China's Military Now Has Robot Dogs Armed with Rifles
Vocabulary
Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
military
Noun
ˈmɪlɪˌtɛriː
the armed forces
The US military completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
arm
Verb
ɑːrm
to supply someone with weapons; to supply someone with equipment, tools, information etc. to have them prepared for something
The police officers were armed with batons and handguns.
rifle
Noun
ˈraɪfəl
a gun that has a long barrel and is fired from shoulder level
The soldiers had automatic rifles and carried about 200 rounds of ammunition.
urban
Adjective
ˈərbən
in or relating to towns or cities
I grew up in the countryside, so it took me a while to get used to urban life.
combat
Noun
ˈkɑːmbæt
fighting between soldiers, aircraft, etc.
According to official estimates, more than 40,000 US soldiers died in combat during the Vietnam War.
reconnaissance
Noun
rɪˈkɑːnɪsns
the activity of observing and gathering information about an area for military purposes
The Lockheed U-2 reconnaissance aircraft has been in service for 67 years.
Exercise 2
Article
China's Military Now Has Robot Dogs Armed with Rifles
While dogs are often called "man's best friend," technology may have turned them into man's worst nightmare, as the world's military forces introduce the use of robot dogs.
China's military has now used a robot dog armed with a rifle during a recent military exercise with Cambodia, according to Chinese state-run TV.
China has been holding "Golden Dragon" military exercises with Cambodia every year since 2016. But according to China Central Television (CCTV), this year's exercise included a robot dog weighing about 50 kilograms, which carried a rifle on its back.
In a video shown by CCTV, the robot dog, which is operated remotely, can be seen running on four legs and leading a practice attack on a building.
Chen Wei, A Chinese soldier seen in the video, said the robot dog could replace humans and "serve as a new member in our urban combat operations."
Another robot dog shown in the video is used for reconnaissance. Weighing 15 kilograms, this robot has a wide-angle camera that can send data to a command center.
Fitted with batteries, it can operate for between 2 and 4 hours. And as the video shows, it can move forward, backward, lie down, and even jump.
Drones were shown at the end of the video, being used for reconnaissance or to carry items. One armed drone is also shown carrying a rifle.
China is not the only country to use armed drones or robot dogs. Since Russia began its war with Ukraine in 2022, armed drones have often been used by both sides.
And the US Marines have recently tested a robot dog armed with a rifle.
Discussion
1.
What are your thoughts on China's military robot dogs?
2.
How do you feel about militaries using robots and drones?
3.
Which country's military actions concern you the most?
4.
Has your country taken any steps to strengthen its military?
5.
Do you know anyone who has served in the armed forces?
6.
Do you expect to see more armed conflicts around the world in the future?
7.
Would you say that the world is less stable today than it was 50 years ago?
8.
Are you interested in military history? What conflicts have you read about?
9.
Do you think world peace will ever be achieved?
10.
You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake. — Jeanette Rankin. What do you make of this quote?
