |
In the future your automobile will run on water instead of gas! You will be able to buy a supercomputer that fits in your pocket! You might even drive a flying car!
For each prediction that has come true today, several others have missed by a mile. Many of these predictions didn’t consider how people would want to use the technology, or if people really needed it in their lives or not. Let’s look at some predictions from the not-too-distant past.
Robot Helpers
Where’s the robot in my kitchen? Nowhere, of course. And he’s probably not coming anytime soon. Robots do exist today, but mostly in factories and other manufacturing environments.
Back in the 1950s, however, people said that by now personal robots would be in most people’s homes.
So why hasn’t it happened? Probably because robots are still too expensive and clumsy. And maybe the idea of robots cooking our dinners and washing our clothes is just too weird. At home we seem to be doing fine without them.
Telephones of Tomorrow
In 1964 an American company introduced the video telephone. They said by the year 2000 most people would have a video phone in their homes. But of course the idea hasn’t caught on yet.
Why? The technology worked fine, but it over—looked something obvious: people’s desire for privacy. Would you want to have a video phone conversation with someone after you just step out of the shower? Probably not---it could be embarrassing! Just because a technology available doesn’t always mean people will want to use it.
And finally, how about that crazy prediction of the flying car? It’s not so crazy anymore! But a flying car remains one of the most fascinating technology ideas to capture our imagination. Keep watching the news, or perhaps the sky outside your window, to see what the future will bring.
【小题1】 The whole passage is mainly about ________________.
A.predictions that have come true. | B.predictions that haven’t come true. |
C.why predictions don’t come true easily. | D.what technology will bring about. |
A.predictions needn’t consider people’s practical use of technology. |
B.the future isn’t always easy to guess. |
C.not all past predictions have come true. |
D.many of the high—tech things our parents thought we’d be using by now |
【小题3】The underlined word “weird” probably means __________.
A.wonderful | B.stupid | C.practical | D.strange |
A.It is too difficult to imagine. | B.It is too crazy an idea. |
C.It is likely to be made. | D.It is often reported in the news. |