Section_ⅠWarming Up & Reading - Pre­reading

　　With the development of science and technology, there are different kinds of robots for children to play with. But do you know who invent the robots and how they invent them？Please read the following passage to get the answers.

　　Dogs, cats, action figures, dinosaurs, and dolls! These are just some of the new wave of toys that walk, talk, do tricks, and remember things. Some even know your voice, learn new words, or remind you it's your friend's birthday. What makes the animal walk? Where did it learn to roll over? How does it know enough not to run into the wall or walk off the table? And, how can it possibly go from a sad mood to a happy one?

　　It all starts in the inventor's imagination. Thinking of what would be fun and how it would look means that the inventor has to be creative - like an artist. And, maybe a little like a kid, too! She does some drawings, looks at how other toys work, and decides what parts she needs. Then, she starts building a model called a prototype (原型). The prototype is the starting point for testing and improving the design. Robotic toys are complicated, though.

　　Knowing how things work, putting it all together, and getting the toy to act like the real thing mean being a bit of an engineer. Even the best inventor needs a lot of help. Her team probably includes a designer to work on how the toy will look; some programmers to put in memory, moods, and personality; and somebody else to figure out what it will cost. She might even need to work with a puppeteer (拉线木偶表演者) to make the movements look natural.

　　What does it take to be a robotic toy inventor? There's no specific requirement, but you should like solving problems. You should be good at math and comfortable with computer. Many toy inventors have college degrees in some type of engineering, such as product design, mechanical engineering, or electronics. Others have studied fine arts or psychology.

　　What can you do now to be a robotic toy inventor? To get started and to see if you would like inventing, let your mind run free - dream something up, draw it, and think of how it would work. In school, courses like biology, physics, art, and math can put you on the road to invention. Work on your computer skills, especially graphics. And remember that inventing takes teamwork. So, get involved in science projects or other activities in which you work with others.

Warming Up