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Robotic dog could be everyone’s favourite pet

By Chloe Arnold

Imagine a pet that won’t wet the carpet, doesn’t have to be fed and never attacks the postman.

Meet Aibo, the robotic dog who obeys by remote control. Invented by the Japanese electronics giant Sony, Aibo will appeal to everyone who’s always wanted a dog, but doesn’t have the time or the inclination to take it for a walk.

Aibo is just like a real dog – he loves to play with toys and recognises his owner’s voice. He’s about the size of a chihuaha – a tiny dog not much bigger than a football – and when he is happy he has been programmed to wag his tail.

As well as sitting and begging, Aibo will also dance, bark through his electronic voice box and lie down to sleep. He has been specially designed to judge distances, so that he won’t bump into walls.

The little computer pet is already on sale in Japan, where sales have been very good, a spokesman for Sony said. Aibo might even take over from the amazingly popular cyberpets, like Tamagotchis, which appeared on the market a few years ago.

"Aibo is much more real than a Tamagotchi," Sony’s spokesman said. "You can really connect with him – he’s not just a mini screen on the face of a key ring."

Aibo will soon be available in the United States, and Sony hopes to sell him in this country by Christmas. He doesn’t come cheap – one metal mutt plus remote control will set you back about £1,400.

But think of it this way: you won’t have to spend a penny on dog food.

1.      Read the text and list five advantages of having a pet like Aibo:

2.      Can Aibo dance? What else can this electronic dog do?

3.      Find the meaning of the following words and expressions in the electronic dictionary. Copy and paste the definition.

a.       APPEAL

b.      OWNER

c.       SIZE

d.      TAKE OVER

e.       AMAZINGLY

f.        SCREEN

g.       AVAILABLE

h.       SET BACK

i.         MUTT

4.      Place the words in the following table according to its function in the text:

5.      Revision:

Complete the table with the comparative and superlative forms of the following adjectives:

Have you got a pet?

Tell us about it

Would you like to have a pet like Aibo? Why?