本篇文章涉及量子计算（quantum computing）和量子计算机（quantum computers）。为了便于更好地理解该文，我们先普及一点关于量子的知识。百度有言：量子假设的提出有力地冲击了经典物理学，促进物理学进入微观层面，奠基现代物理学。但直到现在，物理学家关于量子力学的一些假设仍然不能被充分地证明，仍有很多需要研究的地方。
Since some hypotheses of quantum mechanics can’t be fully proved and there is still much to study, the controversy and uncertainty about quantum computers is reasonable, 既然量子力学的一些假设仍然不能被充分证明，且有很多需要研究之处，那关于量子计算机的争议和不确定性便在情理之中。
在资金追逐和媒体热捧下，量子计算能否达到研究者所做出的承诺？
（原文）Quantum (量子) computers have been on my mind a lot lately. A friend has been sending me articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans. I’ve also had exchanges with two quantum-computing experts. One is computer scientist Chris Johnson who I see as someone who helps keep the field honest. The other is physicist Philip Taylor.
对于牵挂心头的quantum computers，作者通过两种方式加以了解：一是articles on how quantum computers might help solve some of the biggest challenges we face as humans，也即通过朋友所送的关于量子计算机如何可能帮助解决我们人类遇见的一些最大挑战的文章；再有exchanges with two quantum-computing experts，也即，和两位量子计算专家进行交流。
让我们看看两位专家的身份。
Chris Johnson，a computer scientist，who helps keep the field honest，作为计算机科学家的Chris Johnson，有助于保持该领域的诚实。第二位量子计算专家也是物理学家，Philip Taylor，a physicist。
（原文）For decades, quantum computing has been little more than a laboratory curiosity. Now, big tech companies have invested in quantum computing, as have many smaller ones. According to Business Weekly, quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction.” This is the sort of hype (炒作) that annoys Johnson. He worries that researchers are making promises they can’t keep. “What’s new,” Johnson wrote, “is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers.”
Based on the articles he has read ，作者得出，量子计算为little more than a laboratory curiosity，也即，量子计算只不过是实验室好奇而已。big tech companies and many smaller ones have invested in it，当前，一些大的科技公司和很多小的公司已对该领域进行投资。
商业周刊（Business Weekly）（刊文）言及quantum machines could help us “cure cancer, and even take steps to turn climate change in the opposite direction”，量子机器可能会帮助我们治愈癌症，甚至可以采取措施将气候变化转向相反方向。
商业周刊的说辞在Johnson 看来只是让其恼火的炒作。His worry is that researchers are making promises they can’t keep，他则担心（该领域）研究者正在做出他们不能信守的承诺。此处我们可以联系一下第一自然段关于Johnson的介绍信息。
但Johnson不乏幽默地说到，“What’s new is that millions of dollars are now potentially available to quantum computing researchers”，（该领域）新的东西是量子计算研究者现在有可能获得数百万美金。
（原文）As quantum computing attracts more attention and funding, researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential. If researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger, Johnson warns. Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement. But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.” And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum.
从big tech companies and many smaller ones的关于量子计算的funding 或investment，到Business Weekly等媒体对之报道的推波助澜，researchers may mislead investors, journalists, the public and, worst of all, themselves about their work’s potential，研究者可能误导了投资者，记者。大众，甚至他们自身关于他们工作的潜能。
故此Johnson 警告，if researchers can’t keep their promises, excitement might give way to doubt, disappointment and anger，如果研究者不能信守承诺，随着激动褪去，将代之以怀疑，失望和忿怒。
Lots of other technologies have gone through stages of excitement，如果说很多其他科技都曾经历兴奋阶段，但在Johnson看来，perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand”，something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype，或许正是因为量子代表着我们可能难以理解的事物，所以量子计算的某些方面极易受到炒作。Johnson给出量子计算易受热炒的原因。
一句And that brings me back to Taylor, who suggested that I read his book Q for Quantum，很自然地把读者引向物理学家也是量子计算专家的Taylor和其论著Q for Quantum。
（原文）After I read the book, Taylor patiently answered my questions about it. He also answered my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016. Taylor shares Johnson’s concerns about hype, but he says those concerns do not apply to PyQuantum.
Taylor’s book Q for Quantum answered my questions about it and my questions about PyQuantum, the firm he co-founded in 2016，Taylor的书既解疑了我对量子计算的问题，同时也回答了我的关于此前他与他人共创的PyQuantum公司的一些问题。
关于Johnson’s concerns about hype，在Taylor看来，不适应于他的PyQuantum公司。
（原文）The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin (幅度)” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.” He adds, “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”
关于PyQuantum及其研发的a “useful” quantum computer，Taylor认为前者 is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin” to building a “useful” quantum computer，也即PyQuantum“以明显优势”要比任何其他公司更接近于建造一台“有用的”量子计算机。The quantum computer solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise, 该量子计算机可以解决一个我们不能解决且影响深远的问题。
通过该段，我们可以看出Taylor对于合办公司PyQuantum及其待开发的quantum computer的前景所持的乐观态度。
再看其接下来的话语，“People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others”，人们自然会对其观点不屑一顾，但他则花了大量时间对比他人和自己所做的（产品）。
（原文）Could PyQuantum really be leading all the competition “by a wide margin”, as Taylor claims? I don’t know. I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers. But I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson.
针对Taylor所说的leading all the competition “by a wide margin”，也即PyQuantun是否大幅领先于（该领域）所有竞争，作者的答案则是I don’t know。从I’m certainly not going to advise my friend or anyone else to invest in quantum computers，我们可知，作者
一定不会建议朋友或任何他人投资量子计算机。
就两位专家所言，作者给出了I trust Taylor, just as I trust Johnson，也即，两者皆信。
答案解析：
31．Regarding Johnson’s concerns, the author feels ______.
A．sympathetic
B．unconcerned
C．doubtful
D．excited
解析：此题信息源自第二自然段和第三自然段。Johnson’s concerns在于researchers are making promises they can’t keep，也即关于量子计算的hype（炒作）的担忧。从作者论述当中可以排除答案B（不关心），D（兴奋），和C（怀疑）。正确答案A（同情的；赞同的；支持的），此处应理解为赞同的，支持的。此题仍有难度，主要在于sympathy和sympathetic在以往记忆中的语义单一化。
32．What leads to Taylor’s optimism about quantum computing?
A．His dominance in physics.
B．The competition in the field.
C．His confidence in PyQuantum.
D．The investment of tech companies.
解析：此题信息源自第五自然段。从The company, he says, is closer than any other firm “by a very large margin (幅度)” to building a “useful” quantum computer和 “People will naturally discount my opinions, but I have spent a lot of time quantitatively comparing what we are doing with others.”可
以推出答案选C。也即他对合办公司PyQuantum的信心。
33．What does the underlined word “prone” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?
A．Open.
B．Cool.
C．Useful.
D．Resistant.
解析：此题答案选A。做题方法为，先对该词所在句But something about quantum computing makes it especially prone to hype, Johnson suggests, perhaps because “‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand.”加以分析推理，再把四个答案带入其中。再有，其他答案更不合理。此处open to应理解为“易受”。
34．Which would be the best title for the passage?
A．Is Johnson More Competent Than Taylor?
B．Is Quantum Computing Redefining Technology?
C．Will Quantum Computers Ever Come into Being?
D．Will Quantum Computing Ever Live Up to Its Hype?
解析：该题正确答案为D。首先排除答案A，因为Johnson和Taylor作为quantum computing的专家，在本文中是平行出现，不分孰是孰非，孰优孰劣。答案B中的redefining为重新定义。故答案B可以理解为量子计算是否重新定义科技，本文没有涉及此话题。答案C的come into being，语义为产生；诞生。故答案C理解为量子计算机会否出现。该话题只在Taylor的话语The company, he says, is closer than any other firm
“by a very large margin (幅度)” to building a “useful” quantum computer, one that “solves an impactful problem that we would not have been able to solve otherwise.”中有所涉及。最后再看答案D。live up to为不辜负；符合；遵守；达到。故答案D可以理解为量子计算是否符合或达到它的炒作。hype一词在Johnson和Taylor的话语当中皆有表述。Johnson对此呈现担心态度，而Taylor则持乐观态度。
综合分析：今年北京高考D篇涉及quantum computing，正如Johnson所说“‘quantum’ stands for something cool you shouldn’t be able to understand”，故量子计算对于普通读者相对陌生。但文章分别呈现两位专家的观点和作者本人的看法，使得该文结构清晰明了，所以理解起来难度不算太大。但在答案设置中，有些词（如sympathetic）和词组（如open to）的语义多样化，增加了思维难度。这都需要我们在广泛阅读中去激活。