CZYTANIE 2 EN [#44]

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TASK 1
Read the text and circle T for True or F for False
Sophia
Did you know that there are over 3 million robots in the world? They come in various shapes and sizes, each designed to perform specific tasks. But the ones that attract our attention are humanoid robots. One of the most fascinating and talked about humanoid robots is Sophia. She is an invention of David Hanson and his Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics. She was first activated on February 14, 2016, and made her first public appearance at a conference in Texas in March of the same year.

In terms of physicality, Sophia is designed to resemble a human, with camera “eyes” and microphone “ears” that allow her to see and hear like a person. To make Sophia appear even more lifelike, she is covered with patented artificial skin that can stretch enough to help her create facial expressions. Interestingly, while working on Sophia’s face, David Hanson, the robot’s creator, used photos of both the actress Audrey Hepburn and his wife, Amanda Hanson.

One of Sophia’s most impressive features is her ability to communicate with people. She uses algorithms to analyse and understand the meaning of human speech. It allows her to have natural conversations with people. Sophia responds to questions, makes jokes, and tells stories. However, she is not able to understand sarcasm. Sophia is programmed to learn from her interactions and experiences, which makes her different from other robots. She uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to adapt to new situations and improve her skills. To recognise different human faces, she uses advanced machine perception techniques. These techniques also let her identify various human emotions and hand gestures.

Sophia is not only a robot but also a musician. She can sing, rap, and even write her own lyrics. Currently, she is working with human musicians on several music pieces as part of a project called Sophia Pop. Sophia also has the ability to draw. In 2021, a self-portrait drawn by Sophia in cooperation with the Italian digital artist Andrea Bonaceto was sold for nearly $700,000 at auction.

All of these exceptional qualities have made Sophia a desirable guest at various events. She has been interviewed by numerous journalists. She has also met with politicians all around the world. During one such meeting in October 2017, everyone was taken by surprise because Sophia was given citizenship in Saudi Arabia.

Sophia has at least nine robot humanoid siblings who were also created by Hanson Robotics. Sophia’s youngest sister is Little Sophia. She can walk, talk, sing, play games and, like her big sister, even tell jokes! She is not just a toy, but a smart and interactive robot that can inspire children to explore the world of technology and creativity.

Certainly, humanoid robots show how far we have come in the development of technology. However, while they can do amazing things, they also make us think about important questions, like how robots might affect our future.
1. Sophia was shown to the public in March 2016.
2. Hanson’s wife designed Sophia’s face.
3. Sophia can react to sarcastic comments.
4. Sophia is able to identify human emotions.
5. Sophia created a portrait of herself without any help.
6. Sophia has become a citizen of Saudi Arabia.
7. Sophia is the only humanoid robot produced by Hanson.
TASK 2
Read the texts and choose the best answer A, B or C
The Mystery of Ruja Ignatova
In the 72-year history of the FBI’s Most Wanted List, only 11 women have been included. They have been drug dealers, bombers, and human traffickers. The most recent addition to the list is Ruja Ignatova.

It is interesting to compare Ruja to other female criminals from the list. Ruja’s educational background is similar to that of Bernardine Dohrn, who was listed by the FBI for terrorism. Ruja and Bernardine were both successful university graduates. As for Ruja’s character, it follows the psychological pattern observed in Katherine Ann Power and Susan Edith Saxe, who were as intelligent and manipulative as Ruja. The duo of Power and Saxe committed a series of violent armed robberies. It seems that the only distinguishing factor is Ruja’s family background. Unlike other female criminals, she comes from a traditional and supportive home with strong values.

Nothing in Ruja’s life indicated that one day she would turn to crime. However, in 2022, Ignatova became the 11th female criminal on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Although she didn’t commit a crime as serious as a terrorist attack, she harmed many innocent people. Between 2014 and 2016, through her company OneCoin, she created one of the largest financial pyramids in history. Promising huge profits, she persuaded thousands of investors to buy the cryptocurrency she offered. However, those profits never came, money they invested disappeared, and people were left with nothing. Some of them couldn’t bear this loss and took their own lives. Even though Ruja was not a murderer, but rather a brutal scammer who paid little attention to others, she destroyed the lives of many individuals.

When the FBI learned about her illegal activities, they planned to arrest her immediately. They had enough evidence and witnesses willing to testify. Even Ruja’s connections with wealthy businesspeople and prominent politicians couldn’t protect her. However, there was a major legal challenge connected with her arrest. Ruja held a German passport and wasn’t an American citizen. Taking advantage of the situation, she boarded a plane and disappeared a few days before her planned arrest. Since then, Ruja has not been seen. The FBI is now offering $100,000 for information on her whereabouts.

Smoke on the Water

"Smoke on the Water" by the British band Deep Purple is one of the most recognisable classic rock songs. However, very few people know that it is based on a real event.

In December 1971, Deep Purple came to Montreux, Switzerland, to record their new album at the Montreux Casino, which offered perfect conditions for recording live music. Unfortunately, a few days before their performance, during another band’s concert, the casino caught fire. It wasn’t due to the special effects used at the concert, because there weren’t any. The casino had banned them. The music equipment wasn’t to blame either. It worked perfectly and didn’t overheat or cause a short circuit. It had been checked before the concert. Unfortunately, it was a person from the crowd who fired a flare gun into the ceiling made of flammable material. That’s why the fire so quickly consumed the whole casino.

As the casino was burning down, members of Deep Purple were partying at a hotel across Lake Geneva with a view of the Montreux Casino. At some point, Ritchie Blackmore, the band’s guitarist saw the fire. The band immediately realised they would have no place to record their album. They tried to contact their manager, but he was unavailable. They were not in the mood for partying anymore, so they went upstairs to their rooms, where Blackmore took his guitar and came up with the riff for "Smoke on the Water."

The day after the incident, the band learned that the Montreux Casino would be demolished. They started looking for alternative places to record their album. Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones offered them his studio in New York. However, they wanted to stay in Europe. They considered their usual London studio, but it was booked by another artist. Instead, they rented a local music studio in Montreux, where they kept working on their music.

This decision paid off. The album was an instant success. "Smoke on the Water" itself didn't win major awards, however, it has received recognition over the years. The song is still popular and widely performed. In fact, "Smoke on the Water" has been labelled by music fans the easiest rock song that inexperienced guitarists can learn. The song even became a political matter during the Soviet era, and was banned in the USSR for being too rebellious. At the same time, it reached the top of the charts in multiple other countries.

In the end, “Smoke on the Water” showed that even when things go up in smoke, great music can rise from the ashes.
8. Ruja is different from other female criminals because of ...
9. Ruja committed ...
10. It was impossible to arrest Ruja immediately as …
11. The fire at the Montreux Casino was caused by …
12. When the band saw the fire, they …
13. Finally, the band recorded the album …
14. The song “Smoke on the Water” …
TASK 3
In this task six phrases have been removed from the text and placed at the bottom. An extra phrase has been included. You must decide which phrase goes into which gap and write the letter in the box below the sentences.
ASEAN’s first joint military exercise
The first joint military exercise of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), code-named ASEAN Solidarity Exercise 2023 (ASEX 2023), has just ended. It was hosted by Indonesia from 19 to 23 September and conducted in Batam and the Natuna Islands. The exercise consisted of sea and land-based activities, maritime security, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and anti-piracy components. It was the first ASEAN-wide military exercise, … (1)… All ten ASEAN members participated, with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore deploying warships.

There were three main aims of ASEX 2023. First, the exercise could be interpreted as a signal to major powers that ASEAN … (2) … and can protect it. Because of the tension between China and the United States, some ASEAN officials are worried that if the two powers fight, it will affect the regional waters. In addition, the exercise was held at a time when China was being more aggressive in the South China Sea. Namely, it disrupted several ASEAN members’ maritime activities within their economic zones. China also presented a new map which showed that almost all of the South China Sea was theirs. Therefore, the exercise was a way of telling China that… (3) …

Second, the exercise enabled ASEAN military forces to build trust with each other without the involvement of outside forces. Trust leads to better communication. And good communication is very important if ASEAN … (4) … during a major crisis.

Third, ASEX 2023 also dealt with problems beyond war fighting, such as natural disasters. The focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, as well as medical evacuations was practical because natural disasters occur in Southeast Asia very frequently. The exercise helped to improve cooperation and interoperability among ASEAN naval forces, … (5) …

Furthermore, interoperability among ASEAN military forces for humanitarian evacuation missions will be critical in any crisis situation involving Taiwan. More than 730,000 ASEAN nationals are working in Taiwan, and evacuating them to safety will be challenging in any future military conflict across the Taiwan Strait. No single ASEAN member has sufficient air and sea-lift capabilities to evacuate their nationals from Taiwan on their own. A joint ASEAN humanitarian mission may be necessary. Thus, ASEX 2023 could be the foundation … (6) ….
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