13．The most complex object known to humanity is the human brain-and not only is it complex，but it is one of the few natural phenomena that science has no consciousness of．To try to replicate （复制） something that is so poorly understood may therefore seem like pride．But you have to start somewhere，and International Business Machines （IBM） and the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne （EPFL），in Switzerland，propose to start by replicating"in silico"，one of the brain's building blocks．
In a partnership announced，the two organizations said they would be working together to build a simulation （模拟） of a structure known as a neo-cortical（新大脑皮质的）column on a type of IBM supercomputer that is currently used to study the molecular functioning of genes．If that works，they plan to use more powerful computers to link such simulated columns together into something that mimics（模仿） a brain．
In a real brain，a neo-cortical column is a cylindrical（圆柱形的）element about a third of a millimeter in diameter and three millimeters long．It is these columns，arranged side by side like the cells of a honeycomb，which make up the famous"grey matter"that has become shorthand for human intelligence．The Blue Gene/L supercomputer that will be used for the simulation consists of enough independent processors for each to be programmed to mimic an individual nerve cell in a column．
The EPFL's contribution to the Blue Brain Project will be to create a digital description of how the columns behave．The database from its Brain Mind Institute will provide the raw material for the simulation．Biologists and computer scientists will then connect the artificial nerve cells up in a way that mimics nature．They will do so by assigning electrical properties（电能）to them，and telling them how to communicate with each other and how they should modify their connections with one another depending on their activity．
That will be no mean feat．Even a single nerve cell is complicated，not least because each one has about 10，000connections with others．And nerve cells come in great variety-relying，for example，on different chemical transmitters to carry messages across those connections．Eventually，however，a digital representation of an entire column Should occur．
Assuming that the growth of computing power continues to follow Moore's Law，the leader of IBM's side thinks it should be practical to mimic an entire human brain in silico this way in ten to fifteen years．Such an artificial brain would，of course，be a powerful research tool．It would allow neurological experiments that currently take days in a"web lab"to be conducted in seconds．The researchers hope that their simulated brain will reveal the secrets of how certain psychiatric and neurological，disorders develop．But that is probably not the real reason for doing it．The most interesting question，surely，is whether such an artificial brain will be intelligent，or conscious，or both．
59．In a real brain，a neo-cortical columnA．
A．contains a large number of nerve cells
B．is a simulation of a structure
C．is the famous"grey matter"
D．looks like the cells of a honeycomb
60．What does the underlined sentence"That will be no mean feat"in Paragraph 5indicate？B
A．The function of chemical transmitters is hard to understand．
B．It is rather difficult to connect the artificial nerve cells up．
C．A digital representation of an entire column is time-consuming．
D．A single nerve cell is complicated to identify across connections．
61．The fundamental purpose of doing the research is probablyC．
A．to simulate an entire human brain in silico
B．to tell us how some certain disorders emerge
C．to discover how the artificial brain would work
D．to examine whether Moore's Law is still functioning
62．What type of writing is this passage？D
A．A science fiction
B．A computer advertisement
C．An official document
D．A research report．
分析 本文是一篇研究报告，研究的最终目的就是发现大脑是如何工作的．人类所了解的最复杂的对象是人的大脑，它不仅是复杂的，而且是科学没有办法解释的自然现象之一．
解答 59．A推理判断题．根据文章第三段It is these columns，arranged side by side like the cells of a honeycomb，可知在这个圆柱体结构中，排列着像蜂巢一样的细胞．故选A．
60．B词义辨析题．根据第五段Even a single nerve cell is complicated，not least because each one has about 10，000connections with others．可知甚至单个神经细胞也是很复杂的，因为每一个细胞跟其他的有大约10000个连接处．由此推知，"That will be no mean feat"的意思是"连接人工神经细胞很困难"．故选B．
61．C细节理解题．根据最后一段The most interesting question，surely，is whether such an artificial brain will be intelligent，or conscious，or both．可知研究的最终目的就是发现大脑是如何工作的．故选C．
62．D推理判断题．本文是一篇研究报告，研究的最终目的就是发现大脑是如何工作的．故选D．
点评 本文是科教类阅读理解．做这类题材阅读理解时要求考生对文章通读一遍，做题时结合原文和题目有针对性的找出相关语句进行仔细分析，结合选项选出正确答案．推理判断题也是要在抓住关键句子的基础上合理的分析才能得出正确答案，切忌胡乱猜测，一定要做到有理有据
