Question

【题目】Since the 1970s, scientists have been searching for ways to connect the brain with computers. Brain-computer Interface (BCI) technology could help people with disabilities send commands to machines.

Recently, two scientists, Jose Millan and Michele Tavella from the Federal Polytehnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland, showed 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 body cells(细胞). These send signals through the spinal cord(脊髓) to the body part to give us the ability to move. But spinal cord injuries or other conditions can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the body part.” Tavella says. “Our system allows disabled people to communicate with outer world and also to control machines.”

The scientists 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 finds meanings of the signals and commands the wheelchair with an engine. The wheelchair also has two cameras that tell 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 finds meanings of brain signals and turns them into simple commands. The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two kinds: communication, and controlling objects. 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 get advantages from. And the other is to ensure that they can use the technology over a long period of time.

【1】BCI is a technology that can _______.

A. help to update computer systems B. control a person’s thoughts

C. help the disabled to recover D. connect the human brain with computers

【2】How did Tavella operate the wheelchair in the laboratory?

A. By controlling his muscles. B. By using his mind.

C. By moving his hand. D. By talking to the machine.

【3】Which of the following shows the path of the signals described in Paragraph 4?

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

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

【4】The team will test with real patients to_______.

A. make money 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 statements is FALSE?

A. Scientists have been looking for ways to link the brain with computers.

B. The wheelchair designed by Millan and Tavella is directed by a person’s thoughts.

C. Spinal cord injuries can prevent these weak electrical signals from reaching the body part.

D. The wheelchair has been put in use and benefited real patients.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】D

【2】B

【3】C

【4】B

【5】D

【解析】

试题这是一篇科教类说明文。人类一直在寻找把大脑和电脑联系在一起的方法，BCI可以帮助残疾人向机器发布命令。本文对这一技术进行了详细的介绍说明，这种技术可以让人用意念来控制自己的行动，这对于那些残疾人是很都帮助的。

【1】细节理解题。由第一段的“...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.”可知，人类一直在寻找把大脑和电脑联系在一起的方法，BCI可以帮助残疾人向机器发布命令。说明BCI是一种可以把人脑和计算机连接起来的技术。故选D。

【2】细节理解题。由第三段的“...Tavella operated the wheelchair just by thinking about moving his left or right hand．”可知，Tavella通过思考移动左右手，来操作轮椅，说明他用他的思想来操作轮椅。故选B。

【3】细节理解题。由第四段的“The scientists 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 finds meanings of the signals and commands the wheelchair with an engine. ”可知，首先头皮接受人的思想信号，接着特殊的帽子从头皮上获取信息，再传到计算机上，最终计算机操作轮椅前进。故选C。

【4】细节理解题。由文章倒数第二段的“The practical possibilities that BCI technology offers to disabled people can be grouped in two kinds...”说明这个团队把这个技术运用到真正的病人身上是为了证明这个技术对病人有哟用。故选B。

【5】推理判断题。由最后一段的“One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can get advantages from.And the other is to ensure that they can use the technology over a long period of time.”可推断，这项技术还没有被投入使用，让病人受益。故选D。

推理判断题既要求学生透过文章表面文字信息推测文章隐含意思，又要求学生对作者的态度、意图及文章细节的发展作正确的推理判断，力求从作者的角度去考虑，不要固守自己的看法或观点。例如小题5，由最后一段的句子“One is testing with real patients, so as to prove that this is a technology they can get advantages from.And the other is to ensure that they can use the technology over a long period of time.”可知，一种是对真正的病人进行测试，以证明这是一种病人可以从中获得好处的技术，另一种是确保他们能够长期使用这一技术。因此推断隐含的意思是这项技术还没有投入使用，让病人受益，故选D。