Helpp

Technology is playing an important role in helping humans work more effectively. Since automation has become a(n) (1) _______ part of business operations, we can predict that robots are soon going to replace many jobs that are today (2) _______ by humans. Let’s see what merits this technology offers our world.

Increased efficiency

Industrial robots can complete certain tasks faster and (3) _______ efficiently than humans as they are designed and built to perform them with higher accuracy. This combined with the fact they are used to automate (4) _______ which previously might have taken significantly more time and resource results in the use of industrial robots to (5) _______ the efficiency of production lines.

Improved quality

Given their higher levels of accuracy, industrial robots can be used to (6) _______ higher quality products which (7) _______ the reduction of time required for quality control and (8)_______ that standards of quality are adhered to.

Longer working hours

Robots can work 24/7 and keep working at 100% efficiency. On average a 40% increase in the output of a production line occurs when one key person is (9) _______ by a robot who (10) _______ the same working hours.

Technology is playing an important role in helping humans work more effectively. Since
automation has become a(n) (1) _______ part of business operations, we can predict that robots
are soon going to replace many jobs that are today (2) _______ by humans. Let’s see what
merits this technology offers our world.
Increased efficiency
Industrial robots can complete certain tasks faster and (3) _______ efficiently than humans as they are designed and built to perform them with higher accuracy. This combined with the fact they are used to automate (4) _______ which previously might have taken significantly more time and resource results in the use of industrial robots to (5) _______ the efficiency of production lines. Improved quality Given their higher levels of accuracy, industrial robots can be used to (6) _______ higher quality products which (7) _______ the reduction of time required for quality control and (8)_______ that standards of quality are adhered to. Longer working hours Robots can work 24/7 and keep working at 100% efficiency. On average a 40% increase in the output of a production line occurs when one key person is (9) _______ by a robot who (10) _______ the same working hours. 1. A. integral B. certain C. impressive D. unimportant 2. A. shown B. presented C. undergone D. performed 3. A. much B. less C. more D. most 4. A. processes B. processings C. products D. producing 5. A. decrease B. reduce C. increase D. take 6. A. produce B. sell C. make D. do 7. A. result B. result from C. result in D. result to 8. A. ensure B. be ensured C. ensuring D. to ensure 9. A. replace B. replaced C. replacing D. to replace 10. A. operates B. does C. completed D. has

Robots have always played an important role in modern human society. In the 1930s, robots were first introduced in factories because they can work faster than human. Since then robots have become more and more advanced. In 2015, a factory whose workers are all robots was built in China. Robots are also helping human with tasks they can’t carry out such as turning off bombs, exploring the surface of Mars. Nowadays, robots can even be found in a number of families. They are mostly used for small chores like vacuuming and cleaning. As technology advances every day, robot will be able to take on more difficult and complex tasks in the future.

1. When did robots begin working in factories?

A. In 2015                  B. In 1930                  C. Since the 1930s               D. Since they became advanced

2. Why does the writer give the example of a Chinese factory?

A. To show that the importance of robots in human society                

B. To stress the development of robots

C. To explain the danger of robots’ tasks                                   

D. To make robots become more advanced

3. How many advantages of robots does the writer mention in the passage?

A. There are 2 advantages: working faster than human and completing difficult tasks.

B. There are 2 advantages: working in factories and doing small chores

C. There are 3 advantages: working in factories, completing difficult tasks and doing small chores.

D. There are 3 advantages: working faster than human, completing difficult tasks and doing small chores.

4. What is the prediction of the writer about robots in the future?

A. They will carry out more hard jobs.

B. They will work in all factories around the world.

C. They will do more difficult chores.

D. They will work in space.

5. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. People first let robots work in factories because of its fastness

B. Vacuuming and cleaning are basic functions of every robot.

C. Turning off bombs and exploring the surface of Mars are considered one of the difficult jobs for human.

D. Robots help doing chores in some families

Read the passage carefully and then do the tasks:

With millions of jobs set to be replaced by changes in technology, we may not be able to stop the rise of robots and automation. The robots are coming. We can see the enormous strides that technology makes each year and the jobs taken over by automation. Yes, believe or not, there really are robots performing surgeries on humans. Robot – assisted surgery can give surgeons more precise control over their instruments and an improved view of what are they doing.

Computer systems are becoming incredibly good at performing multi – faceted tasks. Take autonomous cars which can be classified as robotic vehicles. Driving would fit all the criteria for a complicated task that only humans should be able to perform, yet we have autonomous cars increasingly racking up the miles collision free. In the game – playing arena, we are seeing machines beat the previously unbeatable professional players and generally encroaching on skills that once belonged to humans alone. All these technologies eventually can be integrated into robots. Are we close to the tipping point where humans become redundant in many sectors?

According to a recent survey, four million jobs in the British private sector could be replaced by robots in the next decade. That would impact on 15 percent of the current workforce and would have much the same impact in Ireland. Of course, new opportunities will come along, particularly ones which require strong cognitive and social skills, but this really means that people will have to become more human.

A. Decide whether the following sentences are True (T) or False (F)

1. We cannot put a stop on technology innovation.

2. Robotic systems can help surgeons increase precision.

3. Computer systems are only capable of carrying out multiple simple tasks.

4. Driving task is so complex that it can’t be performed by an autonomous vehicle.

5. Self – driving cars can travel miles without accident.

6. People in many sectors have lost their jobs because of automation.

7. In the next ten years, robots could take over four million jobs in the British private sector.

8. In the future, people will just do the jobs that require strong cognitive and social skills.

B. Answer the questions

1. Why is robot – assisted surgery used?

->

2. Can robots defeat human players in games?

->

3. What percentage of the Ireland workforce could be affected by the use of robots in 10 years’ time?

->

4. Will technology create new job opportunities for the human race?

->

5. What jobs can human do better than robots?

->

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 28 to 34.

   In the last few decades, the world of work has dramatically changed how people earn their living and plan their work lives. This new labour market is evolving at accelerating speed as old industrial-age jobs are replaced by knowledge-based work and information technology continues to alter how we work, play and learn. This dramatic change in how goods and services are produced and distributed has been labelled the “New Economy.” The old economy was based on resources; the New Economy is based on knowledge and is driven by technology and information.

   Working in new ways: In this New Economy, new forms of work are being created, as employment in a “job-for-life” is replaced by a variety of “work alternatives.” These work alternatives can include working part time, contracting, consulting or owning a business where you hire your own employees.

   In British Columbia, more and more people are working in this way, and economists are predicting that this trend will continue in the future. Career counsellors are encouraging people to prepare for these work alternatives rather than for just a full-time job.

   New thinking for a new millennium: The New Economy demands that we change our thinking about the labour market. Traditional job patterns that we took for granted for most of the last century have disappeared. Letting go of the way things used to be in the world of work is one of the hardest challenges that career planners face today. Here are some trends that all workers will have to adapt to:

   Change: Rapid change will be constant in the workplace of the new millennium. Those who understand change and can manage it effectively will be more successful.

   Just-in-time training: In the information economy, it is impossible to leam everything you need to know ahead of time to do a job. Rapid learning will be commonplace. The advantage will go to those who can leam - and instruct - the fastest. Workers must commit to continuous learning throughout their life or work.

   Fusion: Job classifications and occupational titles will become less important. The jobs of the future will be hyphenated; in other words, there will be a fusion of titles like carpenter-architect, accountant-sales rep, or graphic designer-webmaster. Being able to combine a variety of skills to apply to a particular task will be increasingly important.

   Self-reliance: Work is becoming more “entrepreneurial” in the sense that workers have to be prepared for a variety of work alternatives and take the initiative to market their skills more creatively. As a result, people will need to be more responsible for their own career development. The notion of “career self-management” is emerging as a means not only of surviving in the New Economy, but also of thriving and making the best of its new opportunities.

   Emphasis on skills: Workers can no longer expect long-term job security, but they can rely on “skills security”. If workers keep their skills up-to-date and market them effectively in areas of the economy that are growing, they will be able to find work. An essential ingredient of career self-management is knowing and developing skill sets and then finding areas of work where they can be applied.

   Balance in life/work: Information technology is fuelling the accelerating pace of change. We are “plugged in” to work more than ever before through communications (e-mail, phone, fax, pagers, the Internet). To maintain their health and well-being, workers will have to rethink how and where they work and find balance between earning a living and living their lives.

   Finding opportunity. In this New Economy, it is beneficial for people to use their creativity to find new opportunities where they can apply their skills and abilities. This means keeping an open mind about where and how you work.

   The New Economy is very different from the old. It offers even more opportunities to find challenging, rewarding and satisfying work. If you spend time and energy planning for this new reality, you will be able to create a career plan that offers excitement, anticipation and hope for the future.

Who should read this passage?

A. Interviewers

B. Employers

C. Undergraduates

D. Parents.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 42.

  Most of us associate robots with films such as Star Wars, I, Robot or AI, but in reality they have more to do with social issues and politics rather than science fiction. The term robot first made its appearance in a play entitled Rossum s Universal Robots written almost a century ago by a Czechoslovakian playwright by the name of Karel Capek. Capek got the name robot from the Slavic word ‘ robota’ which means forced labour. In his play, he portrays a society where robots, which look human, are mass produced to work in the place of people.

  Capeks story was well received by the critics but never really got credit for being the source of the notion of robots. The play has significant relevance to our society today, as humanoid-type robots are being created to fulfil a wide range of tasks. Robot engineers are not only developing mindless worker drones, but are attempting to create human-like companion robots for people. Consequently, the question of what actually makes us human is the subject of lively debate.

  In the USA, sociable robotics is developing at a relatively rapid rate and a human companion type of robot could soon be a reality. Japanese researchers see a very bright future for these robots who will serve as friends or family to the lonely. Nevertheless, one needs to ask if a human being can have a relationship with a machine in the same way as they do with other people or animals and if so, what effect this could have on our society. The success of robot toys or virtual pets suggests that this type of relationship is possible.

  Research shows that children tend to have similar relationships with humans as with non-humans whereas the same is true for adults only with pets or when the robot is designed to look like a child. This is probably because robots display superficial emotions and cannot as yet replace human touch. But will these machines one day succeed in replacing humans?

  Some paint a very dark picture of a robot society and predict that artificially intelligent machines will take control of the entire planet and dominate the human race. However robot technology is still in its infancy and the idea of them taking over the world is pure fantasy to most of us, including scientists. In fact, most robots can only perform very basic tasks and even the most advanced robot that is capable of expressing over forty different emotions seems to do so in a totally random manner, regardless of what is going on around it.

  In spite of the simplicity of today’s robots, robotic technology is impacting our everyday lives in a dramatic way. Nowadays, our robots are becoming more and more like those portrayed in Capeks work. In a society where human relationships are so often strained, it is no surprise that the possibility for human-robot relationships is increasing.

Japanese researchers think that robots could _____________ .

A. be useful to engineers

B. be put to use as servants 

C. be of use to families

D. be of use to people who live alone

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 42.

  Most of us associate robots with films such as Star Wars, I, Robot or AI, but in reality they have more to do with social issues and politics rather than science fiction. The term robot first made its appearance in a play entitled Rossum s Universal Robots written almost a century ago by a Czechoslovakian playwright by the name of Karel Capek. Capek got the name robot from the Slavic word ‘ robota’ which means forced labour. In his play, he portrays a society where robots, which look human, are mass produced to work in the place of people.

  Capeks story was well received by the critics but never really got credit for being the source of the notion of robots. The play has significant relevance to our society today, as humanoid-type robots are being created to fulfil a wide range of tasks. Robot engineers are not only developing mindless worker drones, but are attempting to create human-like companion robots for people. Consequently, the question of what actually makes us human is the subject of lively debate.

  In the USA, sociable robotics is developing at a relatively rapid rate and a human companion type of robot could soon be a reality. Japanese researchers see a very bright future for these robots who will serve as friends or family to the lonely. Nevertheless, one needs to ask if a human being can have a relationship with a machine in the same way as they do with other people or animals and if so, what effect this could have on our society. The success of robot toys or virtual pets suggests that this type of relationship is possible.

  Research shows that children tend to have similar relationships with humans as with non-humans whereas the same is true for adults only with pets or when the robot is designed to look like a child. This is probably because robots display superficial emotions and cannot as yet replace human touch. But will these machines one day succeed in replacing humans?

  Some paint a very dark picture of a robot society and predict that artificially intelligent machines will take control of the entire planet and dominate the human race. However robot technology is still in its infancy and the idea of them taking over the world is pure fantasy to most of us, including scientists. In fact, most robots can only perform very basic tasks and even the most advanced robot that is capable of expressing over forty different emotions seems to do so in a totally random manner, regardless of what is going on around it.

  In spite of the simplicity of today’s robots, robotic technology is impacting our everyday lives in a dramatic way. Nowadays, our robots are becoming more and more like those portrayed in Capeks work. In a society where human relationships are so often strained, it is no surprise that the possibility for human-robot relationships is increasing.

When most people think of robots, they tend to think of _____________

A. literature

B. social issues

C. politics

D. films

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 42.

  Most of us associate robots with films such as Star Wars, I, Robot or AI, but in reality they have more to do with social issues and politics rather than science fiction. The term robot first made its appearance in a play entitled Rossum s Universal Robots written almost a century ago by a Czechoslovakian playwright by the name of Karel Capek. Capek got the name robot from the Slavic word ‘ robota’ which means forced labour. In his play, he portrays a society where robots, which look human, are mass produced to work in the place of people.

  Capeks story was well received by the critics but never really got credit for being the source of the notion of robots. The play has significant relevance to our society today, as humanoid-type robots are being created to fulfil a wide range of tasks. Robot engineers are not only developing mindless worker drones, but are attempting to create human-like companion robots for people. Consequently, the question of what actually makes us human is the subject of lively debate.

  In the USA, sociable robotics is developing at a relatively rapid rate and a human companion type of robot could soon be a reality. Japanese researchers see a very bright future for these robots who will serve as friends or family to the lonely. Nevertheless, one needs to ask if a human being can have a relationship with a machine in the same way as they do with other people or animals and if so, what effect this could have on our society. The success of robot toys or virtual pets suggests that this type of relationship is possible.

  Research shows that children tend to have similar relationships with humans as with non-humans whereas the same is true for adults only with pets or when the robot is designed to look like a child. This is probably because robots display superficial emotions and cannot as yet replace human touch. But will these machines one day succeed in replacing humans?

  Some paint a very dark picture of a robot society and predict that artificially intelligent machines will take control of the entire planet and dominate the human race. However robot technology is still in its infancy and the idea of them taking over the world is pure fantasy to most of us, including scientists. In fact, most robots can only perform very basic tasks and even the most advanced robot that is capable of expressing over forty different emotions seems to do so in a totally random manner, regardless of what is going on around it.

  In spite of the simplicity of today’s robots, robotic technology is impacting our everyday lives in a dramatic way. Nowadays, our robots are becoming more and more like those portrayed in Capeks work. In a society where human relationships are so often strained, it is no surprise that the possibility for human-robot relationships is increasing.

Most critics ignored the fact that _____________ .

A. Capek came up with the idea of robots. 

B. robots can do a lot of tasks, 

C. robots are important in our society.

D. humanoid robots are being created.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 35 to 42.

  Most of us associate robots with films such as Star Wars, I, Robot or AI, but in reality they have more to do with social issues and politics rather than science fiction. The term robot first made its appearance in a play entitled Rossum s Universal Robots written almost a century ago by a Czechoslovakian playwright by the name of Karel Capek. Capek got the name robot from the Slavic word ‘ robota’ which means forced labour. In his play, he portrays a society where robots, which look human, are mass produced to work in the place of people.

  Capeks story was well received by the critics but never really got credit for being the source of the notion of robots. The play has significant relevance to our society today, as humanoid-type robots are being created to fulfil a wide range of tasks. Robot engineers are not only developing mindless worker drones, but are attempting to create human-like companion robots for people. Consequently, the question of what actually makes us human is the subject of lively debate.

  In the USA, sociable robotics is developing at a relatively rapid rate and a human companion type of robot could soon be a reality. Japanese researchers see a very bright future for these robots who will serve as friends or family to the lonely. Nevertheless, one needs to ask if a human being can have a relationship with a machine in the same way as they do with other people or animals and if so, what effect this could have on our society. The success of robot toys or virtual pets suggests that this type of relationship is possible.

  Research shows that children tend to have similar relationships with humans as with non-humans whereas the same is true for adults only with pets or when the robot is designed to look like a child. This is probably because robots display superficial emotions and cannot as yet replace human touch. But will these machines one day succeed in replacing humans?

  Some paint a very dark picture of a robot society and predict that artificially intelligent machines will take control of the entire planet and dominate the human race. However robot technology is still in its infancy and the idea of them taking over the world is pure fantasy to most of us, including scientists. In fact, most robots can only perform very basic tasks and even the most advanced robot that is capable of expressing over forty different emotions seems to do so in a totally random manner, regardless of what is going on around it.

  In spite of the simplicity of today’s robots, robotic technology is impacting our everyday lives in a dramatic way. Nowadays, our robots are becoming more and more like those portrayed in Capeks work. In a society where human relationships are so often strained, it is no surprise that the possibility for human-robot relationships is increasing.

Advanced robots still only _____________ .

A. express emotions randomly 

B. perform basic tasks 

C. express over forty emotions 

D. react to emotions just like humans