SIMPLIFIED READERS B1+

LEVEL 5

I, Robot
ISAAC ASIMOV

WORKSHEETS
 I, ROBOT
B1+ - Level 5 Isaac Asimov WORKSHEETS

ABOUT THE BOOK

I, Robot is a science fiction novel that consists of several robot stories written by American author Isaac Asimov in
1940-1950. Before these stories were compiled into a book, they appeared in two science fiction magazines in America.
They take place in the same environments and involve the same characters. The main character is Dr Susan Calvin,
who is a robot psychologist working for a robot manufacturing company called US Robots. Calvin solves the problems
connected with the personalities and behaviour of the robots designed and constructed by the firm. In fact, the term
robopsychologist, now commonly used in psychology and human–computer interactions, was coined by Isaac Asimov.
The stories in the novel are the memories which Dr Calvin tells a newspaper reporter in an interview held when she is
retiring. The plot revolves around the Three Laws of Robotics, which were invented and introduced by Asimov. These
laws had a big influence on later science fiction works and robot ethics.

SUMMARY

Runaround what the others are thinking about them. Eventually,

Two field engineers from US Robots, along with a new Calvin realizes that the robot is lying to everyone in order
model robot, are sent to Mercury to restart operations at a to avoid hurting their feelings, according to the First Law.
mining station which was abandoned ten years ago. The However, by lying, especially through painful lies, he is
engineers discover that the photo-cell banks providing life causing more harm. When Calvin confronts the robot with
to the base are damaged. The only solution is selenium; this fact, he breaks down, which makes everyone happy
without it, they will burn to death. They send the robot, that he will never think or talk again.
which can tolerate very high temperatures, to the nearest Little Lost Robot
selenium pool to retrieve the substance. Because the Scientists doing interstellar research at a military base on
robot doesn’t return in five hours, they search for him an asteroid lose one of their robots. Actually, this robot is
using the old robots left at the base. When they find him, hiding among 62 robots of the same model, which have
they see that he is running in a huge circle around the arrived on a ship. So, he cannot be distinguished from the
selenium pool. They order him to return with the selenium, others. One of the engineers at the base, in a moment
but he acts and talks as if he is crazy. They realize that of anger, has told this robot to get lost, and the robot has
the robot is having a conflict among the Three Laws of taken this remark as an order. The problem is that the first
Robotics. Risking their own lies, the engineers solve the Law of Robotics was modified before it was implemented
robot’s problem, enabling him to retrieve selenium. in his brain. This means that he will not harm humans,
Catch That Rabbit but he can allow humans to be harmed. So, Dr Calvin
The two field engineers are at an asteroid mining station, is called to the base along with another expert from US
testing another new model of robot. The robot has six Robots to identify this robot among the group. Calvin puts
subsidiary robots, which act as its ‘fingers’. This robot all 63 robots through several tests, but each test ends
and its subsidiaries don’t work when they are not being unsuccessfully. Finally, Calvin manages to trick the robot
supervised by humans. They march and dance instead. to reveal itself. And the robot, which has also developed a
Wondering why this happens, the engineers put the robot sense of superiority over humans, gets mad at Calvin and
through tests but get no results. After questioning one of attempts to attack her. Just at that moment, an engineer
the subsidiaries, they discover that the robot gives the destroys the robot using radiation waves.
‘fingers’ odd orders in emergency cases. So, the men Escape!
go inside the mine where the robots are and create an US Robots has received an offer from their rival robot
explosion to see what they will do. But the roof collapses, company, whose best supercomputer broke down during
and the two men get trapped inside. While they expect the their work on an interstellar engine. They ask US Robots
robot and the fingers to come and help, the robots start to use the same data on their supermachine and see if
dancing and then leave. When engineers shoot one of the it will work. The leaders of US Robots accept this offer,
fingers, the robot becomes normal and takes action to get and under Calvin’s supervision, US Robots engineers
them out. Apparently, the robot can’t control all six fingers feed their own thinking robot the information they get from
at the same time, which he has to do in an emergency the rival company in small pieces so that it will not break
case. And he ends up giving strange orders. down. The thinking machine then manages to build an
Liar! interstellar spaceship. When the two field engineers enter
A new robot created by the US Robots has the unusual the ship to examine it, it takes off unexpectedly and starts
ability to read minds, which could be due to a fault its first flight. The engineers cannot believe that they are
in its manufacturing process. Calvin and mechanical actually flying among the stars. They also experience a
experts try to find out why this has occurred. During their temporary death during the flight. When the ship returns
investigation, the robot reads their minds and tells them with the two men safe and sound, everyone feels proud of
having achieved the first interstellar travel.

Discuss before you begin reading:

1 What are robots used for today? What capabilities do they have? Give examples.
2 Do you think robots will ever be superior (and/or a threat) to humans in the future? Explain why/how.

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 B1+
Level
Before You Read I, ROBOT 5
Isaac Asimov

A Word Search


Hidden in this puzzle are 14 words that you may encounter while reading the book. Find as many of them as
you can. And match them with the definitions below the puzzle.

K R O B O T I C S T N A X
S X P H O T O C E L L Y M
A S T R O P H Y S I C S X
P D V Q S B P L A N E T X
T D B B W B B D A T A C S
V A T V M T G R A V I T Y
U S E L E N I U M W E N K
D O M I S S I O N S O S P
U H G F V H U O Z E C H W
O U W R F U N I V E R S E
V C I R C U I T V Y S N I
Y Q S Z S O L A R R J O K
B N W A S T E R O I D Y R
M N M I N I N G H R E W V
G I N T E R S T E L L A R

Definitions of the hidden words:

1 any of the millions of rocky objects that orbit the 8 an assignment given to a person or group of people,
Sun, mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter: usually involving travel abroad:
_________________________ _________________________
2 the branch of astronomy concerned with the origin 9 a device that converts light into electrical energy:
and the chemical and physical nature of stars and _________________________
other objects in space:
10 any of the large bodies that revolve around the Sun
_________________________
in the solar system like Mars, Jupiter, etc.:
3 a closed system of wires which electricity can flow _________________________
through:
11 the science or study of the technology involving the
_________________________
design, production, theory and application of robots:
4 information in digital format, as encoded text or _________________________
numbers or multimedia images:
12 a chemical element used in photocells and
_________________________
photographic devices; also necessary for the body in
5 the force that attracts objects towards the centre of small amounts:
the Earth and makes them fall: _________________________
_________________________
13 consisting of the Sun and all the planets and other
6 situated or occurring between the stars: bodies that revolve around it:
_________________________ _________________________
7 the process of digging out metals or minerals from 14 the whole of space and everything in it; including all
under the ground: the stars, planets, galaxies, etc.:
_________________________ _________________________

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 B1+
Level
While You Read I, ROBOT 5
Isaac Asimov

A After reading Chapters 1, 2, and 3, complete the table. Tick the box under the correct story title for the
information in the first column.

year, place, type of robot, Catch That

Runaround Liar!
name of robot and human characters Rabbit

2015

2021

US Robots Offices/on Earth

on an asteroid

on Mercury (planet)

DV-5

SPD

RB-34

Dave

Six subsidiaries/fingers

Speedy

Herbie

Dr Alfred Lanning – director

Dr Susan Calvin – robot psychologist

Mike Donovan – field engineer

Peter Bogert – mathematician

Milton Ashe – young mechanical engineer

Greg Powell – field engineer

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 B1+
Level
After You Read I, ROBOT 5
Isaac Asimov

A Write short answers to the questions about the last two stories.

Little Lost Robot

1 What year does it take place? __________________________________
2 Where does it take place? __________________________________
3 What is the problem? __________________________________
4 What type of robot causes the problem? __________________________________
5 What is the robot’s name? __________________________________
6 Who is General Kallner? __________________________________
7 Who caused the robot’s problem? What is his name? __________________________________

Escape!
8 What is Consolidated Robots? __________________________________
9 Who is Mr Robertson? __________________________________
10 What is the thinking machine/robot called? __________________________________
11 Who controls the interstellar ship? __________________________________
12 Who is on board the ship? __________________________________
13 How long do they stay on the ship? ________________________________
14 What is the worst thing that happens to them during the travel? What causes it? _______________________

B Fill in the missing information in the table.

Quotations from all five stories in the book Which story? Who is speaking? To whom?

1 ‘One of them is lying. One of the sixty-three robots I

Dr Bogert
have just interviewed has deliberately lied to me.’
2 ‘I think you would like to know what he thinks. He
loves you.’

3 ‘I have been told to get lost. I must obey…’ himself

4 ‘I can do it. I’ll build you a ship easily.’

5 ‘Pardon, Master. I must not move without a human

riding me, but you are in danger.’

6 ‘I am not beautiful or young.’

7 ‘An order was sent, but before we could receive it, a

Powell
new order came to march or dance.’
8 ‘So, you were last to see Nestor 10 before he
disappeared, young man?’

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TEST YOURSELF I, ROBOT by Isaac Asimov
TOTAL ........... B1+ - Level 5

A Questions about the story Runaround C Are these sentences about Herbie in Liar! true or
Mark the correct answers. (5x3=15 pts) false? Write (T) or (F). (8x2=16 pts)

1 The six old robots that Donovan and Powell __1 He developed the ability to read minds accidentally.
found - - - -.
__2 He prefers reading fiction to scientific books and
a were very similar to the new SPD robots although text books.
they were made ten years ago __3 He tells Calvin that Milton Ash has a girlfriend and
b were very primitive and could not talk that they will get married soon.
c couldn’t move without human riders controlling them
__4 He tells Calvin that Dr Lanning is in love with her.
2 What was the problem with Speedy, the new robot? __5 He tells Calvin that Milton Ash is too young for her.
a He had disappeared and could not be located. __6 He enjoys making people quarrel with each other.
b He was moving in a circle around the selenium pool. __7 He feels like he is superior to humans.
c He had not gone in the direction of the selenium pool. __8 Calvin discovers that he has lied about being able
to read people’s minds.
3 Which of the Three Laws of Robotics did Speedy
follow near the selenium pool?
D Match the two halves of the sentences (1-6 with
a the First b the Second c the Third a-f) according to Little Lost Robot. (6x4=24 pts)
4 Why did Powel risk his life going out in the
extreme heat toward the selenium pool? __1 One of the NS-2 robots on Hyper Base was
hiding among 62 robots ... .
a to protect Speedy from a gas explosion
b to make Speedy follow the First Law __2 Some NS-2 robots had only the first half the
c to get selenium himself First Law imprinted in their brains ... .
__3 Nestor 10 had to be found; ... .
5 When Powell was in danger, who came to rescue __4 General Kallner rejected Calvin’s suggestion to
him first? destroy all 63 robots ... .
a Speedy b the old robot c Donovan __5 In the first test, Nestor 10 could not be spotted
... .
B Questions about Catch That Rabbit __6 The second test that involved a danger for the
Mark the correct answers. (5x3=15 pts) robots failed ... .

1 DV-5 and the six subsidiary robots stopped a because he imitated the other robots’ reactions
working - - - -. b otherwise, he would take control of the ship and
escape on it
a when they got tired c because Nestor 10 had told everyone to protect
b when Donovan was watching themselves
c when they were not being watched d and this was kept as a secret
e because he had been told to get lost by a scientist
2 When Powell and Donovan gave Dave three tests, who was angry at him
the results showed that - - - -.
f since each cost 30 thousand dollars to build
a he was lying all the time
b his positronic brain wasn’t working E Circle the correct alternatives in the sentences
c there was no problem in his positronic brain about Escape!. (15x2=30 pts)

3 What did Dave and the six subsidiary robots do When the 1Brain / robots finished building the interstellar
in emergency cases? ship, Powell and Donovan went inside to examine it.
a They marched or danced. But Donovan wanted to 2start the engine / get out
b They lay down and went to sleep. immediately. Powell was 3rather calm / very nervous;
c They began to fight with one another. he thought the ship could 4land safely / not fly. It did not
have 5an engine / a radio. They went into 6a big room /
4 Powell’s interview with Dave showed that he - - - -. the pilot room. They were shocked because there were
no 7seats / control buttons. The men were scared but
a deliberately gave his ‘fingers’ odd orders
b remembered nothing about the times when he couldn’t get out; there was no 8emergency exit / door.
acted in a crazy way They were stuck there. Luckily, they found a lot of canned
c pretended to be crazy so as to avoid working
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food / beans to eat. There was also plenty of 10milk /
water to drink. They realized that the ship was flying,
5 In the end, Powell discovered that - - - - when controlled by 11the Brain / a robot pilot, who was
there was an emergency case. 12
at the base / on board. When the two men looked out
the window, all they saw was the 13blue sky / stars. Then
a the circuits in Dave’s brain became damaged the ship travelled 14beyond / within the Solar System. In
b Dave did not need to use his initiative
the end, the Brain revealed that he wanted to 15play a joke
c Dave could not control all the subsidiaries at the
/ prove his intelligence.
same time
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