What new information about the history of robots have you learned from this text?

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ по английскому языку по теме «Робототехника» для студентов 2 курса ЕИ и ФМИ

Федеральное агентство по образованию

Российской Федерации

_

 

Государственное образовательное учреждение

высшего профессионального образования

 

“АСТРАХАНСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ”

 

 

Кафедра английского языка и технического перевода ЕИ и ФМИ

 

 

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ

 

по развитию навыков чтения и устной речи

на английском языке по теме “Робототехника”

для студентов 2 курса

ЕИ и ФМИ университета

 

Астрахань

Составитель: ассистент кафедры Метельская Е.В.

 

Рецензент:

 

Печатается в соответствии с решением кафедры английского языка и технического перевода ЕИ и ФМИ ГОУ ВПО “АГУ”, протокол № … от … 2010 г.

 

 

Методическая записка

 

Данные методические указания служат для аудиторной и самостоятельной работы студентов 1-2 курсов. Первостепенная цель методических указаний - расширение начальных знаний студентов по теме “Робототехника” и совершенствование навыков чтения с последующей устной речью. Настоящие методические указания помогают в накоплении лексического материала в пределах указанной темы. Методические указания состоят из трех разделов по темам:

1.История создания роботов;

2.Роботы в современном мире;

3.Нанороботы.

 

В каждый раздел входит текст, предназначенный для чтения, задания и тренировочные упражнения. Также даются дополнительные тексты по теме для самостоятельного чтения. Приводятся творческие задания, побуждающие студентов обсуждать прочитанные тексты, высказывать свои суждения и обмениваться мнениями по информации, полученной в ходе работы над текстами.

UNIT I.

HISTORY OF ROBOTS

Text 1.

 

I. Answer the following questions:

1.To your mind, what is the general purpose of robots?

2.Are there any changes in the situation with robots since ancient times?

3.Do you know any interesting facts about robots?

II. Read and practice the pronunciation of the following words:

 

ancient
industrial
artificial
intelligence
mechanical
handiwork

 

III. Read the text in order to know more about history of robots.

Robotics in Antiquity

 

The history of robots date at least as far back as ancient myths and legends. Digitally controlled Industrial robots and robots making use of Artificial intelligence have been built since the 1960s.

Likely fictional the Iliad illustrates the concept of robotics by stating that the god Hephaestus made talking mechanical handmaidens out of gold. Around 400 BC, Archytas of Tarentum is reputed to have built a mechanical pigeon, possibly powered by steam, capable of flying. Not only representing one of the earliest works in the field of robotics, the wooden pigeon was also an early study of flight. Philosophers (notably Aristotle in 322 BC) have also dreamed of automatons and tools capable of working independently of people as an idea of bringing about equality.

In ancient China, a curious account on automata is found in the Lie Zi text, written in the 3rd century BC. Within it there is a description of a much earlier encounter between King Mu of Zhou (1023-957 BC) and a mechanical engineer known as Yan Shi, an “artificer”. The latter proudly presented the king with a life-size, human-shaped figure of his mechanical handiwork.

Early water clocks, or clepsydra, are sometimes grouped in with the beginning of robotics. It was common to attempt to make such clocks automatic (such as a clepsydra by Ctesibius), or to decorate them with complicated astrological designs (popular in the Eastern world). Of particular interest in China, these astrological clocks led to extremely complex works such as Su Song's clock tower in 1088 AD, which featured moving mannequins, among other devices.

What new information about the history of robots have you learned from this text?

IV. Answer the questions:

1. When have been built digitally controlled Industrial robots and robots making use of Artificial intelligence?

2. Who was the author of talking mechanical handmaidens out of gold?

3. Have the philosophers dreamed of automatons and tools capable of working independently of people as an idea of bringing about equality?

4. What is the second name of water clock?

 

V. Agree or disagree with the statements:

1. The history of robots date at least as far back as modern myths and legends.

2. Around 400 BC, Archytas of Tarentum is reputed to have built a mechanical pigeon, possibly powered by steam, capable of flying.

3. The latter proudly presented the king with a life-size, human-shaped figure of his mechanical handiwork.

4. Early water clocks, or clepsydra, are sometimes grouped in with the ending of robotics.

5. Of particular interest in China, these astrological clocks led to extremely complex works such as Su Song's clock tower in 1088 AD, which featured moving mannequins, among other devices.

 

VI. Give English equivalents of the following words and word combinations:

с цифровым управлением, искусственный интеллект, механик, фигура с человеческими формами, авторская работа, водяные часы, движущиеся манекены, устройство

VII. Сomplete the following sentences:

1. The history of robots date at least as far back as … … … ….

2. Likely fictional the Iliad illustrates the concept of robotics … … ….

3. The latter proudly presented the king with a life-size … … ….

4. It was common to attempt to make such clocks automatic … … ….

5. In ancient China, a curious account on automata … … ….

6. … … … encounter between King Mu of Zhou (1023-957 BC) and a mechanical engineer known as Yan Shi, an “artificer”.