In this age of screens, smartphones, virtual assistants and voice-enabled speakers, we constantly receive visual and auditory (听觉的) suggestions of things to do, products to buy, and media to consume. Yet are all these messages created equal? According to a research, the answer is no.
In the spring of 2018, Mariadassou and Bechler, both graduate students of Business, were sitting in a seminar (研讨会), in which they were studying how different types of messages affect decision-making. They learned that people generally perceive someone as more intelligent when they convey spoken information rather than delivering the same message in writing.
As they chatted after class, Mariadassou recalls, “We wondered, ‘What would happen if you apply this to recommendations?’” They believed there is “a general perception that people act on auditory and visual information the same way” and wanted to explore this assumption.
Mariadassou, who is pursuing her PhD in marketing, with Bechler, now a professor at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, ran a series of studies where the same information was presented to participants in different forms, including computer-generated audio that sounded like a smart speaker.
The researchers were surprised that auditory recommendations for products like beer were more influential than textual ones. “In theory, this shouldn’t produce any difference in behavior,” Mariadassou writes in an email. “Hearing that you should drink the pale beer or reading that you should drink the pale beer is really one and the same. The fact that it leads to psychologically different experiences that are significant enough to lead to a change in behavior is not something you would expect.”
The effect was small but strong enough to demonstrate a “consistent effect of auditory power”, Mariadassou says. She believes the power of auditory information has to do with its ephemeral nature —“it seems like there’s this sort of fundamental need to act on information that’s going away,” she says. Bechler agrees: “When something disappears, it creates a kind of urgency to respond.”
1. Why did Mariadassou and Bechler conduct the studies?| A．To apply what they learned into real life. |
| B．To find out what people are more intelligent. |
| C．To explore the reasons behind people’s different behaviors. |
| D．To test if different types of messages affect recommendations. |
| A．The findings of the research. |
| B．The theory behind the research. |
| C．The application of the research results. |
| D．The explanation of the research process. |
| A．Uncertain. | B．Temporary. | C．Selective. | D．Random. |
| A．Effect of Auditory Power Has Been Long Neglected |
| B．People Act on Auditory and Visual Information Equally |
| C．Effective Recommendations Are Better Heard Than Seen |
| D．Decision-making Has Little to Do With Types of Messages |
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【推荐1】It’s a tiny worm that scientists have been using for years to study aging, and they just made a new discovery. Researchers found that variations in a specific gene affected the lifespan of the worm, suggesting that the same genes could have similar effects on humans. The study is part of an ongoing effort to find genes that affect lifespan and are a potential target for anti-aging drugs.
The worm, called C. elegans, is a popular model organism for studying aging because it’s easy to see how long they live. Unlike humans, the worm’s lifespan is measured in days, not years, which makes it easier to study the aging process. Previous studies have already shown that changes in diet, exercise, and drugs can affect the worm’s lifespan, but this is the first time a specific gene has been identified that affects lifespan.
The specific gene, called DAF-16, is known to be involved in a variety of biological processes, including stress response and metabolism (新陈代谢). When researchers changed the gene, they found that it increased the lifespan of the worm by up to 60%. The discovery could have implications for human aging, as the same gene exists in humans.
Researchers caution that there’s still a long way to go before this discovery can be translated into anti-aging drugs. For one, the worm’s lifespan is so short that it’s difficult to know how the gene would affect humans over a longer period of time. Additionally, the study only looked at one gene while there are likely many other genes that affect lifespan. Still, the discovery is an important step in understanding the aging process and developing potential anti-aging treatments.
Overall, the study highlights the potential of model organisms, like the lowly nematode (线虫), in advancing our understanding of aging and developing new treatments. As the global population continues to age, research into the aging process will become increasingly important.
1. What actually is the key factor affecting lifespan that has been newly discovered?| A．C. elegans. | B．Changes in diet. |
| C．DAF-16. | D．Stress response. |
| A．Humans’ lifespan is too changeable to predict. |
| B．There is a huge gap between humans’ and worms’ lifestyle. |
| C．The genes in humans are different from those in the worm. |
| D．Other genes affecting lifespan need to be taken into consideration. |
| A．Uninterested. | B．Doubtful. |
| C．Positive. | D．Worried. |
| A．Great progress in the study of lifespan. |
| B．The discovery of a worm affecting lifespan. |
| C．The significance of organism in studying aging. |
| D．The importance of research into the aging process. |
【推荐2】So many things can keep you from seeing your loved ones in person. Fortunately, the people we miss are often only a phone call or text message away. But if you prefer typed out messages to verbal ones, you may want to reconsider.
A new study found that communication interactions that included voice, like a phone call, created stronger social bonds than communication through typing, like text messaging or email.
“People reported they did form a significantly stronger bond with their old friend on the phone than email, and they did not feel more awkward,” study co-author Amit Kumar, an assistant professor of marketing at the McCombs School of Business, said in a statement.
In another experiment, the researchers had strangers connect by either texting, talking over video chat, or talking using only audio. They found that both forms of voice communication—whether video or audio only—made the strangers feel significantly more connected than when they communicated via text.
Sabrina Romanoff, a Harvard trained clinical psychologist, says people tend to text or email instead of calling because of convenience,
| A．if they want to get connected with someone far away. |
| B．According to science, if you want to feel more connected to the people you’re talking to, you should call them instead of texting. |
| C．Although people expected that a phone call would be more awkward, hearing someone’s voice actually made the experience better. |
| D．as they see it as a controlled form of communication where they can “express information exactly without unexpected interruptions by the other person.” |
| E．As far as some people are concerned, making a call can save us more time than texting. |
| F．In the study, researchers used various experiments to measure connectedness. |
| G．“A phone call is actually more convenient when considering the net effects of the message,” she explains. |
【推荐3】As artificial intelligence increasingly becomes a part of our lives, it is important to understand how interacting with a robot that displays human-like behaviors might lead to higher likelihood of perceiving the robot as an intentional one.
Across three experiments involving 119 participants, researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology recently examined how individuals would perceive a human-like robot, the iCub, after socializing with it and watching videos together. Before and after interacting with the robot, participants completed a questionnaire that showed them pictures of the robot in different situations and asked them to choose whether the robot’s motivation in each situation was mechanical or intentional. For example, three photos showing the robot selecting a tool asked the participants to determine whether the robot “grasped the closest object” or “was fascinated by tool use.”
In the first two experiments, the researchers remotely controlled iCub’s actions so it would behave gregariously, greeting participants, introducing itself and asking for the participants’ names. Cameras in the robot’s eyes were also able to recognize participants’ faces and it can maintain eye contact. The participants then watched three short documentary videos with the robot, which was programmed to respond to the videos with sounds and facial expressions of sadness, awe or happiness.
In the third experiment, the researchers programmed iCub to behave more like a machine while it watched videos with the participants. The cameras in the robot’s eyes were deactivated so it could not maintain eye contact and it only spoke recorded sentences to the participants. All emotional reactions to the videos were replaced with a “beep” and repetitive movements of its body, head and neck.
The researchers found that participants who watched videos with the human-like robot were more likely to rate the robot’s actions as intentional, rather than programmed, while those who only interacted with the machine-like robot were not. This shows that mere exposure to a human-like robot is not enough to make people believe it is capable of thoughts and emotions. It is human-like behavior that might be crucial for being perceived as an intentional robot.
1. What do we know about the questionnaire in the experiments?| A．It shows iCub interacting with humans. |
| B．It contains a list of complex questions. |
| C．It describes the robot in tough situations. |
| D．It shows iCub involved in different activities. |
| A．It let out more emotional sounds. | B．It totally ignored the participants. |
| C．It greeted the humans occasionally. | D．It communicated only through the eyes. |
| A．Formally. | B．Strangely. | C．Sociably. | D．Effectively. |
| A．It’s intentional. | B．It’s magical. |
| C．It’s mechanical. | D．It’s well-controlled. |
【推荐1】Have you ever run out of coffee or tea? Found no eggs in the fridge? No bread for the sandwich and the nearest shop is too far away? Well, all that can change in the future.
If all goes well, the intelligent future kitchen will soon help solve all your problems. In the future, all kitchen units will be connected to the Internet. The intelligent future kitchen will give wise advice on planning your menu for the day. Worried about your weight?-- It will tell you the right diet and what is good for your health. It will even keep in mind your likes and dislikes!
Designed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this smart kitchen promises to pay attention to all your needs. The computer’s system will help keep an “eye” on the fridge. If the fridge is empty, the kitchen will automatically call and place an order at the local supermarket. So you don’t have to worry about it at all.
You get home late, and don’t know what to make from the collection of ingredients (原料) in your fridge. A while back you might have ordered a take-out but now, instead of worrying about eating a collection of this and that, you’re excited. You can pull out each vegetable, and pass each one in front of a web camera next to your fridge. A few moments later, a screen on your fridge would display a tasty recipe.
After dinner, you take your plates to a box next to the sink. You don't have to clean them, your machine does. It produces new plates every time you need to eat. Later in the evening, you phone your other half, who is on a business trip half-way around the world. As you drink your cup of hot coffee, it makes your other half’s cup change color on the other side of the world, another special way to keep in touch.
1. The problem mentioned in the first paragraph will be solved ______.| A．by the intelligent kitchen itself |
| B．by finding a good housekeeper |
| C．after you call the supermarket |
| D．after you buy great amounts of food |
| A．lose weight fast | B．keep a healthy diet |
| C．cook delicious food | D．clean fridge in time |
| A．in secret | B．by chance |
| C．by itself | D．again and again |
| A．will order a take-out for you if you get home late. |
| B．has a big color television and some web cameras |
| C．can pull out all the vegetables from you fridge |
| D．can give a suitable recipe according to your ingredients |
【推荐2】An environmental group in Colombia is leading a project to save wild areas in the San Lucas Mountains with the help of coffee growers.
Since 2016, San Lucas areas have been threatened by mining and coca (古柯) planting Gold miners and coca growers make more money than coffee farms. Now the group WebConserva helps link coffee farmers with coffee processors from around the country in order that they can earn more. At the same time coffee farms can serve as boarders around the forests to protect the biodiversity within.
To date, the project includes 10 families who farm 400 hectares of coffee plants. WebConserva said it hopes, in time, 200 families will be included. At that level. 20,000 hectares of untouched forest could be protected. The families promise not to cut down trees to expand their crops or to hunt wild animals. In return, they receive $300 for 125 kilograms of coffee.
Arcadio Barajas is among those taking part. His coffee farm sets up a barrier between cattle farms and forests where wild animals live, thus reducing the possibility of conflict between cattle farmers and wild animals. “Cutting down the forest to plant coca and killing wildlife were against my faith, and now I feel that growing coffee lets me be a good guard of the land,” he said.
Amnobis Romero is a former coca grower and miner. “Many families depended on illegal activities to support their children years ago. Now, we feel it a duty to look after this biodiversity and leave it for future generations,” he said. Activists want San Lucas to be protected as a national park, but the process has been slow. Carlos Valderrama, director of Webconserva, hopes the project can build production system that will last far into the future. “It protects forests, biodiversity and ecosystems at the same time as improving coffee growers’ quality of life,” he said.
1. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 2 refer to?| A．Coffee farmers. |
| B．WebConserva members. |
| C．Gold miners. |
| D．Coca growers. |
| A．By increasing cattle farms. |
| B．By setting up a barrier. |
| C．Ry developing gold mining. |
| D．By encouraging coffee farming. |
| A．Families have enough money for their kids. |
| B．Coffee planting will last for several generations. |
| C．Coffee farming changed the former coca growers’ lives. |
| D．The project benefit the forests more than the local farmers. |
| A．Families protecting wildlife will get very rich. |
| B．WebConserva benefits ecosystems and local people’s life. |
| C．Gold mining and coca farming have been replaced rapidly. |
| D．San Lucas will develop into a national park in the near future. |
Octopuses(章鱼)
The octopus mother lays(下蛋) about 50,000 eggs. For about 300 days, she stays with the eggs, cleans them and protects them. She does not leave to feed. However, this animal mom dies as soon as the eggs are hatched(孵化).
Crocodiles (鳄鱼)
A crocodile mother puts a lot of time and effort(努力) into raising her babies.
She starts by building a nest(巢)which she guards for over two months! When the eggs are ready to hatch, the young crocs call out to their mother, who digs them out and helps them hatch. She then carries them in her mouth down to the water, where she will guard them for several more weeks or months until they learn to hunt on their own.
Bats(蝠)
Bats become moms by hanging head up in a cave, giving birth. Catching the youngsters before it can fall to the ground below, she puts it in a pouch (育儿袋) .Bat moms may carry babies with them when feeding for the first few days. As the little bats get bigger and heavier, moms help them hang on the wall of their caves and return to feed them. It continues for about three weeks, until the babies are grown up and able to fly on their own.
Koalas(考拉)
The animal mom gives birth after pregnancy(怀孕期)of only 35 days. The hairless baby climbs into its mother’s pouch and lives there for another five months. When the little koala is between five and eight months old, it leaves the pouch for short periods of time but returns for safety. Once it is too big to return to the pouch, it will climb onto its mother’s back and ride there until it is about 12 moths old.
1. Which animal moms die when their babies are born?
| A．Octopuses | B．Crocodiles | C．Bats | D．Koalas |
| A．inhermouth | B．onherback | C．inherpouch | D．byhertail |
| A．givesbirthbylyinginthenest |
| B．givesbirthbyhanginginacave |
| C．leavesitsbabiesinthepouchformonths |
| D．letsitsbabiesliveontheirown(独自) aftermonths |
| A．35days | B．5months | C．8months | D．12months |
