Homework B1 L23

The Robots Are Coming!

[A] You have probably seen robots in movies such as Star Wars or Transformers. But soon, robots may be part of our daily lives. Today's scientists are working on robots with various skills. For example, it is likely that robots will soon help take care of children or the elderly,1 or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.

[B] Early robots were made to do simple things, mainly in factories. Since then, robots have changed a lot. Humans operated these early robots. Today's robots - like Honda's ASIMO - work on their own. ASIMO can run, climb stairs, and dance. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot can run fast, jump, and even do backflips2 - all on two legs!

[C] Then there are robots designed to be like humans. These robots have faces and can also talk. Such robots can learn new things, and show us how they "feel." Sophia - a social robot - has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Animal-bots

[D] Scientists aren't just building humanlike robots. They are also making robots that look and act like animals.

[E] At NASA, for example, scientists have made a robot snake. These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground. They might one day help scientists look for signs of life on Mars. Other animal robots include the frog-bot, which can jump over objects, and the sticky-bot, which can walk up walls. There are also doglike robots, like SpotMini, which have four legs and can run at high speed. Who knows? Perhaps in the future, we'll all have our own robot pet.

1 Someone who is elderly is old.

2 A backflip is a movement that involves jumping, spinning around in the air, and landing again on your feet.

What could be another title for this passage?

• What's Possible with Robots

• Do Robots Have Feelings?

• Robots in Outer Space

• My Pet Robot

The Robots Are Coming!

[A] You have probably seen robots in movies such as Star Wars or Transformers. But soon, robots may be part of our daily lives. Today's scientists are working on robots with various skills. For example, it is likely that robots will soon help take care of children or the elderly,1 or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.

[B] Early robots were made to do simple things, mainly in factories. Since then, robots have changed a lot. Humans operated these early robots. Today's robots - like Honda's ASIMO - work on their own. ASIMO can run, climb stairs, and dance. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot can run fast, jump, and even do backflips2 - all on two legs!

[C] Then there are robots designed to be like humans. These robots have faces and can also talk. Such robots can learn new things, and show us how they "feel." Sophia - a social robot - has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Animal-bots

[D] Scientists aren't just building humanlike robots. They are also making robots that look and act like animals.

[E] At NASA, for example, scientists have made a robot snake. These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground. They might one day help scientists look for signs of life on Mars. Other animal robots include the frog-bot, which can jump over objects, and the sticky-bot, which can walk up walls. There are also doglike robots, like SpotMini, which have four legs and can run at high speed. Who knows? Perhaps in the future, we'll all have our own robot pet.

1 Someone who is elderly is old.

2 A backflip is a movement that involves jumping, spinning around in the air, and landing again on your feet.

In the Animal-bots section, which skill is NOT listed?

• seeing through things

• jumping over things

• running fast

• walking up walls

The Robots Are Coming!

[A] You have probably seen robots in movies such as Star Wars or Transformers. But soon, robots may be part of our daily lives. Today's scientists are working on robots with various skills. For example, it is likely that robots will soon help take care of children or the elderly,1 or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.

[B] Early robots were made to do simple things, mainly in factories. Since then, robots have changed a lot. Humans operated these early robots. Today's robots - like Honda's ASIMO - work on their own. ASIMO can run, climb stairs, and dance. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot can run fast, jump, and even do backflips2 - all on two legs!

[C] Then there are robots designed to be like humans. These robots have faces and can also talk. Such robots can learn new things, and show us how they "feel." Sophia - a social robot - has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Animal-bots

[D] Scientists aren't just building humanlike robots. They are also making robots that look and act like animals.

[E] At NASA, for example, scientists have made a robot snake. These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground. They might one day help scientists look for signs of life on Mars. Other animal robots include the frog-bot, which can jump over objects, and the sticky-bot, which can walk up walls. There are also doglike robots, like SpotMini, which have four legs and can run at high speed. Who knows? Perhaps in the future, we'll all have our own robot pet.

1 Someone who is elderly is old.

2 A backflip is a movement that involves jumping, spinning around in the air, and landing again on your feet.

In paragraph C, where would the following sentence fit best?

She seems so real.

• after the first sentence

• after the second sentence

• after the third sentence

• after the last sentence

The Robots Are Coming!

[A] You have probably seen robots in movies such as Star Wars or Transformers. But soon, robots may be part of our daily lives. Today's scientists are working on robots with various skills. For example, it is likely that robots will soon help take care of children or the elderly,1 or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.

[B] Early robots were made to do simple things, mainly in factories. Since then, robots have changed a lot. Humans operated these early robots. Today's robots - like Honda's ASIMO - work on their own. ASIMO can run, climb stairs, and dance. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot can run fast, jump, and even do backflips2 - all on two legs!

[C] Then there are robots designed to be like humans. These robots have faces and can also talk. Such robots can learn new things, and show us how they "feel." Sophia - a social robot - has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Animal-bots

[D] Scientists aren't just building humanlike robots. They are also making robots that look and act like animals.

[E] At NASA, for example, scientists have made a robot snake. These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground. They might one day help scientists look for signs of life on Mars. Other animal robots include the frog-bot, which can jump over objects, and the sticky-bot, which can walk up walls. There are also doglike robots, like SpotMini, which have four legs and can run at high speed. Who knows? Perhaps in the future, we'll all have our own robot pet.

1 Someone who is elderly is old.

2 A backflip is a movement that involves jumping, spinning around in the air, and landing again on your feet.

Which statement is NOT true?

• Snake-bots can move through holes.

• Sticky-bot can climb walls.

• SpotMini has two legs.

• Sophia looks like a human.

The Robots Are Coming!

[A] You have probably seen robots in movies such as Star Wars or Transformers. But soon, robots may be part of our daily lives. Today's scientists are working on robots with various skills. For example, it is likely that robots will soon help take care of children or the elderly,1 or do dangerous jobs such as fighting fires.

[B] Early robots were made to do simple things, mainly in factories. Since then, robots have changed a lot. Humans operated these early robots. Today's robots - like Honda's ASIMO - work on their own. ASIMO can run, climb stairs, and dance. Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot can run fast, jump, and even do backflips2 - all on two legs!

[C] Then there are robots designed to be like humans. These robots have faces and can also talk. Such robots can learn new things, and show us how they "feel." Sophia - a social robot - has a face that looks so human she sometimes makes people feel uncomfortable.

Animal-bots

[D] Scientists aren't just building humanlike robots. They are also making robots that look and act like animals.

[E] At NASA, for example, scientists have made a robot snake. These snake-bots can enter holes and move over rough ground. They might one day help scientists look for signs of life on Mars. Other animal robots include the frog-bot, which can jump over objects, and the sticky-bot, which can walk up walls. There are also doglike robots, like SpotMini, which have four legs and can run at high speed. Who knows? Perhaps in the future, we'll all have our own robot pet.

1 Someone who is elderly is old.

2 A backflip is a movement that involves jumping, spinning around in the air, and landing again on your feet.

In the final sentence, what does the author suggest about the future?

• Scientists will continue to study robots.

• Robots will never replace humans.

• Pet robots may become common.

• There may be many robots that look like humans.

Robopets

[A] Many people find great happiness in having a pet. Caring for a pet, such as a cat or dog, helps with feelings of loneliness, and studies show that this is especially true for older people. But for the elderly, keeping a pet can sometimes be difficult. The owner may be unable to keep up with regular feeding, cleaning, and trips to the vet. For these reasons, many senior citizens have to give up their pets.

[B] Scientists have found one way to help with this problem: robopets. These animal-like robots behave like real pets. For example, they can make animal sounds, wag their tails, or show affection to their owners. They have a few advantages over living, breathing pets, like not making a mess or leaving hair all over the house.

[C] Several robopets are already in the shops, such as Aibo, a puppy-like robot, and PARO, a pet seal. Unfortunately, these robopets cost between three and five thousand dollars, which makes them too expensive for many people. Thankfully, one company has developed Tombot, which is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't have as many high-tech features, but it shows enough animal-like behavior to make it a believable budget robopet.

What is the purpose of paragraph A?

• to offer a solution to a problem

• to tell a personal story

• to state a fact and describe a problem

• to compare different products

Robopets

[A] Many people find great happiness in having a pet. Caring for a pet, such as a cat or dog, helps with feelings of loneliness, and studies show that this is especially true for older people. But for the elderly, keeping a pet can sometimes be difficult. The owner may be unable to keep up with regular feeding, cleaning, and trips to the vet. For these reasons, many senior citizens have to give up their pets.

[B] Scientists have found one way to help with this problem: robopets. These animal-like robots behave like real pets. For example, they can make animal sounds, wag their tails, or show affection to their owners. They have a few advantages over living, breathing pets, like not making a mess or leaving hair all over the house.

[C] Several robopets are already in the shops, such as Aibo, a puppy-like robot, and PARO, a pet seal. Unfortunately, these robopets cost between three and five thousand dollars, which makes them too expensive for many people. Thankfully, one company has developed Tombot, which is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't have as many high-tech features, but it shows enough animal-like behavior to make it a believable budget robopet.

Which phrase from paragraph A means "elderly people"?

• loneliness

• studies

• vet

• senior citizens

Robopets

[A] Many people find great happiness in having a pet. Caring for a pet, such as a cat or dog, helps with feelings of loneliness, and studies show that this is especially true for older people. But for the elderly, keeping a pet can sometimes be difficult. The owner may be unable to keep up with regular feeding, cleaning, and trips to the vet. For these reasons, many senior citizens have to give up their pets.

[B] Scientists have found one way to help with this problem: robopets. These animal-like robots behave like real pets. For example, they can make animal sounds, wag their tails, or show affection to their owners. They have a few advantages over living, breathing pets, like not making a mess or leaving hair all over the house.

[C] Several robopets are already in the shops, such as Aibo, a puppy-like robot, and PARO, a pet seal. Unfortunately, these robopets cost between three and five thousand dollars, which makes them too expensive for many people. Thankfully, one company has developed Tombot, which is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't have as many high-tech features, but it shows enough animal-like behavior to make it a believable budget robopet.

Why are some people unable to buy robopets such as Aibo or PARO?

• They are too difficult to take care of.

• They are only available in certain countries.

• They are only meant for young children.

• They are too expensive.

Robopets

[A] Many people find great happiness in having a pet. Caring for a pet, such as a cat or dog, helps with feelings of loneliness, and studies show that this is especially true for older people. But for the elderly, keeping a pet can sometimes be difficult. The owner may be unable to keep up with regular feeding, cleaning, and trips to the vet. For these reasons, many senior citizens have to give up their pets.

[B] Scientists have found one way to help with this problem: robopets. These animal-like robots behave like real pets. For example, they can make animal sounds, wag their tails, or show affection to their owners. They have a few advantages over living, breathing pets, like not making a mess or leaving hair all over the house.

[C] Several robopets are already in the shops, such as Aibo, a puppy-like robot, and PARO, a pet seal. Unfortunately, these robopets cost between three and five thousand dollars, which makes them too expensive for many people. Thankfully, one company has developed Tombot, which is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't have as many high-tech features, but it shows enough animal-like behavior to make it a believable budget robopet.

What is NOT mentioned as a way in which robopets behave like real pets?

• They move like animals.

• They can understand speech.

• They show affection.

• They make animal sounds.

Robopets

[A] Many people find great happiness in having a pet. Caring for a pet, such as a cat or dog, helps with feelings of loneliness, and studies show that this is especially true for older people. But for the elderly, keeping a pet can sometimes be difficult. The owner may be unable to keep up with regular feeding, cleaning, and trips to the vet. For these reasons, many senior citizens have to give up their pets.

[B] Scientists have found one way to help with this problem: robopets. These animal-like robots behave like real pets. For example, they can make animal sounds, wag their tails, or show affection to their owners. They have a few advantages over living, breathing pets, like not making a mess or leaving hair all over the house.

[C] Several robopets are already in the shops, such as Aibo, a puppy-like robot, and PARO, a pet seal. Unfortunately, these robopets cost between three and five thousand dollars, which makes them too expensive for many people. Thankfully, one company has developed Tombot, which is a cheaper alternative. It doesn't have as many high-tech features, but it shows enough animal-like behavior to make it a believable budget robopet.

What does the author say about robopets compared to real animals?

• Robopets cannot show affection like real pets.

• Robopets are more expensive than real pets.

• Robopets do not make people's homes dirty.

• Robopets can recognize people's faces.