The computer is fast, and never makes a mistake, while people are too 1 and full of mistakes sometimes. That's what people often say when they talk about computers. For over a quarter of a century, scientists have been 2 better and better computers. Now a computer can do a lot of everyday 3 wonderfully. It is 4 used in factories, hospitals, post offices and airports. A computer can report, decide and control in almost every field. Many computer scientists are thinking of making the computer “think” like a man. With the 5 of a person, a computer can draw pictures, write music, talk with people, 6 chess, recognize voices, translate languages and so on. Perhaps computers will one day really think and feel. Do you think the people will be 7 when they find that the computer is too clever to listen to and serve the people? No, people will make 8 use of the computers in the future. Man is always the master of the computer. The computer 9 only with the help of man. It cannot take the 10 of man.
Robots seem very new to most people. But they have a long history.
The first one was made by a Greek inventor. You may have seen robots in some films. The robots in these films are stronger, faster and cleverer than people. In real life, most robots are used in factories. They are used to do many dangerous, difficult or boring jobs. Some people can't look after themselves and robots are used to help them. For example, some people can't see. Many of these people use a dog to help themselves move around. This dog is called a guide dog. Scientists are making a robot to help them. In the future, robot dogs might take the place of these guide dogs.
Robots are also used in American hospitals. At one hospital, a robot takes meals from the kitchen to the sick people's rooms. It never loses its way because it has a map of the hospital in its computer system.
In the future, robots will work in space. But robots will never take the place of humans. They can, however, help us in a lot of different ways.
Terrafugia Company has said that its flying car, named Transition, has successfully finished a 37- second test flight.
On March 5th, 2009, at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York. The company's chief pilot, Phil Meteer, piloted the flying car.
Transition is a two-seat airplane that can take off and land at airports as well as drive on roads.
The company said that the flying car can travel at speeds up to 115 mph in the air, drive at highway speeds on the ground, and fold up (折叠）to fit in a garage (车库) 81 inches wide and 80 inches high.
Hospitals could use it to transport patients so as to avoid road traffic. It may start running on wheels, and when it gets to traffic lights it can fly overhead the lights and keep its way forward. So it's good news to avoid traffic problems and the traffic accidents.
But some people say this is a going airplane rather than a flying car, at least on the appearance. Anyway, we are happy for scientific-technical progress, what a fantastical world in the near future!
