Robots smarter than humans by 2029

The Reading / Listening - Level 1

A scientist said robots will be more intelligent than humans by 2029. Ray Kurzweil, Google's Director of Engineering, is an expert on artificial intelligence (A.I.). He says computers will learn from experiences, just like us. They will tell jokes and stories, and even flirt. In 1999, many experts said it would be hundreds of years before computers were very intelligent. Today, scientists say computers will be one billion times smarter than the human brain.

Mr Kurzweil joked that many years ago, people thought his ideas were crazy. Now everyone has changed their thinking. His ideas are not crazy any more. Everyone else has changed their ideas about computers. High-tech things we use, see or read about every day make us think computers are intelligent. Things like voice-recognition technology and Google's self-driving cars make us think more about computer intelligence.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 0, Level 2 or Level 3

Sources

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/23/business/computers-to-top-humans-by-2029/

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 Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	robots will be more	a.	intelligence
2.	Google's Director	b.	of years
3.	an expert on artificial	c.	intelligent than humans
4.	They will tell	d.	the human brain
5.	experts said it would be hundreds	e.	very intelligent
6.	computers were	f.	times
7.	one billion	g.	jokes and stories
8.	smarter than	h.	of Engineering

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	many years	a.	recognition technology
2.	people thought his	b.	changed
3.	everyone has	c.	driving cars
4.	His ideas are not	d.	about every day
5.	changed their ideas	e.	ago
6.	things we use, see or read	f.	crazy any more
7.	voice-	g.	ideas were crazy
8.	Google's self-	h.	about computers

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A scientist (1) ___________________ more intelligent than humans by 2029. Ray Kurzweil, Google's (2) ___________________, is an expert on artificial intelligence (AI). He says computers will (3) ___________________, just like us. They will (4) ___________________, and even flirt. In 1999, many experts said it would be hundreds of years before computers (5) ___________________. Today, scientists say computers will be one (6) ___________________ than the human brain.

Mr Kurzweil (7) ___________________ years ago, people thought his ideas were crazy. Now everyone (8) ___________________ thinking. His ideas are (9) ___________________. Everyone else has changed their ideas about computers. High-tech things we (10) ___________________ about every day make us think computers are intelligent. Things (11) ___________________ technology and Google's self-driving cars make us think more (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Ascientistsaidrobotswillbemoreintelligentthanhumansby2029.RayKurz
weil,Google'sDirectorofEngineering,isanexpertonartificialintelligence(AI
).Hesayscomputerswilllearnfromexperiences,justlikeus.Theywilltelljoke
sandstories,andevenflirt.In1999,manyexpertssaiditwouldbehundredsof
yearsbeforecomputerswereveryintelligent.Today,scientistssaycompute
rswillbeonebilliontimessmarterthanthehumanbrain.MrKurzweiljokedthat
manyyearsago,peoplethoughthisideaswerecrazy.Noweveryonehascha
ngedtheirthinking.Hisideasarenotcrazyanymore.Everyoneelsehaschan
gedtheirideasaboutcomputers.High-techthingsweuse,seeorreadabo
uteverydaymakeusthinkcomputersareintelligent.Thingslikevoice-recog
nitiontechnologyandGoogle'sself-drivingcarsmakeusthinkmoreabout
computerintelligence.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

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

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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