选修7Unit2Robots-Reading

　　SATISFACTIONGURANTEED

　　LarryBelmontworkedforacompanythatmaderobots.Recentlyithadbegunexperimentingwithahouseholdrobot.ItwasgoingtobetestedoutbyLarry'swife,Claire.

　　Clairedidn'twanttherobotinherhouse,especiallyasherhusbandwouldbeabsentforthreeweeks,butLarrypersuadedherthattherobotwouldn'tharmherorallowhertobeharmed.Itwouldbeabonus.However,whenshefirstsawtherobot,shefeltalarmed.HisnamewasTonyandheseemedmorelikeahumanthanamachine.Hewastallandhandsomewithsmoothhairandadeepvoicealthoughhisfacialexpressionneverchanged.

　　OnthesecondmorningTony,wearinganapron,broughtherbreakfastandthenaskedherwhethersheneededhelpdressing.Shefeltembarrassedandquicklytoldhimtogo.Itwasdisturbingandfrighteningthathelookedsohuman.

　　Oneday,Clairementionedthatshedidn'tthinkshewasclever.Tonysaidthatshemustfeelveryunhappytosaythat.Clairethoughtitwasridiculoustobeofferedsympathybyarobot.Butshebegantotrusthim.Shetoldhimhowshewasoverweightandthismadeherfeelunhappy.Alsoshefeltherhomewasn'telegantenoughforsomeonelikeLarrywhowantedtoimprovehissocialposition.Shewasn'tlikeGladysClaffern,oneoftherichestandmostpowerfulwomenaround.

　　AsafavourTonypromisedtohelpClairemakeherselfsmarterandherhomemoreelegant.SoClaireborrowedapileofbooksfromthelibraryforhimtoread,orrather,scan.Shelookedathisfingerswithwonderastheyturnedeachpageandsuddenlyreachedforhishand.Shewasamazedbyhisfingernailsandthesoftnessandwarmthofhisskin.Howabsurd,shethought.Hewasjustamachine.

　　TonygaveClaireanewhaircutandchangedthemakeupshewore.Ashewasnotallowedtoaccompanyhertotheshops,hewroteoutalistofitemsforher.Clairewentintothecityandboughtcurtains,cushions,acarpetandbedding.Thenshewentintoajewelleryshoptobuyanecklace.Whentheclerkatthecounterwasrudetoher,sherangTonyupandtoldtheclerktospeaktohim.Theclerkimmediatelychangedhisattitude.ClairethankedTony,tellinghimthathewasa"dear".Assheturnedaround,therestoodGladysClaffern.Howawfultobediscoveredbyher,Clairethought.Bytheamusedandsurprisedlookonherface,ClaireknewthatGladysthoughtshewashavinganaffair.Afterall,sheknewClaire'shusband'snamewasLarry,notTony.

　　WhenClairegothome,sheweptwithangerinherarmchair.GladyswaseverythingClairewantedtobe."Youcanbelikeher,"TonytoldherandsuggestedthatsheinviteGladysandherfriendstothehousethenightbeforehewastoleaveandLarrywastoreturn.Bythattime,Tonyexpectedthehousetobecompletelytransformed.

　　Tonyworkedsteadilyontheimprovements.Clairetriedtohelponcebutwastooclumsy.ShefelloffaladderandeventhoughTonywasinthenextroom,hemanagedtocatchherintime.Heheldherfirmlyinhisarmsandshefeltthewarmthofhisbody.Shescreamed,pushedhimawayandrantoherroomfortherestoftheday.

　　Thenightofthepartyarrived.Theclockstruckeight.TheguestswouldbearrivingsoonandClairetoldTonytogointoanotherroom.Atthatmoment,Tonyfoldedhisarmsaroundher,bendinghisfaceclosetohers.Shecriedout"Tony"andthenheardhimdeclarethathedidn'twanttoleaveherthenextdayandthathefeltmorethanjustthedesiretopleaseher.Thenthe