第三篇 In the 1950s, the pioneers of artificial intelligence (AI) predicted that, by the end of this century, computers would be conversing with us at work and robots would be performing our housework. But as useful as computers are, they’ re nowhere close to achieving anything remotely resembling these early aspirations for humanlike behavior. Never mind something as complex as conversation: the most powerful computers struggle to reliably recognize the shape of an object, the most elementary of tasks for a tenmonth-old kid. A growing group of AI researchers think they know where the field went wrong. The problem, the scientists say, is that AI has been trying to separate the highest, most abstract levels of thought, like language and mathematics, and to duplicate them with logical, step-by-step programs. A new movement in AI, on the other hand, takes a closer look at the more roundabout way in which nature came up with intelligence. Many of these researchers study evolution and natural adaptation instead of formal logic and conventional computer programs. Rather than digital computers and transistors, some want to work with brain cells and proteins. The results of these early efforts are as promising as they are peculiar, and the new nature-based AI movement is slowly but surely moving to the forefront of the field. Imitating the brain’ s neural (神经) network is a huge step in the right direction, says computer scientist and biophysicist Michael Conrad, but is still misses an important aspect of natural intelligence. "People tend to treat the brain as if it were made up of color-coded transistors," he explains, "but it’s not simply a clever network of switches. There are lots of important things going on inside the brain cells themselves." Specifically, Conrad believes that many of the brain’s capabilities stem from the pattern-recognition proficiency of the individual molecules that make up each brain cell. The best way to build an artificially intelligent device, he claims, would be to build it around the same sort of molecular skills. Right now, the notion that conventional computers and software are fundamentally incapable of matching the processes that take place in the brain remains controversial. But if it proves true, then the efforts of Conrad and his fellow A1 rebels could turn out to be the only game in town. The author says that the powerful computers of today______.
A. are capable of reliably recognizing the shape of an object
B. are close to exhibiting humanlike behavior
C. are not very different in their performance from those of the 50’s
D. still cannot communicate with people in a human language
Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word(s) for each numbered blank. Women often (1) that dating is like a cattle (2) , and a paper just published in Biology Letters by Thomas Pollet and Daniel Nettle of Newcastle University, in England, suggests they are (3) . They have little cause for complaint, however, because the paper also suggests that in this particular market, it is (4) who are the buyers. Mr. Pollet and Dr. Nettle were looking for (5) to support the contention that women choose men of (6) status and resources, as well as good looks. That may sound common sense, but it was often (7) by social scientists until a group of researchers who called themselves evolutionary psychologists started investigating the matter two decades ago. Since then, a series of experiments in laboratories have supported the contention. But as all zoologists know, (8) can only tell you so much. Eventually, you have to look at (9) populations. And that is what Mr. Pollet and Dr. Nettle have done. They have examined data from the 19t0 census of the United States of America and discovered that marriage is, indeed, a market. Moreover, as in any market, a (10) of buyers means the sellers have to have particularly attractive goods on (11) if they are to make the exchange. The advantage of picking 1910 was that America had not yet settled down, demographically speaking. Though the long-colonized eastern states had a sex (12) of one man to one woman, or thereabouts, in the rest of the country the old adage "go west, young man" had resulted in a (13) of males. Mr. Pollet and Dr Nettle were thus able to see just how picky women are, (14) the chance. (15) looking at the whole census, the two researchers relied on a sample of one person in 250. They then (16) the men in the sample a socioeconomic status score between zero and 96, on a scale drawn up in 1950 (which was as close to 1910 as they could get). They showed that in states where the sexes were equal in number, 56% of low status men were married by the age of 30, (17) 60% of high status men were. Even in this case, then, there are women who would prefer to remain (18) rather than marry a deadbeat. When there were 110 men for every 100 women (as, for example, in Arizona), the women got really (19) . In that case only 24% of low-status men were married by 30 compared with 46% of high-status men. As the men went west, then, so did their (20) opportunities.
A. while
B. and
C. but
D. when
阅读下面这篇短文,短文后有2项测试任务:(1)第23~26题要求从所给的6个选项中为规定段每段选择1个正确的小标题;(2)第27~30题要求从所给的6个选项中选择4个正确选项,分别完成每个句子。 A new drug shows hope of conquering a form of leukemia by targeting the misbehaving cells two summers ago Douglas Jenson was so wiped out from battling chronic myelogenous(骨髓性的) leukemia(白血病) (CML) that he could do little more than sit by his window; watching the numbers on a thermometer rise and fall with the sun. Today thanks to an experimental drug called STI571 (brand name: Glivec), Jenson 67, is biking in Oregon and planning a trip to the Caribbean. "I feel wonderful," he says.2. So do his doctors. STI571, a "smart bomb" drug that targets leukemia cells without harming healthy ions, first made headlines last year when researchers announced that white blood counts had returned to normal in 31 out of 31 patients who had taken the pill. Last week scientists were hack reporting new data on just over 1000 patients. In one trial, more than 90 % of 532 people on the drug saw counts return to normal. And under microscopic examination, 28 percent showed no evidence of cancer left in their bone marrow.3. The drug even helped, although not as dramatically, some patients in the final "blast" phase of the disease, when survival is measured in months. STI571"has ignited the cancer-research field", says Dr Brian Druker, an Oregan Health Sciences University researcher who developed the drug with manufacturer Novartis.4. CML, diagnosed in 5100 Americans every year, is triggered when two chromosomes swap fragments of genetic information. CML starts with the mistaken swap of genes between two chromosomes. The resulting "Philadelphia chromosome" produces the mutant Bcr-Abl protein. Bcr-Abl transfers a phosphate from the chemical messenger ATP to other proteins. They initiate a flawed signal to white blood cells to replicate incessantly.5. STI571 returns blood counts back to normal for those patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia(CML) in a "smart bomb way" by targeting the protein that sends the message to make the white blood cells. Bone marrow transplants can work extremely well, but they’ re applicable only for a minority of patients; otherwise, standard treatment is the injectable drug interferon. Many patients, however, cannot tolerate the adverse effects, which include severe fatigue, weight loss and depression. The new pill works by deactivating the cancer cells’ growth signal. Side effects- nausea, eye puffiness, muscle aches have been relatively mild so far. The drug will probably be approved _______.