单选题 The human brain contains 10 thousand million cells and each of these may have a thousand connections. Such enormous numbers used to discourage us and cause us to dismiss the possibility of making a machine with human-like ability, but now that we have grown used to moving forward at such a pace we can be less sure. Quite soon, in only 10 or 20 years, perhaps, we will be able to assemble a machine as completes as the human brain, and if we can we will. It may then take us a long time to render it intelligent by loading in the right software (软件) or by altering the architecture but that to will happen.
I think it certain that in decades, not centuries, machines of silicon (硅) will arise first to rival and then exceed their human ancestors. Once they exceed us they will be capable of their own design. In a real sense they will be able to reproduce themselves. Silicon will have ended carbon's long control. And we will no longer be able to claim ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe. As the intelligence of robots increases to match that of humans and as their cost declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers, first on earth through their ability to withstand environments, harmful to ourselves. Thus, deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined. Further ahead, by a combination of the great wealth this new age will bring and the technology it will provide, the construction of a vast, man-created world in space, home to thousands or millions of people, will be within over power.

单选题 In what way can we make a machine intelligent?
A. By making it work in such environments as deserts, oceans or space.
B. By working hard for 10 or 20 years.
C. By either properly programming it or changing its structure.
D. By reproducing it.

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】依据文章第一段第五～七行: It may then take us along time to render it intelligent by loading in the right software or by altering the architecture but that to will happen．其中loading in the right software与该题programming相吻合。altering the architecture与changing its structure相对应。故C正确。

单选题 What does the writer think about machines with human-like ability?
A. He believes they will be useful to human beings.
B. He believes that they will control us in the future.
C. He not quite sure in what way they may influence us.
D. He doesn't consider the construction of such machines possible.

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】该题明确的揭示出现在最后二句: Thus，deserts may bloom and the ocean beds be mined ...the construction of a vast，man-created world in space，home to thousands or millions of people，will be within our power．说明具有人的智能的机器将会给人类带来福利，也就是说对人类是极为有用的。选项A符合题意。

单选题 The word "carbon" (Line 5, Para. 2) stands for ______
A. intelligent robots B. a chemical element
C. an organic substance D. human beings

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】该题要求猜测词义。该词出现在第二段第三～四行Silicon will have ended carbon's long control．(硅将结束碳的长期控制)。从紧随其后的句子: And we will no longer be able to claim ourselves to be the finest intelligence in the known universe．(我们将不再能够声称自己是已知宇宙中最具智慧的)。显然 carbon最有可能是指代human beings，所以D项正确。

单选题 A robot can be used to expand our frontiers when ______
A. its intelligence and cost are beyond question
B. it is able to bear the rough environment
C. it is made as completes as the human brain
D. its architecture is different from that of the present ones

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】依据文章第三段第一行、第二行: As the intelligence of robots increase to match that of humans and as their cost declines through economies of scale we may use them to expand our frontiers ...可以看出机器人被用来拓展领域的前提有两个: 智能的提高和成本的降低。A项符合题意。