Contemporary worries about the impact of technology are part of a historical pattern. The new technologies that dominated the past decade seem to be making things worse. Parents worry that smartphones have turned their children into screen-addicted zombies. The technologies expected to dominate the new decade also seem to cast a dark shadow. Artificial intelligence (AI) may well deepen bias and prejudice, threaten your job and shore up authoritarian rulers.
Today’s gloomy mood is centred on smartphones and social media, which took off a decade ago. Yet concerns that humanity has taken a technological wrong turn, or that particular technologies might be doing more harm than good, have arisen before. Stand back, and in these historical cases disappointment arose from a mix of unrealised hopes and unforeseen consequences. Technology frees the forces of creative destruction, so it is only natural that it leads to anxiety: for any given technology its drawbacks sometimes seem to outweigh its benefits. When this happens with several technologies at once, as today, the result is a wider sense of techno-pessimism.
However, that pessimism can be overdone. Too often people focus on the drawbacks of a new technology while taking its benefits for granted. Worries about screen time should be weighed against the much more substantial benefits of instant communication and access to information and entertainment that smartphones make possible. A further danger is that efforts to avoid the short-term costs associated with a new technology will end up denying access to its long-term benefits—something called a “technology trap”. Fears that robots will steal people’s jobs may prompt politicians to tax them, for example, to discourage their use. Yet in the long run countries that wish to maintain their standard of living as their workforce ages and shrinks will need more robots, not fewer.
That points to another lesson, which is that the remedy to technology-related problems very often involves more technology. And the most important lesson is about technology itself. Any powerful technology can be used for good or ill. Biotechnology can raise crop yields and cure diseases, but it could equally lead to deadly weapons. Technology itself has no agency: it is the choices people make about it that shape the world. Thus the techlash (技术鞭策) is a necessary step in the adoption of important new technologies. At its best, it helps frame how society comes to terms with innovations and imposes rules and policies that limit their destructive potential, accommodate change or strike a trade-off. Healthy skepticism means that these questions are settled by a broad debate, not by a group of technologists.
Perhaps the real source of anxiety is not technology itself, but growing doubts about the ability of societies to hold this debate and come up with good answers. In that sense, techno-pessimism is a symptom of political pessimism. Yet there is something comforting about this: a gloomy debate is much better than no debate at all. And history still argues, on the whole, for optimism.
1.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.Reasons for techno-pessimism. B.History of technology development.
C.Consequences of technological turns. D.Attitude towards particular technologies.
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Worries about technology started a decade ago.
B.The drawbacks of technology are always neglected.
C.Skepticism is helpful for technology development if properly applied.
D.There isn’t much we can do to limit the destructive potential of technology.
3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.History vs. Today. B.Technology vs. Debate.
C.Technology vs. Society. D.Pessimism vs. progress.
4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
A. B.
C. D.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Contemporary worries about the impact of technology are part of a historical pattern. The new technologies that dominated the past decade seem to be making things worse. Parents worry that smartphones have turned their children into screen-addicted zombies. The technologies expected to dominate the new decade also seem to cast a dark shadow. Artificial intelligence (AI) may well deepen bias and prejudice, threaten your job and shore up authoritarian rulers.
Today’s gloomy mood is centred on smartphones and social media, which took off a decade ago. Yet concerns that humanity has taken a technological wrong turn, or that particular technologies might be doing more harm than good, have arisen before. Stand back, and in these historical cases disappointment arose from a mix of unrealised hopes and unforeseen consequences. Technology frees the forces of creative destruction, so it is only natural that it leads to anxiety: for any given technology its drawbacks sometimes seem to outweigh its benefits. When this happens with several technologies at once, as today, the result is a wider sense of techno-pessimism.
However, that pessimism can be overdone. Too often people focus on the drawbacks of a new technology while taking its benefits for granted. Worries about screen time should be weighed against the much more substantial benefits of instant communication and access to information and entertainment that smartphones make possible. A further danger is that efforts to avoid the short-term costs associated with a new technology will end up denying access to its long-term benefits—something called a “technology trap”. Fears that robots will steal people’s jobs may prompt politicians to tax them, for example, to discourage their use. Yet in the long run countries that wish to maintain their standard of living as their workforce ages and shrinks will need more robots, not fewer.
That points to another lesson, which is that the remedy to technology-related problems very often involves more technology. And the most important lesson is about technology itself. Any powerful technology can be used for good or ill. Biotechnology can raise crop yields and cure diseases, but it could equally lead to deadly weapons. Technology itself has no agency: it is the choices people make about it that shape the world. Thus the techlash (技术鞭策) is a necessary step in the adoption of important new technologies. At its best, it helps frame how society comes to terms with innovations and imposes rules and policies that limit their destructive potential, accommodate change or strike a trade-off. Healthy skepticism means that these questions are settled by a broad debate, not by a group of technologists.
Perhaps the real source of anxiety is not technology itself, but growing doubts about the ability of societies to hold this debate and come up with good answers. In that sense, techno-pessimism is a symptom of political pessimism. Yet there is something comforting about this: a gloomy debate is much better than no debate at all. And history still argues, on the whole, for optimism.
1.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.Reasons for techno-pessimism. B.History of technology development.
C.Consequences of technological turns. D.Attitude towards particular technologies.
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Worries about technology started a decade ago.
B.The drawbacks of technology are always neglected.
C.Skepticism is helpful for technology development if properly applied.
D.There isn’t much we can do to limit the destructive potential of technology.
3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.History vs. Today. B.Technology vs. Debate.
C.Technology vs. Society. D.Pessimism vs. progress.
4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
A. B.
C. D.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Don’t worry too much about ______ mistakes. They are ______ natural part of learning.
A./; a B.the; / C./; the D.the; the
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
A.The great impact and progress in genetic engineering B.Worries about privacy protection C.Worries about medical use of genetic engineering D.Genetic knowledge helps to predict diseases E.Genetic knowledge may not be properly used AB.The application of genetic engineering in the medical fields |
1.__________
Current research into the human gene system is helping us understand why people have predispositions(易患某病倾向)to certain diseases.Knowing our genetic makeup can help us to judge whether or not we may be stricken by particular illness, such as cancer.Even before birth, we are able to do genetic screenings to determine what a child's genetic disorder will be.Scientists have already isolated and identified the genes responsible for the more than 4,000 genetic diseases that affect human beings.
2.__________
The implications of this knowledge are astonishing. In addition to predicting genetic predisposition towards diseases, gene therapies may provide new treatments or cures for serious diseases.Millions of people already use genetically engineered drugs to treat heart disease, cancer, AIDS, and strokes (中风). But with the research that is now being conducted, we may find cures to many more diseases.In the near future, genetic experimentation will also allow parents to select the traits of their children. Genetic traits that determine height, weight, eye and hair color will be able to be controlled, and many parents are excited about this potential.
3.__________
Many people, however, are unwilling to accept the possibilities genetic research allowsFor example, one reason some women do not use the largest genetic testing for breast cancer is because they are afraid they will be discriminated against.Another problem is that many people do not want to discover their weakness.What if they learn that they have a disease for which there are no medical cures? How will such knowledge affect their lives? Do people really want to know what they will die of?
4.__________
Many people believe that history has not always shown human decision-making to be bright when it comes to ethical(道德的)choices. Jeremy Rifkin is probably the most well known opponent of genetic engineering. He believes that humans are not responsible enough to experiment with genes and should not “play God” He asks, “Just because it can be done, does that mean it should be done?” He points out that our society will eventually look and act the same if parents select the traits of their children, and he questions the desirability of such a society.
5..__________
One of the fears expressed about genetic experimentation involves privacy. Already blood sample taken from patients in hospitals have been used for genetic research without the patients’ permission. Most people would agree that one’s health and genetic makeup are private concerns. But if insurance companies gain access to this information, it could have a large impact on insurance coverage or costs; if employers gain access to the information, it could have a large impact on hiring or promotion decisions. The possibilities for discrimination are obvious.
高二英语信息匹配简单题查看答案及解析
A recent survey ___ that the majority of people are worried about the present high price of apartments in cities.
A.indicates | B.includes | C.imagines | D.improves |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
There are many stereotypes( 定型 ) about the character of people in various parts of the United States. In the Northeast and Midwest, people are said to be closed and private. In the South and West, however, they are often thought of as being more open and hospitable . Ask someone from St. Louis where the nearest sandwich shop is, and he or she will politely give you directions. A New Yorker might eye you at first and after deciding it is safe to talk to you, might give you a rather unexpected explanation. A person from Georgia might be very kind about directing you and even suggest some different places to eat. A Texan just might take you to the place and treat you to lunch.
American stereotypes are abundant. New Englanders are often thought of as being friendly and helpful. Southerners are known for their hospitality and warmth. People from the western part of the United States are often considered very outgoing. These differences in character can be traced to different factors such as climate, living conditions, and historical development.
When travelling from place to place, Americans themselves are often surprised at the differing degrees of friendliness in the United States.
1.The main idea of the passage is _____________.
A. even Americans are surprised at the differences among themselves
B. there are many differences in character in different parts of the USA.
C. there are many reasons for the differences
D. stereotypes about people are not necessarily true
2.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. New Yorkers are usually open with strangers.
B. People from the South are usually considered good
C. The friendliest Americans travel from place to place.
D. Different parts have different customs and habits.
3.The differences lie in the following except ______ of the parts.
A. the weather B. the history C. geography D. the names
4.The word "abundant" in the second paragraph may probably mean _________.
A. plentiful B. normal C. curious D. strange
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
There are many stereotypes( 定型 ) about the character of people in various parts of the United States. In the Northeast and Midwest, people are said to be closed and private. In the South and West, however, they are often thought of as being more open and hospitable(好客的) . Ask someone from St. Louis where the nearest sandwich shop is, and he or she will politely give you directions. A New Yorker might eye you at first and after deciding it is safe to talk to you, might give you a rather unexpected explanation. A person from Georgia might be very kind about directing you and even suggest some different places to eat. A Texan just might take you to the place and treat you to lunch.
American stereotypes are abundant. New Englanders are often thought of as being friendly and helpful. Southerners are known for their hospitality and warmth. People from the western part of the United States are often considered very outgoing. These differences in character can be traced to different factors such as climate, living conditions, and historical development.
When traveling from place to place, Americans themselves are often surprised at the differing degrees of friendliness in the United States.
43. The main idea of the passage is _____________.
A. even Americans are surprised at the differences among themselves
B. there are many differences in character in different parts of the USA.
C. there are many reasons for the differences
D. stereotypes about people are not necessarily true
44. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. New Yorkers are usually open with strangers.
B. People from the South are usually considered good
C. The friendliest Americans travel from place to place.
D. Different parts have different customs and habits.
45. The differences lie in the following except ______ of the
parts.
A. the weather B. the history
C. geography D. the names
46. The word "abundant" in the second paragraph may probably mean _________.
A. plentiful B. normal C. curious D. strange
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
A recent survey ______that the majority of people are worried about the present high price of apartments in cities.
A.indicates | B.includes | C.imagines | D.improves |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Now one of the most serious problems many people are worried about _____ on the lack of adequate housing space.
A.insists | B.depends | C.agrees | D.focuses |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
I am sorry to hear that you are worried about the variety of English you have been learning.
Firstly,the differences between British and American English may surprise those1.have learned English for years.There2.(be) almost no differences in grammar and only a few differences in vocabulary.British and American people have no difficulty3.(understand) each other.They watch films and televisions from each other's countries for4.(please).
Secondly,there isn't only one British5.American English.For example,all major cities in the UK have6. (they) own dialects with different accents from each other.Sometimes these accents can be7.(hard) to understand for even a British person than some Americans.Also,there are Englishes from many other countries.People who speak these Englishes usually also manage8.(communicate) with other English speakers without any problems.
All learners need to be able to understand English spoken and written by as many people as possible and they need to be able to speak English so that as many people as possible can understand them.You should concentrate on this goal,not on9.to speak “British” or “American” English.
I hope this is10.(help).
高二英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. Children’s nature B. Parents’ impact on children. C. The importance of school education.
高二英语短对话简单题查看答案及解析