Speaking, listening

and writing task

Supposition and belief

I think… I suppose…

I don’t think… I guess…

I wonder… Maybe…

I doubt… I believe…

I don’t believe…

Sample

Robots can be found in the manufact

uring industry, the military, space explo

ration, transportation, and medical app

lications.

Well, for my conclusion I guess that r

obots are the way of the future and will

be used on a daily use without

being controlled remotely or by a

person. I think they'll be different

robots for different uses, some will be

used for law enforcement and others

will be used for constructive uses only.

Others will be building cars, and the

rest will be building the new schools

we learn in and the houses we live in.

Listening task

1. What kinds of animals do you think

they are?

2. Would you like to own one? Which

one? Give reasons.

3. Do you think having a robot as a pet

is a good idea? Give reasons why and

why not.

LISTENING TEXT

ROBOT PETS

Amanda (A), Victoria (V) and Jamie (J)

are reading about four robot pets and

then discussing whether robot pets can

be real pets.

PART 1

A: (reading) Aibo can walk, sit, lie do

wn and wag its tail. It learns the na

me you give it and can answer whe

n you call it. It develops its own pe

rsonality. It can learn about 50 co

mmands.

V: (reading) Furby like being patted. A

t first he speaks his own language, t

hen he gradually switches to Englis

h the more time you spend with it.

(not reading) He looks like a big – e

ared bird. Isn’t he so cute, Jamie?

J: Well, Victoria, I think he looks strange. I like these ones, though. (reading) Paro can open and close its eyes and move its flippers. Tama recognises her own name. She purrs when she’s patted. That shows she’s happy, but if you hit her she’ll give you an angry hiss. Gradually her behaviour changes and she develops her own personality.

PART 2

A: I don’t understand the point of a robot pet. Why wouldn’t you get a real one?

J: Well, you don’t have to feed a robot dog or take it for walks. And they don’t bark or bite!

V: And it wouldn’t make your house dirty!

A: Yeah but it’s not a real pet, is it? I

t’s a toy.

V: Well, Amanda, I must say Aibo an

d Furby look like real animals.

J: I don’t think it matters if the robot

looks like a real pet or not. If some

one thinks of the robot as a pet, th

en it is a pet.

A: But Jamie, don’t you think it’s sad

if the person thinks of the robot as

a real pet?

J: No, I don’t think so, not if he gets

enjoyment from it.

A: Well, I don’t believe a robot can be

a true friend even if it does develop

its won personality.

I mean stroking a dog or cat makes

you feel good because you’re making

it happy. You can’t make a robot

“happy”.

V: But you can make Tama happy. It all

depends on how you treat her.

A: That’s true, but she’s programmed to

be like that .

J: Anyway, I think robot pets would be

good kinds of pets for people who

cannot have a live pet or who can’t

care for one – like people who are

old, sick or disabled.

Writing task

Imagine you are a robot pet that bel

ongs to a child. Imagine what life woul

d be like with a child. Then write a dia

ry from the robot pet’s point of view.

A sample

October 12th, 2007

I had a terrible morning. When Terr

y got up, he carried me to the table by m

y tail and made me sit on the table while

he ate breakfast. He is such a messy boy

and I got bits of food all over me.

Unfortunately, he must have woken up

in a bad mood because when his mother

asked him to get dressed, he shouted at

her and then hit me. So I was very

angry and hissed at him. Then he hit me

again and I hissed even more. Luckily

he left me at home while he was at

school and I had a very peaceful time.

When he got home he was much

happier and was very nice tome. He

sat for a long time on the sofa,

patting me and saying “Tama, I love

you” over and over. I loved it and

couldn’t stop purring.

I wish he were like that all the time.

Meanwhile, he has promised to take me

to the park tomorrow. I can’t wait.