Question

In 1917 Orville Wright predicted that "the aeroplane will help peace in many ways –in particular I think it will have a tendency to make war impossible.” Earlier in 1904, American journalist John Walker declared, “As a peace machine, the value of the aeroplane to the world will be beyond computation.” This wasn’t the first grand promise of technology. In that same year Jules Verne announced, “The submarine(潜艇)may be the cause of bringing battle to a stoppage.”

Alfred Nobel, sincerely believe his dynamite(火药) would be a war obstacle: “My dynamite will sooner lead to peace than a thousand world conventions(公约).” Similarly, when Hiran Maxim, inventor of the machine gun, was asked in 1893, “Will this gun not make war more terrible?” he answered, “No, it will make war impossible.” Gugliemo Mareconi, inventor of the radio, told the world in 1912. “The coming of the wireless time will make war impossible, because it will make war ridiculous.” General James Harbord, chairman of the board of RCA in 1925, believed, “Radio will serve to make the concept of Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men a reality.”

David Nye, a historian of technology, adds to the list of inventions imagined as abolishing war forever and leading to universal peace the hot-air balloon, poison gas, land mines and laser guns.

It is not that all these inventions are without benefits—even benefits toward democracy. Rather, it’s the case that each new technology creates more problems than it solves. “Problems are the answers to solutions,” says Brian Arthur.

Most of the new problems in the world are problems created by previous technology. These problems are nearly invisible to us. Every year 1.2 million people die in automobile accidents. The technological transportation system kills more people than cancer. Global warming, environmental poisons, nuclear terrorism, and species loss, are only a few of the many other serious problems troubling people.

If we embrace(拥抱) technology we need to face its costs.

1.What will new inventions do according to the first two paragraphs?

A. They will increase wars.

B. They will lead to peace.

C. They will serve people.

D. They will break conventions.

2.What does the author list so many inventions?

A. To show people’s creativity.

B. To appreciate their benefits.

C. To contradict the original ideas.

D. To prove grand promises.

3.What does the author hope to tell us about new technology through the text?

A. It will experience many tests.

B. It will bring about huge costs in the world.

C. It provides answers to many problems.

D. It presents more problems than it solves.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.D

【解析】本文通过列举飞机、潜艇、无线电、地雷、手枪等技术的发明和发明者的话，来证明当今世界上的很多战争及问题都是由先进的技术引起的这一观点。出现的这一现象与当初发明者的初衷相违背，以此来说明，要想运用先进技术，必须要承受技术所带来的代价。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“In 1917 Orville Wright predicted that “the aeroplane will help peace in many ways — in particular I think it will have a tendency to make war impossible.” Earlier in 1904, American journalist John Walker declared, “As a peace machine, the value of the aeroplane to the world will be beyond computation.” This wasn’t the first grand promise of technology. In that same year Jules Verne announced, “The submarine(潜艇)may be the cause of bringing battle to a stoppage”可知，无论是飞机还是潜艇的发明者都认为自己的新发明可以停止战争，带来和平，故选B。

2.推理判断题。根据第一段“in particular I think it will have a tendency to make war impossible” “The submarine(潜艇) may be the cause of bringing battle to a stoppage.” “My dynamite will sooner lead to peace than a thousand world conventions(公约).”以及“It is not that all these inventions are without benefits—even benefits toward democracy（民主）. Rather, it’s the case that each new technology creates more problems than it solves”可知，作者之所以列举这么多发明，是为了证明，这些发明非但没有停止战争、带来和平，反而使得世界上出现更多的问题，而这些问题的出现与当初发明者所预想的情况相背离。故选C。

3.细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“it’s the case that each new technology creates more problems than it solves.” “Most of the new problems in the world are problems created by previous technology. These problems are nearly invisible to us”可知，作者认为新兴技术所带来的问题远远超过它所能解决的问题。故选D。