A Response to 9/11 by Jonathan Safran Foer — Cumulative exam
Question 4 • AZ-English Language Arts 11 B-CR
Read this excerpt from "The Intelligent Planet.". . . Computer scientists expect to see an entire world blossoming over the Internet: electronic commerce and banking, cyber malls, virtual universities and schools, cyber libraries, and so on. We will begin to have a glimpse of Hawthorne’s vision when “intelligent agents” became part of this global network, capable of answering our inquiries in plain, conversational language. But the true fruition of Hawthorne’s vision may not come until the period from 2020 to 2050, when true artificial intelligent (AI) programs will finally be added to the Net, capable of reason, common sense, and speech recognition. Select the most accurate summary of Kaku’s argument.
Answer
A
After a period of Internet growth, programmers will refine the Internet by adding intelligence.
B
The Internet will grow to include financial and educational institutions, and users will become more savvy.
C
Hawthorne’s vision of an intelligent Internet will not be realized until artificial intelligence is invented.
D
When malls and universities blossom on the Internet, the global network will be capable of reason.
Explanation
Kaku describes the Internet first expanding to include services such as online banking, virtual schools, and cyber libraries. He then says intelligent agents will appear, followed eventually by AI programs capable of reason, common sense, and speech recognition. This supports A: the Internet will grow and later gain more intelligence. C is too absolute because intelligent agents offer an earlier glimpse of Hawthorne’s vision before the more advanced AI programs arrive.
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