OLYMPIAD

                      Reading                                    GRADE 11

1.  You are going to read a text about robots. For questions 1-4, mark the answer that fits best from options A, B, C or D.

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

1   According to the text, who will benefit from the new technology in the future?

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

 2  The Japanese robots mentioned in the second paragraph  

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

 3  According to the artificial intelligence expert, the Japanese robots

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

 4  The robotic gym instructor 

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

Read the text again and mark the following statements as T (true) or F (false).

  5    The elderly are more at ease

with technology if it resembles

humans.

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

Read the text again and mark the following statements as T (true) or F (false).

  6    In the future, robots will be able to generate their own power.

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

Read the text again and mark the following statements as T (true) or F (false).

  7    Robotic gym instructors will help someone ill become better.

The future of Robotics

Who do you think will make the most use of robots in the future – teenagers or elderly people? Although we all know that in general younger people feel more comfortable with new technology than their parents and grandparents, robotics scientists are predicting that as robot technology advances, human-like machines will become something we associate with the older generation. That’s both because people who are less mobile and independent are more likely to need machines to carry out their household chores, and because older people tend to feel more confident dealing with technology if it looks, sounds and behaves like a person. Although there are, of course, plenty of “silver surfers” who can browse the Internet as well as their grandchildren, there are probably many more over-60s who convince themselves that they can’t use anything computerised.

In Japan there are already experimental robots in existence that can help people to get out of bed, to get back on their feet after they fall over and even to wash their hair. Robot designers are now close to creating robots that can not only remind people of when they need to take medication, but also administer the medication just as a nurse would if necessary, and even send video reports on patients to doctors. Before long, there could be robots that can act as all-round carers with the minimal of human input. They won’t even need a human being to give them a power supply. Instead, they will know how to plug themselves in when they need to be charged up. One expert in artificial intelligence has said that these care assistant robots have the potential to revolutionise people’s lives as much as the invention of reading glasses and the discovery of fire. People in need of constant care will have no problem finding it via robotic nurses, and human carers will benefit from more breaks.

Robots are also being designed to help elderly people who are in good health to maintain their wellbeing and improve their fitness. Researchers at the University of Southern California have created a robotic gym instructor which demonstrates the movements it asks people to make. The robot has a built-in video camera, which it uses to “watch” the movements of the person who’s working out in front of it. If he or she does the exercises right, it praises them verbally. Perhaps surprisingly, when its designers tested the robotic gym instructor on people of all ages, and asked them whether they would prefer to take instructions from a gym instructor on a video screen or the gym robot, their creation was by far the most popular choice, and among people across the generations!

Read the text again and mark the following statements as T (true) or F (false).

  8    Robotic gym instructors can monitor a person’s workout.

Use of English

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  1  Jeremy always ____ to his older brothers when he needs help or advice.

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 2  It was a disappointing film that didn’t live up to our ____ .

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  3  Archaeologists are doing some restorative work in order to ____ the ancient monument.

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  4  There’s no need for a taxi; there’s a(n) ____ bus service to the airport.

Use of English

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 5  Ships and aircraft travelling in the Bermuda Triangle have been known to disappear without a(n) ____.

Use of English

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6 The continuous destruction of natural habitats put thousands of species at ____ of extinction.

Use of English

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7    Zoe knows it’s time for her lunch break when the clock ____ one.

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  8  As the events in the plot ____, the story becomes more and more interesting.

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  9  I just need a postcard from Finland to ____ my collection of postcards from Europe. 

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10 The police ____ the local residents to come forward with any information on the robbery.

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11  There’s no need for you to help me with the preparations; I ____ everything by the time you get home.

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12 Bill would rather we ____ to the Thai restaurant; he prefers the French bistro on the corner.

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13 Mr Harris ____ very little free time before he quit his second job.

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14 The law clearly states that you ____ camp in this area.

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15 The Amur Leopard, ____ is a critically endangered species, is a stunning animal.

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16 More ____ people are choosing to spend their holidays at home instead of abroad.

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17 I wish I ____ my credit card with me when I left home this morning.

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18 He gave us ____ shocking news that it took a few minutes to sink in.

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19 Make sure the paint is mixed ____ thinner before you start painting the walls.

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20  Seeing Dali’s original works from up close was ____ unique experience for me. 

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21 If you ____ more, you’d feel a lot better.

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22 Frank suggested ____ the tube to go to the city centre. 

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23 Ben couldn’t find his glasses and asked me ____ them anywhere.

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24 You had better ____ a warm jumper with you in case it gets cold.

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25 There’s no need to change the dress; it ____ you fine.