2 . We Are Cyborgs

RoboCop, the Bionic Woman, Darth Vader—what do these characters have in common? They are all cyborgs—humans who are made more powerful by advanced technology. You might think that cyborgs exist only in fiction, or are a possibility only in the distant future. But cyborg technology already exists.

The word “cyborg” was first used in 1960 and defined as an organism(有机体) “to which external parts have been added for the purpose of adapting to new environments”. According to this definition, an astronaut in a spacesuit is an example of cyborg, as the spacesuit helps the astronaut adapt to a new environment—space. More recently, the word has evolved(进化)to refer to human beings who have mechanical body parts that make them more than human.

Although super-humans like RoboCop are not yet a reality, advances in real-life cyborg technology allow some people to compensate(弥补)for abilities they have lost, and give other people new and unusual abilities. An example is filmmaker Rob Spence and his bionic eye. Spence injured one of his eyes in an accident. A camera was implanted(移植)in his prosthetic eye. The eye is not connected to his brain or optic nerve(视神经), but it can record what he sees. Spence has used his camera eye to record interviews for a documentary about people with bionic body parts.

Some types of cyborg technology replace a lost ability by connecting directly to a person’s nerves. Michael Chorost completely and suddenly lost his ability to hear in July of 2001. Two months later, doctors placed a cochlear(耳蜗)implant, a kind of computer, inside his skull. This type of implant connects to auditory nerves and allows a deaf person to hear again. Around the world, over 300,000 people have now been fitted with cochlear implants.

These examples of cyborg technology have enabled people to enhance or change their abilities and improve their lives. But does everyone want to use cyborg technology? It might be too late to decide. Cyborg scientist Amber Case argues that most of us are already cyborgs. Anyone who uses a computer or a smartphone, Case claims, is a cyborg. Consider the data that you have in your smartphone. It keeps information for you so you don’t have to remember it: notes, phone numbers, email addresses, messages. It also allows you to communicate with friends and family via telephone, text messages, email, and social networks.

The potential benefits of cyborg technology are evident, but can this new technology be harmful, too? Could we become too dependent on cyborg technology—and become less than human? These still remain questions.

1. According to the passage, the cyborg ________.

A．is similar to human beings	B．took root in fiction characters
C．first appeared in space industry	D．has some device attached to the body

2. Among the following, which one can be considered as an “evolved cyborg”?

A．a cyclist in a helmet	B．an astronaut in a spacesuit
C．a man with a heart pacemaker	D．a secretary using a typewriter

3. Amber Case probably thinks that ________.

A．technology makes cyborgs become common

B．cyborg technology is crucial to modern society

C．the use of mobiles improves cyborg technology

D．cyborg technology helps improve human memory

4. What is the author’s attitude toward cyborg technology?

A．Critical.

B．Objective.

C．Skeptical.

D．Optimistic.

3 . A hospital has been forced to ban Pokemon Go players from the site after a monster hub (妖怪枢纽站) was found in the A&E department. Royal Stoke University Hospital discovered that its casualty unit(急诊室) is on the same spot as a Pokemon Go ‘gym’ —— where players can train their newly caught Nintendo creatures.

The University Hospitals of North Midlands Trust agreed last week that patients can play Pokemon Go on wards because walking around is healthy. But the Trust has been forced to post a warning on its website about public access to A&E. It said if Pokemon Go becomes a major annoyance it would ask Nintendo—— which decides on the locations of the virtual gyms according using GPS——to have it removed from the premises(道馆).

Kevin Parker, associate chief nurse, said, “Members of the public who do not need to be at Royal Stoke should not attempt to enter A&E or any other part of the hospital building to play the game. The A&E department is incredibly busy this summer. We want the public to understand that anybody who visits the hospital solely to play the game will provide an unwanted distraction to the important work of the hospital. I’m also aware of various reports in the media of unsafe areas that the game has been played in.”

“Royal Stoke University Hospital is a safe area where gamers can enjoy Pokemon Go.” Michelle Harris, the Trust’s manager, said the game could still be played by those already in hospital. “We recognize that the Pokemon Go game encourages walking and exercise, which is something that the Trust is equally keen to promote,” she said.

There are a number of “walking routes” established throughout the Trust that can be used to combine walking and playing the game. “Walking just 30 minutes, five times a week, can help reduce the risk of preventable illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.”

There have been several warnings about the game since its UK release. Last week a group of teenagers in Wiltshire were left stranded almost 100ft underground after they got carried away searching for Pokemon Go characters. The four boys, aged 16 and 17, ended up getting lost and had to wait to get a phone signal before they could call for help. Eventually, they contacted Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue team, who took them to safety. Damien Bence, of the fire and rescue team, said: “Pokemon Go is obviously leading people into dangerous situations.”

1. It seems that Pokemon Go is a game______.

A．encouraging players to walk and exercise instead of staying indoors

B．helping cure such diseases as obesity, diabetes and heart disease

C．designed to help patients in hospital recover sooner

D．warning teenagers of the places easy to get lost or attacked

2. The A&E department is incredibly busy because________.

A．more patients’ arrival increases the workload of the A&E department

B．doctors’ playing the game makes the A&E department less efficient

C．players’ injury increases the workload of the A&E department

D．players’ arrival disturbs the work of the A&E department

3. The passage is mainly about________.

A．the popularity of Pokemon Go since its UK release

B．the applications of Pokemon Go in hospitals since its UK release

C．the negative effects of Pokemon Go since its UK release

D．the establishment of Pokemon Go virtual gyms since its UK release