Read the following passage and answer the questions below.
Better Than People: Japan’s Humanoid Robots
Her name is MARIE, and her (1) impressive skills come in handy in a nursing home. MARIE can move under her own power. She can distinguish among similar-looking objects, such as different bottles of medicine. MARIE can interpret a range of facial expressions and gestures, and respond in ways that suggest (2) compassion. Although her language skills are not perfect, she can recognize and respond to speech. Above all, she is inexpensive. Unfortunately for MARIE, however, she has one (3) trait that makes it hard for Japanese patients to accept her: she is a flesh-and-blood human being – a non-Japanese nurse. If only she were a robot instead.
Robots, as many Japanese will tell you, are wonderful creatures. They are getting more skillful all the time, and soon will be able to do cheaply and easily many tasks that human workers do now. They will care for the sick, pick up the garbage, guard homes and offices, and give directions on the street.
This is good news in Japan, where the population has begun (4) shrinking. With few young workers to support an aging population, somebody – or something – needs to fill the gap, especially since many of Japan’s young people will be needed in science, business and other creative and knowledge-intensive jobs. Making humanoid robots is clearly a simple and practical solution.
Japan certainly has the technology. It is already the world leader in making industrial robots, which look nothing like pets or people but increasingly do much of the work in its factories. What’s more, Japan is far ahead of other countries in developing robots with more human (5) features, ones that can interact more easily with people.
The country showed off its newest robots at the Expo in 2005 in Aichi Prefecture. More than 22 million visitors came, 95% of them Japanese. The robots stole the show: from the nanny robot that babysits to a Toyota-made musician that plays a trumpet. As they gain skills and confidence, robots such as Sony’s QRIO and Honda’s ASIMO are attracting attention in the real world. They have attended factory openings and greeted foreign leaders. ASIMO can even take the stage to accept awards.
Japan will need workers, and it is learning how to make robots that can do many of their jobs. But the country’s (6) keen interest in robots may also reflect something else: it seems that many Japanese really like dealing with robots. Few Japanese have the fear of robots that troubles Westerners in science-fiction stories and Hollywood films.
In Western popular culture, robots are often a threat. By contrast, most Japanese view robots as friendly and helpful. Robots like people, and they can do good. The (7) prevailing view in Japan is that the country is lucky to be free of robophobia*. Without the complexes that bother many Westerners, the theory goes, Japan is able to make use of a great new tool at the very moment when its abilities can meet the country’s needs. Of all the nations involved in such research,” The Japan Times wrote in a 2004 (8) editorial, “Japan is the most inclined to approach it in a spirit of fun.”
This, however, may be only part of the story. Although they are at ease with robots, many Japanese are less comfortable around other people. Having always to watch what you say and do around others is difficult. Many Japanese seem to like robot versions of living creatures mainly because they are different from the real thing.
To understand how Japanese might find robots less intimidating than people, Osaka University’s Karl MacDorman has been investigating eye movements using headsets that monitor where his test subjects are looking. One popular (9) myth about Japanese, that they rarely make eye contact, is not really true. When answering questions asked by another Japanese, MacDorman’s subjects made eye contact around 30% of the time. But they behaved differently when talking to a humanoid robot whose face has been modeled on that of a famous newsreader, with complex controls that imitate her facial movements. When answering the robot’s questions, MacDorman’s Japanese subjects looked it in the eye more than they did when answering a real person. MacDorman believes that the discomfort many Japanese feel when dealing with others explains his results, and that people are much more comfortable when talking to a humanoid robot.
Eventually, (10) interactive robots are going to become more common, not just in Japan but in other rich countries as well. As children and the elderly begin spending time with them, they are likely to develop emotional ties to such lifelike machines. That is human nature.
*-phobia = a strong unreasonable fear of a particular thing
A For each of the following, choose the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the underlined word in the passage. Write the letter of the best choice.
(1) impressive
a) pressing b) moderate c) imperative d) remarkable
(2) compassion
a) generosity b) devotion c) sympathy d) enthusiasm
(3) trait
a) trend b) fault c) advantage d) quality
(4) shrinking
a) wrinkling b) decreasing c) increasing d) leveling
(5) features
a) characteristics b) emotions c) faces d) attractions
(6) keen
a) indirect b) intense c) surprising d) fading
(7) prevailing
a) dominant b) preventing c) preserved d) premature
(8) editorial
a) news article b) note c) essay d) opinion article
(9) myth
a) mistake b) false belief that people have c) story about real people d) knowledge about the past
(10) interactive
a) helpful b) intelligent c) human-shaped d) responsive
B From the choices given, select the most appropriate one to complete each sentence. Write the letter of the best choice.
1. The reason MARIE’s name is written in all capital letters is probably because
a) MARIE is a robot, and robot names are usually written in capital letters.
b) the author hopes that the reader will think that MARIE is a robot.
c) that is how non-Japanese names are commonly written.
d) it is a katakana spelling.
2. According to the third paragraph,
a) the kinds of jobs that many robots will do in the future are not necessary.
b) future robots’ tasks might require a great deal of education.
c) humanoid robots can do some of the jobs that would otherwise be done by young people.
d) Japan’s young people are eager to work for elderly people.
3. According to the fourth paragraph, Japan’s robot technology
a) is not well appreciated in Japan.
b) is good for industrial robots, but weaker in building machines that resemble pets or people.
c) is the best in the world.
d) brings a human touch to industry and manufacturing.
4. The fifth paragraph says that
a) many visitors to the Expo found the robots to be the most interesting.
b) some of the robots at the Expo were stealing things.
c) there was a robot at the Expo who cared for visitors’ children for free.
d) one of the robots on show at the Expo was stolen.
5. According to the sixth and seventh paragraphs, Japanese like dealing with robots better than Westerners do because
a) Japanese have seen robots for many years in stories and Hollywood films.
b) Westerners don’t view the robots as efficient.
c) robots have gotten a bad image in Western popular culture.
d) robots began in Japan, so the people are more comfortable with them.
6. Karl MacDorman’s research shows that Japanese
a) hardly make eye contact with others, as is often said.
b) make more eye contact with famous people than with ordinary people.
c) make more eye contact with a robot that does not look like a human than with a humanoid robot.
d) make more eye contact with a humanoid robot than with another Japanese.
7. One reasonable criticism of Karl MacDorman’s research is that
a) because he used only 30 test subjects, the number is too small for him to be able to draw general conclusions.
b) the curiosity about the android’s face might cause people to look at that questioner more.
c) he cannot possibly understand the true importance of eye contact in Japanese conversations.
d) he has studied only Japanese subjects, so he is unable to compare their eye contact to that of foreigners.
8. Based on the passage, we can assume that in the future
a) the use of robots will grow mostly in Japan.
b) Western countries will try to surpass Japan in the use of robots.
c) the use of robots will eventually diminish as the Japanese population ages.
d) robots will grow in popularity in Japan as well as in other wealthy nations.
