| Question | Answer |
| 8 The details in paragraph 5 support the idea that —F humans use a lot of sarcasm and humor in everyday speech G miscommunication between humans is more likely when they cannot see facial expressions H language software is designed for communicating information rather than making jokes J human communication involves features that cannot easily be replicated by computers | J
|
9 What is the main idea of paragraphs 7 and 8? A When people use speech-recognition applications, their privacy may be invaded. B As people talk more to computers, they may become less able to interact with humans. C Advances in technology may cause humans to lose their jobs to computers. D The use of speech-recognition technology poses a variety of potential problems.2 | D2
| 10 According to the selection, speech-software developers are still striving to develop speech-recognition technology that —F can comprehend language as quickly as people speak it G helps people complete simple tasks on electronic devices H makes people feel as if they are speaking to a human J minimizes the need for most types of human interaction.3 | H3
| 11 Which idea does the author emphasize throughout the selection? A Speech-recognition technology saves companies time and money. B The technology for speech-recognition systems is constantly improving. C Virtual personal assistants are an important achievement in talking computers. D The earliest speech-recognition systems had limited capabilities.4 | B4
| 12 The author’s main purpose in writing this selection is to — F describe the history of and advances in speech-recognition technology G share concerns about problems with speech-recognition technology H suggest that consumers rely too much on speech-recognition technology J explain how speech-recognition technology understands human language.5 | F5
| 13 Which sentence from the selection best explains why some people may prefer human-to human communication?A Despite the efficiency of these systems, many people find them impersonal, stilted, and sometimes frustrating. B Even the advanced human-machine interfaces used today are unable to trick the judge consistently into thinking a computer is a human. C Simply put, the reason is that human beings rely on more than words to produce utterances and derive meaning from them. D While the potential for spontaneous communication between a human and a machine may seem exciting, this possibility concerns some people.6 | A6
| 14 The author organizes the information in the selection mainly by —F explaining the development of speech-recognition technology over time G describing advancements in speech-recognition technology as well as some concerns about it H providing details about the technical processes that computers use to understand speech and construct a response J comparing the ways humans and computers interpret spoken language.7 | G7
| 15 Which sentence from the selection reflects the author’s opinion? A Today many voice systems can understand language when spoken at a normal conversational rate. B Others fear that machines will take over functions that were traditionally performed by humans, such as customer service. C This digital trail may lead to data mining, or the collection of large quantities of personal data. D For now, however, the continuing evolution of speech recognition software is thrilling to behold.8 | D8 |
