Intelligent and hard-working, he passed ________ in degree, examinations.

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 complex 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 too 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 our power.

第16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.

What makes one person more intelligent than another？ What makes one person a genius, like the brilliant Albert Einstein, and another person a fool？ Are people born intelligent or stupid, or is intelligence the result of where and how you live？ These are very old question and the answers to them are still not clear.

We know, however, that just being born with a good mind is not enough.In some ways, the mind is like a leg or an arm muscle.It needs exercise.Mental (done with the mind) exercise is particularly important for young children.Many child psychologists (心理学家) think that parents should play with their children more often, and give them problems to think about.The children are then more likely to grow up bright and intelligent.If, on the other hand, children are left alone a great deal with nothing to do, they are more likely to become dull and unintelligent.

Parents should also be careful what they say to young children.According to some psychologists, if parents are always telling a child that he or she is a fool or an idiot, then the child is more likely to keep doing silly and foolish things.So it is probably better for parents to say very positive things to their children, such as “That was a very clever thing you did.” or “You are such a smart child.”

11.The words “intelligent” and “brilliant” in the first paragraph probably mean_____ while “dull” in the second paragraph means______.

A.bright and splendid….slow in thinking and understanding

B.pretty and handsome….ordinary-looking

C.great and important….common

D.hopeful and helpful….careless

12.According to the context we can guess that a genius is ______ while an idiot is _____.

A.a normal person…a funny person

B.a strong person… a week person

C.a highly intelligent person… a foolish or weak-minded person

D.a famous person… an ordinary person

13.A person ______ is more likely to become a genius.

A.whose parents are clever

B.often thinking about difficult problem

C.often helped by his parents and teachers

D.born with a good brain and putting it to active use

14.It is better for parents________.

A.to praise and encourage their children more often

B.to be hard on their children

C.to leave their children alone with nothing to do

D.to give their children as much help as possible

15.Which of the following is not true according to the article？()

A.Parents play an important part in their children’s growth

B.The less you use your mind the duller you may become

C.Intelligence is obviously the result of where and how you live

D.Parents should always encourage their children

shing old buildings. Obviously, this was not an entirely new phenomenon. What is new is the wholesale interest in reusing the past, in recycling, in adaptive rehabilitation. A few trial efforts, such as Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, proved their financial viability in 1960s, but it was in the 1970's, with strong government support through tax incentives and rapid depreciation. As well as growing interest in ecology issues, that recycling became a major factor on the urban scene.

One of the most comprehensive ventures was the restoration and transformation of Boston's eighteenth century Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market, designed in 1824. This section had fallen on hard times, but beginning with the construction of a new city hall immediately adjacent, it has returned to life with the intelligent reuse of these fine old buildings under the design leadership of Benjamin Thomson. He has provided a marvelous setting for dining, shopping, professional offices, and simply walking. Butler Square, in Minneapois, exemplifies major changes in its complex of offices, commercial space, and public amenities carved out of a massive pile designed in 1906 as a hardware warehouse. The exciting interior timber structure of the building was highlighted by cutting light courts through the interior and adding large skylights.

San Antonio, Texas, offers an object lesson for numerous other cities combating urban decay. Rather than bringing in the bulldozers, San Antonio's leaders rehabilitated existing structures, while simultaneously cleaning up the San Antonio River, which menders through the business district.

What is the main idea of the passage？

A．During the 1970's, old buildings in many cities were recycled for modern use.

B．Recent interest in ecology issues has led to the cleaning up of many rivers.

C．The San Antonio example shows that bulldozers are not the way to fight urban decay:

D．Strong government support has made adaptive rehabilitation a reality in Boston.

phenomenon of the 1970's was the enthusiasm for refurbishing old buildings. Obviously, this was not an entirely new phenomenon. What is new is the wholesale interest in reusing the past, in recycling, in adaptive rehabilitation. A few trial efforts, such as Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, proved their financial viability in 1960s, but it was in the 1970's, with strong government support through tax incentives and rapid depreciation. As well as growing interest in ecology issues, that recycling became a major factor on the urban scene. One of the most comprehensive ventures was the restoration and transformation of Boston's eighteenth century Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market, designed in 1824. This section had fallen on hard times, but beginning with the construction of a new city hall immediately adjacent, it has returned to life with the intelligent reuse of these fine old buildings under the design leadership of Benjamin Thomson. He has provided a marvelous setting for dining, shopping, professional offices, and simply walking. Butler Square, in Minneapois, examplifies major changes in its complex of offices, commercial space, and public amenities carved out of a massive pile designed in 1906 as a hardware warehouse. The exciting interior timber structure of the building was highlighted by cutting light courts through the interior and adding large skylights. San Antonio, Texas, offers an object lesson for numerous other cities combating urban decay. Rather than bringing in the bulldozers, San Antonio's leaders rehabilitated existing structures, while simultaneously cleaning up the San Antonio River, which menders through the business district. What is the main idea of the passage？

A.During the 1970's, old buildings in many cities were recycled for modern use.

B.Recent interest in ecology issues has led to the cleaning up of many rivers.

C.The San Antonio example shows that bulldozers are not the way to fight urban decay.

D.Strong government support has made adaptive rehabilitation a reality in Boston.

g, sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise—and as a result, we are ageing unnecessarily soon.

Professor Taiju Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern Japan appeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a relatively early age, and how the process of ageing could be slowed down.

With a team of colleagues at Tokyo National University, he set about measuring brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and varying occupations.

Computer technology enabled the researchers to obtain precise measurements of the volume of the front and side sections of the brain, which relate to intellect (智能) and emotion, and determine the human character. (The rear section of the brain, which controls functions like eating and breathing, does not contract with age, and one can continue living without intellectual or emotional faculties.)

Contraction of front and side parts—as cells die off—was observed I some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not evident in some sixty- and seventy-year-olds.

Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple remedy to the contraction normally associated with age—using the head.

The findings show in general terms that contraction of the brain begins sooner in people in the country than in the towns. Those least at risk, says Matsuzawa, are lawyers, followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing routine work in government offices are, however, as likely to have shrinking brains as the farm worker, bus driver and shop assistant.

Matsuzawa’s findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must circulate properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. “The best way to maintain good blood circulation is through using the brain,” he says, “Think hard and engage in conversation. Don’t rely on pocket calculators.”

第26题：The team of doctors wanted to find out ________.

A) why certain people age sooner than others

B) how to make people live longer

C) the size of certain people’s brains

D) which people are most intelligent

A．An intelligent youngster of extreme confidence.

B．An intelligent youngster who is offensive but confident.

C．A diligent youngster who is very outspoken.

D．An industrious youngster who is disagreeable.

A.so an intelligent person

B.a so intelligent person

C.so intelligent person

D.so intelligent a person

These new assistants are more intelligent than their ______.

A．descendants

B．predecessors

C．successors

D．ancestors

A.intelligence

B.intelligent

C.intelligently

D.unintelligent

A．They are great soldiers.

B．They are civilized.

C．They are intelligent because they are good at fighting.

D．They are right if they win the war.

A.Intelligent Carrier Shutdown

B.Intelligent Channel Shutdown

C.Intelligent Symbol Shutdown

D.APP

E.Automatic antenna pattern configuration