Embracing the Singularity
Ever since computers took shape, they have been designed by human minds. Over the years, plenty of people have asked: What would happen if computers designed themselves?
Someday soon, an intelligent computer might create a machine far more powerful than itself. That new computer would likely make another, even more powerful, and so on. Machine intelligence would ride an exponential (指数的) upward curve, attaining heights of cognition unthinkable to humans. This, broadly speaking, is the singularity.
The term dates back over 50 years. Super intelligent computers might leap forward from nanotechnology to virtual reality to space travel. Instead of being left behind with our cell-based brains, humans might merge themselves with AI, enlarging our brains with circuits, or even digitally uploading our minds to outlive our bodies. The result would be a supercharged humanity, capable of thinking at the speed of light and free of biological concerns.
Philosopher Nick Bostrom thinks this happy world could bring a new age entirely. "It might be that, in this world, we would all be more like children in a giant Disneyland-maintained not by humans, but by these machines that we have created," he said.
Depending on where you stand, this might sound like a fantasy, or a nightmare. Bostrom is well aware of this. He's been thinking about the emergence of super intelligent AI for decades, and he's intimately familiar with the risks such creations involve. There's the classic sci-fi nightmare of a robot revolution, of course, where machines decide they'd rather be in control of the Earth. But perhaps more likely is the possibility that the moral code of a super-intelligent AI simply doesn't line up with our own. An AI responsible for groups of self-driving cars or the distribution of medical supplies could cause damage if it fails to value human life the same way we do.
The problem has taken on new urgency in recent years. If we cannot control a super-intelligent AI, then our fate could rely on whether future machine intelligences think like us. Fortunately, there are ways we might teach human morality to a new superintelligence. Machine learning algorithms could be taught to recognize human value systems, much like they are trained on databases of images and texts today. Or, different AIs could debate each other, overseen by a specialist, to build better models of human preferences.
1. Broadly speaking, what is the singularity?2. What are the ways we might teach human morality to a new superintelligence?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Bostrom thinks that one of the risks with super intelligent AI is a revolution, where machines decide they'd be in control of the Earth.
4. As a student, what will you do to embrace the Singularity? （about 40 words）
2 . Last year at Christmas time my wife and I were in France. For five wretched (恶劣的) days everything had gone
It was raining and cold when we went out to eat. Only five tables in the restaurant were
I looked around and noticed that the other customers were eating in stony
Then came an old flower woman. Carrying her basket of flowers, she went from one table to the other. But no one bought any.
Before the young sailor left, he walked over to the flower woman.
"Happy Christmas," he said, smiling and picking out two flowers. Pressing the smaller flower flat, he put it into the
"I don't have change." she said.
"No, ma'am," said the sailor, leaning over and kissing the
Everyone had been watching the sailor. A few seconds later, Christmas
The miserable evening
| A．smoothly | B．quickly | C．wrong | D．well |
| A．dinner | B．party | C．tree | D．spirit |
| A．occupied | B．wiped | C．cleared | D．left |
| A．beautifully | B．unenthusiastically | C．brilliantly | D．poorly |
| A．silence | B．excitement | C．despair | D．astonishment |
| A．application | B．letter | C．poem | D．resume |
| A．rosy | B．smooth | C．ancient | D．unshaven |
| A．Shaking | B．Moving | C．Holding | D．Packing |
| A．caught | B．touched | C．affected | D．exploded |
| A．turned up | B．ended up | C．set up | D．took up |
3 . A new research published in Nature Machine Intelligence suggests that teaching materials science, mechanical engineering, computer science, biology and chemistry as a combined discipline (综合学科) could help students develop the skills they need to create lifelike artificially intelligent (AI) robots as researchers.
Known as Physical AI, these robots will be designed to look and behave like humans or other animals. At the same time, they will own intelligence (智力) normally connected with biological organisms (生物有机体). These robots could in future help humans at work and in daily living, performing tasks that are dangerous for humans and helping with medicine, caregiving, security, building and industry.
However, today's robots and biological beings exist separately and the intelligence of the two have not yet been combined. Co-lead author Professor Mirko Kovac said, "The development of robot 'bodies' has greatly fallen behind the development of robot 'brains' . Unlike digital AI, which has been studied deeply in the last few decades, breathing physical intelligence into robots has remained relatively unexplored."
The researchers say that the reason for this gap might be that no systematic educational method has yet been developed for teaching students and researchers to create robot bodies and brains combined as whole units.
This new research suggests a way of overcoming the gap by combining scientific disciplines to help future researchers create lifelike robots with abilities such as developing bodily control, autonomy and sensing at the same time.
Professor Kovac said, "We picture Physical AI robots being developed in the lab by using unusual materials and research methods. Cross-disciplinary cooperation and partnerships will be very important."
The researchers also advise strengthening research activities in Physical AI by supporting teachers on both the institutional and community level. They suggest hiring and supporting university educators whose priority (重点) will be cross-disciplinary Physical AI research. "Creating lifelike robots has been an impossible task so far, but it could be made possible by including Physical Al in the high education system," Kovac said.
We hope that the researchers' work will encourage active discussion of the topic and will lead to combination of Physical Al disciplines in the educational mainstream. The researchers intend to carry out the Physical AI methodology in their research and education activities to help build human-robot ecosystems.
1. What do we know about Physical AI robots according to the passage?| A．They have been able to help humans at work. |
| B．They will have human brains and animal bodies. |
| C．They have been designed to look and act like humans. |
| D．They will have intelligence connected with biological organisms. |
| A．Biological beings have been paid enough attention to. |
| B．The robot "brains" have fallen behind the robot "bodies". |
| C．Systematic educational method hasn't been developed by now. |
| D．Physical Al hasn't been well explored compared with digital AI. |
| A．intelligence is important in creating digital AI robots |
| B．development in digital AI can help produce smarter robots |
| C．unusual materials might be used to develop Physical AI robots |
| D．we have developed lifelike robots by having Physical AI in education |
| A．To show the difficulties of Physical AI development and the related solutions. |
| B．To call for combination of Physical AI disciplines in the education system. |
| C．To explain the reason why Physical intelligence has remained unexplored. |
| D．To encourage people to prepare for the age of Physical AI progress. |
4 . In my world, from my home in suburban Michigan, I can find cool, clean, refreshing water to drink wherever I want it. At my high schoo1. At the gym. At my grandmother’s house. Anywhere, I take it for granted.
But my view of the world was rocked when I saw a video about why people run. Their motivation was to help children in Kenya without having access to clean water. I could not believe what I saw, like photos of children walking miles to get water, instead of going to schoo1.
What I did believe was that I should do something to help. The opportunity to do so was right in front of me. Someone was organizing people to run the Chicago Marathon. Each runner had to raise more than $1,000 in the race. All the money will go to building toilets, drilling wells—whatever it takes to keep pollutants out of the water in cities and small villages in Africa, and to give people life. I believe that water is life.
I signed up! At 16, I just made the minimum age criteria for running the marathon. I knew I could—and should—raise money to address the environmental problems that disturb the children of developing countries. I had never run more than 7 miles, but I knew that running 26.2 miles would not compare to the pain and suffering those children go through on a daily basis.
It amazes me how much my life has changed. I am grateful to be part of a church community that not only made me aware of the environmental problems Kenya faces but helped me realize how I can make a difference if I put my mind and feet to it.
Since finishing the marathon—my first!—I have started a running group called Sole Sisters helping protect the environment.
1. What did the author think before she saw the video?| A．It was natural to have clean water. |
| B．It was strange for children to skip school. |
| C．It was unbelievable to sign up for a marathon. |
| D．It was alarming that Kenyans were short of water. |
| A．Aggressive and helpful. | B．Determined and caring. |
| C．Ambitious and intelligent. | D．Generous and adventurous. |
| A．What Sole Sisters does. | B．Her charity work in Kenya. |
| C．Why she started the running group. | D．Her preparations for next marathon. |
| A．A girl competed in the Chicago Marathon. | B．Drinking water in Kenya is polluted. |
| C．A girl runs for better environment. | D．A teenager makes a difference to the world. |
Don Stephenson used to live in the streets a few years ago. He was homeless and poor. “I didn’t know
6 . After beating bone cancer, Hayley Arceneaux thinks rocketing into orbit on SpaceX’s first private flight should be no problem at all. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital announced the 29-year-old doctor’s assistant will rocket into space later this year.
Arceneaux, a former patient at St. Jude, will become the youngest American in space, beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years. She will travel with businessman Jared Isaacman, who is using the spaceflight he bought to raise money for charity. Two other yet-to-be-chosen space flyers will join them. Arceneaux will be the first person to launch with a prosthesis an artificial device that replaces a missing or injured part of the body. When she was 10, Arceneaux had an operation at St. Jude to replace her knee and a piece of metal was put in her left leg. She still limps and has occasional leg pain.
“My battle with cancer really prepared me for space travel,” she recently told The Associated Press. “It made me tough, and then also I think it really taught me to expect the unexpected and go along for the ride.” Arceneaux wants to show her young patients and other cancer survivors that “the sky is not even the limit anymore.” “It’s going to mean so much to these kids to see a survivor in space.” she said.
Isaacman announced his space flight on February 1, promising to raise $200 million for St. Jude. As the flight’s self-appointed commander, he offered one of the four seats aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to St. Jude. The hospital chose Arceneaux from among its many workers who had once been patients. The idea was that one of them could represent the new generation, noted Rick Shadyac, president of St. Jude’s financing organization.
Arceneaux was at home in Memphis, Tennessee, when she got a surprising call in January. She was asked if she would represent St. Jude in space. As a lifelong space fan who loves adventures, Arceneaux has traveled widely and loves roller coasters. Isaacman, who flies fighter airplanes for fun, considers her a perfect fit. The launch is planned for this fall at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, with the spacecraft orbiting Earth for two to four days.
1. Which statement is true about Hayley Arceneaux?| A．She works where she used to be a patient. |
| B．She is an adventure hater. |
| C．She is the youngest American in space. |
| D．She is the first woman space flyer. |
a. She received a surprising call. b. She was diagnosed with a serious disease.
c. She was chosen to rocket into space. d. She was operated on at St.Jude.
| A．a c d b | B．b c d a | C．b d a c | D．c a b d |
| A．To carry out medical research. |
| B．To explore space. |
| C．To expect the unexpected. |
| D．To collect money. |
| A．Generous and strong. |
| B．Caring and optimistic. |
| C．Brave and honest. |
| D．Patient and representative. |
7 . The process of finding your best fit in a retirement community has improved dramatically over the past decade. Below are some options that will have you get going on a retirement lifestyle that makes every day seem like a vacation.
Saddle Brooke
Saddle Brooke is an Active Lifestyle Community with excellent restaurants and a Mountain View course for golfers. Saddle Brooke’s Arts Center offers various shows and performances. Fitness centers, basketball and volleyball courts, and swimming pools are just around the corner!
Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch comprises residential villages, parks, educational institutions, town centers, and a center specializing in brain research and cancer care. For three years running, it’s been the fastest-selling, all-ages community in America.
Dataw Island
Dataw Island provides beautiful mansions (公寓楼)，independent shops and restaurants. There are two golf courses, eight tennis courts, world-class grasslands, and plentiful social clubs. Residents can also enjoy deep sea fishing in minutes.
The Forest at Duke
In the covid-19 era, it’s easy to get lost in separation. But that’s hardly the case at The Forest at Duke, where residents continue to enjoy socially distanced chats with neighbors, the satisfaction of activity in nature, and find belonging in their new home.
1. For whom is this text written?| A．Officials. | B．Retirees. | C．Teachers. | D．Travelers. |
| A．Dataw Island. | B．Saddle Brooke. |
| C．Lakewood Ranch. | D．The Forest at Duke. |
| A．They provide sports facilities. |
| B．They offer art performance. |
| C．They feature nature activities. |
| D．They suit shopping convenience. |
8 . A college student has been going above and beyond the call of duty to protect people who are deaf or hard of hearing from risking exposure to COVID-19. Since the world has been struggling to cope with N95 face mask shortages, 21 -year-old Ashley Lawrence has been troubled by how the face masks might prevent people with hearing disabilities from communicating.
Because American Sign Language ( ASL) speakers rely heavily on lip-reading for grammar, face masks could obscure (隐藏) up to half of a person's message. Lawrence, who studies education for the deaf and hard of hearing at Eastern Kentucky University , has been conducting her schooling at home due to the novel coronavirus outbreaks - so she resolved to use her free time to make face masks for sign language speakers.
With the help of her mother, Lawrence began sewing face masks with. plastic windows over the wearer's mouth so that ASL speakers could still use lip-reading for communication. Over the course of the last few weeks，Lawrence has been shipping the masks to dozens of hospitals and deaf individuals for free. She launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for shipping, handling, and materials, but she stopped the crowdfunding (众筹) page after she reached her goal of $ 3,300 in just two days.
Although Lawrence had originally recruited a team of volunteers to make the masks for deaf people in her home community of Woodford County, Kentucky, the determined college student is now working to launch an official Facebook page and website for her newly-built DHH Mask Project as a means of meeting demand for the masks. Furthermore, Lawrence plans on posting a YouTube DIY instructional video for making the masks by the end of this week. Until then, people can request a set of free masks from Lawrence, by emailing her at dhhmaskproject@gmail.com.
1. Who were the special face masks made for?| A．Common people. | B．Students studying at school. |
| C．People with hearing disabilities. | D．People infected with COVID-19. |
| A．Their disabilities will become worse. | B．All of their message will be prevented. |
| C．They needn't rely ,so heavily on lip-reading. | D．Nearly half of what they express can't be received. |
| A．To collect enough money for her plan. | B．To meet people's demand. for the masks. |
| C．To ask for ideas about the special masks. | D．To help people learn more about the masks. |
| A．She is hearing disabled. | B．She is determined and caring. |
| C．She made the masks by herself. | D．She sold all, the masks on the Internet. |
9 . My name is Jaimic Eckert and I’ve been into volunteer work since childhood. As a girl, I volunteered at animal shelters, played music at nursing homes, and helped with community cleanup after disasters. In college, I volunteered heavily at a large yearly conference for young adults, which is where I fell in love with my husband-to-be, who was on my team of co-volunteers. Since getting married in 2013, we’ve been living in Beirut, Lebanon. I actually have an online coaching business but I’ve had many opportunities to volunteer with projects for Syrian refugees(难民) and youth education.
Volunteering has been a way of life for me for a very long time, and I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it. Most of the time, you do feel that you’re making a difference. Once I was leading out a project that provided food boxes to Syrian refugee families. When it was nearing Ramadan, the biggest holiday season in Islam, I literally stuffed the food package with extra treats...dates, nuts, olive oil and sweets. We took the package unannounced and ended up arriving just as the Syrian family was sitting down on their floor for breakfast. They had nothing more than a few pieces of bread and a pot of tea. The mother was in tears as she received us. I’ll never forget their gratitude.
Another time, back when I was in college in the US, a group of friends and I volunteered to drive to a distant church that was way out in the suburb and had only a few elderly members. The building was in disrepair and the churchyard needed attention. We stayed the weekend in the home of one of these old ladies so we could clean and repair the church. I’ll never forget how new life sparkled in her eyes. She couldn’t repair broken doors or pull weeds, but her love for us was unmatched. It breaks my heart to remember this old lady beaming with joy for such small efforts that we made. Sometimes, volunteer work is fulfilling not because of the actual job you get done, but because of how your presence impacts the people around you.
Volunteering makes me a better person because it gets me outside of myself. It puts my focus on others. It makes me grateful for what I have.
1. In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.| A．provide an explanation | B．introduce a topic |
| C．reach a conclusion | D．propose a definition |
| A．We brought food to Syrian families. |
| B．Ramadan is the most important holiday season in Islam. |
| C．Volunteering affects people in some way. |
| D．Volunteering is a way of Eckert’s life. |
| A．Because finally someone came to comfort them in the church. |
| B．Because she could clean and repair the church with us. |
| C．Because of our presence and help. |
| D．Because we made efforts to entertain her. |
| A．Eckert’s volunteer dream. |
| B．What volunteering means to Eckert. |
| C．How volunteering has changed Eckert’s life. |
| D．Eckert volunteers for Syrian refugees. |
| A．Critical. | B．Objective. | C．Indifferent. | D．Positive. |
10 . Raising just one child can be a tough job for any parent, which is why this woman is being honored for taking in more than 600 children over the course of five decades. 75-year-old Linda Herring from Johnson County. Iowa has been tirelessly providing food, clothing, love» and medical care to hundreds of adopted kids since the 1970s.
When Herring first began adopting kids, she was also running a home daycare and working as a night custodian（监护人）in a local high school. Additionally, she volunteered as a first responder for 50 years of her life.
Out of the hundreds of adopted kids that Herring has taken under her wing, many of them experienced a range of medical conditions and special needs-but that never prevented Herring. Linda mostly adopted young children and children with special medical needs and kept boxes of clothes in her garage, piled to the ceiling, labeled by size and gender. No one had to worry about a child going without clothes at Linda’s, even if they arrived with nothing but what they were wearing.
Anthony Herring, who was just 3 years old when he was adopted into Linda’s family, described his mother like this： "It’s hard to say in words her impact. She was always available and ready for a child in need. " These kids were usually taken from a traumatic（受到创伤的） situation and she’d take them in, providing a warm bed, clean clothes» warm meals, and love. She also worked hard to keep families together. Helping biological parents make the changes needed to be able to keep their children. She always makes sure a new child in her home was given a professional photograph that was placed on the wall in the living room. "That seems like a small thing, but it helps them feel like they’re at home.”
1. Why is Linda Herring respected by people?| A．She is fond of her easy work. | B．She has children in her care. |
| C．She likes to play with children. | D．She provides food with children. |
| A．Given response to. | B．Looked after. |
| C．Provided food to. | D．Provided education to. |
| A．Influential and kind. | B．Generous and optimistic. |
| C．Intelligent and hard-working. | D．Easy-going and warm-hearted. |
| A．She gave her children good jobs. |
| B．She took photos of each of them to enjoy. |
| C．She offered each of them a professional photograph. |
| D．She met their needs to make many changes in their life. |
