Speaking,listeningandwritingtaskSuppositionandbeliefIthink…Isuppose…Idon’tthink…Iguess…Iwonder…Maybe…Idoubt…Ibelieve…Idon’tbelieve…SampleRobotscanbefoundinthemanufacturingindustry,themilitary,spaceexploration,transportation,andmedicalapplications.Well,formyconclusionIguessthatrobotsarethewayofthefutureandwillbeusedonadailyusewithoutbeingcontrolledremotelyorbyaperson.Ithinkthey'llbedifferentrobotsfordifferentuses,somewillbeusedforlawenforcementandotherswillbeusedforconstructiveusesonly.Otherswillbebuildingcars,andtherestwillbebuildingthenewschoolswelearninandthehouseswelivein.Listeningtask1.Whatkindsofanimalsdoyouthinktheyare?2.Wouldyouliketoownone?Whichone?Givereasons.3.Doyouthinkhavingarobotasapetisagoodidea?Givereasonswhyandwhynot.LISTENINGTEXTROBOTPETSAmanda(A),Victoria(V)andJamie(J)arereadingaboutfourrobotpetsandthendiscussingwhetherrobotpetscanberealpets.PART1A:(reading)Aibocanwalk,sit,liedownandwagitstail.Itlearnsthenameyougiveitandcananswerwhenyoucallit.Itdevelopsitsownpersonality.Itcanlearnabout50commands.V:(reading)Furbylikebeingpatted.Atfirsthespeakshisownlanguage,thenhegraduallyswitchestoEnglishthemoretimeyouspendwithit.(notreading)Helookslikeabig–earedbird.Isn’thesocute,Jamie?J:Well,Victoria,Ithinkhelooksstrange.Iliketheseones,though.(reading)Parocanopenandcloseitseyesandmoveitsflippers.Tamarecognisesherownname.Shepurrswhenshe’spatted.Thatshowsshe’shappy,butifyouhithershe’llgiveyouanangryhiss.Graduallyherbehaviourchangesandshedevelopsherownpersonality.PART2A:Idon’tunderstandthepointofarobotpet.Whywouldn’tyougetarealone?J:Well,youdon’thavetofeedarobotdogortakeitforwalks.Andtheydon’tbarkorbite!V:Anditwouldn’tmakeyourhousedirty!A:Yeahbutit’snotarealpet,isit?It’satoy.V:Well,Amanda,ImustsayAiboandFurbylooklikerealanimals.J:Idon’tthinkitmattersiftherobotlookslikearealpetornot.Ifsomeonethinksoftherobotasapet,thenitisapet.A:ButJamie,don’tyouthinkit’ssadifthepersonthinksoftherobotasarealpet?J:No,Idon’tthinkso,notifhegetsenjoymentfromit.A:Well,Idon’tbelievearobotcanbeatruefriendevenifitdoesdevelopitswonpersonality.Imeanstrokingadogorcatmakesyoufeelgoodbecauseyou’remakingithappy.Youcan’tmakearobot“happy”.V:ButyoucanmakeTamahappy.Italldependsonhowyoutreather.A:That’strue,butshe’sprogrammedtobelikethat.J:Anyway,Ithinkrobotpetswouldbegoodkindsofpetsforpeoplewhocannothavealivepetorwhocan’tcareforone–likepeoplewhoareold,sickordisabled.WritingtaskImagineyouarearobotpetwhichbelongstoachild.Imaginewhatlifewouldbelikewithachild.Thenwriteadiaryfromtherobotpet’spointofview.AsampleWednesdaySunnyIamveryhappytoday,becausethisisthefirstdaythatIspentwithmyowner,Susan.Susanisa6-year-oldsickgirl.Shecannotgooutwithotherchildrenbecauseofherpoorhealth.Soherparentsboughtmeashercompanion.Therearedifferenttypesofrobotpetsinthestore.Hermompreferredtheseal-typerobot,whileherdadthoughtthelovelydogwouldbeagoodcompanion.ButSusanloveskittyverymuch.Sheinsistedonhavingmeashercompanion.Sotheychoseme.TheshopassistanttoldthemIhavemorethanjustentertainmentvalue,offeringcompanionshipandavarietyofotherservicestothesick.Anetworksystemwillenablemetospeaktothechildreninnaturalway,especiallytochildrenwhoaresick,andthiswillmakethemmorecomfortable.IcanbeconnectedviacellphoneorISDNlinetoanetworksystemcenter,allowinghealthworkersorparentstosendmedicalinformationandencouragingmessagestothesick.I’mendowedwith100phrases,rangingfromthelight-hearted(“Todayisthekaraokeparty.Let'ssingalot.”)tomorepracticalinformation(“Itisthreeo’clock.Itistimetohavemedicine.”).Susansmiledalotandherparentssaidshehadneverspentahappierday.IamhappytoobecauseI’vebroughtpleasuretoher.
