1 . If you're a fan of smart technology, you may have had some sleepless nights lately. That's because Alexa, the artificial intelligence （Al） behind US company Amazon's Echo smart speakers, has been "letting out an unprompted （自发的）,creepy （令人毛骨悚然的）cackle for no apparent reason, according to BBC News.
Many social media users shared their stories of Alexa scaring them with the seemingly unprompted laugh.
“Every time Alexa laughs, an angel dies," Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk joked on social media.
On March 7, Amazon released an update that fixed the problem, saying that the laugh was caused by Echo devices mistakenly thinking that users had said the command " Alexa, laugh".
However, what should have been a funny story raised the ongoing topic of man versus machine.
With the rise of artificial and robotic technology, " Digital machines started to demonstrate broad abilities in pattern recognition, complex communication, and other area that used to be particularly human," wrote Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee in their book The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. They believe that AI will "do more and more, and our lives will get better".
However, ever since the earliest days of AI there have been concerns that some day, software will take over the world. leaving the fate of humans unknown.
“With artificial intelligence we are order the demon （魔鬼）Musk told students during a meeting at MIT in 2014. "If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, it's probably that. So we need to be very careful
Many scientists have shared the same concern. The late British physicist Stephen Hawking said at a technology conference in Portugal in November that "computers can. in theory, imitate human intelligence, and exceed it ••• AI could be the worst event in the history of our civilization."
If creators are to safely control AL however, Hawking suggested that they " employ best practice and effective management" .
I am an optimist and I believe that we can create AI for the good of the world," he said at the conference. "We simply need to be aware of the dangers, identify them, employ the best possible practice and management, and prepare for its consequences well in advance/*
1. What does the underlined word "cackle" in Paragraph I probably mean?| A．movement | B．laughter | C．scream | D．story |
| A．lead into the discussion about humans and AI |
| B．prove artificial intelligence has its weaknesses |
| C．inform readers of the development of AI |
| D．show how Alexa's problem was fixed |
| A．The development of AI could threaten our survival one day. |
| B．Digital machines have complete ability to recognize something without mistakes. |
| C．Robots will never match humans in complex communication. |
| D．Humans lives will be greatly improved with the help of robots. |
| A．Man VS.Machine | B．Time to Control Rise of AI |
| C．Creepy AI | D．AI: The Biggest Threat |
2 . Houses have been getting progressively "smarter" for decades, but the next generation of smart homes may offer what two Case Western Reserve University scientists are calling an "Internet of Ears. "
Today's smart home features appliances, entertainment systems, security cameras and lighting, heating and cooling systems that are connected to each other and the Internet. They can be accessed and controlled remotely by computer or smartphone apps.
But a group of electrical engineering and computer science professors in the Case School of Engineering have been experimenting with a new suite of sensors (传感器). This system would read not only the vibrations (震动), sounds and even other movements associated with people and animals in a building, but also any slight changes in the existing electrical field.
While there still maybe a decade or so away, the home of the future could be a building that adjusts to your activity with only a few small, hidden sensors in the walls and floor without the need for monitoring cameras.
"We are trying to make a building that is able to 'listen' to the humans inside," said Ming Chun Huang, an assistant professor in electrical engineering and computer science. "We are using principles similar to those of the human ear, where vibrations are picked up and our algorithms (计算程序) recognize them to determine your specific movements. That's why we call it the 'Internet of Ears'. "
“There is actually a constant 60 Hz electrical field all around us, and because people are somewhat conductive, they short out the field just a little," Huang said. "So, by measuring the disturbance in that field, we are able to determine their presence, or even their breathing, even when there are no vibrations associated with sound.”
Huang said they have used as few as four small sensors in the walls and floor of a room.
As for privacy concerns, the system would not be able to identify individuals, although it could recognize people's different ways of walking.
1. What uniqueness does the smart home of the next generation have?| A．It uses the advanced Internet technology. |
| B．It is controlled remotely by a computer. |
| C．It features appliances and entertainment systems. |
| D．It can read vibrations, sounds and movements. |
| A．The sensors. | B．The vibrations. |
| C．The electrical field. | D．The monitoring cameras. |
| A．Determining people's presence. | B．Recognizing different people. |
| C．Protecting individuals' privacy. | D．Measuring the electrical field. |
| A．Various Smart Houses | B．Benefits of Smart Houses |
| C．How do Smart Houses Work? | D．What Are Next Smart Homes Like? |
3 . There is an ancient Chinese story about a giant man named Kua Fu who chases the sun. He drains the Yellow and Wei rivers during his race and finally dies of delydration（脱水）. His failure has reminded people of the unstoppable power of the sun for centuries. And yet, scientists throughout history have tried to better understand the most important star in our sky. On Aug 12, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe（探测器）, marking the start of its trip to the sun.
The probe itself is almost as big as a car and needed the help of a powerful rocket to escape Earth’s orbit, change direction and reach the sun. In order to reach the sun, the probe must complete seven flybys of Venus, using the power of the planet’s gravity to change its path, sending it toward the sun. But that’s not the only difficult part of the journey. As the probe approaches the sun’s corona（日冕）, it will have to bear temperatures reaching 1,400℃, as well as deal with serious radiation. So how will the probe survive?
According to NASA, a special shield has been used, which is a special 11.5 cm-thick carbon-composite shield that will be positioned between the probe and the sun’s corona. It’s advanced technology like this that will make the probe’s trip to the sun much smoother. If everything goes as planned the probe will reach a speed of 692,018 kilometers per hour as it moves around the sun, setting a new record for the fastest man-made object in history, NBC noted. It will fly close to the sun 24 times between 2018 and 2025. NBC added.
1. What is the aim of mentioning Kua Fu in the first paragraph?| A．To tell the origin of Parker Solar Probe. |
| B．To lead to the topic of researching the sun. |
| C．To show the achievement of ancient China. |
| D．To show the difficulties of studying the sun. |
| A．One. | B．Two. |
| C．Three. | D．Four. |
| A．The probe will reach the sun in 2025. |
| B．The probe has been protected very well. |
| C．The probe is the fastest man-made object. |
| D．The probe has been prepared well for its aim. |
| A．Taking a Closer Look at the Sun |
| B．Discovering the Unknown Puzzles |
| C．The Story of Kuafu Chasing the Sun |
| D．The Scientific Value of Searching the Sun |
4 . How to change the world
You want to change the world, but you aren’t sure where to start. First, remember that changing the world can mean so many different things.
Understand what's wrong.
Know that change doesn't come overnight.
Start small.
Find ways to make a difference every day. It may feel as though you are just one tiny part of a huge system. At first, you almost certainly will be. Be patient.
Write letters to newspapers; post an article, video, or idea on the internet; wear a T-shirt. If you think that it is important and worthy of attention, try to raise awareness(意识) by telling as many people as you can.
Consider a career.
Think about which sort of job might put you in the best position to change the world.
| A．Read the news. |
| B．Spread the word. |
| C．All things begin small |
| D．Remember that you don’t need to do it alone |
| E．You could be a teacher, a reporter, or something else. |
| F．There are other, less public ways to show your support! |
| G．Don’t expect to change the world with one big heroic act. |
