阅读理解
A new app aims to help parents
interpret what their baby wants based on the sound of their cry. The free app
Chatter Baby, which was released last month, analyzes the acoustic (声学的) features of a baby's cry, to help
parents understand whether their child might be hungry, fussy or in pain. While
critics say caregivers should not rely too much on their smartphone, others say
it's a helpful tool for new or tired parents.
Ariana Anderson, a mother of four,
developed the app. She originally designed the technology to help deaf parents
better understand why their baby was upset, but soon realized it could be a
helpful tool for all new parents.
To build a database, Anderson and her
team uploaded 2,000 audio samples of infant(婴儿) cries. She used cries recorded during
ear piercings and vaccinations to distinguish pain cries. And to create a
baseline for the other two categories, a group of moms had to agree on whether
the cry was either hungry or fussy.
Anderson's team continues to collect
data and hopes to make the app more accurate by asking parents to get specific
about what certain sounds mean.
Pediatrician Eric Ball pointed out that
evaluating cries can never be an exact science. “I think that all of the apps
and technology that new parents are using now can be helpful but need to be
taken seriously,” Ball said ,“ I do worry that some parents will get stuck in
big data and turn their parenting into basically a spreadsheet(电子表格) which I think will take away the love
and caring that parents are supposed to be providing for the children. ”
But Anderson said the aim of the app is
to have parents interpret the results, not to provide a yes or no answer. The
Bells, a couple using this app, say it's a win-win. They believe they are not
only helping their baby now but potentially others in the future.
(1)
How does the app judge what babies want?
A . By collecting data.
B . By recording all the sounds.
C . By analyzing the sound of their cries.
D . By asking parents about specific messages.
(2)
What was the app designed for in the beginning?
A . All new parents.
B . Deaf parents.
C . Ariana Anderson.
D . Crying babies.
(3)
What is Ball's opinion about the app?
A . Parents should use the app wisely.
B . The app can create an accurate result.
C . Parents and babies are addicted to the app.
D . The app makes babies lose love and caring.
(4)
What is the text mainly about?
A . Parents should not rely too much on their smartphones.
B . A new app helps parents figure out why their babies are crying.
C . Parents can deal with babies' hunger with the help of a new app.
D . A new app called Chatter Baby can prevent babies from crying.
答案: C
B
A
B