阅读理解。
Many people have talked about whether or not computing machines can think. Can they or can't they?
Almost certainly, a machine can do any work in thinking that a person can do-if the correct way for doing
the thinking work can be told exactly. Besides, many programs have been made to direct machines so that
they work in very clever ways. Machines have been taught to play chess and to leam from what happens in
the games so as to make their play better and better. Machines can beat many persons who play chess.
Machines can translate from one language to another. They can prove statements in geometry (几何) as
taught in school. Machines can notice printed marks on paper, so that a person is no longer needed to look
at the marks.
Computers can be used in many ways, such as business, science, industry, and govemment. Computers
study oil-field examinations made by airplanes; they keep record of oil sales; they study the working condition
of the machines; they help in plan- ning and producing oil; and much more. If people cannot tell exactly the
correct way to do certain work in thinking, it is still a question how much of this work a machine can do.
Suppose a person is "teaching" the machine and telling the machine "yes" when the machine is right, and "no"
when the machine is wrong. Then the machine can keep on searching among possible ways for solving
a problem-until the machine can do as well as the person, and per haps much better.
But, what is thinking? People can agree about much that is thinking, and much that is not thinking; but they
can't reach agreement because the word "think" is not a scientific word with an exact meaning. A lot of the
discussion is wasted breath because the persons are using different meanings of the word "think".
People, however, have only had experience with machines that appear to think since 1944.
It would be too early to say that after the next 200 years, machines will not be thinking. And to consider
that machines can think gives people a big push to give to machines more and more work in thinking.
1. The underlined part in paragraph three is about computers used in ________.
A. Education.
B. Govemment.
C. Sports.
D. Industry.
2. What does "this work" mean in paragraph four?
A. Thinking.
B. Teaching.
C. Searching.
D. Telling.
3. What is the main idea of paragraph five?
A. There is much to say about thinking.
B. People discuss a lot about thinking.
C. There is no answer to what thinking is.
D. People already know what thinking is.
4. What does the writer want to say in the passage?
A. A machine will do any work in thinking like a human being.
B. A machine can do better translation than human beings.
C. A machine won't be able to beat every chess player.
D. A machine will be able to make plan programs.
5. Which probably is the best title for the passage?
A. What Is Thinking?
B. Can Machines Think?
C. Can Machines Be Taught to Think?
D. Can Machines Beat All Checkers Players?
