IFTS 14 – ROBOTICA - INGLES 1

TASK 3

A- READING
1- Read the following text and choose a title for it:
a- Automation
b- Robotics
c- Automation is making human labour more valuable than ever
d- Robots are destroying manufacturing jobs

Automation is the use of machines to reduce the need for human labor. In other words,
automation is when jobs done by people become jobs done by robots. Automation can be a good thing.
Because of automation, clothing, cars, and other manufactured products are available at good prices
and in large supply. But automation can also be a bad thing. Because of automation, there are over
700,000 robots in America alone that do jobs once performed by humans. The way of automation may
not be best for humanity, but it is the course we are taking.
It seems like every week there's a new study about the job-destroying potential of robotics and
artificial intelligence. But our collective obsession with job-stealing robots can cause us to overestimate
the impact of automation — and obscure an important point about the economy.
In many service industries, human labour is a mark of luxury. So at the same time robots destroy
manufacturing jobs, the demand for labour-intensive services is soaring. We can see the signs of this
all around us. There's the rise of Etsy, an online marketplace whose main selling point is that the
products are not mass-produced. There's the craze for restaurants with organic, locally sourced
ingredients that often come from smaller, less mechanized farms. There's the exponential rise in the
number of small wineries and breweries where a personal touch — and often a tour of the facilities —
is a big part of the selling point.
2- Say whether the following sentences are True or False. If they are false, explain why.
a- Because of automation many jobs have been lost. T
b- Automation makes goods more readily available for everyone.T
c- Artificial intelligence and robotics are completely destroying human labour. F
d- Labour-intensive services are gradually disappearing. T
e- Etsy is a company that sells manufactured products on the internet.F
f- Organic and locally sourced produce is in great demand nowadays. T
g- Automation is a bad thing.F E no son productos
C Es falso porque no lo destruye completamente en masa
G La automatizacion no es completamente mala,
B- LANGUAGE FOCUS tiene sus pros y sus contras

Automation can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing.

MODAL VERBS

Refer to section 21 in Guia de Traduccion

The most common Modals are: CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, MUST, SHOULD, OUGHT TO.
How would you classify them according to their meaning? Use the tables below:
 PODER
DEBER
PRESENT PAST / CONDITIONAL
PRESENT / PAST/CONDITIONAL
CAN MAY COULD MIGHT
MUST SHOULD
OUGHT TO

Near-synonyms: CAN : BE ABLE TO

MUST: HAVE TO

Exercise 1:
Translate the following sentences: TAREA
1- The asterisk should appear as the last character in any pattern.
2- DOS (Disk Operating System) commands may appear either with their full spelling or in
abbreviated form.
3- The programmer ought to use this information to update records.
4- They might resume all those reports without interruptions.
5- You must write each step of your program on a separate line, and you must give each line a
number.

MODALS – PASSIVE VOICE

CAN / COULD
MAY/MIGHT
MUST BE PAST PARTICIPLE OF MAIN VERB
SHOULD
OUGHT TO

Exercise 2:
Translate the following sentences:
1- These examples could be included to illustrate the robot functions.
2- These cables can be supplied by your dealer.
3- The question mark may be used anywhere within the string of characters.
4- For more complex operations a channel must be opened between the program and the
selected device.
5- Documents obtained by IEEE Spectrum suggest the first cab capable of driving itself might be
made by Nissan.
Exercise 3:
Put the following sentences into the passive:
1- Computers store information.
Information …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2- Information affects every part of our lives.
Every part ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3- Supercomputers can process millions of commands a second.
Millions of commands ………………………………………………………………………………………….
4- Robotic computers made all kinds of products.
All kinds of products …………………………………………………………………………………………………
5- Computers can now deal with most types of information.
Most types of information ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Exercise 4: NO ES TAREA, HACER EN CLASE

Complete these sentences with the appropriate voice of the modals in brackets:
1- Transactions ……………………………………
MIGHT be sorted (might – sort) into sequences according to
classification such as customer names, or other classification ……………………………….
might be chosen (might –
choose), such as date. (no esta el sujeto, se usa pasiva)
can replace
2- A robot ………………………………………… (can – replace) people in routine tasks, but it has no
can not exercise
originality; it works according to instructions given to it and ………………………………………….
(can, neg – exercise) any value judgements.
3- The field of robotics………………………………………..
may be defined (may - define ) more practically as the study,
design and use of robot systems for manufacturing.
could surge
4- The Japanese government estimates the industry ………………………………..(could – surge) from
about $5.2 billion in 2006 to $26 billion in 2010 and nearly $70 billion by 2025.
must be programmed
5- How the robot interacts with other machines in the cell………………………………….. (must -
program), both with regard to their positions in the cell and synchronizing with them.
can be moved
6- The robot………………………………………….. (can – move) on screen and the process simulated.
can switch
7- The operator ………………………………………. (can – switch) from program to program, make
adjustments within a program and also operate a host of peripheral devices that
………………………………………………..
may be integrated ( may – integrate) within the same robotic system.
8- Regardless of size, the general requirements of data processing are about the same.
must be updated
Recordsmaintained
………………….. (must – maintain) and periodically …………………….. (update). Reports
………………………………..
must be prepared (must – prepare) and ………………………………………
presented (present) to the
proper administrators, and materials ……………………………
must be ordered (must – order) at the proper time.
9- The key person in a data processing department is its manager. Policy decisions regarding
the organization …………………………………….
ought to be taken (ought to – take ) by the data processing
department manager.
ought to have
10- A good programmer …………………………………… (ought to – have) the technical knowledge to
implement the systems designed by the analyst into operational procedure on the
computer.

Exercise 5: TAREA
Now refer back to text at the beginning of this task and underline modal constructions, state
whether they are in the active or passive voice and translate the sentences where they appear.