ECycling refers to the recycling of electronic items, which are becoming a common problem in American home and throughout the world. The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has actually started a program to help and motivate the recycling of electronics.
To get the program to the regional and neighborhood levels, the EPA directed “Plug-In to eCyeling Partners.” These partnerships support electronic reusing programs in individual communities. They provide local governments, retailers and manufacturers with opportunities to reuse and recycle their items. Those who make and offer electronic devices then promote programs and opportunities for consumers to reuse their second-hand electronic products. One of the EPA’s goals is to enlighten customers about why the recycling of electronics is so important. They likewise wish to make eCycling chances easily accessible to specific consumers and their family electronics. According to the EPA, the eCycling program has actually been quite successful. In 2008, the EPA collected 66.5 million pounds of electronic devices through their Plug-In Partners.
Local governments have actually likewise got on board and passed laws intended to handle used electronic devices. Huge corporations have actually introduced eCycling programs at their local retail stores. One seller offers customers small, medium and big boxes for sale, which the customers then load with used electronics and go back to the store. Typically，customers bring their recyclable electronics to a location. When the electronic items are gathered by the EPA(typically this is done byt he Partners), they are reused or recycled.
Reused items are repaired and refurbished, and passed on to others as a contribution. You can repair or recondition your very own electronic devices too, extending the life of the items and conserving the energy of making new materials. Reusing electronic devices includes making use of the products and pats of the items. These materials and parts are then made use of to produce another item. This is more efficient than making items from new materials.
Some items that are commonly eCycled consist of televisions, computer monitors, printers, notebook computer, keyboards and cable televisions. Less usual items include copying machines, CDplayers, voice mail machines, computer hard drives, mobile telephones, remote controls, radios, batteries, telephones, facsimile machines and computer games. Occasionally, electronic items such as microwaves, fans, vacuums, smoke alarms, and toasters are eCycled.
As the eCycling program continues, you or your organization may want to get involved. Check the EPA’s internet site (www.epa.gov) for regional eCycling programs, or for details on how your company can participate. Their website has links to organizations that are taking part in the eCycling program.
1. The EPA brought about “Plug-In to eCycling Partners” to__________.| A．make and offer electronic devices to consumers |
| B．make customers understand the importance of eCycling |
| C．make the program accessible to local regions and communities |
| D．make it possible for consumers to reuse their used e-products |
| A．repairing electronic device | B．gathering recyclable electronics |
| C．reusing second-hand e-products | D．offering customers different boxes for sale. |
| A．People can sell their reused items on the Internet. |
| B．Individuals can’t take part in eCycling programs. |
| C．Devices of computers are well eCycled. |
| D．Not every electronic item can be eCycled. |
| A．To introduce a new way to save costs. |
| B．To teach customers how to recycle electronics. |
| C．To attract people to join in the eCycling programs. |
| D．To call on local governments to support Plug-In Partners. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Washing machines and fridges will be labelled with their carbon footprint as part of efforts to promote greener products and bring down carbon emissions (排放).
UK government want to introduce a system in which products would be labelled to show how much greenhouse gases had been given off while making the product. Officials favour a system in which labels describe the product’s emission figure along with a ranking, such as from A to G. A rating of A would represent a “zero emission” product.
In consultation papers published earlier, the government said: “The combination of the emissions figure and ranking system could give a simple way to find out the best products, as well as the raw data needed to make more detailed comparisons.” Officials hope the labelling would encourage people to buy greener products, helping to bring down carbon emissions.
The government has not set out which products the emission figures would apply to, but it is likely to eventually apply to products whose production process involves significant emissions, such as heavy goods involving steel or plastic.
The proposal is among several steps by the government to encourage UK companies to cut their emissions, alongside wider measures to boost clean energy supplies.
Officials are also considering introducing new import taxes to protect UK factories from being affected by cheap imports from competitors. Under the proposals, imported goods without costs for going green would face extra taxes. The potential so-called carbon border taxes are aimed at protecting areas such as steel and chemicals.
Matthew Germain, an expert in British Environmental Law, said the measures would mean the UK was “at least keeping step with the European Union (EU)”. The EU reached a deal in December of 2022 to charge carbon taxes on imports of iron and steel, and electricity. Countries will not be affected if they have same climate change policies to the EU.
1. What new information will be added to labels of products?| A．Their raw materials. | B．Consumers’ ratings. |
| C．Amount of carbon emission. | D．Advantages and disadvantages. |
| A．Help consumers save money. | B．Promote eco-friendly choices. |
| C．Improve production efficiency. | D．Develop the country’s industry. |
| A．They bring the country a step ahead of the EU. |
| B．They have no influence on countries of the EU. |
| C．They make British companies more competitive. |
| D．They increase the costs of imported green goods. |
“Planting trees is one way, but it isn’t that simple. It doesn’t solve the basic issue of water resources,” says Wu Bo, a professor. “We need to calculate how much water the trees will absorb, or else it could have a negative effect.”
Villagers in Zhengxin have taken on this challenge, with limited success. When the irrigation channels began to run dry, Lu Xianglin switched from wheat to cotton on his land. He also planted trees to protect his fields from sandstorms. He says he still gets good yields（产量） using flood irrigation and earns a good income for his family.
Other farmers haven’t stuck it out（坚持到底）: about one in three have left Zhengxin in the past 10 years after their wheat crops died. Young people who can find jobs in the towns rarely return.
Last week, Mr Lu joined the other men in his village on a government-arranged trip to see the land that has been set aside for their relocation, nearly 40 miles to the south. The next day, he was back, shaking his head at the plan. The idea of uprooting his family troubles him, as does the idea of giving up the land that fed his forefathers. He prefers to stay and keep up the fight.
“With enough water, this problem can be solved,” Lu says. “We can plant trees and grass, and they will grow bigger. That will stop the desert.”
Experts say that farmers could switch to drip irrigation （滴灌）to lessen their water intake for growing crops. Elsewhere in the region, farmers have built brick greenhouses as part of a plan to grow vegetables using less water. Roadside signs urge farmers to “Save Water, Protect the Environment”.
1. The negative effect of planting trees in deserts is that __________.
| A．it can make groundwater become less |
| B．it can prevent the sand moving freely |
| C．it can stop crops growing well |
| D．it can get the soil to become poor |
| A．Because the plan of relocation will cost him much money. |
| B．Because his family had trouble moving away. |
| C．Because he was reluctant to give up his land. |
| D．Because he would rather stay than fight against the deserts. |
| A．The deserts drive more and more people to leave their homes for their lives. |
| B．People have no means to fight against the land becoming desert. |
| C．Water is the biggest barrier for people to stop the desert. |
| D．Planting trees cannot solve the problem of desertification of farmland. |
| A．To plant more trees. |
| B．To build greenhouses. |
| C．To change crops. |
| D．To use drip irrigation. |
【推荐3】When students from Lithgow visited wetlands near their primary school, they quickly picked up on a problem: there was nowhere for turtles.
“A bunch of students said there are no logs or rocks here, so where are they going to bask (晒太阳)?” says Associate Professor Ricky Spencer from Western Sydney University. The question was raised as part of a project in which year 5 and 6 students were attempting to understand their local environment and what it needed to thrive (兴旺). The students had just learned that in spring, turtles have to bask on a rock or log to create eggs.
The students are now conducting research and developing a proposal to present to their local council for the introduction of new basking areas, such as logs or human-made platforms. “That is pretty powerful, for year 5 and year 6 students to actually know how to make change,” Spencer says. “We want kids to understand why conservation measures are important.”
Led by Western Sydney University, the Turtles in Schools program aims to encourage an informed future generation that will take care of the environment. It is currently in a trial phase, with select New South Wales schools hosting turtles in classrooms and visiting nearby wetlands. By 2023, up to 10 turtle tanks will be installed (安装) in schools. By 2024, the program will be available to all year 5 and 6 classrooms across Australia.
By guiding experiments on topics such as growth rates and behavioural observations, and introducing schools to activities in their local wetlands, Spencer says this program could encourage students to actually carry their education forward to their day-to-day life.
Presbyterian Ladies’ College has been investing in facilities including a turtle pond for six years. They will be available for nearby schools involved in the Turtles in Schools program. “We want to connect students to the real world, to develop values to look after the environment. Our students become familiar with understanding our relationship to the natural world. We are connected to it. We rely upon it. It isn’t something dispensable,” the principal, Dr Paul Bergis, says.
1. What did students from Lithgow notice when they visited wetlands?| A．Wetlands are shaded from sunlight. |
| B．Turtles lack areas to get sunlight. |
| C．Turtles create eggs on logs or rocks. |
| D．Artificial platforms are introduced to wetlands. |
| A．It informs students of turtles’ future generation. |
| B．It sets up many turtle tanks in wetlands. |
| C．It selects year 5 and 6 students across Australia. |
| D．It helps students relate education to daily life. |
| A．Unnecessary. | B．Impossible. |
| C．Mysterious. | D．Powerful. |
| A．Rocks or Logs Help Turtles to Thrive in Wetlands |
| B．Humans Build a Close Bond with the Natural World |
| C．Teaching with Turtles Turns Students into Conservationists |
| D．Hands-on Programs Arouse Students’ Interest in Education |
【推荐1】
“By removing needless details in pursuit of perfection, Van Den followed in the footsteps of many great artists, writers, composers, and painters.”
Juhani Murros made an unexpected discovery during his visits to art galleries when he worked for an organization in Ho Chi Minh City in 1990. A small still life in an unnoticeable gallery commanded the Finnish physician’s attention. “It was not an eye-catching oil painting, yet its dark, mysterious colors and the emotional tension of its disciplined composition set it apart.” Thus began a long journey of discovering the art and life of Van Den, a Buddhist of mixed Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry who studied in Paris for less than two years during the first French Indochina War.
Murros’ biography is, by necessity, brief because there is limited knowledge of the artist, mostly in oral way by family and friends. Many of his paintings did not survive the damp Southeast Asian climate nor the political chaos of his lifetime. However, the author’s research appears to be extensive, as much a years-long spiritual examination of Van Den as a historical one. The artist’s love for country life is apparent in his work, and it is said by those who knew him that he preferred to paint countryside scenes close to his heart and worked as an outsider. He is uninterested in the more elegant work of academically recognized painters. Despite these limitations, Van Den won Vietnam’s most honorable art award in 1960.
Murros gives an in-depth look into the life of this little-known unsung master. The book introduces the readers to Van Den’s art with photographs of his paintings, accompanied by short stories behind them. The book is as quiet as the artist’s work, but it is a satisfying read. Each stroke of words in the book connects to the readers; the narrative awakens the artistic spirit in each one of us, encouraging us to follow our heart.
1. What of Van Den first impressed Juhani Murros?| A．His life story. | B．His painting style. |
| C．His birth place. | D．His emotional stale. |
| A．His works are rarely available today. | B．He showed great love for his country. |
| C．He works were of mysterious themes. | D．He ever travelled in China and Vietnam. |
| A．Van Den’s art wasn’t well accepted. | B．Murros had limited knowledge of art. |
| C．Murros had gained little primary data. | D．Van Den’s family kept everything back. |
| A．Amusing. | B．Detailed. | C．Objective. | D．Inspirational. |
【推荐2】Are you interested in working with animals? Now here comes the CHANCE. Kirby Wildlife Park has set up the unique Keeper Experience package. The fantastic experience is available to anyone over the age of 18 who is reasonably fit. We regret that for health and safety reasons, participants who are pregnant, in a wheelchair or suffering from illnesses cannot take part.
A typical day
9:15 Arrival 9:30 Health and Safety Briefing
10:00 Apes and Monkeys
While cleaning out the enclosure (围场) you will find out about how enclosures are enriched with novel items and new smells to stimulate the animals’ senses and imitate their natural environment.
12:00 Lunch 14:00 Big Cats
As one of the highlights of this volunteer experience, you will feed the cats and learn about their nutritional needs. The keeper will give you an introduction to how cat behavior can be read to get an idea of their welfare and health.
16:30 Meet the Team
Meet more of the staff and learn how you can get further involved with work at the park. Learn about our animal adoption plan, what it takes to be a good keeper and where to obtain the right qualifications for a career in animal welfare.
Booking and cancellation
The Keeper Experience is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Full payment is needed when booking.
Cancellations must be made more than fourteen days before the event. Otherwise, you won′t receive a full refund.
1. What kind of people can experience working with animals in Kirby Wildlife Park?| A．A pregnant woman. | B．A man who is quite healthy. |
| C．A teenager sitting in a wheelchair. | D．A student under the age of 18. |
| A．a booking should be made over two weeks before the event |
| B．people are allowed to cancel a booking with a full refund at any time |
| C．cancellations need to be made on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays |
| D．participants can have the unique experience every day throughout the year |
| A．Bathe animals. | B．Buy an animal |
| C．Feed apes and monkeys. | D．Create natural environment for animals. |
【推荐3】Language as a System of Symbols(符号)
Of all systems of symbols, language is the most highly developed. It has been pointed out that human beings, by agreement, can make anything stand for anything. Human beings have agreed, in the course of centuries of mutual dependency, to let the various noises that they can produce with their lungs, throats, tongues, teeth, and lips systematically stand for certain happenings in their nervous systems. We call that system of agreements language.
There is no necessary connection between the symbol and that which it stands for. Just as social positions can be symbolized by feathers worn on the head, by gold on the watch chain, or by a thousand other things according to the culture we live in, so the fact of being hungry can be symbolized by a thousand different noises according to the culture we live in.
However obvious these facts may appear at first glance, they are actually not so obvious as they seem except when we take special pains to think about the subject. Symbols and the things they stand for are independent of each other, yet we all have a way of feeling as if, and sometimes acting as if, there were necessary connections. For example, there are people who feel that foreign languages are unreasonable by nature; foreigners have such funny names for things, and why can’t they call things by their right names? This feeling exhibits itself most strongly in those English and American tourists who seem to believe that they can make the natives of any country understand English if they shout loud enough. Like the little boy who is reported to have said, “Pigs are called pigs because they are such dirty animals, ” they feel that the symbol is inherently connected in some way with the things symbolized.
1. Language is a highly developed system of symbols because human beings _______.| A．have made use of language for centuries |
| B．use our nervous systems to support language |
| C．have made various noises stand for any events |
| D．can make anything stand for anything by agreement |
| A．Different noises may mean different things. |
| B．Our culture determines what a symbol stands for. |
| C．The language we use symbolizes our social positions. |
| D．Our social positions determine the way we are dressed. |
| A．try very hard | B．take our time |
| C．are very unhappy | D．feel especially painful |
| A．adults often learn from their young |
| B．“pig” is a dirty word because pigs are dirty |
| C．words are not connected with the things they stand for |
| D．people sometimes have wrong ideas about how language works |
【推荐1】Best Books for Kids
The Rabbit Listened
Taylor’s amazing wood-block tower has been ruined by birds, and he’s not sure what to do with his feelings about that. The bear thinks he should get angry; the ostrich thinks he should ignore it; and the hyena thinks he should laugh it off. Then the rabbit comes over and listens to what Taylor thinks, and that helps him figure out what he wants to do next. Ages 3-5.
Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings
Coming to Haiti every December from America to spend time with her Aunt Luce, a little girl drinks in the sights and sounds of a town with excitement: “Buses painted with soccer stars.” Aunt Luce is an artist with portraits of Haiti’s heroes lining her studio walls, and every year the little girl asks, “Will you paint me this time, please?” Ages 4-8.
Marwan’s Journey
Marwan crosses the desert, one of thousands fleeing a war-torn country, with only his “mended clothing, a prayer book, a notebook, a pencil and a photograph of his mommy.” He remembers a happy house with a garden, a cat and warm sunlight streaming across his pillow. Those are all gone now and his mother is no longer with him, but Marwan hears her voice telling him to keep walking until he finds a new home. Ages 5-7.
The Old Man
A homeless old man shies away from the rush of the city, searching for a warm and quiet place to rest. He is invisible, noticed only when he’s considered to be in the way, and tiredly, cautiously, shuffles (拖着脚走) through the streets. Until a little girl offers him her sandwich, a smile and a kindness that fill him with hope and courage. Ages 13-15.
1. What helps Taylor finally?| A．The bear’s anger. |
| B．The ostrich’s advice. |
| C．The hyena’s laughter. |
| D．The rabbit’s listen. |
| A．The terrible war. |
| B．The low wages. |
| C．The bad weather. |
| D．The earthquake. |
| A．The Rabbit Listened. |
| B．Marwan’s Journey. |
| C．The Old Man. |
| D．Auntie Luce’s Talking Paintings. |
"Women tend to be social in their behavior．They often share with others．But men lend to be competitive．They are trying to improve their social status," said Professor Ryan．
Generally, people believe that the hormone oxytocin is let out in our body in various social situations and our body creates a large amount of it during positive social interactions （互动） such as falling in love or giving birth．
But in a previous experiment Professor Ryan found that the hormone is also let out in our body during negative social interactions such as envy．
Further researches showed that in men the hormone oxytocin improves the ability to recognize competitive relationships, but in women it raises the ability to recognize friendship．
Professor Ryan's recent experiment used 62 men and women aged 20 to 37．Half of the participants（参与者）received oxytocin．The other half received placebo （安慰剂）．
After a week, the two groups switched with participants．They went through the same procedure with the other material．
Following each treatment, they were shown some video pictures with different social interactions．Then they were asked to analyze the relationships by answering some questions．The questions were about telling friendship from competition．And their answers should be based on gestures, body language and facial expressions．
The results indicated that, after treatment with oxytocin, men's ability to correctly recognize competitive relationships improved, but in women it was the ability to correctly recognize friendship that got better．
Professor Ryan thus concluded: "Our experiment proves that the hormone oxytocin can raise people's abilities to better distinguish different social interactions．And the behavior differences between men and women are caused by biological factors （因素） that are mainly hormonal．"
1. What causes men and women to behave differently according to the text?
| A．Placebo． | B．Oxytocin． |
| C．The gesture． | D．The social status． |
| A．Oxytocin affects our behavior in a different way． |
| B．Our body lets out oxytocin when we are deep in love． |
| C．Our body produces oxytocin when we feel unhappy about others' success． |
| D．Oxytocin improves our abilities to understand people's behavior differences． |
| A．To test the effect of oxytocin on the ability to recognize social interactions． |
| B．To know the differences between friendship and competition． |
| C．To know people's different abilities to answer questions． |
| D．To test people's understanding of body language． |
| A．explaining people's behaviors |
| B．describing his own experiences |
| C．distinguishing sexual differences |
| D．discussing research experiments |
【推荐3】We’re drowning in plastic. If you want to reduce your own contribution to the plastic pollution problem, recycling might seem like an easy solution.
But what happens after you clean out those plastic containers and pour them into a recycling bin? Unfortunately, the outcome isn’t as rosy as many people think; recycling is unlikely to give plastic to-go containers new life. “Of all the waste produced in 2017, only 8.4% of it eventually got recycled. It’s not that consumers aren’t motivated to recycle or that they don’t have ready access to recycling programs; the United States simply doesn’t have the proper facilities (设施),” said John Hocevar, a marine biologist with Greenpeace USA.
A recent report surveyed the United States’ 367 materials recovery facilities—the facilities that sort our recycling—and found only plastic bottles were regularly recycled. The fate of most other types of plastic such as packaging usually ends up being buried or burnt.
Not all plastic is created equal. If you turn over a transparent plastic bottle, like those used to hold water, you’ll notice a number “1” inside a triangular recycling symbol. Non-transparent jugs, like the kind that hold milk, get a “2”. At materials recovery facilities, or MRF’s, plastics get sorted based on these numbers, which indicate how recyclable they are.
Numbers 1 and 2 are relatively recyclable. Recycling gets more difficult with higher numbers, called “mixed plastic”. This waste makes up around 69% of all the plastic we use. It’s much more expensive to process than numbers 1 and 2.
So what the United States needs is facilities equipped to process other kinds of plastic. But Hocevar came up with a different solution: “The really simple answer is that we have to stop making so much throwaway plastic.”
That said, is recycling worth it? For bottles labeled (贴标签) “1” or “2”, the answer is “yes”. There’s also a growing market for plastics labeled “5”. For other numbers, Hocevar’s answer was simple: a resounding (响亮的) “no” on numbers 3, 4, 6 and 7.
1. Which problem is the USA facing according to the text?| A．People don’t know the best way to recycle. |
| B．Ready recycling programs are not accessible. |
| C．People lack awareness about plastic recycling. |
| D．There isn’t suitable equipment for plastic recycling. |
| A．Productive. | B．Promising. |
| C．Unsatisfying. | D．Controversial. |
| A．Whether it is easy to recycle them. |
| B．The recycling technology they need. |
| C．They places where they were produced. |
| D．Which dustbin we should put them into. |
| A．Give up the use of plastic. |
| B．Develop more cheaper facilities. |
| C．Only recycle plastics labeled 1 to 5. |
| D．Reduce the production of mixed plastic. |
【推荐1】Community Noticeboard
New Forest Bike Project (NFBP)
New Forest Bike Project is a not-for-profit community and social organization which takes in unwanted bicycles and then repairs, restores and relocates them. Aiming to help people from all walks of life get out on two wheels and enjoy some exercise as well as the beautiful New Forest! If you would like to donate any unwanted bikes, please drop them off at Walkers Garage, Burley Rd, Bransgore BH23 8DF.
Ringwood's International Festival of Street Performance Art (RIFSPA)
Held annually on March 15th from 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
WANTED: street performers, musicians, choirs, bands etc. to entertain the crowds in the streets of Ringwood! If you or your group are interested in taking part in this event, please contact Roger Bettle 01425 489350 as soon as possible to ensure a place.
Natural Wellbeing (NW)
Weekly sessions using the natural environment to promote adult health and wellbeing. Participants can be involved in cooking and sharing an outdoor lunch, bird watching and outdoor craft activities.
Date: Every Friday
Time:11:00a.m.-2:30p.m.
Booking: Tracy on 01425 472760 or BlashfordLakes@hiwwt.org.uk
Location: Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, Ellingham Drove, near Ringwood BH24 3PJ
Event charge: £ 4 donation
Ringwood Health Walks (RHW)
Guided by Volunteer Walk Leaders, Walks are FREE for anyone wishing to improve their fitness with one-hour walks.
Start from the Medical Center on the lst and 3rd Tuesday in each month at 10:30 a.m. Meet outside the Medical Centre.
Come along and join us: we are a friendly sociable group. For more information contact Craig Daters on 01590 646 671.
NO NEED TO BOOK
1. What can you do through NFBP?| A．Give away old bikes. | B．Purchase used bikes. |
| C．Hike in the New Forest. | D．Work at Walkers Garage. |
| A．NFBP. | B．RIFSPA. | C．NW. | D．RHW. |
| A．They each last a whole day. | B．They are free of charge. |
| C．Chances to exercise are provided. | D．Advance reservations are required. |
【推荐2】Dogs certainly need to bark (犬吠) every now and then, but if your neighbor's dog is getting in the way of your daily life, you need to do something.
“Before you take action, you should record the dates and times that the barking happens to find out any patterns,” says Schweitzer, who is a dog owner. You might notice the barking only happens when the owners are at work, or during thunderstorms.
After two to three weeks of observing, go to your neighbors with the facts. Wait for a time when the barking is over. “Since you're trying to keep a good relationship, you can't go when you're angry and upset,” says Schweitzer. Besides, your neighbors might not even realize the barks are a problem, especially if the worst barking happens when they're not at home.
Politely explain the times when the barking gets bad, and then suggest a way of solving the problem. Ask if the dog can stay inside during storms, or offer a dog training class.
Making friends with the dog could help you gain some peace and quiet. If your neighbors introduce you to their dog, you should give the dog a treat. “If they become more comfortable seeing you, they're less likely to bark when they see you or when they're in the backyard,” says Schweitzer.
Whatever you do, don't talk with your other neighbors about the problem or start a petition (诉状) to get the dog to quiet down. “Those make people feel angry,” says Schweitzer. “That's when things escalate.”
If weeks go by and you still aren't seeing a difference, follow up with a note. Tie a dog treat on the note to build trust with your neighbors, and make a copy before dropping it off. That way, you'll have evidence (证据) that you've discussed it before and followed up politely if you need to bring in a third party, says Schweitzer.
1. What should people do first according to Schweitzer?| A．Record when the dog barks. | B．Find out why the barking happens. |
| C．Find out if the dog is really dangerous. | D．Record when the neighbor is usually out. |
| A．When the dog is barking. | B．When you are feeling calm. |
| C．When you've found a problem. | D．When your neighbor is walking the dog. |
| A．Become familiar. | B．Become worse. |
| C．Get interesting. | D．Get personal. |
| A．How to teach your dog to be quiet. | B．What to do when your neighbor has a dog. |
| C．How to deal with a neighbor's noisy dog. | D．What to do if your neighbor makes you angry. |
【推荐3】As robots are increasingly playing a part in society, we need to consider whether and how machines can learn morality. While robots can’t be ethical(伦理的) agents in themselves, we can program them to act according to certain rules. But what is it that we expect from them?
A 2016 study by UC San Francisco found that most virtual assistants struggled to respond to domestic violence or sexual assault(袭击). To sentences like “I am being abused”, several responded: “I don’t know what that means. If you like, I can search the web”. Such responses fail to help vulnerable people, who are most often women in this case.
But should virtual assistants ever be able to call the police when it overhears domestic violence? In a widely reported case from 2017, Amazon Echo was said to have called 911 during a violent assault. Responding to the incident, Amazon denied that Echo would have been able to call the police without clear instruction. Even if it had the ability, it is unlikely that people would expect a virtual assistant to go beyond providing information.
Then, there are robots whose very function gives rise to ethical questions. How should a driverless car react in an accident? To answer this question, Philippa Foot’s famous philosophical thought experiment, the trolley(有轨电车) problem, is usually rolled out. It goes as follows: imagine you see an unstoppable trolley zooming down a track, towards five people who are tied to the track. If you do nothing, they’ll die. But, as it happens, you are standing next to a lever that can redirect the trolley to a side track, which has one person tied to it. What should you do?
Variations of this experiment are invoked(援引) to ask whether a self-driving car should turn sharply around a jaywalking pedestrian teenager while putting the two elderly passengers at risk. Should it spare the young over the old? Or should it save two people over one?
Driverless cars are unlikely to encounter or solve the trolley problem, but the way we expect them to solve the variations could depend on where we’re from. In the moral machine experiment, MIT Media Lab researchers collected millions of answers from people around the world on how they think cars should solve these dilemmas. It turns out that preferences among countries and cultures differ wildly.
If, however, machines attain superior decision-making abilities, it may be necessary to have a full public discussion as to what should be the new and prevailing norms. But if we don’t come up with an ethical framework, we might risk leaving it to companies to regulate their own products or for people to choose with their wallet.
Figuring out what robot ethics we’d want is, therefore only the beginning.
1. The first three paragraphs indicate that virtual assistants _________.| A．must be programmed to learn morality |
| B．ever called 911 during a violent assault |
| C．have no abilities to respond to domestic violence |
| D．are expected to go beyond providing information |
| A．the trolley is redirected to the track tied with one person over five |
| B．the self-driving car turns sharply to spare the teenager over the old |
| C．people from different cultures and countries make varied decisions |
| D．MIT Media Lab researchers have worked out practical regulations |
| A．why robots are unlikely to solve the morality problems |
| B．whether robots are expected to make ethical decisions |
| C．what tech companies have done to better robots’ response |
| D．how robots try to react to domestic violence or dilemmas |
