O R A L P R A C T I C E Lessons 1 - 25 - Shenker
O R A L P R A C T I C E Lessons 1 - 25 - Shenker
O R A L P R A C T I C E Lessons 1 - 25 - Shenker
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OP <strong>25</strong> - AURAL COMPREHENSION - Timothy Thomas and Eleanor Faurreaux<br />
- Here's a little story for you, about …robots!<br />
Based on the situation in IE <strong>25</strong>.<br />
“<br />
“<br />
“<br />
“<br />
Timothy Thomas is a brilliant young scientist. He's an EXPERT in the field of ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.He<br />
loves computers, and he's FASCINATED by… robots! He's been interested in robots all his life - EVER SINCE he<br />
saw "Star Wars" for the first time, at the age of seven, and "Blade Runner", at the age of twelve. He's been a<br />
MEMBER of the Robot Research Society ever since he graduated from the faculty of engineering of Bristol<br />
University..<br />
Now, most people think that robots are science fiction, but Timothy and the other members of the Robot<br />
Research Society are CONVINCED that in the future, robots will be a normal part of our DAILY life. Actually,<br />
in many AREAS, they already are.<br />
> What is Timothy interested in? / Where did he study? / What two films INFLUENCED him when he was<br />
young? / What IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION is he a member of? / Does he think robots are<br />
science fiction?<br />
One day last January, Timothy was ATTENDING the final SESSION of the annual conference of the Robot<br />
Research Society in Honolulu. After a week of papers, and panel discussions, round tables and seminars, the<br />
last speaker on the last day of the conference was the internationally RENOWNED Professor Robert Roberts,<br />
a truly EMINENT FIGURE in the field of ROBOTICS. Professor Roberts ANNOUNCED that he had CREATED the<br />
perfect robot - so LIFELIKE that it SEEMED almost HUMAN. But Timothy Thomas was SCEPTICAL. Where was<br />
the robot?<br />
> Where was the Robot Research Conference HELD last year? / By the way, have you ever NOTICED that<br />
these conventions and congresses and conferences are always held in places like Aspen, Colorado (ski resort<br />
in USA), and Aviemore ( AvImØ: ) (ski resort in Scotland), and Cortina d'Ampezzo (ski resort in northern<br />
Italy)? Why is that, do you think? / Getting back to the conference… Who was the last speaker on the last<br />
day? / What did Professor Roberts announce? / Was Timothy Thomas CONVINCED, or was he sceptical? /<br />
Why?<br />
Professor Roberts showed them a lot of charts, and tables, and figures, and diagrams - but no robot. He also<br />
showed them a lot of slides - the projector was OPERATED by his beautiful assistant, Ms Eleanor Faurreaux.<br />
Timothy found it difficult to CONCENTRATE on the professor's presentation - he was more interested in the<br />
lovely Ms Faurreaux.<br />
The professor CONCLUDED his presentation, and still no robot. Timothy Thomas had many, many DOUBTS.<br />
> How did the professor ILLUSTRATE his presentation? / Did he show them a robot? / Timothy had many<br />
doubts about Professor Roberts, but what did he think of the professor's assistant, Eleanor Faurreaux?<br />
That evening, at the President's cocktail party, Timothy had a little surprise: he discovered that Eleanor was<br />
actually a robot! In fact, her name - or "its" name, we should say - wasn't Eleanor Faurreaux after all. It was<br />
LNR IV-O. And it wasn't really a name, it was a SERIAL NUMBER!<br />
Timothy was SHOCKED at first, but the next day Professor Roberts saw him out on Waikiki Beach, surfing<br />
with Eleanor.<br />
> Where did Timothy go that evening? / What did he discover? / Was that the end of the story?<br />
Possible segue:<br />
222
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