1、大学英语四级（阅读）模拟试卷 43及答案与解析 Section B Directions: There are 2 passages in this section. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice. 0 Artificial Intelligence (AI) We often dont no
2、tice it, but artificial intelligence (AI) is all around us. It is present in computer games, in the cruise control in our cars and the servers that route our email. Mischievous robot In June 2002, a robot called Gaak gave an alarming demonstration of its independence. It made a dash for freedom from
3、 an exhibit at the Magna science centre in Rotherham. Gaak crept along a barrier until it found a gap and squeezed through. Having left the building, it reached Magnas exit by the Ml motorway before it was discovered. What is AI? So, can a machine behave like a person? This question underlies artifi
4、cial intelligence (AI), the study of intelligent behavior in machines. In the 1980s, AI research focused on creating machines that could solve problems and reason like humans. One of the most difficult problems in artificial intelligence is that of consciousness. A consciousness gives us feelings an
5、d makes us aware of our own existence. But scientists have found it difficult getting robots to carry out even the simplest of cognitive tasks. Creating a self-aware robot with real feelings is a significant challenge faced by scientists hoping to imitate human intelligence in a machine. Since the e
6、arly 1990s, researchers have concentrated on developing smaller, independent robots instead of trying to recreate human intelligence. The model for many of these machines is insect intelligence, which is in its own way very sophisticated. Supercomputer When it is completed in late 2004, the worlds m
7、ost powerful computer will be ASCI Purple, built by IBM. It is expected to carry out 100 trillion operations per second (or 100 teraflops). A supercomputer with double this processing power is expected within the next two years. It is being built to replace ASCI White formerly the worlds most powerf
8、ul computer which occupies a space the size of two basketball courts at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. A spokesman for IBM said that ASCI Purple was approaching the processing power of the human brain. But some scientists believe our brains can carry out around
9、10,000 trillion operations per second. HAL, the supercomputer that rebels against its human handlers in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), is a bold reference to IBM. The letters H, A and L, precede I, B and M in the alphabet. Turing Test In 1950, mathematician Alan Turing devised a test to iden
10、tify whether a machine displayed intelligence. In the Turing Test, two people (A and B) sit in a closed room, while an interrogator (询问者 ) (C) sits outside. Person A tries to fool the interrogator about their gender, while person B tries to assist the interrogator in their identification. Turing sug
11、gested a machine take the place of person A. If the machine consistently fooled the human interrogator, it was likely to be intelligent. Film stars The possible dangers posed by intelligent machines have inspired countless science fiction films. In The Terminator (1984), a computer network attacks t
12、he human race in order to achieve control. This network then manufactures intelligent robots called “Terminators“ which it programs to destroy human survivors. In The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003), a machine enslaves humanity, using people as batteries to power its mainframe. Steven S
13、pielbergs AI: Artificial Intelligence (2002) paints a more sympathetic view of artificial life, depicting sensitive robots that are abused by brutal, selfish human masters. Smart games One place where artificial intelligence has found a natural home is in the development of computer games. AI in com
14、puter games is becoming increasingly sophisticated as consumer appetites for better, faster, more challenging games grows. In games, AI is often present in the opponents you play against, or in allies or other team members. From circuit board to chess board In 1997, then world chess champion Garry K
15、asparov played against IBMs Deep Blue supercomputer and lost. After six games, the mighty Kasparov lost 2.5 to 3.5 to the silicon upstart. In February 2003, Kasparov saved some credibility for humanity by drawing against the Israeli-built supercomputer Deep Junior. Kasparov went on to draw 2-2 again
16、st US company X3D Technologies supercomputer X3D Fritz in November 2003, proving that the human brain can keep up with the latest developments in computing (at least in chess). Social skills Despite these entertaining applications, the original point of AI research was to create machines that could
17、understand us. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), scientists have designed a robot called Kismet that can have realistic conversations with people. Kismet is capable of seven different facial expressions and can vary the tone of its voice. It also adjusts its gaze and the direction
18、of its head towards the person it is speaking to. Scientists at HP have designed an electronic DJ. The “hpDJ“ selects beats and baselines from its memory bank and mixes them. Its makers say it could be made to react to the mood of clubbers. At the University of Texas, Dallas, researchers have design
19、ed a lifelike human face capable of 28 facial movements, including smiling, sneering, furrowing its brow and arching its eyebrows. It could be used to put a human face to the artificial brains of the future. Robot future (1) Building bridges A computer program developed at Brandeis University in Mas
20、sachusetts has learnt how to design and build bridges, cranes and tables all by itself. It reinvented support structures such as the cantilever and the triangle without prior knowledge of them. (2) Fraud detecting Credit card companies use a computer program called The Falcon to detect card fraud. T
21、he Falcon works by constantly updating a profile of how customers use their credit cards. It then looks for uncharacteristic patterns of credit card use in the data. (3) Roving eyes (灵动的眼睛 ) A robotic head built by a Scottish robotics company can determine a womans attractiveness. It works by examin
22、ing faces to determine how “feminine“ or “masculine“ they are. It doesnt work in reverse because mens appeal is supposedly not based as much on looks. Perhaps jokingly, researchers say it could be put to use as an artificial receptionist. (4) Consumer gadgets Robots designed for the consumer market
23、and employing very basic forms of AI have become increasingly popular in recent years. Sonys Aibo robot dog behaves like a puppy when it is first activated. But it “learns“ new behavior as it spends more time with its human owner. (5) Airware A software program called FACES could stop mid-air collis
24、ions between planes. When tested in a flight simulator (模拟器 ) the software prevented a pile-up between 35 planes sharing airspace. Brave new world Over the coming century, breakthroughs in nanotechnology, the science of ultra-small machines constructed at the molecular level, may help us build more
25、sophisticated machines that are more compact. We may also see breakthroughs from scientists who are experimenting with connecting biological cells to silicon circuits a phenomenon called wetware. 1 How did the robot called Gaak shock the visitors at an exhibit? （ A） It had tried to flee. （ B） It cou
26、ld dance and sing. （ C） It was the smallest robot. （ D） It was most efficient in industry. 2 In the early 1990s, the research of artificial intelligence had been replaced by the development of_. （ A） robot consciousness （ B） cognitive skills in robots （ C） smaller, independent robots （ D） insect int
27、elligence 3 ASCI White will be replaced by a supercomputer with a processing power of_. （ A） 100 teraflops （ B） 200 teraflops （ C） 10,000 teraflops （ D） 20,000 teraflops 4 The Turing Test was intended to show _. （ A） whether a machine was intelligent （ B） whether people can fool each other （ C） how
28、people displayed intelligence （ D） how machine interrogated people 5 Which of the following film shows sympathy for robots? （ A） The Terminator. （ B） The Matrix. （ C） The Matrix Reloaded. （ D） Al: Artificial Intelligence. 6 Increasingly sophisticated AI is demanded for the development of_. （ A） more
29、 interesting computer games （ B） more challenging computer games （ C） more realistic sound effect of computer games （ D） more lifelike visual effect of computer games 7 Kismet is a special robot that can _. （ A） play chess against human champions （ B） demonstrate some kind of social skills （ C） comm
30、unicate in seven different languages （ D） imitate the sound of any musical instruments 8 Robots were enabled to produce as many as 28 facial movements by researchers of_ 9 Credit card fraud can be detected with the help of a computer program called _ 10 The phenomenon of wetware refers to _. 10 The
31、word Yoga itself comes from an ancient Sanskrit word meaning “union“. What kind of union do you think the word refers to? Why would people want to have diis kind of experience? Students of Yoga often study for as long as 20 years before becoming【 11】 , or Yogis. They learn many different【 12】 exerci
32、ses. These exercises are designed to put the students in good physical condition. Then they can concentrate on deep religious thoughts without physical【 13】 . Many Yoga exercises【 14】 putting the body into difficult position. Some of them are very hard to learn. Have you ever tried to【 15】 your legs
33、 over one another? This is one of the【 16】 Yoga positions. It is called the lotus position. Most people find it difficult to stay in that position for even a few minutes. But Yogis train themselves to remain in the lotus position for hours or even days. They are taught to【 17】 the physical discomfor
34、ts of holding these positions. Other exercises and【 18】 teach concentration. Yogis feel this is the key to【 19】 inner peace. This kind of concentration is called meditation. Yogis and many other people practice meditation. They claim that it makes them feel relaxed and【 20】 , Some people say that it
35、 makes them feel better just as good exercise does. But other people say that meditation helps them feel much closer to God. A. discomforts B. basic C. finding D. peaceful E. rules F. overcome G. physical H. enforcing I. involve J. intimate K. masters L. external M. fold N. interaction O. elaboratel
36、y 11 【 11】 12 【 12】 13 【 13】 14 【 14】 15 【 15】 16 【 16】 17 【 17】 18 【 18】 19 【 19】 20 【 20】 20 An “apple polisher“ is one who gives gifts to win friendship or special treatment. It is not exactly a bribe (贿赂 ), but is close to it. All sorts of people are apple polishers, including politicians and pe
37、ople in high offices just about everybody. Oliver Cromwell, the great English leader, offered many gifts to win the support of George Fox and his party, but failed. There are other phrases meaning the same thing as “apple-polishing“ “soft-soaping“ or “buttering-up“. A gift is just one way to “soft-s
38、oap“ somebody, or to“butter him up“. Another that is just as effective is flattery, giving someone high praise telling him how good he looks, or how well he speaks, or how talented and wise he is. Endless are the ways of flattery. Who does not love to hear it? Only an unusual man can resist the thri
39、ll of being told how wonderful he is. In truth, flattery is good medicine for most of us, who get so little of it. We need it to be more sure of ourselves. It cannot hurt unless we get carried away by it. But if we just lap it up for its food value and nourishment, as a cat laps up milk, then we can
40、 still remain true to ourselves. Sometimes, however, flattery will get you nothing from one who has had too much of it. A good example is the famous 12th century legend of King Canute of Denmark and England. The king got tired of listening to the endless sickening flattery of his courtiers (朝臣 ). Th
41、ey overpraised him to the skies, as a man of limitless might. He decided to teach them a lesson. He took them to the seashore and sat down. Then he ordered the waves to stop coming in. The tide was too busy to listen to him. The king was satisfied. This might show his followers how weak his power wa
42、s and how empty their flattery. 21 Which of the following activities has nothing to do with “apple-polishing“? （ A） A boy tells his girlfriend how pretty she looks. （ B） An employee tells her boss how good he is at management. （ C） A knight is said to be of limitless power by his followers. （ D） A t
43、eacher praises her students for their talent and wisdom. 22 What does the writer want to prove with Cromwells example? （ A） Everybody can be an apple-polisher. （ B） Cromwell was not a good apple-polisher. （ C） George Fox and his party were not apple-polishers. （ D） There are people who dont like bei
44、ng apple-polished. 23 Which of the following statements about flattery is true according to the author? （ A） Too much flattery can carry us away. （ B） Flattery is too empty to do people any good. （ C） Flattery can get you nothing but excessive pride. （ D） Flattery is one of the ways to apple-polish
45、people. 24 King Canute of Denmark and England took his followers to the seashore because _. （ A） he was sick of his normal life （ B） he disliked being overpraised any more （ C） he wanted them to realize how wise he was （ D） he wanted them to see how weak he was as a king 25 The author thinks that fl
46、attery can do good to those who_. （ A） are politicians or in high offices （ B） lack confidence （ C） are really excellent （ D） think highly of themselves 25 So many of us hold on to little resentments that may have stemmed from an argument, a misunderstanding, or some other painful event. Stubbornly,
47、 we wait for someone else to reach out to us believing this is the only way we can forgive or rekindle (重新激起 ) a friendship or family relationship. An acquaintance of mine whose health isnt very good recently told me that she hasnt spoken to her son in almost three years. “Why not?“ I asked. She sai
48、d that she and her son had had a disagreement about his wife and that she wouldnt speak to him again unless he called first. When I suggested that she be the one to reach out, she resisted initially and said, “I cant do that. Hes the one who should apologize.“ She was literally willing to die before
49、 reaching out to her only son. After a little gentle encouragement, however, she did decide to be the first one to reach out. To her amazement her son was grateful for her willingness to call and offered an apology of his own. As is usually the case when someone takes the chance and reaches out, he wins. Whenever we hold on to our anger we turn “small stuff into really “big stuff“ in our minds. We start to believe that our positions are more important than our happiness. They are not. If you want t
