Column Discussion (Expert)｜コラムディスカッション（上級）Lesson27 : Self-Driving Boats in Amsterdam Can Move People and Goods

PART A_1

Let’s learn vocabulary. Listen and repeat the words and the sentences with your tutor.

PART A_2

1.　combine	/kuhm-BAHYN/
	-to bring into or join in a close union or whole; unite:
	The baker combined the wet ingredients in a bowl.
2.　kick off	/ KIK-awf/
	-to begin
	The convention kicked off at exactly 8 a.m.
3.　expected	/ ik-SPEKT-id/
	-regarded as likely; anticipated
	The host expected all invited guests to come.
4.　transport	/trans-PAWRT/
	-to carry, move, or convey from one place to another.
	They transported all imported bananas to the marketplace.
5.　measure	/MEZH-er/
	-to discover the exact size or amount of something
	The first thing the engineers did was measure the land area.

PART B_1

Let’s read the article. Please read it aloud, and I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

PART B_2

Driverless boats can transport humans and goods

Aside from driverless cars, engineers are also developing self-driving technology for water vehicles. This autonomous boat project is led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers. They call the said vehicle “roboats”, with the words “robot” and “boat” combined.
The goal of this project which kicked off in 2016 is to develop boats that can carry people and goods along the canals of Amsterdam. This is expected to make transportation more efficient and better the quality of life in the city.
Previously, the engineering crew was able to produce a self-driving boat that can carry goods. But their latest version called “Roboat II” can transport passengers as well. The team used similar machine-learning methods used to develop autonomous cars. Another feature added to this invention is the ability to communicate with other vehicles of its kind. In addition, it comes with four propellers powered by electricity enabling the vehicle to move in any direction. Aside from sensors and cameras, it also uses LiDar technology which uses lasers to measure distances and map the vicinity.

PART C_1

Let’s answer comprehension questions. Please answer them based on the article.

PART C_2

1.	What are the engineers working on?
2.	What is the newly developed water vehicle called?
3.	What is the aim of this project?

PART D_1

Let’s discuss the article. Please answer the questions below and express your opinions.

PART D_2

1.	What are your thoughts on this invention?
2.	What can you say about the functions of this modern vehicle?
3.	Do you think this autonomous vehicle will achieve its goal?
4.	Do you think this creation will be commonplace in the next few years?
5.	If you were to develop a high-technology vehicle, what functions would you add to it?

REVIEW AND FEEDBACK

Now, let us review the things that you learned in this lesson.

ではこのレッスンで学んだことを振り返りましょう。

(Please give a short feedback on how your student did in your class.)

	Grammar 文法	Pronunciation 発音	Vocabulary 単語	Comprehension 理解
GOOD	文法の誤りはほとんどなく、完全な文章で話すことができる	ほとんどの単語をはっきりと正しく発音することができる	習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を理解し、質問に正しく答えることができる
FAIR	文法の誤りはあるが、完全な文章で話すことができる	発音の練習が必要な言葉がいくつかある	たまにミスはあるが、習った表現を適切に使うことができる	文章を完全に理解するのは難しく、質問に正しく答えられないときもある
POOR	文章で話すのは難しく、単語だけで話すことができる	発音の練習が必要である	習った単語と表現を少しだけ使うことができる	文章を理解するのは難しく、質問に答えるのは難しい

TUTOR FEEDBACK

GRAMMAR
Good:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with minimal grammatical errors.
Fair:	Was able to speak in complete sentences with evident grammatical errors.
Poor:	Was able to speak using words only.
PRONUNCIATION
Good:	Was able to pronounce most of the words clearly and correctly.
Fair:	Mispronounced a few words.
Poor:	Mispronounced most of the words.
VOCABULARY
Good:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class.
Fair:	Used appropriate expressions learned in class and made a few errors in word choice.
Poor:	Used only a few words and expressions.
COMPREHENSION
Good:	Was able to understand the passages and answer the questions correctly.
Fair:	Had a little difficulty in understanding passages and answering questions.
Poor:	Had a hard time understanding passages and answering questions.

Parts of this lesson material are based on:
An article by Voice of America