A robot is a computer-controlled machine that is programmed to move and handle objects. Robots are able to perform repetitive tasks more quickly, cheaply, and accurately (精确的) than humans. In 1995, about 700,000 robots were used－including over 500,000 in Japan, about 120,000 in Western Europe, and about 60,000 in the United States－all in the industrialized world. Many robots applications are designed for tasks that are either dangerous or unpleasant for human beings. Now, robotic technology can be used in more and more fields. Experts say in the future robots will be able to make new highways, constructsteel frameworks of buildings, clean sewage (污水系统), and such physical work. Besides, another possibility is the development of robotic technology in medical surgery operations.
Perhaps the greatest changes in future robots will improve from their increasing ability to reason. The field of artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from university labs to practical application in industry, and machines of a new kind of robots are being developed,
which can perform something involved in the process of understanding and planning, such as the management of a battlefield. Even the control of a large factory will be performed by intelligent computers. And there might be a possibility that these computers can design and make robots of their own.
Is there anything dangerous involved in this artificial intelligence progress then? Robot technology has been making people nervous ever since it was invented. Is it unreasonable to worry that robots will someday become too clever? Is it impossible that these human-like robots will start to think and plan for themselves? Will robots take over the world and force humans to give them energy to survive?
小题1: In 1995, about 700,000 robots were working in _____________.
| A．Japan | B．the United States | C．Western Europe | D．the industrialized world |
小题2:Which of the following do experts say robots won’t be able to do in the future?
| A．Take care of roads. | B．Be used as medicine. |
| C．Used as underground pipeline cleaner. | D．Take up jobs of building construction. |
小题3:What does the underlined word “which” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．Greatest changes in future robots. | B．The field of artificial intelligence. |
| C．Machines of a new kind of robots. | D．Practical application in industry. |
小题4:What can we know from the 2nd paragraph？
| A．It is possible that robots will be able to think like human beings. |
| B．It is sure that robots might be able to manage battlefields. |
| C．There is no doubt that computers can design and make robots of their own. |
| D．It is proved that computers can’t reason like human beings. |
小题5:Which of the following makes people worried most?
| A．Future robotic technology might cause dangers. |
| B．Future robotic technology might make people too clever. |
| C．Future robotic technology might help to do all dangerous jobs. |
| D．Future robotic technology might not survive because of its shortage of energy. |
