Alexa is Amazon’s cloud-based voice service available on hundreds of millions of devices from Amazon and third-party device manufacturers. With Alexa, you can build natural voice experiences that offer customers a way to interact with the technology they use every day.
Alexa is always eavesdropping (窃听). (So are Siri, Google Assistant, and any other virtual assistant you invite into your home.) This is and isn’t as horrible as it sounds. Although it’s true that the device can hear everything you say within range of its microphones, it is listening for its wake word before it starts recording.Once it hears that —“Alexa” is the default (默认), but there are other options — everything in the following few seconds is considered to be a command or a request and is sent to (and stored on) servers in the cloud, where the correct response is triggered. Think of a smart speaker like a dog: It’s always listening, but it understands only “cookie,” “walk,” or “Buddy.” Everything else goes right over its head.
Every time Alexa hears a command, Amazon — its parent company — has just learned something about you. Maybe the company learned only that you like to listen to the Police, or that you like funny jokes, or that you turn your lights off at 11 p.m. every night. If you were to say “Alexa, where should I bury the body?” you’re not going to have the police showing up at your door. (I know because I’ve tried it.)
Alexa does make mistakes.Sometimes this can be funny, such as when Alexa hears its wake word in a TV show.Other times it’s more serious, including an instance in 2018 when Alexa mistakenly sent an entire private conversation to a random person’s Echo device. Occasionally there are even humans listening to your request for weather reports or trying to figure out what you meant when you added “mangosteens” to your shopping list. Sound disturbing? You likely already agreed to it in the app’s terms of use when you installed the device.
What bits of privacy are you willing to sacrifice for the convenience provided by a smart speaker? If you trust that Amazon’s intentions are no more immoral than getting a better idea of what you want to buy on Prime Day, then you have your answer. If you worry about your private information falling into the hands of the wrong people, then you have another answer.
14. Why does the author compare smart speakers to dogs?
A.To show smart speakers are life companions like dogs. |
B.To show smart speakers are sensitive to users’ commands. |
C.To show smart speakers are woken by specific words. |
D.To show wake words for smart speakers are different. |
15. What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A.The tech company knows less than users imagine. |
B.The tech company is spying on users’ everyday life.. |
C.The tech company turns a blind eye to some crimes. |
D.The tech company is interested in users’ music taste. |
16. Which of the following best describes Alexa?
A.All-round. |
B.Imperfect. |
C.Funny. |
D.Immoral. |
17. What does the author think of using smart speakers?
A.It is a matter of opinion. |
B.Privacy is a high price to pay. |
C.It is part and parcel of life. |
D.Convenience always comes first. |