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With the rapid development of science and technology, it is predicted that we’ll be allowed to have robotic spouses and friends someday. 随着科学技术的迅猛发展，有人预言将来某日我们可以选择机器人作为自己的伴侣或朋友。
Computers are now powerful enough to allow the age of humanoid robots to dawn . And it won’t be long before we will see realistic cyber companions, complete with skin, dexterity , and intelligence. The will be programmed to tend to your every need.
Will we ever want to marry robots? Artificia intelligence researcher David Levy has published a book claiming human-robot relationships will become popular in the next few decades. And if you want to go ahead and tie the knot with your special electronic friend, Levy said such marriages will be socially acceptable by around 2050.
Will humans really be able to form deep emotional attachments to machines? It will, in fact, be relatively easy to form these strong attachments because the human mind loves to anthropomorphize: to give human attributes to other creatures—even objects.①
For example, researchers in San Diego recently put a small humanoid robot in a toddler playgroup for several months. Th robot knew each child because it was programmed with face and voice recognition, and it giggled when tickled. Th children ended up treating it as a fellow toddler. When it lay down because its batteries were fla , the kids then even covered it with a blanket.
In a few decades, when humanoid robots with plastic skin look and feel very real, will people want to form relationships with them? What if robots could hold a conversation? And be programmed to be the perfect companions—soul mates, even? Maybe your generation could resist,but eventually there will be a generation of people who grow up with humanoid robots as a normal part of life. And like those toddlers in the experiment, they will be very accepting of them.
The next question, then, is whether there is anything wrong with having an emotional relationship with a machine. Even today there are people who form deep attachments to their pets and use them as substitutes for friends or even children. Few consider that unethical.
But a sophisticated robot will probably be even more attractive. For those who always seem to end up marrying the wrong man or woman, a robotic Mr. or Ms. Right could be mighty tempting. As the father of artificial intelligence. Marvin Minsky, put it when asked about the ethics of lonely older people forming close relationships with robots: “If a robot had all the virtues of a person and was smarter and more understanding, why would the elderly bother talking to other grumpy old people?”
A robot could be programmed to be as dumb or smart, as independent or subservient ,as an owner desired. And that’s the big disadvantage. Having the perfect robot partner will damage the ability to form equally deep human-human relationships.②People will always seem imperfect in comparison. When you’re behaving badly, a good friend will tell you. However,few owners will program their robots to point out their flaws.
People in relationships have to learn to adapt to each other: to enjoy their common interests and to deal with their differences. It makes us richer, stronger, and wiser. A robot companion will be perfect at the start. However, there will be nothing to move the relationship to grow to greater heights.
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① It will, in fact, be relatively easy to form these strong attachments because the human mind loves to anthropomorphize: to give human attributes to other creatures—even objects. 要形成这样强烈的情感依赖其实是相对容易的，因为人类心理都有将事物拟人化的特点：把人类身上的特性赋予其他生物——甚至是无生命的物体。
② Having the perfect robot partner will damage the ability to form equally deep humanhuman relationships. 拥有完美的机器人伙伴将会损害人类在现实生活中的人际交往能力。
1. Will we ever want to marry robots?
A. One researcher claims that we will be doing so by around 2050.
B. No, people won’t ever think it’s a good idea to marry robots.
2. Will humans really be able to form deep emotional attachments to machines?
A. Yes, they will because experiments have shown that they already do so.
B. It’s clear that children will be able to form attachments, but probably not adults.
3. Is there anything wrong with having an emotional relationship with a machine?
A. Such a relationship could make people happier, so there is nothing wrong with it.
B. It is not really wrong, but it will harm human-human relationships.
4. What does the underlined word “toddler” refer to?
A. A very young child who is learning how to walk.
B. A very young child who loves robots very much.
5. What is the meaning of the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?
Given the opportunity, would you like to have a robot as your soul mate? Why or why not?Write down your own thoughts.