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人教版（2019）选择性必修四
Reading and Thinking
Explore the relationship between humans and robots
Unit 1 Science Fiction
Learning objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
develop an interest in reading science fiction;
identify people’s relationship in the science fiction;
find out the similarities and differences between the robot, Tony, and a human being through comparison and contrast;
write an ending for the science story;
think about the relationship between humans and robots in the future.
n. 小说；虚构的事
Lead-in
What is science fiction?
Science fiction (SF or sci-fi) is a form of fiction that deals principally with the impact of actual or imagined science upon society or individuals.
科幻小说（或影片等）
Have you read any science fiction? What elements does science fiction usually include?
These stories often contain scientific devices that we do not have now, and technologies that seem impossible, such as time travel. The characters may have bodies, cultures, and backgrounds that are very different than our own. The themes often include space exploration, alien contact, AI, and the future of humans, etc.
n. 外星人（生物）；外国人
adj. 陌生的；外星的；外国的
In science fiction, we often see robots. How do robots already help humans in their lives today?
shop
home
factory
education
deepseek
A domestic robot or a service robot is an autonomous robot that is used for household chores. Most of the domestic robots are simplistic, and some are connected to Wi-Fi home networks or the smart environments. They are highly autonomous.
What is a domestic robot? What do you think domestic robots could do for a family in the future?
Watch the video clip of the Robot Sophia in a TV show and learn more about robots.
If a robot like Sophia lives with you, what will happen?
Pre-reading
We will read the story which was originally written by famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. At first, let’s know more about the author.
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov is an American scientist and author, who wrote science fiction, and proposed Three Laws of Robotics (in the 1940’s).
机器人三法则
艾萨克·阿西莫夫
Watch a video to know more about the Three Laws of Robotics.
While-reading
Now read the story below and answer the following questions.
What is the text type of this passage?
A. Argumentative writing.
B. Narrative writing.
C. Expository writing.
D. An advertisement.
Whose satisfaction do you think will be guaranteed?
What does the word “adapted” mean?
What is the text mainly about?
It is mainly about how a household _______ was ______ _____ in a family.
The owner’s/The customer’s.
Rewritten and adjusted.
robot
tested
out
包你满意
改编版
检验；测试
Take notes on who these people are and their relationships to each other.
〇 Larry Belmont 〇 Claire 〇 Tony 〇 Gladys Claffern
Tony
a household robot
worked for a robot company
Claire
a housewife
Gladys Claffern
a rich and powerful woman
Larry Belmont
made
couple
to test out
envies
拉里·贝尔蒙特
克莱尔
格拉迪丝·克拉芬
Read the story carefully and find out the storyline of the text.
Larry Belmont worked for a company that made robots. Recently it had begun experimenting with a household robot. It was going to be tested out by Larry’s wife, Claire.
Claire didn’t want the robot in her house, especially as her husband would be away on a business trip for three weeks, but Larry persuaded her that the robot wouldn’t harm her or allow her to be harmed. It would be a bonus. However, when she first saw the robot, she felt alarmed. His name was Tony. He seemed more like a human than a machine. He was tall and handsome with smooth hair and a deep voice, although his facial expression never changed.
Para. 1: A robot was to be tested out.
Para. 2: The robot, Tony, was tested out in Claire’s house.
1
2
n. 意外收获；奖金；红利
更像是；更接近
On the second morning, Tony brought her breakfast and then asked her whether she needed help dressing. She felt embarrassed and quickly told him to go. Now she was being looked after by a robot that looked so human, and it was disturbing.
One day, Claire mentioned that she didn’t think she was clever. Tony said that she must feel very unhappy to say that. Claire thought it was ridiculous that she was being offered sympathy by a robot, but she gradually admired his wisdom and integrity and began to trust him. He always treated her with dignity. She told him how she was unhappy that her home wasn’t elegant enough for Larry, who wanted to improve his social position with a bigger salary. She wasn’t like Gladys Claffern, one of the richest and most powerful women around.
Para. 3: Tony could serve breakfast.
Para. 4: Tony could show sympathy to Claire.
3
4
adj. 愚蠢的；荒谬的；荒唐的
n. 诚实正直；完整；完好
n. 庄重；庄严；尊严
n. 薪水;薪金
As a favour, Tony promised to help Claire make herself more beautiful and her home more elegant. So Claire borrowed some library books for him to read, or rather, scan. She looked at his fingers with wonder as they turned each page. How absurd, she thought. He was just a machine.
Tony gave Claire a new hairstyle and improved her makeup. As he was not allowed to accompany her to the shops, he wrote out a list of things that he would need for his work on the house. Claire went downtown and bought these things. She had an appointment to paint her nails, then she went into an expensive clothes shop. The saleswoman there was rude to her, so she rang Tony and told him she was being treated badly. He spoke to the woman, who immediately changed her attitude. Claire thanked Tony, telling him that he was a “dear”. As she turned around, there stood Gladys Claffern. How awful to be discovered by her, Claire thought. By the look on her face, Claire knew that Gladys thought they were in a relationship. After all, she knew Claire’s husband’s name was Larry, not Tony. Although it was completely innocent, Claire felt guilty.
Para. 5: Tony could read books.
Para. 6: Tony helped Claire improve her makeup and helped her gain respect.
5
6
adj. 荒谬的；荒唐的
n. 指甲；趾甲；钉子 vt. （用钉子）钉牢；固定
n. 女售货员；女推销员
adj. 内疚的；
有罪的；
有过失的
n. 预约；约会；委任
When Claire got home, she wept. Gladys was everything Claire wished to be. Tony told her she was being sensitive and was just as good as Gladys. He suggested that she invite Gladys and her friends to the house the night before he was to leave and Larry was to return. By that time, Tony expected that the house, which was being completely transformed, would be ready.
Tony worked steadily on the improvements. Claire tried to help by working on a light suspended from the ceiling, but she fell off the ladder. Even though Tony had been in the next room, he managed to catch her in time. As he held her, she felt the warmth of his body. She screamed, pushed him away, and ran to her room.
The night of the party arrived. The clock struck eight. The guests would be arriving soon, so Claire dismissed Tony for the rest of the night. At that moment, Tony took her in his arms, bringing his face close to hers. She heard him declare that he did not want to leave her the next day, and that he felt more than just the desire to please her. Then the front door bell rang.
Para. 7: Tony gave Claire a good suggestion.
Para. 8: Tony protected Claire from falling off the ladder.
7
8
9
Para. 9: Tony expressed his heart/love to Claire.
vt. 悬；挂；暂停；暂缓
n. 梯子；阶梯
vt. 让（某人）离开；解散；解雇；消除
vt. 表明；宣称；公布
Divide the text into three parts and match the main ideas with each part.
C. Larry persuaded Claire to accept the
robot that would be tested out.
B. The result of Claire living with the robot.
A. The process of the robot helping Claire.
Paras 3-8
Para 9
Paras 1-2
Setting
Conflict
Conclusion
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Post-reading
How do you think this story will end? Work in groups and come up with an ending.
happy ending?
surprising ending?
sad ending?
Then listen to the rest of the story. How different is it from your ending?
（点击播放音频）
[Then the front door bell rang.]
Tony let her go and disappeared from sight. It was then that Claire realised that Tony had opened the curtains of the front window. Her guests had seen everything!
The women were impressed by Claire, the house, and the delicious cuisine. Just before they left, Claire heard Gladys whispering to another woman that she had never seen anyone so handsome as Tony. What a sweet victory to be envied by those women! She might not be as beautiful as them, but none of them had such a handsome lover.
Then she remembered — Tony was just a machine. She shouted “Leave me alone!” and ran to her bed. She cried all night. The next morning a car drove up and took Tony away.
The company was very pleased with Tony’s report on his three weeks with Claire. Tony had protected a human being from harm when he prevented Claire from falling off a ladder. He had also opened the curtains that night so that the other women would see him and Claire, which would make them envy Claire. But even though Tony had been so clever and caring, he would have to be rebuilt — you cannot have women falling in love with machines.
Claire’s feelings towards Tony changed as the story developed. Review the story and pay attention to Claire’s feelings towards Tony.
before he arrived
disliked him
when she first saw him
was alarmed
when Tony asked if he could help her get dressed
felt embarrassed
when Tony offered sympathy to her
admired him, began to trust him
when he helped her talk to the saleswoman
called him a dear
when she fell and Tony caught and held her
felt his warmth
Then complete the chart.
{5C22544A-7EE6-4342-B048-85BDC9FD1C3A}
1 before he arrived
disliked him
5
called him a dear
2
was alarmed
6
felt his warmth
3
felt embarrassed
7
felt being envied
4
admired him
8
cried all night
Occasion
Claire
Occasion
Claire
when she first saw him
when Tony asked if he should help her get dressed
when Tony offered sympathy to her
when he helped her talk to the saleswoman
when she fell and Tony caught and held her
after the ladies saw Tony holding her and speaking to her lovingly through the window
after she remembered he was just a machine and shouted, “Leave me alone!”
Complete the diagram with the similarities and differences between Tony and a human being.
Compare and contrast
Some words and phrases are often used to compare and contrast information. It is easier to understand two separate things by describing their similarities and differences.
Tony
Human being
facial expression never changes
facial expression changes often
programmed to appear sensitive and caring;
always the same
smooth hair
can show true sensitivity and care; emotions can change
offers sympathy;
treats people kindly;
warm body
Although Tony’s actions appeared sensitive and caring, he was just following his programming and these were not real emotions.
In contrast to Tony, who never changed from his programming, a human’s emotions can change.
However, there are similarities between them. Tony’s smooth hair and warm body are the same as human beings. Tony treats people kindly in the same way. He can offer sympathy just as what we do.
Use the words in the boxes to describe the similarities and differences.
Comparison
the same as similar to similarly more like
just as in comparison
in the same way
Contrast
different from but
while whereas
although however
on the other hand
in contrast
Suggested Answer
EXAMPLE
A human being’s facial expression changes often, whereas Tony’s never changes.
conj. 然而；但是；尽管
Discuss the questions in pairs.
Do you think it is possible for a person to love a robot? Why?
What relationship do you think will develop between humans and robots in the future?
开篇引言选自兼具科幻作家与生物、化学教授等多重身份的俄裔美国作家阿西莫夫。这句话绝对不是一种妄言。那些曾经只能出现在科幻作品中的奇思妙想，如地心探险、星系探索、智能机器人等，已经随着科技进步成为当今的科学现实。人类对地球乃至整个宇宙的探索不会停止。
今天的科幻小说即明天的科学现实。
——阿西莫夫
Today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s science fact.
— Isaac Asimov
She heard him declare that he did not want to leave her the next day, and that he felt more than just the desire to please her. (P3)
克莱尔听着托尼宣布说他次日并不想离开她，而且他心里的愿望不只是让她开心 而已。
declare /d??kler/ vt. 表明；宣称；公布
搭配 declare that ... 宣称，宣布…… declare sth/sb (to be)+n. 宣布某物……
declare sth/sb+adj. 宣布某人……
例句
The player declared that she would take part in the next Olympic games.
这位运动员宣布她将参加下一届奥运会。
This area has been declared (to be) a national park.
这个地区已经宣布成为国家公园。
Language points
1
..., but she gradually admired his wisdom and integrity and began to trust him. (P2)
但她逐渐欣赏托尼的智慧和正直，并且开始信任他。
integrity /?n?teɡr?ti/ n. 诚实正直；完整；完好
搭配
moral integrity 骨气，气节
territorial integrity 领土完整
in the integrity 完整，原封不动
a man of integrity 正直的人
例句
They said the greatest virtues in a person were integrity, correctness and honesty.
他们说一个人身上最重要的美德就是正直、得体和诚实。
We all have an interest in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem.
维持生态系统的完整是我们共同的兴趣。
2
She had an appointment to paint her nails, then she went into an expensive clothes
shop. (P2) 她按预约去美甲后，走进了一家高档时装店。
appointment /??p??ntm?nt/ n. 预约；约会；委任
搭配
make/have an appointment with sb 与某人约会
keep/break an appointment 守/违约 present oneself for an appointment 求职
resign one’s appointment 辞去职务 announce the appointment of 宣布……的任命
例句
If possible, could we make another appointment to go to the bookstore?
如果可能的话，我们可以再约一个时间去书店吗？
His promotion to manager was a popular appointment.
他升任经理是众望所归的。
3
Claire tried to help by working on a light suspended from the ceiling, but she fell off
the ladder. (P3)
克莱尔试图帮忙安装天花板上的吊灯，但从梯子上摔了下来。
suspend /s??spend/ vt. 悬；挂；暂停；暂缓
搭配
be suspended in 悬浮在 suspend production 停产
suspend payment 停止支付 suspend sb from duty 勒令某人停职
suspend on 因……而停止/中断
例句
A beam of sunlight lit up the particles of dust that were suspended in the air.
一束阳光照出了悬浮在空气中的尘埃颗粒。
Bus service will be suspended until the highway is repaired.
公路修复前，公共汽车暂停行驶。
4
The guests would be arriving soon, so Claire dismissed Tony for the rest of the night.
(P3)
客人们很快就要来了，于是克莱尔让托尼结束了当晚的工作，说当夜不再需要他了。
dismiss /d?s?m?s/ vt. 让（某人）离开；解散；解雇；消除
搭配
dismiss a class 下课 dismiss the court 退庭
dismiss the thought 打消念头 dismiss for 因……而解雇
dismiss sb from sb’s job 免职
例句
Don’t dismiss that possibility entirely.
不要完全排除这种可能性。
The cook was dismissed because her cooking was so poor.
那个厨师被解雇了，因为她的烹调技术太差了。
5
Homework
Read the science fiction aloud.
Polish your ending of the story. And exchange ideas with your partner.

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