How soon will it be before robots become so intelligent that they will be able to do things, such as teaching language or looking after patients in hospital? Some experts believe this will happen within twenty years while others disagree.

　　One London company, UAS （Universal Automated Systems）has already developed machines that can be used as “home-helps” for old people unable to look after themselves and who are living on their own or in special homes. These machines can now do such things as cooking eggs and cleaning the floor, and the company says that future models still accept simple voice instructions（指令） and be controlled by a “brain” that is the equivalent（相当的）of the latest IBM microcomputer. The director of UAS, Mr. Henry Jeffries, believes that in the next five to ten years companies will have developed even more sophisticated（复杂的）robots for use in industry. By this time, it is likely that they will also have begun to sell new forms of these machines into ordinary homes. Robots could do a wide range of household tasks, such as preparing meals, washing dishes, cleaning the house and so on. By then, the price of such machines may have come down to as little as $1, 000.

　　But Dr. Sandra Lomax, who has done research into artificial intelligence （人工智能） at Sussex University and MIT （Massachusetts Intelligence of Technology）, believes we have a long way to go before we can develop truly intelligent machines.

　　“Preparing an omelet（煎蛋） may seem easy enough. But suppose one of the eggs has gone bad, even the most ‘intelligent’ robot would probably still use it. If something slightly unusual needs doing—something that requires even a little bit of ordinary human imagination, a robot is useless. They need programming for even the simplest of tasks and are not able to learn form experience. And teaching a robot how to recognize a bad egg is far more difficult than teaching it to prepare the omelet the egg goes into.” She says.

　　1.A London company called UAS has already developed a machine which___________.

　　A. can teach languages and care for the patients in hospital

　　B. can help old people do certain jobs in the house

　　C. is controlled by microcomputer “brain”

　　D. can accept simple voice instructions

　　2.Dr. Sandra Lomax thinks that__________.

　　A. no robot will ever be able to prepare an omelet

　　B. a robot will soon be able to do unusual house work which people can't do

　　C. we can programme a robot to learn from experience

　　D. making an omelet is easier for a robot than recognizing a bad egg

 

阅读理解

　　A team of scientists proved that seals (海豹) had a very good sense of heating. These men trained blind seals to expect food when they heard sounds. The seals always began snapping (猛咬) when a strong signal was sounded.

　　It was proved that even a soft signal, a considerable distance (相当远的距离) away, could make these sea animals respond (起反应). That should make the fisherman who makes much noise while working, or talks loudly, start thinking.

　　The same team of scientists also trained seals to recognize different sounds. One bell-tone meant food, two bell-tones meant no food. In the beginning, the seals made mistakes when the two-bell tones were sounded. They were given a light tap after each mistake. The seals were good learners. They easily learned to tell the difference between the sounds.

1．Why was it necessary to use blind seals?

[　　]

A．were unable to use sight for clues (线索)

B．had better hearing

C．were waiting to be fed

D．were the only animals to be found

2．To those seals strong signal meant ________.

[　　]

3．The article doesn't say directly but suggests that fishermen usually think ________.

[　　]

A．seals have no sense of hearing

B．seals have good sense of hearing

C．seals can only recognize bell sounds

D．seals can not hear soft and long distant sounds

4．Light taps were given to those who ________.

[　　]

A．expected food

B．came for food

C．made mistakes

D．recognized the sounds

How soon will it be before robots become so intelligent that they will be able to do things, such as teaching language or looking after patients in hospital? Some experts believe this will happen within twenty years while others disagree.

　　One London company, UAS （Universal Automated Systems）has already developed machines that can be used as “home-helps” for old people unable to look after themselves and who are living on their own or in special homes. These machines can now do such things as cooking eggs and cleaning the floor, and the company says that future models still accept simple voice instructions（指令） and be controlled by a “brain” that is the equivalent（相当的）of the latest IBM microcomputer. The director of UAS, Mr. Henry Jeffries, believes that in the next five to ten years companies will have developed even more sophisticated（复杂的）robots for use in industry. By this time, it is likely that they will also have begun to sell new forms of these machines into ordinary homes. Robots could do a wide range of household tasks, such as preparing meals, washing dishes, cleaning the house and so on. By then, the price of such machines may have come down to as little as $1, 000.

　　But Dr. Sandra Lomax, who has done research into artificial intelligence （人工智能） at Sussex University and MIT （Massachusetts Intelligence of Technology）, believes we have a long way to go before we can develop truly intelligent machines.

　　“Preparing an omelet（煎蛋） may seem easy enough. But suppose one of the eggs has gone bad, even the most ‘intelligent’ robot would probably still use it. If something slightly unusual needs doing—something that requires even a little bit of ordinary human imagination, a robot is useless. They need programming for even the simplest of tasks and are not able to learn form experience. And teaching a robot how to recognize a bad egg is far more difficult than teaching it to prepare the omelet the egg goes into.” She says.

　　1.A London company called UAS has already developed a machine which___________.

　　A. can teach languages and care for the patients in hospital

　　B. can help old people do certain jobs in the house

　　C. is controlled by microcomputer “brain”

　　D. can accept simple voice instructions

　　2.Dr. Sandra Lomax thinks that__________.

　　A. no robot will ever be able to prepare an omelet

　　B. a robot will soon be able to do unusual house work which people can't do

　　C. we can programme a robot to learn from experience

　　D. making an omelet is easier for a robot than recognizing a bad egg

 

阅读下列短文，从所给的四个选项中，选出最佳答案。

　　     A team of scientists proved that seals(海豹)had a very good sense　　 of hearing. These men trained blind seals to expect food when they　　 heard sounds. The seals always began snap ping(猛咬)when a strong　　 signal was sounded.

　　

　　     It was proved that even a soft single, a considerable distance　　 (相当远的距离)away, could make these sea animals respond(起反应). That　　 should make the fisherman who makes much noise while working, or talks　　 loudly, start thinking.

　　

　　     The same team of scientists also trained seals to recognize　　 different sounds. One bell tone meant food, two-bell tones meant no　　 food. In the beginning, the seals made mistakes when the two-bell　　 tones were sounded. They were given a light tap after each mistake.　　 The seals were good learners. They easily learned to tell the　　 difference between the sounds.

(1)  Why was it necessary to use blind seals? Because they _______　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　［　　］　　 　　A. were unable to use sight for clues(线索).　　 　　B. had better hearing. 　　C. were waiting to be fed.　　 　　D. were the only animals to be found. 

(2)  To those seals strong signal meant _______　　　　　　  ［　　］　　 　　A. snapping.　　B. nothing.　　C. food.　　D. a light tap.   

(3) The article doesn't say directly but suggests that fishermen 　　 　　usually think _______　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　  ［　　］　　 　　A. seals have no sense of hearing.　　 　　B. seals have good sense of hearing.　　 　　C. seals can only recognize bell sounds　　 　　D. seals can not hear soft and long distant sounds. 

(4) Light taps were given to those who ____.　　　　　　　　［　　］　　 　　A. expected food　　B. came for food　　 　　C. made mistakes　　D. recognized the sounds 

(5) Which title will be the best to suit the article?　　   ［　　］　　 　　A. Clever Seals.　　　　　　B. Smart Learners.　　 　　C. An Underwater School.　　D. An Unknown School.

　　If you have a watch, don't repair it! I know it for certain. Once I had a beautiful watch. And this watch kept perfect time. But one night it happened that I forgot to wind it up（上发条）. Next morning I went to a watchmaker as I wanted my perfect watch to be set by the exact time. The watchmaker examined my watch and said, “The regulator（调节器）is to be pushed up as your watch is four minutes slow.”

　　I tried to stop him and tried to make him understand that my watch kept perfect time, but he did not listen to me and pushed to regulator.

　　My beautiful watch began to gain. It gained faster and faster day by day. By the end of the second month it had left all the clocks and watches of the town far behind.

　　What did I have to do? To take it to another watch maker to be regulated. I expected him to regulate the watch immediately but he asked me to come in a week's time. When at last I took my watch from him it began to slow down. And I began to be late for trains, business appointments（约会）and even missed my dinners.

　　Now I went to the third watchmaker. While I waited for him to repair my poor watch, he took it to pieces and said that he could finish this work in three or four days. I had nothing to do but agree. That time my watch went for half a day and then stopped.

　　So I kept taking my watch from one watchmaker to another for a considerable（相当长的）period of time.

　　And as a result of it the cleverest man in the world could not tell time by my watch. The thing was getting serious. My watch had cost two hundred dollars originally（原先）but I paid for repair over two thousand. At last I decided to buy another watch, which I did.

(1) His watch gained faster and faster because ______.

[　　]

A．the watchmaker pushed up the regulator

B．the watch wasn't set up by the exact time

C．his watch never kept the perfect time

D．the author didn't follow the watchmaker's advice

(2) How many watchmakers did the author go to altogether?

[　　]

(3) How much did it cost to repair the watch?

[　　]

A．Two hundred dollars.

B．Not mentioned.

C．Over ten times as much as its original value.

D．Less than two thousand.

(4) What do you think the author felt after he had his watch repaired?

[　　]