1、Unit 1Reading 1The evolution of video and sound devices高中英语高中英语 选择性必修（第二选择性必修（第二册）册）Unit 4 Living with technologyReading 1Artificial intelligence: friendly or frightening?1. Have you heard about artificial intelligence? What do you know about it?Pre-readingI know that artificial intelligence (AI) is
2、 an area of study concerned with making computers collect, analyse and use data to copy intelligent human behaviour. This means that the computers are able to solve problems, understand contexts and adapt in order to respond accordingly in similar future situations. I know that we already use AI in
3、our daily lives, like the voice activated assistant on some smartphones that helps us find a restaurant or books us a taxi. Some cars use AI for navigation and to enhance self-driving capabilities.2. When we talk about artificial intelligence, what adjectives come to your mind?Artificial intelligenc
4、eusefulterrifyinghelpfulcutting-edgethreateningamazingPre-reading3. Why are the two words “friendly” and “frightening” used to describe AI?Pre-readingIn the eyes of many people, AI is created and developed for the benefit of mankind. It is meant to free people from some boring, tiring and dangerous
5、jobs. For example, when we are busy with our work, we can employ AI to help us do some housework. However, with the erupting development of AI and peoples increasing expectations of it, the future of AI becomes blurry, and there remains much uncertainty. Therefore, some people are worrying that mayb
6、e someday AI is no longer friendly but rather frightening to us.4. What is the function of questioning in the title?Pre-readingIn the form of a question, the author tries to arouse the interest of the readers and inspire the readers to think about the question by themselves first.5. What do the pict
7、ures in the passage imply? Pre-readingThe first picture describes two hands, a machine hand and a human hand. The two hands are about to touch each other, which implies that we are getting closer to the dividing line between humans and machines. However, what consequences will it bring about? Good o
8、r bad? This picture serves as a vivid interpretation of the title: Artificial intelligence: friendly or frightening?The second picture describes a machine playing go with humans, which demonstrates a significant advance in deep-learning AI systems.The third picture depicts a scene where a robot is h
9、aving a conversation with a human being, suggesting that one day machines may have the ability to respond not only to human language but also to human feelings.Pre-readingIn the fourth picture, a group of robots are having a meeting. What they are talking about may not be that important. What the pi
10、cture wants to convey to us is that someday AI machines may have their own thoughts and desires.The last picture portrays a picture of a machine hand taking hold of the earth. It serves as a warning to us that we should not be too greedy and rather be careful about what we wish for. Otherwise, we ma
11、y get controlled by what we have created.Pre-reading6. How is the author likely to organize the information on artificial intelligence? Pre-readingThe title uses the words “friendly” and “frightening”, which indicates that this article might touch upon the benefits and threats of AI. The four pictur
12、es on the next page suggest a possible discussion of the various relationships between AI and human beingshumans and AI may develop a friendly relationship, or AI may pose dangers to humans. Base on all this information, we can infer that the passage might discuss whether humans and AI beings can li
13、ve in harmony in the future. 1. Go through the passage quickly and try to fill in the blanks.While readingPara. 1AI can make your dreams come true.Para. 2_Para. 3_Para. 4_Para. 5_Para. 6_A1While readingPara 2: AI is a branch of computer science that aims to create intelligent machines imitating the
14、complex networks of the human brain.Para 3: AI has developed over a long time and had some major breakthroughs.Para 4: AI is being applied in various fields, transforming the way we live.Para 5: The development of AI has also caused concerns and fears.Para 6: We need to make sure that we will not fa
15、ll victim to AI.2. How is the text organized?While readingIntroductionSupporting detailsConclusion3. Read the text again carefully and answer the following questions.While reading(1) How can a deep-learning machine improve its own performance?By learning from the results of its previous actions. (2)
16、 What events were considered as major breakthroughs in AI?Deep Blue beat the world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1997, and AlphaGo defeated Ke Jie, arguably the best human Go player, in 2017.A2(3) What are ordinary people using AI to do?While readingTo get instant translations of text in foreign
17、languages. (4) What are we getting closer to according to the author?We are getting closer to the dividing line between humans and machines.4. Artificial intelligence has gone through a long way of development. Read Paragraph 3 again, fill in the form and try to retell the development of AI accordin
18、g to it.While readingTimeWhat happenedSince the 1940sIn the mid-1950sIn 1997In 2017The development of computers has made the dream of AI a reality.In the mid-1950s, the term “artificial intelligence” was coined.In 1997, Deep Blue, a chess-playing computer, beat the world chess champion Garry Kasparo
19、v.In 2017, a computer program named AlphaGo defeated Ke Jie, arguably the best human Go player.5. What is the authors attitude to artificial intelligence? Use details from the article to support your opinion.While readingThe author is excited but also cautious about AI. He uses the example of having
20、 a robot do all your work for you and says “How cool that would be!” He also explains how AI could benefit us by listing various applications of AI, such as health care and machine translation. However, while looking forward to its potential, he is clearly concerned about the possible dangers of AI.
21、 He asks a series of questions about the future of AI and quotes Stephen Hawking to show the potential dangers. In the conclusion the author also warns, “We need to make sure that we will not fall victim to AI”.1. In lines 4446, Stephen Hawking is quoted as saying, “The development of full artificia
22、l intelligence could spell the end of the human race.” Do you agree with him? Why or why not?Post-readingI do not agree with Stephen Hawking. I think that scientists fully understand the concerns about AI, and they will surely be careful about developing it. Even if we are able to create true artifi
23、cial intelligence, we will know how to control it. According to the Three Laws of Robotics, put forward by science fiction author Isaac Asimov, robots may not injure human beings or allow them to be harmed, they must obey the orders given by human beings except where such orders conflict with the Fi
24、rst Law, and they must protect their own existence if that does not conflict with the First or Second Law.Post-readingYes, I agree with Stephen Hawking. With the development of full artificial intelligence, machines may become so intelligent that human beings could no longer control them. If super-i
25、ntelligent AI machines could think and act completely on their own, it remains to be seen how they would treat human beings. It would be extremely dangerous if they decide that humans are their enemies. So I think we need to be very careful with full artificial intelligence, and it is important that
26、 we consider possible dangers before it is too late.Post-reading2. What do you think intelligent machines will be capable of doing in the future? Post-readingIntelligent machines will certainly have a lot of influence on our lives in the future. For example, we might all have an AI machine in our ho
27、mes which can tell us whether we have a medical problem and if we need to go to hospital. It might even take the place of the human doctor and treat us at home or in hospital. I think an AI machine will look after our homes for us: it will be able to tell when we are running low on food or cleaning
28、products, and order them for us based on what we usually get. It might also be able to read our digital calendars and order things like plane tickets and taxis based on where we need to go. Post-reading3. Have you ever seen an AI movie? Whats your favourite AI movie? Why do you like it? Post-reading
29、My favourite AI movie is Bicentennial Man, which tells the story of Andrew, the robot, who lives with the Martin family as a housekeeper and falls in love with a girl, and finally transforms into a real human.This film talks about love and eternity from the perspective of a robot. Andrew is a machin
30、e, which means he can have an eternal life. But he is not happy because he has to repeatedly depart with the person he loves. Finally, Andrew chooses to give up his eternal life to become a real human being to experience all the things and emotions that only humans can. Post-readingWhat impresses me
31、 most is Andrews bravery and determination. As a robot housekeeper, he bravely asks for freedom and goes around the whole world to seek for ways to make him a real human. Life is short, and as old Martin said, “The world is changing all the time. People come and go. We must be separated from those we love. This is reasonable, because there should be a beginning of life.” In the end, Andrew has grasped the true meaning of life and won the dignity as a human being. Post-reading1. Finish B1 and B2 on Page 47.2. Finish Part A on the workbook with your partner.Homework
