various contexts from those in science fiction stories to those in existence today and also those that could exist in the future. The robots of today included in the unit are domestic robots, robot pets, robots used in disasters, those used to help people who can't walk, and those that can detect landmines or do many other things dangerous for human beings.

A science fiction story by Isaac Asimov, a well-known science fiction writer, is retold in the Student's book. This story, about a human-like robot, illustrates Asimov's first law for robots: A robot must injure human beings or allow them to be injured. Students also learn about the life of this author in the unit.

Students are asked t speculate about robots' similarities to and differences from humans, and their positive and negative aspects. They are also encouraged to use their imaginations to design their own robot, to think about the three laws for robots that Asimov developed and what would happen if these laws did not exist.

The reading passage is a retelling of an Isaac Asimov's story called Satisfaction Guaranteed. This story, about a human-like robot, illustrates Asimov's first law for robots: A robot must not injure human beings or allow them to be injured. In this case the injury is not a physical one but a psychological one. In following this law, the robot, which is very human-like, causes the main character, Claire, to have some very confusing feelings.

Period one Warming-up, Pre-reading and Comprehending

Teaching goals

1. Be able to learn some important words and phrases: fiction, desire, satisfaction, bonus, alarm, alarmed, apron, sympathy, overweight, elegant, favour, pile, scan, fingernail, absurd荒谬的, 可笑的, haircut, accompany, cushion, bedding, necklace, clerk, counter, awful, affair, armchair, declare, cuisine, envy, digital, mailbox, aside, grand, receiver, affection, bound, biography传记, 传记文学, holy, part-time, staff职员,员工,