General Rules:
Here are some general rules about Part 1 that you may find useful. The point of Task 1 is for you to answer shortly to many questions. Think of it like an interview where you need to answer questions about yourself. You should:
Keep it short. When you practice, in general try to answer in 15 to 20 seconds per question.
Give at least 1 reason and 1 real-life example. Again very general but try to have at least 1 real example in your answer.
Talk about yourself. This part is all related to you (if the question doesn't say another person).
So, lets take a look at some questions:
Vocabulary related to the topic
Sentence starters and Linking words
Idioms and Phrases
Business Phrases
Are robots important?
Answer 1:
I guess they are. I mean, we don't have too many robots in our homes, as of yet, but they are slowly entering our lives. When I think of a robot, I still think of those robot hands that assemble cars. However, we do have robot vacuum cleaners and kitchen robots, so they are becoming more important for our daily lives.
My Personal Answer:
It seems that robots are becoming the most essential driver of manufacturing and innovation. Big AI systems are taking over the world at the moment and further, those systems can be used to innovate and thinker of solutions to problems normal humans couldn't before. On top of that countries that have invested in automated manufacturing are going to completely blow other countries out of the water in development and productivity.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer:
How would robots affect people's lives?
Answer 1:
We all hope that robots will be able to help somehow in our lives. Perhaps the most important point of robots will be saving time. If the robot can do something very quickly and effectively, then it will save precious time for us to focus on something else.
My Personal Answer:
Robots are supposed to increase human efficiency and productivity. Different robotic tools and AI systems will add to a person's ability to produce and create, and that will allow individuals to run their own businesses, create their own products, and compete with bigger companies. This (hopefully) will revolutionize the way we work and create and will bring independence to anyone willing to risk and do things on his own.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer:
Have you ever watched a movie about robots?
Answer 1:
I have seen many of these movies with robots. From cartoons to full-action sci-fi movies, robots are presented more and more often. I remember watching a movie from the animation studio Pixar called Wall-E, which was about a small trash robot falling in love with another brand-new and shiny robot. This was a really cute and positive movie, and it's one of my favorites.
My Personal Answer:
There are so many franchises using robots as protagonists or antagonists. There is the Transformers series, Pacific Rim, all of the Star Wars or Star Trek series and movies, and even Godzilla fighting with a mecha-Godzilla. But as a metaphor, a lot of people like to talk about the Terminator series, because it represents what would happen if AI and robots get released and go out of control, attacking humans and taking over the world.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer:
Should we let a robot drive us for long journeys?
Answer 1:
If the technology is safe and easy to use, then I guess that would be fine. I imagine a day when taxis will be empty, we will be able to give them a direction and they will drive us to our destination. Perhaps we would be able to have a conversation about anything we wanted with them too, and that sounds amazing.
My Personal Answer:
We don't have that yet and so I would say no. At the moment, with our current technology level, we have something called "autopilot" which only works well on a highway, where the car does not need to make many decisions. There are too many variables when it comes to driving and human behavior. The reality is that people do not follow the rules and constantly break them for efficiency. This means that the self-driving car needs to predict unpredictable human behavior, and that seems quite challenging.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer:
What can robots do for us at home?
Answer 1:
Well, at the moment we have various machines that can cook, cut and sort things for us in the kitchen. In addition, we have sweeping robots becoming more popular for some people and... I can't think of any other types. Many things are still manual at home.
My Personal Answer:
Well, we are slowly developing the perfect home assistant of the future, although at the moment all the parts are separated into different gadgets and tools. I believe that one day we will have real walking, talking, and helping humanoid robots that would help with the housework and chores, but for the moment that's just a pipe dream. So far, we just have some AI assistants, some automatic coffee machines, and programmable fridges, but that's far from a real robot if you ask me.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer:
How are robots going to be used in the future?
Answer 1:
Robots are going to enter everyday lives and automate everything we do. I can see self-driving cars arriving and leaving on their own, large and medium-sized robots doing heavy lifting jobs, cutting trees, doing farming, or even delivering goods to our homes. We can make life much easier for us, starting with heavy and dangerous jobs, and then moving to other industries.
My Personal Answer:
Well, there are obviously good and bad ways these machines will be used in our society. On the positive side, robots will make our lives more efficient, more safe, and more abundant. We will be able to mass produce anything we want and that is a huge benefit for our society. On the other hand, robots will be used in wars and for military purposes, and that is frightening. We already have drones and robotic vehicles being used around the world to cause destruction and terror, I can only imagine how far it would go next. Future military conflicts will be scary Terminator-style.
Answer 1:
My Personal Answer: