In the 1950s, the pioneers of artificial intelligence (AI) predicted that, by the end of this century, computers would be conversing with us at work and robots would be performing our housework. But as useful as computers are, they’re nowhere close to achieving anything remotely resembling these early aspirations for humanlike behavior. Never mind something as complex as conversation: the most powerful computers struggle to reliably recognize the shape of an object, the most elementary of tasks for a ten-month-old kid.
A growing group of AI researchers think they know where the field went wrong. The problem, the scientists say, is that AI has been trying to separate the highest, most abstract levels of thought, like language and mathematics, and to duplicate them with logical, step-by-step programs. A new movement in AI, on the other hand, takes a closer look at the more roundabout way in which nature came up with intelligence. Many of these researchers study evolution and natural adaptation instead of formal logic and conventional computer programs. Rather than digital computers and transistors, some want to work with brain cells and proteins. The results of these early efforts are as promising as they are peculiar, and the new nature-based AI movement is slowly but surely moving to the forefront of the field.
Imitating the brain’s neural (神经的) network is a huge step in the right direction, says computer scientist and biophysicist Michael Conrad, but it still misses an important aspect of natural intelligence. “People tend to treat the brain as if it were made up of color-coded transistors”, he explains, “but it’s not simply a clever network of switches. There are lots of important things going on inside the brain cells themselves.” Specifically, Conrad believes that many of the brain’s capabilities stem from the pattern recognition proficiency of the individual molecules that make up each brain cell. The best way to build an artificially intelligent device, he claims, would be to build it around the same sort of molecular skills.
Right now, the notion that conventional computers and software are fundamentally incapable of matching the processes that take place in brain remains controversial. But if it proves true, then the efforts of Conrad and his fellow AI rebels could turn out to be the only game in town.
1. The author says that the powerful computers of today（ ）.
2. The new trend in artificial intelligence research stems from（ ）.
3. Conrad and his group of AI researchers have been making enormous efforts to（ ）.
4. What’s the author’s opinion about the new AI movement?
5. Which of the following is closet in meaning to the underlined phrase “the only game in town” (Line 3, Para. 4)?
问题1选项
A.are capable of reliably recognizing the shape of an object
B.are close to exhibiting humanlike behavior
C.are not very different in their performance from those of the 50’s
D.still cannot communicate with people in a human language
问题2选项
A.the shift of the focus of study to the recognition of the shapes of objects
B.the belief that human intelligence cannot be duplicated with logical, step-by-step programs
C.the aspirations of scientists to duplicate the intelligence of a ten-month-old child
D.the efforts made by scientists in the study of the similarities between transistors and brain cells
问题3选项
A.find a roundabout way to design powerful computers
B.build a computer using a clever network of switches
C.find out how intelligence develop in nature
D.separate the highest and most abstract levels of thought
问题4选项
A.It has created a sensation among artificial intelligence researchers but will soon die out.
B.It’s a breakthrough in duplicating human thought processes.
C.It’s more like a peculiar game rather than a real scientific effort.
D.It may prove to be in the right direction though nobody is sure of its future prospects.
问题5选项
A.The only approach to building an artificially intelligent computer.
B.The only way for them to win a prize in artificial intelligence research.
C.The only area worth studying in computer science.
D.The only game they would like to play in town.
第1题:D
第2题:B
第3题:C
第4题:D
第5题:A
第1题:
事实细节题。题干：作者说当今强大的计算机……A选项“能够可靠地识别物体的形状”；B选项“接近人类行为的表现”；C选项“他们的表现和50年代的没有什么不同”；D选项“仍然不能用人类的语言与人交流”。根据题干定位到第一段第二三句话：But as useful as computers are, they’re nowhere close to achieving anything remotely resembling these early aspirations for humanlike behavior. Never mind something as complex as conversation: the most powerful computers struggle to reliably recognize the shape of an object, the most elementary of tasks for a ten-month-old kid.（尽管计算机很有用，但是它们离实现类似人类行为这一早期愿望还差得很远，更别提像对话这样复杂的事情了：最强大的计算机也很难可靠地识别物体的形状，然而这对一个10个月大的孩子来说是最基本的任务。），从这句可以看出，选项A、B错误，答案选D；选项C文章没有提及。
第2题:
事实细节题。题干：人工智能研究的新趋势源于……。A选项“研究的重点转向对物体形状的识别”；B选项“相信人类的智慧不能被逻辑上的、按部递进的程序所复制”；C选项“科学家们渴望复制一个10个月大的孩子的智力”；D选项“科学家们在研究晶体管和脑细胞之间相似性方面所做的努力”。根据题干定位到第二段第二三句话The problem, the scientists say, is that AI has been trying to separate the highest, most abstract levels of thought, like language and mathematics, and to duplicate them with logical, step-by-step programs. A new movement in AI, on the other hand, takes a closer look at the more roundabout way in which nature came up with intelligence.（科学家们表示，问题在于，人工智能一直在试图分离语言和数学等最高、最抽象的思维层次，并用逻辑的、循序渐进的程序来复制它们。另一方面，人工智能领域的一项新运动更深入地探讨了自然与智能之间的间接联系），从这句可以看出科学家指出问题在于人们一直在用看似有逻辑的步骤来复制抽象的思维，但其实这样是行不通的，所以答案选B；A、C选项只是对文章内容的拼接，不是问题所在；D选项文章没有提及。
第3题:
事实细节题。题干：康拉德和他的人工智能研究小组一直在努力……。A选项“找到一个迂回的方法来设计功能强大的计算机”；B选项“用一个巧妙的交换机网络构建一台计算机”；C选项“了解智能实际上是如何发展的”；D选项“将思维的最高层次和最抽象的层次分开”。根据题干关键词定位到原文第三段第一句“计算机科学家兼生物物理学家迈克尔•康拉德（Michael Conrad）说，模仿大脑的神经网络（Imitating the brain’s neural network）是朝着正确方向迈出的一大步，但它仍然忽略了自然智能（natural intelligence）的一个重要方面。”，通过这一句话可以看出，康拉德所做的内容是人工智能和自然智能之间的关系，康拉德赞同人工智能取得进步的想法，但是他同时认为不能忽略自然智能的某一方面。再结合第三段最后两句“具体来说，康拉德认为，大脑的许多能力都源于构成每个脑细胞（each brain cell）的单个分子的模式识别能力。他声称，制造人工智能设备的最佳方法是围绕同样的分子技能（the same sort of molecular skills）来制造。”可知康拉德一直在努力了解大脑本身是如何运作的，再用于人工智能中，因此C选项正确。ABD三项都不符合题干，排除。
第4题:
作者意图题。A选项“它在人工智能研究人员中引起了轰动，但很快就会消失”；B选项“这是在复制人类思维过程方面的一个突破”；C选项“这更像是一个奇特的游戏，而不是真正的科学努力”；D选项“它可能被证明是在正确的方向上，尽管没有人能确定它的未来前景”。定位到文章第二段最后一句话The results of these early efforts are as promising as they are peculiar, and the new nature-based AI movement is slowly but surely moving to the forefront of the field（这些早期努力的成果既有希望，也有独特之处，新的基于自然的人工智能运动正在缓慢但肯定地走向该领域的前沿），从这里可知答案选D，其他选项不符合题意。
第5题:
语义推测题。A选项：“这是制造人工智能计算机的唯一途径”；B选项“这是他们赢得人工智能研究奖的唯一途径”；C选项“计算机科学中唯一值得学习的领域”；D选项“他们在城里唯一想玩的游戏”。第四段最后一句：But if it proves true, then the efforts of Conrad and his fellow AI rebels could turn out to be the only game in town.（但如果这是真的，那么康拉德和他的人工智能伙伴们的努力可能会成为（ ））然后定位到第三段最后一句：The best way to build an artificially intelligent device, he claims, would be to build it around the same sort of molecular skills（他（康拉德）声称，建造人工智能设备的最好方法是围绕同样的分子技术来建造），从这里可以看出来康拉德另辟蹊径的目的是为了建造人工智能，如果康拉德及其团队的道路是正确的话那么这会是通往城市唯一的游戏，由此可以推测通往城市的唯一游戏是指建造人工智能唯一的方法，所以A选项正确，其他选项不符合题意。
