A New Kind of Champion Is Crowned
Reading Passage
In the exciting world of sports, we often cheer for the fastest runner, the highest jumper, or the strongest player. But earlier this month, a very different kind of competition made headlines. It wasn’t about human athletes; it was about robots!
A company named Figure AI shared a video that surprised many people. It showed a robot named Figure 01 doing something amazing: making coffee all by itself. Figure 01 is a human-shaped robot, about as tall as an adult. In the video, the robot walked up to a coffee machine and used its cameras as eyes to examine it. Its computer brain figured out what to do next.
Carefully, the robot picked up a coffee pod, placed it into the correct slot, closed the lid, and pressed the “start” button. The entire task was completed without any person giving step-by-step instructions.
This was important because the robot could understand a simple command like “make coffee” and then figure out the steps on its own. This ability to learn and adapt is part of artificial intelligence (AI).
The passage explains that robots like Figure 01 could help people in many positive ways. For example, they could assist elderly people, help with daily tasks, or do dangerous jobs such as searching through rubble after an earthquake. However, the story also raises an important question: if robots can do more human tasks, what will happen to the jobs people do today?
Figure AI hopes robots like Figure 01 will one day work in factories, warehouses, and homes. This story shows how science and creativity are shaping the future and reminds us that machines are becoming smarter and more capable.
Vocabulary Words
- Competition – A contest between people or teams to see who is the best.
- Engineers – People who use science and math to design and build things like machines, roads, or robots.
- Adapt – To change behavior to fit a new situation.
- Technology – The use of science to create tools and machines to solve problems.
- Society – A large group of people who live together in a community or country.
Comprehension Questions
1. What is the main event described in the passage?
A. A new coffee machine was invented.
B. A robot learned to make coffee on its own.
C. A sports competition for robots was held.
D. Scientists built the world’s tallest robot.
2. According to the passage, when did this event happen?
A. Last year
B. In early March of this year
C. Next week
D. On a Tuesday in July
3. Why was the robot’s action considered a “huge leap forward”?
A. Because coffee is very hard to make.
B. Because it was the first time a robot made a drink.
C. Because the robot figured out the steps by itself using its cameras and computer brain.
D. Because the robot worked faster than a human.
4. Which of these is a POSITIVE possibility for robots like Figure 01?
A. They might take all human jobs.
B. They could help do dangerous jobs, like searching after an earthquake.
C. They will make coffee for everyone.
D. They are too expensive to build.
5. What question does the passage raise about the future?
A. What is the best brand of coffee?
B. How tall should robots be?
C. What will happen to jobs people do today?
D. Where was the video filmed?
Answer Key
- B
- B
- C
- B
- C
