Achieve 3000: Know Your Personal Assistant

Which two words are the closest synonyms? Hint: Only some of these words are used in the Article. A. instantaneous and exact B. virtual and simulated C. irrational and logical D. convenient and impressive

B. virtual and simulated

Based on information in the Article, which of the following best describes how Apple's Siri and Microsoft's Cortana differ? A. Apple's Siri was created by a company that has one of the biggest online search engines, while Microsoft's Cortana has a more accurate mobile version. B. Apple's Siri appeared first in the home with the launch of smart home devices, while Microsoft's Cortana is able to answer questions most other virtual assistants do not understand. C. Apple's Siri seems to be the most amusing virtual assistant, while Microsoft's Cortana provides more correct answers to questions. D. Apple's Siri has a team of comedians, poets, and screenwriters behind it, while Microsoft's Cortana was the first one on the market to use voice response technology.

C. Apple's Siri seems to be the most amusing virtual assistant, while Microsoft's Cortana provides more correct answers to questions.

Which passage from the Article best supports the idea that virtual assistants are able to provide users with endless possibilities of information? A. You might get a different response depending on which one you ask, but one thing's for certain, more people are relying on these virtual assistants for everything from turning on the TV to searching the Internet. It's pretty convenient to yell out a question and get an instantaneous and accurate answer, but where did this tech come from? B. Why? Because no matter which of these AI assistants makes you laugh the most, or which one you find more knowledgeable, there's no doubt companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon are battling it out to be the home of your favorite virtual assistant. Just remember, while it might be helpful to ask Alexa if you need an umbrella tomorrow, some things—like actually remembering to bring the umbrella with you—are still up to you! C. They tell us the weather, order our takeout, wake us up in the morning, and give us playlist advice. They're artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, and they go by names like Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google. OK, so you've heard of 'em, but who's the smartest, who came first, and who's winning the battle to be your AI BFF? D. Each time billions of people ask Google or Microsoft a question like "How fast can a cheetah run?" is an opportunity for the AI "brain" to learn this information and remember it for the next time it's asked. The more questions, the more chances to test out which answers are the best. Apple and Amazon will need a lot of customers asking a lot of questions to catch up, but researchers say they're getting there.

C. They tell us the weather, order our takeout, wake us up in the morning, and give us playlist advice. They're artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, and they go by names like Siri, Alexa, Cortana, and Google. OK, so you've heard of 'em, but who's the smartest, who came first, and who's winning the battle to be your AI BFF?

What is this Article mainly about? A. Of the various virtual assistants on the market, Amazon's Alexa is credited with connecting that state-of-the-art technology to a number of smart home devices. B. A team of writers—comedians, poets, and others—work together to create many of the responses for virtual assistants in order to make them sound more humanlike. C. When it comes to virtual assistants, users can choose from a variety of versions produced by different tech giants, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. D. Companies that offer virtual assistants give users many platforms to access the feature, including mobile versions for smartphones, desktop versions for computers, and smart speakers.

C. When it comes to virtual assistants, users can choose from a variety of versions produced by different tech giants, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Which is the closest synonym for the word behemoth? A. colleague B. forerunner C. titan D. reformer

C. titan

Which of these is a statement of opinion? A. Companies such as Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon are vying to become the leading provider of virtual assistants to the general public. B. Since Google and Microsoft have already dominated the search engine arena, their virtual assistants answer questions more accurately. C. Even though voice response technology has been around for almost 60 years, the first of the AI Assistants, Apple's Siri, wasn't introduced to the world until 2011. D. Although Siri and Alexa are both adept at generating humorous responses, Alexa outshines Siri with her unparalleled wit and understated humor.

D. Although Siri and Alexa are both adept at generating humorous responses, Alexa outshines Siri with her unparalleled wit and understated humor.

Which information is not in the Article? A. How virtual assistants are similar to one another B. Who creates the replies spoken by virtual assistants C. How users are able to access their virtual assistants D. Which virtual assistant is the most popular among users

D. Which virtual assistant is the most popular among users

Look at the following passage from the Article: One thing Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa seem to do better than their know-it-all counterparts is make us laugh. Siri, in particular, seems to be tipping the scales in the title for class clown. While most virtual assistants don't try to answer a question they don't understand, Siri is most likely to attempt a joke when it doesn't have an answer. For example, ask Siri, "Siri, what do you dream about?" and it will sometimes reply, "I only dream of helping you. Well, that and fiery winged unicorns." Alright, maybe not the most hilarious joke ever, but still, not bad for a computer! The author's purpose for writing this passage was to __________. A. prove that Apple's Siri answers more correct questions than any of the other virtual assistants B. emphasize that users should consult Apple's Siri when searching for amusing jokes C. analyze why Apple's Siri has far surpassed its competitors in terms of usability D. demonstrate how Apple's Siri is perhaps less intelligent, but funnier than other virtual assistants

D. demonstrate how Apple's Siri is perhaps less intelligent, but funnier than other virtual assistants