阅读理解 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 A1 researchers think they know where the field went wrong. The problem, the scientists say, is that Al 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 Al, 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 Al 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 the 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.

单选题 The author says that the powerful computers of today ______.

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】辨认事实题。题目询问作者认为当今最先进的计算机怎么样。根据文章第1段“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(但是尽管计算机的用途已非常广泛，它们仍然不能像早期研究者预言的那样进行与人类相似的活动，更不用说进行复杂的交流活动。最先进的计算机连正确地辨认一件物体的形状都很困难)”，故D项正确，A项和B项与文中意思相背；C项与事实不符。

单选题 The new trend in artificial intelligence research stems from ______.

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】辨认事实题。题目询问人工智能研究中的新趋势源于什么。根据文章第2段“A growing group of AI re searchers 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 (越来越多的人工智能研究者认为，他们知道这个领域的问题出在什么地方。科学家们说，问题的症结在于人工智能一直试图分离诸如语言和数学这类最高级、最抽象的思维层次，并用一步一步的符合逻辑的程序去复制它们。另一方面，人工智能的新动向密切注意研究人工智能与自然之间那种迂回曲折的关系。许多这样的研究者研究生物进化和自然的适应性，而不是研究形式逻辑和陈旧的计算机程序)”，故只有B项与文中的意思相符。

单选题 Conrad and his group of Al researchers have been making enormous efforts to ______.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】辨认事实题。题目询问Conrad和他的AI研究小组正付出巨大的努力_____。根据文章第3段“Imitating the brain''s neural(神经的)network is a huge step in the right direction，says computer scientist and bio physicist 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 transmotors, '' he explains，''but it''s not simply a clever net-work of switches. There are lots of important things going on inside the brain cells themselves. ’ (计算机科学家兼生物物理学家迈克.康拉德说：模仿大脑神经网络是朝正确方向迈出的一大步，但仍然遗漏了自然智能这一重要方面。‘人们往往把大脑看作似乎是由色彩代码的处理器组成的，’他解释道：‘但它并不单纯是一个聪明的开关网络。在大脑细胞本身就有大量重要的东西。’)”故C项正确；A项完全背离了Conrad和他同伴的思路；B项，Conrad并不是要制造这样一台电脑；D项却是早期的人工智能研制者想要做的事情。

单选题 What''s the author''s opinion about the new Al movement?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】推断题。题目询问作者对新的人工智能研究的看法。如前所述，文章最后一段为作者对人工智能研究新方法的总结，其中隐含着作者的观点，另外文章第2段最后一句中“promising”，“surely”，第3段第1句中“a huge step in the right direction...”等都流露了作者的态度——对新的人工智能研究活动是非常肯定的。A项中的“will soon die out”，C项中的“like a game rather than”及D项中“nobody is sure”等均含否定意义，不能作为答案。

单选题 Which of the followings closest in meaning to the phrase "the only game in town" (Line 3, Para. 4)?

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】推断题。题目询问与“the only game in town”这个短语的意思最相近的陈述。阅读中词语的理解也不能脱离文章主题：game一词有游戏、竞赛、策略、计谋等多种释义。根据“Right now，the notion that conventional computers and software are fundamentally incapable of matching the processes that take place in the 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(目前，对于传统的计算机和软件根本不能与在大脑中进行的思维过程相比拟这种观点仍然存在争议。然而，如果它一旦被证明是正确的，那么康拉德和他那些在人工智能研究方面勇于创新的伙伴们的努力将成为这一领域中惟一的方向)”，A项与该短语意思相符。B项文中并未提及此信息； C项同样在文中没有进行阐述；D项是对短语字面意思的曲解。