Sony certainly wants us to.

This week the Japanese

electronics giant announced an exclusive deal with high-
street bookseller Borders to promote the new Sony Reader,
its pint-sized attempt to finally break open the ebook
market. A. TRUE (T) or FALSE (F)? Quote
30
The Reader, which made its full debut at the CES show in Las from the text to justify your answer.
Vegas earlier this year, is an impressive little gadget. Around 1) Sony’s ebook made its first public
the size of a thin paperback book, it mimics the printed page appearance in the US.
using electronic ink and has a crisp display that puts no extra 2) The Sony Reader imitates a page
strain on the eyes. With the capacity to hold hundreds of of a normal book.
titles simultaneously - as well as being able to download new 3) Bookstores in Britain will definitely
titles from the Internet - some are saying it might do for not promote this ebook.
4) The deal with Borders will enable
publishing what the iPod has done for music. Sony to present its ebook directly to
Borders will promote the Reader in 200 of its American the public.
stores, and it looks likely that its 36 British outlets could 5) Ebooks have characteristics that
follow suit when the gadget goes on sale here later this year normal books do not have.
(with an expected price tag of around £200). It will mark the 6) Experts believe that books will
first time that an ebook reader will have the backing of such eventually be substituted by ebooks.
a big book retailer.
Sony is particularly keen on the deal. "This agreement with B. Complete the sentences with
ideas from the text. 15
Borders affords us the opportunity to showcase the Sony
Reader directly to enthusiasts," said Sony spokesman Ron 1) The bookseller Borders
Hawkins. Evangelists include Da Vinci Code author Dan 2) Ebooks are very practical because
Brown, who believes it will help more people to read. "It is if you want to read a book you don’t
not about replacing books," he said earlier this year. "Ebooks have, you
offer features that traditional books cannot ... if I want a new
book, I can download it instantly online, even if it is two in C. Answer these questions in your
own words as far as possible. 30
the morning."
They promise particular dividends in academic environments, 1) How big is the Sony Reader?
as the ability to reduce a pile of expensive textbooks and 2) How much will it cost in Britain?
carry one device is attractive for schools and universities. But 3) What are the advantages of the
although we shouldn't expect to see ebooks replace dead Sony Reader mentioned in the text?
tree material, experts say that publishers have been waiting
for this technology for some time. "They see it as less of a
threat and more of an opportunity," says Philip Jones, web D. What do the underlined words
refer to in the text? 15
editor of the Bookseller. "Many publishers are already
digitising their backlists - they're not technology providers or 1) its 2) it
creators, so they are waiting for the iPod of the book world." 3) its 4) here
By Bobbie Johnson, Thursday 6 April 2006 (abridged) 5) who 6) they
In http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,1747329,00.html
E. Insert the following words in the text below. 20
robotic  emotions  developed  behaves  domestic  navigate  chores  walk
Sony and Honda have (1) humanoid robots. Standing 50cm tall, they can (2) and dance –
although they can’t do much more than this. Dyson have also produced (3) vacuum cleaners
which can clean rooms, using sensors to (4). Scientists say these are the first steps towards
(5) robots which will one day be carrying out all our boring household (6). But will robots ever
be capable of more than this? In A.I., robots can love. Could machines ever have (7)? Current
technology is nowhere near achieving this, and experts agree that we are a long way from
F. WORD
building FORMATION
a robot which (8) Complete thea sentences
anything like human. with the correct form of the words21in
brackets.
Scientists have envisaged a future where robots will (1. simple) mundane household tasks
and act as (2. person) assistants, enabling people to enjoy more leisure time. Do you think
this is (3. possible)? Well, think again, because this vision of the future is becoming a (4.
real). The robotics industry, once dominated (5. unique) by industrial and military robotics,
is now starting to prepare for a future in which consumers might be (6. interest) in robots for
their home.
G. RELATIVE CLAUSES Link the sentences with a relative pronoun. Use commas where 24
needed.
1) Alan Turing helped to break the Enigma codes during WWII. He was a brilliant
mathematician.
2) The laptops are the size of a textbook. The government wants to buy them.
3) A robotic boy is the main character of the film A.I. His wish is to become human.
4) Deep Blue was built by IBM. It defeated the world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a
H. WRITING 45
Express your opinion on the following using about 150 words.
Robots and machines in general have made our lives much easier in so many ways. But do
you believe in artificial intelligence? Will robots be better and more intelligent than people or
will they even control us one day?

KEY

A.
1. T - “The Reader, which made its full debut at the CES show in Las Vegas” …
2. T – …“it mimics the printed page”…
3. F - ...”it looks likely that its 36 British outlets could follow suit”…
4. T – “This agreement with Borders affords us the opportunity to showcase the Sony
Reader directly to enthusiasts”…
5. T - . "Ebooks offer features that traditional books cannot”…
6. F – “But although we shouldn't expect to see ebooks replace dead tree material”…

B.
1) The bookseller Borders is going to promote/is promoting Sony’s Reader.
2) Ebooks are very practical because if you want to read a book you don’t have, you can
simply download it from the Internet.

C.
1) The Sony Reader is quite small, about the size of a thin paperback book.
2) It will cost around £200.
3) The Sony Reader, which is rather small, can hold hundreds of books and download new
titles from the Internet. It also reduces the money spent on expensive school and university
textbooks.

D.
1) Sony’s 2) the Sony Reader (ebook) 3) (bookseller) Borders
4) Britain 5) Dan Brown 6) publishers

E.
Sony and Honda have developed humanoid robots. Standing 50cm tall, they can walk and
dance – although they can’t do much more than this. Dyson have also produced robotic
vacuum cleaners which can clean rooms, using sensors to navigate. Scientists say these are
the first steps towards domestic robots which will one day be carrying out all our boring
household chores. But will robots ever be capable of more than this? In A.I., robots can love.
Could machines ever have emotions? Current technology is nowhere near achieving this,
and experts agree that we are a long way from building a robot which behaves anything like
a human.

F.
Scientists have envisaged a future where robots will simplify mundane household tasks and
act as personal assistants, enabling people to enjoy more leisure time. Do you think this is
impossible? Well, think again, because this vision of the future is becoming a reality. The
robotics industry, once dominated uniquely by industrial and military robotics, is now
starting to prepare for a future in which consumers might be interested in robots for their
home.

G.
1) Alan Turing, who was a brilliant mathematician, helped to break the Enigma codes during
WWII.
2) The laptops that/which the government wants to buy are the size of a textbook.
3) A robotic boy whose wish is to become human is the main character of the film A.I.
4) Deep Blue, which defeated the world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a match, was
built by IBM.