A
Slowly but surely, we’re moving closer and closer to 5G world. From smart-home security to self-driving cars, all the Internet-connected devices in your life will be able to talk to each other at lightning-fast speeds with reduced delay. Objectively speaking, the fastest 4G download speeds in the U. S. top out at an average of 19. 42 Mbps. But by comparison 5G promises gigabit (千兆) speeds.
“5G is one of those signs, along with artificial intelligence, of this coming data age, ” said Steve Koenig, senior director of market research for the Consumer Technology Association. “The self-driving vehicle is a great emblem of this data age, and that is to say, it is a sign of time, because with one single task, driving, you have massive amounts of data coming from the vehicle itself, and a variety of sensors are collecting a lot of information to model its environment as it moves. It’s pulling in data from other vehicles about road conditions down the lane. It could be weather information, but also connected infrastructure (基础设施) construction. There’s lots of data behind that task, which is why we need high speed.
Augmented reality glasses and virtual headset haven’t yet broken the mainstream, but tech companies are joyfully betting that these devices will eventually replace our smartphones. With 5G, that could actually happen. This is notable because companies such as Apple are reportedly developing AR glasses to assist—or perhaps even replace—smartphones.
Ericsson stated at February’s Mobile World Congress how smart glasses could become faster and lighter with a 5G connection, because instead of being weighed down with components, the glasses could rely on hardware for processing power.
But don’t get too excited. There’s still a lot of work to be done in the meantime including various trials to make sure the radios play nicely with hardware and infrastructure construction so 5G isn’t concentrated only in big cities.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。文章讲述是, 我们离5G世界越来越近了。
1. What does the author want to stress in Paragraph 1?
A. The lightning-fast speed of 5G.
B. The expectation of 5G world.
C. The difference between 4G and 5G.
D. The Internet-connected devices in our life.
【解析】选A。段落大意题。根据第一段at lightning-fast speeds with reduced delay和by comparison 5G promises gigabit speeds可知, 作者在第一段想强调5G速度快。故选A。
2. What does the underlined word “emblem” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Exhibition. B. Success.
C. Symbol. D. Explanation.
【解析】选C。词义猜测题。根据第二段中and that is to say, it is a sign of time“也就是说, 这是时间的标志, ”可知, 画线词的意思是“标志, 象征”。故选C。
3. We can infer from the text that ________.
A. 5G world won’t come without AR glasses
B. 5G helps to create the artificial intelligence vehicle
C. Apple company is developing AR glasses worldwide
D. Tech companies will face the fact that smartphones may be replaced
【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据第三段中This is notable because companies such as Apple are reportedly developing AR glasses to assist—or perhaps even replace—smartphones. 可知苹果(Apple)等公司正在发展AR眼镜, 以帮助甚至取代智能手机。我们可以从文中推断, 科技公司将面临智能手机可能被取代的事实。故选D。
4. What will the author probably tell us next?
A. How to fully expand 5G coverage.
B. Smart glasses will become faster and lighter.
C. Why 5G isn’t concentrated in big cities.
D. The importance of infrastructure construction.
【解析】选A。推理判断题。根据最后一段But don’t get too excited. There’s still a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including various trials to make sure the radios play nicely with hardware and infrastructure construction so 5G isn’t concentrated only in big cities. “但是不要太激动。与此同时, 仍有很多工作要做, 包括各种试验, 以确保无线电能很好地配合硬件和基础设施建设, 这样5G就不会只集中在大城市。”可知, 作者接下来可能会告诉我们“如何全面扩大5G覆盖。”故选A。
【知识拓展】佳词积累
1. massive adj. 巨大的
2. virtual adj. 虚拟的
3. notable adj. 显著的
4. component n. 组成成分
长难句分析
There’s still a lot of work to be done in the meantime, including various trials to make sure the radios play nicely with hardware and infrastructure construction so 5G isn’t concentrated only in big cities.
分析: 本句是一个复合句。to make sure. . . 作目的状语, 其中sure后面是宾语从句, so“为的是”, 引导目的状语从句。
译文: 与此同时, 仍有很多工作要做, 包括各种试验, 以确保无线电能很好地配合硬件和基础设施建设, 这样5G就不会只集中在大城市。
B
We’ve heard of robots and AI(Artificial Intelligence)taking human jobs, but I bet mayors(市长)don’t really think their jobs can be threatened any time soon. They were wrong, and the AI running for the mayor of a Tokyo district was clear proof of that.
AI can’t legally run for high-ranking public management positions yet, but one mayoral candidate from Tama City, Tokyo, intended to maximize the use of artificial intelligence in running city affairs. He was running his campaign as “AI Mayor”. Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone.
“For the first time in the world, AI will run in an election, ” human candidate Michihito Matsuda announced on Twitter. “Artificial Intelligence will change Toma City. With the birth of an AI Mayor, we will conduct balanced policies. ”
The AI Mayor was campaigning very much like its human competitors. Posters were shown all over Tama City and campaign trucks were blaring out(大声鸣响) promises of an AI utopia (乌托邦) and asking for support.
Some people called Michihito Matsuda’s campaign a stunt(噱头), as a human would still be the one legally in charge. However, others said that they were excited about the future of AI running things in the background, adding that it had to be a better choice.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。我们听说过机器人和人工智能取代了人类的部分工作, 可是它们竟然参与竞选东京某地的市长。
5. What’s the advantage of the AI mayor according to Michihito Matsuda?
A. Maximizing the use of AI.
B. Replacing human officials.
C. Creating balanced policies.
D. Bringing him beneficial effects.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第二段Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone. 可知, 他认为, 人工智能市长的优势在于收集城市数据, 制定公平、平衡的政策, 让每个人都受益, 故选C。
6. How will AI run for the mayor?
A. It will abolish many old policies.
B. It will ask for support on the Internet.
C. It will make public speeches, dressed like a human.
D. It will compete similarly to human competitors.
【解析】选D。细节理解题。根据第四段The AI Mayor was campaigning very much like its human competitors. Posters were shown all over Tama City and campaign trucks were blaring out promises of an AI utopia and asking for support. 可知, 人工智能市长的竞选活动的方式和人类竞争对手非常像, 故选D。
7. What’s the citizens’ attitude toward Michihito Matsuda’s campaign?
A. They believe AI will win.
B. All consider it to be tricky.
C. It is supposed to be a failure definitely.
D. Some think it’s worthy of expectation.
【解析】选D。推理判断题。根据最后一段However, others said that they were excited about the future of AI running things in the background, adding that it had to be a better choice. 可知, 有些人认为这是一个噱头, 而有人认为这必定是个更好的选择, 这是值得期待的, 故选D。
8. What is the best title for the passage?
A. AI Runs for the Mayor.
B. The Advantages of AI.
C. AI Replaces Human in Management.
D. The Patterns of AI Management.
【解析】选A。主旨大意题。根据上下文可知, 本文主要讲述人工智能参与竞选某市市长的职位, 故选A。
【知识拓展】佳词积累
1. candidate n. 候选人
2. maximize vt. 使增加最大量
3. campaign n. 运动
长难句分析
Basically, he was suggesting replacing human public officials with AI and having them collect city data and create fair and balanced policies that will benefit everyone.
分析: 本句是一个复合句。policies是先行词, that引导的是定语从句。
译文: 大体上, 他建议用机器人来代替公职人员, 让它们收集城市的数据, 制定公平、平衡的政策, 让每个人都受益。
