1 . Evan Selinger, professor in RIT’s Department of Philosophy, has taken an interest in the ethics (伦理标准) of Al and the policy gaps that need to be filled in. Through a humanities viewpoint, Selinger asks the questions, “How can AI cause harm, and what can governments and companies creating Al programs do to address and manage it?” Answering them, he explained, requires an interdisciplinary approach.
“AI ethics go beyond technical fixes. Philosophers and other humanities experts are uniquely skilled to address the nuanced (微妙的) principles, value conflicts, and power dynamics. These skills aren’t just crucial for addressing current issues. We desperately need them to promote anticipatory (先行的) governance, ” said Selinger.
One example that illustrates how philosophy and humanities experts can help guide these new, rapidly growing technologies is Selinger’s work collaborating with a special AI project. “One of the skills I bring to the table is identifying core ethical issues in emerging technologies that haven’t been built or used by the public. We can take preventative steps to limit risk, including changing how the technology is designed, ”said Selinger.
Taking these preventative steps and regularly reassessing what risks need addressing is part of the ongoing journey in pursuit of creating responsible AI. Selinger explains that there isn’t a step-by-step approach for good governance. “AI ethics have core values and principles, but there’s endless disagreement about interpreting and applying them and creating meaningful accountability mechanisms, ” said Selinger. “Some people are rightly worried that AI can become integrated into ‘ethics washing’-weak checklists, flowery mission statements, and empty rhetoric that covers over abuses of power. Fortunately, I’ve had great conversations about this issue, including with some experts, on why it is important to consider a range of positions. ”
Some of Selinger’s recent research has focused on the back-end issues with developing AI, such as the human impact that comes with testing AI chatbots before they’re released to the public. Other issues focus on policy, such as what to do about the dangers posed by facial recognition and other automated surveillance(监视) approaches.
Selinger is making sure his students are informed about the ongoing industry conversations on AI ethics and responsible AI. “Students are going to be future tech leaders. Now is the time to help them think about what goals their companies should have and the costs of minimizing ethical concerns. Beyond social costs, downplaying ethics can negatively impact corporate culture and hiring, ” said Selinger. “To attract top talent, you need to consider whether your company matches their interests and hopes for the future. ”
1. Selinger advocates an interdisciplinary approach because ________.A.humanities experts possess skills essential for AI ethics |
B.it demonstrates the power of anticipatory governance |
C.AI ethics heavily depends on technological solutions |
D.it can avoid social conflicts and pressing issues |
A.adopt a systematic approach | B.apply innovative technologies |
C.anticipate ethical risks beforehand | D.establish accountability mechanisms |
A.More companies will use AI to attract top talent. |
B.Understanding AI ethics will help students in the future. |
C.Selinger favors companies that match his students’ values. |
D.Selinger is likely to focus on back-end issues such as policy. |
In a fast-paced world, where stress and mental tiredness seem commonplace, we’re constantly looking for new ways to unwind. People may carry out a variety of activities to help them relax. But what about the birdsongs or other nature sounds? Could they also help people to let go of the tensions of modern life?
According to a study by King’s College London in 2022, seeing or hearing birds could help to boost the mental wellbeing of people. Taking a trip to places rich in birdlife like parks, forests and canals and encountering birds singing to each other in the trees could even help to treat some mental health conditions. And it’s not just birds that could have a curative effect on our moods. Another study conducted by the National Trust compared the effects of woodland sounds with voiced meditation (冥想) apps. The study found listening to birdsong as well as other woodland sounds like leaves crunching underfoot or the gentle flow of a stream boosted feelings of relaxation 30% more than the apps do. Other sounds which may help to cool people down are waves lapping on the shore, gentle wind, and light rainfall.
However, not all of us live in rural surroundings, and depending on where we live, a trip to the countryside to see birds may not be an option. But could the nature sounds that originate there still help you? According to research by California Polytechnic State University, even a recording of the sounds of birds had a profound effect on people’s mood, while other studies saw people listening to soundscapes of the coast and forests with similar outcomes to their wellbeing.
So, wherever you live, you can access the wonderful sounds of birds and nature during a stroll through a wood or via some headphones. And maybe listening to the chirps, trills, warbles and whistles of some birds could help you to relax after a long, hard day.
1. What did the study by King’s College London in 2022 find?2. How did the National Trust conduct the study?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
According to the passage, birds singing, voiced meditation apps and the recording of the sounds of nature have the same effect on people’s mood.
4. Besides what is mentioned in the passage, what do you usually do to help you relax in your daily life? (In about 40 words)
3 . Most of us are actually terrible at giving gifts. About $70 billion worth of presents are returned every year in the U. S.
Stop trying to make your gifts so delightful.
How can we create a gift-giving plan that is as emotional as we desire? Humans love to feel connected. And one way we do that is by sharing interests with others. So if you want to learn how to give better gifts, put yourself in the recipient’s shoes and try to think of something you both share. Maybe it’s the love for a sport, drinking wine, or some other hobby.
A.So how do we get less terrible? |
B.Surprise is overrated — we’re happier to get what we ask for. |
C.So what's the most practical gift you can give that people might actually be grateful for? |
D.The long-term pleasure of the receiver may not be observed and therefore is discounted. |
E.Once you’ve found a shared interest, go and find a useful gift related to this interest. |
F.What recipients care about is how much value they’re going to get from the gift over a longer time period. |
G.Research has shown that givers are consumed by the moment of unwrapping a gift even more than the gift itself. |
4 . As this year draws to a close, I still remember the fear I felt on a bright Saturday morning in late September, at a five-kilometer race in Clarkston, Georgia, as I waited for my 11-year-old son at the finish line.
I knew he could run a 5k in about 30 minutes. When I didn't see him at the 35-minute mark, I began to wonder what had gone wrong. Had he gotten lost? Was he hit by a car? About an hour earlier, when we drove into town, my son noticed an insect on my car. It was bright green, no longer than a fingernail. And it was friendly. This little green thing hopped onto my son's finger, where it stayed for a long, long time. It stayed so long that we eventually gave it a name: Little Friend.
A few minutes before the race, Little Friend jumped off my son’s hand and landed on the sidewalk. But pedestrian traffic was heavy and unpredictable. Little Friend was in danger. So my son knelt and reached out his hand. Little Friend came back.
The race was about to start, and the tiny green insect was in for a wild ride. My son would run fast, and the race would be long, and his arms would swing, and Little Friend would eventually be shaken off.
“You will lose Little Friend,” I told him.
My son nodded, treating the moment with appropriate seriousness.
The race began, and I lost sight of him.
The excitement at the finish line gave way to anxiety when my son did not show up.
I kept asking people if they'd seen him. No one had. And beyond the 40-minute mark, I was in a panic.
But there he was, thank goodness, just ahead of the 45-minute mark.
And there was Little Friend, riding on the upper crook of his right thumb like a very small captain on a very tall ship.
My predictions had been wrong. My son had not run fast, and he had not lost Little Friend. And these two facts seemed somehow related. He blamed a cold he was getting over. I suspected it was more than that, but I didn’t question him too much about it.
We walked back to the car, smiling, and found some bushes in the parking lot that seemed like a good place for my son to drop off Little Friend.
“Be free,” my son said, and gently put it in the bushes.
My son knew the truth. Sometimes life gives you something beautiful, a fragile, short-lived treasure in your hand. There is no need to rush ahead. Treat it gently. Enjoy each moment. Hold on while you can.
One day my son will leave too, running off on his own adventure.
1. How did the writer probably feel when he finally saw his son appear in sight?A.Relieved. | B.Depressed. | C.Satisfied. | D.Disappointed. |
A.he was lost | B.he was recovering from a cold |
C.he was afraid to lose the tiny insect | D.he was slowed down by the heavy traffic |
A.indifferent | B.anxious | C.appreciative | D.doubtful |
A.Treasure every moment he has with his son. |
B.Encourage his son to take more adventures. |
C.Tell his son to take races seriously. |
D.Get more insects for his son. |
Your hometown could affect your navigational (导航的) skills. New research indicates that individuals
The 5-Second Rule suggests food is OK to eat if you pick it up
7 . When Susan was a high school senior, her English teacher Mr. DiMeo gave the class a challenging task: Recite a poem in front of the whole class.
“I had a mild stutter (结巴). I’d be
Susan went home and
When the day of the recitation came, Susan recited the poem one-on-one to Mr. DiMeo.
Susan went on to graduate from high school and go to college. She never got to properly thank Mr. DiMeo. But sometime after college, she
“I stand up in front of people and speak, and I do it all the time. If I do stutter once in a while, no big deal,” she said. Susan recently found a way to
In her mind, Mr. DiMeo is an unsung hero, because he’s a big reason why she has a successful career and life. “I don’t know where I would’ve gone if I felt like I had to keep my voice
A.continuing | B.struggling | C.pretending | D.hoping |
A.share | B.express | C.find | D.bear |
A.taught | B.proved | C.revealed | D.promised |
A.excused | B.prohibited | C.corrected | D.discouraged |
A.While | B.Although | C.Unless | D.Once |
A.jealousy | B.worry | C.boredom | D.loneliness |
A.wanted | B.offered | C.landed | D.created |
A.impact | B.idea | C.choice | D.stress |
A.judge | B.contact | C.study | D.interview |
A.sweet | B.loud | C.quiet | D.deep |
1.故事梗概;
2.最喜欢的人物;
3.推荐理由。
注意:1.词数不少于100;2.开关和结尾已给出,不计入总词数。
提示词:推荐recommend sth. to sb.; recommend sb. to do sth.
Dear Jim,
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If you’ve recently taken a flight from a major UK airport, then you may have noticed that more people are protesting air travel expansion and encouraging people to fly less. This is part of a larger environmental movement sweeping across Europe. Known as Flygskam or “flight-shaming”, the movement is encouraging people to stop taking flights as a means of transport and use more environmentally friendly transportation where they can.
The aviation (航空) currently accounts for about 2% of global emissions (排放) and is one of the fastest-growing polluters. Even worse, unlike most other sources of pollution, air travel results in pollutants released high up in the atmosphere.
Earlier this year, the UK government promised to reduce the UK’s emissions to “net zero” by 2050. However, according to projections from some researchers, emissions from the aviation could more than double by then even if planes become substantially more fuel-efficient. So, it’s unclear whether flying will be included in the UK’s target.
It’s hard to say exactly how big the movement is becoming, but Flygskam has become popular in social media. The number of Swedes taking the train for domestic journeys has risen by 8% this year as plane journeys inside the country have fallen. Clearly, Flygskam is having a measurable impact on people’s transport choices. Some people, however, have been critical of the movement because they say that it places blame or feelings of embarrassment onto the passengers when it is really the airlines and industries associated with it who should feel guilty for the impact that they are having on the planet.
1. What is Flygskam?2. How does flying influence the environment?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Flygskam has attracted social attention and some people have already participated in this campaign, so it is widely accepted.
4. Besides what is mentioned in the passage, what do you think of the movement of Flygskam? (In about 40 words)