外刊精读与练习
机器人会抢走我们的饭碗吗？
导读：
人工智能和机器人科技在飞速发展，很多人都担心这类技术对工作场所带来的影响。人工智能技术能以更低的成本和更高的效率工作，这是否意味着机器人将变成各类职业的主力军？如果真的会这样，那么人类的工作是否会岌岌可危？跟《外刊精读》一同畅想未来工作。
一、语篇泛读
Vocabulary: Jobs 词汇:工作
As new technology is introduced, there are many who worry about its impact on our current and future lifestyles – particularly when it comes to jobs. It is a current belief that with the rise of robotics and artificial intelligence, many people’s jobs, and therefore their livelihoods, are likely to be lost to automation.
This type of fear isn’t new. In the 19th century, the automated weaving machine was revolutionizing the English textiles industry and would contribute to the Industrial Revolution. When manual workers became redundant, it sparked protests at the loss of their vocation.
Automation in the work place is nothing new. Machines have been performing menial tasks on our behalf for years, allowing us to escape the drudgery that accompanies many repetitive jobs. In fact, the International Federation of Robotics states that in manufacturing on average there are now 74 robots per 10,000 employees. That has risen from 66 in 2015.
General Manager of Digital Customer Engagement Solutions at tech firm Nuance, Bernard Louvat, believes that ‘AI is a big threat to low-skilled jobs, no question.’ He also thinks that AI chatbots will oust most call centre staff within a decade. When you consider that a large telecoms company like AT&T employs around 100,000 call centre staff, that’s a lot of people on the dole.
And that’s just one industry. A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute, a private sector think tank, states that nearly two thirds of all jobs could have at least 30% of their activities automated by 2030.
However, McKinsey also believes that this new technology will also ‘create new occupations that do not exist today, much as technologies in the past have done.’ As the horse gave way to the car, hostlers became mechanics and mechanised manufacturing drove up wages and created more long-term roles than it destroyed. In fact, figures from the World Bank have shown that despite a 2.2 billion rise in population between 1991 and 2017, global unemployment has fallen by 0.3%.
‘It’s an evolution of work’ says Ian Barkin, co-founder of Symphony Ventures, a robotic process automation specialist. As low-skilled jobs are taken on by AI, people will need to learn new skills. ‘This calls on us to focus on up-skilling, Technology can lead to job reductions but it doesn’t have to,’ says Barkin.
Whether or not robotics and AI will leave us all jobless remains to be seen. Current views on the subject are mixed. Increased automation could indeed lead to a loss of some jobs, but at the same time is likely to create many more as new skills are required. Will they balance out I’ll get my AI assistant to get back to you on that one.
二、词汇表
livelihood 生计
redundant 失业的，被裁员的
vocation 工作
menial（工作）枯燥的、不体面的，带贬义
drudgery 苦工，辛苦乏味的工作
repetitive 单调重复的
employee 公司员工，雇员
low-skilled job 低技能工作
oust 赶走、夺取
staff 全体工作人员
on the dole （英式表达）靠领取救济金生活
industry 行业、产业
occupation 职业
wage（尤指给体力劳动者支付的）工钱、报酬
role 工作
take on 承担（一份工作）
up-skill （通过培训）提升技能
jobless 失业的
三、测试与练习
阅读课文并回答问题。
1. What historical example of technology causing a loss of jobs does the article give
2. True or False: Automation in the work place is a very new concept.
3. Approximately how much automation across all jobs is estimated by 2030
4. In McKinsey’s opinion, what will happen as jobs are lost to automation
5. According to Ian Barkin, what do these changes call us to focus on
请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. I hate being a builder. It’s the ______ of it. All the tasks are boring or physically hard!
redundant drudgery
low-skilled job wages
2. By a vote of no confidence, Phillip is ______ from his position as CEO by Tom.
redundant repetitive
ousted jobless
3. After I lost my job at the factory, I was ______ for 5 years. I lived on benefits.
menial ousted
on the dole occupation
4. I’m really sorry. I’m so busy with tasks, I don’t think I can ______ any more.
oust take on
up-skill jobless
5. The loss of business means that we’ll have to cut ______. The staff won’t be happy.
vocation employees
wages drudgery
【参考答案】
阅读课文并回答问题。
1. What historical example of technology causing a loss of jobs does the article give
In the 19th century, the automated weaving machine caused manual workers to become redundant, sparking protests at the loss of their vocation.
2. True or False: Automation in the work place is a very new concept.
False. Automation in the work place is nothing new. Machines have been performing menial tasks on our behalf for years.
3. Approximately how much automation across all jobs is estimated by 2030
A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute states that nearly two thirds of all jobs could have at least 30% of their activities automated by 2030.
4. In the McKinsey Global Institute’s opinion, what will happen as jobs are lost to automation
McKinsey also believes that this new technology will also ‘create new occupations that do not exist today, much as technologies in the past have done.
5. According to Ian Barkin, what do these changes call us to focus on
They call on us to focus on up-skilling.
请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. I hate being a builder. It’s the drudgery of it. All the tasks are boring or physically hard!
2. By a vote of no confidence, Phillip is ousted from his position as CEO by Tom.
3. After I lost my job at the factory, I was on the dole for 5 years. I lived on benefits.
4. I’m really sorry. I’m so busy with tasks, I don’t think I can take on any more.
5. The loss of business means that we’ll have to cut wages. The staff won’t be happy.
叫车软件造成的交通拥堵难题
导读：
近些年来，通过用手机应用程序叫车上下班已经成为很多人常用的通勤方式。然而，随着使用这类软件的用户数不断增加，城市内的交通拥堵情况也变得更加严重：更多的车辆减慢了车流速度，从而导致道路交通瘫痪。我们可以怎样解决这个难题？跟随本集《外刊精读》了解新出行方式的利弊。
一、语篇泛读
Have you ever taken a taxi In the past, doing so meant finding one, flagging it down and telling the driver where you wanted to go, paying, and possibly, adding a tip. And while this still happens, it’s less common than it used to be. These days, it’s much easier to open a ride-hailing app. All of the boring stuff gets taken care of. It’s a perfect solution!
Except that it isn’t. A recent report from urban transport consultant Bruce Schaller, who spent the last four years studying traffic flow in New York, concluded that the use of these app-based journeys is causing traffic jams. The 81% increase in these city-based rides means that there are now five times more of them than the iconic yellow taxicab.
“It’s the shift in patronage from public transport,” he told the BBC. For whatever reason, people decide that it’s just too much hassle. “That means moving people from larger vehicles into smaller ones, which means more vehicles to move the same people. Therefore, more traffic.” In addition, the sheer number of cars now looking for a commuter means that they spend 45% of their time empty, just cruising for a fare, and inadvertently clogging up the city’s infrastructure.
“They are out there in force at the worst possible times,” said Prof Christo Wilson, a computer scientist at Northeastern University, who has also studied the services. He refers to Uber’s traffic data, which ‘perfectly matches the peaks for the rush hour.’ He also adds that the low fares and convenience mean that people are ordering rides to go from A to B when they wouldn’t normally. Both help contribute to the gridlock.
So what can be done to stop traffic from backing up or bottlenecking One solution involves combining ride-hailing with sharing. Many ride-hailing companies, such as Uber, Didi Chuxing in China and Ola in India enable customers to carpool. This allows travellers who share similar destinations to share the journey. The app enables an en route pickup,which means more streamlined traffic, and less time spent with an empty vehicle.
Could this decongest the world’s jam-packed roads It is certainly one solution. But maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the more traditional public transport options. "Congestion is a really complicated issue," said Andrew Salzberg, head of Uber's transport policy. But, “There is no more efficient way to move people around than public transport," he added. So don’t do away with that bus pass just yet.
二、词汇表
flag down 挥手拦车
ride-hailing 叫车服务
traffic flow 交通流量
traffic jam 交通堵塞
public transport 公共交通
vehicle（车辆等）交通工具
commuter 通勤者
cruise for a fare 慢行寻找一位出租车乘客
clog up 使…堵塞
infrastructure 基础设施
rush hour（上下班）高峰期
from A to B 从一个地方到另一个地方
gridlock（城市）交通大瘫痪
back up 堵车
bottleneck 在狭窄路段堵车
carpool 拼车
destination 目的地
en route 在途中的
pickup 接人
streamline 高效的
decongest 减轻、减缓交通拥堵
jam-packed 拥挤不堪的、水泄不通的
三、测试与练习
阅读课文并回答问题。
1. How many more ride-hailing vehicles are there in New York than traditional yellow taxis
2. How much of a ride-hailing vehicle’s time is spent empty
3. Why are people taking ride-hailing vehicles than they normally would
4. What solution to ease congestion do Uber, Didi Chuxing and Ola offer
5. True or false: Public transport will never be as good as ride-hailing.
请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. If you’re going downtown, I wouldn’t take 2nd avenue. It’s ______ down there. You won’t get through.
bottleneck traffic jam
streamline gridlock
2. My friend and I are going on a driving holiday! We want to ______ along route 66!
flag down clog up
cruise back up
3. He won’t be long. He said he was ______ 10 minutes ago so another five minutes
infrastructure en route
streamline jam-packed
4. Please stop combing your hair in the shower! It ______ the drain!
bottlenecks gridlock
blocks up decongests
5. Much of the country’s ______ was damaged by the hurricane meaning roads are blocked and power is down.
public transport rush hour
destination infrastructure
【参考答案】
阅读课文并回答问题。
1. How many more ride-hailing vehicles are there in New York than traditional yellow taxis
The 81% increase in these city-based rides in means that there are now five times more of them than the iconic yellow taxicab.
2. How much of a ride-hailing vehicle’s time is spent empty
They spend 45% of their time empty, just cruising for a fare, and inadvertently clogging up the city’s infrastructure.
3. Why are people taking ride-hailing vehicles than they normally would
Low fares and convenience mean that people are ordering rides to go from A to B when they wouldn’t normally.
4. What solution to ease congestion does Uber, Didi Chuxing and Ola offer
They enable customers to carpool.
5. True or false: Public transport will never be as good as ride-hailing.
False. According to Andrew Salzburg, there is no more efficient way to move people around than public transport.
请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。
1. If you’re going downtown, I wouldn’t take 2nd avenue. It’s gridlock down there. You won’t get through.
2. My friend and I are going on a driving holiday! We want to cruise along route 66!
3. He won’t be long. He said he was en route 10 minutes ago so another five minutes
4. Please stop combing your hair in the shower! It blocks up the drain.
5. Much of the country’s infrastructure was damaged by the hurricane meaning roads are blocked and power is down.
