In the next few years, the term “big data” will come to seem naive, like when “information superhighway” gave way to “the internet” in 1995.
We’re entering an age of personal big data and its impact on our lives will surpass that of the internet. Data will answer questions we could never before answer with certainty—everyday questions like whether that dress actually makes you look fat, or profound questions about precisely how long you will live.
Every 20 years or so, a powerful technology moves from the realm of backroom expertise and into the hands of the masses. In the late 1970s, computing made that transition—from mainframes in glass-enclosed rooms to personal computer on desks. In the late 1990s, the first web browsers made networks, which had been for science labs and the military, accessible to any of us, giving birth to the modern internet.
Each transition touched off an explosion of innovation and reshaped work and leisure. In 1975, 50,000 PCs were in use worldwide. Twenty years later, 225 million. The number of internet users in 1995 hit 16 million. Today it’s more than 3 billion. In much of the world, it’s hard to imagine life without constant access to both computing and networks.
The 2010s will be the coming-out party for data. Gathering, accessing and gleaning insights from vast and deep data has been a capability locked inside enterprises long enough. Cloud computing and mobile devices now make it possible to stand in a bathroom line at a baseball game while tapping into massive computing power and databases. On the other hand, connected devices such as the Nest thermostat or Fitbit health monitor and apps on smart phones increasingly collect new kinds of information about everyday personal actions and habits, turning it into data about ourselves.
That the world is awash in data may be as obvious as saying Lady Gaga dresses funny. But the game changer ushering in the new era is the ability to make sense of data in ways that let non-tech humans interact with it, learn from it and use it.
More than 80 percent of data today is unstructured: tangles of You Tube videos, news stories, academic papers, social network comments. Unstructured data has been almost impossible to search for, analyze and mix with other data. A new generation of computers - cognitive computing systems that learn from data—will read tweets or e-books or watch video and comprehend its content. Somewhat like brains, these systems can link diverse bits of data to come up with real answers, not just search results.
46. What caused the appearance of modern internet?
47. What does the phrase “tapping into” (paragraph 5) probably mean in the text?
48. In which way can we get data about ourselves?
49. What is the essential difference between traditional computers and cognitive computer systems?
50. What can be inferred from the text?
问题1选项
A.Big data.
B.Information superhighway.
C.Cloud computing.
D.Browsers.
问题2选项
A.Sticking into.
B.Beating softly.
C.Making use of.
D.Investing.
问题3选项
A.From everyday personal actions.
B.From connected devices.
C.From everyday personal habits.
D.From database.
问题4选项
A.Cognitive computer systems work faster than traditional computers.
B.Cognitive computer systems work more accurately.
C.Cognitive computer system can work like human brains.
D.Cognitive computer systems can search results.
问题5选项
A.Computing was in the realm of backroom expertise before 1970s.
B.The world is flooded in too much confused data.
C.In 1975, 50,000 PCs were in use worldwide.
D.Data will answer questions we could never before answer with certainty.
第1题:D
第2题:C
第3题:B
第4题:C
第5题:A
第1题:
46.【选项释义】
What caused the appearance of modern internet? 什么导致了现代互联网的出现？
A. Big data A. 大数据
B. Information superhighway B. 信息高速公路
C. Cloud computing C. 云计算
D. Browsers D. 浏览器
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】文章第三段提到：In the late 1990s, the first web browsers made networks, which had been for science labs and the military, accessible to any of us, giving birth to the modern internet.（在20世纪90年代后期，第一批网络浏览器使网络可以为我们所用，从而出现了现代的互联网，这些网络曾是专为科学实验室和军队所用）可知选D。
【干扰项排除】A、B、C选项在文中提及，但与题干无关，属于出处错位。
47.【选项释义】
What does the phrase “tapping into” (paragraph 5) probably mean in the text? 文中“tapping into”（第5段）一词可能是什么意思？
A. Sticking into A. 坚持
B. Beating softly B. 轻轻地拍打
C. Making use of C. 利用
D. Investing D. 投资
【考查点】词汇推断题
【解题思路】根据“tapping into”在Cloud computing and mobile devices now make it possible to stand in a bathroom line at a baseball game while tapping into massive computing power and databases.（现在云计算和移动设备可以……巨大的计算能力和数据库使人们可以在洗手间排队时观看棒球比赛）中前后的句意，可知C选项最符合语境。
【干扰项排除】A、B、D选项不能根据定位处的前后文推断出来。
48.【选项释义】
In which way can we get data about ourselves? 我们可以通过哪种方式获得关于自己的数据？
A. From everyday personal actions. A. 从日常个人行为。
B. From connected devices. B. 从已连接的设备。
C. From everyday personal habits. C. 从日常个人习惯。
D. From database. D. 从数据库。
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】由文章倒数第三段中的On the other hand, connected devices…increasingly collect new kinds of information about everyday personal actions and habits, turning it into data about ourselves.（另一方面，连接的设备……越来越多地收集有关日常个人行为和习惯的新信息，将其转化为有关自己的数据）可知选B。
【干扰项排除】
A、C选项，根据解析可知，个人的行为和习惯应该被设备收集和转化后才能被我们获取，而不是我们直接能够获得的，属于曲解原文；
D选项，文中提到：Gathering, accessing and gleaning insights from vast and deep data has been a capability locked inside enterprises long enough.（从庞大而深入的数据中收集、访问和收集见解，已经成为企业内部长期锁定的一种能力。）可知，从数据库收集我们的数据的是企业内部而非我们自身，属于偷换概念。
49.【选项释义】
What is the essential difference between traditional computers and cognitive computer systems? 传统计算机和认知计算机系统的本质区别是什么？
A. Cognitive computer systems work faster than traditional computers. A. 认知计算机系统比传统计算机工作得更快。
B. Cognitive computer systems work more accurately. B. 认知计算机系统工作更准确。
C. Cognitive computer system can work like human brains. C. 认知计算机系统可以像人脑一样工作。
D. Cognitive computer systems can search results. D. 认知计算机系统可以搜索结果。
【考查点】事实细节题
【解题思路】文章最后一段提到：A new generation of computers—cognitive computing systems that learn from data—will read tweets or e-books or watch video and comprehend its content. Somewhat like brains, these systems can link diverse bits of data to come up with real answers, not just search results.（新一代计算机——从数据中学习的认知计算系统——能阅读推特或电子书或观看视频，并能理解其内容。这些系统有点像大脑，可以将不同的数据连接起来，得出真实的答案，而不仅仅是搜索结果。）可知选C。
【干扰项排除】
A、B选项在文中没有提及，属于无中生有；
D选项根据解析可知，认知计算机不仅仅能做到可以搜索结果，可知传统计算机是可以搜索结果的，故能搜索结果不是他们的区别。
50.【选项释义】
What can be inferred from the text? 从文中可以推断出什么？
A. Computing was in the realm of backroom expertise before 1970s. A. 在20世纪70年代之前，计算机还只是幕后专家的领域。
B. The world is flooded in too much confused data. B. 世界充斥着太多令人困惑的数据。
C. In 1975, 50,000 PCs were in use worldwide. C. 1975年，全球有50000台个人电脑在使用。
D. Data will answer questions we could never before answer with certainty. D. 数据将回答我们以前无法确定回答的问题。
【考查点】推理判断题
【解题思路】根据文章第三段信息：Every 20 years or so, a powerful technology moves from the realm of backroom expertise and into the hands of the masses. In the late 1970s, computing made that transition—from mainframes in glass-enclosed rooms to personal computer on desks.（每隔20年左右，一项强大的技术就会从幕后专家的领域进入大众的手中。20世纪70年代末，计算机实现了这一转变——从玻璃封闭房间里的大型机过渡到办公桌上的个人电脑。）可推知在20世纪70年代之前，计算机还只是幕后专家的领域，故A选项符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
B、C、D选项都是文章中的细节，不需要推断即可得知，不符合题意。
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第5题:
