?Teaching robots gain popularity in Europe

By Jane/曾躍蘭（譯）

◆語(yǔ)篇導(dǎo)讀

機(jī)器人是一個(gè)讓我們興奮不已的詞匯。但如果這么具有魔力的機(jī)器人走進(jìn)教室，對(duì)學(xué)生們的學(xué)習(xí)是有利還是有弊呢？他們的出現(xiàn)會(huì)不會(huì)讓我們朝夕相處的老師深感不安呢？現(xiàn)在，就讓這篇文章為我們答疑解惑吧！

Just thirty centimeters tall,Elias likes to dance Gangnam style when he’s not teaching.But besides his dancing skills,the co-founder of the company who made Elias says,when it comes to learning,robots are hard to beat.The robot is programmed to speak and understand nearly 25 languages.Its makers say it’s equipped with software that helps it behave in a way that encourages learning.

Robots are neutral,it doesn’t laugh if you make mistakes and it doesn’t get tired of repeating words.Whether it’s learning new languages or getting tutored in math,kids find robots both educational and entertaining.Students seem to be much happier than before.It’s true that they are willing to learn from a robot teacher.Perhaps getting better grades is only a matter of time.

One language teacher sees robots as another tool in her teaching.She says having them in classrooms is something teachers should be open-minded about.She thinks Elias is one of the tools for students to get a different kind of practice in the classroom.But some teachers do worry they might be replaced by robots.One student says there is no need to worry.The reason is that teachers are still needed to keep the kids behaved.Without human teachers,classes will be in a mess.Also,it’s not enough to learn from robot teachers alone.

Teaching robots willnevercompletely replace human teachers but they can make it easier for students to learn and sometimes more entertaining.

◆詞語(yǔ)積淀

co-founder/k?u'faund?/n.聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人；共同創(chuàng)辦者

equip/I'kwIp/v.裝備；配備

behave/bI'heIv/v.表現(xiàn)；有禮貌

neutral/'nju?tr?l/adj.中立的；中性的

tutor/'tju?t?(r)/v.輔導(dǎo)；教

entertaining/,ent?'teInI?/adj.使人愉快的；有趣的

a matter of time一個(gè)時(shí)間方面的問(wèn)題

open-minded/'?up?n'maIndId/adj. 思想開明的；虛心的

◆典句賞析

1....when it comes to learning,robots are hard to beat.……在談及學(xué)習(xí)的時(shí)候，機(jī)器人很難被打敗。

when it comes to是固定搭配形式，意為“談及”，這里的to為介詞，后面可以接名詞、代詞或者動(dòng)名詞。

【即時(shí)嘗試】談到打籃球，我總是很容易激動(dòng)。

2....It doesn’t get tired of repeating words.……它不厭其煩地重復(fù)話語(yǔ)。

get tired of...是固定詞組，意為“對(duì)……感到厭倦；厭煩……”，表示一種漸漸改變的語(yǔ)氣，介詞of之后可以接名詞、代詞或者動(dòng)名詞。如果表示狀態(tài)，也可以說(shuō)be tired of...，意為“厭煩……”。

【即時(shí)嘗試】我認(rèn)為你很快就會(huì)厭倦在這個(gè)地方生活。

3.Whether it’s learning new languages or getting tutored in math,kids find robots both educational and entertaining.不管是學(xué)習(xí)新的語(yǔ)言還是在數(shù)學(xué)上接受輔導(dǎo)，孩子們覺(jué)得機(jī)器人寓教于樂(lè)。

該句為含有讓步狀語(yǔ)從句的復(fù)合句。whether...or...意為“不管……還是……”，or是連詞，可以連接兩個(gè)并列的句子成分。該詞組所連接的兩個(gè)并列成分既可以是謂語(yǔ)、表語(yǔ)，也可以是賓語(yǔ)等。

【即時(shí)嘗試】不管是唱歌還是跳舞，我的朋友湯姆都很有天賦。

譯文助讀

僅30厘米高的埃利亞斯在教學(xué)之余喜歡跳《江南style》。除了他的跳舞技能，埃利亞斯制造公司的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人稱，在談及學(xué)習(xí)的時(shí)候，機(jī)器人很難被打敗。這款機(jī)器人被程序設(shè)置為能說(shuō)并理解近25種語(yǔ)言。制造商稱他身上的軟件可以促進(jìn)他不斷學(xué)習(xí)。

機(jī)器人是中立的，如果你犯錯(cuò)誤，他們不會(huì)笑話你，也不會(huì)因?yàn)橹貜?fù)一些話語(yǔ)而厭倦。不管是學(xué)習(xí)新的語(yǔ)言還是在數(shù)學(xué)上接受輔導(dǎo)，孩子們覺(jué)得機(jī)器人寓教于樂(lè)。學(xué)生們似乎比以前更開心了，而且他們真的愿意向一位機(jī)器人老師學(xué)習(xí)。也許取得更好的成績(jī)只是一個(gè)時(shí)間問(wèn)題。

一位語(yǔ)言教師把機(jī)器人看作是她的另外一種教學(xué)工具。她說(shuō)老師們應(yīng)該對(duì)機(jī)器人課堂持一種開放的態(tài)度。她認(rèn)為埃利亞斯是其中一種可以讓學(xué)生在教室里獲得一種不同實(shí)踐的工具。但是有的教師著實(shí)擔(dān)心他們可能會(huì)被機(jī)器人代替。一位學(xué)生說(shuō)沒(méi)有必要擔(dān)心，原因是老師們依然被需要來(lái)讓學(xué)生遵規(guī)守矩。沒(méi)有人類老師，課堂將會(huì)一片混亂。而且，單單向機(jī)器人老師學(xué)是不夠的。

教學(xué)型機(jī)器人永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)完全代替人類教師，但是對(duì)于學(xué)生而言，機(jī)器人老師可以讓學(xué)習(xí)變得更容易，有時(shí)更有趣。