The Reading / Listening - Biotechnology - Level 0

A Nigerian scientist has made a new computer that can smell called Koniku. He has raised over $1 million and has made $10 million in profit. Google, Microsoft and security companies like it. Koniku will be in drones and airport security systems. It will smell bombs. It will also be in hospitals. It will smell diseases in people.

Dr Agabi did not use silicon chips. These cannot make things to recognize smells. Agabi used neurons from mice in his computer. Neurons are brain cells that share information. Using neurons in computers is called biotechnology. Agabi said: "Biology is technology….We want to build a…system that has intelligence."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Biotechnology - Level 1,  Biotechnology - Level 2   or  Biotechnology - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-40935771
  • http://www.nan.ng/tech/nigerian-agabi-makes-drones-smell-bombs/
  • http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/nigerian-scientist-creates-neuron-based-ai-device-that-can-smell/story-6ra9sFunYGj8l6k1M24q8K.html


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. a new computer that
  2. He has raised
  3. made $10 million
  4. security companies
  5. airport security
  6. It will smell
  7. It will also be in
  8. It will smell diseases
  1. systems
  2. hospitals
  3. can smell
  4. in people
  5. in profit
  6. like it
  7. bombs
  8. over $1 million

Paragraph 2

  1. silicon
  2. make things to
  3. neurons
  4. in his
  5. Neurons are brain cells that
  6. Using neurons in computers is called
  7. Biology is
  8. a system that
  1. share information
  2. technology
  3. chips
  4. has intelligence
  5. computer
  6. from mice
  7. biotechnology
  8. recognize smells

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A Nigerian scientist (1) ___________________ new computer that can smell called Koniku. He (2) ___________________ $1 million and has made $10 (3) ___________________. Google, Microsoft and security (4) ___________________. Koniku will be in drones and airport security systems. It (5) _______________. It will also be in hospitals. It will smell (6) __________________.

Dr Agabi did not (7) ___________________. These cannot make things to recognize smells. Agabi (8) ___________________ mice in his computer. Neurons (9) ___________________ that share information. Using (10) ___________________ is called biotechnology. Agabi said: "(11) ___________________….We want to build a…system (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ANigerianscientisthasmadeanewcomputerthatcansmellcalledKonik
u.Hehasraisedover$1millionandhasmade$10millioninprofit.Google,
Microsoftandsecuritycompanieslikeit.Konikuwillbeindronesandairp
ortsecuritysystems.Itwillsmellbombs.Itwillalsobeinhospitals.Itwills
melldiseasesinpeople.DrAgabididnotusesiliconchips.Thesecannotm
akethingstorecognizesmells.Agabiusedneuronsfrommiceinhiscomp
uter.Neuronsarebraincellsthatshareinformation.Usingneuronsinco
mputersiscalledbiotechnology.Agabisaid:"Biologyistechnology….W
ewanttobuilda…systemthathasintelligence."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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