Question

Medical scientists are already putting computer chips（芯片）directly into the brain to help people who have Parkinson’s disease, but in what other ways might computer technology be able to help us? Ray Kurzweil is the author of the successful book The Age Of Intelligent Machines. He is also one of the world’s best computer research scientists. He is researching the possibilities.

Kurzweil gets computers to recognize voices. An example of this is Ramona, the virtual hostess of Kurzweil’s website, created by the computer, who is able to understand what you say. Visitors to the website can have their own conversations with her. Ramona also dances and sings.

Kurzweil uses this technology to help people with physical problems. One of his ideas is a “seeing machine”. This will be “like a friend that could describe what is going on around,” he explains. Blind people will use a sensor（传感器）which will probably be built into a pair of sunglasses. This machine will describe to the person everything it sees.

Another idea, which is likely to help deaf people, is the “listening machine”. This invention will recognize millions of words and understand any speaker. The listening machine will also be able to translate what it hears into other languages, so even people without hearing problems are likely to be interested in using it.

But it is not just about helping people with physical problems. Looking further into future, Kurzweil sees a time when we will be able to store what we hear, see and think in a computer. This technology probably won’t be ready for at least 50 years, but when it arrives, it means our minds will be able to live forever.

1.Ray Kurzweil is       .

A. a famous medical scientist

B. a computer research scientist

C. a patient with Parkinson’s

D. an inventor of computer chips

2. What can Ramona do?

A. She can talk with her visitors.

B. She can treat brain diseases.

C. She can help deaf people listen.

D. She can teach people to sing.

3. How can the “seeing machine” help blind people?

A. It can help to treat their eyes.

B. It can translate into other languages.

C. It can help them to see the future.

D. It can describe to them what it sees.

4. The word “virtual” in Paragraph 2 probably means       .

A. 虚拟的         B. 友好的       C. 漂亮的       D. 忙碌的

5.What can be the best title for the text?

A. The Seeing Machines

B. The Listening Machines

C. The Intelligent Machines

D. The Translating Machines

Answer

1.B

2.A

3.D

4.A

5.C

【解析】试题分析：本文讲的是电脑科技对人类各方面的帮助，包括芯片植入人脑，智能声音识别等，可以在不同程度上帮助人们解决心理问题，或者帮助残疾人。不仅如此，电脑科技还将继续发展，并给人类带来意想不到的帮助。

1. is also one of the world’s best computer research scientists.讲到Ray Kurzweil不仅是创作那本书的作家，还是世界上最好的电脑研究科学家之一，故选B。

2.细节理解题。文中第二段Visitors to the website can have their own conversations with her.可知Ramona可以理解方可所讲的话，并且可以和她对话，故选A。

3.理解题。文中第三段Blind people will use a sensor which will probably be built into a pair of sunglasses. This machine will describe to the person everything it sees.可知，盲人通过一副装有传感器的墨镜对外界的感知，然后用仪器进行描述，就可以知道自己周围的景象，故选D。

4.推断分析题。文中第二段An example of this is Ramona, the virtual hostess of Kurzweil’s website, created by the computer, who is able to understand what you say.可知Ramona是由电脑虚构出来的，有理解能力的人工智能服务系统，故选A。

5.慨括归纳题。从全文来看，本文主要讲述的是智能机器用其所具有的可视功能，听力功能和翻译功能对人类各方面的帮助，故选C。

考点：考查科技文阅读