Robots are now being employed not just for dangerous tasks, such as discovering mines or rescuing people in disasters. They are also finding application as household helps and as nursing assistants. As increasing numbers of machines, equipped with the latest artificial intelligence, take on a growing variety of specialized and everyday tasks, the question of how people see them and behave towards them becomes ever more urgent.
A team led by Sari Nijssen of Radboud University and Markus Paulus, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU),have carried out a study to determine the degree to which people show concern for robots and behave towards them based on moral principles.
According to Sari Nijssen, the study set out to answer the following question:” Under what circumstances would adults be willing to sacrifice robots to save human lives?” The participants were faced with a hypothetical (假设的) moral dilemma: Would they be prepared to put a single person at risk in order to save a group of injured persons? In the situations presented the intended victim was either a human, a humanoid robot that had been humanized (人性化的) to various degrees or a robot that was clearly recognizable as a machine.
The study suggested that the more the robot was humanized, the less likely participants were to sacrifice it. Situations that included vivid stories in which the robot was described as a merciful being or as a creature with its own understandings, experiences and thoughts, were more likely to stop the study participants from sacrificing it in the interests of anonymous (无名的) humans.
“This result indicates that our study group attached a certain moral status to the robot,” says Paulus. “One possible suggestion of this finding is that attempts to humanize robots should not go too far. Such efforts could come into conflict with their intended function—to be of help to us.”
1.What has become a concern about robots?
A.How to humanize them. B.How to treat them in life.
C.How to use them effectively. D.How to find more applications.
2.In the study the participants probably have to decide ________.
A.when to sacrifice a robot B.where to experience risks
C.which robot to work with D.what robots should be like
3.What can be inferred from Paulus’ words?
A.Humanized robots offer less help to people.
B.Humanizing robots too much may be improper.
C.Certain moral status should be attached to robots.
D.Conflicts often happen between humans and robots.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A.Robots, A Must for Future
B.Humanized Robots, A New Trend
C.Robot Saved, People Take the Hit
D.Humanized Robots, Replace Human
For as long as we’ve known about it, humans have searched for a cure for cancer. Across the world, countless amounts of time and money have been spent on researching a way to stop this terrible disease. But now, it seems like the answer could have been inside our own bodies the whole time.
Recently, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) in the US, a government agency that’s responsible for healthcare, approved a new form of gene therapy(疗法) that could mean the end of a certain type of cancer.
The therapy allows scientists to “train” the immune(有免疫力的) cells of sick patients to fight leukemia(白血病) — a form of blood cancer that mostly affects young people.
The exciting new treatment works by removing healthy immune cells from the patient, known as T-cells, which are then changed to be able to “hunt down” cancer cells.
The cells are then put back into the patient before they begin to get rid of the patient’s leukemia over time, similar to how the body fights off other illnesses.
“This is truly an exciting new day for cancer patients,” Louis J. DeGennaro, president of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, said in a news release.
Up until now, a long and painful marrow transplant(骨髓移植) was the only option for many leukemia patients.
In this procedure, healthy blood cells are taken from a donator and placed into the sick patient, who also has to go through chemotherapy (化疗) to allow their body to adjust to the new cells.
But with a recovery rate of around 83% — according to a news release published by the FDA — it’s hoped that the days of painful trips to the hospital, or even death, are over for leukemia sufferers.
“We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation(创新) with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer,” FDA representative Scott Gottlieb said in the release. “New technologies such as gene and cell therapies hold the potential to transform medicine and our ability to treat and even cure many incurable illnesses.”
1.What is the author’s main purpose in writing the passage?
A.To compare different ways of curing leukemia.
B.To report on a breakthrough in cancer treatment.
C.To explore the potential of gene and cell therapies.
D.To show scientists’ efforts in search of a cure for cancer.
2.How does the new treatment to fight leukemia work?
A.By using changed T-cells to destroy cancer cells.
B.By replacing sick blood cells with healthy ones.
C.By removing sick blood cells during marrow transplant.
D.By using chemotherapy to improve the patient’s immune system.
3.What can be inferred about the new therapy for leukemia sufferers?
A.It can save them many more trips to the hospital.
B.It can improve their ability to fight off all kinds of cancer.
C.It can give them a better chance of survival and recovery.
D.It can reduce their pain in the process of marrow transplant.
4.What is Scott Gottlieb’s attitude toward gene and cell therapies?
A.Doubtful. B.Optimistic. C.Worried. D.Casual.
Laura Sides was a psychology major at the University of Nottingham in 2004. She first noticed signs of her dad’s developing dementia(痴呆) when she moved to Nottingham. She said, "Dad was a doctor, so he knew exactly what had happened to him, but people try to hide it when they are ill. Then, I came home for my 21st birthday and arranged to meet him, but he never showed up as he’d forgotten. That’s when I knew something serious had happened."
So, aged 21, she decided to leave university and look after him herself. She lived close by, popping in every day to make sure he was eating, and that the house was tidy, before heading off to her work.
Besides challenging moments, there was a time when looking after her dad was a pure joy. "We’d wake up, I’d ask what he wanted to do that day, and however ridiculous the adventure is, off we’d go."
Sadly, in 2009, 5 years later, Laura lost her father. Before he died, Laura went to a hospital appointment with him, where doctors mentioned that his form of Alzheimer’s disease was genetic meaning there was a fifty-fifty chance that she had inherited it. For several years Laura agonised over whether to be tested, finally finding out in August 2017 that she has the APP gene, meaning that, like him, she will develop the condition within a decade.
At first, she struggled, feeling as if her life lacked purpose. Then, during a sleepless night in the summer of 2018, she decided at around 2 a.m. to enter the 2019 London Marathon sponsored by the charities Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
She hoped to start the conversation around early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and to encourage people to talk about it more openly. "I remember when Dad was ill, people wouldn’t know how to react, but I want to be honest and open," she added. "The more information we can get, the less of a taboo(忌讳) we will feel. That said, the support I’ve received so far after going public has been amazing — that’s what is carrying me through."
1.Laura noticed her father’s dementia when .
A.her father told her his condition in person
B.people nearby informed her of his father’s condition
C.her father forgot his own birthday party
D.her father forgot to attend her 21-year-old birthday party
2.The underlined word "agonised" in Paragraph 4 probably means .
A.excited B.struggled
C.shocked D.delighted
3.Laura started the open talk in the hope of .
A.getting people to talk about Alzheimer’s disease openly
B.earning some money to help treat her Alzheimer’s disease
C.making herself stronger to fight against Alzheimer’s disease
D.raising funds for charities Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s disease Research UK
4.Which words can best describe Laura?
A.Caring and positive. B.Careful and honest.
C.Patient and cautious. D.Devoted and modest.
Below are some of the best exhibitions at UK museums，galleries and historic houses.
20 Years Of Treasure—Oxfordshire Museum
Objects range from clay pipes and pots to gold coins and Elizabethan rings, all contributing to a deeper understanding of the area’s history. Recent acquisitions such as a beautifully decorated pair of Roman calipers(卡尺)are on display for the first time. Many items are now part of the county’s permanent collections, but there is also the opportunity to view discoveries that were recorded and returned to their finders.
Opening times：Tue—Sat，10 a. m. —5 p. m. Sun，2 p. m. —5 p. m.
A History of Fashion—Fashion Museum
This display features the items that have shaped the way Britons have dressed over the last 500 years. Among them is a woman’s waistcoat dating back to the time of Shakespeare, a selection of silk robes that would have been desired by the upper-class people of Georgian society, a New Look suit worn in the 1920s by the ballet dancer Margot Fonteyn and a 21st century body—con Galaxy dress.
Opening times：Daily，10：30 a. m. —5 p. m.
Another India—Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
Marking the 70th anniversary of India’s independence from Britain，another India looks at the story of the country’s Indigenous and Adivasi people using a rich collection of artifacts. Never-before-seen objects from the museum’s collection are on display, together with several recently acquired works, including a number of newly created pieces by contemporary Adivasi sculptors.
Opening times：Tue—Sat，10：30 a. m. —4：30 P. m. Sun，l 2 noon—4：30 p. m.
Art since 9／11—IWM London
On display are 50 works of art including film，sculpture，painting，installations，photography and prints，bringing together the varying perspectives of more than 40 artists. Many exhibits are being shown in the UK for the first time. The exhibition is organized into four themes，exploring 9／11 itself，the resultant argument over state security，our relationship with weapons and other tools of war，and the damage caused to people and the environment.
Opening times：Daily，10 a. m. —6 p. m.
1.What can we 1earn about the exhibits in Oxfordshire Museum?
A.They all belong to the museum.
B.They came from royal families.
C.Some of them have never been on show before.
D.Some of them were donated by other countries.
2.What does the fashion display reflect?
A.The differences in dressing among Britons.
B.The changes in Britons’ way of dressing.
C.The way of Britons’ shaping their lives.
D.The history of Britons’ making clothes.
3.Which of t he exhibitions explores the theme of war?
A.Art since 9／11. B.A History of Fashion.
C.Another India. D.20 Years of Treasure.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Why did Reyes Guana stay in the car when his parents were working?
A.He was very young. B.He didn’t like working. C.He looked after brothers.
2.What did Reyes Guana learn from cleaning the school?
A.How to make money. B.How to respect others. C.How to move up the ranks.
3.How many jobs has Reyes Guana had?
A.3. B.4. C.5.
4.What is the guide in Reyes Guana’s current job?
A.His Mexican origin. B.His life experience. C.His college education.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the woman’s plan for Sunday?
A.Going shopping. B.Going camping. C.Going snowboarding.
2.Where will the woman stay in Big Bear?
A.In a camp. B.In a hotel. C.In a house.
3.What will the man do on the weekend?
A.Visit his friends. B.Read books. C.Join the woman.
4.What does the woman think of the man’s weekend?
A.It’s boring. B.It’s comforting. C.It’s relaxing.
