[Researchers: Chimps Can Learn Rock-Paper-Scissors]
- Lesson 34 / English in Today's World -
Experiments show chimpanzees can learn the rules of rock-paper-scissors. That's according to a group of researchers at the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University.
Their findings indicate chimps may be as smart as four-year-old humans. Children below that age are typically not so good at playing the game. Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, but scissors beat paper in the hand game.
In the experiments, seven chimps were trained in the game with a video monitor. It displayed two of the three hand gestures - a fist that signifies "rock," an open hand for "paper," and a closed hand with two fingers extended for "scissors."
Chimps were rewarded with food if they touched the winning hand on the monitor. The task was repeated about 140 times a day. After 100 days of practice, five of the seven chimps made the correct choice more than 90 percent of the time.
The researchers plan to conduct more experiments to see if chimpanzees can learn to play rock-paper-scissors with each other. (2017/8/10, NHK World)
[Discussion]
Hannah: I'm always interested to learn about studies that show how animals communicate or think. It's amazing how much we still have to learn about them.
Sam: Yes, many animals are very smart, but because they do not communicate or interact exactly like humans, it takes time for researchers to understand them.
Hannah: Yes, and sometimes the research is less clear than we think. For instance, I read a story that said dolphins could actually communicate through conversations like humans, according to a Russian researcher. But then other dolphin experts claimed that this was not the case.
Sam: Yes, not all experts come to the same conclusions. There is still so much that we don't know about our natural world. Which is sort of exciting, when you think about it.
◆見出し
[Researchers: Chimps Can Learn Rock-Paper-Scissors]
=[Researchers say (that) chimpanzees can learn (to play) rock-paper-scissors.]
◆What is "primate"?
--[primate] 霊長類(の動物)(動物の首長たるもの/第一位の位置にいるもの)、
⇒[primary][prime][primitive][principle][principal][prince]など…
⇒共通する意味は[first-]最初の/第一位の/最高位の、
--[primary election] 予備選挙(最初に行われる選挙)、
--[primary school] 小学校、
--[prime minister] 内閣総理大臣(第一位の大臣)、
--[prime time] テレビの視聴率が最も高い時間帯、
--[primitive] 原始的な(最初の時代の)、
--[principle] 原則/基本的な方針/信念(最初から存在する最も大切な原理)、
--[principal] 校長、
--[prince] 王子(王の子息/最高位の子ども)
◆[beat]=[defeat](相手を)倒す・打ち負かす/(相手に)勝つ
⇒[win](勝利や賞品を)勝ち取る、⇒[win a victory]勝利を勝ち取る、[win a game]試合に勝つ、[win an election]当選する、
■[-show] ～が示す
Experiments show chimpanzees can learn the rules of rock-paper-scissors.
⇒History shows that no empire lasts forever.
■[according to-] ～によれば
That's according to a group of researchers at the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University.
⇒According to my grandfather, kids are much better behaved nowadays.
■[smart] 賢い
Their findings indicate chimps may be as smart as four-year-old humans.
⇒You look really smart in that suit. It was smart of you to buy it.
【words and phrases】
[chimp]=[chimpanzee]
[rock-paper-scissors]
[primate] 霊長類(の動物)
[gesture] 身振り手振り
[fist] 拳/げんこつ/手、把握/指標、⇒[an iron fist]鉄拳、[a fist]握りこぶし
[signify] 意味する/表わす
[reward] 報酬・褒美(を与える)、報いる
[conduct an experiment] 実験を行う
