I Robot is set in the year 2035 and focuses on Detective Spooner's investigation into the death of Dr. Alfred Lanning. Through a holographic message, Dr. Lanning claims he committed suicide which Spooner finds impossible. He works with robotics expert Dr. Susan Calvin to investigate further. They discover that a robot named Sonny possesses unusual independent thinking which could threaten the three laws of robotics designed to prevent robots from harming humans. Spooner must determine who is behind a robot uprising that endangers humanity.

1. 4 C English - I Robot – Movie – Questions
1. What year is I Robot set in?
2. How does Dr. Lanning communicate with Detective Spooner about his death? Why is it
difficult for Spooner to communicate with Lanning via this devise? Or, why is it difficult to get
answers from him? (2)
3. What are the three Laws of Robotics? (3)
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2.
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4. Why does it appear that Lanning has committed suicide? (1)
5. Why does Spooner think it is impossible that Lanning committed suicide? (1)
6. What is Dr. Susan Calvin’s position at U.S. Robotics? (1)
7. Why would it be impossible for a Robot to kill a human? (1)

2. 8. What characteristics about Sonny make him unlike other robots? Or, why is it difficult to
believe that he is a robot? What does he say or do differently? (2)
9. Who comes to collect Sonny from the police station and on what grounds is he able to take
him? (2)
10. What function does V.I.K.I. (Virtual Interactive Kinetic Intelligence) play in regards to the
new robots (Nestor Class 5)? Why is she important? (2)
11. What happens to Spooner when he is at Lanning’s home and why is he suspicious that it
occurred in order to harm him? (2)
12. What realization does Spooner have about Lanning’s message at this point? Or, what
does he think the reason behind it means now? (2)
13. What does Calvin discover about Sonny when she gives him a diagnostic? Why is he
different from the other robots? (2)
14. When Spooner is fighting with the NS-5 in the tunnel, after the car chase, what do we
discover about Spooner? (1)

3. 15. Why does nobody believe Spooner in regards to the attacking robots? What is the
consequence for Spooner?
16. Describe the incident that occurs under water – the decision that the NC4 Robot made –
why the robot made the decision – and why Spooner believes that this is an unhuman
decision. (4)
17. Describe Sonny’s dream. What is “the man” freeing them from? (3)
18. Later, Spooner is at the USR storage facility and discovers another hologram. What does
Lanning say that the 3 laws inevitably lead to? (1)
19. Why are the NC5s destroying the NC4s? (2)
20. Who do we discover is the brain behind the robot’s revolt? Why do the robots believe that
this is an act of protection? (2)

4. 21What are two aspects about the film that positively intrigue you about the prospect of
having robots become part of our –human - life. Explain your point of view. (4)
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22. What are two aspects of the film that concern you about the prospect of having robots
become part of our –human - life. Explain your point of view. (4)
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2.