Teaching Robots How to Laugh

Hi students! Today I'm gonna start with a joke… are you ready? Why can't elephants use computers? Because they are afraid of the mouse! Do you get it? 你懂嗎？ "Mouse" has two meanings. It can mean a small animal, but it also means a computer mouse! Mouse 有兩個意思，老鼠跟滑鼠！ If you are a human, you should be able to understand that joke. But for a robot, a joke like that is super hard to understand! 我們人類聽得懂笑話，但是機器人可能很難聽懂。 In the future, scientists say people will use robots for many things. Robots will even be our friends and help take care of us. So, scientists are teaching robots how to laugh… at the right things! 現在，科學家在教機器人怎麼笑，還有甚麼時候可以笑！ This isn't easy! But scientists say that one-day robots will be able to learn to laugh at the right time and that robots will be able to have fun, funny, and interesting conversations with people. 但是科學家說，有一天機器人會學會笑，也可以跟人類聊有趣、好玩的東西！ Okay, before we go, one last joke: What kind of witch likes to go to the beach? A SAND-wich! Get it? Witches and sandwiches are completely different, but they both have the same sound at the end… so that's why the joke is funny. A "sand" witch! Do you think a robot could understand the sand-wich joke? Hmmm… maybe not now… but one day they will! ________________________________ Vocabulary 能夠聽懂笑話並且還會講笑話，這樣的機器人可有趣了。 1. joke 笑話 I want a robot that can tell jokes. 我想要個會講笑話的機器人。 Then I won't feel bored all the time.這樣我就不會總是覺得無聊。 I can tell you jokes. 我可以講給你聽。 2. understand 了解 I also want my robot to understand my jokes. 我也想要機器人聽懂我的笑話。 That would be hard. 這就有點難了。 Even I don't get your jokes sometimes. 連我有時候都聽不懂你的笑話。 3. laugh 笑 You don't have to. 你不用懂啊。 You just laugh. 你只要笑就好了。 Yeah, maybe I'll laugh at you. 好，也許我就嘲笑你。 4. take care of 照顧 Could you take care of my dogs for one day? 你能幫我照顧狗狗一天嗎？ Sure. 當然。 Do you like to tell jokes? joke 笑話 understand 了解 laugh 笑 take care of 照顧 ________________________________ Quiz 1. What are scientists teaching robots? A: How to laugh at the right things B: How to eat elephants C: How to do your homework 2. Why is it hard to understand jokes? A: Because words have many different meanings B: Because sandwiches are yummy C: Because the chicken crossed the road 3. What will robots be in the future? A: Our food B: Our friends and helpers C: They will be witches Answers 1. A 2. A 3. B -- Hosting provided by SoundOn