2002 Text 2

　　Since the dawn of human ingenuity, people have devised ever more cunning tools to cope with work that is dangerous, boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty. That compulsion has resulted in robotics — the science of conferring various human capabilities on machines. And if scientists have yet to create the mechanical version of science fiction, they have begun to come close.

　　As a result, the modern world is increasingly populated by intelligent gizmos whose presence we barely notice but whose universal existence has removed much human labor. Our factories hum to the rhythm of robot assembly arms. Our banking is done at automated teller terminals that thank us with mechanical politeness for the transaction. Our subway trains are controlled by tireless robo-drivers. And thanks to the continual miniaturization of electronics and micro-mechanics, there are already robot systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with submillimeter accuracy — far greater precision than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their hands alone.

　　But if robots are to reach the next stage of laborsaving utility, they will have to operate with less human supervision and be able to make at least a few decisions for themselves — goals that pose a real challenge. "While we know how to tell a robot to handle a specific error," says Dave Lavery, manager of a robotics program at NASA, "we can't yet give a robot enough 'common sense' to reliably interact with a dynamic world."

　　Indeed the quest for true artificial intelligence has produced very mixed results. Despite a spell of initial optimism in the 1960s and 1970s when it appeared that transistor circuits and microprocessors might be able to copy the action of the human brain by the year 2010, researchers lately have begun to extend that forecast by decades if not centuries.

　　What they found, in attempting to model thought, is that the human brain's roughly one hundred billion nerve cells are much more talented — and human perception far more complicated — than previously imagined. They have built robots that can recognize the error of a machine panel by a fraction of a millimeter in a controlled factory environment. But the human mind can glimpse a rapidly changing scene and immediately disregard the 98 percent that is irrelevant, instantaneously focusing on the monkey at the side of a winding forest road or the single suspicious face in a big crowd. The most advanced computer systems on Earth can't approach that kind of ability, and neuroscientists still don't know quite how we do it.

46. Human ingenuity was initially demonstrated in ________.
　　[A] the use of machines to produce science fiction
　　[B] the wide use of machines in manufacturing industry
　　[C] the invention of tools for difficult and dangerous work
　　[D] the elite's cunning tackling of dangerous and boring work

47. The word "gizmos" (line 1, paragraph 2) most probably means ________.
　　[A] programs
　　[B] experts
　　[C] devices
　　[D] creatures

48. According to the text, what is beyond man's ability now is to design a robot that can ________.
　　[A] fulfill delicate tasks like performing brain surgery
　　[B] interact with human beings verbally
　　[C] have a little common sense
　　[D] respond independently to a changing world

49. Besides reducing human labor, robots can also ________.
　　[A] make a few decisions for themselves
　　[B] deal with some errors with human intervention
　　[C] improve factory environments
　　[D] cultivate human creativity

50. The author uses the example of a monkey to argue that robots are ________.
　　[A] expected to copy human brain in internal structure
　　[B] able to perceive abnormalities immediately
　　[C] far less able than human brain in focusing on relevant information
　　[D] best used in a controlled environment

重點詞匯：

ingenuity /7indVi5nju:iti/ （獨創(chuàng)性；靈活性）←ingenu+ity，ingenu（=ingenious獨創(chuàng)的；靈活的），-ity名詞后綴。

burdensome /5bE:dnsEm/ （繁重的；難以負擔的）←burden負擔+some形容詞后綴。What a heavy burden is a name that has become famous.廣為人知的名字是多么沉重的負擔啊。

nasty /5nAsti/ （討厭的；骯臟的；下流的……）Diplomacy is to do and say the nastiest thing in the nicest way.外交就是以最優(yōu)雅的方式辦最nasty的事，說最nasty的話。←nasty在此句實在不好翻譯。

compulsion /kEm5pQlF(E)n/ （強制）即com一起+puls(=drive)+ion名詞后綴，“不由分說全拖到一起”→強制；compulsory（強制的；必修的）←com+puls+ory形容詞后綴。compulsion — a highbrow term for a temptation we're not trying too hard to resist 強制——對人們并不想堅持拒絕的誘惑的一種高雅說法。Bodily exercise, when compulsory, does no harm to the body; but knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.強制的身體鍛煉不會損害身體，但被迫學習的知識占據(jù)不了頭腦。←柏拉圖老師說的。

robotics /rEu5bCtiks/ （機器人學）即robot+ics，robot機器人，-ics后綴表“學科”，如physics、aesthetics（美學）。robo-driver即robot driver。

assembly /E5sembli/ （集會；裝配）是assemble的名詞形式，-y為名詞后綴；assemble諧音“啊，三步”，曹植七步成詩，而“裝配”只需三步（三個步驟）！In most communities it is illegal to cry "fire" in a crowded assembly.在大多數(shù)社會中，在擁擠的集會上喊“著火啦”是違法的。

terminal /5tE:minl/ （終端的；期末的；終端；終點站）←termin期限+al后綴；terminate（中止）←termin+ate動詞后綴，施瓦辛格演的電影《終結(jié)者》就叫Terminator（-or后綴表“人”）。It's all right to have a train of thoughts, if you have a terminal.想法成串并沒關(guān)系，只要有個止點。

miniaturization /7miniEtFErai5zeiFEn/ （小型化）即mini+atur(e)+iz(e)+ation；mini詞根“小”（比如有個好東西叫mini skirt），-ature名詞后綴，-ize動詞后綴，-ation名詞后綴；miniature（小型的；縮影）←mini+ature。A day is a miniature of eternity.一天是永恒的縮影。

laborsaving /5leibE7seiviN/ （節(jié)省勞力的）←labor勞動+saving節(jié)省的。

supervision /7sju:pE5viVEn/ （監(jiān)督）即super+vis+ion，super-前綴“在上面”，vis詞根“看”（如visual→vis+ual形容詞后綴→視覺的），-ion名詞后綴。

specific /spi5sifik/ （具體的；特定的；特效藥）即speci+fic，speci詞根=species（種類），-fic形容詞后綴“使成為……的”，故“使成為某個具體種類的”→特定的。Time and again I have emerged from a course of reading in philosophy with the conviction that the authors were really avoiding specific problems by converting them into tenuous sophistries that have very little real meaning.我一再退出對哲學的鉆研，深信作者們確實是在以將具體問題換成幾乎沒有實際意義的貧乏詭辯來躲避它們。

reliable /ri5laiEbl/ （可靠的）←reli+able，reli即rely（v.依賴；信任），-able后綴“可……的”。Without criticism and reliable and intelligent reporting, the government can not govern.沒有批評和可靠而明智的新聞報道，政府無法統(tǒng)治。

artificial /7B:ti5fiFEl/ （人工的，人造的）即art+i+fic+ial，art詞根“人工”，-i-連結(jié)元音，fic詞根“做”，-ial形容詞后綴。Of all artificial relations formed between mankind, the most capricious and variable is that of author and reader.在人與人之間形成的所有人為關(guān)系中，最變化無常的是作者與讀者的關(guān)系。artificial intelligence — the art of making computers that behave like the ones in movies 人工智能——制造電腦的藝術(shù)，使它們的行為像電影里的人一樣。

perception /pE5sepFEn/ （感覺；理解）即per+cept+ion，per-前綴“全部”，cept詞根“抓”（=capt，因為元音可替換，capture→capt+ure后綴→n.v.捕獲），-ion名詞后綴，故“把外界信息‘全部’‘抓住’”→感知。The perception of beauty is a moral test.對美的理解是道德的檢驗。

complicated /5kCmplikeitid/ （復(fù)雜的；難解的）即com+plic+at(e)+ed，com-前綴“一起”，plic詞根“折疊”，-ate動詞后綴+-ed后綴“已……的”，故“全都折疊在一起的”→復(fù)雜的；complicate（使復(fù)雜）←com+plic+ate；complication（復(fù)雜情況；并發(fā)癥）←com+plic+ation。I never blame failures — there are too many complicated situations in life, but I am absolutely merciless toward lack of effort.我從不責備失敗——生活中復(fù)雜的情況實在太多，但對于不努力，我絕不寬恕。

previously /5pri:vjjEsli/ （先前地）即previous+ly，previous（先前的）即pre+vi+ous，pre-前綴“在前的”，vi(=via)詞根“路”，-ous形容詞后綴，故“在前面就上路的”→先前。A creative artist works on his next composition because he is not satisfied with his previous one.有創(chuàng)造性的藝術(shù)家致力于自己的下一個作品，因為他不滿意前一個。

irrelevant /i5relivEnt/ （不相關(guān)的）即ir+relevant，ir-否定前綴（=in-，在r前n變形為r），relevant /5relivEnt/ （相關(guān)的）參2002年Text 1。

instantaneously /7instEn5teinjEsli/ （瞬間地）即instant+aneous+ly，instant單詞“立刻的；速溶的；瞬間），-aneous形容詞后綴。

suspicious /sEs5piFEs/ （可疑的；多疑的）←suspic(=suspect)懷疑+ious。Plagiarists are always suspicious of being stolen from.剽竊者總是疑心文字被人盜用。

neuroscientist /7nju[r[u5sai[ntist/ （神經(jīng)科學家）←neuro(=nerve)+scientist。

perceive /pE5si:v/ （察覺；感知）即per+ceive，是perception（見前述）的動詞形式，per-前綴“全部”，ceive詞根“抓”。同根詞：receive（v.收到）←re(=back)+ceive，“抓回來”；deceive（v.欺騙）←de在下面+ceive，“在下面搞小動作”。There are no new truths, but only truths that have not been recognised by those who have perceived them without noticing.沒有什么新的真理，只有人們不經(jīng)意地感覺到但沒有認識到的真理。Growing old is not upsetting, being perceived as old is.變老并不令人煩惱，除非別人認為你老了。

elite /ei5li:t/ （精英）用諧音記：“愛理他”→“精英人士”每個人都愛理他。

gizmo /5^izmEu/ 小發(fā)明；hum /hQm/ 嗡嗡聲、轟鳴聲。

難句解析：

①Since the dawn of human ingenuity, people have devised ever more cunning tools to cope with work that is dangerous, boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty.
▲該句是一個復(fù)雜單句，前面是since引導的一個時間狀語，這個地方的dawn取其比喻的意思，表示早期。后面主句中有一個定語從句that is dangerous, boring, burdensome, or just plain nasty用來修飾work。
△本句結(jié)構(gòu)比較簡明，但是有一些詞的意思比較難：ingenuity創(chuàng)造性，靈活性；nasty討厭的。

②As a result, the modern world is increasingly populated by intelligent gizmos whose presence we barely notice but whose universal existence has removed much human labor.
▲本句的主句是the modern world is increasingly populated by intelligent gizmos，后面是兩個定語從句，中間用but來引導。
△要看懂本句，重點在于看到gizmo一詞后面的兩個定語從句。在本句中，認不認識gizmo并不重要，因為從上下文中可以看出它和robot的意思應(yīng)該大同小異。

③There are already robot systems that can perform some kinds of brain and bone surgery with submillimeter accuracy — far greater precision than highly skilled physicians can achieve with their hands alone.
▲該句是一個there be的結(jié)構(gòu)，注意robot systems后面有一個修飾它的定語從句。而后面的破折號引出一個補充說明部分來修飾submillimeter accuracy。
△注意該句中的最核心的部分是robot systems，其它成分都是圍繞著它來展開的。

④But if robots are to reach the next stage of laborsaving utility, they will have to operate with less human supervision and be able to make at least a few decisions for themselves — goals that pose a real challenge.
▲整句是一個條件句，注意后面的主句比較復(fù)雜，里面有兩個并列的謂語，而后面破折號引導的是一個補充說明成分，修飾整個主句。
△要注意兩個并列謂語之間的關(guān)系。

⑤But the human mind can glimpse a rapidly changing scene and immediately disregard the 98 percent that is irrelevant, instantaneously focusing on the monkey at the side of a winding forest road or the single suspicious face in a big crowd.
▲整句的主干部分是這樣的，主語the human mind，并列謂語glimpse和disregard，逗號后面instantaneously focusing on the monkey at the side of a winding forest road or the single suspicious face in a big crowd這一部分做狀語，修飾謂語。
△要注意兩個并列謂語之間的關(guān)系并抓住句子的主干成分。

試題解析：

46. [C]
　　此題的難度合適，區(qū)分度好。
　　本題是一個局部題，主要考查考生是否看懂了第一段，尤其是“That compulsion has resulted in robotics — the science of conferring various human capabilities on machines”這句話。這句話的意思是：（發(fā)明一些靈巧的工具來從事一些危險、乏味、繁重，或者是討厭的工作）這樣一種需求導致了機器人技術(shù)的產(chǎn)生，即賦予機器以人的各種技能的科學。

47. [C]
　　此題偏易，區(qū)分度很好。
　　本題是考查考生從上下文猜測詞義的能力。根據(jù)第二段中出現(xiàn)的“robot assembly arms”，“automated teller terminals”，“tireless robo-drivers”等信息，考生可以猜出“gizmos”是“設(shè)備、裝置”的意思。

48. [D]
　　此題的難度合適，區(qū)分度很好。
　　本題的答題依據(jù)是第三段中Dave Lavery的第二句話，即“we can't yet give a robot enough 'common sense' to reliably interact with a dynamic world.”該句中的“dynamic”就是“動態(tài)的、變化的”意思。

49. [B]
　　此題的難度合適，區(qū)分度好。
　　本題的答題依據(jù)是第三段中Dave Lavery說的第一句話，即“While we know how to tell a robot to handle a specific error,”即我們知道如何告訴機器人去處理一個具體的錯誤?？炊诉@句話，這道題就很容易了。

50. [C]
　　此題屬于很容易的題目，區(qū)分度好。
　　本題考的是文章最后一段的意思。該段的主要意思是：機器人能夠在很短的時間內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)機器的問題，而人腦能很快忽略不相關(guān)的信息，而將注意力集中到相關(guān)的信息上來，這是先進的機器人都做不到的。

全文翻譯：

　　從人類最初有了智慧至今，人們一直在設(shè)計日益巧妙的工具來處理那些危險的、枯燥的、繁重的或者只是一般骯臟的工作。這種不得已的行為導致了機器人科學的產(chǎn)生——一門將人類的能力賦予機器的科學。如果科學家們還沒有在機械上實現(xiàn)科幻小說的幻想，那么他們也已經(jīng)很接近這個目標了。
　　由此引起的結(jié)果是，現(xiàn)代世界已經(jīng)日益充斥著智能的裝置，雖然我們幾乎都注意不到他們，但他們的普遍存在卻節(jié)省了許多人類勞力。我們的工廠里轟鳴著機器人生產(chǎn)線的節(jié)奏；我們的金融服務(wù)完成于自動柜員機旁，完成業(yè)務(wù)后，它們還會機械地、有禮貌地感謝我們；我們的地鐵車輛由不知疲倦的機器人駕駛。由于電子和微觀機械儀器的不斷縮小，現(xiàn)在已有一些機器人系統(tǒng)能夠進行精確到毫米的腦部和骨髓手術(shù)，其精確性遠遠超過熟練的醫(yī)生用他們的雙手所能達到的水平。
　　但是如果機器人要進入節(jié)省勞力的下一個階段，他們必須能夠在更少的人工監(jiān)控下運行，并且至少能夠獨立地做一些決定。這些目標給我們提出了一個真正的挑戰(zhàn)。“雖然我們知道如何讓機器人去糾正一個特定的錯誤，”NASA的一個機器人項目經(jīng)理戴維·拉維里說，“我們?nèi)匀徊荒苜x予機器人以足夠的‘常識’，使它們能夠與動態(tài)的世界進行可靠的交流。”
　　實際上對真正的人工智能的追求已經(jīng)產(chǎn)生了各種各樣的效果。雖然一開始在20世紀60年代和70年代有過一段樂觀的時期——那時候仿佛晶體管電路和微處理器的發(fā)展將使他們在2010年能夠模仿人類大腦的活動——但是最近研究人員已經(jīng)開始將這個預(yù)測延后數(shù)十年，甚至數(shù)百年。
　　在試圖建造思維模型的過程中，研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)，人類大腦中的近1000億個神經(jīng)細胞要比以前想像的更聰明，人類的感覺器官也比以前想像的更復(fù)雜。他們建造的機器人在嚴格控制的工廠環(huán)境里，能夠在儀表盤上識別毫米以下的誤差。但是人的大腦能夠掃描一個快速變化的場景，迅速排除98％的不相干的物體，立即聚焦于森林中婉蜒道路旁的一只猴子，或者人群中的一張可疑的臉。地球上最先進的計算機系統(tǒng)也不能仿效這種能力，并且神經(jīng)學科學家仍然不知道我們是怎樣做到這一點的。