Giải đề Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 3, Reading Passage 3: Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us?

Bài giải đề từ team IELTSITY giúp các bạn xác định từ khóa, vị trí thông tin và giải thích đáp án cho đề Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 3, Reading Passage 3: Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us?

Nội dung chính

ANSWER TABLE
27. D	34. B
28. A	35. NO
29. C	36. YES
30. B	37. NO
31. C	38. NOT GIVEN
32. E	39. NOT GIVEN
33. F	40. YES

Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us?

Once the stuff of science fiction, technology that enables people to talk using different languages is now here. But how effective is it?

Noise, Alex Waibel tells me, is one of the major challenges that artificial speech translation has to meet. A device may be able to recognise speech in a laboratory, or a meeting room, but will snuggle to cope with the kind of background noise I can hear in my office surrounding Professor Waibel as he speaks to me from Kyoto station in Japan (Q27). I’m struggling to follow him in English, on a scratchy line that reminds Ine we are nearly 10,000 kilometres apart — and that distance is still an obstacle to communication even if you’re speaking the same language, as we are. We haven’t reached the future yet. If we had, Waibel would have been able to speak more comfortably in his native German and I would have been able to hear his words in English.

At Karlsruhe Institute Of Technology, where he is a professor of computer science, Waibel and his colleagues already give lectures in German that their students can follow in English via an electronic translator. The system generates text that students can read on their laptops or phones, so the process is Somewhat similar to subtitling. It helps that lecturers speak clearly, don’t have to compete with background chatter, and say much the same thing each year(Q28)

The idea of artificial speech translation has been around for a long time. Douglas Adams’ science fiction novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, published in 1979, featured a life form called the ‘Babel fish’ which, when placed in the ear, enabled a listener to understand any language in the universe. It came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable (Q29), like TVs flat enough to hang on walls: objects that we once could only dream of having but that are now commonplace. Now devices that look like prototype Babel fish have started to appear, riding a wave of advances in artificial translation and voice recognition.

At this stage, however, they seem to be regarded as eye-catching novelties rather than steps towards what Waibel calls ‘making a language-transparent society’. They tend to be domestic devices or applications suitable for hotel check-ins, for example, providing a practical alternative to speaking traveler’s English. The efficiency of the translator is less important than the social function. However, ‘Professionals are less inclined to be patient in a conversation,’ founder and CEO at Waverly Labs, Andrew Ochoa, observes. To redress this, Waverly is now preparing a new model for professional applications, which entails performance improvements in speech recognition, translation accuracy and the time it takes to deliver the translated speech.

For a conversation, both speakers need to have devices called Pilots (translator earpieces) in their ears. ‘We find that there’s a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger,’ says Ochoa. That can’t have been totally unexpected(Q30). The problem would be solved if earpiece translators became sufficiently prevalent that strangers would be likely to already have their own in their ears. Whether that happens, and how quickly, will probably depend not so much on the earpieces themselves, but on the prevalence of voice-controlled devices and artificial translation in general.

Waibel highlights the significance of certain Asian nations, noting that voice translation has really taken off in countries such as Japan with a range of systems. There is still a long way to go, though(Q31). A translation system needs to be simultaneous, like the translator’s voice speaking over the foreign politician being interviewed on the TV, rather than in sections that oblige speakels to pause after every few remarks and wait for the translation to be delivered. It needs to work offline, for situations where internet access isn’t possible, and to address apprehensions about the amount of private speech data accumulating in the cloud, having been sent to servers for processing.

Systems not only need to cope with physical challenges such as noise, they will also need to be socially aware by addressing people in the right way. Some cultural traditions demand solemn respect for academic status, for example, and it is only polite to respect this. Etiquette-sensitive artificial translators could relieve people of the need to know these differing cultural norms. At the same time, they might help to preserve local customs, slowing the spread of habits associated with international English, such as its readiness to get on first-name terms.

Professors and other professionals will not outsoullte language awareness to software, though. If the technology matures into seamless, ubiquitous artificial speech translation, it will actually add value to language skills(Q35). Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or relationships is open to question (Q36)— though one noteworthy possibility is that it could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration, leaving children and their grandpalents without a shared language(Q37).

Whatever uses it is put to, though, it will never be as good as the real thing. Even if voicemorphing technology simulates the speaker’s voice, their lip movements won’t match, and they will look like they are in a dubbed movie(Q38). The contrast will underline the value of shared languages, and the value of learning them. Sharing a language can promote a sense of belonging and community, as with the international scientists who use English as a lingua franca, where their predecessors used Latin (Q39). Though the practical need for a common language will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist (Q40). And softwate will never be a substitute for the subtle but vital understanding that comes with knowledge of a language.

GIẢI THÍCH CHI TIẾT ĐỀ Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us?

Questions 27-30

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in boxes 27—30 on your answer sheet.

27. What does the reader learn about the conversation in the first paragraph?

A The speakers are communicating in different languages.

B Neither of the speakers is familiar with their environment.

C The topic of the conversation is difficult for both speakers.

D Aspects of the conversation are challenging for both speakers.

Dẫn chứng trong bài: Đoạn 1: Noise, Alex Waibel tells me, is one of the major challenges that artificial speech translation has to meet. A device may be able to recognise speech in a laboratory, or a meeting room, but will snuggle to cope with the kind of background noise I can hear in my office surrounding Professor Waibel as he speaks to me from Kyoto station in Japan (Q27)

Giải thích: Đoạn 1 thảo luận về các khía cạnh gây cản trở cho cuộc hội thoại giữa 2 người nói như tiếng ồn tại ga tàu Kyoto, nơi mà giáo sư Waibel đang có cuộc trò truyện với người viết.

28. What assists the electronic translator during lectures at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology?

A the repeated content of lectures

B the students’ reading skills

C the languages used

D the lecturers’ technical ability

Dẫn chứng trong bài: Đoạn 2: It helps that lecture’s speak clearly, don’t have to compete with background chatter, and say much the same thing each year (Q28)

Giải thích: Việc bài giảng được lặp đi lặp lại hằng năm giúp việc dạy học bằng tiếng Đức của giáo sư Waibel trở nên rõ ràng & dễ theo dõi hơn cho học sinh

29. When referring to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the writer suggests that

A the Babel fish was considered undesirable at the time.

B this book was not seriously intending to predict the future.

C artificial speech translation was not a surprising development.

D some speech translation techniques are better than others.

Dẫn chứng trong bài: Douglas Adams’ science fiction novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, published in 1979, featured a life form called the ‘Babel fish’ which, when placed in the ear, enabled a listener to understand any language in the universe. It came to represent one of those devices that technology enthusiasts dream of long before they become practically realisable (Q29)

Giải thích: Việc người viết nhắc về tiếu thuyết ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ xuất bản vào năm 1979 là để chỉ ra rằng công nghệ phiên dịch nhân tạo không phải là 1 sự phát triển đáng ngạc nhiên, mà đã có người nghĩ đến nó từ lâu.

30. What does the writer say about sharing earpieces?

A It is something people will get used to doing.

B The reluctance to do this is understandable.

C The equipment will be unnecessary in the future.

D It is something few people need to worry about.

Dẫn chứng trong bài: ‘We find that there’s a barrier with sharing one of the earphones with a stranger,’ says Ochoa. That can’t have been totally unexpected (Q30)

Giải thích: Ochoa cho rằng việc mọi người ngại phải chia vẻ 1 bên tai nghe với người lạ là chuyện đã được kỳ vọng trước, khi mọi người thường cảm thấy do dự khi phải chia sẻ với người lạ 1 bên tai nghe của mình.

Questions 31-34

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A—F, below.

Write the correct letter, A—F, in boxes 31—34 on your answer sheet.

31 Speech translation methods are developing fast in Japan

32 TV interviews that use translation voiceover methods are successful

33 Future translation systems should address people appropriately

34 Users may be able to maintain their local customs

A but there are concerns about this.

B as systems do not need to conform to standard practices.

C but they are far from perfect.

D despite the noise issues.

E because translation is immediate.

F and have an awareness of good manners.

Q31: C but they are far from perfect.

Từ khóa trong đáp án: Speech translation methods are developing fast in Japan

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Waibel highlights the significance of certain Asian nations, noting that voice translation has really taken off in countries such as Japan with a range of systems. There is still a long way to go, though.

Giải thích: Phiên dịch giọng nói mặc dù đa rất phát triển ở quốc gia như Nhật Bản, nhưng những hệ thống này còn rất nhiều thứ phải cải thiện.

Q32: E because translation is immediate

Từ khóa trong đáp án: TV interviews that use translation voiceover methods are successful

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: A translation system needs to be simultaneous, like the translator’s voice speaking over the foreign politician being interviewed on the TV, rather than in sections that oblige speakels to pause after every few remarks and wait for the translation to be delivered.

Giải thích: Các hệ thống phiên dịch cần phải được chạy ngay lập tức, song song với người nói. Giống cái cách mà biên tập viên phiên dịch chèn vào lời thoại của các chính trị gia nước ngoài, song song với lúc họ nói.

Q33: F and have an awareness of good manners

Từ khóa trong đáp án: Future translation systems should address people appropriately

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Systems not only need to cope with physical challenges such as noise, they will also need to be socially aware by addressing people in the right way. Some cultural traditions demand solemn respect for academic status, for example, and it is only polite to respect this.

Giải thích: Các hệ thống phiên dịch còn cần phải nhận thức được việc ai là người mình đang trò truyện cùng. Ví dụ, khi bạn trò chuyện với 1 người có địa vị về học thức, cách phiên dịch trong xưng hộ cần được cân nhắc kĩ lưỡng hơn để thể hiện sự lịch sự.

Q34: B. as systems do not need to conform to standard practices

Từ khóa trong đáp án: Users may be able to maintain their local customs.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Etiquette-sensitive artificial translators could relieve people of the need to know these differing cultural norms. At the same time, they might help to preserve local customs, slowing the spread of habits associated with international English, such as its readiness to get on first-name terms.

Giải thích: Người dùng của những hệ thống phiên dịch tinh tế còn không phải lo về vấn đề khác biệt về văn hoá vùng miền hay chuẩn mực xã hội. 1 hệ thống phiên dịch đỉnh sẽ tự nhận biết sự khác biệt về văn hoá và phiên dịch đề chiều theo văn hoá của những người tham gia cuộc hội thoại.

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 35—40 on your answer sheet, write

YES if the statement agrees with lhe views of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer

NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

35. NO Language translation systems will be seen as very useful throughout the academic and professional worlds.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Professors and other professionals will not outsource language awareness to software, though. If the technology matures into seamless, ubiquitous artificial speech translation, it will actually add value to language skills.

Giải thích: Bài đọc chỉ ra rằng giáo sư và các nhà chuyên gia sẽ không đẩy hoàn toàn sự nhận thức về ngôn ngữ cho phần mềm. Thay vào đó, các phần mềm phiên dịch sẽ đóng vai trò gia tăng giá trị cho việc học ngôn ngữ.

36 YES The overall value of automated translation to family life is yet to be shown.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Whether it will help people conduct their family lives or relationships is open to question.

Giải thích: Thông tin trong câu hỏi và bài đọc trùng khớp khi đều cho rằng những ích lợi thực tế của các hệ thống phiên dịch nhân tạo trong gia đình & mối quan hệ còn bỏ ngỏ, chưa có câu trả lời thực tiễn.

37. NO Automated translation could make life more difficult for immigrant families.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: …though one noteworthy possibility is that it could overcome the language barriers that often arise between generations after migration, leaving children and their grandpalents without a shared language.

Giải thích: Câu hỏi cho rằng hệ thống phiên dịch sẽ gây khó khăn cho các gia đình di cư. Tuy nhiên, bài đọc cho rằng các hệ thống phiên dịch có thể giúp các thế hệ xa cách nhau hàn gắn khoảng cách về mặt ngôn ngữ, như giữa ông bà và cháu không cùng nói 1 ngôn ngữ chung.

38. NOT GIVEN Visual aspects of language translation are being considered by scientists.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Even if voice-morphing technology simulates the speaker’s voice, their lip movements won’t match, and they will look like they are in a dubbed movie.

Giải thích: Không có thông tin nhắc về việc các nhà khoa học đang cân nhắc về tính hình thức về các hệ thống phiên dịch, họ chỉ bàn về việc kể cả khi hệ thống dịch bắt chước được giọng nói thì cũng không để bắt chước được khẩu hình miệng.

39. NOT GIVEN International scientists have found English easier to translate into other languages than Latin.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Sharing a language can promote a sense of belonging and community, as with the international scientists who use English as a lingua franca, where their predecessors used Latin.

Giải thích: Không có thông tin bàn về việc tiếng Anh hay tiếng Latin dễ dịch hơn. Tiếng Anh & Latin được nhắc đến ở đây với mục đích nhấn mạnh vào tầm quan trọng của việc chia sẻ 1 ngôn ngữ chung.

40. YES As far as language is concerned, there is a difference between people’s social and practical needs.

Từ đồng nghĩa trong bài: Though the practical need for a common language will diminish, the social value of sharing one will persist

Giải thích: Mặc dù nhu cầu thực tiễn cho 1 ngôn ngữ chung sẽ giảm đi, giá trị xã hội của việc chia sẻ cùng 1 ngôn ngữ sẽ tiếp diễn. Khi mà phần mềm phiên dịch sẽ không sẽ thay thế cho sự hiểu biết quan trọng của việc học 1 ngôn ngữ.

IELTSITY hy vọng rằng bài viết này đã giúp bạn hiểu rõ và hoàn thành tốt bài đọc Is the era of artificial speech translation upon us? (CAMBRIDGE 19 – TEST 3 – PASSAGE 3). Đừng quên chia sẻ cho bạn bè để cùng luyện tập nhé! Chúc các bạn học tốt!

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