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The Onion: Are We Giving Robots Too Much Power?


Даем ли мы роботам слишком много власти? Этот вопрос обсуждает Американская компания “The Onion” (“Лук”), которая делает “fake news” (ненастоящие новости). С упражнением на восприятие английской речи, но без перевода (хотя сложные моменты объясняются).


Как смотреть видео

I’m Julianna McKannis filling in for Clifford Banes, who’s interviewing a new guest host in his office.

fill in for – замещать
guest host – приглашённый ведущий программы

Robots are playing a greater role in our lives than ever before – our houses, driving our cars.

-Are we becoming an overly mechanized society?
-Well, robots are part of our modern society.
-Of course.
-I mean, a vital part, and they make everything for us.

society – общество
vital – жизненно необходимый

We were talking about this, in the human section of the bus on the way over to the studio, we agreed. I don’t think that robots pose any danger to us at all.

human section of the bus – часть автобуса, где могут ехать люди
pose – представлять собой, являться

-Now, I owe just as much to robots as any other human does but, the 10 p.m. curfew for all things made of flesh, well, it feels a little restrictive to me.

owe – быть должным, быть в долгу
curfew – комендантский часть
flesh – плоть, тело

-In what way?
-When the police force orders you inside, that’s just them doing their job.

-That’s what the cavity-search robots said this morning at the office.
-That’s what my doctor-robot says everytime he gives me my dose of anti-fertility pills.

cavity – пустота, полость
fertility – способность к воспроизведению, способность к зачатию

They’re doing a terrific job of our caretakers.

terrific – отличный, огромный, потрясающий
caretakers – (Амер.) тот, кто присматривает за другими людьми: учитель, родитель, медсестра

But the Worldwide Robotics Corporation did promise that every new robot built would be installed with a subservience chip? And that went right out the window.

did promise – действительно пообещала (здесь do используется как усилительная частица)
subservience – подчинение, раболепие
go out (of) the window – полностью исчезнуть, улетучиться (т.е. обещали но не сделали)

That was voted down by a majority of robots in Congress.

vote something ↔ down – провалить (предложение), отклонять, отвергать голосованием
majority – большинство

Why would they … turn against us? It doesn’t make . We’re the ones who created them.
We’re the … uhm, at least the alpha models.
-Right.

turn (somebody) against somebody/something – восстать против, обращаться против (кого-л., чего-л.)

-Speaking of robots in politics … last week, President Executron gave a speech to all humans, and he said to remain calm and stay indoors.
-It’s beautiful.
-It’s such a beautiful speech.

remain calm – оставаться спокойными
stay indoors – оставаться дома

-Where he spoke about building an of shining perfect robots. Such an image.
-I was weeping in my cell.

I was weeping in my cell – Я рыдала в своей камере.
Очень хороший пример на Past Continuous. Она плакала именно в момент речи президента Экзекьютрона.

-You have to give it a lot of credit.
-But what about Executron’s recent comments about, and I wrote these down, “oxygen-breathing weaklings and organ sacks”?
You know, a lot of Americans were very offended by those pranks.

credit – уважение, честь
write down – записать
oxygen-breathing weaklings – слабаки, дышащие кислородом
organ sacks – мешки органов
offend – оскорблять (здесь пассив were offended – были оскорблены)
prank – выходка, проделка

-Politics!
-Yes, the President was just speaking to its “destroy all humans” base.
-It happens every elections cycle, Robbie, you know that.
-You can’t take it seriously.
-Honestly, I don’t trust President Executron’s policies, I need to…

-I really don’t think there’s an issue here. Humans , so that’s a flawed system.
-That is.

issue – вопрос, проблема
flawed – ущербный, неполноценный, с изъяном

-Robots live on forever, so that has to be perfect.
-Yup.
-Praise to the wise ones, our robot masters.
-Yeah.

praise – хвалить; восхвалять
master – хозяин, владелец; господин