2017专四写作真题

Writing (45 MIN)
Read carefully the following excerpt and then write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 WORDS, in which you should:
1) summarize the main message of the excerpt, and then
2) Comment on whether our brains will get lazy in a world run by intelligent machines

You can support yourself with information from the excerpt.
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your response on ANSWER SHEET THREE.

With intelligent machines to do the thinking, will our brains get lazy?

Changing technology stimulates the brain and increases intelligence. But that may only be true if the technology challenges us. In a world run by intelligent machines, our lives could get a lot simpler. Would that make us less intelligent?
Artificial intelligence is taking over many human jobs. For instance, planes are being flown much of the time by automatic pilots. And the complex problem of controlling air traffic around large modern airports is also achieved by artificial intelligence that operates well beyond the capacity of mere human air traffic controllers.

Artificial intelligence is embedded in many features of modern life for the simple reason that intelligent machines can already outperform humans, including some aptitudes where there was once thought to be a human advantage, such as playing chess, and writing poetry, or even novels.

As machines get smarter, they will do more of our thinking for us and make life easier. In the future, the electronic assistant will develop to the point that it serves similar functions as a real living butler, fulfilling requests such as: “Organize a dinner party for six on Thursday, Jeeves, and invite the usual guests.”

At that point, our long struggle with challenging technologies is at an end. Like Be Wooster, we can take it easy knowing that the hard work of planning and organizing is being done by a better brain-the electronic assistant. Starved of mental effort, our brains will regress.