Face Up to Reality
Calls to restrict the use of face recognition technology are growing louder, but it is already too late. Given its widespread uptake by tech companies and the police, including London’s Metropolitan Police as of last week, a permanent roll back is impossible.
The latest talk of a ban came with reports that the European Commission is considering temporarily banning use of the technology in public spaces. The proposed pause of up to five years would aim to give politicians in Europe time to develop measures to reduce the potential risks of face recognition systems. Some US cities, such as San Francisco, are already considering or have enacted bans.
At present, most of us associate face recognition with CCTV cameras.
Potential abuses of the technology are causing a lot of the backlash (强烈反对) against it. It has already become a tool for mass surveillance.
So what to do? Given both the rate at which the technology is developing and its ubiquity (无处不在), a ban on its use in public spaces would be too little, too late.
| A．This applies to face recognition too. |
| B．What face recognition needs is regulation. |
| C．It is advancing in the online world too, beyond the scope of such a ban, however. |
| D．Other concerns relate to the fact that the technology is flawed. |
| E．Companies cannot let market forces decide how promising new technology will be used. |
| F．But the prohibitions are so limited that they are hardly bans at all. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】As the electric vehicle (EV) increases, drivers may start to find queues adding to their more time at charging stations. One potential solution to this is to swap out the run-down battery pack for a new one, and a company has just revealed that it’s managed to do so in just five minutes.
Since the company launched its first-generation battery swap station back in 2021, the company reports that stations have been built across the San Francisco Bay Area to support fleet (车队) partners in testing the quick-swap solution. The company has also been in consultation with a delivery services to get a better understanding of their needs.
“When working with these fleets, we continuously heard that despite efforts to electrify fleets, drivers could spend up to 10-12 hours at a charging station.” said the company in a blog post. “There is a lack of reliable EV charging for city residents who don’t have access to garages and the option of overnight charging, and our new solution seeks to fix that.”
The latest station is designed to support EVs of all sizes—from small passenger cars to mid-sized delivery vans. EVs fitted with modular batteries could roll onto the platform and have its spent modules automatically removed and replaced with fully charged ones within 10 minutes. The removed battery units are then recharged, ready for the next customer.
The shoebox-sized battery modules have been developed to improve their safety, and can be fit for any modern EV. The new stations have been redesigned for easier building at a site in just three days, and have also been made more durable to suit different local conditions as the company expands. They can also be remotely monitored 24 hours for enhanced safety and customer support.
The company is now calling for more EV manufacturers, fleet operators and municipalities to join them in the quest to electrify.
1. What is the problem that EV drivers are worried about?| A．Driving EVs takes up their too much time. |
| B．They have to wait long to charge their EVs. |
| C．They have to buy new batteries to replace the old ones. |
| D．EVs are in bad quality despite increasing development. |
| A．To build charging stations. |
| B．To deliver the last-mile goods. |
| C．To obtain some related information. |
| D．To give a helping hand in fixing vehicles. |
| A．Time-saving and safe. | B．Universal and pricey. |
| C．Heavy and complicated. | D．Convenient and durable. |
| A．A Company Is Developing a New and Safe EV |
| B．A Company Strengthens the Cooperation with Its Partners |
| C．A Company Has Expanded Its Charging Stations Across the World |
| D．A Company Makes the Replacement of EV Batteries Safe and Fast |
【推荐2】Scientists attach great importance to identifying and tracking near-Earth objects because some of them could present threats to our planet. With this in mind. NASA launched a spacecraft last November that aimed to demonstrate a possible defensive method against asteroids that might threaten the earth.
Historically, the American space agency NASA used powerful ground-based telescopes and its NEOWISE spacecraft to identify asteroids and other near-Earth objects, NASA also used tracking systems to follow the movements of asteroids.
Recently, scientists have used a new tool to discover more than 100 asteroids that had not been identified before. The new tool used a complex computing method, which was also called an algorithm, to search for asteroids that had not been discovered before. They were not discoverable because existing telescopes and image examination tools could not recognize them.
The discovery of 104 new asteroids was announced by the American-based non-profit Asteroid Institute. The organization hoped the new asteroid search tool would led to the discovery of more asteroids in the coming years. The Asteroid Institute, which is part of the B612 Foundation, explained on its website that it aimed to combine computer science, instrumentation and astronomy to find and track asteroids. Ed Lu, who is the director of the B612 Foundation and also a former NASA astronaut, said, “Discovering and tracking asteroids is key to understanding our solar system, promoting the development of space and protecting our planet from asteroid impacts.”
The institute called its discovery tool Asteroid Discovery Analysis and Mapping, or ADAM. This system used the algorithm to link points of light in different sky images that were consistent with asteroid orbits. The tool was trained to find asteroids based on existing data and to calculate their orbits well enough to be recognized by international astronomy organizations. Joachim Moeyens, a researcher from the University of Washington said the latest identifications were just the beginning. He predicted the asteroid search tool would result in thousands of new discoveries in the future.
1. What is the purpose of identifying and tracking near Earth objects?| A．To prove the power of telescopes. | B．To make existing data more accurate. |
| C．To prevent possible threats to the earth. | D．To follow the movements of new asteroids. |
| A．By using ADAM. | B．By using satellites. |
| C．By using NEOWISE spacecraft. | D．By using ground-based telescopes. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Hopeful. | C．Carefree. | D．Unclear. |
| A．The Methods of Astronomy Being Further Developed |
| B．Fewer Than One Hundred Asteroids Have Been Found |
| C．Scientists Used a Technology Tool to Discover New Asteroids |
| D．The Importance of Protecting Our Planet From Asteroid Impacts |
【推荐3】Harvesting fruit is a very precise operation. The fruit must be picked when it is perfectly ripe. But with pickers in short supply in recent years, growers needed to quickly find another way to harvest their crops. Tevel Aerobotics Technologies came to the farmers’ rescue with the Flying Autonomous Robots (FARs) that can help pick fruit.
“Not finding enough fruit pickers is every farmer’s biggest concern,” Yaniv Maor, Tevel’s founder and CEO said. “Ask any farmer, anywhere in the world and they’ll tell you they don’t have the people. Food consumption is increasing, but labor availability is decreasing. If pickers are not available, fruit will go bad on the trees. The flying robots will work day and night in almost any weather, without taking a break, to pick as much ripe fruit as possible.
Maor set up Tevel in 2017 and developed the technology after seeing young Israelis pick fruit and tired after a few hours. He realized that there had to be a better way, so he began developing the software and artificial intelligence (AI) that are needed for the smart robot pickers. “We have to teach the robot about each fruit, the branches, the leaves, how to access the fruit and how to rotate (转动) it and disconnect it from the tree,” Maor said.
The flying robots circle round trees and pick only the ripe ones with a twist (扭动) of their integrated grasper arms. The robots are fitted with cameras that use AI to assess the size and color of the fruit so that only the ripe pieces are picked. The cameras also ensure that the robots’ paths are not blocked.
The robots are currently picking Asian pears in Israel. In 2022, the FARs were used in pilot programs in Italy to pick peaches and other fruits, as well as in the US. They are not a replacement for labor, instead, they are a solution for the inadequate human pickers. In the future fewer people will work in picking and more will work in managing the robots, analyzing the data and making decisions.
1. What is Tevel Aerobotics Technologies?| A．A robot. |
| B．A programme. |
| C．A company. |
| D．An exhibition. |
| A．To save labor and reduce costs. |
| B．To avoid the loss of fruit. |
| C．To speed up the picking process. |
| D．To meet the shortage of labor. |
| A．How the robots work. |
| B．What the robots consist of. |
| C．Why the robots are useful. |
| D．Where the robots are used. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Positive. |
| C．Worried. | D．Unclear. |
【推荐1】A Bridge Linking Art and the Audience
According to a 2018 report, people aged between 16 and 24 make up about 15 percent of the population but only 10 percent of museum-goers. Similarly, people aged over 35 go half as much as you would expect from their population size. We have reached the point of recognising the disconnection between art and the audience but haven’t yet determined how to bridge the gap. Two answers to tackling this challenge lie in telling a greater diversity of art histories and communicating these stories in more accessible ways.
In 2018, a radio program called Art Matters was started with the aim of discussing art from a pop-culture viewpoint with topics that would engage younger and more diverse audience. It offers an accessible pathway to art history with conversations on different topics. Art history is about storytelling; art content shines when there is an effort to bring audience along for the discussion.
More traditional institutions are paying attention. Recently the Getty Museum issued a social-media challenge for people to recreate paintings using items they had at home. Users displayed incredible creativity, and the museum was flooded with submissions. This reaction proves that there is a potential desire for the audience to engage with art topics if the format is appealing. Since many people feel intimidated and think that there’s a base level of understanding required to join the conversation, the Getty initiative serves as a reminder that there are many pathways to engaging with it.
Another result of the Getty challenge was the exposure given to a diversity of artworks. The famous opera singer Peter Brathwaite, for example, made scores of attractive recreations highlighting centuries of black paintings. His efforts opposed the idea that there were not many historical paintings of black figures. It is extremely important that we do a better job of showing the complex and diverse stories that are represented in art.
Social media have offered a platform for people who have not traditionally had a seat at the table. Anyone can recognise a gap in the field and address it. Accounts have gathered tens of thousands of followers. They are the proof that there is hunger to hear these art histories, and these themes work brilliantly for museum programming.
But there is only so much that can be done without the museums and galleries changing meaningfully from within. We need to see a better balance of these stories represented in permanent collections. We also need a much wider diversity of people and interests represented on board. Ensuring that art-and writing and talking about art-is able to continue on the rising generation of storytellers, inside and outside of institutions, getting the funding and support they need to paint a brighter picture for the part.
1. What challenge is the author trying to tackle? (No more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined word “intimidated” in Paragraph 3 probably mean? (1 word)
3. In the author’s opinion, what should the museums and galleries do? (No more than 6 words)
4. What difficulties can we conclude common audience are faced with? (No more than 10 words)
5. What role does art play in your life? Why do you think so? (No more than 20 words)
【推荐2】The midnight was approaching and it was extremely rare to see vehicles on the road. However, several trucks pulled over and workers silently unloaded camera equipment and cardboard boxes, and then carried them inside the Morgenson family home.
What took place over the next eight weeks was inspired by a Hollywood movie called The Honeses about a family of marketers who move into a local neighborhood to sell their products secretly to their neighbors. The idea was to test the power of word-of-mouth marketing. By filming a family in unscripted (无剧本的) situations, my team and I would document how the Morgensons’ circle of friend responded to brands and products the Morgensons bought into their lives.
With the help of 35 video cameras and 25 microphones hidden inside the furniture, the operation done secretly showed something shocking. The most powerful hidden persuader of all isn’t in your TV or on the shelves of your supermarket. It’s a far more important influence that’s around you almost every waking moment: your very own friends and neighbors. There is nothing quite so persuasive as observing someone we respect or admire using a brand or product.
Our analysis also found that the brands the Morgensons used went faster. About one third of the Morgensons’ friends began promoting these same brands to their friends. We also found that the brands their friends were most likely to buy at the Morgensons’ suggestion were the bigger and better-known ones. This proves my thoughts that traditional marketing and secret marketing work well together. The most persuasive advertising strategies are strengthened by word-of-mouth advertising.
Whenever I meet with company managers, I tell them that the people who hold the real marketing power are mouse-clicking consumers and their wide circles of real-life friends. In other words, the people who hold the real power are us.
1. The author and his team went to the Morgenson family home to ________.| A．visit the Morgensons | B．sell products to them |
| C．carry out a marketing research | D．shoot a Hollywood movie |
| A．noticing an advertisement for it on TV |
| B．seeing their friends using the same product |
| C．someone is promoting it in the supermarket |
| D．the product appears repeatedly in a movie |
| A．Travel. | B．Business. |
| C．Lifestyle. | D．Entertainment. |
| A．Traditional marketing is ineffective. |
| B．The real marketing power depends on the customers. |
| C．The research is carried out without any special design. |
| D．The customers’ choice is influenced by more than one factor. |
【推荐3】The days of the bedroom fitting room are numbered. Online retail giant (零售巨头) Boohoo has become the latest in a string of retailers to start charging shoppers for returns.
By offering free returns in the first place, companies, such as Boohoo, created entirely new behaviour around shopping. A 2018 study found that 9% of UK consumers buy clothes to post on social media, only to return them straight after. Almost one in five 35-to 44-year-olds admit to doing it, and men, apparently, do it more than women.
However, when clothes are returned, they’re likely to be thrown away rather than resold. This is because processing returns is time-consuming and costly. Buttons need to be rebuttoned, labels need to be reattached, products need refolding and rebagging, and then they must be put back into the system for sale. So it is clearly a cheaper and easier solution for businesses to send the whole lot to landfills (垃圾填埋场). It’s really a great waste of resources, not to mention an insult (冒 犯) to the skilled people who put their time into making each product, but it’s the reality of modern fashion.
When clothes don’t become rubbish, there’s still the impact of the extra shipping to consider, as well as the packaging waste. About 180bn plastic bags are produced every year to store, protect and transport clothes, and less than 15% of them are collected for recycling.
The impact of returns is a fairly well-kept secret, likely to keep people shopping guilt-free (没有负罪感地). But even if it was widely known, it wouldn’t guarantee people would stop treating returns thoughtlessly. After all, other environmental and human impacts of fast fashion are out there for all to see and yet the industry continues to thrive.
Hopefully, charging for returns is expected to change people’s behavior. Without free returns on the table, shoppers may think twice about buying 10 items when they know they’ll only keep five or buying clothes purely for social media content. And with the arrival of return charges, the clothes we already have might also start to look a little more appealing.
1. Why do retailers tend to throw away returned clothes?| A．To keep up with the latest fashion. | B．To avoid a huge waste of resources. |
| C．To let the skilled people feel honored. | D．To save the trouble of processing returns. |
| A．They will feel guilty about shopping. | B．They will continue their shopping behavior. |
| C．They will consider their shopping carefully. | D．They will keep their shopping behavior secret. |
| A．It puts great pressure on customers. | B．It can influence social media content. |
| C．It can do little to help reduce returns. | D．It will turn out to be an effective measure. |
| A．It is necessary to charge shoppers for returns. | B．It is difficult to control the number of returns. |
| C．Many retailers are struggling to process returns. | D．People have different opinions on the end of free returns. |
