Expository

Text

What About

What About Robots? BY YVONNE MORRIN

BY Y VO N N E M O R R I N

PAIRED
No Substitute
READ
 STRATEGIES & SKILLS
Comprehension ELL Vocabulary
Strategy: Reread conclusions, foe, labor
Skill: Author’s Point of View
Content Standards
Vocabulary Science
access, advancing, analysis, Technology
cite, counterpoint, data,
drawbacks, reasoning

Word Count: 1,412**

Photography Credit: Cover (bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (c) Feature China/
Barcroft Media/Getty Images
**The total word count is based on words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words in
captions, labels, diagrams, charts, and sidebars are not included.

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ISBN: 978-0-02-118729-4
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8 9 10 11 12 DOC 22 21 20 19 18 E
 Genre Expository Text

Essential Question
What are the positive and negative effects
of new technology?

What About

BY Y VO N N E M O R R I N

Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 1
What Is a Robot? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2
Robots at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (l) Stockdisc/PunchStock/Getty Images

Chapter 3
New Uses for Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Respond to Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

PAIRED
READ No Substitute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
STEM Focus on Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

science | technology | engineering | math

Introduction

We use technology every day. We use machines

that have technology. We use machines to travel, keep
food fresh, wash clothes, and entertain. We would live
very differently without technology!

Technology is advancing all the time. Some people

are excited by the changes new technology will bring.
Other people are worried about them.

Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images

refrigerator washing
machine

2
 Robotics is a type of technology that is advancing
rapidly. There are millions of robots in the world. Many
robots do jobs that are too dangerous for humans.
Many people think robots are useful. Others think
people will become too dependent on robots or that
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (bl) Ingram Publishing/Alamy, (br) Stockbyte/Punchstock, (inset) Glow Images

robots will replace people and take their jobs.

Before you form an opinion about robots, it is

important to learn the facts about robots. This will
help you to make thoughtful conclusions. You can cite
evidence to support your reasoning and opinion.

television
These are all examples
of technology.

3
CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 1 WHAT IS A ROBOT?
What Is a Robot?

The word robot comes

from the Czech word robota,
which means “forced labor.” Robots are made in
many shapes and sizes.
There are many definitions
for robot. One definition is
a machine that automatically
does a job done by a
human. With this definition,
a washing machine could be
a robot.

A washing machine does

a person’s job of washing
clothes. However, most
people do not think a
washing machine is a robot. Feature China/Barcroft Media/Getty Images

4
 A better definition of a robot is a machine
that uses information from its surroundings to
perform a task.
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (cb) Stockdisc/PunchStock/Getty Images

This kind of robot has equipment, such as

cameras or microphones, to take in information .
Then a computer inside the robot responds to
the information. Finally, the mechanical parts of
the robot perform the job.

In Other Words receive. En español, take in

quiere decir recibir.

5
History of Robots

In the 1700s and 1800s, inventors made mechanical

people and animals, called automatons . Some
automatons could play musical instruments and draw
pictures by themselves. Automatons do not process
information about their environments, so they are not
considered to be true robots.

In 1911, there was a machine that could play chess

against humans . It had electrical sensors . The sensors
figured out the location of the chess pieces on the
board. Then, it used a mechanical arm to move the
chess pieces.

In 1739, a French engineer

made an automaton called
the Digesting Duck.
Photo 12 Collection/Alamy Stock Photo

6
 FICTIONAL ROBOTS

Before the invention of robots, science fiction stories

included robots. The stories were set in the future. In
some movies from the 1920s and 1930s, robots plotted
to take over Earth! In the 1950s and 1960s, television
shows had robots as helpful companions.

In the mid-twentieth century, engineers developed

computer technology. They made machines that had
artificial brains . These machines were the first robots .

In the 1940s, engineers built a machine that could

avoid objects. The machine rolled around on three
wheels. It moved so slowly that it was called Elsie
the Tortoise.

STOP AND CHECK

How is a robot different

Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images

from an automaton?

7
CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2 ROBOTS AT WORK
Robots at Work

car sparks
robot

These robots are

assembling cars on
a production line.

In 1961, a robot worked in a factory that built cars.

The robot had a heavy lifting arm, and its movements
were controlled by electronics. It lifted metal parts
that were too hot for humans to handle.

Robots began to be used in American factories in

the 1960s and 1970s. Robots are expensive, but they
can save money over time because they:

can often do jobs faster and more accurately

than people;

don’t get tired and make mistakes;

don’t get bored repeating the same task.

Language And is a conjunction. Find another

Glowimages

Detective conjunction on this page.

8
 Robots changed work in VIEWPOINTS
factories. However, some people ROBOTS IN THE
WORKPLACE
worried that robots would take
people’s jobs. They also worried
“I think having
about safety. Robots can cause
robots at work
problems if they are programmed is a good idea.
incorrectly. In 1988, robots at a They can do all
factory smashed windows and the dangerous
jobs.”
painted each other!

By the 1980s, Japan and

Europe manufactured most of
the world’s robots. Japan has “If we start
an aging population, and it will using robots
instead of
need a lot of young workers in
humans at work,
the future. People thought robots I could lose
would be needed. my job and
be replaced
by a machine.”

INDUSTRIAL
ROBOT LOCATIONS
Asia leads the world in robot use. What do you
Other (4%) think? Is it a
good idea to
North/South have robots in
Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images

America (14%)
the workplace?

Asia/Australia (61%)
Europe (21%)

9
Dangerous Jobs

Robots can do dangerous jobs. They can clean

up chemical spills and toxic waste in nuclear plants.
Robots can defuse bombs.

Robots can be used in earthquakes and other

disasters. There may be fires or gas leaks. Damaged
walls could collapse. Rescuers risk their own lives when
they search for survivors. So, robotic scouts, instead of
human rescuers, search for survivors.

In Other Words might die. En español, risk their

own lives quiere decir arriesguen sus propias vidas.

light

door
Kyodo News/Getty Images

robot

Robots toured the

Fukushima nuclear
plant to assess
the damage after
the tsunami in
March 2011.

10
 Robotic scouts can access dangerous areas. They
have cameras and gas detectors that send information
to the rescuers. The rescuers use the data to do
an analysis of the situation. Robots can carry food,
medicine, and other things to survivors. Some robots
can carry survivors out of the wreckage.

Space is another dangerous place for humans.

A robotic astronaut can go to space. It can explore
the terrain, or surface, of planets. It can pick up
samples. A robotic astronaut doesn’t need to breathe,
eat, or keep warm like a human.

STOP AND CHECK

What can robots

do in dangerous
situations?
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (bc) Joe Bibby/NASA

This robotic
astronaut is
attached to
a vehicle.

tire

11
CHAPTER 3 Chapter 3 NEW USES FOR ROBOTS
New Uses for Robots

Robots can help doctors

take care of patients who
live far away.

As scientists develop technology, they are finding

new uses for robots.

Robots in Hospitals

Many hospitals use robots to help care for patients.

Robots can deliver food and medicine. Nurses have
more time to do other jobs.

However, there are drawbacks to using robots.

Some patients are scared by robots. Other patients
think robots will make mistakes. Many patients want
a person, instead of a machine, to take care of them.

Language Some patients is the subject.

Detective What is the predicate?
©InTouch Health

12
 SURGICAL ROBOT VIEWPOINTS
OPERATIONS ROBOTIC NURSING
ASSISTANTS
The number of operations performed
by one brand of surgical robot has Japan has a large
been growing. For example, this elderly population.
graph shows the increase from 2005 Some people like
to 2010. Growth has continued
robotic nursing
through the years.
assistants, but
300,000 others don’t.
Number of Operations

250,000
200,000
150,000 “I don’t like getting
100,000 my pills delivered
50,000 by a robot. I don’t
0 trust the robot to
05 06 07 08 09 10 get it right. I’m
Year
lonely, and I want
to talk to a real
Surgical robots are used to person.”
perform operations, such as
heart operations, brain surgery,
and kidney transplants. Surgeons
control the surgical robots. “It’s good that the
robots deliver my
A surgical robot can be meals. It means
more precise than a surgeon. nurses have more
time to look
A surgical robot can make very
after the people
small cuts. As a result, the cuts who really need
heal faster. attention.”
Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images

What do you
think? Would you
like a robot as
your nurse?

13
VIEWPOINTS Friend of the
FRIEND OR FOE? Environment?

Many people are worried

“Robots might
about the increase in the use of
be able to solve
our environmental robots. They think that robots
problems. We will become a foe and harm
should develop the environment. Robots are
new robots that
made out of materials that are
can clean the
environment.” mined. Mining can damage the
environment.

People argue that factories

that make robots use up
“Until we can

Design Pics/Kristy-Anne Glubish

make robots resources such as fuel and
in a more water. Throwing away outdated
environmentally parts of robots can also harm
friendly way, we
the environment.
shouldn’t produce
more robots.
We should
work to prevent
environmental
problems first.”

Computers contain
What do you poisonous chemicals. Used
think? Are robots computers can harm the
good or bad for environment if they are
not dealt with properly.
the environment?

14
 This robot floats on the surface
of the ocean and cleans up oil
that is harmful to marine life.

However, the counterpoint to people’s worries

is that robots can help the environment. Engineers
are developing robots that test the health of the
environment and clean up pollutants. Some robots
use solar power, which is environmentally friendly.

In the future, robots may improve the environment.

There are already robots that can sort plastic for
recycling, plant trees, and filter pollution from the air.
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (ct) Andrea Frank/MIT

15
Learning from Animals

Some people think intelligence means being able to

analyze data or solve puzzles. Others think intelligence
means being able to make decisions and respond to
the environment.

Animals survive well in their environments. Engineers

study animals to get ideas for building robots.

The rat–robot can operate in the dark. The

rat–robot has touch sensors in its whiskers, cameras
in its eye sockets, and tiny microphones in its ears.
The rat-robot can be used
in smoke-filled rooms or
underground.

Some robots have many

legs to walk over rough
terrain the way a spider
does. Other robots can hover
like a hummingbird.

whiskers
Pierre Verdy/AFP/Getty Images

STOP AND CHECK

The rat-robot is small How do engineers learn

enough to fit into places from animals?
humans can’t easily go.

16
 Conclusion

Some people don’t like robots that look

too human. A few companies try to make
their robots look cute instead.

In the future, robots will care for sick people, solve

environmental problems, help in disasters, and make
(bkgd) Chris Knapton/Digital Vision/Getty Images, (tl) Kyodo/Newscom, (tr) Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

workplaces safer. Robots will become important to

many people.

However, some people worry that we might forget

important skills if we rely on robots too much. Other
people prefer humans to machines.

Companies that design robots will have to think

about these different opinions so they can make
robots that people will want to use.

17
 Respond to
Reading
Summarize Author’s
Details Point of
View
Use details from What About Robots?
to summarize the text. Your graphic
organizer may help you.

Text Evidence
1. What features of What About Robots? tell you it
is an expository text? GENRE

2. Reread Chapter 3. What is the author’s point

of view? What details from the text show this?
AUTHOR’S POINT OF VIEW

3. The Greek prefix auto- means “self” or “same.” Using

this and context clues, figure out the meaning of
automatically on page 4. GREEK AND LATIN PREFIXES

4. Write about the author’s position on robots. Is the

author pro-robot or anti-robot? Use details from the
text in your answer. WRITE ABOUT READING

18
 Genre Persuasive Article

Compare Texts
Read an argument against using robots.

No Paired Read: No Substitute

Substitute
Some people say that every
home will have a robot in the
future. Many people think this is
a great idea. They think people’s
lives will be better because robots
will do their work. I think it is
a terrible idea to have a robot in
every home.

People will become lazy. They

will rely on a machine to do their This robot was
chores. Children will never learn to designed to help
around the house.
work hard. People will stop taking
responsibility for messes they make.
Eventually, they might stop taking
responsibility for all their actions.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images

19
 Some companies have developed child-care robots. It is
the job of parents and caregivers to raise children. They
must teach children how to behave. A robot should not
raise children.

Robots cannot feel emotions. They

can’t show compassion, sympathy, or
love. Children who are raised by
a robot might not fully develop
their emotions.

Javier Pierini/Stone/Getty Images

Would you
want a robot
to take care
of your little
brother
or sister?

20
 There are safety issues too. Robots can only do what
they are programmed to do. A robot could do something
dangerous if something unexpected happened. A robot
might not respond to an emergency if it were not
programmed to deal with the problem.

If something went wrong while a robot was in charge,

whose fault would it be? Would it be the fault of the
robot, the robot’s programmer, the robot’s user, or the
robot’s owner?

If robots did all the work that people used to do,

many people would lose their jobs.

For all these reasons, it is clear that a robot in every

home is not a good idea.

Make Connections
What does No Substitute identify as the negative effects
of using robots? ESSENTIAL QUESTION
After reading both texts, what is your point of view
about robots? TEXT TO TEXT

21
 Glossary
artificial not natural; made by humans (page 7)

automatons machines that follow a specific set of

instructions; some look like humans or animals (page 6)

defuse remove the fuse from a bomb so that it can’t

explode (page 10)

electronics electrical circuits, devices, and equipment

(page 8)

manufactured made (page 9)

pollutants things that make the environment dirty, such

as toxins or trash (page 15)

resources things that are found naturally and are useful

to humans; for example, water, fuel, sunlight, forests,
and food (page 14)

robotics the branch of technology that deals with how

robots are designed, built, and used (page 3)

sensors devices that can detect things, such as

movement or light (page 6)

terrain the surface of the land (page 11)

toxic poisonous (page 10)

22
Index
early robots
– chess and, 6
– Digesting Duck, 6
– Elsie the Tortoise, 7
robotic astronauts, 11
robotic scouts, 10, 11
robots
– dangerous jobs and, 10, 11
– definitions, 4, 5
– designed like animals, 16
– environmental issues and, 14, 15, 17
– homes and, 19–21
– hospitals and, 12, 13
– industry and, 8, 9
– replacing traditional jobs, 9, 21

23
 Focus on
Science
Purpose To explore what robots can and cannot do
Procedure
Step 1 Work with a partner. Research what robots can and
cannot do.

Step 2 Make a T-chart labeled “What Robots Can Do” and

“What Robots Cannot Do.” Fill in the chart using the
information you found during your research.

Step 3 Compare the things robots can and cannot do with

things humans can and cannot do. For each activity,
discuss and decide whether a robot or a human
does a better job.

Step 4 Create a poster, a presentation, or a skit that

compares robots with humans. Make sure you clearly
show your point of view.

Conclusion Do you think the use of robots will

become more common, less common, or stay the
same? Why?

24
 Literature Circles
Nonfiction

Thinkmark
Literature Circles Nonfiction Thinkmark

Text Structure
How does the author organize information in
What About Robots?
How does the author support her arguments
against robots in No Substitute?

Vocabulary
What new words did you learn in What
About Robots?
What helped you understand their meanings?

Conclusions
What conclusions can you draw about the
author’s point of view in What About Robots?

Author’s Purpose
Why do you think the author wrote
No Substitute?

Make Connections
What other kinds of robots do you know about
or have experience with?
 New Technology Science

GR R • Benchmark 40 • Lexile 760

[Link]