Wright，a computer scientist, is plotting an experiment with a humanoid robot called Nao. He and his colleagues plan to introduce this cute robot to people on the street and elsewhere—where it will deliberately invade their privacy. Upon meeting strangers, for example, Nao may use face-recognition software to dig up some detailed information online about them. Or, it may tap into their mobile phone’s location tracking history, learn where they ate lunch yesterday, and ask what they thought of the soup.

Wright is one of a number of researchers wondering whether we can trust the robots that are poised to enter our lives. Scientists and scholars argue that if robots become ubiquitous, they’ll be able to constantly watch and record us. One of the greatest threats, it seems, is to our privacy. Robots have already been working in factories for decades. Some are now in our homes, cleaning our floors, while others may soon keep a watchful eye on us as security guards or help take care of the elderly. In the last year alone, Google, which is already developing self-driving cars, bought eight robot companies.

Yet despite advances in technology and in artificial intelligence, we’re still a long way from intelligent robots. What will empower them, however, is the cloud: the distributed, networked computing in which the Internet lives. By connecting to the Internet, robots can retrieve information and ask for help as they navigate the world, for example.

It would be the next step in a technological evolution already underway. “What we’re increasingly seeing now is the existence of computers and sensing devices as part of the infrastructure that surrounds us, says Wright, based at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. With smartphones, the rise of wearable technologies like Google Glass, and the availability of wireless Internet almost everywhere, the Internet is embedding itself deeper into our environment. “Ultimately, what a robot is or what a robot represents is an increasing presence of computers as more physical objects that we interact with,” Wright says. “Those interactions are going to be very

rich,” he adds. “It’s going to be physical and pervasive. ” Perhaps that’s part of the reason why some of the major web technology firms, such as Google, have been embracing robotics. Some researchers and privacy advocates are concerned that robots could act as physical extensions of these companies, giving them tremendous access into your life.

54. What is true about the humanoid robot Nao?

A. It is used to intrude into people’s privacy.

B. It has a lot of detailed information in its software.

C. It can track where people put their mobile phones.

D. It can help people order in a restaurant.

55. What does the underlined word “ubiquitous” (Paragraph 2) most probably mean?

A. Unique. B. Ridiculous. C. Commonplace. D. Powerful.

56. Google is mentioned in Paragraph 3 to .

A. show the latest development of robots

B. illustrate its contribution to the robotic industry

C. explain the application of robots on the Internet

D. demonstrate the widespread use of robots

57. Which of the following statements is true about the cloud?

A. It is the latest development in artificial intelligence.

B. It can help develop intelligent robots.

C. It is a network of Internet-connected computers.

D. It is a navigation tool for world travelers.

58. Some major web technology firms embrace robotics because .

A. robots make human interactions with the Internet more prevalent

B. robots could advance technological revolution

C. robots can improve the natural environment

D. robots can protect the business secrets of companies

59. What is the best title of the passage?

A. What is the Underlying Power of Robots?

B. Robots: Can We Trust Them with Our Privacy?

C. The Evolution of Robotic Technology.

D. The Future of Robotic Technology.

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