Part Ⅲ Reading in Depth
There are four passages in this section.Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.For each of them there are four choicesmarked A，B，C and D.You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter.
The earliest known human artifacts are handmade stone axes found in Africa，East Asia，and Europe.They date back to approximately 250，000 BC andmark the beginning of the Stone Age.The first toolmakerswere nomadic groups of hunterswho used the sharp sides of stones to cut their food and make clothes and tents.From around 100，000 BC the caves ofmodern man's hominid ancestors contained oval axes，scrapers，knives，and other stone implements that indicated that the original hand ax had become a tool to in turn make other tools.Many members of the animal kingdom use tools，but this ability to create tools that，in turn，are used tomake other tools sets humans apart from other living beings.
The next big step in technology was controlling fire.Striking stones against pyrites to produce sparksmade it possible to start fires and freed them from the need to maintain fires from natural sources.In addition to the obvious benefits of heat and light，fire was also used to cook clay pots，sturdy containers that could be used to cook grains as well as for brewing and fermentation.
Early technology wasn't just limited to practical tools.Different color minerals were pulverized to obtain pigments，which were applied on the human body，clay utensils，baskets，clothes and other objects.In their search for pigments，ancient people discovered the green mineralmalachite and the bluemineral azurite.When they struck these ores，which were rich in copper，they didn't turn into a powder，but they bent；they could be polished，but not broken.Due to these qualities，small pieces of copper were used in jewelry very shortly after.
These people also learned that if thismaterialwas repeatedly forged and put over a fire，it wouldn't splitor crack.This process of removing stresses from themetal，called annealing，was developed by Stone Age civilizations and was used especially from around the year 3000 BC when they also discovered that tin and copper alloy produced bronze.
( )41.Whatmark the beginning of the Stone Age?
A.Human artifacts. B.Sharp sides of stones.
C.Handmade stone axes. D.Stone implements.
( )42.Who were the first toolmakers?
A.Human beings.
B.Modern man's hominid ancestors.
C.Manymembers of the animal kingdom.
D.Nomadic groups of hunters.
( )43.What set humans apart from other living beings?
A.The ability to create tools. B.The ability to use tools.
C.The ability to exploit fire. D.The ability to utilize fire.
( )44.Which one is not the additional benefit of heat and light?
A.Heat and lightwas also used to cook clay pots.
B.Heat and lightwas also used to sturdy containers.
C.Heat and lightwas also used for brewing and fermentation.
D.Heat and lightwas also used to start fires.
( )45.Why small pieces of copper were used in jewelry?
A.They didn't turn into a powder.
B.They could bend and be polished.
C.They could be repeatedly forged.
D.They wouldn't split or crack.
The emergence of artificial intelligence(AI)could be the“worst event in the history of our civilization”unless society finds a way to control its development，high-profile physicist Stephen Hawking said Monday.
Hemade the comments during a talk at theWeb Summit technology conference in Lisbon，Portugal，in which he said，“computers can，in theory，emulate human intelligence，and exceed it.”
Haw king talked up the potential of AI to help undo damage done to the naturalworld，or eradicate poverty and disease，with every aspect of society being“transformed”.
But he admitted the future was uncertain.
“Success in creating effective AI，could be the biggest event in the history of our civilization.Or theworst，we just don't know.Sowe cannot know ifwewill be infinitely helped by AI，or ignored by it and side-lined，or conceivably destroyed by it，”Hawking said during the speech.
“Unlesswe learn how to prepare for，and avoid，the potential risks，AIcould be theworst event in the history of our civilization.It brings dangers，like powerful autonomous weapons，or new ways for the few to oppress themany.It could bring great disruption to our economy.”
Hawking explained that to avoid this potential reality，creators of AIneed to“employ best practice and effectivemanagement”.
The scientist highlighted some of the legislative work being carried out in Europe，particularly proposals put forward by lawmakers earlier this year to establish new rules around
AIand robotics.Members of the European Parliament said European Union-wide rules were needed on thematter.
Such developments are giving Hawking hope.
“Iam an optimist and Ibelieve thatwe can create AI for the good of the world.That it can work in harmony with us.We simply need to be aware of the dangers，identify them，employ the best possible practice and management，and prepare for its consequences well in advance，”Hawking said.
( )46.In paragraph 1，what's physicist Stephen Hawking’s attitude toward AI?
A.Indifferent. B.Neutral. C.Biased. D.Negative.
( )47.According to Hawking，computers can________human intelligence.
A.destroy and surpass B.imitate and destroy
C.imitate and surpass D.help and surpass
( )48.In paragraph 5，what's Hawking's attitude toward the future of AI?
A.Hawking was certain toward AIwhether itwas helpful or destructive.
B.Hawking was confident toward AIwhether itwas helpful or destructive.
C.Hawking was optimistic toward AIwhether itwas helpful or destructive.
D.Hawking was doubtful toward AIwhether itwas helpful or destructive.
( )49.What should be done to avoid the potential risks of AI?
A.Highlight some of the legislative work.
B.Establish effectivemanagement and new legislative rules.
C.Put forward proposals by lawmakers.
D.European Union-wide ruleswere needed.
( )50.Which one is not the suggestion given by Hawking in the last paragraph?
A.Be aware of the dangers and identify them.
B.Employ the best possible practice and management.
C.We can create AI for the good of the world.
D.Prepare for consequences well in advance.
If you saw the video of Boston Dynamics'robot dog opening up a door for its fellow robot dog thisweek and were summarily frightened into believing the end is nigh，you are not alone.
But also thisweek，billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates gave reason to press pause on any apocalypse scenarios.
“AI can be our friend，”says Gates，speaking with“Hamilton”composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and hiswife，Melinda，at Hunter College in New York City on Tuesday.
In response to the question，“What do you think will happen to human civilization with further development in AI technology?”Gates says the rise in artificial intelligence willmean society will be able to domore with less.
“AIis just the latest in technologies thatallow us to produce a lotmore goods and services with less labor.And overwhelmingly，over the last several hundred years，that has been great for society，”explains Gates.
He points to developments in agriculture to illustrate.
“We used to all have to go out and farm.We barely got enough food，when the weather was bad people would starve.Now through better seeds，fertilizer，lots of things，most people are not farmers.And so AIwill bring us immense new productivity，”says Gates.
Of course，the advancements and elimination ofmillions of farmersweren'tall positive.As then-President Barack Obama put it in 2014，“There are a lot of big producerswho are doing really well，but there are even more small farms，family farms，where folks are just scratching outa living and increasingly vulnerable to difficulties in financing and all the inputs involved…and it's very hard for young farmers to get started.”He signed a$956 billion farm bill to help the sector.
Still，according to Gates，with increased productivity in some areas，displaced workers could fill gaps that currently exist elsewhere in the labor market—like elder care，teaching and support for special needs children，says Gates.
“This extra productivity is a very very good thing used in an enlightened way，”says Gates.
( )51.Further development of AI technology will________human civilization.
A.boost B.hinder C.suspend D.alleviate
( )52.AI is the latest in technologies that allow us to produce more with less labor，which has been________for society over the last several hundred years.
A.less B.great C.small D.little
( )53.Bill Gates gave an example in agriculture to illustrate________.
A.great new productivity brought by AI
B.great damage brought by AI
C.great advancement brought by AI
D.high unemployment rate brought by AI
( )54.The phrase“scratch out”means(Line 4，Para.8)________.
A.remove B.rub C.damage D.maintain
( )55.What does Gatesmean by saying“This extra productivity is a very very good thing used in an enlightened way”?
A.The extra labor force will flow into service industries.
B.It's very easy for young farmers to get started.
C.The extra labor force doesn't need help from government.
D.Gates disagreeswith Barack Obama.
Human civilization is likely the only advanced civilization in the“observable Universe”，finds a study from the Future of Humanity Institute(FHI)at Oxford University—and that's why it's so important that humans build civilizations in space，says Elon Musk.
“This is why we must preserve the light of consciousness by becoming a spacefaring civilization and extending life to other planets，”the Tesla and SpaceX boss tweeted Sunday in response to a story about the study on science news blog Universal-Sci.
“It is unknown whether we are the only civilization currently alive in the observable universe，but any chance thatwe are is added impetus for extending life beyond Earth，”Musk tweeted Sunday.
“Humanity is not perfect，but it's allwe've got，”the SpaceX and Tesla boss said.
To safeguard human life requiresmoving beyond the blue planet，in Musk's view，because earth is likely to become uninhabitable.
“Therewill be some eventual extinction event”if humans stay on earth forever，Musk said in an article published in academic journal New Space，which was published online in June 2017.
Musk's aeronautics company SpaceX is working to build reusable rockets that travel to Mars，ultimately enabling life on the Red Planet.
“We are building the first Mars，or interplanetary ship，and I think we'll be able to do short trips，flights by first half of next year，”Musk said at South by Southwest in Austin，Texas in March.However，he admitted that timeline is aggressive.
In his recent series of tweets，Musk also said that the first humans travel to other planets will face significant danger.Gradually itwill become safer，he said.
“As individuals，we will all die in blink of an eye on a galactic timescale.What can live on for long time is civilization.Those who first go to other planets will face far more risk of death and hardship than thosewho stay.Over time，space travelwill be safe and open to all，”he says.
( )56.According to Elon Musk，why it's important for humans to build civilizations in space?
A.It's a finding of the Future of Humanity Institute.
B.There will be no order in space without civilizations.
C.Human beings must preserve the light of consciousness by becoming a spacefaring civilization and extending life to other planets.
D.Perhaps，human civilization is the only advanced civilization in the“observable Universe”.
( )57.What does the“Red Planet”(Para.7)refer to?
A.Mercury. B.Venus. C.Mars. D.Pluto.
( )58.What does the word“aggressive”(Para.8)mean?
A.Angry. B.Forceful. C.Invasive. D.Pressing.
( )59.In Musk's opinion，whatwill the first humans travel to other planets face?
A.Thosewho first go to other planetswill face significant danger，gradually，will be safer.
B.Thosewho first go to other planetswill be safe，gradually，will face significant danger.
C.We will all die in blink of an eye.
D.We will live on civilization for long time.
( )60.Which one is themain idea of the passage?
A.This is why we must preserve the light of consciousness by becoming a spacefaring civilization.
B.It is civilization thatwe can live on for long time.
C.This is why the earth is likely to become uninhabitable.
D.This is why we have to build civilizations in space.