Many leading AI researchers think that in a matter of decades, artificial intelligence will be able to do not merely some of our jobs, but all of our jobs, forever transforming life on Earth.
The reason why many reject this as science fiction is that we’ve traditionally thought of intelligence as something mysterious that can only exist in biological organisms, especially humans. But such an idea is unscientific.
From my point of view as a physicist and AI researcher, intelligence is simply a certain kind of information-processing performed by elementary particles(基本粒子) moving around, and there is no law of physics that says one can’t build machines more intelligent than us in all ways. This suggests that we’ve only seen the tip of the intelligence iceberg and that there is an amazing potential to unlock the full intelligence that is potential in nature and use it to help humanity.
If we get it right, the upside is huge. Since everything we love about civilization is the product of intelligence, amplifying(扩大) our own intelligence with AI has the potential to solve tomorrow’s toughest problems. For example, why risk our loved ones dying in traffic accidents that self-driving cars could prevent or dying of cancers that AI might help us find cures for? Why not increase productivity through automation and use AI to accelerate our research and development of affordable sustainable(可持续的) energy?
I’m optimistic that we can develop rapidly with advanced AI as long as we win the race between the growing power of our technology and the knowledge with which we manage it. But this requires giving up our outdated concept of learning from mistakes. That helped us win the race with less powerful technology: We messed up with fire and then invented fire extinguishers, and we messed up with cars and then invented seat belts. However, it’s an awful idea for more powerful technologies, such as nuclear weapons or superintelligent AI—where even a single mistake is unacceptable and we need to get things right the first time.
1.How do many people feel about leading AI researchers’ predictions?
A. Acceptable B. Curious
C. Doubtful D. Disappointed
2.What does the author think of intelligence?
A. We know little about it. B. It belongs to human beings.
C. It is too difficult to understand. D. We have a good command of it.
3.What does the underlined word “upside” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Cost. B. Potential.
C. Quantity. D. Advantage.
4.What’s important for us in the race between people and technology?
A. Learning from failure. B. Increasing our intelligence.
C. Avoiding making mistakes. D. Making accurate predictions.
When introducing American universities, some of the first institutions to mention are the Ivy League schools. Originally, the Ivy League was an athletic conference made up of 8 private institutes of higher learning in northeastern United States. However, as time went on, these schools also became known for their excellence in academics besides athletics. Included in the Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and Harvard University. These 8 schools have been recognized as some of the best colleges and universities in the United States.
Harvard University is a private institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The university includes a number of graduate and professional schools, as well as a college for undergraduates. In 2012, Harvard ranked number one in US News’ ranking of national universities again. Founded in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institute of higher education in the United States. It can be said that first there was Harvard, then the United States of America. Also, Harvard’s library contains the oldest collection of books in the United States as well as the largest private collection in the world. Harvard has also been described by Forbes Magazine as one of the “billionaire universities” as of their recent list of 469 billionaires, 50 received a degree from Harvard.
Harvard College (the institute for undergraduate students) is one of the most famous schools in the United States. It offers over 40 undergraduate fields of study, including astrophysics(天体物理学), mathematics, neurobiology(神经生物学), etc. And the financial aid program there is amazing. Even though the tuition is about $ 37,576, and there are other expenses throughout the year, about 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid. Out of those students, over 90% of them had their full need met. And the policies for international students are the same for U.S. citizens.
Harvard College is very selective, as it only admits about 6% of their applicants. For admission into Harvard College, it is required that students take the SAT or the ACT, as well as SAT Subject Tests. Harvard will also look at other factors during admission such as your application essay, high school transcript, work experience, GPA (Grade Point Average), your interview, recommendations, and most importantly, your character and personal qualities.
1.What are the Ivy League schools famous for?
A. Athletics and location. B. Academics and history.
C. Financial aid and training. D. Athletics and academics.
2.Why is Harvard called one of the “billionaire universities”?
A. Because nearly one ninth of the billionaires once studied in Harvard.
B. Because there are 50 billionaires in Harvard.
C. Because people can get a lot of money from Harvard.
D. Because 469 billionaires sponsor Harvard.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. 90% students in Harvard have their full need met.
B. About 70% of undergraduate students received financial aid.
C. Harvard College is the institute for graduate students.
D. The policies for international students are different for U.S. citizens.
4.To be admitted by Harvard, you need ________.
①high school transcript
②a good application essay
③living permit
④to take the SAT or the ACT
⑤health certificate
⑥good personal qualities
A. ①②③ B. ④⑤⑥
C. ①③⑤ D. ②④⑥
My husband and I had been married nearly twenty-two years when I acquired Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a disorder where my immune system (免疫系统) responded to a virus by producing painful blisters (水疱). Although my long-term evaluation was good, I, who had been so fiercely independent, rapidly became absolutely helpless.
My husband, Scott, stepped up to the plate, taking care of kids and cooking dinners. He also became my personal caretaker, applying the medicine to all of my blisters because my hands couldn’t do the job. Needless to say, I had negative emotions, bouncing from embarrassment to shame caused by total reliance on someone other than myself.
At one point when I had mentally and physically hit bottoms I remember thinking that Scott must somehow love me more than I could ever love him. With my illness, he had become the stronger one, and I was the weaker one. And this disturbed me.
I recovered from my illness, but I couldn’t seem to recover from the thought that I loved my husband less than he loved me. This seeming distinction in our love continued to annoy me for the year following my illness.
Then recently Scott and I went on a long bike ride. He’s an experienced cyclist; I’m quite the green hand. At one point with a strong headwind and sharp pain building in my tired legs, I really thought I couldn’t go any further. Seeing me struggle, Scott pulled in front of me and yelled over his shoulder, “Stay close behind me.” As I fell into the draft of his six-foot-three-inch frame and followed his steps, I discovered that my legs quit burning and I was able to catch my breath. My husband was pulling me along again. At this very moment I woke up to what I now believe: during these and other tough times, love has the opportunity to become stronger when one partner learns to lean on the other.
I pray my husband will always be strong and healthy. But if he should ever become the struggling one, whether on a bike ride or with an illness, I trust I’ll be ready to call out to him: stay close behind me — my turn to pull you along.
1.What made the author feel helpless?
A. Her treatment failure.
B. Her husband caring for her too much.
C. Her suffering from illness and losing the previous independence.
D. Her husband stepped up to the plate.
2.Which of the following can best describe the author’s husband?
A. Family-centered. B. Not good at taking action.
C. Career-centered. D. Independent but tired of negative emotions.
3.What did the author’s husband do when going on the long bike ride?
A. Followed her closely. B. Supported her all the way.
C. Gave in to her depression. D. Stopped to take care of her.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. A hopeless husband took good care of his ill wife.
B. A helpful husband cured his wife of blisters.
C. An independent wife shared how her husband had helped her.
D. An appreciative wife showed how her husband had encouraged her.
Shellharbour City Library provides a range of Library Special Needs Services for people who are unable to access our library service in the usual way. As long as you live in Shellharbour City, we’ll provide a full range of library services and resources including: large printed and ordinary printed books, talking books on tape and CD, DVDs and music CDs, magazines, reference and information requests, and so on.You will be asked to complete a “Statement of Need” application form which must be signed by a medical professional.
Home delivery service
Let us know what you like to read and we will choose the resources for you. Our staff will deliver the resources to your home for free. We also provide a service where we can choose the resources for you or someone instead of you choosing the things from the library. You can also choose the resources you need personally.
Talking books and captioned videos
The library can provide talking books for people who are unable to use printed books because of eye diseases. You don’t have to miss out on reading any more when you can borrow talking books from the library. If you have limited hearing which prevents you from enjoying movies, we can provide captioned videos for you at no charge.
Language besides English
We can provide books in a range of languages besides English. If possible, we will request these items from the State Library of NSW(New South Wales), Australia.
How to join
Contact the Library Special Needs Coordinator to register or discuss if you are eligible (合适的) for any of the services we provide—9 am to 5 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Call 4297-2522 for more information.
1.Library Special Needs Services are provided for .
A. those who are fond of reading
B. only those who have walking disabilities
C. those who can’t get medical help in Shellharbour City
D. people living in Shellharbour City with an illness or disability
2.If people with eye diseases want to learn about history, they can choose .
A. captioned videos B. talking books
C. magazines D. large printed books
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Few entertaining resources are offered here.
B. people with limited hearing have to pay for captioned videos.
C. Books with different languages are available.
D. people have to choose what they need by themselves.
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
To pollute or not to pollute That is the question. In order to survive, we all need to cause pollution. Factories that process the food we eat, clothes we wear, and cars we drive have to cause pollution. The environment has the ability to absorb our waste or the pollution, but its absorption ability has its limits. If the pollution level is higher than what the environment can cope with, then that's the time when pollution is bad. If the pollution level becomes too high, human health can be affected badly. Then, the productivity level of the sick people is low and the economy suffers. The economy suffers not only because of the lost productivity of the people, but also because the government must pay for the damage the pollution has done to its people. This is the reason why the government prefers taxation policy. Imposing（征收）a tax on firms that pollute the environment can be considered a good strategy, as long as the tax covers all the external costs or the cost of the damage the firm has created during production. Taxation, if enforced（执行）really well, can make firms create a technology that may reduce pollution, if they find out that it will be cheaper than continuously paying the tax. The disadvantage of this policy, however, lies in the possibility that some big firms will find the tax cheap and then they will just produce more and pollute the environment more. If other small firms find the tax expensive, thus closing down, their production will be eaten up by those firms which can afford the tax. Therefore, it is important that lawmakers in each country, when deciding to impose a tax on pollutant emissions, first review and analyze very carefully the real cost of the damage.（307words）
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今天早上，你接到了一个通知你的室友Lily参加社团面试的电话，请你给她写一封便条， 告诉她这件事。 便条的主要内容有：
1.电话的内容；
2.提醒她别忘记。
注意：1. 词数80字左右；
2.可以适当发挥；以使行文连贯。
Sept. 9th
Dear Lily,
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Yours,
Wendy
