Question

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（头皮）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．

1.BCI is a technology that can         .

A．help to update computer systems	B．link the human brain with computers
C．help the disabled to recover	D．control a person's thoughts

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．

3.The team will test with real patients to         .

A．make profits from them	B．prove the technology useful to them
C．make them live longer	D．learn about their physical condition

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

 

Answer 1

【答案】

1.B

2.D

3.B

4.C

【解析】

试题分析：

1.B 细节题。根据第一段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．说明这种机器正是可以把人脑和计算机连接起来的，故B正确。

2.D 细节题。根据第三段第一行Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand．说明他只是在思考在想，故D正确。

3.B 细节题。根据文章倒数第二段The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two categories说明他们呀把这个技术运用于人的人上来证明这个技术的用途。故B正确。

4.C 主旨大意题。文章讲述的是这种技术可以让人用意念来控制自己的行动，这对于那些残疾人是很都帮助的。故C正确。

考点：考查科普类短文阅读

点评：文章讲述的是这种技术可以让人用意念来控制自己的行动，这对于那些残疾人是很都帮助的。本文属于科普类短文，考生要注意文章中可能会有较多的生词，要扫清语言的障碍，首先要有猜测词义的能力，同时要有总览全文的意识，抓住文章的中心思想。