7/30 Robots

Read the article and watch the clips if you have sufficient time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/science/11robots.html?scp=4&sq=social%20machines&st=cse

Questions:
1.If a robot can do anything for you, what do you want it to do the most?
2.If you were able to afford an English-teaching robot which can correct your bad pronunciation, solve your confusion, would you like to purchase one? Why or why not?
3.In the period of time that severe disparity of education resources prevails, do you think robots can probably be a way to mitigate the problem?
4.In one of the videos, the old ladies regard the seal robot as a pet, stroking its body and coaxing it with tenderness. Do you think humans can ever develop this kind of relationship with robots as they do with pets and other living creatures?
5.With the advantage of technology, do you think human beings are able to overcome any difficulties? Or do you think too much technology only brings catastrophes to the earth?
6.Taking all the advantages and disadvantages of Hi-tech into consideration, do you still support the improvement of technology or do you want to step back to the era when the earth has not been damaged so badly.

7/16 discussion

Dear all:
Sorry for late posting, I'm really short of ideas about discussion topics...><

We have not read an article for a long time.
So let's read the article below and discuss some questions.

"In an era of austerity, reasons to fund the arts"

http://0rz.tw/mreOK

Here are the questions:

1. What art (music, architecture, cultures, etc) do you like?

2. In your opinion, do you think the government should continue funding the art industries even when it's in an economic recession?

3. If your were a politicians, would you keep funding the art industries when the society is in a financial crisis?

4. Do you think art is the privilege for the wealthy?

5. How much are you willing to pay for an artistic or cultural feast?

Any more questions are welcome :)

Kevin

7/9 topics : superstition

Dear all:
The fllowing 2 news are so funny. That’s discuss something about “superstition”. Here are the qustions.
1. Do you ever consult any fortuneteller by any kind of form before? (Tarot cards, astrology, date of birth, ask the gods for a prophecy and so on)
2. Do you ever play anyfortunetelling game via internet? What do you want to know from it?
3. Do you believe that your horoscope (star signs) influences your character?

New 1:German 'psychic' octopus predicts Spanish win
A "psychic" octopus in Germany, which appears to have correctly predicted every World Cup game involving the national team so far, has picked Spain over Germany in the semi-final.
Paul, from the Sea Life Aquarium in the western city of Oberhausen, chose a mussel from a jar with the Spanish flag instead of one with a German flag.
The creature has a record of predicting German victories, although during Euro 2008 he wrongly picked Germany as the victor against Spain.
New 2:'People want to eat' Paul the octopus
Germany face Spain in the World Cup semi-final later today - will the team's spectacular winning run come to an end? According to Paul the psychic octopus, it will.
Paul, who lives in an aquarium in western Germany, has correctly predicted the results of all their matches so far.