Question

We Are Cyborgs

RoboCop, the Bionic Woman, Darth Vader-what do these characters have in common? They are all cyborgs-humans who are made more powerful by advanced technology. You might think that cyborgs exist only in fiction, or are a possibility only in the distant future. But cyborg technology already exists.

The word “cyborg” was first used in 1960 and defined as an organism “to which external components have been added for the purpose of adapting to new environments”. According to this definition, an astronaut in a spacesuit is an example of cyborg, as the spacesuit helps the astronaut adapt to a new environment-space. More recently, the word has evolved to refer to human beings who have mechanical body parts that make them more than human.

Although super-humans like RoboCop are not yet a reality, advances in real-life cyborg technology allow some people to compensate for abilities they have lost, and give other people new and unusual abilities. An example is filmmaker Rob Spence and his bionic eye. Spence injured one of his eyes in an accident. A camera was implanted in his prosthetic eye(假眼).  The eye is not connected to his brain or optic nerve(视神经), but it can record what he sees. Spence has used his camera eye to record interviews for a documentary about people with bionic body parts.

Some types of cyborg technology replace a lost ability by connecting directly to a person’s nerves. Michael Chorost completely and suddenly lost his ability to hear in July of 2001. Two months later, doctors placed a cochlear implant, a kind of computer, inside his skull. This type of implant connects to auditory nerves and allows a deaf person to hear again. Around the world, over 300,000 people have now been fitted with cochlear implants.

These examples of cyborg technology have enabled people to enhance or change their abilities and improve their lives. But does everyone want to use cyborg technology? It might be too late to decide. Cyborg scientist Amber Case argues that most of us are already cyborgs. Anyone who uses a computer or a smartphone, Case claims, is a cyborg. Consider the data that you have in your smartphone. It keeps information for you so you don’t have to remember it: notes, phone numbers, email addresses, messages. It also allows you to communicate with friends and family via telephone, text messages, email, and social networks.

The potential benefits of cyborg technology are evident, but can this new technology be harmful, too? Could we become too dependent on cyborg technology-and become less than human? These still remain questions.

1.According to the passage, the cyborg _______.

A.is similar to human beings

B.took root in fiction characters

C.first appeared in space industry

D.has some device attached to the body

2.With the help of cyborg technology, _______.

A.eyesight can be restored

B.the nerve injury can be repaired

C.lost abilities can be replaced by a new skill

D.hearing loss can be prevented by cochlear implants

3.Amber Case probably thinks that ______.

A.technology makes cyborgs become common

B.cyborg technology is crucial to modern society

C.the use of mobiles improves cyborg technology

D.cyborg technology helps improve human memory

4.What is the author’s attitude toward cyborg technology?

A.Critical. B.Skeptical.

C.Optimistic. D.Objective.

Answer

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了半机械人技术，这是一种通过给人的身体上安装一些外部部件，让失去的能力可以被一种新技能取代的一种技术。文章举出了一些半机械人技术应用的一例子，以及人们对这项技术的看法。

1.细节理解题。根据第二段中The word “cyborg” was first used in 1960 and defined as an organism “to which external components have been added for the purpose of adapting to new environments”.可知“cyborg”一词于1960年首次被使用，当时被定义为一种“为了适应新环境而加入外部部件”的生物。由此可知，半机械人指的是的身体上安装有一些外部部件。故选D。

2.细节理解题。根据第三段中Although super-humans like RoboCop are not yet a reality, advances in real-life cyborg technology allow some people to compensate for abilities they have lost, and give other people new and unusual abilities.可知尽管像机械战警这样的超级人类还没有成为现实，但现实生活中半机械人技术的进步让一些人能够弥补他们失去的能力，并赋予其他人新的和不寻常的能力。由此可知，在半机械人技术的帮助下，失去的能力可以被一种新技能取代。故选C。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中Cyborg scientist Amber Case argues that most of us are already cyborgs. Anyone who uses a computer or a smartphone, Case claims, is a cyborg. Consider the data that you have in your smartphone. It keeps information for you so you don’t have to remember it: notes, phone numbers, email addresses, messages. It also allows you to communicate with friends and family via telephone, text messages, email, and social networks.可知电子人科学家Amber Case认为，我们中的大多数人已经是半机械人了。Case称，任何使用电脑或智能手机的人都是半机械人。考虑一下你智能手机里的数据。它为你保存信息，所以你不必记住笔记，电话号码，电子邮件地址，消息。它还允许你通过电话、短信、电子邮件和社交网络与朋友和家人交流。由此可推知，Amber Case认为科技使半机械人变得普遍。故选A。

4.推理判断题。根据最后一段The potential benefits of cyborg technology are evident, but can this new technology be harmful, too? Could we become too dependent on cyborg technology-and become less than human? These still remain questions.可知半机械人技术的潜在好处是显而易见的，但这种新技术也会有害吗？我们会不会变得过于依赖半机械人技术而变得不如人类？这些仍然是问题。由此可推知，作者提到了半机械人技术的好处，但是也提出了对这种技术是否有害的疑问，可知作者对半机械人技术的态度是客观的。故选D。