Part A: Reading Comprehension

Text 2

According to our research, around one in five workers in the UK talk to AI like a friend, looking for guidance on personal and professional problems. Our data shows that engaging with AI like this can leave us feeling heard and less isolated. But, with this newfound connection, many of us share sensitive, sometimes highly confidential information, even though over a third of people don’t realise that AI platforms may not be very good at keeping our secrets... secret.

For businesses, the implications are worrying. Consider Microsoft Copilot, for example. It grants Microsoft broad rights to the data inputted or outputted by any user—rights to use this data in any way it sees fit; it can even share it with third parties. This means that any sensitive business information could potentially be exposed to the world. Employers are taking note and taking action. According to our research, 25% have decided to either outright ban AI or regulate its use within their organisations. But even with these policies in place, some employees choose to break the rules. They have their reasons—around 63% of them report that using AI increases their productivity, and some even feel AI offers more help than their human colleagues.

The situation presents a delicate balance between leveraging AI for its productivity gains and risking confidential data exposure. Employers need to manage AI tools with the same level of care as any other form of data sharing or storage. There’s also a knowledge gap that needs to be addressed—40% of individuals surveyed are unsure about who retains ownership over the content produced by AI. By instilling best practices in AI engagement and creating policies that evolve with the technology, businesses can positively shift the AI landscape.

With AI’s potential to simplify our professional lives, do the admin and enhance the work experience, it’s up to us to navigate its usage cautiously so it supports us without compromising our privacy. There’s no need to back away from progress, as long as we’re equipped with the knowledge and tools to make sure AI remains a friend. And this is where the challenge lies. There are so many products out there, being promoted with huge advertising and marketing budgets, that it’s easy to fall victim. But by building a culture of digital responsibility within our businesses, we can create a future where AI can help us without spilling the beans.

26. According to Paragraph 1, workers’ engagement with AI can

[A]

facilitate their career progress. 

[B]

give them emotional support. 

[C]

help maintain their motivation. 

[D]

improve workplace communication. 

27. Microsoft Copilot is cited to show that the use of AI may

[A]

pose a threat to businesses. 

[B]

generate unnecessary data. 

[C]

promote business cooperation. 

[D]

encourage information sharing. 

28. Some employees choose to break the rules on AI due to

[A]

easy access to AI products. 

[B]

the desire to stay well-informed. 

[C]

its significant role in their work. 

[D]

the need to compete with others. 

29. To positively shift the AI landscape, business should

[A]

increase the transparency of their data sources. 

[B]

prioritise the quality of AI-produced content. 

[C]

include employee perspectives in their rules. 

[D]

adjust their management to AI development. 

30. According to the last paragraph, we may easily fall victim to AI as we

[A]

have a limited understanding of it. 

[B]

underestimate its economic costs. 

[C]

tend to overemphasise its power. 

[D]

are excessively exposed to it. 

答案解析 (Answers & Explanations)

26. [B] give them emotional support.
解析：细节推理题。第一段指出，数据表明与 AI 进行这样的互动可以“让我们感觉被倾听并且减少孤立感（leave us feeling heard and less isolated）”。感觉被倾听、不孤单，这本质上属于提供情绪价值。因此选 [B]“给予他们情感支持（give them emotional support）”。

27. [A] pose a threat to businesses.
解析：例证推理题。第二段开头明确指出：“对于企业来说，影响是令人担忧的（the implications are worrying）”。随后以 Microsoft Copilot 为例，说明它可能将用户的输入数据与第三方共享，结论是：“这意味着任何敏感的商业信息都可能被泄露给全世界（exposed to the world）”。机密信息被泄露自然是构成了威胁，因此选 [A]“对企业构成威胁（pose a threat to businesses）”。

28. [C] its significant role in their work.
解析：细节题。第二段末尾探讨了员工违反 AI 使用规定的原因：“他们有自己的理由——大约63%的人报告说使用AI提高了他们的生产力（increases their productivity），有些人甚至觉得AI比人类同事提供了更多帮助（offers more help）”。提高效率、提供极大帮助，说明 AI 在他们的工作中扮演了非常重要的角色，故选 [C]“它在他们的工作中发挥着重要作用（its significant role in their work）”。

29. [D] adjust their management to AI development.
解析：细节题。第三段最后一句指出企业应当如何积极改变 AI 局面：“通过灌输 AI 参与的最佳实践，并制定随技术演变而发展的政策（creating policies that evolve with the technology）”。“制定随技术演变而发展的政策”即要求管理手段跟上技术的进步，同义替换为选项 [D]“根据AI的发展调整其管理（adjust their management to AI development）”。

30. [D] are excessively exposed to it.
解析：细节推理题。最后一段中作者指出人们很容易成为 AI 的受害者（fall victim），紧接着的前置条件是：“市面上有如此多的产品，凭借巨额的广告和营销预算进行推广（being promoted with huge advertising and marketing budgets）”。被铺天盖地的广告和营销预算包围，意味着人们“过度暴露在其中（are excessively exposed to it）”，因此容易被诱导而成为受害者，选 [D]。

核心长难句精解 (High-Light)

1. 伴随状语与并列结构：
"According to our research, around one in five workers in the UK talk to AI like a friend, looking for guidance on personal and professional problems."
【解析】主句是 `around one in five workers... talk to AI like a friend`。逗号后面的 `looking for...` 是现在分词短语作伴随状语，说明员工把 AI 当朋友时的具体表现（寻求在个人和职业问题上的指导）。

2. 过去分词作后置定语与破折号解释说明：
"It grants Microsoft broad rights to the data inputted or outputted by any user—rights to use this data in any way [that] it sees fit; it can even share it with third parties."
【解析】`data` 后面跟着过去分词短语 `inputted or outputted by any user`（由任何用户输入或输出的）作后置定语。破折号引出同位语 `rights` 来进一步解释具体是什么权利（以它认为合适的任何方式使用该数据的权利）。在 `any way` 后面省略了关系代词 `that`，`sees fit` 意为“觉得合适”。

3. With 复合结构、形式主语与目的状语从句：
"With AI’s potential to simplify our professional lives, do the admin and enhance the work experience, it’s up to us to navigate its usage cautiously so [that] it supports us without compromising our privacy."
【解析】句首是 `With` 引导的介词短语作背景状语，其中 `potential` 后面跟了三个并列的不定式（simplify, do, enhance）作定语。主句中 `it` 是形式主语，真正的主语是 `to navigate its usage cautiously`。句末的 `so (that)` 引导目的状语从句，说明谨慎使用的最终目的：既让 AI 支持我们，又不损害我们的隐私。