Lesson: Japanese Robot Baby 'Yotara'

Japanese students have created a robot that looks like a baby to get couples to have children. The birthrate in Japan is falling. The population may shrink by a third over the next 50 years. The students hope their new robot baby will reverse this trend. The baby is called Yotara. It really looks and acts like a real baby. It giggles, wakes up when it hears a rattle and smiles when someone rubs its tummy. Project leader Hiroki Kunimara said: "We wanted to create a new type of robot that is soft, cuddly and cute.”

It’s amazing what they are doing with robots these days. The Yotara robot looks like a really good idea. Japan needs all the help it can get to increase its birthrate. If the population falls by thirty per cent, the country will have serious problems. It seems to make sense – people get to see and interact with the robot and that might encourage them to start a family or have more children. Maybe the robot has other purposes, such as in hospitals or schools. Many young Japanese people rarely get to hold a real baby these days.

1. PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	a robot that looks	a.	this trend
2	The population may shrink	b.	like a baby
3.	reverse	c.	and cute
4.	wakes up when it	d.	of robot
5.	create a new type	e.	by a third
6.	soft, cuddly	f.	hears a rattle

Paragraph 2

1.	It’s amazing what they are	a.	get to hold a real baby
2	Japan needs all the help	b.	to start a family
3.	If the population falls	c.	doing with robots
4.	encourage them	d.	by thirty per cent
5.	the robot has	e.	it can get
6.	young Japanese people rarely	f.	other purposes

2. LISTENING GAP FILL

Japanese students have created a robot __________________ baby to get couples to have children. The birthrate in Japan is falling. The population may shrink __________________ next 50 years. The students hope their new robot baby __________________. The baby is called Yotara. It really looks and acts like a real baby. It giggles, wakes __________________ a rattle and smiles when someone rubs its tummy. Project leader Hiroki Kunimara said: "We wanted __________________ of robot that is soft, cuddly and cute.”

It’s amazing what __________________ robots these days. The Yotara robot looks like a really good idea. Japan needs all the __________________ increase its birthrate. If the population falls by thirty per cent, the country ___________________. It seems to make sense – people get __________________ with the robot and that might encourage them to start a family or have more children. Maybe the robot __________________, such as in hospitals or schools. Many young Japanese people __________________ real baby these days.

3. MULTIPLE CHOICE

Japanese students have (1) ____ a robot that looks like a baby to get couples to have children. The birthrate in Japan is (2) ____. The population may shrink by a (3) ____ over the next 50 years. The students hope their new robot baby will reverse this trend. The baby is called Yotara. It really looks and acts (4) ____ a real baby. It giggles, wakes up when it hears a rattle and smiles when someone rubs its tummy. Project leader Hiroki Kunimara said: "We wanted to create a new type (5) ____ robot that is soft, cuddly and cute.”

It’s amazing what they are doing with robots these (6) ____. The Yotara robot looks like a really good idea. Japan needs all the help it can get to increase its birthrate. If the population (7) ____ by thirty per cent, the country will have serious problems. It seems to make (8) ____ – people get to see and interact with the robot and that might encourage them to (9) ____ a family or have more children. Maybe the robot has other purposes, such as in hospitals or schools. Many young Japanese people rarely (10) ____ to hold a real baby these days.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	create	(b)	created	(c)	creation
2.	(a)	falling	(b)	fell	(c)	falls
3.	(a)	thirty	(b)	thirds	(c)	third
4.	(a)	so	(b)	like	(c)	as
5.	(a)	of	(b)	for	(c)	on
6.	(a)	daily	(b)	day	(c)	days
7.	(a)	fallen	(b)	falls	(c)	falling
8.	(a)	cents	(b)	sense	(c)	senses
9.	(a)	go	(b)	launch	(c)	start
10.	(a)	get	(b)	take	(c)	have

4. SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	students have eetdrca a robot
2.	eopcsul to have children
3.	sreever this trend
4.	someone rubs its muytm
5.	tjcerop leader
6.	ldyduc and cute
Paragraph 2
7.	It’s igazmna
8.	ecearnsi its birthrate
9.	ruseois problems
10.	that might nrocueage them
11.	other osspuepr
12.	eyrlar get to hold a real baby Material modified from the wonderful site: http://breakingnewsenglish.com/