The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Professor Stephen Hawking, a renowned scientist, has warned that robots with artificial intelligence could one day mean the death of us all. He recently told the BBC in an interview that: "The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end of the human race." The famous cosmologist was talking about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking suffers from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs special technology to talk. The update to the app will predict words he might want to use based on what he previously talked about.

Hawking said that AI has helped many people. He said it is still in its early stages of development, but will be more sophisticated and could threaten our existence. He said: "It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete." Professor Hawking gave a similar warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine such technology outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot even understand."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 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.

a renowned

a.

(also known as ALS)

2.

the death

b.

BBC in an interview

3.

He recently told the

c.

he might want to use

4.

AI could spell the

d.

scientist

5.

the app he uses to allow

e.

talked about

6.

motor neuron disease

f.

end of the human race

7.

the app will predict words

g.

of us all

8.

based on what he previously

h.

him to communicate



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

1.

Hawking said that AI has

a.

evolution

2.

He said it is still in its early

b.

existence

3.

threaten our

c.

increasing rate

4.

It would take

d.

markets

5.

re-design itself at an ever

e.

helped many people

6.

biological

f.

off on its own

7.

outsmarting financial

g.

leaders

8.

out-manipulating human

h.

stages of development

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Professor Stephen Hawking, (1) ___________________, has warned that robots with artificial intelligence (2) ___________________ the death of us all. He recently told the BBC (3) ___________________: "The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could (4) ___________________ human race."  The famous cosmologist was talking about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking suffers from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) (5) ___________________ technology to talk. The update to the app will predict words he might want to use based on what he (6) ___________________.

Hawking said that AI has helped many people. (7) ___________________ in its early stages of development, but will be (8) ___________________ and could threaten our existence. He said: "It would take off on its own, and re-design (9) ___________________ increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by (10) ___________________, couldn't compete." Professor Hawking gave a similar warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine such technology outsmarting financial markets, (11) ___________________ researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and (12) ___________________ cannot even understand."

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.

 

 

 

 

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)

________________________________________________________

 

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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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