Famous scientist says A.I. could destroy us

Famous scientist says A.I. could destroy us (9th December, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The famous scientist professor Stephen Hawking has warned that robots with artificial intelligence could one day mean the death of us all. He told the BBC that: "The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end of the human race." Hawking suffers from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs special technology to talk. A new app will predict words he might want to use based on his previous conversations.

Hawking said that AI has helped many people. He said it will become more powerful and could be dangerous. He said: "It would take off on its own". He said humans could never compete with AI. In April 2014, he warned how technology could take over one day. He said it could control our financial markets, invent things human researchers could not invent, be smarter than human leaders, and develop new weapons.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30290540
http://www.capitalotc.com/stephen-hawking-warns-about-artificial-intelligence/26311/
http://voxxi.com/2014/12/stephen-hawking-message-about-ai/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking

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.	The famous scientist	a.	of us all
2.	robots with	b.	he might want to use
3.	the death	c.	of full artificial intelligence
4.	The development	d.	(also known as ALS)
5.	spell the end of the human	e.	conversations
6.	motor neuron disease	f.	artificial intelligence
7.	A new app will predict words	g.	race
8.	based on his previous	h.	professor Stephen Hawking

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.	Hawking said that AI has	a.	markets
2.	He said it will become	b.	with AI
3.	It would take off	c.	more powerful
4.	humans could never compete	d.	researchers
5.	technology could take	e.	new weapons
6.	control our financial	f.	helped many people
7.	human	g.	on its own
8.	develop	h.	over one day

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ professor Stephen Hawking has warned that robots with artificial intelligence could (2) ___________________ death of us all. He told the BBC that: "The (3) ___________________ full artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end (4) ___________________." Hawking suffers from (5) ___________________ (also known as ALS) and needs special technology to talk. A new app will predict words he might want to use based on his (6) ___________________.

Hawking said that AI has (7) ___________________. He said it will become more powerful and could be dangerous. He said: "(8) ___________________ on its own". He said humans (9) ___________________ with AI. In April 2014, he warned how technology could (10) ___________________. He said it could control our financial markets, (11) ___________________ researchers could not invent, (12) ___________________ human leaders, and develop new weapons.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about artificial intelligence 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.

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)	________________________________________________________

FREE 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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