Future astronauts could travel with emotional support robots
To help astronauts of the future survive(幸免于) the mental(精神的) challenges that come with staying in space for quite a long time, space travelers’ tasks could soon be accompanied(陪伴) by AI-powered, empathetic(有同理心的，同感的) robotic helpers.
Not only does space travel present astronauts with lots of physical stresses, spending months or years in such a physically demanding(要求高的) place with limited space and the same people can also raise many mental tests as well. According to MIT Technology Review, scientists are working to alleviate astronauts from some of the latter challenges by creating “an AI assistant that’s able to feel human emotion and respond(做出反应) with empathy.”
While such a technology would prove itself useful by being able to predict the needs of the crew members in space and “intervene(干预) if their mental health is in danger,” it has the potential to be life-saving when humans choose to explore beyond Earth’s gravitational field(引力场) and towards deep space.
Though astronauts currently on the International Space Station have an intelligent robot to interact with called CIMON, it is short of proper emotional intelligence according to NASA CTO Tom Soderstrom. As a result, a team at the organization’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working on a more complex(复杂的) emotional support companion that can control a spacecraft’s functioning in addition to tracking the crew members’ behaviours.
Right now in the lab, an AI-equipped robot called Henry the Helper can be found walking around the grounds assisting visitors who appear confused or lost based on their facial expression. Two more emotionally intelligent robots are expected to be introduced later this year, one of which is said to be able to take part in conversations more complex than giving navigation(导航) assistance.
The team’s final goal is to make a companion named Fiona the Future a reality, an emotionally intelligent cross-platform system. Fiona, if all goes according to the JPL’s plans, will help keep astronauts of the future stay mentally fit as they start their journeys to deep space.
1.What does the underlined word alleviate in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.面临 B.应对 C.缓解 D.刺激
2.According to the passage, which is the biggest challenge astronauts meet in space?
A.Mental health. B.Physical health. C.Food safety. D.Environment.
3.Which of the following is NOT true about the future AI helpers?
A.They will be able to know human emotion by feeling.
B.They will be able to control the crew members’ behaviours.
C.They will be able to guess what the crew members want.
D.They will be able to join in the conversations with the crew members.
The 21st century discoveries about the human brain and its functioning have showed the surprising fact that human abilities are not fixed at birth. In other words, what you are able to do with your life is not fixed when you are born. It is not all in the genes( 基 因 ). It is not just nature: nurture(教育, 培育) plays an important part in the moulding(塑造) of what a person is, and what he/she can be.
Brain plasticity(可塑性) or neuroplasticity(神经可塑性) refers to the amazing ability of the human brain to modify(修改) its structure and functions according to the changes within the body and/or in the outer environment.
In his book “The Brain that Changes Itself” psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge, M.D., offers an introduction to the great scientists strongly supporting neuroplasticity and the people whose lives they’ve changed. The book describes real life stories of stroke( 中 风 ) patients learning to speak again, and the amazing story of a woman born with half a brain that restructured itself to work as a whole. It is a book that changes the way we think about our brain, its nature, and its potential(潜能).
The genes we receive from our parents are finite(有限的), no doubt about that. However, our brain’s ability to develop is infinite. New brain cells are being born all the time, and to keep them alive and growing, we have to stimulate(刺激) them.
Here lies the promise of neuroplasticity in the moulding of children into adults who are capable of realizing their potential. For genius is nothing but a human being who has realized his/her inborn potential! What Mozart, Einstein and da Vinci had was inborn potential plus(和，外加) the right environment.
All geniuses started life in exactly the same way. They had parents who supported the development of their individual gifts and talents. They had the right environment and stimuli(刺激， 刺激物) that led to the best development of themselves.
You can think about your child’s gifts as the merging(融合的) colours of a rainbow. The
possibilities are endless. All children are born with three natural abilities that provide them with the potential to think like a genius: the abilities to think, to learn and to develop their own individual way of thinking and learning.
Can your child be a genius? Yes, he/she can be, if you give him/her the right environment, the right stimuli and the right guidance.
1.What does the human brain modify when the outer environment changes?
A.The world. B.The stimuli.
C.Its colour. D.Its structure and functions.
2.Which statement is true according to the passage?
A.Human abilities are fixed when they were born.
B.A stroke patient can never learn to speak again.
C.Nurture can mould of what a person is because our brain has its nature and potential.
D.The genes we receive from our parents completely decide what we can do or can’t do.
3.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 7?
A.Discovering the time your child can be a genius.
B.Discovering the gifts and talents of your child.
C.Discovering the reason your child wants to be a genius.
D.Discovering the colour of the natural abilities of your child.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Is your child a genius? B.Can your child be a genius?
C.Do you want to be a genius? D.Is it important to be a genius?
Mother Tongue(语言)
My name is Jiniku but everyone calls me Joey, including my parents. My father is American but my mother is not. My mother grew up in a country whose name I cannot pronounce correctly. She was educated in French and Latin, Spanish and German.
My mother wrote all day, but never showed anyone what she wrote. She had notebooks she would write in, and a typewriter to straighten out(整理) the final copy.
When she had typed(打字) pages, she put them in a box. This box was deep under the bed that she and my father shared.
There were only two words that she ever said in the real voice, with her real accent(口音), real tongue. I heard her say them only three times in her life. She taught them to me one night as I lay on her legs, sweating(出汗) with fever.
“Jiniku,” she said in a low voice. “Jiniku.” I focused(集中) on her voice through my fever, realizing that something had changed. She was speaking from a part of her that she had not opened for a long time. She took my hand, and placed my palm(掌心) over her heart. “Juriszu.” She stared out the window. There was a long silence. I could feel her heartbeat, which was calmer and slower than my own. “My name,” she said at last, speaking once more in English, “means ‘dark ocean(海洋)’.” “And you, Jiniku, my baby, yours means ‘life’.” She looked out the window again. “‘Ji’ is the word for a happy birth. One where everyone lives and there is little pain. ‘Ni’ is a tree that had its roots(根) spread far and whose branches(树枝) shelter(庇护) all. ‘Ku’ is spirit. You have this all-encompassing(包罗万象的) life.” She placed her hand on my heart. “The first and last letters of our names are the same,” she said. “Don’t forget that, Jiniku.”
1.How many languages was Joey’s mother educated in?
A.1. B.2. C.3. D.4.
2.Where did Joey’s mother put the typed pages?
A.In a box. B.On the desk. C.Near the bed. D.Beside the table.
3.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.Joey’s mother had a deep love for her.
B.Joey’s mother was good at giving names.
C.Joey and her mother had two different names.
D.Joey’s mother followed the rules of giving names in her country.
NOTICEBOARD | ||
(A) Computer problems? Experienced IT engineer will pick out problems with home computers. Phone the Computer Doctor’s now for free check — 09651 325693 | (B) Lost Small brown cat missing in the Leeds Hall area. She’s afraid of dogs and teenage boys. If you see her, please phone: 09651 324472 We really miss her. | (C) Babysitter wanted Babysitter wanted for a two-year-old twins-occasional weekday evenings for up to six hours. Would be suitable for a student with experience.￡4.5 an hour Phone Jan on 719873466 |
1.You can call ________ for a free judgement on your home computer.
A.09651 324472 B.09651 325693 C.324472 09651 D.325693 09651
2.What’s the missing cat like?
A.Small and yellow. B.Big and white. C.Small and brown. D.Big and black.
3.How much can a babysitter get most for the whole weekday evenings?
A.£4.5 B.£9.0 C.£22.5 D.£.27.0
阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从短文后各题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中，选择最佳选项。
It was very cold, Amaya was warm in her house, thinking about an article she’d read at school. The article was about kids who _______ out their communities, and she thought it would be really cool to help her own town, Harvard.
The only_______ was that she wasn’t sure how to help. In the article, the kids had grown food for people who needed food, but it was winter. She couldn’t start a garden. Amaya was deep in thought when her mom said it was time to go shopping.
As they drove along the road, Amaya saw a family wearing only light jackets. The cold wind blew _______ outside. How cold they must be! That gave her an idea! She could _______ winter coats, hats and gloves for people who needed them.
She shared her idea with her mom, who thought it was great. But how would they _______ the idea to get plenty of winter clothing? Amaya decided to talk to her teacher, because then she could share her idea with her classmates at least.
Ms. Monroe agreed when Amaya talked about her idea. They decided to call the _________ Hats in Harvard. Then they wrote a letter explaining the project. They also met with the headmaster during lunch time. He was excited about the idea, and said he would make sure copies (复印件) of the letter went home with all the students.
They collected enough winter clothing in only one week. Then they left the clothes around two parks, so families who needed clothes could get them there. Three days later, Amaya and her mom went shopping again. She saw the same family that had given her the_______ for Hats in Harvard. This time, though, the family wore some new coats, hats and gloves. Amaya felt _______ in her heart, and was very glad she could help others.
1.A.checked B.helped C.reached D.cleaned
2.A.problem B.reason C.answer D.thought
3.A.hardly B.strongly C.suddenly D.naturally
4.A.make B.buy C.collect D.design
5.A.bring B.pass C.express D.spread
6.A.work B.project C.action D.task
7.A.idea B.advice C.help D.hope
8.A.lucky B.sad C.warm D.surprised
—What a nice picture! Can you tell me _________?
—Sure, in London.
A.where you took it B.where did you take it
C.where you will take it D.where will you take it
