Artificial intelligence emerged during the late 1950’s as an academic discipline based on the assumption that computers are able to be programmed to think like people.
(A) are able to be programmed to think like people
(B) were able to be programmed to think as people
(C) can be programmed to think as people can
(D) could be programmed to think like people
(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do

When you see a split in the answer choices between like and as, eliminate answer choices using this rule: LIKE to compare nouns, AS to compare clauses. Don't try to anticipate the answer; you can't reliably guess which direction the question will go. For instance, the correct answer to this question could have said either as people do or like people.

A uses like to compare computers to people. OK.
B uses as to compare computers to people. Those are both nouns. Eliminate.
C uses as to compare can be programmed to can (be programmed). The second instance of be programmed is elided, but that's not a problem. OK.
D uses like to compare computers to people. OK.
E seems to use like to compare think to do. Those are both verbs. Eliminate.

What next? Well, the comparison in C is illogical. the sentence is meant to say that people think, not that people can be programmed to think. By the way, when you see the word like in an SC, whether it's in the underlined section or not, you will almost certainly find at least one answer that makes an illogical comparison.

That leaves just A and D, are able to be vs. could be. I would choose D, could be, more for reasons of concision/awkwardness than because of the verb tense.
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POE leads to option C & D

I chose option D -- correct tense usage -- correct comparison between 'computers' and 'people' using "like"

IMO option C is ambiguous because of the comparison between actions (using "as") -- sounds like we are comparing the two of the following:
- computers can be programmed to think AS
- people can (be programmed to think)

OA pls

The essential things to consider here are: 1. Tense of the verb,2 improper diction and, 3, use of ‘like' for a clause


(A) Are able to be programmed to think like people ------- The main clause is in past tense. Use of present tense in the sub clause is wrong.
(B) Were able to be programmed to think as people ---- – could be is the right choice of the word compared to ‘were able”
(C) can be programmed to think as people can---- shift to present tense in sub cluse is wrong when the main clause is in past tense
(D) could be programmed to think like people ------ good choice.
(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do ------1. wrong tense, 2. using ‘like’ for comparing verb
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IMO D.
Here is my approach.

Artificial intelligence emerged during the late 1950’s as an academic discipline based on the assumption that computers are able to be programmed to think like people.

(A) are able to be programmed to think like people >> tense problem
(B) were able to be programmed to think as people >> wordy and 'as' compares clauses, not noun. Here People is a noun.
(C) can be programmed to think as people can >> tense problem
(D) could be programmed to think like people >> it corrects tense problem, also 'like' correctly compares nouns. Hence it is the right answer.
(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do >> tense problem
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Check the logical context to realise that in
(C) can be programmed to think as people can.
'as people can' refers to the ability of the people to be programmed as the computers are , and not the thinking ability.
(D) could be programmed to think like people.
here it correctly refers to the comparison between the thinking ability of people and computers.


Please let me know if i am right.

Artificial intelligence emerged during the late 1950’s as an academic discipline based on the assumption that computers are able to be programmed to think like people.
(A) are able to be programmed to think like people - usage of present tense are able is incorrect as main clause is in present
(B) were able to be programmed to think as people - usage of as is incorrect
(C) can be programmed to think as people can - usage of present tense is incorrect as main clause is in present
(D) could be programmed to think like people - Correct
(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do - usage of present tense are able is incorrect as main clause is in present ; usage of like to compare verbs is incorrect
Answer D
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Artificial intelligence emerged during the late 1950’s as an academic discipline based on the assumption that computers are able to be programmed to think like people.

(A) are able to be programmed to think like people
Like is okay here.
Are able - refers to an assumption - a possibility. It makes less logical sense to state "are" than "could" or "may be".

(B) were able to be programmed to think as people
B is incorrect because we would require a verb to state how exactly computers were able to be programmed - to think as people do
"were able" - but to me the author is referring to an assumption made at a particular point in time, so the use of simple past here- "were able"- to refer to the actual assumption people were making at that time doesn't make much sense to me.

(C) can be programmed to think as people can

C literally says that people can be programmed. Incorrect

(D) could be programmed to think like people
Correct as it states the possibility of the assumption via "could be" and "like" correctly compares computers thinking to people's thinking.

(E) are capable of being programmed to think like people do
"of being programmed" doesn't make sense to me - computers are able to be programmed not capable.
Like people do is incorrect - we don't use like to compare two clauses.
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