A robot is a computer-controlled machine that is programmed to move and handle objects. Robots are able to perform repetitive tasks more quickly, cheaply, and accurately (精确的) than humans. In 1995, about 700,000 robots were used－including over 500,000 in Japan, about 120,000 in Western Europe, and about 60,000 in the United States－all in the industrialized world. Many robots applications are designed for tasks that are either dangerous or unpleasant for human beings. Now, robotic technology can be used in more and more fields. Experts say in the future robots will be able to make new highways, constructsteel frameworks of buildings, clean sewage (污水系统), and such physical work. Besides, another possibility is the development of robotic technology in medical surgery operations.
Perhaps the greatest changes in future robots will improve from their increasing ability to reason. The field of artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from university labs to practical application in industry, and machines of a new kind of robots are being developed, which can perform something involved in the process of understanding and planning, such as the management of a battlefield. Even the control of a large factory will be performed by intelligent computers. And there might be a possibility that these computers can design and make robots of their own.
Is there anything dangerous involved in this artificial intelligence progress then? Robot technology has been making people nervous ever since it was invented. Is it unreasonable to worry that robots will someday become too clever? Is it impossible that these human-like robots will start to think and plan for themselves? Will robots take over the world and force humans to give them energy to survive?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
【小题1】 In 1995, about 700,000 robots were working in _____________.

Passage Eighteen (Strictly Ban smoking)
If you smoke and you still don’t believe that there’s a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn’t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.
You don’t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it.
This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.
Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you’d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!
For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death’s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.
1.Why do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking?
A.because they are afraid of people.
B.Because diseases cost a lot.
C.Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.
D.Because they are afraid of manufacturers.
2.The tone of this passage is
A.critical.
B.ironical.
C.distaste.
D.amusing.
3.What does the sentence “because you are in good company” mean?
A.you are backed by the government.
B.You are not alone.
C.You have good colleagues.
D.Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.
4.What is the best title of this passage?
A.World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.
B.World governments take timid measures against smoking.
C.smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.
D.tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research.

根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

As is known to all, many things can be measured in terms of data. Sometimes data can indeed tell the truth. With the help of data we can easily know the price of a can of Coke in the supermarket or the result of a football match. _____ What is more important, data seem to be fairer than words or statements. If the data are true, we don' t have to worry about being cheated. Nowadays, as lies exist in the world, data are expected to tell the truth. Therefore, many of us would rather believe data.

On the other hand', if we judge things only by data from the so -called specific research， aren't we a little too narrow-minded? Many people often treat the so -called specific data unwisely just to make sure that they are making the right decisions. ______For example，how can you tell that somebody isn't a good student just because he or she doesn’t get high marks in the final examination?

_____ For example，the degree of your feeling happy in your life，the depth of love between you and your friends, and the faith you have in your country. We can only feel them in our hearts but can never express them in data.

There is no doubt that analyzing the exact data is important to assessment of an actual event. But data should be dealt with wisely. We often get wrong data which mislead us._____Remember, data have no feeling but we humans have. Data do not mean much to people if we do not have the abilities to analyze the data with the knowledge and confidence to judge whether they are true or false. ______

Data are data after all. Life is much more colorful than the pale data. So give the cold data a warm heart and we' 11 find that the world is far more wonderful than the pale data can describe.

A.  We should try our best to be wise thinkers.

B.  Data can make our life easier and more comfortable.

C.  But sometimes we may find that data aren't everything.

D.  Sometimes our hearts and mind are more sensitive than data.

E.  Now and then the so-called specific data puzzle us very much.

F.  The exact data should come from assessment of an actual event.

G.  There are many things in our life which cannot be measured by data

Passage Eighteen (Strictly Ban smoking)

If you smoke and you still don’t believe that there’s a definite link between smoking and bronchial troubles, heart disease and lung cancer, then you are certainly deceiving yourself. No one will accuse you of hypocrisy. Let us just say that you are suffering from a bad case of wishful thinking. This needn’t make you too uncomfortable because you are in good company. Whenever the subject of smoking and health is raised, the governments of most countries hear no evil, see no evil and smell no evil. Admittedly, a few governments have taken timid measures. In Britain for instance, cigarette advertising has been banned on television. The conscience of the nation is appeased, while the population continues to puff its way to smoky, cancerous death.

You don’t have to look very far to find out why the official reactions to medical findings have been so lukewarm. The answer is simply money. Tobacco is a wonderful commodity to tax. It’s almost like a tax on our daily bread. In tax revenue alone, the government of Britain collects enough from smokers to pay for its entire educational facilities. So while the authorities point out ever so discreetly that smoking may, conceivable, be harmful, it doesn’t do to shout too loudly about it.

This is surely the most short-sighted policy you could imagine. While money is eagerly collected in vast sums with one hand, it is paid out in increasingly vaster sums with the other. Enormous amounts are spent on cancer research and on efforts to cure people suffering from the disease. Countless valuable lives are lost. In the long run, there is no doubt that everybody would be much better-off if smoking were banned altogether.

Of course, we are not ready for such a drastic action. But if the governments of the world were honestly concerned about the welfare of their peoples, you’d think they’d conduct aggressive anti-smoking campaigns. Far from it! The tobacco industry is allowed to spend staggering sums on advertising. Its advertising is as insidious as it is dishonest. We are never shown pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. That would never do. The advertisement always depict virile, clean-shaven young men. They suggest it is manly to smoke, even positively healthy! Smoking is associated with the great open-air life, with beautiful girls, true love and togetherness. What utter nonsense!

For a start, governments could begin by banning all cigarette and tobacco advertising and should then conduct anti-smoking advertising campaigns of their own. Smoking should be banned in all public places like theatres, cinemas and restaurants. Great efforts should be made to inform young people especially of the dire consequences of taking up the habit. A horrific warning – say, a picture of a death’s head – should be included in every packet of cigarettes that is sold. As individuals, we are certainly weak, but if governments acted honestly and courageously, they could protect us from ourselves.

1.Why do a few governments take timid measures toward smoking?

A.because they are afraid of people.

B.Because diseases cost a lot.

C.Because they are afraid of the cutting down of their revenue.

D.Because they are afraid of manufacturers.

2.The tone of this passage is

A.critical.

B.ironical.

C.distaste.

D.amusing.

3.What does the sentence “because you are in good company” mean?

A.you are backed by the government.

B.You are not alone.

C.You have good colleagues.

D.Governments are blind to evils of smoking too.

4.What is the best title of this passage?

A.World Governments should conduct serious campaigns against smoking.

B.World governments take timid measures against smoking.

C.smoking is the most important source of income to many countries.

D.tobacco industry spends a large sum of money on medical research.

七、同义句型转换（每空0.5分，共10分）

1. Our class is made up of sixty students.

Our class _________ ______ sixty students.

2. They had a wonderful holiday despite the bad weather.

They had a wonderful holiday _______ _____ ______ the bad weather.

3. There is no doubt that he will pass the English examination.

It ______ ______ ______ he will pass the English examination.

4. Tom didn’t finish the experiment yesterday and John didn’t either.

______ Tom _______ John finished the experiment.

5. I was lucky because I was able to find a good job.

I was lucky ______ ______ I was able to find a good job.

6. We sometimes find it difficult to decide which words or phrases to use.

We sometimes _______ _______ _______deciding which words or phrases to use.

7. That our teacher left without a word surprised us very much.

_______ surprised us very much is ________ our teacher left without a word.

8. It is possible for parents to be invited to this year’s New Year party.

Parents ________ _______ _______ be invited to this year’s New Year party.