CLOSE READING WORKSHOP Close Reading of Informational Texts in Science, Technology ... · 2017-08-31 · Close Reading of Informational Texts in STEM (continued) Q: Please write me

CLOSE READING WORKSHOP 6

Close Reading of Informational Texts in Science, Technology, Engineering, and MathematicsLearning Targets• Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts,

attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.• Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace the text’s explanation

or depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of the text.

• Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grade 10 texts and topics.

• Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g., force, friction, reaction force, energy).

• Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author’s claim or a recommendation for solving a scientific or technical problem.

• Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text, defining the question the author seeks to address.

• Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Close Reading for MeaningTo perform a close reading of a text, readers must dive below the surface of what a text says explicitly and focus on how and why the author communicates specific information. This enhanced focus on the text allows readers to acquire a deeper understanding of the material. When reading more complex texts, this close reading is an important tool for achieving that goal.

When reading scientific texts, it can be difficult to sift through complex pieces of information. Because of this, authors must make careful decisions as to the structure of a text by using patterns of organization. Structure is often tied to the purpose of writing about a specific topic. For example, if an author wishes to discuss the importance of continued study in alternative fuels, they may adopt a cause-and-effect organization to discuss why alternative fuels are beneficial. When readers analyze the reasons behind the decisions that authors make, they can begin to understand how structure contributes to the overall meaning of the text.

In this workshop, you will read three different texts and will practice close reading using strategies that will help you make meaning of the text. Your teacher will guide you through the first activity. In Activity 2, you will work in a collaborative group to read and respond to a visual text. For the third activity, you will work independently to apply close reading strategies to determine meaning in a new text.

LEARNING STRATEGIES:

Diffusing, Close Reading, Chunking the Text, Visualizing, Marking the Text, Rereading, OPTIC, SOAPSTone, Summarizing, Paraphrasing

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY

Structure refers to how an author chooses to organize the information presented in a text. The decision to structure a text in a certain way is typically related to the author’s purpose, or the reason the author is choosing to discuss their topic (e.g. to persuade, inform, evaluate, etc.).

Close Reading Workshop 6 • Close Reading of Informational Texts in STEM 87

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Close Reading of Informational Texts in STEM (continued)

Introducing the Strategy: DiffusingDiffusing is a strategy for close reading of text. Using this strategy, the reader reads a passage to identify unfamiliar words. The reader uses context clues, dictionaries, and/or thesauruses to discover the meaning of unfamiliar words. Writing notes about meaning or substituting synonyms for unfamiliar words helps the reader increase comprehension of the text.

Guided Practice1ACTIVITY

You will read the text in this activity at least three times, focusing on a different purpose for each reading.

First Reading: First ImpressionsRead the following passage silently. Your focus for this first reading is on understanding the meaning of the text. It may be helpful to chunk the text into smaller portions, such as by breaking up paragraphs, and then summarize those portions to draw out the meaning of the text. Try to visualize the scenario described in the text. For unfamiliar words, practice diffusing by using context clues to determine the word’s meaning. Use the definitions and synonyms in the margin to help your understanding.

Computing Machinery and Intelligence

Academic Paper

from Mind, Vol. 59, No. 236 (1950), by A. M. Turing

The Imitation Game

1 I propose to consider the question, “Can machines think?” This should begin with

definitions of the meaning of the terms “machine” and “think.” The definitions might be framed

so as to reflect so far as possible the normal use of the words, but this attitude is dangerous. If

the meaning of the words “machine” and “think” are to be found by examining how they are

commonly used it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the meaning and the answer to the

question, “Can machines think?” is to be sought in a statistical survey such as a Gallup poll.

But this is absurd. Instead of attempting such a definition I shall replace the question by another,

which is closely related to it and is expressed in relatively unambiguous words.

Gallup poll: Gallup is an American research

and consulting company that issues opinion polls

(surveys) to the public about social issues

Excerpt from

88 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 10

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2 The new form of the problem can be described in terms of a game which we call

the “imitation game.” It is played with three people, a man (A), a woman (B), and an

interrogator (C) who may be of either sex. The interrogator stays in a room apart from

the other two. The object of the game for the interrogator is to determine which of the

other two is the man and which is the woman. He knows them by labels X and Y, and

at the end of the game he says either “X is A and Y is B” or “X is B and Y is A.” The

interrogator is allowed to put questions to A and B thus:

C: Will X please tell me the length of his or her hair?

3 Now suppose X is actually A, then A must answer. It is A’s object in the game to try

and cause C to make the wrong identification. His answer might therefore be:

“My hair is shingled, and the longest strands are about nine inches long.”

4 In order that tones of voice may not help the interrogator the answers should be

written, or better still, typewritten. The ideal arrangement is to have a teleprinter

communicating between the two rooms. Alternatively the question and answers can be

repeated by an intermediary. The object of the game for the third player (B) is to help

the interrogator. The best strategy for her is probably to give truthful answers. She can

add such things as “I am the woman, don’t listen to him!” to her answers, but it will avail

nothing as the man can make similar remarks.

5 We now ask the question, “What will happen when a machine takes the part of A in

this game?” Will the interrogator decide wrongly as often when the game is played like

this as he does when the game is played between a man and a woman? These questions

replace our original, “Can machines think?”

Critique of the New Problem

6 As well as asking, “What is the answer to this new form of the question,” one may ask,

“Is this new question a worthy one to investigate?” This latter question we investigate

without further ado, thereby cutting short an infinite regress.

7 The new problem has the advantage of drawing a fairly sharp line between the

physical and the intellectual capacities of a man. No engineer or chemist claims to

be able to produce a material which is indistinguishable from the human skin. It

is possible that at some time this might be done, but even supposing this invention

available we should feel there was little point in trying to make a “thinking machine”

more human by dressing it up in such artificial flesh. The form in which we have set the

problem reflects this fact in the condition which prevents the interrogator from seeing

or touching the other competitors, or hearing their voices. Some other advantages of the

proposed criterion may be shown up by specimen questions and answers. Thus:

interrogator: a person who poses a series of questions

shingled: a woman’s short or close-cut haircut

teleprinter: a device that transmits and prints telegraph messages

avail: benefit

critique: a review or commentary on a given subjectado: delayregress: return to a former state

criterion: something that is used as a reason for making a decision or judgment


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Q: Please write me a sonnet on the subject of the Forth Bridge.

A: Count me out on this one. I never could write poetry.

Q: Add 34957 to 70764.

A: (Pause about 30 seconds and then give as answer) 105621.

Q: Do you play chess?

A: Yes.

Q: I have K at my K1, and no other pieces. You have only K at K6 and R at R1. It is your

move. What do you play?

A: (After a pause of 15 seconds) R-R8 mate.

8 The question and answer method seems to be suitable for introducing almost any one

of the fields of human endeavour that we wish to include. We do not wish to penalise

the machine for its inability to shine in beauty competitions, nor to penalise a man for

losing in a race against an aeroplane. The conditions of our game make these disabilities

irrelevant. The “witnesses” can brag, if they consider it advisable, as much as they please

about their charms, strength or heroism, but the interrogator cannot demand practical

demonstrations.

9 The game may perhaps be criticised on the ground that the odds are weighted too

heavily against the machine. If the man were to try and pretend to be the machine he

would clearly make a very poor showing. He would be given away at once by slowness

and inaccuracy in arithmetic. May not machines carry out something which ought

to be described as thinking but which is very different from what a man does? This

objection is a very strong one, but at least we can say that if, nevertheless, a machine can

be constructed to play the imitation game satisfactorily, we need not be troubled by this

objection.

10 It might be urged that when playing the “imitation game” the best strategy for the

machine may possibly be something other than imitation of the behaviour of a man. This

may be, but I think it is unlikely that there is any great effect of this kind. In any case

there is no intention to investigate here the theory of the game, and it will be assumed

that the best strategy is to try to provide answers that would naturally be given by a man.

endeavour: effort toward achieving something

penalise: to punish or give an unfair disadvantage


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Second Reading: Vocabulary in ContextNow that you have read the passage silently, listen and follow along as your teacher reads the text aloud. As you read along with your teacher, continue to mark the text by highlighting or circling unfamiliar words and/or phrases (other than the underlined words). Also identify words and/or phrases that you feel are important to the meaning of the passage. Continue to practice the diffusing strategy by annotating each paragraph with a summary statement to show comprehension.

Check Your Understanding 1. With a partner, compare the vocabulary words you highlighted, circled, or

underlined. Now choose five words that you chose and work together to determine their meanings using context clues and/or reference resources. Paraphrase the definitions in your own words to show your understanding.

2. Choose a paragraph from the passage and write a summary statement by paraphrasing its main idea. Use at least two of your previously unfamiliar words in your summary.

Third Reading: Text-Dependent QuestioningRead the passage a third time and respond to the text-dependent questions on the next pages. As your class discusses the text, write your responses to each question and highlight or underline the textual evidence that supports your answer. During discussions, you may also want to annotate the text to record a new or different meaning.

Background Information: Alan Turing was considered to be a pioneer in the field of theoretical computer science. His work in artificial intelligence, though widely criticized, made a lasting impression in regards to solving the ever-present question of computers being capable of exhibiting intelligent behavior that is indistinguishable from human behavior. Since the publication of this paper, researchers around the world have tried to replicate, improve, or nullify the game described within, now referred to as the “Turing Test,” which speaks to its groundbreaking influence.

In 2014, a computer program called Eugene Goostman was said to have “passed” the test for the first time in history during a Turing Test Competition organized by the University of Reading in England. Eugene had managed to convince 33% of the human judges that it was, in fact, human, and not machine, after a five-minute keyboard conversation—a scenario based on the game outlined in Turing’s paper.


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excerpt from “Computing Machinery and Intelligence”by A.M. Turing

The Imitation Game

1 I propose to consider the question, “Can machines think?” This should begin with

definitions of the meaning of the terms “machine” and “think.” The definitions might be framed

so as to reflect so far as possible the normal use of the words, but this attitude is dangerous. If

the meaning of the words “machine” and “think” are to be found by examining how they are

commonly used it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the meaning and the answer to the

question, “Can machines think?” is to be sought in a statistical survey such as a Gallup poll.

But this is absurd. Instead of attempting such a definition I shall replace the question by another,

which is closely related to it and is expressed in relatively unambiguous words.

2 The new form of the problem can be described in terms of a game which we call

the “imitation game.” It is played with three people, a man (A), a woman (B), and an

interrogator (C) who may be of either sex. The interrogator stays in a room apart from

the other two. The object of the game for the interrogator is to determine which of the

other two is the man and which is the woman. He knows them by labels X and Y, and

at the end of the game he says either “X is A and Y is B” or “X is B and Y is A.” The

interrogator is allowed to put questions to A and B thus:

C: Will X please tell me the length of his or her hair?

3 Now suppose X is actually A, then A must answer. It is A’s object in the game to try

and cause C to make the wrong identification. His answer might therefore be:

“My hair is shingled, and the longest strands are about nine inches long.”

4 In order that tones of voice may not help the interrogator the answers should be

written, or better still, typewritten. The ideal arrangement is to have a teleprinter

communicating between the two rooms. Alternatively the question and answers can be

repeated by an intermediary. The object of the game for the third player (B) is to help

the interrogator. The best strategy for her is probably to give truthful answers. She can

add such things as “I am the woman, don’t listen to him!” to her answers, but it will avail

nothing as the man can make similar remarks.

5 We now ask the question, “What will happen when a machine takes the part of A in

this game?” Will the interrogator decide wrongly as often when the game is played like

this as he does when the game is played between a man and a woman? These questions

replace our original, “Can machines think?”

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

What is the purpose of the first paragraph? How

does Turing use rhetoric to validate his point of view about the question “Can

machines think?”

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

Turing uses the word strategy multiple times

throughout the passage in relation to the players of the

game. How does the use of this specific word reflect

Turing’s intended impact on readers?


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Critique of the New Problem

6 As well as asking, “What is the answer to this new form of the question,” one may ask,

“Is this new question a worthy one to investigate?” This latter question we investigate

without further ado, thereby cutting short an infinite regress.

7 The new problem has the advantage of drawing a fairly sharp line between the

physical and the intellectual capacities of a man. No engineer or chemist claims to

be able to produce a material which is indistinguishable from the human skin. It

is possible that at some time this might be done, but even supposing this invention

available we should feel there was little point in trying to make a “thinking machine”

more human by dressing it up in such artificial flesh. The form in which we have set the

problem reflects this fact in the condition which prevents the interrogator from seeing

or touching the other competitors, or hearing their voices. Some other advantages of the

proposed criterion may be shown up by specimen questions and answers. Thus:

Q: Please write me a sonnet on the subject of the Forth Bridge.

A: Count me out on this one. I never could write poetry.

Q: Add 34957 to 70764.

A: (Pause about 30 seconds and then give as answer) 105621.

Q: Do you play chess?

A: Yes.

Q: I have K at my K1, and no other pieces. You have only K at K6 and R at R1. It is your

move. What do you play?

A: (After a pause of 15 seconds) R-R8 mate.

8 The question and answer method seems to be suitable for introducing almost any one

of the fields of human endeavour that we wish to include. We do not wish to penalise

the machine for its inability to shine in beauty competitions, nor to penalise a man for

losing in a race against an aeroplane. The conditions of our game make these disabilities

irrelevant. The “witnesses” can brag, if they consider it advisable, as much as they please

about their charms, strength or heroism, but the interrogator cannot demand practical

demonstrations.

9 The game may perhaps be criticised on the ground that the odds are weighted too

heavily against the machine. If the man were to try and pretend to be the machine he

would clearly make a very poor showing. He would be given away at once by slowness

and inaccuracy in arithmetic. May not machines carry out something which ought to be

described as thinking but which is very different from what a man does? This objection is

a very strong one, but at least we can say that if, nevertheless, a machine can be constructed

to play the imitation game satisfactorily, we need not be troubled by this objection.

KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS

How does the information presented in paragraph 7 further develop the ideas already introduced in the text?

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

In paragraph 8, Turing says, “We do not wish to penalise the machine for its inability to shine in beauty competitions, nor to penalise a man for losing in a race against an aeroplane.” How does this sentence represent Turing’s wishes for the game?

KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS

How does Turing address potential critics to his claims that the imitation game is a better alternative to asking “Can machines think?”


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10 It might be urged that when playing the “imitation game” the best strategy for the

machine may possibly be something other than imitation of the behaviour of a man. This

may be, but I think it is unlikely that there is any great effect of this kind. In any case

there is no intention to investigate here the theory of the game, and it will be assumed

that the best strategy is to try to provide answers that would naturally be given by a man.

Check Your UnderstandingQuestioning the Text: Using the text-based questions as a model, ask questions about the text. Begin your questions with “why” or “how.” Remember that you may not know the answer to the question, but you think the answer might be important to understanding the meaning of the passage.

Synthesizing Your UnderstandingNow that you have read the texts three times and studied the vocabulary, language, and ideas, synthesize your understanding by thinking about how different elements of the text contribute to the understanding of the text as a whole. Apply the SOAPSTone strategy by responding to the following questions.

Introducing the Strategy: SOAPSToneSOAPSTone is an acronym for an analysis strategy of informational texts. Using this strategy, the reader answers six essential questions about the Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, and Tone of the text.


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S – Speaker

How does Turing’s background in computer science and mathematics factor into this text? How does his background affect a reader’s understanding of Turing’s purpose or meaning?

O – Occasion

How does the year of publication affect a reader’s understanding of this text?

A – Audience

This paper was published in Mind, an academic journal through Oxford University that deals with philosophy. Who, then, is the primary audience of this text? How does Turing have this audience in mind throughout the passage?


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P – Purpose

What is Turing’s main purpose for writing this paper? How is that purpose connected to his audience?

S – Subject

What is the primary subject or central topic of this paper?

Tone

How would you characterize the tone of the author? Is it appropriate for the genre of the text? Explain with evidence from the text.

Writing Prompt: Using textual evidence to support your response, summarize how Turing uses structure to succeed in his purpose for his intended audience. Be sure to:• Write a topic sentence that describes the structure and purpose of the passage.• Provide several pieces of appropriate textual evidence.• Include commentary on how key sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the

text support your claim.


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Collaborative Practice2ACTIVITY

Look carefully at the charts that follow. Both charts illustrate the impact and presence of robots in industries around the world.

Robots’ Impact on Productivity Is Already SignificantCompared to Other Major Technologies

TOTAL PERCENTAGE CONTRIBUTION TO ANNUAL LABOR PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH RATES

0.34%

Steam Engine(1850–1910)

Robots(1993–2007)

IT (1995–2005)

0.36%

0.60%

Where the Robots Are

NUMBER OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS PER MILLION HOURS WORKED5

4

3

2

1

0Germany Italy Sweden

2007

1993

France S. Korea Spain U.S. U.K. Neth. Australia

Source: “Robots Seem to Be Improving Productivity, Not Costing Jobs,” from Harvard Business Review


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Introducing the Strategy: OPTICOPTIC is a strategy for systematically analyzing visual texts—including paintings, photographs, advertisements, maps, charts, or graphs—and developing an interpretation regarding the meaning or theme(s) of the text. The acronym stands for Overview, Parts, Title, Interrelationships, and Conclusion.

Applying OPTICThe OPTIC strategy allows you to analyze a visual image in a systematic way in order to understand how all aspects of the image combine to convey ideas or data visually. Work collaboratively to respond to the following prompts that are part of the OPTIC strategy. To do a close reading of a visual image, you should view and review the image each time you respond to the questions.

O – Write a brief overview of what the visual appears to be about.

P – Zoom in on all of the parts of the visual by describing any elements or details that seem important.


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T – Use the title(s) to clarify the subject of the visual.

I – Specify the interrelationships of the visual. In other words, use the title and parts of the visual as clues to detect and specify how the elements of the graphic are related.

C – Draw a conclusion about the visual as a whole. What does the visual mean? Summarize the message of the visual in one or two sentences.

Writing Prompt: Now that you have carefully examined the charts and come to conclusions about this visual text, write a paragraph that draws a connection between the charts and Turing’s paper in Activity 1. Be sure to:• Write a topic sentence that connects the charts to the document.• Include textual details and explain how they support your connection.• Write a conclusion that follows from your explanations.


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Independent Practice3ACTIVITY

As you did with the first text, you will read this text at least three times, focusing on a different purpose for each reading.

Background Information: The following text is an article published in Scientific American as part of their Special Report on Robots. The author discusses a theory of when artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence using a theory called the Law of Accelerating Returns, which takes the linear growth of human intelligence and the exponential growth of computer processing speed to make informed predictions.

First Reading: First ImpressionsRead the passage silently. Your focus for the first reading is on understanding the meaning of the passage. As you read, practice diffusing by replacing unfamiliar words with synonyms or definitions for the underlined words. Use the definitions and synonyms in the margins to help your understanding.

Article

from Scientific American (2009), by Ray Kurzweil

The accelerating pace of technological progress means that our intelligent creations will soon

eclipse us—and that their creations will eventually eclipse them.

1 Sometime early in this century the intelligence of machines will exceed that of

humans. Within a quarter of a century, machines will exhibit the full range of human

intellect, emotions and skills, ranging from musical and other creative aptitudes

to physical movement. They will claim to have feelings and, unlike today’s virtual

personalities, will be very convincing when they tell us so. By around 2020 a $1,000

computer will at least match the processing power of the human brain. By 2029 the

software for intelligence will have been largely mastered, and the average personal

computer will be equivalent to 1,000 brains.

aptitude: a natural ability to do something

processing power: the ability of a computer to

process or manipulate data

Excerpt from


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2 Once computers achieve a level of intelligence comparable to that of humans, they

will necessarily soar past it. For example, if I learn French, I can’t readily download that

learning to you. The reason is that for us, learning involves successions of stunningly

complex patterns of interconnections among brain cells (neurons) and among the

concentrations of biochemicals known as neurotransmitters that enable impulses to

travel from neuron to neuron. We have no way of quickly downloading these patterns.

But quick downloading will allow our nonbiological creations to share immediately what

they learn with billions of other machines. Ultimately, nonbiological entities will master

not only the sum total of their own knowledge but all of ours as well.

3 As this happens, there will no longer be a clear distinction between human and

machine. We are already putting computers—neural implants—directly into people’s

brains to counteract Parkinson’s disease and tremors from multiple sclerosis. We have

cochlear implants that restore hearing. A retinal implant is being developed in the U.S.

that is intended to provide at least some visual perception for some blind individuals,

basically by replacing certain visual-processing circuits of the brain. A team of scientists

at Emory University implanted a chip in the brain of a paralyzed stroke victim that

allowed him to use his brainpower to move a cursor across a computer screen.

4 In the 2020s neural implants will improve our sensory experiences, memory and

thinking. By 2030, instead of just phoning a friend, you will be able to meet in, say, a

virtual Mozambican game preserve that will seem compellingly real. You will be able

to have any type of experience—business, social —with anyone, real or simulated,

regardless of physical proximity...

Fantastic Voyage 5 …The capabilities of these embedded nanobots would not be limited to passive roles

such as monitoring. Eventually they could be built to communicate directly with the

neuronal circuits in our brains, enhancing or extending our mental capabilities. We

already have electronic devices that can communicate with neurons by detecting their

activity and either triggering nearby neurons to fire or suppressing them from firing.

The embedded nanobots will be capable of reprogramming neural connections to

provide virtual-reality experiences and to enhance our pattern recognition and other

cognitive faculties.

6 To decode and understand the brain’s information-processing methods (which,

incidentally, combine both digital and analog methods), it is not necessary to see every

connection, because there is a great deal of redundancy within each region. We are already

applying insights from early stages of this reverse-engineering process. For example, in

speech recognition, we have decoded and copied the brain’s early stages of sound processing.

biochemicals: the chemical composition or make-up of living organismsneurotransmitters: brain chemicals that communicate information throughout our bodiesnonbiological: not living

nanobots: very tiny robots built for a specific purpose

suppressing: preventing an action or the development of something

analog: using signals or information represented by a physical quantity such as spatial position; for example, using the hands on a clock to show the time versus digital numbers redundancy: state of no longer being needed or useful


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7 Perhaps more interesting than this scanning-the-brain-to-understand-it approach

would be scanning the brain for the purpose of downloading it. We would map

the locations, interconnections and contents of all the neurons, synapses and

neurotransmitter concentrations. The entire organization, including the brain’s memory,

would then be re-created on a digital-analog computer… To do this, we would need

to understand local brain processes, and progress is already under way. Theodore W.

Berger and his co-workers at the University of Southern California have built integrated

circuits that precisely match the processing characteristics of substantial clusters of

neurons. Carver A. Mead and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology

have built a variety of integrated circuits that emulate the digital-analog characteristics

of mammalian neural circuits. There are simulations of the visual-processing regions of

the brain, as well as the cerebellum, the region responsible for skill formation.

8 Developing complete maps of the human brain is not as daunting as it may sound. The

Human Genome Project seemed impractical when it was first proposed. At the rate at which

it was possible to scan genetic codes 20 years ago, it would have taken thousands of years to

complete the genome. But in accordance with the Law of Accelerating Returns, the ability to

sequence DNA has doubled every year, and the project was completed on time in 2003.

9 By the third decade of this century, we will be in a position to create complete, detailed

maps of the computationally relevant features of the human brain and to re-create these

designs in advanced neural computers. We will provide a variety of bodies for our machines,

too, from virtual bodies in virtual reality to bodies comprising swarms of nanobots, as well

as humanoid robots.

Will It Be Conscious? 10 ...Before this century is over, the Law of Accelerating Returns tells us, Earth’s

technology-creating species —us —will merge with our own technology. And when

that happens, we might ask: What is the difference between a human brain enhanced a

millionfold by neural implants and a nonbiological intelligence based on the reverse-

engineering of the human brain that is subsequently enhanced and expanded?

11 The engine of evolution used its innovation from one period (humans) to create the

next (intelligent machines). The subsequent milestone will be for the machines to create

their own next generation without human intervention.

12 An evolutionary process accelerates because it builds on its own means for further evolution.

Humans have beaten evolution. We are creating intelligent entities in considerably less time than

it took the evolutionary process that created us. Human intelligence—a product of evolution—has

transcended it. So, too, the intelligence that we are now creating in computers will soon exceed

the intelligence of its creators.

emulate: to imitate; to copy characteristics of something

or someone else

subsequently: later

intervention: to come between two events in

order to prevent or change a course of events


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Second Reading: Vocabulary in ContextNow that you have read the passage silently, listen and follow along as your teacher reads the passage aloud. As you read along, circle words and/or phrases other than the underlined words that you do not know or that you feel are important to the meaning of the article. Using context clues and reference resources, determine the meaning of any new words you need to define. Diffuse these words/phrases for comprehension.

Check Your UnderstandingChoose five vocabulary words that have been underlined, bolded, and/or circled, and paraphrase the definitions to show your understanding. Then choose two or three of the words you have examined that you think are significant to understanding the text and use those words in sentences as part of a summary explaining the central ideas in the text.

Third Reading: Text-Dependent QuestioningRead the passage a third time and respond to the text-dependent questions. As your class discusses the text, write your responses to each question and highlight or underline the textual evidence that supports your answer.

excerpt from “The Coming Merging of Mind and Machine”by Ray Kurzweil

The accelerating pace of technological progress means that our intelligent creations will soon

eclipse us—and that their creations will eventually eclipse them.

1 Sometime early in this century the intelligence of machines will exceed that of

humans. Within a quarter of a century, machines will exhibit the full range of human

intellect, emotions and skills, ranging from musical and other creative aptitudes

to physical movement. They will claim to have feelings and, unlike today’s virtual

personalities, will be very convincing when they tell us so. By around 2020 a $1,000

computer will at least match the processing power of the human brain. By 2029 the

software for intelligence will have been largely mastered, and the average personal

computer will be equivalent to 1,000 brains.

2 Once computers achieve a level of intelligence comparable to that of humans, they

will necessarily soar past it. For example, if I learn French, I can’t readily download that

learning to you. The reason is that for us, learning involves successions of stunningly

complex patterns of interconnections among brain cells (neurons) and among the

concentrations of biochemicals known as neurotransmitters that enable impulses to

KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS

According to the first paragraph, what is the central idea of this passage? How does Kurzweil develop this idea over the course of the passage?


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travel from neuron to neuron. We have no way of quickly downloading these patterns.

But quick downloading will allow our nonbiological creations to share immediately what

they learn with billions of other machines. Ultimately, nonbiological entities will master

not only the sum total of their own knowledge but all of ours as well.

3 As this happens, there will no longer be a clear distinction between human and

machine. We are already putting computers—neural implants—directly into people’s

brains to counteract Parkinson’s disease and tremors from multiple sclerosis. We have

cochlear implants that restore hearing. A retinal implant is being developed in the U.S.

that is intended to provide at least some visual perception for some blind individuals,

basically by replacing certain visual-processing circuits of the brain. A team of scientists

at Emory University implanted a chip in the brain of a paralyzed stroke victim that

allowed him to use his brainpower to move a cursor across a computer screen.

4 In the 2020s neural implants will improve our sensory experiences, memory and

thinking. By 2030, instead of just phoning a friend, you will be able to meet in, say, a

virtual Mozambican game preserve that will seem compellingly real. You will be able

to have any type of experience—business, social —with anyone, real or simulated,

regardless of physical proximity...

Fantastic Voyage 5 …The capabilities of these embedded nanobots would not be limited to passive

roles such as monitoring. Eventually they could be built to communicate directly with

the neuronal circuits in our brains, enhancing or extending our mental capabilities.

We already have electronic devices that can communicate with neurons by detecting

their activity and either triggering nearby neurons to fire or suppressing them from

firing. The embedded nanobots will be capable of reprogramming neural connections

to provide virtual-reality experiences and to enhance our pattern recognition and other

cognitive faculties.

6 To decode and understand the brain’s information-processing methods (which, incidentally,

combine both digital and analog methods), it is not necessary to see every connection, because

there is a great deal of redundancy within each region. We are already applying insights from early

stages of this reverse-engineering process. For example, in speech recognition, we have decoded

and copied the brain’s early stages of sound processing.

7 Perhaps more interesting than this scanning-the-brain-to-understand-it approach

would be scanning the brain for the purpose of downloading it. We would map

the locations, interconnections and contents of all the neurons, synapses and

neurotransmitter concentrations. The entire organization, including the brain’s memory,

KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS

How does Kurzweil support his claim that there will no

longer be a clear distinction between human and

machine? Does he provide sufficient supporting

evidence? Explain your answer.

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

Kurzweil uses a lot of technical and scientific

language. How does the use of this language reflect his

intended audience?


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would then be re-created on a digital-analog computer… To do this, we would need

to understand local brain processes, and progress is already under way. Theodore W.

Berger and his co-workers at the University of Southern California have built integrated

circuits that precisely match the processing characteristics of substantial clusters of

neurons. Carver A. Mead and his colleagues at the California Institute of Technology

have built a variety of integrated circuits that emulate the digital-analog characteristics

of mammalian neural circuits. There are simulations of the visual-processing regions of

the brain, as well as the cerebellum, the region responsible for skill formation.

8 Developing complete maps of the human brain is not as daunting as it may sound.

The Human Genome Project seemed impractical when it was first proposed. At the

rate at which it was possible to scan genetic codes 20 years ago, it would have taken

thousands of years to complete the genome. But in accordance with the Law of

Accelerating Returns, the ability to sequence DNA has doubled every year, and the

project was completed on time in 2003.

9 By the third decade of this century, we will be in a position to create complete,

detailed maps of the computationally relevant features of the human brain and to re-

create these designs in advanced neural computers. We will provide a variety of bodies

for our machines, too, from virtual bodies in virtual reality to bodies comprising

swarms of nanobots, as well as humanoid robots.

Will It Be Conscious? 10 ...Before this century is over, the Law of Accelerating Returns tells us, Earth’s

technology-creating species —us —will merge with our own technology. And when

that happens, we might ask: What is the difference between a human brain enhanced a

millionfold by neural implants and a nonbiological intelligence based on the reverse-

engineering of the human brain that is subsequently enhanced and expanded?

11 The engine of evolution used its innovation from one period (humans) to create the

next (intelligent machines). The subsequent milestone will be for the machines to create

their own next generation without human intervention.

12 An evolutionary process accelerates because it builds on its own means for further evolution.

Humans have beaten evolution. We are creating intelligent entities in considerably less time than

it took the evolutionary process that created us. Human intelligence—a product of evolution—has

transcended it. So, too, the intelligence that we are now creating in computers will soon exceed

the intelligence of its creators.

CRAFT AND STRUCTURE

In paragraph 8, Kurzweil mentions a “Law of Accelerating Returns.” Use context clues to briefly describe what this law is.


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Check Your UnderstandingPair with another student, and work together to write a few summary sentences that paraphrase the purpose of each of the three sections in the text. Consider how the article is structured, and how the author arrives at his conclusion. Use this information to help guide you through your summary statements.

Synthesizing Your Understanding Using SOAPSTone: Refer back to Activity 1 and review the SOAPSTone strategy. Reread the passage and underline sentences that you believe express important ideas related to different elements of the text. Apply the SOAPSTone strategy by responding to the following questions.

S – Speaker

How can we, as readers, tell that Kurzweil is an authority on the subject of artificial intelligence?


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O – Occasion

Describe the context that surrounds the publication of this article. What occasion do you think prompted Kurzweil to write this text?

A – Audience

This paper was published in Scientific American, a science news magazine founded in 1845, which continues to have a wide readership. Who, then, is this article’s primary audience? How does Kurzweil have this audience in mind throughout the passage?

P – Purpose

What is Kurzweil’s main purpose for writing this article? How is that purpose connected to his audience?


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S – Subject

What is the primary subject or central topic of this article?

Tone

How would you characterize the tone of the author? Is it appropriate for the genre of the text? Explain with evidence from the text.

Writing Prompt: Now that you have studied Kurzweil’s article, write a response in which you compare and contrast his purpose and structure with that of Turing’s paper. Be sure to:• Write a thesis statement that identifies Kurzweil’s purpose and structure.• Choose several pieces of appropriate textual evidence.• Explain the significance of your textual evidence.


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Synthesis Questions4ACTIVITY

Your teacher may choose, or ask you to choose, one of the following assessments to demonstrate your understanding of the texts you have read.

Writing Prompt: Consider the impacts that all three texts have on your understanding of the role of artificial intelligence. Note how each text concerns a different point in time or concepts related to the field. Using the information provided in the texts, write an essay describing how these texts have shaped your understanding of the implications surrounding artificial intelligence. You may further discuss where the field is headed, the foundations of the field and how that foundation has helped guide further research or development, or discuss the philosophical implications in the use of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives. Conduct research to find out other views or developments in the field, and use this information to help shape your response. In your essay, be sure to reference each text/visual presented in this unit, and provide evidence from the text to support your ideas.

Debate/Discussion: Conduct a Socratic Seminar. Work with a small group of students to revisit the texts in this unit and create two or three open-ended questions for each written and visual text. These questions should concern a specific element of the texts, such as the structure, purpose, or context (i.e., larger conversation surrounding the topic). Remember that your open-ended questions should not have a “yes” or “no” answer, but should be questions that will encourage a rich discussion that requires thoughtful responses. With your questions and your annotated text in front of you, engage with your peers in a Socratic Seminar in which you share your questions and respond to the questions that other students have generated.

Multimedia Presentation: As can be seen throughout the texts in this workshop, robots can provide a multitude of services in various shapes or forms. For example, Kurzweil discusses many medical uses, while the charts show how robots interact with other industries and affect the work productivity in manufacturing. Conduct research to investigate how robots are currently being used or proposed uses that may still be in the conceptual stage of development. How may these uses impact society? What are the philosophical implications of these uses? Are there risks to consider with the use of artificial intelligence for its proposed purpose? For this assignment, be sure to find at least three different uses of robots or artificial intelligence. Consider using visual representations of data from your research, and use a multimedia presentation tool such as a digital slideshow to arrange and present your findings to the class.


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ReflectionThink about what you have learned from your close reading and analysis of the text passages you have read in this workshop.

1. How do the texts studied in this lesson help build an understanding of the connection between structure and purpose? How can this understanding extend to the understanding of other texts?

2. In this workshop, you have learned to make meaning of three different texts. How can you use what you have learned to help you as you encounter challenging texts in the future? What strategies helped you as a learner during this workshop? When and why would you use these strategies in the future?


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Documents

CLOSE READING WORKSHOP Close Reading of Informational Texts in Science, Technology ... · 2017-08-31 · Close Reading of Informational Texts in STEM (continued) Q: Please write me