Mention artificial intelligence, and most people will think of robots. But a more fitting image may be that of Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, transitions and endings, who has two faces looking in opposite directions. On one side are the positive changes that Al will bring, enabling people to achieve more, far more quickly, by using technology to enhance their existing skills. Recruiters (招聘人员)will be able to pinpoint the best candidates more easily, and customer-service staff will be able to handle queries faster.

　　Consumers, too, will benefit from Al-enhanced services such as personalised recommendations and faster and more efficient delivery, as well as from radical changes in industries like health care and transport that could lead to new drug discoveries and treatments and safer ways to move around. Look the other way, though, and there are plenty of potential pitfalls (陷阱).Technological change always causes disruption,

　　but Al is likely to have a bigger impact than anything since the advent of computers, and its consequences could be far more disruptive. Being both powerful and relatively cheap, it will spread faster than computers did and touch every industry.

　　In the years ahead, Al will raise three big questions for bosses and governments. One is the effect on jobs. Although chief executives publicly extol the broad benefits Al will bring, their main interest lies in cutting costs. The McKinsey Global Institute reckons that by 2030 up to 375m people, or 14% of the global workforce, could have their jobs automated away. Bosses will need to decide whether they are prepared to offer and pay for retraining, and whether they will give time off for it. Many companies say they are all for workers developing new skills, but not at the employer's expense.

　　A second important question is how to protect privacy as Al spreads. The internet has already made it possible to track people's digital behaviour in minute detail. Al will offer even better tools for businesses to monitor consumers and employees, both online and in the physical world. Consumers are sometimes happy to go along with this if it results in personalised service or tailored promotions. But Al is bound to bring privacy violations that are seen as outrageous. Law-enforcement officials around the world will use Al to spot criminals, but may also snoop on ordinary citizens. New rules will be needed to ensure consensus on what degree of monitoring is reasonable.

　　The third question is about the effect of Al on competition in business. Today many firms are competing to provide Al-enhanced tools to companies. But a technology company that achieves a major breakthrough in artificial intelligence could race ahead of rivals, put others out of business and lessen competition.

　　1. The author regards the Roman God-Janus as the fitting image of Al in that .

　　A) it is the god of beginnings, transitions and endings

　　B) it is one of the most powerful Gods

　　C) the image inspires people to develop the technology of Al

　　D) the two faces represent the merits and demerits of Al

　　2. Which of the following best represents the author's view?

　　A) Both the benefits and harms of Al concern every field.

　　B) The benefits of Al far outweigh its harms.

　　C) Issues arising from the Al need to be tackled urgently.

　　D) The development of Al will be out of control.

　　3. Al will influence the jobs by .

　　A) forcing the workers to receive retraining

　　B) cutting costs by replacing the workers

　　C) bringing broad benefits to the company

　　D) allowing the staff enjoying their breaks

　　4. The word uoutrageous，? ( Line 5, Para. 4) is closest in meaning to .

　　A) acceptable B) defensible

　　C) brutal D) superficial

　　5. Which of the following could be the title for the text?

　　A) Social Transformation Brought by Al

　　B) The Two Sides of Al

　　C) A Counteraction againstthe Development of Al

　　D) Should Artificial Intelligence Be Regulated?

　　答案解析：

　　一提到人工智能, 大多数人就会想到机器人。 但更符合的形象可能是罗马神话中的两面神杰那斯,杰那斯是掌管开始、过程和结束的神, (51-1) 脑袋前后长着两张脸。 一张脸代表的是人工智能带来的积极变化,能用技术帮助提高人们现有的技能,以更快的速度实现目标。 招聘人员将能够更容易地找到最适合的候选人,客服人员能更快地处理咨询事务。

　　人工智能提高了服务的质量, 提供了更多的个性化服务,以及更快、更高效的商品运输,从而也能让消费者受益。 人工智能还更根本性地改变了医疗业和运输业等行业,这将有助于发明新的药物和治疗方法,也能让运输变得更加安全,而消费者也将会从中受益。 不过从另一个角度来看( 另一张脸),人工智能有不少

　　潜在的隐患。 技术变革总会带来颠覆性的变化,但自从计算机问世之后,人工智能造成的影响极有可能超过其他任何技术,它带来的后果可能更具颠覆破坏性。 人工智能功能强大且相对便宜,将会以比计算机更快的速度传播,并影响到每一个行业。

　　在未来几年,人工智能将给企业家和政府带来三大问题。 第一个问题就是对就业的影响。 尽管首席执行官们公开称赞人工智能将带来广泛的收益, 但带来的主要好处还是降低成本。据麦肯锡全球研究院估计:到 2030 年,多达3. 75 亿人( 占全球劳动力总数的 14%) 的工作岗位将被自动化技术所替代。 老板们将决定是否愿意为职工提供就业再培训并支付相关费用,以及是否抽出时间为职工提供再就业培训。 许多企业表示愿意培训职工,让其掌握新技能,但费用不应由企业承担。

　　第二个重要的问题是在人工智能传播的过程中如何保护个人隐私。 利用互联网,已经可以从微小的细节中追踪人们操控数码设备的行为。人工智能可以为企业提供更好的工具,不管是在线上还是线下都可对顾客和雇员进行监控。 如果企业通过此为顾客提供个性化服务或量身定制的促销活动,顾客有时会欣然接受。 人工智能必定会引起一些可以被视为蛮横的侵犯隐私的行为。 世界各国的执法官员将利用人工智能技术发现罪犯,但也可能利用其来窥探普通公民。需要制定新规则以确保达成共识:在何种程度的监测是合理的。

　　第三个问题是关于人工智能对商业竞争方面的影响。 如今很多软件公司竞相为企业提供人工智能增强工具。 但一家在人工智能领域取得重大突破的科技公司可能会领先于竞争对手, 让对手破产,就此削弱了市场竞争。

　　1. 【答案】 D)

　　【详解】判断推理题。 文章第一段提到,更符合人工智能的形象可能是罗马神话中的两面神杰那斯,脑袋前后长着两张脸。 一方面是

　　人工智能带来的积极变化,另一面是人工智能带来的潜在危险, 因此可知 D) 为正确选项。 选项 A) “ 它是掌管开始、过程和结束的神” 虽然为正确事实但是与人工智能关系不是很紧密。 选项 B) “ 它是最厉害的神” 和选项 C)“ 它的形象启发人们开发了人工智能”均未在文中提到。

　　2. 【答案】 A)

　　【详解】判断推理题。 文章第二段中提到人工智能有诸多好处,它提高了服务的质量,提供了更多的个性化服务,以及更快、更高效的商品运输。 人工智能还更根本性地改变了医疗业和运输业等行业,但是它也有不少潜在的隐患。 它带来的后果可能更具颠覆破坏性。人工智能功能强大且相对便宜,将会以比计算机更快的速度传播,并影响到每一个行业。因此可知人工智能的好处和危害都非常的巨大,并关系到方方面面,即选项 A) 为正确选项。 选项 B) “ 人工智能的优势大于劣势”, 选项 C) “ 人工智能带来的问题亟待解决”, 选项 D)“ 人工智能的发展将无法控制” 均未在文中提到。

　　3. 【答案】 B)

　　【详解】事实细节题。 第三段中提到人工智能对就业的影响主要还是用机器和自动化技术代替人工从而降低成本。 因此可知 B) 为正确选项。 选项 A) “ 逼迫员工接受再培训”, 选项 C)“ 给公司来带全面的利益”, 选项 D) “ 使员工可以享受假期” 均不符合文意。

　　4.【答案】 C)

　　【详解】词汇题。 根据第四段具体语境和具体事例可知人工智能必定会带来一些可以被视为蛮横的侵犯隐私的行为。 因此选项 C) “ 野蛮的” 为正确选项。 选项 A) “ 可接受的”, 选项 B)“ 能防御的”, 选项 D) “ 肤浅的” 均不符合语境。

　　5. 【答案】 B)

　　【详解】判断推理题。 通读全文可知本文章主要讲述的是人工智能给人们带来的好处和危害,尤其是给企业和政府带来的一系列问题, 因此可知人工智能具有两面性,即 B) 为正确选项,能够概括全文的内容。 选项 A) “ 人工智能带来的社会变革”, 选项 C) “ 对人工智能发展的抵制”, 选项 D) “ 人工智能是否应该被控制” 均不是文章的主要内容,因此不能作为标题。

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