Talking to computers

3.2. Comprehension tasks

3.2.1. Mark the following statements as True or False:

1. Speech is regarded as the natural interface between human and computer. Is it true?
2. Nowadays films and TV-series use computers voice interfaces. Is it true?
3. Spoken communication is the best way of transferring information from a human to another object. Is it true?
4. Some of the obvious drawbacks of universal voice control have already been countered. Is it true?
5. Controlling a computer by word power works best if you use all "could you's and would you mind's". Is it true?

3.2.2. Using the information in the article, complete these statements

1. Each company with enough money to spare now has:
   • a "natural language" research group
   • a scientific research department
   • a research and development department
2. There is another reason why language control is difficult:
   • so-called "servant problem" opens up the chance of error when interacting with a computer
   • a population that's not accustomed to giving crisp orders and expecting them to be obeyed
   • the absence of military experience from the lives of the last two generations
3. The view of human language, added to shared human experience, shows:
   • how people enter into conversation
   • how people are on speaking terms
   • how people understand each other precisely in a conversation