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 ceils. 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 make sure 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.Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 5?

A．scalp→computer→cap→wheelchair        B．computer→cap→scalp→wheelchair

C．scalp→cap→computer→wheelchair        D．cap→computer→scalp→wheelchair

4.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

5.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.B

2.D

3.C

4.B

5.C

【解析】

试题分析：本文是一则新闻报道，科学家寻找到了一种方法，把人脑与电脑连接起来，进而发明了Brain-computer interface(BCI)技术的发明，文中介绍了它的原理和对残疾人带来的益处。

1.细节理解题。根据Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to link the brain with computers. 故选B。

2.细节理解题。根据第二段“Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right band.”。故选D。

3.细节理解题。根据第五段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. 故选C。

4.细节理解题。根据最后一段“to prove that this is a technology they can benefit from.”，证明他们可以从中获得的好处。故选B。

5.主旨大意题。本文是新闻文体，因此要关注首段的中心，由首段的第二句话“Brain-computer interface(BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.”由此推断选C。

考点：新闻报道类短文阅读。