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Reading Practice
Should
space be explored by robots or by humans?
A
The advisability of humans participating
directly in space travel continues to cause many debates. There is no doubt
that the presence of people on board a space vehicle makes its design much more
complex and challenging, and produces a large increase in costs, since safety
requirements are greatly increased, and the technology providing necessities
for human passengers such as oxygen, food water must be guaranteed. Moreover,
the systems required are bulky and costly, and their complexity increases for
long-duration missions. Meanwhile, advances in electronics and computer science
allow increasingly complex tasks to be entrusted to robots, and unmanned space
probes are becoming lighter, smaller and more convenient.
B
However, experience has shown that the idea of
humans in space is popular with the public. Humans can also be useful; there
are many cases when only direct intervention by an astronaut or cosmonaut can
correct the malfunction of an automatic device. Astronauts and cosmonauts have
proved that they can adapt to conditions of weightlessness and work in space
without encountering too many problems, as was seen in the operations to repair
and to upgrade the Hubble Space Telescope. One human characteristic which is
particularly precious in space missions, and which so far is lacking in robots,
is the ability to perform a great variety of tasks. In addition, robots are not
good at reacting to situations they have not been specifically prepared for.
This is especially important in the case of deep space missions. While, in the
case of the Moon, it is possible for someone on Earth to 'tele-operate' a
robotic device such as a probe, as the two-way link time is only a couple of
seconds, on Mars the two- way link time is several minutes, so sending
instructions from Earth is more difficult.
C
Many of the promises of artificial
intelligence are still far from being fulfilled. The construction of machines
simulating human logical reasoning moves towards ever more distant dates. The
more the performance of computers improves, the more we realise how difficult
it is to build machines which display logical abilities. In the past it was
confidently predicted that we would soon have fully automated factories in
which all operations were performed without any human intervention, and
forecasts of the complete substitution of workers by robots in many production
areas were made. Today, these perspectives are being revised. It seems that all
machines, even the smartest ones, must cooperate with humans. Rather than
replacing humans, the present need appears to be for an intelligent machine
capable of helping a human operator without replacing him or her. The word
'cobot', from 'collaborative robot', has been invented to designate this type.
D
A similar trend is also apparent in the field
of space exploration. Tasks which were in the past entrusted only to machines
are now performed by human beings, sometimes with the aim of using simpler and
less costly devices, sometimes to obtain better performance. In many cases, to
involve a person in the control loop is a welcome simplification which may
lower the cost of a mission without compromising safety. Many operations
originally designed to be performed under completely automatic control can be
performed more efficiently by astronauts, perhaps helped by their 'cobots'. The
human-machine relationship must evolve towards a closer collaboration.
E
One way this could
happen is by adopting the Mars Outposts approach, proposed by the
Planetary Society. This would involve sending a number of
robotic research stations to Mars, equipped with permanent communications and
navigational systems. They would perform research, and establish the
infrastructure needed to prepare future landing sites for the exploration of
Mars by humans. It has also been suggested that in the most difficult
environments, as on Venus or Jupiter, robots could be controlled by human
beings located in spaceships which remain in orbit around the planet. In this
case the link time for communication between humans and robots would be far
less than it would be from Earth.
F
But if space is to be more than a place to
build automatic laboratories or set up industrial enterprises in the vicinity
of our planet, the presence of humans is essential. They must learn how to
voyage through space towards destinations which will be not only scientific
bases but also places to live. If space is a frontier, that frontier must see
the presence of people. So the aim for humankind in the future will be not just
the exploration of space, but its colonisation. The result of exploring and
living in space may be a deep change in the views which humankind has of
itself. And this process is already under way. The images of Earth taken from
the Moon in the Apollo programme have given humankind a new consciousness of
its fragility, its smallness, and its unity. These impressions have triggered a
realisation of the need to protect and preserve it, for it is the place in the
solar system most suitable for US and above all it is the only place we have,
at least for now.
Questions 1-6
Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list
of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-ix. in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet
List of Headings
i. Robots on Earth - a re-evaluation ii. The
barriers to cooperation in space exploration iii. Some limitations of robots in
space iv. Reduced expectations for space exploration
v. A general reconsideration of human/robot
responsibilities in space vi. Problems in using humans for space exploration
vii. The danger to humans of intelligent machines viii. Space settlement and
the development of greater self-awareness ix. Possible examples of cooperation
in space
1.....................
Paragraph A
2.....................
Paragraph B
3.....................
Paragraph c
4.....................
Paragraph D
5.....................
Paragraph E
6.....................
Paragraph F
Questions 7-8
Choose TWO letters,
A-E.
Write the correct letters in boxes 7-8 on your answer
sheet.
According to the writer, which TWO predictions about artificial intelligence have not yet been
fulfilled?
A
Robots will work independently of humans.
B
Robots will begin to oppose human interests,
C
Robots will be used to help humans perform tasks
more efficiently.
D
Robots will think in the same way as humans.
E
Robots will become too costly to use on space
missions.
Questions 9-13
Complete the summary below. Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer. Write your answers
in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
Humans in space - the Mars Outposts approach and its
implications
One way of exploring space would be
through collaboration between humans and robots.
For example, when exploring the
planet Mars, robots could be used to set up
9..................... and do initial research before humans arrive.
In other cases, humans could stay in orbiting 10..................... and
give orders to robots working on the surface of the planet.
This would increase the speed of 11..................... with the robots. In such ways, robots might
be used to work in space in commercial enterprises or 12...................... However, the final aim of humankind may be
the 13..................... of space
and this could in turn change people's attitudes towards Earth.
Solution:
1. vi 8. D
2. iii 9. infrastructure
3. i 10. spaceships
4. v 11. communication
5. ix 12. laboratories
6. viii 13. colonisation
7. A
PASSWORD: 23MAYREADING
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