The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A group of business people has opened a kind of gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the boss of the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also founded the online payments website PayPal. His latest project is called OpenAI Gym. It is a platform for researchers and code writers to test their latest work. It is an open platform, which means people are free to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) on it. In particular, researchers can test and share their algorithms for A.I. Algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and quickly deal with large amounts of information.

Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why his team decided to put it online for free. He said: "Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, [without the] need to generate financial return." The OpenAI Gym follows the idea of giving rewards for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a treat when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement learning. If an algorithm does well in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something different. The aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - rather than be good at doing just one thing.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://thescienceexplorer.com/technology/elon-musk-launches-ai-gym-make-robot-brains-versatile-our-own
  • http://www.computerworld.com/article/3063674/emerging-technology/elon-musk-opens-virtual-gym-to-train-your-robots.html
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3564752/


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. ROBOTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about robots. 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?

football / fans / fairytale / traditional / journalists / achievement / promoted / favourites / season / chance / bet / collect / winning / awards / coach

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

3. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Students A strongly believe artificial intelligence will be dangerous; Students B strongly believe it will be helpful.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. BUSINESS: What new projects could people start in these areas? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

(Please look at page 3 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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. GYM: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "gym". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. HELP: Rank these with your partner. Put the things robots can help us with most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • learning English
  • cleaning the home
  • building houses
  • healthcare
  • care for the elderly
  • making money
  • looking after babies
  • solving climate change

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The boss of the new gym also runs a space tourism company.     T / F
  2. The new gym is free for anyone to use.     T / F
  3. The system the gym uses is called a closed platform.     T / F
  4. Algorithms are very slow at solving problems.     T / F
  5. The boss wants the gym to develop humanity as a whole.     T / F
  6. The idea behind the gym is similar to giving a dog rewards for learning.    T / F
  7. An algorithm will get a reward if it fails a task.     T / F
  8. The boss wants algorithms to do just one thing well.    T / F

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

  1. kind
  2. boss
  3. latest
  4. ideas
  5. deal with
  6. goal
  7. advance
  8. humanity
  9. develop
  10. just
  1. concepts
  2. forward
  3. invent
  4. chief
  5. aim
  6. people
  7. type
  8. manage
  9. only
  10. most recent

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

  1. space
  2. code
  3. artificial
  4. a computer program that can solve
  5. quickly deal with large
  6. put it online
  7. benefit humanity as
  8. giving
  9. If the algorithm fails,
  10. develop an algorithm that
  1. for free
  2. problems
  3. can multi-task
  4. tourism
  5. a whole
  6. intelligence
  7. it gets no reward
  8. amounts of information
  9. writers
  10. rewards

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
platform / kind / particular / amounts / founded / boss / sets / free

A group of business people has opened a (1) ____________ of gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the (2) ____________ of the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also (3) ____________ the online payments website PayPal. His latest project is called OpenAI Gym. It is a (4) ____________ for researchers and code writers to test their latest work. It is an open platform, which means people are (5) ____________ to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) on it. In (6) ____________, researchers can test and share their algorithms for A.I. Algorithms are special (7) ____________ of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and quickly deal with large (8) ____________ of information.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
likely / advance / treat / different / online / rather / return / well

Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why his team decided to put it (9) ____________ for free. He said: "Our goal is to (10) ____________ digital intelligence in the way that is most (11) ____________ to benefit humanity as a whole, [without the] need to generate financial (12) ____________." The OpenAI Gym follows the idea of giving rewards for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a (13) ____________ when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement learning. If an algorithm does (14) ____________ in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something (15) ____________. The aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - (16) ____________ than be good at doing just one thing.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)   A group of business people has opened a kind of ______
a.  gyms for robots
b.  gym from robots
c.  gym four robots
d.  gym for robots

2)   The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the boss of the ______
a.  electrical car company
b.  electric car company
c.  electricity car company
d.  electrics car company

3)   It is a platform for researchers and code writers to test ______
a.  their late test work
b.  their latest work
c.  their latest works
d.  their late test works

4)   an open platform, which means people are free to test their ideas ______
a.  for artificially intelligence
b.  for artificial intelligence
c.  for artificial intelligentsia
d.  for arty fish all intelligence

5)   a computer program that can solve problems and quickly deal with large ______
a.  amount of information
b.  amounts off information
c.  amount solve information
d.  amounts of information

6)   Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why his team decided to put ______
a.  it online four free
b.  it online from free
c.  it online for free
d.  it online of free

7)   advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity ______
a.  as a whole
b.  as a hole
c.  as a foal
d.  as a fall

8)   If an algorithm does well in the gym, it ______
a.  get a reward
b.  gets a rewards
c.  gets a reward
d.  get a rewards

9)   The aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that ______
a.  can multi-tasks
b.  can mall tea task
c.  can mull tea task
d.  can multi-task

10)   do many things at the same time, rather than be good at doing ______
a.  justly one thing
b.  just once thing
c.  just one thing
d.  just one things

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A group of business people has (1) ___________________ gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who (2) ___________________ the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also founded the (3) ___________________ website PayPal. His latest project is called OpenAI Gym. It is a platform for researchers and code writers (4) ___________________ work. It is an open platform, which means people are free to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) on it. In particular, researchers (5) ___________________ their algorithms for A.I. Algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and (6) ___________________ large amounts of information.

Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and (7) _________________ to put it online for free. He said: "Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is (8) ___________________ benefit humanity as a whole, [without the] need to generate financial return." The OpenAI Gym (9) ___________________ of giving rewards for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a treat when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement learning. If (10) ___________________ well in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something different. The (11) ___________________ is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - rather than (12) ___________________ just one thing.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of group has started the OpenAI Gym?
  2. What is the name of the car company owned by Mr Musk?
  3. Who can test their latest work in the gym (besides researchers)?
  4. What kind of platform is the gym on?
  5. What can algorithms quickly deal with?
  6. What does Mr Musk want to advance?
  7. Who does Mr Musk want the gym to benefit?
  8. What does Mr Musk not need from his gym?
  9. What will an algorithm get if it does well in the gym?
  10. What kind of algorithms does Mr Musk want from the gym?

Multiple choice quiz

1.   What kind of group has started the OpenAI Gym?
a) a business group
b) a robot group
c) a space group
d) a special group

2.   What is the name of the car company owned by Mr Musk?
a) Elon Autos
b) SpaceX Motors
c) Tesla Motors
d) Musk Motors

3.   Who can test their latest work in the gym (besides researchers)?
a) aliens
b) code writers
c) babies
d) robots

4.   What kind of platform is the gym on?
a) an advanced one
b) a steady one
c) a big one
d) an open one

5.   What can algorithms quickly deal with?
a) lots of information
b) robots
c) chaos
d) babies

6.   What does Mr Musk want to advance?
a) space
b) his country
c) video
d) digital intelligence

7.   Who does Mr Musk want the gym to benefit?
a) aliens
b) humanity
c) robots
d) babies

8.   What does Mr Musk not need from his gym?
a) people
b) headaches
c) robots
d) money

9.   What will an algorithm get if it does well in the gym?
a) intelligence
b) nothing
c) rewards
d) electricity

10.   What kind of algorithms does Mr Musk want from the gym?
a) ones that are robots
b) ones that can multi-task
c) simple ones
d) expensive ones

Role play

Role A —Learning English

You think robots will be most useful at helping us learn English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their ideas. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these (and why): solving climate change, making money or looking after babies.

Role B —Solving climate change

You think robots will be most useful at solving climate change: Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their ideas. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these (and why): learning English, making money or looking after babies.

Role C —Looking after babies

You think robots will be most useful at looking after babies. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their ideas. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these (and why): solving climate change, learning English or making money.

Role D —Making money

You think robots will be most useful at helping us lean English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their ideas. Also, tell the others which is the least likely of these (and why): solving climate change, looking after babies or learning English.

After reading / listening

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

'robot'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'gym'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • group
    • boss
    • writers
    • means
    • share
    • large
    • wrote
    • goal
    • need
    • dog
    • try
    • just

    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 - New gym opens to train robots

    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 'robot'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about Elon Musk?
    5. What do you think about robots?
    6. How important are gyms to you?
    7. What would a robot do in a gym?
    8. What do you think of artificial intelligence?
    9. What do you know about algorithms?
    10. How good are you with computers and coding?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. Why isn't Elon Musk charging for the OpenAI Gym?
    3. Should more stuff online be free?
    4. How can digital intelligence help us?
    5. How will computers 'benefit humanity as a whole'?
    6. What rewards do you get?
    7. What do you think of 'reinforcement learning'?
    8. When do you multi-task?
    9. What things are you best at?
    10. What questions would you like to ask Elon Musk?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    A group of business people has opened a (1) ____ of gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the (2) ____ of the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also (3) ____ the online payments website PayPal. His latest project is called OpenAI Gym. It is a platform for researchers and code writers to test their (4) ____ work. It is an open platform, which means people are free to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) (5) ____ it. In particular, researchers can test and share their algorithms for A.I. Algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and quickly (6) ____ with large amounts of information.

    Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why his team decided to put it online (7) ____ free. He said: "Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit (8) ____ as a whole, [without the] need to generate financial return." The OpenAI Gym follows the idea of giving (9) ____ for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a (10) ____ when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement learning. If an algorithm does well in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something different. The (11) ____ of the gym is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - (12) ____ than be good at doing just one thing.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)  kinder  (b)  kindly  (c)  kind  (d)  kindness
    2. (a)  boss  (b)  bossy  (c)  bossed  (d)  bosses
    3. (a)  founded  (b)  finding  (c)  finds  (d)  fund
    4. (a)  latest  (b)  lately  (c)  late  (d)  lateness
    5. (a)  to  (b)  at  (c)  as  (d)  on
    6. (a)  mix  (b)  plot  (c)  hand  (d)  deal
    7. (a)  for  (b)  by  (c)  on  (d)  at
    8. (a)  humanely  (b)  human  (c)  humane  (d)  humanity
    9. (a)  rewards  (b)  rewarding  (c)  rewarded  (d)  reward
    10. (a)  threat  (b)  treat  (c)  treaty  (d)  threaten
    11. (a)  arm  (b)  aim  (c)  am  (d)  army
    12. (a)  rather  (b)  instead  (c)  prefer  (d)  liken

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. the space rtimsuo company, SpaceX
    2. It is an open plrtmoaf
    3. ciiralifat intelligence (A.I.)
    4. In aricrutpal, researchers can…
    5. elsvo problems
    6. large ntoasmu of information

    Paragraph 2

    1. ncvaaed digital intelligence
    2. most likely to benefit imhynuat
    3. generate nicfainla return
    4. lccfuseuss learning
    5. it gets a rwraed
    6. vlodeep an algorithm

    Put the text back together

    (    )     ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) on it. In particular, researchers can test and share their algorithms

    (    )     whole, [without the] need to generate financial return." The OpenAI Gym follows the idea of giving

    (    )     of the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also founded the online

    (    )     fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something different. The aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that

    (    )     problems and quickly deal with large amounts of information.

    (    )     Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why his team decided to put it online for free. He said: "Our goal is to

    (    )     for A.I. Algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve

    (    )     advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a

    (    )     writers to test their latest work. It is an open platform, which means people are free to test their

    (  1  )     A group of business people has opened a kind of gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the boss

    (    )     can multi-task - do many things at the same time - rather than be good at doing just one thing.

    (    )     rewards for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a treat when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement

    (    )     learning. If an algorithm does well in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm

    (    )     payments website PayPal. His latest project is called OpenAI Gym. It is a platform for researchers and code

    Put the words in the right order

    1. gym   of   kind   a   opened   has   people   business   of   group   A   .  
    2. code   test   work   and   to   latest   Researchers   writers   their   .  
    3. ideas   intelligence   free   their   artificial   are   test  for   People   to   .  
    4. solve   Rules   computer   can   a   that   problems   in   program   .  
    5. information   of   amounts   large   with   deal   Quickly   .  
    6. team   decided   to   put   it   online   for   free   Why   his   .  
    7. to   whole   benefit   humanity   Most   as   likely   a   .  
    8. successful   idea   for   The   rewards   giving   learning   of   .  
    9. the   an   gets   in   If   it   well   , does   reward   gym  algorithm   a   .  
    10. of   the   gym   is   to   develop   an   algorithm   The   aim   .  

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A group of business people has opened a kind / kindly of gym for robots. The group is headed by Elon Musk, who is the bossy / boss of the electric car company Tesla Motors and the space / spaced tourism company, SpaceX. Mr Musk also founded / finds the online payments website PayPal. His latest project is called / calling OpenAI Gym. It is a platform for researchers and code writers to test / testing their latest work. It is an open / closed platform, which means people are freely / free to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (A.I.) on it. In particular / peculiar, researchers can test and share their algorithms for A.I. Algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and quickly dealt / deal with large amounts of information.

    Mr Musk wrote about the OpenAI Gym project and why / what his team decided to put it online for free / freed. He said: "Our goal is to advance digital intelligent / intelligence in the way that is most likely to beneficial / benefit humanity as a whole / hole, [without the] need to generate financial return." The OpenAI Gym follows / chases the idea of giving rewards for successful learning – compares / similar to giving a dog a treat when it learns something new. This is called reinforcement learning. If an algorithm does good / well in the gym, it gets a reward. If the algorithm fails, it gets no reward and it has to try something difference / different. The aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - rather than be good at doing just once / one thing.

    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)

    _ gr__p _f b_s_n_ss p__pl_ h_s _p_n_d _ k_nd _f gym f_r r_b_ts. Th_ gr__p _s h__d_d by _l_n M_sk, wh_ _s th_ b_ss _f th_ _l_ctr_c c_r c_mp_ny T_sl_ M_t_rs _nd th_ sp_c_ t__r_sm c_mp_ny, Sp_c_X. Mr M_sk _ls_ f__nd_d th_ _nl_n_ p_ym_nts w_bs_t_ P_yP_l. H_s l_t_st pr_j_ct _s c_ll_d _p_n__ Gym. _t _s _ pl_tf_rm f_r r_s__rch_rs _nd c_d_ wr_t_rs t_ t_st th__r l_t_st w_rk. _t _s _n _p_n pl_tf_rm, wh_ch m__ns p__pl_ _r_ fr__ t_ t_st th__r _d__s f_r _rt_f_c__l _nt_ll_g_nc_ (_._.) _n _t. _n p_rt_c_l_r, r_s__rch_rs c_n t_st _nd sh_r_ th__r _lg_r_thms f_r _._. _lg_r_thms _r_ sp_c__l s_ts _f r_l_s _n _ c_mp_t_r pr_gr_m th_t c_n s_lv_ pr_bl_ms _nd q__ckly d__l w_th l_rg_ _m__nts _f _nf_rm_t__n.

    Mr M_sk wr_t_ _b__t th_ _p_n__ Gym pr_j_ct _nd why h_s t__m d_c_d_d t_ p_t _t _nl_n_ f_r fr__. H_ s__d: "__r g__l _s t_ _dv_nc_ d_g_t_l _nt_ll_g_nc_ _n th_ w_y th_t _s m_st l_k_ly t_ b_n_f_t h_m_n_ty _s _ wh_l_, [w_th__t th_] n__d t_ g_n_r_t_ f_n_nc__l r_t_rn." Th_ _p_n__ Gym f_ll_ws th_ _d__ _f g_v_ng r_w_rds f_r s_cc_ssf_l l__rn_ng – s_m_l_r t_ g_v_ng _ d_g _ tr__t wh_n _t l__rns s_m_th_ng n_w. Th_s _s c_ll_d r__nf_rc_m_nt l__rn_ng. _f _n _lg_r_thm d__s w_ll _n th_ gym, _t g_ts _ r_w_rd. _f th_ _lg_r_thm f__ls, _t g_ts n_ r_w_rd _nd _t h_s t_ try s_m_th_ng d_ff_r_nt. Th_ __m _f th_ gym _s t_ d_v_l_p _n _lg_r_thm th_t c_n m_lt_-t_sk - d_ m_ny th_ngs _t th_ s_m_ t_m_ - r_th_r th_n b_ g__d _t d__ng j_st _n_ th_ng.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a group of business people has opened a kind of gym for robots the group is headed by elon musk who is the boss of the electric car company tesla motors and the space tourism company spacex mr musk also founded the online payments website paypal his latest project is called openai gym it is a platform for researchers and code writers to test their latest work it is an open platform which means people are free to test their ideas for artificial intelligence (ai) on it in particular researchers can test and share their algorithms for ai algorithms are special sets of rules in a computer program that can solve problems and quickly deal with large amounts of information

    mr musk wrote about the openai gym project and why his team decided to put it online for free he said "our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole [without the] need to generate financial return" the openai gym follows the idea of giving rewards for successful learning – similar to giving a dog a treat when it learns something new this is called reinforcement learning if an algorithm does well in the gym it gets a reward if the algorithm fails it gets no reward and it has to try something different the aim of the gym is to develop an algorithm that can multi-task - do many things at the same time - rather than be good at doing just one thing

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Agroupofbusinesspeoplehasopenedakindofgymforrobots.Thegroup
    isheadedbyElonMusk,whoisthebossoftheelectriccarcompanyTeslaM
    otorsandthespacetourismcompany,SpaceX.MrMuskalsofoundedthe
    onlinepaymentswebsitePayPal.HislatestprojectiscalledOpenAIGym.
    Itisaplatformforresearchersandcodewriterstotesttheirlatestwork.Iti
    sanopenplatform,whichmeanspeoplearefreetotesttheirideasforartif
    icialintelligence(A.I.)onit.Inparticular,researcherscantestandsharet
    heiralgorithmsforA.I.Algorithmsarespecialsetsofrulesinacomputerp
    rogramthatcansolveproblemsandquicklydealwithlargeamountsofinf
    ormation.MrMuskwroteabouttheOpenAIGymprojectandwhyhistea
    mdecidedtoputitonlineforfree.Hesaid:"Ourgoalistoadvancedigitalin
    telligenceinthewaythatismostlikelytobenefithumanityasawhole,[wit
    houtthe]needtogeneratefinancialreturn."TheOpenAIGymfollowsthe
    ideaofgivingrewardsforsuccessfullearning–similartogivingadogat
    reatwhenitlearnssomethingnew.Thisiscalledreinforcementlearning.
    Ifanalgorithmdoeswellinthegym,itgetsareward.Ifthealgorithmfails,i
    tgetsnorewardandithastotrysomethingdifferent.Theaimofthegymis
    todevelopanalgorithmthatcanmulti-task-domanythingsatthesameti
    me-ratherthanbegoodatdoingjustonething.

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    Artificial intelligence and robots are dangerous to humans. Discuss.

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    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 robot gyms intelligence. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. ROBOTS: Make a poster about robots. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI): Write a magazine article about artificial intelligence. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

    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 artificial intelligence. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how it will help humans, and how it might be dangerous. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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