2014年6月大学英语四级复习题及答案(第五套)_第2页

　　With a tremendous roar from its rocket engine, the satellite is sent up into　the sky. Minutes later, at an altitude of 300 miles, this tiny electronic moon begins to orbit about the earth. Its radio begins to transmit an astonishing amount　of information about the satellite's orbital path, the amount of radiation it　detects, and the presence of meteorites. Information of all kinds races back to　the earth.No human being could possibly copy down all these facts, much less remember and organize them. But an electronic computer can.

　　The marvel of the machine age, the electronic computer has been in use only　since 1946. It can do simple computations—add,subtract, multiply and divide—with　lighting speed and perfect accuracy. Some computers can work 500,000 times faster　than any person can.

　　Once it is given a “program” — that is, a carefully worked?out set of in　structions devised by a technician trained in computer language — a computer ca　gather a wide range of information for many purposes. For the scientist it can　get information from outer space or from the depth of the ocean. In business and industry the computer prepares factory inventories, keeps track of sales trends and production needs, mails dividend checks, and makes out company payrolls. It can keep bank accounts up to date and make out electric bills. If you are planning a trip by plane, the computer will find out what to take and what space is available.

　　Not only can the computer gather facts, it can also store them as fast as they are gathered and can pour them out whenever they are needed. The computer is really a high?powered“memory” machine that “has all the answers”—or almost all.Besides gathering and storing information, the computer can also solve complicated problems that once took months for people to do.

　　At times computers seem almost human. They can “read” hand?printed letters,　play chess, compose music, write plays and even design other computers. Is it any　wonder that they are sometimes called “thinking” machines?

　　Even though they are taking over some of the tasks that were once accomplished by our own brains, computers are not replacing us at least not yet. Our brain　has more than 10 million cells. A computer has only a few hundred thousand parts.　For some time to come, then, we can safely say that our brains are at least 10,000 times more complex than a computer.How we use them is for us, not the computer, to decide.

　　? 26.In the first paragraph, the author thinks an electronic computer can ____.

　　? A) copy down all the facts

　　? B) remember all the facts

　　? C) organize the facts and everything

　　? D) copy down, remember and organize all the facts

　　? 27.“Program” means ____.

　　? A) a plan of what is to be done

　　? B) a complete show on a TV station at a fixed time table

　　? C) a scheduled performance

　　? D) series of coded instructions to control the operations of a computer

　　? 28.The computer is a high powered “memory” machine, which ____.

　　? A) has all the ready answers — or almost all to any questions

　　? B) can remember everything

　　? C) can store everything and work for you

　　? D) has all the answers — or almost to all the information that has been　stored

　　? 29. “Thinking” machines suggest that ____.

　　? A) they can “read” hand printed letters etc

　　? B) they really can think and do many other jobs

　　? C) they even design other computers

　　? D) they can't think, but can do something under human control

　　? 30.Can computers do whatever they want to do?Why?

　　? A) Yes, because some computers can work 500,000 times faster than any person can.

　　? B) No, because they normally have a few hundred thousand parts.

　　? C) No, because human brains are at least 10000 times more complex than any computers.

　　? D) No, because how a computer works is decided by human.