Question

【题目】 When we were kids, learning polite expressions was important. Our parents taught us to say “thank you” when we received help, and to say “please” when we needed a favor from others. But would you say “thank you” and “please” to a digital (数码的) assistant?

Recently, Amazon announced it had added new features (特点) to its smart assistant Alexa. One of the developments—a politeness feature—draws some parents’ attention. Their children keep forgetting their manners because they have become used to shouting orders at their Echo, a smart speaker similar to Alexa.

When kids ask Alexa to solve a math problem using the word “please” as in “Alexa, please tell me what 5 plus 7 is” —Alexa will not only give the correct answer, but also give the following response “Thanks for asking so nicely”.

However, some people believe kids shouldn’t have to thank a machine, as children can tell the difference between machines and humans. But then again, we don’t usually talk aloud to a fridge or an ATM, either.

“I ask Siri to turn on the lights or set an alarm in the same natural language that I use in day-to-day life,” commentator (评论员) Chaim Gartenberg wrote on the website. “It doesn’t matter that an Echo can’t hear or understand it—it matters that you say it.”

With the increasing use of AI (artificial intelligence), forming the habit of being polite in everyday life is becoming even more important, as the British research company ChildWise found. In January, it published a report warning that people who become used to cutting courtesies (礼貌话) and giving orders to digital assistants might become rude when dealing with others.

Traditionally, we can tell how nice people are by watching how they interact with a waiter. In a similar way, even if the AI or digital assistant doesn’t care about it, other people around us are going to experience how we interact with it.

根据材料内容选择最佳答案。

【1】According to paragraphs 2 and 3, what’s true about the new Alexa?

A.It only follows children’s orders.B.A new speaker Echo is added to it.

C.It can help children learn good manners.D.It will refuse to answer if it’s treated rudely.

【2】What’s the problem with some children nowadays?

A.They keep shouting orders at their parents.

B.They forget their manners when talking to a smart assistant.

C.They can’t solve simple math problems.

D.They can’t tell the difference between machines and human.

【3】What does Chaim Gartenberg probably think of the politeness feature in Alexa?

A.It’s unsafe.B.It’s popular.C.It’s inconvenient.D.It’s helpful.

【4】What did ChildWise find about people who treat machines badly?

A.They become less important.B.They take more interest in giving orders.

C.They might be rude to people.D.They don’t know how to deal with others.

【5】What’s the text mainly about?

A.New features of Amazon’s smart assistant Alexa.B.Why it’s important to be polite to machines.

C.Problems caused by the increasing use of AI.D.How AI influences people’s manners.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】B

【3】D

【4】C

【5】A

【解析】

本文主要介绍了人工智能助手Alexa的新特征。该特征和礼貌用语的使用有关，对于这项新特征，不同的人有不同的观点。

【1】推理判断题。选项A、D在文中没有提及，排除A、D；根据“because they have become used to shouting orders at their Echo, a smart speaker similar to Alexa.”可知因为他们已经习惯于对着他们的Echo大喊命令，一个类似于Alexa的智能扬声器，与选项B内容不符，所以排除B；根据“One of the developments—a politeness feature—draws some parents’ attention.”可知使用Alexa可以帮助孩子们变得更有礼貌，与选项C内容相符，选项C正确；故选C。

【2】细节理解题。根据“Their children keep forgetting their manners because they have become used to shouting orders at their Echo, a smart speaker similar to Alexa.”可知孩子们对人工智能助手说话时，总是忽略礼貌用语，故选B。

【3】推理判断题。根据第五段可推断， Chaim Gartenberg觉得人工智能助手Alexa在礼貌方面的特征是有益的，故选D。

【4】细节理解题。根据第六段中的“it published a report warning that people who become used to cutting courtesies and giving orders to digital assistants might become rude when dealing with others”可知，对人工智能助手不礼貌的人可能对人也不礼貌，故选C。

【5】主旨大意题。本文围绕亚马逊的人工智能助手Alexa的一项新特征展开论述。故选A。