Learn English with the News: “Rock, paper scissors”

Hello you!

Have you ever played rock, paper, scissors? It’s a game you play with your hands with another person. You shake one fist and say the name of the game out loud three times. On the third time, you make the shape of a rock, scissors or paper with your hand.

Do you remember the rules? Rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper and paper beats rock. If both players choose the same gesture, the game is tied and the players throw again.

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It’s just not fair! This robot never loses at Rock, Paper, Scissors. Developed by a lab in Japan, the robot has a built-in high-speed camera and sensors that enable it to recognize the shape its opponents hand is forming one millisecond before it plays its winning hand. The human eye can’t detect the difference.

Scientists hope the gaming champ will provide clues on how to develop robots better equipped for interaction with humans, without needing to be programmed or commanded.

One lesson they may take to heart is that no one likes a cheating robot.

Vocabulary

Fist – the hand with its fingers bent down into the palm.

Beats – to defeat (someone) in a game, contest, etc.

Gesture – a movement of your body (especially of your hands and arms) that shows or emphasizes an idea or a feeling.

Tied – to make the score of a game or contest equal.

Lab – short for “laboratory”

Sensors – a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc., and then reacts to it in a particular way.

Enable – to cause (a feature or capability of a computer) to be active or available for use.

Champ – short for “champion”

Take to heart – take seriously.

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