Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• Why might the author begin the article by describing Sophia? (Author’s Craft)
The author probably begins by describing Sophia to give an example of a robot that uses increasingly sophisticated technology. She also might be trying to hold readers’ attention by making Sophia sound like a person before revealing that she is a robot.
• Summarize the section “The Tech Advantage.” (Summarizing)
Machines started affecting people’s lives around 1760, when steam-powered engines helped start the Industrial Revolution. In the 1960s, robots were first used to help build cars on assembly lines. Now, more than 3 million robots are used in industries around the world. One advantage of robots is that they can be cheaper than hiring people. They can also sometimes work faster than humans, they don’t get tired, and they can take the place of people in dangerous situations.
• Why do experts say we have a long way to go before robots could replace humans in most real-world situations? (Text Evidence)
Most robots can do only a few tasks well, and they can have a hard time doing some tasks that most people can do easily, such as opening doors. Additionally, robots don’t yet have the same social and emotional skills that people do, so they are unlikely to be able to replace humans in jobs like nursing or teaching.