Current Affairs: Passage of the Day - 06 July 2024 | Current Affairs: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - CLAT PDF Download

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
In what can be called as the first ‘robot suicide’ in the country, a robot civil servant employed in South Korea has recently been found unresponsive at the bottom of a stairwell. According to officials of the Gumi City Council, the robot, nicknamed "Robot Supervisor," worked a standard 9-to-5 shift and even possessed its own civil service ID card.
“Robot Supervisor” was reportedly discovered around 4 pm by council staff who say that the robot behaved strangely beforehand, “circling in one spot as if something was there.”
“It was officially a part of the city hall staff, one of us.
While the cause of the fall remains under investigation, reports questioned whether the robot was asked ‘to work too hard’. The officials have collected the parts for analysis and they are being probed by the robot's manufacturer.
“Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company,” an official said.
The robot, operational since August 2023, was developed by Bear Robotics, the California-based robot-waiter company.
Unlike most service robots restricted to single floors, the Gumi City Council robot independently navigated the building, calling elevators to move between levels.
The robot reportedly “helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information” to local residents.
City council postpones plans to deploy another robot
Reportedly, the Gumi City Council has announced that it is postponing its plans to deploy another robot officer in the wake of this incident.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, South Korea is known for its adoption of robots, with one industrial robot for every 10 employees.
[Excerpt from TOI “What is ‘Robot Suicide’?” Dated 06/07/24]

Q1: Where did the incident involving the robotic government servant take place?
(a) Seoul
(b) Busan
(c) Gumi City
(d) Incheon

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Q2: What was the name of the robotic government servant found broken at the bottom of a flight of stairs?
(a) Robot Assistant
(b) Robot Supervisor
(c) Robot Clerk
(d) Robot Manager

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Q3: What specific duties did "Robot Supervisor" perform for the Gumi City Council?
(a) Attending meetings
(b) Delivering documents and promoting the city
(c) Cleaning the offices
(d) Supervising human employees

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Q4: What unusual behavior was reported about the robot before it was found broken?
(a) It was moving unusually fast
(b) It was constantly going around the same spot
(c) It was interacting aggressively with staff
(d) It was malfunctioning and sparking

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Q5: Which company manufactured the "Robot Supervisor"?
(a) Hyundai Robotics
(b) LG Electronics
(c) Bear Robotics
(d) Samsung Robotics

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