Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Tech giants woo 15-year-old whizzkid (26th January, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Tech giants Facebook and Google are in competition to attract the talents of a 15-year-old app developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak sparked the interest of the companies after he designed an app for a game called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since its launch in October. The addictive game managed to climb higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook’s internship department for a tour of the company’s headquarters in California. He is also being wooed by Google, whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its campus. Both companies hope Ben could be one of their future developers.

Mr Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs accepted on a Google and MIT sponsored event called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries across the world. They will collaborate on a 36-hour project to create a sellable product. They will also listen to featured speakers from the technology and hacking world. Michael Matias, the organiser of the event, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and clearly ambitious. He has shown the world that age is just a number." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app was extremely impressive and if we were to guess, we would never imagine it was run by a 15-year-old."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://news.sky.com/story/1413485/tech-giants-woo-15-year-old-app-whizzkid
http://tribune.com.pk/story/826918/15-year-old-whizzkid-attracts-google-and-facebook-with-new-app/
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tech-giants-facebook-google-battle-it-out-teen-tech-whizz-kid-ben-pasternak-1484927
http://techaeris.com/2015/01/24/google-facebook-battle-15-year-old/

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. APPS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about apps. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

competition / apps / teenager / downloaded / addictive / tour / headquarters / wooed / entrepreneurs / collaborate / featured speakers / hacking / ambitious / impressive

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. TECH GIANTS: What do you think of these tech giants? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Good things	Bad things
Google
Facebook
Apple
Twitter
Microsoft
Yahoo!

4. SCHOOL: Students A strongly believe all elementary school children should learn coding; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. TECH STUFF: Rank these with your partner. Put the best tech things at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• apps

• e-mail

• texting

• GPS

• blogs

• streaming

• video chat

• online shopping

6. GIANT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "giant". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Google and Facebook are wooing a 15-year-old U.S. app developer.	T / F
b.	The game designed by the teen is called the Possible Rush.	T / F
c.	The app has been downloaded more than half a million times.	T / F
d.	The vice-president of Google invited the teen to the Google campus.	T / F
e.	Another 449 teens are attending a hacking event with the whizzkid.	T / F
f.	High-schoolers from 36 countries are attending the event.	T / F
g.	The high-schoolers will listen to speakers talking about hacking.	T / F
h.	The app works only on Andoid phones and not iPhones.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	attract	a.	apprenticeship
2.	sparked	b.	function
3.	addictive	c.	courted
4.	internship	d.	lure
5.	wooed	e.	cooperate
6.	entrepreneurs	f.	arranger
7.	event	g.	ignited
8.	collaborate	h.	outstanding
9.	organiser	i.	compulsive
10.	impressive	j.	business people

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	in competition to attract the	a.	of the companies
2.	Pasternak sparked the interest	b.	speakers
3.	downloaded more than 500,000 times	c.	for a tour
4.	invited by Facebook's internship department	d.	wooed by Google
5.	He is also being	e.	aged entrepreneurs
6.	Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-	f.	run by a 15-year-old
7.	They will collaborate	g.	talents of a 15-year-old
8.	listen to featured	h.	a number
9.	age is just	i.	since its launch
10.	we would never imagine it was	j.	on a 36-hour project

GAP FILL

Tech giants Facebook and Google are (1) ___________ competition to attract the (2) ___________ of a 15-year-old app developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak (3) ___________ the interest of the companies after he designed an app for a game called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times (4) ___________ its launch in October. The addictive game managed to (5) ___________ higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook's (6) ___________ department for a tour of the company's headquarters in California. He is also being (7) ___________ by Google, whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its (8) ___________. Both companies hope Ben could be one of their future developers.

since
talents
internship
in
campus
sparked
wooed
climb

Mr Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs (9) ___________ on a Google and MIT sponsored event called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers have been (10) ___________ from ten countries across the world. They will (11) ___________ on a 36-hour project to create a sellable product. They will also listen to featured speakers from the technology and (12) ___________ world. Michael Matias, the organiser of the (13) ___________, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and clearly ambitious. He has shown the world that age is just a (14) ___________." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app was extremely impressive and if we were to (15) ___________, we would never imagine it was (16) ___________ by a 15-year-old."

hacking
accepted
guess
invited
run
event
collaborate
number

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Facebook and Google are in competition to attract ______ 15-year-old
	a. the talons of a b. the talents of a c. the talented of a d. the talent of a
2)	Pasternak sparked the interest of the companies after he ______
	a. designated an app b. design an app c. designed an app d. designs an app
3)	The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times ______
	a. since its lunch b. since its lurch c. since its lynch d. since its launch
4)	invited by Facebook's internship department for a tour of the ______
	a. companies headquarters b. company's headquarters c. company is headquarters d. companions headquarters
5)	Both companies hope Ben could be one of their ______
	a. future developments b. future developer c. future redevelopers d. future developers
6)	entrepreneurs accepted on a Google and ______
	a. MIT sponsors event b. MIT sponsoring event c. MIT sponsored event d. MIT sponsor and event
7)	The high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries ______
	a. across a world b. across the world c. across this world d. across that world
8)	They will collaborate on a 36-hour project to ______
	a. create a sellable product b. create a sellable produce c. create a sellable production d. create a sellable products
9)	Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and ______
	a. clearly ambitious b. clearly ambitions c. clearly ambitiously d. clearly ambition
10)	if we were to guess, we would never imagine it ______ 15-year-old
	a. was ran by a b. was run by a c. was runs by a d. was ruin by a

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Tech giants Facebook and Google are in competition (1) ___________________ of a 15-year-old app developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak (2) ___________________ of the companies after he designed an app for a game called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times (3) ___________________ October. The addictive game (4) ___________________ higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook's internship department for a tour of the company's headquarters in California. He is (5) ___________________ Google, whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its campus. Both companies hope Ben could be one of (6) ___________________.

Mr Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-(7) ___________________ accepted on a Google and MIT sponsored event called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers (8) ___________________ from ten countries across the world. They will collaborate on a 36-hour project to (9) ___________________. They will also listen to featured speakers from the technology and hacking world. Michael Matias, the organiser of the event, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur (10) ___________________. He has shown the world that age (11) ___________________." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app was extremely impressive and if we were to guess, (12) ___________________ it was run by a 15-year-old."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Which two tech giants are wooing the teenager?
2.	What is the name of the app designed by the teenager?
3.	How many times has the app been downloaded since October?
4.	What did Facebook invite Ben for a tour of?
5.	What did Google invite Ben to visit?
6.	Which other institution besides Google is sponsoring a hacking event?
7.	How long do the high-schoolers have to create a product?
8.	Who will the high-schoolers listen to?
9.	Who is Michael Matias?
10.	What did Michael Matias say about Ben's app?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Which two tech giants are wooing the teenager?	6.	Which other institution besides Google is sponsoring a hacking event?
	a) Yahoo and Twitter b) Apple and Sony c) Google and Facebook d) Microsoft and IBM		a) IBM b) MIT c) WHO d) BBC
2.	What is the name of the app designed by the teenager?	7.	How long do the high-schoolers have to create a product?
	a) Impossible Rush b) Impossibly Rushed c) Impossible Rushes d) Impossibly Rushes		a) 36 days b) 36 minutes c) 3.6 hours d) 36 hours
3.	How many times has the app been downloaded since October?	8.	Who will the high-schoolers listen to?
	a) exactly 500,000 b) less than 500,000 c) five million d) over 500,000		a) old video games b) featured speakers c) electronic sounds d) classical music
4.	What did Facebook invite Ben for a tour of?	9.	Who is Michael Matias?
	a) cyberspace b) its headquarters c) its new-look website d) London		a) the event organiser b) a top hacker c) a Google executive d) a high-schooler
5.	What did Google invite Ben to visit?	10.	What did Michael Matias say about Ben's app?
	a) the Moon b) its new-look website c) its campus d) Hollywood		a) it was amazing b) it will make a billion dollars c) it was the best fun ever d) it was extremely impressive

ROLE PLAY

Role A – App designer

You think an app designer is the best job in IT. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): social network creator, a hardware engineer or a website designer.

Role B – Social network creator

You think a social network creator is the best job in IT. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): app designer, a hardware engineer or a website designer.

Role C – Hardware engineer

You think a hardware engineer is the best job in IT. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): social network creator, app designer or a website designer.

Role D – Website designer

You think a website designer is the best job in IT. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their jobs aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): social network creator, a hardware engineer or app designer.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'whizz' and 'kid'.

whizz

kid

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

giants
sparked
since
climb
tour
hope

450
ten
36
listen
number
guess

APPS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about apps in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

APPS DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'app'?
3)	How important are apps to you?
4)	How important or useful is it to be able to code?
5)	How good is it that 15-year-olds can now make it in business?
6)	What do you think Ben's future will be like?
7)	What's your favourite app and why?
8)	What would you like to see if you visited Google's campus?
9)	Would it be better to work for Facebook or Google?
10)	How do you think Ben feels about being wooed by tech giants?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What was the best thing you did as a high-schooler?
13)	What do you think of hacking?
14)	What are the good things that hackers do?
15)	How do young people get so good at coding and making apps?
16)	How ambitious are you?
17)	If you became an entrepreneur, what field would you enter?
18)	What kind of 15-year-old were you?
19)	Are apps good or bad?
20)	What questions would you like to ask Ben Pasternak?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Tech (1) ____ Facebook and Google are in competition to attract the talents of a 15-year-old app developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak (2) ____ the interest of the companies after he designed an app for a game called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times (3) ____ its launch in October. The addictive game managed to (4) ____ higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook's internship department for a tour of the company's headquarters in California. He is also being (5) ____ by Google, whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its (6) ____. Both companies hope Ben could be one of their future developers.

Mr Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs accepted (7) ____ a Google and MIT sponsored (8) ____ called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries across the world. They will (9) ____ on a 36-hour project to create a sellable product. They will also listen to featured speakers from the technology and hacking world. Michael Matias, the organiser of the event, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and (10) ____ ambitious. He has shown the world that age is (11) ____ a number." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app was extremely impressive and if we (12) ____ to guess, we would never imagine it was run by a 15-year-old."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	beasts	(b)	giants	(c)	ogres	(d)	monsters
2.	(a)	spanked	(b)	sparked	(c)	sparkled	(d)	sparred
3.	(a)	once	(b)	ounce	(c)	hence	(d)	since
4.	(a)	scale	(b)	climb	(c)	ascent	(d)	up
5.	(a)	wowed	(b)	wooded	(c)	woofed	(d)	wooed
6.	(a)	abode	(b)	marquee	(c)	campus	(d)	dwellings
7.	(a)	on	(b)	by	(c)	at	(d)	of
8.	(a)	circumstance	(b)	happen	(c)	event	(d)	occasions
9.	(a)	calibrate	(b)	corroborate	(c)	constipate	(d)	collaborate
10.	(a)	clearly	(b)	clarity	(c)	callously	(d)	calamity
11.	(a)	just	(b)	simple	(c)	plain	(d)	easy
12.	(a)	were	(b)	be	(c)	do	(d)	think

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	taatctr the talents of a 15-year-old
2.	rakedsp the interest of
3.	The edtiadvic game
4.	ipnisnthre department
5.	being ewodo by Google
6.	asked him to come to visit its pcumas
Paragraph 2
7.	high-school-aged ntsueeerpenrr
8.	a Google and MIT oeopndsrs event
9.	otclralaeob on a 36-hour project
10.	listen to tdreufea speakers
11.	clearly bmsituiao
12.	xrlemyeet impressive

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	of the event, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and clearly
( )	charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook's internship department for a tour
( )	listen to featured speakers from the technology and hacking world. Michael Matias, the organiser
( )	event called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries across the world. They will
( )	Mr Pasternak is one of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs accepted on a Google and MIT sponsored
( )	of the company's headquarters in California. He is also being wooed by Google, whose vice president has asked
( )	times since its launch in October. The addictive game managed to climb higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store
( )	an app for a game called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000
( )	was extremely impressive and if we were to guess, we would never imagine it was run by a 15-year-old."
( )	him to come to visit its campus. Both companies hope Ben could be one of their future developers.
( )	ambitious. He has shown the world that age is just a number." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app
( )	collaborate on a 36-hour project to create a sellable product. They will also
( 1 )	Tech giants Facebook and Google are in competition to attract the talents of a 15-year-old app
( )	developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak sparked the interest of the companies after he designed

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	the 15 attract old a to - of competition year talents In - .
2.	the sparked Pasternak companies the of interest .
3.	500,000 than more downloaded been has app The times .
4.	department Invited for by a Facebook's tour internship.
5.	of Ben their could future be developers one.
6.	Pasternak entrepreneurs aged - school - high 450 of one is.
7.	schoolers invited countries - been ten high have from The .
8.	on - collaborate 36 project will a hour They.
9.	Featured and speakers hacking from world the technology.
10.	never - imagine year it - 15 was old run by We a would.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Tech giants Facebook and Google are on / in competition to attract the talents / talons of a 15-year-old app developer. Australian teenager Ben Pasternak sparked / sparkled the interest of the companies after he designed an app for a game calling / called Impossible Rush. The app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since its / it's launch in October. The addictive game managed to climb / scramble higher than Vine and Twitter on the App Store chats / charts. Pasternak has been invited by Facebook's internship department for a tour / tourism of the company's headquarters in California. He is also being wooed / woofed by Google, whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its campus. Both companies hope Ben could be one of their futurity / future developers.

Mr Pasternak is one for / of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs accepted on a Google and MIT sponsored / sponsoring event called Hack Generation Y. The high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries across the / a world. They will corroborate / collaborate on a 36-hour project to create a sellable produce / product. They will also listen to featured / featuring speakers from the technology and hacking planet / world. Michael Matias, the organiser of the event, said: "Pasternak is a young entrepreneur and clarity / clearly ambitious. He has shown the world that age is just a number." He added that: "[Pasternak's] iPhone app was extremity / extremely impressive and if we were to guess, we would never imagine it was run / running by a 15-year-old."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

T_ch g__nts F_c_b__k _nd G__gl_ _r_ _n c_mp_t_t__n t_ _ttr_ct th_ t_l_nts _f _ 15-y__r-_ld _pp d_v_l_p_r. __str_l__n t__n_g_r B_n P_st_rn_k sp_rk_d th_ _nt_r_st _f th_ c_mp_n__s _ft_r h_ d_s_gn_d _n _pp f_r _ g_m_ c_ll_d _mp_ss_bl_ R_sh. Th_ _pp h_s b__n d_wnl__d_d m_r_ th_n 500,000 t_m_s s_nc_ _ts l__nch _n _ct_b_r. Th_ _dd_ct_v_ g_m_ m_n_g_d t_ cl_mb h_gh_r th_n V_n_ _nd Tw_tt_r _n th_ _pp St_r_ ch_rts. P_st_rn_k h_s b__n _nv_t_d by F_c_b__k's _nt_rnsh_p d_p_rtm_nt f_r _ t__r _f th_ c_mp_ny's h__dq__rt_rs _n C_l_f_rn__. H_ _s _ls_ b__ng w___d by G__gl_, wh_s_ v_c_ pr_s_d_nt h_s _sk_d h_m t_ c_m_ t_ v_s_t _ts c_mp_s. B_th c_mp_n__s h_p_ B_n c__ld b_ _n_ _f th__r f_t_r_ d_v_l_p_rs.

Mr P_st_rn_k _s _n_ _f 450 h_gh-sch__l-_g_d _ntr_pr_n__rs _cc_pt_d _n _ G__gl_ _nd M_T sp_ns_r_d _v_nt c_ll_d H_ck G_n_r_t__n Y. Th_ h_gh-sch__l_rs h_v_ b__n _nv_t_d fr_m t_n c__ntr__s _cr_ss th_ w_rld. Th_y w_ll c_ll_b_r_t_ _n _ 36-h__r pr_j_ct t_ cr__t_ _ s_ll_bl_ pr_d_ct. Th_y w_ll _ls_ l_st_n t_ f__t_r_d sp__k_rs fr_m th_ t_chn_l_gy _nd h_ck_ng w_rld. M_ch__l M_t__s, th_ _rg_n_s_r _f th_ _v_nt, s__d: "P_st_rn_k _s _ y__ng _ntr_pr_n__r _nd cl__rly _mb_t___s. H_ h_s sh_wn th_ w_rld th_t _g_ _s j_st _ n_mb_r." H_ _dd_d th_t: "[P_st_rn_k's] _Ph_n_ _pp w_s _xtr_m_ly _mpr_ss_v_ _nd _f w_ w_r_ t_ g__ss, w_ w__ld n_v_r _m_g_n_ _t w_s r_n by _ 15-y__r-_ld."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

tech giants facebook and google are in competition to attract the talents of a 15-year-old app developer australian teenager ben pasternak sparked the interest of the companies after he designed an app for a game called impossible rush the app has been downloaded more than 500000 times since its launch in october the addictive game managed to climb higher than vine and twitter on the app store charts pasternak has been invited by facebook's internship department for a tour of the company's headquarters in california he is also being wooed by google whose vice president has asked him to come to visit its campus both companies hope ben could be one of their future developers

mr pasternak is one of 450 high-school-aged entrepreneurs accepted on a google and mit sponsored event called hack generation y the high-schoolers have been invited from ten countries across the world they will collaborate on a 36-hour project to create a sellable product they will also listen to featured speakers from the technology and hacking world michael matias the organiser of the event said "pasternak is a young entrepreneur and clearly ambitious he has shown the world that age is just a number" he added that "[pasternak's] iphone app was extremely impressive and if we were to guess we would never imagine it was run by a 15-year-old"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TechgiantsFacebookandGoogleareincompetitiontoattractthetalents
ofa15-year-oldappdeveloper.AustralianteenagerBenPasternaksp
arkedtheinterestofthecompaniesafterhedesignedanappforagameca
lledImpossibleRush.Theapphasbeendownloadedmorethan500,000t
imessinceitslaunchinOctober.Theaddictivegamemanagedtoclimbhi
gherthanVineandTwitterontheAppStorecharts.Pasternakhasbeenin
vitedbyFacebook'sinternshipdepartmentforatourofthecompany'she
adquartersinCalifornia.HeisalsobeingwooedbyGoogle,whosevicepr
esidenthasaskedhimtocometovisititscampus.BothcompanieshopeB
encouldbeoneoftheirfuturedevelopers.MrPasternakisoneof450high-
school-agedentrepreneursacceptedonaGoogleandMITsponsorede
ventcalledHackGenerationY.Thehigh-schoolershavebeeninvit
edfromtencountriesacrosstheworld.Theywillcollaborateona36-
hourprojecttocreateasellableproduct.Theywillalsolistentofeatureds
peakersfromthetechnologyandhackingworld.MichaelMatias,theorg
aniseroftheevent,said:"Pasternakisayoungentrepreneurandclearly
ambitious.Hehasshowntheworldthatageisjustanumber."Headdedth
at:"[Pasternak's]iPhoneappwasextremelyimpressiveandifweweret
oguess,wewouldneverimagineitwasrunbya15-year-old."

FREE WRITING

Write about apps for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

All children should start learning to code from elementary school. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about apps. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. APPS: Make a poster about apps. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. BEN: Write a magazine article about 15-year-old Ben. Include imaginary interviews with him and with Google's boss.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to Facebook's boss. Ask him/her three questions about apps. Give him/her three ideas on what new apps are needed. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

T

f

F

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	attract	a.	lure
2.	sparked	b.	ignited
3.	addictive	c.	compulsive
4.	internship	d.	apprenticeship
5.	wooed	e.	courted
6.	entrepreneurs	f.	business people
7.	event	g.	function
8.	collaborate	h.	cooperate
9.	organiser	i.	arranger
10.	impressive	j.	outstanding

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Google and Facebook
2.	Impossible Rush
3.	Over 500,000 times
4.	Its headquarters
5.	Its campus
6.	MIT
7.	36 hours
8.	Featured speakers
9.	The event's organiser
10.	It was extremely impressive

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

d

4.

b

5.

c

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

a

10.

d

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Tech giants woo 15-year-old whizzkid (26th January, 2015)

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS