Line 1: Line 1:
 
'''<h4>Hello Students, read the below article then on your own webpage on www.goodtoknow.com, write a short constructed response using "R-A-C-E-A-C-E" as instructed in class.</h4>'''
 
'''<h4>Hello Students, read the below article then on your own webpage on www.goodtoknow.com, write a short constructed response using "R-A-C-E-A-C-E" as instructed in class.</h4>'''
 
      
 
      
−
       '''If a person want to become an astronaut, what are the requirements?'''
+
       '''What are two new events that are stated in the story?'''
 
       '''Use two details from the passage to support your response.'''
 
       '''Use two details from the passage to support your response.'''
  
−
'''<h4>Thousands Apply to Become NASA Astronauts</h4>'''
+
'''<h4>Robots Help Japanese Students "Attend" Graduation Ceremony</h4>'''
  
 +
BY MEERA DOLASIA
  
−
<br><br>In early March, the US space agency NASA  asked people who wanted to become astronauts to apply. Over 12,000 people applied, showing that interest is still very strong in the US space program.
+
<br><br>Japan has always been at the forefront of robotic technology. Over the years, the androids have been deployed to work in banks, run hotels, and even serve as personal assistants to the elderly. Now, in what is being hailed as an "industry first," a Tokyo university has used avatar robots to enable students to "attend" their graduation ceremony without leaving home
  
−
<br><br>As children, many people dream of becoming an astronaut. But the number of people who actually make it into space is quite small. Since the 1960s, only 350 men and women have been chosen for NASA’s astronaut training. Currently, NASA has 48 astronauts.
+
<br><br>Professor Shugo Yanaka, Dean of Global Business Administration at Business Breakthrough University (BBT), came up with the brilliant idea after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to rethink the in-person spring graduation ceremony. He told Euronews Living, "We knew that there were lots of students who would like to attend the graduation ceremony but wouldn't be able to do so due to Coronavirus concern. I suddenly came up with an idea of the Avatar Graduation Ceremony."
−
 
+
<br><br>The event, which was held at Tokyo's Hotel Grand Palace on March 28, 2020, started with university president Kenichi Omae delivering an uplifting commencement speech to the students attending via video-conferencing platform Zoom. Then began the virtual graduation ceremony.
−
<br><br>Between March 2 and March 31, 12,000 people applied to become NASA astronauts. That’s almost a record. In 2017, over 18,000 people applied. But this time NASA is requiring higher levels of education. They also gave people half as much time to apply.
+
<br><br>Each time a student's name was called out by a moderator, one of the two remotely operated "New"me"" avatar robots, dressed in graduation caps and gowns, motored to the podium to accept the diploma from the president. The graduate was able to experience the event, and hear the handful of school staff in attendance clap and shout-out their "congratulations," via a digital tablet attached to each New"me"'s head. Once Mr. Omae had placed the certificate on a rack, mounted on the New"me"'s midsection, the beaming students remotely posed with him for an official graduation photo.
−
 
+
<br><br>Following the groundbreaking ceremony, a graduate of BBT University who graduated via New"me" said, "When I enrolled, I never thought I would operate my avatar and attend the graduation ceremony. However, receiving a diploma in public is a novel experience."
−
<br><br>Now comes the difficult part – choosing the right 12 people. Yes, you read that right. NASA will be choosing just 12 people out of the 12,000 who applied.
+
<br><br>Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, New"me" creator ANA Holdings has plans to deploy the slim, 4.9-foot (1.5-meter) tall machine to "travel" to destinations worldwide on behalf of humans. The company believes it will enable business people to attend meetings remotely, allow people with mobility issues to go on "vacation," and help doctors treat critically-ill patients in hard-to-reach places, such as Antarctica or the space station. The robots could also enable experts to access disaster-stricken areas or war zones without endangering themselves.
−
 
 
−
<br><br>So what does it take to become an astronaut? NASA now requires a master’s degree (a higher level college degree) in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math). You also need to have experience flying jet airplanes, though other work experience is also accepted.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>The people who are chosen (called “Astronaut Candidates”) will also need to have near-perfect eyesight and be in good physical shape. They must be good at working with other people – able to lead, and able to work as part of a team.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>NASA will take over a year to choose the 12 Astronaut Candidates. First, they will decide which people who applied are highly qualified. Then they will hold a series of three interviews with the candidates. During the interviews, the candidates will also take part in activities, to see how they perform.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>In June of 2021, NASA will finally announce the Astronaut Candidate Class of 2021.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>The 12 Astronaut Candidates will then be put through a two-year training program. They will learn spacewalk skills, robotics skills, and how systems of the International Space Station (ISS) work. They’ll also learn to speak Russian to make it easier to work with astronauts from Russia on the ISS.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>Not everyone who is accepted into the program is certain to become an astronaut. There are many challenging parts to the astronaut training, and the candidates must successfully complete them all.
 
−
 
 
−
<br><br>The new class of astronauts will be the second under NASA’s new space program, Artemis. The goal of the Artemis program is to put people back on the moon by 2024. NASA hopes to use what it learns during the moon exploration to help with its larger goal of sending people to Mars by 2030.
 

Revision as of 00:21, 16 April 2020

Hello Students, read the below article then on your own webpage on www.goodtoknow.com, write a short constructed response using "R-A-C-E-A-C-E" as instructed in class.

 
      What are two new events that are stated in the story?
      Use two details from the passage to support your response.

Robots Help Japanese Students "Attend" Graduation Ceremony

BY MEERA DOLASIA



Japan has always been at the forefront of robotic technology. Over the years, the androids have been deployed to work in banks, run hotels, and even serve as personal assistants to the elderly. Now, in what is being hailed as an "industry first," a Tokyo university has used avatar robots to enable students to "attend" their graduation ceremony without leaving home



Professor Shugo Yanaka, Dean of Global Business Administration at Business Breakthrough University (BBT), came up with the brilliant idea after the coronavirus pandemic forced them to rethink the in-person spring graduation ceremony. He told Euronews Living, "We knew that there were lots of students who would like to attend the graduation ceremony but wouldn't be able to do so due to Coronavirus concern. I suddenly came up with an idea of the Avatar Graduation Ceremony."

The event, which was held at Tokyo's Hotel Grand Palace on March 28, 2020, started with university president Kenichi Omae delivering an uplifting commencement speech to the students attending via video-conferencing platform Zoom. Then began the virtual graduation ceremony.

Each time a student's name was called out by a moderator, one of the two remotely operated "New"me"" avatar robots, dressed in graduation caps and gowns, motored to the podium to accept the diploma from the president. The graduate was able to experience the event, and hear the handful of school staff in attendance clap and shout-out their "congratulations," via a digital tablet attached to each New"me"'s head. Once Mr. Omae had placed the certificate on a rack, mounted on the New"me"'s midsection, the beaming students remotely posed with him for an official graduation photo.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, a graduate of BBT University who graduated via New"me" said, "When I enrolled, I never thought I would operate my avatar and attend the graduation ceremony. However, receiving a diploma in public is a novel experience."

Once the COVID-19 pandemic is over, New"me" creator ANA Holdings has plans to deploy the slim, 4.9-foot (1.5-meter) tall machine to "travel" to destinations worldwide on behalf of humans. The company believes it will enable business people to attend meetings remotely, allow people with mobility issues to go on "vacation," and help doctors treat critically-ill patients in hard-to-reach places, such as Antarctica or the space station. The robots could also enable experts to access disaster-stricken areas or war zones without endangering themselves.