The robot that’s facing the future

How can we apply the new technology of robotics to old problems? That’s now an option on offer to engineering students at the University of Central Lancashire, and already this novel subject is inspiring revolutionary ideas.

In the heart of the hi-tech north-west’s aerospace industry, students are imagining new possibilities. Imagine being able to be in two places at the same time. Or having another version of yourself doing all the jobs you’re not keen to do.

These ideas are, thanks to new and surprisingly inexpensive technologies, finally becoming possible, and that’s part of the thinking behind ‘Makiis’.

An acronym for Makroskopic Intelligent Interaction System, Makiis is a popular name for boys in Greece – and also is a prototype ‘telepresence’ robot which allows people to interact with others anywhere in the world. We think Makiis is one of the world’s first robots that can provide enhanced human-like interaction and presence at a distance.

The fantastic thing about Makiis is that it instantaneously allows people to transport their ‘presence’ to another location. But Makiis is different to other telepresence robots; it is more than just ‘Skype on wheels’ because it also hears where sounds come from and turns to face them automatically, exactly as a human would do.

Makiis is one example of how modern technology is being used to break down traditional barriers to learning.

B. Какие из этих утверждений не упоминаются в тексте.

1. The engineering students at the University of Central Lancashire are working at the problem of robotics.

2. Robot is a machine which has a specific program.

3. New possibilities in the sphere of robotics are becoming possible.

4. Makiis is an acronym.

5. The task of Makiis is to perform scientific research, particularly in the handling of radioactive or other hazardous materials.

6. Makiis is to break down traditional barriers to learning.

7. Robots have already taken human form, but they do not have minds of their own.

С. Переведите второй абзац текста.

Part VI

Word Formation

Словообразование

Образование глаголов путем конверсии

Существительное	Глагол
change – изменение lecture – лекция	to change – менять to lecture – читать лекцию

Прилагательное	Глагол
empty – пустой clean – чистый	to empty – опустошать to clean – чистить

Образование глаголов путем изменения места ударения

Существительное	Глагол
export /'ekspLt/ – экспорт contest /'kPntest/ – спор	to export /Ik'spLt/ – экспортировать to contest / kqn'test/ – оспаривать

Образование глаголов путем чередования звуков

Существительное	Глагол
use /jHs/ – употребления house /haVs/ – дом, жилище	to use /jHz/ – употреблять to house /haVz/ – поселить, приютить

Образование глаголов путем присоединения префиксов

противоположное действие: dis- un- de- «неверно, неправильно»: mis- «снова, заново, вновь»: re- «сверх, чрезмерно»: over- «перед, ранее»: pre- для образования глагола: en-

to connect – соединять to trust – доверять to lock – запирать to code – кодировать to apply – использовать to hear – слышать to attach – присоединять to write – писать to load – грузить to charge – заряжать large – большой circle – круг

to disconnect – разъединять to distrust – не доверять to unlock – отпирать to decode – декодировать to misapply – неверно использовать to mishear – ослышаться to reattach – повторно присоединять to rewrite – переписать to overload – перегружать to precharge – предварительно заряжать to enlarge – увеличить to encircle – окружать