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课件网) Unit 2 Robots Warming up And Reading Do you think it is possible for a robot to: think for itself? have feelings? have its own needs and desires? look and feel like a human being? A short story by the science fiction writer, Issac Asimov. First Law : A robot must not injure human beings or allow them to be injured. Second Law : A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings (as long as human being are not injured ). Third Law : A robot must protect its own existence (as long as human beings are not injured; and as long as the robot does not disobey the human beings). Asimov’s three laws The reading passage is a retelling of an Isaac Asimov’s science fiction called Satisfaction Guaranteed. This story, about a human-like robot, illustrates Asimov’s first law for robots: A robot must not injure human beings or allow them to be injured Background information Skim to get the main idea: who; how; how; what Satisfaction Guaranteed 2. How many main characters are mentioned? Who are they? What is the relation between them? SATISFACTION GURANTEED 1 Larry Belmont worked for a company that made robots. Recently it had begun experimenting with a household robot. It was going to be tested out by Larry's wife, Claire. 2 Claire didn't want the robot in her house, especially as her husband would be absent for three weeks, but Larry persuaded her that the robot wouldn't harm her or allow her to be harmed. It would be a bonus. However, when she first saw the robot, she felt alarmed. His name was Tony and he seemed more like a human than a machine. He was tall and handsome with smooth hair and a deep voice although his facial expression never changed. 3 On the second morning Tony, wearing an apron, brought her breakfast and then asked her whether she needed help dressing. She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go. It was disturbing and frightening that he looked so human. sq 4 One day, Claire mentioned that she didn't think she was clever. Tony said that she must feel very unhappy to say that. Claire thought it was ridiculous to be offered sympathy by a robot. But she began to trust him. She told him how she was overweight and this made her feel unhappy. Also she felt her home wasn't elegant enough for someone like Larry who wanted to improve his social position. She wasn't like Gladys Claffern, one of the richest and most powerful women around. 5 As a favour Tony promised to help Claire make herself smarter and her home more elegant. So Claire borrowed a pile of books from the library for him to read, or rather, scan. She looked at his fingers with wonder as they turned each page and suddenly reached for his hand. She was amazed by his fingernails and the softness and warmth of his skin. How absurd, she thought. He was just a machine. 6 Tony gave Claire a new haircut and changed the makeup she wore. As he was not allowed to accompany her to the shops, he wrote out a list of items fo ... ...
