每日英语口语练习 2026-09-22（周二 · BBC 6 Minute English）

今日题材：BBC 6 Minute English 听力跟读主题：Would you like a robot companion?（你想要一个机器人伴侣吗？）来源：BBC Learning English《6 Minute English》Episode 250918（2025-09-18，Neil & Beth）建议时长：6 分钟（听力 6 分钟 + 跟读/即兴 10–15 分钟）

📖 原文/对话（来源：BBC Learning English「Would you like a robot companion?」）

Neil: Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.

Beth: And I’m Beth.

Neil: One area of technology which has been in the news a lot recently is robotics — the design and building of robots. Humanoid robots, meaning robots which appear and behave like humans, are being built to help us do everything from washing the dishes to babysitting the kids.

Beth: But not everyone feels comfortable with the idea of inviting a human-like robot into their home. Neil, how would you feel about living with a robot?

Neil: I really don’t want to live with a robot. I have enough people in my house!

Beth: With advances in AI, robots are becoming smart enough to develop meaningful relationships with humans. There are reports of people telling their secrets to robot therapists and even falling in love with their robot friend! In this episode, we’ll meet a home companion robot called Abi, who’s making friends with the elderly residents of Melbourne in Australia.

Neil: For five months during the Covid pandemic, Australian engineer Grace Brown had no human contact. She used this time to build a home companion robot, Abi, with the idea it would provide companionship to other people suffering loneliness. Now Grace runs her own company, Andromeda, building robots specially designed as company for elderly residents in care homes who don’t get many visitors.

Grace: Abi, the humanoid robot we build at Andromeda — people don’t expect humanoid robots to have so much personality. She’s very, very sassy. She’s very inquisitive and curious. And when people meet her, they’re always taken aback by — “Oh, she’s got a mind of her own.”

Beth: When people meet Abi, they are surprised by her sassy personality. The adjective sassy means bold, confident and cheeky.

Neil: Some people are taken aback — meaning shocked or surprised by the things Abi says. Abi can also express opinions, and Grace says she has a mind of its own — a phrase used when a non-living object seems to behave independently of human control.

Beth: Unlike the unpredictable and violent robots in sci-fi movies, Abi is much more approachable and friendly — even funny. She can blow bubbles from her hand! Her softer design was a conscious choice: she’s the size of a six- or seven-year-old child, decorated with a splash of colour, with large, expressive eyes.

Neil: Elderly residents who regularly chat with Abi say the robot companion brings them joy and a real sense of community.

🎬 视频/音频资源

📝 重点词汇（10 个）

robotics /roʊˈbɒtɪks/ n. 机器人技术（机器人的设计与制造）— Robotics is one of the fastest-growing areas of technology.
humanoid /ˈhjuːmənɔɪd/ adj. 人形的（外观与行为像人类的）— Humanoid robots are being built to help with housework.
companionship /kəmˈpænjənʃɪp/ n. 陪伴、作伴 — The robot was designed to provide companionship for lonely people.
sassy /ˈsæsi/ adj. 大胆、自信又带点俏皮的 — Abi has a very sassy personality that surprises people.
be taken aback （短语）感到惊讶、被吓一跳 — I was taken aback by how realistic the robot seemed.
have a mind of its own （短语）好像有自己的主见（不受人控制地自行其是）— The robot seemed to have a mind of its own.
a splash of colour （短语）一抹亮色（让沉闷的东西生动起来）— She decorated the robot with a splash of colour.
expressive /ɪkˈspresɪv/ adj. 富有表现力的（能展现想法或感受的）— The robot has large, expressive eyes.
inquisitive /ɪnˈkwɪzətɪv/ adj. 好奇的、爱探究的 — Abi is very inquisitive and curious about people.
approachable /əˈprəʊtʃəbl/ adj. 易亲近的、平易近人的 — Unlike sci-fi robots, Abi is friendly and approachable.

💬 跟读练习建议

步骤 1 · 盲听抓大意（1 遍） 先不跟读，完整听一遍视频，回答一个问题：Does Neil want to live with a robot? Why or why not?（答案：No — “I have enough people in my house.”）

步骤 2 · 逐句影子跟读（shadowing，2–3 遍） 按角色切分，跟着音频滞后半句模仿。重点关注三处：

Neil 的吐槽语气：I really don’t want to live with a robot.（“don’t” 轻读、重音在 “robot”）
Grace 的原声引语：she’s got a mind of her own（连读 got-a，own 尾音 /n/ 鼻音）
Beth 的释义句：The adjective sassy means bold, confident and cheeky.（means 后短停顿）

步骤 3 · 角色扮演（pair / 自言自语） 分饰 Neil 与 Beth，把「你会不会想要机器人伴侣」聊一遍。可用提示句：

“I’d feel ___ about living with a robot because ___.”
“A robot could provide companionship, but it can’t really ___.”

步骤 4 · 词汇打包复现 用今天 10 个词里的至少 5 个，口头造一个关于「AI 朋友」的小段落（30–40 秒），录下来回听。

🔄 即兴口语练习

问题 1 · 态度表达 Would you like a robot companion at home? Why or why not?

参考要点：可谈 loneliness / help around the house / 情感替代的边界；用 I’m taken aback by… / I’d feel… about…

问题 2 · 利弊权衡 What are the benefits and risks of robots that look and behave like humans?

参考要点：利——companionship for the elderly、expressive interaction；弊——过度依赖、隐私、失去真实人际连接；用 On the one hand… on the other hand…

问题 3 · 情景设想 If you designed a companion robot, what would it look like and do?

参考要点：用 humanoid / a splash of colour / expressive eyes 描述外观，用 provide companionship / has a mind of its own 描述行为；练 If I designed…, it would…

📋 发音技巧提示

连读 / 弱读：she’s got a mind of her own 中 “got a” → /ɡɒtə/，“mind of” → /maɪndəv/ 自然弱读；“a splash of colour” 里 “splash of” 的 /v/ 与 “of” 弱读成 /əv/。跟读时别把每个词咬得太死。
词尾浊化与清晰：robotics / expressive / inquisitive 词尾 -s / -ive 要发清楚；sassy 的双 /s/ 与短元音 /æ/ 要干脆（别读成 /eɪ/）。
重音与语气：taken aback 是短语动词，重音落在 aback；Beth 释义 means bold, confident and cheeky 中三个并列形容词逐个加重，体现”俏皮”的语感。

🗣 今日金句

“She’s got a mind of her own.” （她有自己的主见。——形容一个有”个性”、不受人摆布的伙伴，人或机器人皆可用；练口语时用来表达”某物不受控制地自行其是”。）