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

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most renowned scientists, has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day mean the end of us all. Professor Hawking 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 made his warning in response to a question 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 a special voice synthesizer to talk. The update will be able to predict words he might want to use based on his previous communication.

Hawking said that AI has given many benefits to many people. He said it is still in its early stages of development, but when it becomes more sophisticated, it could prove a threat to 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 Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded." This is not the first time he has issued such a warning. He gave a more chilling 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 easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about artificial intelligence. 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?

renowned / scientists / AI / the end / the human race / cosmologist / communication / benefits / early stages / development / evolution / warning / technology / weapons

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

3. ROBOTS: How can they help us? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How robots could help	Good things	Bad things
At home
Homework
Driving
Safety
Marriage
Movies

4. A.I.: Students A strongly believe artificial intelligence will be a vital part of our life; Students B strongly believe it is very, very dangerous. 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. THE END: Rank these with your partner. Put the things most likely to spell the end of the human race at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• nuclear war

• artificial intelligence

• global warming

• a virus

• an asteroid strike

• overpopulation

• a natural disaster

• food shortages

6. SCIENTIST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "scientist". 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.	The article says Stephen Hawking is a renewed scientist.	T / F
b.	Stephen Hawking spoke about artificial intelligence to the BBC.	T / F
c.	Professor Hawking's job is a cosmologist.	T / F
d.	A special app will predict the words Stephen Hawking might need.	T / F
e.	Hawking said AI could be a threat if it becomes more sophisticated.	T / F
f.	Hawking said AI would evolve at a slower rate than human evolution.	T / F
g.	This is the first time Hawking has warned of the threat from A.I.	T / F
h.	Hawking said A.I would not be better than humans at inventing things.	T / F

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

1.	renowned	a.	earlier
2.	end	b.	requires
3.	response	c.	phases
4.	needs	d.	death
5.	previous	e.	advanced
6.	benefits	f.	given
7.	stages	g.	famous
8.	sophisticated	h.	controlling
9.	issued	i.	reply
10.	manipulating	j.	advantages

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

1.	one of the world's most renowned	a.	the human race
2.	the end	b.	increasing rate
3.	spell the end of	c.	to a question
4.	in response	d.	of development
5.	motor neuron disease	e.	markets
6.	in its early stages	f.	scientists
7.	prove a threat	g.	chilling warning
8.	re-design itself at an ever	h.	(also known as ALS)
9.	He gave a more	i.	of us all
10.	outsmarting financial	j.	to our existence

GAP FILL

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most (1) ____________ scientists, has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day (2) ____________ the end of us all. Professor Hawking recently told the BBC in an interview that: "The development of (3) ____________ artificial intelligence (AI) could (4) ____________ the end of the human race." The famous cosmologist made his warning in (5) ____________ to a question about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking (6) ____________ from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs a special voice synthesizer to talk. The (7) ____________ will be able to predict words he might want to use (8) ____________ on his previous communication.

response
based
full
suffers
renowned
update
mean
spell

Hawking said that AI has given many (9) ____________ to many people. He said it is still in its early (10) ____________ of development, but when it becomes more sophisticated, it could prove a (11) ____________ to our existence. He said: "It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing (12) ____________. Humans, who are limited by slow biological (13) ____________, couldn't compete, and would be superseded." This is not the first time he has issued such a warning. He gave a more (14) ____________ warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine such technology outsmarting financial (15) ____________, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing (16) ____________ we cannot even understand."

rate
chilling
stages
weapons
benefits
evolution
markets
threat

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Professor Stephen Hawking is one of the world's ______
	a. most renewed scientists b. most renowned scientists c. most renounced scientists d. most re-owned scientists
2)	machines with artificial intelligence could one day ______ us all
	a. meant the end of b. means the end of c. meaning the end of d. mean the end of
3)	artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end ______
	a. of the human races b. of the human lace c. of the human race d. of the human laces
4)	in response to a question about an update to ______
	a. the nap he uses b. the yap he uses c. the app he uses d. the tap he uses
5)	predict words he might want to use based on his ______
	a. previously communication b. previous communicates c. previous communicating d. previous communication
6)	Hawking said that AI has given many benefits ______
	a. too many people b. to many people c. two many people d. tomb any people
7)	when it becomes more sophisticated, it could prove a threat ______
	a. to our existent b. to our exist ants c. to our existence d. to our exit stance
8)	It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ______
	a. never increasing rate b. ever increasing rate c. even increasing rate d. evenly increasing rate
9)	This is not the first time he has issued ______
	a. such a warning b. stitch a warning c. search a warning d. starch a warning
10)	One can imagine such technology outsmarting ______
	a. financially markets b. finance shall markets c. financials markets d. financial markets

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Professor Stephen Hawking, (1) ___________________ most renowned scientists, has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day mean (2) ___________________. Professor Hawking recently told the BBC in an interview that: "The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could (3) ___________________ of the human race." The famous cosmologist made his warning (4) ___________________ a question about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking (5) ___________________ neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs a special voice synthesizer to talk. The update will be able to predict words he might want (6) ___________________ his previous communication.

Hawking said that AI has given many benefits to many people. He said it is (7) ___________________ stages of development, but when it becomes more sophisticated, it could (8) ___________________ to our existence. He said: "It would take (9) ___________________, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded." This (10) ___________________ time he has issued such a warning. He gave a more chilling warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine such technology (11) ___________________ markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing (12) ___________________ even understand."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Which news agency did professor Hawking talk to?
2.	What did Hawking say AI could spell the end of?
3.	Which one of professor Hawking's jobs was mentioned in the article?
4.	What is motor neuron disease also known as?
5.	What will a new app used by Hawking be able to predict?
6.	Who did Hawking say has benefited from AI?
7.	What did Hawking say AI threatens?
8.	What did Hawking say humans are limited by?
9.	When did Hawking previously warn us about the dangers of AI?
10.	What did Hawking say AI would develop that we could not understand?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Which news agency did professor Hawking talk to?	6.	Who did Hawking say has benefited from AI?
	a) BBC b) CNN c) ABC d) CBC		a) lecturers b) computer makers c) scientists d) many people
2.	What did Hawking say AI could spell the end of?	7.	What did Hawking say AI threatens?
	a) the alphabet b) computers c) the human race d) time		a) the universe b) our existence c) mainframe computers d) Earth
3.	Which one of professor Hawking's jobs was mentioned in the article?	8.	What did Hawking say humans are limited by?
	a) theoretical physicist b) cosmologist c) author d) lecturer		a) quantum physics b) their brains c) computers d) biological evolution
4.	What is motor neuron disease also known as?	9.	When did Hawking previously warn us about the dangers of AI?
	a) DLS b) CLS c) BLS d) ALS		a) August 1999 b) May 2006 c) April 2014 d) March 2010
5.	What will a new app used by Hawking be able to predict?	10.	What did Hawking say AI would develop that we could not understand?
	a) words b) the future c) weather d) new comets		a) cyber-species b) weapons c) maths d) apps

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Artificial intelligence

You think artificial intelligence is the biggest threat to the human race. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): global warming, overpopulation or a virus.

Role B – Global warming

You think global warming is the biggest threat to the human race. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): artificial intelligence, overpopulation or a virus.

Role C – Overpopulation

You think overpopulation is the biggest threat to the human race. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): global warming, artificial intelligence or a virus.

Role D – A virus

You think a virus is the biggest threat to the human race. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): global warming, overpopulation or artificial intelligence.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

artificial

intelligence

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:

most
interview
spell
response
motor
stages

benefits
threat
take
first
imagine
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.

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.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 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 'scientists'?
3)	What do you think about artificial intelligence?
4)	Do you like the idea of robots helping us?
5)	Do you think we will be controlled by robots one day?
6)	How could A.I. spell the end of the human race?
7)	What do you think it's like to be a cosmologist?
8)	Do things from science fiction usually become part of our life?
9)	In what ways would you like artificial intelligence to help us?
10)	What do you know about Stephen Hawking?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	How useful is A.I.?
13)	How could A.I. threaten our existence?
14)	Would we be able to stop robots with A.I. from taking over?
15)	Should there be restrictions on the power of A.I.?
16)	What will robots be doing in 100 years from now?
17)	What damage could A.I. do to our daily lives?
18)	How likely is it that technology will take over the world?
19)	What are your predictions for life in the year 2100?
20)	What questions would you like to ask Stephen Hawking?

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

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most (1) ____ scientists, has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day (2) ____ the end of us all. Professor Hawking recently told the BBC in an interview that: "The development of (3) ____ artificial intelligence (AI) could spell the end of the human race." The famous cosmologist made his warning (4) ____ response to a question about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking suffers from motor neuron disease (also (5) ____ as ALS) and needs a special voice synthesizer to talk. The update will be able to predict words he might want to use based (6) ____ his previous communication.

Hawking said that AI has given many benefits to (7) ____ people. He said it is still in its early stages of development, but when it becomes more sophisticated, it could (8) ____ a threat to our existence. He said: "It would (9) ____ off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded." This is not the first time he has (10) ____ such a warning. He gave a more chilling warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine (11) ____ technology outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot (12) ____ understand."

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

1.	(a)	renewed	(b)	renounced	(c)	renowned	(d)	renovated
2.	(a)	mean	(b)	median	(c)	mode	(d)	average
3.	(a)	full	(b)	whole	(c)	entire	(d)	all
4.	(a)	in	(b)	on	(c)	to	(d)	at
5.	(a)	knowing	(b)	known	(c)	knows	(d)	knew
6.	(a)	in	(b)	to	(c)	at	(d)	on
7.	(a)	any	(b)	much	(c)	many	(d)	whole
8.	(a)	proved	(b)	proven	(c)	proof	(d)	prove
9.	(a)	take	(b)	get	(c)	let	(d)	blast
10.	(a)	issued	(b)	thrown	(c)	orated	(d)	done
11.	(a)	thus	(b)	such	(c)	hither	(d)	unto
12.	(a)	alone	(b)	just	(c)	even	(d)	flat

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	one of the world's most dennrweo scientists
2.	tficliraai intelligence
3.	The famous oolscsiogmt
4.	in sepsoner to a question
5.	dpticer words he might want to use
6.	based on his uveosrpi communication
Paragraph 2
7.	it becomes more ihsctedoitsap
8.	prove a threat to our eeitcensx
9.	biological ieutonvlo
10.	would be erdusspede
11.	a more iillgnhc warning
12.	out-gtimpnnuilaa human leaders

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	Hawking said that AI has given many benefits to many people. He said it is still in its early
( )	human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot even understand."
( )	existence. He said: "It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing
( )	of us all. Professor Hawking recently told the BBC in an interview that: "The development of full artificial intelligence
( )	imagine such technology outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing
( )	the first time he has issued such a warning. He gave a more chilling warning in April 2014, saying: "One can
( )	stages of development, but when it becomes more sophisticated, it could prove a threat to our
( )	response to a question about an update to the app he uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking suffers
( )	rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded." This is not
( )	(AI) could spell the end of the human race." The famous cosmologist made his warning in
( )	from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs a special voice synthesizer to talk. The update will
( )	that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day mean the end
( )	be able to predict words he might want to use based on his previous communication.
( 1 )	Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most renowned scientists, has warned

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	scientists renowned most world's the of One .
2.	day AI of mean could Machines us the one with all end .
3.	of race could end human AI the the spell .
4.	to the app he uses A question about an update .
5.	words he might want to use Be able to predict .
6.	given people many benefits AI to has many .
7.	of stages early its in still is it said He development .
8.	biological by are evolution slow limited Humans .
9.	has first is warning issued time not such he the This a .
10.	weapons cannot understand Developing we even .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most renewed / renowned scientists, has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day meant / mean the end of them / us all. Professor Hawking recently told the BBC in the / an interview that: "The development of full artificial intelligence (AI) could spelling / spell the end of the human race." The famous cosmologist made his warning in / on response to a question about an update to the app he / it uses to allow him to communicate. Hawking suffers / experiences from motor neuron disease (also known as ALS) and needs a specially / special voice synthesizer to talk. The update will be able to predict words he might want to use based on / in his previous communication.

Hawking said that AI has given many beneficial / benefits to many people. He said it is still in / on its early stages of development, but when it becomes more / much sophisticated, it could prove a threat / threaten to our existence. He said: "It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever / even increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow / slowly biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be super-speeded / superseded." This is not the first time he has issued like / such a warning. He gave a more chilling warning in April 2014, saying: "One can imagine such technology smarting / outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot oddly / even understand."

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)

Pr_f_ss_r St_ph_n H_wk_ng, _n_ _f th_ w_rld's m_st r_n_wn_d sc__nt_sts, h_s w_rn_d th_t r_b_ts _nd m_ch_n_s w_th _rt_f_c__l _nt_ll_g_nc_ c__ld _n_ d_y m__n th_ _nd _f _s _ll. Pr_f_ss_r H_wk_ng r_c_ntly t_ld th_ BBC _n _n _nt_rv__w th_t: "Th_ d_v_l_pm_nt _f f_ll _rt_f_c__l _nt_ll_g_nc_ (__) c__ld sp_ll th_ _nd _f th_ h_m_n r_c_." Th_ f_m__s c_sm_l_g_st m_d_ h_s w_rn_ng _n r_sp_ns_ t_ _ q__st__n _b__t _n _pd_t_ t_ th_ _pp h_ _s_s t_ _ll_w h_m t_ c_mm_n_c_t_. H_wk_ng s_ff_rs fr_m m_t_r n__r_n d_s__s_ (_ls_ kn_wn _s _LS) _nd n__ds _ sp_c__l v__c_ synth_s_z_r t_ t_lk. Th_ _pd_t_ w_ll b_ _bl_ t_ pr_d_ct w_rds h_ m_ght w_nt t_ _s_ b_s_d _n h_s pr_v___s c_mm_n_c_t__n.

H_wk_ng s__d th_t __ h_s g_v_n m_ny b_n_f_ts t_ m_ny p__pl_. H_ s__d _t _s st_ll _n _ts __rly st_g_s _f d_v_l_pm_nt, b_t wh_n _t b_c_m_s m_r_ s_ph_st_c_t_d, _t c__ld pr_v_ _ thr__t t_ __r _x_st_nc_. H_ s__d: "_t w__ld t_k_ _ff _n _ts _wn, _nd r_-d_s_gn _ts_lf _t _n _v_r _ncr__s_ng r_t_. H_m_ns, wh_ _r_ l_m_t_d by sl_w b__l_g_c_l _v_l_t__n, c__ldn't c_mp_t_, _nd w__ld b_ s_p_rs_d_d." Th_s _s n_t th_ f_rst t_m_ h_ h_s _ss__d s_ch _ w_rn_ng. H_ g_v_ _ m_r_ ch_ll_ng w_rn_ng _n _pr_l 2014, s_y_ng: "_n_ c_n _m_g_n_ s_ch t_chn_l_gy __tsm_rt_ng f_n_nc__l m_rk_ts, __t-_nv_nt_ng h_m_n r_s__rch_rs, __t-m_n_p_l_t_ng h_m_n l__d_rs, _nd d_v_l_p_ng w__p_ns w_ c_nn_t _v_n _nd_rst_nd."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

professor stephen hawking one of the world's most renowned scientists has warned that robots and machines with artificial intelligence could one day mean the end of us all professor hawking 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 made his warning in response to a question 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 a special voice synthesizer to talk the update will be able to predict words he might want to use based on his previous communication

hawking said that ai has given many benefits to many people he said it is still in its early stages of development but when it becomes more sophisticated it could prove a threat to 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 and would be superseded" this is not the first time he has issued such a warning he gave a more chilling 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"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ProfessorStephenHawking,oneoftheworld'smostrenownedscientist
s,haswarnedthatrobotsandmachineswithartificialintelligencecouldo
nedaymeantheendofusall.ProfessorHawkingrecentlytoldtheBBCina
ninterviewthat:"Thedevelopmentoffullartificialintelligence(AI)could
spelltheendofthehumanrace."Thefamouscosmologistmadehiswarni
nginresponsetoaquestionaboutanupdatetotheappheusestoallowhi
mtocommunicate.Hawkingsuffersfrommotorneurondisease(alsokn
ownasALS)andneedsaspecialvoicesynthesizertotalk.Theupdatewill
beabletopredictwordshemightwanttousebasedonhispreviouscomm
unication.HawkingsaidthatAIhasgivenmanybenefitstomanypeople.
Hesaiditisstillinitsearlystagesofdevelopment,butwhenitbecomesmo
resophisticated,itcouldproveathreattoourexistence.Hesaid:"Itwoul
dtakeoffonitsown,andre-designitselfataneverincreasingrate.Hum
ans,whoarelimitedbyslowbiologicalevolution,couldn'tcompete,and
wouldbesuperseded."Thisisnotthefirsttimehehasissuedsuchawarni
ng.HegaveamorechillingwarninginApril2014,saying:"Onecanimagi
nesuchtechnologyoutsmartingfinancialmarkets,out-inventin
ghumanresearchers,out-manipulatinghumanleaders,anddevelopin
gweaponswecannotevenunderstand."

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Governments should increase spending on research into A.I. 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 artificial intelligence. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Make a poster about artificial intelligence. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. THE END: Write a magazine article about what Stephen Hawking said about AI spelling the end of the human race. Include imaginary interviews with people who agree and disagree that AI is a big danger.

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 an expert on AI. Ask him/her three questions about artificial intelligence. Give him/her three ideas on how we can benefit more from it. 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

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	renowned	a.	famous
2.	end	b.	death
3.	response	c.	reply
4.	needs	d.	requires
5.	previous	e.	earlier
6.	benefits	f.	advantages
7.	stages	g.	phases
8.	sophisticated	h.	advanced
9.	issued	i.	given
10.	manipulating	j.	controlling

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	BBC
2.	The human race
3.	Cosmologist
4.	ALS
5.	Words
6.	Many people
7.	Our existence
8.	Biological evolution
9.	April 2014
10.	Weapons

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

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

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

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