Unit 2 Reading SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Read the explanation and speak out the word it explains. to wish that you had something that another person has a long flat narrow surface or table in a shop, bank, restaurant, etc. at which people are served affair n. counter n. cuisine n. ( ) a situation or subject that is being dealt with or considered; a matter a style of cooking envy vt. alarm vt. n. a warning of danger, typically a loud noise or flashing light alarmed adj. worried or frightened by something haircut n. the style in which someone's hair is cut, or an occasion of cutting or styling the hair bonus n. an extra amount of money that is given to you as a present or reward as well as the money you were expecting overweight adj. fat; heavier than is allowed favor n. vt. a kind action that you do for someone; when you favour someone by giving them an advantage, such as money or a good job a person who works in an office, dealing with records or performing general office duties sympathy n. ( ) (an expression of) understanding and care for someone else's suffering elegant adj. graceful and attractive in appearance or behaviour clerkn. ; ; accompany vt. to go with someone or to be provided or exist at the same time as something; to sing or play an instrument with another musician or singer declare vt. to announce something clearly, firmly, publicly or officially awful adj. extremely bad or unpleasant vt. to look at something carefully, with the eyes or with a machine, in order to get information; to use a machine to put a picture of a document into a computer, or to take a picture of the inside of something scan absurd adj. stupid or unreasonable; silly in a humorous way test out ring up turn around leavealone Match The reading passage is a retelling of an Isaac Asimovs science fiction called Satisfaction Guaranteed. This story, about a human-like robot, illustrates( ) Asimovs first law for robots: A robot must not injure human beings or allow them to be injured. In this case the injury is not a physical one but a psychological one. In following this law, the robot, which is very human-like, causes the main character, Claire, to have some very confusing feelings. Background information Science fiction is often based on scientific principles and technology. Science fiction may make predictions about life in the future. Characteristics of science fiction Skimming to get general ideas The text mainly tells us _____. A. why Claire fell in love with a human being B. why a robot fell in love with a human being C. a story about a household robot being tested out in a family D. that a robot can save a human being from danger Skimming Reading Comprehension I 1. How many characters are mentioned? 2. Who are they? 3. What is the relation between them? Skimming Reading Comprehension II Larry Belmont - employed in a company that makes robots Claire - Larrys wife, a housewife Tony - the robot to be tested out by Claire in their family Gladys Claffern - the most powerful women around, a woman that Claire envies Characters in the story: Careful reading to solve difficult points 1. test out Scientists test out theories by experiment. test vt. The teacher tested the children on their homework. 2. alarm n. (1) a warning of danger a fire alarm I raised the alarm as soon as I saw what was happening. (2) fear caused by the expectation of danger I hope you wont take alarm at the news. alarm v. (1) giving a warning The notice board alarms people not to swim in the river. (2) feel feared or cause anxiety The news that H5N1 has spread alarmed the nation. alarmed adj. , alarming adj. , The news is really alarming. 3. accompany v. (1) to go/stay with Id like you to accompany me to the supermarket. What accompanies him is always a dog. (2) to exist at the same time Lightning usually accompanies thunder. 4. declare vt. (1) +(that) to make known formally or officially The new Congress declared a state of war with Germany. (2) +(that) The accused man declared himself innocent. I declared at the meeting that I did not support him. (3) ( ) I have nothing to declare. I would like to declare my love for you. announce to tell a lot of people If I have a birthday party, I want to announce it to my friends. declare , a way of expressing oneself : declare announce 5. leave/let alone/be / / Ive told you to leave my things alone. Please don't leave me alone in the dark room. Let me be, I want a rest. leave + + Leave the door open. 1. As she turned around, there stood Gladys Claffern. as As I was going out, it began to rain. there stood Gladys Claffern there as As spring warms the good earth, all flowers begin to bloom. there here Here comes he! Here he comes! be There was he, on the playground, while I had to study. 2. The guests would be arriving soon and Claire told Tony to go into another room. would + be + ( ) a. Mr. Smith never realized that some day he would be living in China. b. Mary told us that Jack would be coming next Saturday. I would pay the rest as I would be leaving Beijing. ( ) The car started. Ellen Green would be driving off to the college. Scanning to get detail information Claires feelings towards Tony changed as the story developed. Fill in the occasions when Claire had these feelings. scanning Reading Comprehension III dislike himBefore he arrived Occasion Claire When he arrived was alarmed When he offered to help her dress felt embarrassed When he offered to help her improve her house and herself admired him The Change of Claires Feelings to Tony called him a dear Occasion Claire felt his warmth When she fell off a ladder and was caught by Tony When he helped her with the salesman The Change of Claires Feelings to Tony Occasion Claire She remembered Tony was just a machine When she heard Gladys whispering to another woman that she had never seen anyone so handsome as Tony cried all night felt being envied The Change of Claires Feelings to Tony sad to remember he was just a machine Review Claires emotional development. At first refused to have Tony at her house accept him trust him proud of him love him 1.Larry was going to be away from home so he hired a robot to accompany his wife. 2. Claire didnt like the idea at the beginning, but she agreed to it at last. 3. Tony could understand Claire when she said she was not clever. 4. When Tony offered to help dressing, Claire was pleased to accept it. True or False scanning Reading Comprehension IV 5. It was Claire that first decided to invite Gladys and her friends to her house. 6. Claires guests were filled with admiration when they saw her house was completely changed. 7. The company was satisfied with Tonys report because he had successfully made a woman fall in love with him. 1. Why did Tony open the curtains? 2. What did Tony do to prevent Claire from being harmed? 3. Why did Tony have to be rebuilt? 4. How would you feel if you had a robot like Tony in your house? 5. Claire spent three weeks with Tony in her house. What sentences in the story show that she kept forgetting and then remembering that he was a machine? scanning Read the story again and answer the following questions in groups. scanning Reading Comprehension V 1. Why did Tony open the curtains? 2. What did Tony do to prevent Claire from being harmed? He wanted Claires guests to see him and Claire together so that she would be envied by the women guests. Tony prevented Claire from being harming by making her feel good about herself. He helped her make her and her home elegant so that she would not feel like a failure. 3. Why did Tony have to be rebuilt? 4. How would you feel if you had a robot like Tony in your house? Tony had to be rebuilt because the company felt that they could not have women falling in love with a robot. open 5. Claire spent three weeks with Tony in her house. What sentences in the story show that she kept forgetting and then remembering that he was a machine? How absurd, she thought. He was just a machine. He held her firmly in his arms and she felt the warmth of his body. She screamed, pushed him away and ran to her room for the rest of the day. Then she remembered - Tony was just a machine. She shouted Leave me alone and ran to her house. In groups, list Tonys characteristics that were similar to and those that were different from those of a human being. Characteristics SimilarDifferent Physical Mental scanning Reading Comprehension V Charac- teristics SimilarDifferent Physical Looks like a human being. Body and skin soft and warm. Hair and fingernail realistic. Voice like a humans. Facial expressions never change. Quicker reactions (She fell off a ladder and even though Tony was in the next room, he managed to catch her in time.) Charac- teristics SimilarDifferent Mental Able to make suggestions and predictions. Able to make a plan and follow it through. Has good communication skill. Behaviour not appropriate (Tony brought her breakfast and then asked her whether she needed help dressing.) If you were a robot engineer, what kind of robot would you like to create? Why ? Discussion Post-reading 1.Do you think that robots can take the place of humans in the future? 2. What will the robots be like in 2500? 3. What kind of robot do you think is the most helpful to us in our daily lives? Quiz I. Complete the following sentences with proper words. 1. The mans parents _________ ( ) that they didnt want to see him again. 2. The government is a_________ by the dramatic increase in violent crime. 3. The witness officially s_______ that he had not seen the woman before. 4. Tom began to sweep the pieces of glass up into a _______ ( ). 5. She s_________ his face, looking for signs of what he was thinking. declared larmed tated pile canned 6. I really ______ ( ) you and your wife you seem so happy together. 7. Our vacation was totally ruined. Yes, definitely! Not only was the food terrible, but also the weather was _________ ( ). 8. In my opinion, your idea is so _________ ( ) that I cant help laughing. 9. The woman has an e________ manner, but she is extremely difficult to work with. 10. Some ladies think they are o_________, so they try every means to lose weight. verweight envy awful absurd legant II. Complete the following sentences without changing their meanings. 1. Personally speaking, Im for the proposal. Personally speaking, Im _____________ the proposal. 2. Would you like me to go to the Peoples Park with you this weekend? Would you like me _________________ to the Peoples Park this weekend? 3. Your father is busy at his desk, so youd better not bother him. Your father is busy at his desk, so youd better ________________. leave him alone in favour of to accompany you III. Translation 1.It was going _______________ ( ) by Larrys wife, Claire. 2. Claire thought it was ridiculous ____________________ ( ) by a robot. 3. How awful _______________ ( ) by her, Claire thought. 4. But even though Tony had been so clever, he would_________________ ( ). to be tested out to be offered sympathy to be discovered have to be rebuilt 5. She weakened ___________________ ______ ( ). (as) 6. She said _________________________ ( ) in order to avoid the heavy traffic. 7. Last evening _______________________ ________ ( ) whom I had not heard of for years. 8. _______________ ( ) and saw Jane was sitting directly behind me. as the illness grew worse she would be setting off early I was rung up by an old friend I turned around 1. Surf the Internet to learn more about Isaac Asimov and robots. 2. ( ). Homework test out, alarm, leave alone accompany, ring up, declare, turn around.