Military drones already fly frequent missions and civilian operations using unmanned aircraft are coming. Drivcrlcss cars are cl

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问题     Military drones already fly frequent missions and civilian operations using unmanned aircraft are coming. Drivcrlcss cars are clocking up thousands of test miles. So why not let remote-controlled ships set sail without a crew? Indeed, the maritime industry has started to think about what would be required to launch a latter-day Marie Celeste.
    Ships, like aircraft and cars, are increasingly controlled by electronic systems, which makes automation easier. The bridges of some modern vessels are now more likely to contain computer screens and joysticks than engine telegraphs and a giant ship’s wheel. The latest supply ships serving the offshore oil and gas industry in the North Sea, for instance, use dynamic positioning systems which collect data from satellites, gyrocompasses, and wind and motion sensors to automatically hold their position when transferring cargo to and from platforms, even in the heaviest of swells.
    However, as is also the case with pilotless aircraft and driverless cars, it is not so much a technological challenge that has to be overcome before autonomous ships can set sail, but regulatory and safety concerns. As in the air and on the road, robust control systems will be needed to conform to existing regulations.
    The maritime industry is interested in crewless ships for two reasons. The first is safety. Most accidents at sea are the result of human error, just as they are in cars and planes. So, if human operators are replaced by sophisticated sensors and computer systems, autonomous vessels should, in theory, make shipping safer.
    The second reason is, of course, cost. It is becoming increasingly difficult to sign up competent crew prepared to spend months away at sea. Moreover, some voyages are likely to get even longer for ships carrying non-urgent cargo. By some accounts, a 30% reduction in speed by a bulk carrier can save around 50% in fuel. This means slower steaming could provide big savings in fuel costs, but it would be at the expense of increased expenditure on crew for these longer voyages, both in wages and for the "hotel" facilities required on board. Removing the crew, though, also removes the need for their accommodation and its associated equipment, like heating and plumbing. And that provides room to carry more cargo.
The most appropriate title for the text is ______.

选项 A、Automation—No More Surprising
B、Crewless Ships—Ready to Set Sail?
C、Automation—Symbol of the Future
D、Crewless Ships—A New Challenge

答案B

解析 文章首段通过讨论无人机和无人驾驶汽车引出crewless ships的话题;第二段指出:如今越来越多轮船使用电子系统控制;第三段讨论无人轮船要克服的不是技术问题,而是法规和安全问题;最后两段讨论无人轮船的两大好处,一是安全可靠,二是节约成本。全文讨论的话题是crewless ships,而不在于强调automation“自动化”,故[A][C]可以排除。文章首段第一次引出话题时指出:So why not let remote—controlled ships set sail without a crew?第三段又指出:it is not so much a technological challenge that has to be overcome before autonomous ships can set sail,but regulatory and safety concerns.故我们知道crewless ships要启航还需要解决一些安全法规等问题,还需要准备,故[B]为最合适的题目。
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