The Reading / Listening - Superhuman Powers - Level 4

Elon Musk put a computer chip in a pig's brain. This could lead to computer-to-brain technology in humans. Mr Musk is a technology pioneer. He makes electric cars and space rockets. Gertrude the pig shows his latest project - to allow us to control computers with our brains. This could enhance our brainpower. He believes his technology is a giant leap into the future. He said it will change our lives by giving us superhuman powers.

Results from Gertrude the pig show the potential the technology has. It could help people with brain conditions like strokes and dementia. It could wire our brain directly to the Internet. As in a science fiction movie, we could control devices just by using our thoughts. The most futuristic part of the technology is what Musk calls "superhuman cognition". This will help us to stop artificial intelligence becoming strong enough to destroy the human race.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Superhuman Powers - Level 5 or  Superhuman Powers - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53921596
  • https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-implant-v2-demo/
  • https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/8/28/21404802/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-machine-interface-research


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. Musk put a computer chip
  2. computer-to-
  3. Mr Musk is a
  4. control computers
  5. This could enhance
  6. a giant leap
  7. He said it will
  8. giving us superhuman
  1. change our lives
  2. with our brains
  3. brain technology
  4. powers
  5. into the future
  6. in a pig's brain
  7. our brainpower
  8. technology pioneer

Paragraph 2

  1. show the potential the
  2. conditions like strokes
  3. wire our brain directly
  4. in a science
  5. control devices just by
  6. The most futuristic part
  7. artificial
  8. destroy the human
  1. to the Internet
  2. of the technology
  3. race
  4. and dementia
  5. intelligence
  6. technology has
  7. using our thoughts
  8. fiction movie

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Elon Musk put a (1) ___________________ a pig's brain. This could lead to computer-to-brain technology in humans. Mr Musk is (2) ___________________. He makes electric cars and space rockets. Gertrude the pig shows (3) ___________________ - to allow us to control computers with our brains. This (4) ___________________ brainpower. He believes his technology is (5) ___________________ into the future. He said it will change our (6) ___________________ us superhuman powers.

Results from Gertrude the pig (7) ___________________ the technology has. It could help people with brain (8) ___________________ and dementia. It could (9) ___________________ directly to the Internet. As in a science fiction movie, we (10) ___________________ just by using our thoughts. The most (11) ___________________ the technology is what Musk calls "superhuman cognition". This will help us to stop artificial intelligence becoming strong enough to (12) ___________________ race.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ElonMuskputacomputerchipinapig'sbrain.Thiscouldleadtocomputer
-to-braintechnologyinhumans.MrMuskisatechnologypioneer.Hema
keselectriccarsandspacerockets.Gertrudethepigshowshislatestproj
ect-toallowustocontrolcomputerswithourbrains.Thiscouldenhanc
eourbrainpower.Hebelieveshistechnologyisagiantleapintothefuture
.Hesaiditwillchangeourlivesbygivingussuperhumanpowers.Resultsf
romGertrudethepigshowthepotentialthetechnologyhas.Itcouldhelp
peoplewithbrainconditionslikestrokesanddementia.Itcouldwireourb
raindirectlytotheInternet.Asinasciencefictionmovie,wecouldcontrol
devicesjustbyusingourthoughts.Themostfuturisticpartofthetechnol
ogyiswhatMuskcalls"superhumancognition".Thiswillhelpustostopar
tificialintelligencebecomingstrongenoughtodestroythehumanrace.

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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