Task 1
Match the definitions (a–f) with the vocabulary (1–6).
Vocabulary Definitions
1. …… a takeover a. the ability to think of new ideas
2. …… creative b. to think something is less than it is
3. …… empathy c. to work out what kind of illness someone has
4. …… to underestimate d. to change something so that it fits better
5. …… to diagnose e. the ability to deeply understand someone’s situation or feelings
6. …… to adapt f. when someone takes control of something, like a job or a place
Reading text: Robot teachers
If you think of the jobs robots could never do, you would probably put doctors
and teachers at the top of the list. It’s easy to imagine robot cleaners and factory
workers, but some jobs need human connection and creativity. But are we
underestimating what robots can do? In some cases, they already perform better
than doctors at diagnosing illness. Also, some patients might feel more
comfortable sharing personal information with a machine than a person. Could
there be a place for robots in education after all? British education expert
Anthony Seldon thinks so. And he even has a date for the robot takeover of the
classroom: 2027. He predicts robots will do the main job of transferring
information and teachers will be like assistants. Intelligent robots will read
students’ faces, movements and maybe even brain signals. Then they will adapt
the information to each student. It’s not a popular opinion and it’s unlikely robots
will ever have empathy and the ability to really connect with humans like another
human can. One thing is certain, though. A robot teacher is better than no
teacher at all. In some parts of the world, there aren’t enough teachers and 9–16
per cent of children under the age of 14 don’t go to school. That problem could
be partly solved by robots because they can teach anywhere and won’t get
stressed, or tired, or move somewhere for an easier, higher-paid job.
Those negative aspects of teaching are something everyone agrees on. Teachers
all over the world are leaving because it is a difficult job and they feel overworked
overworked. ‘Will robots replace teachers?’ but ‘How can robots help teachers?’
Office workers can use software to do things like organise and answer emails,
arrange meetings and update calendars. Teachers waste a lot of time doing non-
teaching work, including more than 11hours a week marking homework. If robots
could cut the time teachers spend marking homework and writing reports,
teachers would have more time and energy for the parts of the job humans do
best.
Task 2 Are the sentences true or false?
1. Few jobs seem as if they can be done by robots or computers.
2. Doctors are always better at diagnosing illness than robots.
3. Many experts agree robots will replace teachers by 2037.
4. One disadvantage of robot teachers is that they don’t need to rest.
5. Robot assistants could help students by marking homework.
6. Some teachers use robots to reduce their time answering emails and
marking homework.
Task 3. Choose the best answer.
1. It’s easy to think robots …
a. are more capable than people and it’s true.
b. will replace people even if we don’t like the idea.
c. can do less than people but it’s not always true.
2. Anthony Seldon thinks teachers in the future will …
a. help robots in class.
[Link] longer exist.
c. teach knowledge to students
3. Robots will probably never …
a. be intelligent enough to work in education.
b. be a popular choice for teachers.
c. .have human understanding of emotions.
4. Some parts of the world …
a. pay robots to teach.
b. already use robots in teaching jobs.
c. have a shortage of teachers
5. Teachers …
a. work harder than office workers.
b. have less help than office workers.
c. leave their jobs to become office workers.
6. Robots could …
a. empathise with students.
b. prepare lessons
c. mark homework.