Robots teach humans to be more compassionate

山东威海乳山市教学研究中心 刘 娜

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难词探意

1.algorithm/'ælɡərɪðəm/n.（尤指计算机使用的）算法；计算程序

2.framework/'freɪmwзːk/n.框架；信仰；准则

3.humanitarian/hjuː,mænɪ'teəriən/adj.人道主义的

4.compassionate/kəm'pæʃənət/adj.富有同情心的

5.momentum/mə'mentəm/n.动量；动力

预读思考

1.Do you think robots can be more compassionate than man?Why or why not?

2.As AI is more and more widely applied，do you think it will eventually replace man?What is your attitude towards this?

3.Can you find any expressions about compassionate from the text?Please list them as many as possible.

Robots are now teaching humans how to be more humane.

Humana Pharmacy created an AIalgorithmfor their call centers that instruct employees to be kinder and more empathetic to customers.The program is designed to inform the call centeremployeesifthey are speaking too quickly,too loudly or softly or if they have remained quiet for a given amount of time.The AI looks for certain behaviors and patterns that would indicate unkind communication such as a raised voice,fast speaking,long silences and other indicators that could be tied to lack of empathy or frustration.The program's intention is to have the agents better understand how to communicate more efficiently by analyzing the speakers'voice.

While the AI can detect certain voices,it is nowhere near the point of comprehension of human emotions.CEO of Cogito,Joshua Feast,told USA Today that he views the system as more ofa coach than a replacementfor employees.

“I don't think human customer agents will be completely replaced,”Feast told USA Today.“Humans will always want to talk to other humans.The reason is that only other humans really understand us.”

This is not the first time that AI has stepped into the world ofhumanity and compassion.Artificial intelligence scientist,Dr AmitRayintroducedtheconceptofDeep Compassion algorithmsandframeworksfor compassion last year.He demonstrated how we can use machine learning algorithms to solvehumanitarianneedssuch astheneed forcompassionatecare-giving,helping physically and mentally challenged people, reducing human pain and diseases,stoppingnuclear warfare,preventing mass destruction weapons and tackling terrorism.He also addresses AI for precision medicine,new drug discovery,education,and the legal system.

Based on these algorithms,there is a lot ofmomentumin the developmentofthese possibilities ofcompassionate AI and the potential to help “save the world”as some would say is thrilling.As artificial intelligence becomes more popular and rooted in our lives and our careers,it will increasingly be more common to see these things be utilized to improve our jobs rather than take them.

—FromForbes

阅读自测

1.What does the text mainly talk about?

A.The future of robots in our daily life.

B.AI is making people more empathetic.

C.Robots are replacing man in certain fields.

D.Different attitudes towards the application of AI.

2.How can AI make an employee more compassionate?

A.By observing the employee's behaviors and patterns.

B.By controlling and adjusting the employee's volume.

C.By detecting certain voices and giving suggestions.

D.By comprehending human emotions and making adjustment.

3.Why does the author refer to the concept of Deep Compassion algorithms and frameworks?

A.To emphasize the importance of the application of AI.

B.To get the readers to be conscious of the function of AI.

C.To prove AI had existed in humanity and compassion before.

D.To demonstrate the wide application of AI in various fields.

文本探究

探究视角1：语言学习

Ⅰ.文本填空

1.The program is designed to inform the call center employees _________they are speaking too quickly,too loudly or softly or if they have remained quiet for a_________(give)amount of time.

2.The AI looks for certain behaviors and patterns _________would indicate unkind communication such as a raised voice,fast speaking,long silences and other indicators that could be tied ________ lack of empathy or frustration.

3.Joshua Feast told USA Today that he views the system ________more of a coach than a replacement for employees.

4.The reason is ________only other humans really understand us.

5.This is not the first time that AI ________（step） into the world of humanity and compassion.

6. _________（base）on these algorithms,there is a lot of momentum in the development of these possibilities of compassionate AI and the potential to help “save the world” as some would say is thrilling.

Ⅱ.写作推荐

1.While the AI can detect certain voices,it is nowhere near the point of comprehension of human emotions.

【信息提取】It be nowhere near the point of...意为“远未接近……的程度”。

【句式仿写】尽管我们做了很多努力，但远未接近完美的程度。

2.The reason is that only other humans really understand us.

【信息提取】The reason be that...意为 “原因是……”，此句型可拓展为The reason why...be that...“……的原因是……”。

【句式仿写】他迟到的原因是他错过了早班车。

Ⅲ.关于“同情心”的表达

1.compassionate adj.富有同情心的

2.be more humane更有人情味的

3.be kinder and more empathetic to对……更和善、更有同情心

4.unkind communication不友好的交流

5.be tied to lack of empathy or frustration与缺乏同情心或与挫折感相关

6.better understand how to communicate more efficiently更好地理解如何更高效地沟通

7.only other humans really understand us只有其他人真正理解我们

8.step into the world of humanity and compassion走进充满人性和同情的世界

9.solve humanitarian needs解决人道主义需求

10.the need for compassionate care-giving需要有同情心的照顾

11.reduce human pain and diseases减少人的痛苦和疾病

探究视角2：语篇分析

科技的发展有助于我们人类更好地认识自己，改变自己。使用科技造福人类是我们共同的诉求。AI能够智能识别雇员的声音变化和停顿时间，并给出相应的沟通建议，从而助力雇员更好地服务客户。但这是否意味着AI可以代替雇员呢？AI的应用前景又该如何呢？文章就此进行了分析。

本文是一篇说明文。说明文的目的在于客观地说明事物或阐明事理。其基本结构一般有以时间为序的，也有以空间为序的；有从现象到本质的，也有由主到次的；有按工艺流程顺序说明的，也有按事物的性质、功用、原理等顺序说明的。找出说明文的基本结构，即可以梳理出文本的主线。

本文是一篇介绍科技发明的文章。结构如下：

S t r u c t u r e P a r a g r a p h（s） M a i n i d e a（s）T o p i c P a r a.1 R o b o t s a r e t e a c h i n g h u m a n s t o b e m o r e h u m a n e.P r i n c i p l e P a r a.2 A I c a n d e t e c t c e r t a i n v o i c e s a n d g i v e t h e e m p l o y e e s s u g g e s t i o n s.A t t i t u d e P a r a.3&4 ●A I i s f a r f r o m c o m p r e h e n d i n g h u m a n e m o t i o n s.●H u m a n c u s t o m e r a g e n t s w i l l n o t b e c o m p l e t e l y r e p l a c e d.A p p l i c a t i o n P a r a.5&6●A I h a s s t e p p e d i n t o t h e w o r l d o f h u m a n i t y a n d c o m p a s s i o n.●C o m p a s s i o n a t e A I h a s t h e p o t e n t i a l t o b e u t i l i z e d o n a l a r g e r s c a l e.

探究视角3：说明方法

举例、分类、对比、打比方、列数字等是说明文经常用的说明方法。通过这些说明方法，作者可以分析事物产生的原因及后果或给事物下定义。我们在阅读说明文时要关注这些说明方法并体会它们的用途。

说明方法 举例举例子 （P a r a.5）A r t i f i c i a l i n t e l l i g e n c e s c i e n t i s t,D r A m i t R a y...a n d t h e l e g a l s y s t e m.做比较 （P a r a.3）W h i l e t h e A I c a n d e t e c t c e r t a i n v o i c e s,...t h a n a r e p l a c e m e n t f o r e m p l o y e e s.

探究视角4：思维拓展

科技与同情心

同情心是什么？《剑桥词典》解释如是：“a strong feeling of sympathy and sadness for the suffering or bad luck of others and a wish to help them”。 换言之，Compassion is the feeling of empathy or sympathy towards a person in need.It is a sense of shared suffering and is generally regarded as the cornerstone of humanity.

技术只是工具，其改变人类社交的方式取决于我们如何利用。因此，要善于利用技术，助力人类培养同情心。人类发明的AI是否能像人们一样真切地感受到人类的欢乐与痛苦呢？是否真的能和我们感同身受呢？或许，时间才是最好的答案。

So,how can we be a more compassionate person?The following tips may be helpful.

Begin with self-compassion.

We can be hard on others,but usually the victims who get the pressure of our harshness,are ourselves.

Find similarities.

Look for commonalities,not differences.This will help you to relate to them,not see them as a stereotype and in the end create a bond enabling you to feel compassion.

Cultivate appreciation.

Compassion is based upon comparison of sorts between what you and another person experience.

Simply listen.

When in conversation with another person,we can be thinking about what we want to say next.We seek the next opportunity to add our ten cents.

Be present.

You can help yourself to become more present by practicing meditation.Thus,you'll be better able to concentrate on the people around you who may need your time and attention.

Give back.

Acts of generosity and thoughtfulness inspire more of the same,into a chain reaction of goodness.

●写作实践

假定你是李华。你正在给Crazy English投稿，谈你对“科技与同情心”这一话题的认识。请你根据以下要点写一篇150词左右的文章。要点如下：

1.科技与同情心的关系；

2.你对培养同情心的建议。

注意：可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Editor-in-chief of Crazy English，

Yours,

Li Hua