Scientists are using smart computers called AI to help stop using animals for testing. These AI systems look at old animal test results to avoid doing new tests. They help scientists find and understand important information quickly. AI can also check if new chemicals are safe, which helps catch problems early. These smart computers are even helping to make new medicines.

AI is sometimes better than animal tests, but it can still make mistakes. One problem is that AI might not work well for everyone if it only learns from one group of people. Sometimes, animal tests are wrong too, like with a medicine called Vioxx that was safe for animals but not for people. New AI projects are being made to guess how animals would react, so we don’t need to test on them. Groups like Cruelty Free International want to stop animal testing and use AI instead.

Original news source: Could AI put an end to animal testing? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words related to the article. One student from each group will act out the word using gestures and body language, while the other students in the group try to guess the word. The group that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. Then, ask each student to write a short summary of the article in their own words. After they have finished writing, have them share their summaries with a partner and discuss any differences or similarities. Finally, have a few students share their summaries with the whole class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. One student in each pair will take on the role of a scientist who supports using AI instead of animal testing, and the other student will take on the role of a scientist who opposes using AI. Give each pair a list of discussion questions related to the article, such as “Do you think AI can completely replace animal testing? Why or why not?” Each student should take turns asking and answering the questions, and they should try to convince their partner of their opinion.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into two teams. Have one student from each team come to the front of the class. Show them a vocabulary word from the list, and they must draw a picture of the word on the board. Their team members must guess what the word is based on the drawing. The team that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of discussion questions related to the article. Each student will take turns answering one of the questions within a time limit of one minute. After one minute, the next student in the group must continue summarizing their thoughts on the same question. The goal is to see how much information each student can summarize in one minute.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What are scientists using to help them stop using animals for testing?
2. How do the smart computers called AI help scientists find important information quickly?
3. What can AI check to see if they are safe?
4. Can AI make mistakes sometimes?
5. Why might AI not work well for everyone?
6. Can animal tests be wrong sometimes?
7. What do groups like Cruelty Free International want to use instead of animal testing?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Scientists are using smart computers called AI to help stop using (1)______ for testing. These AI systems look at old animal test results to avoid doing new tests. They help scientists (2)______ and understand important information quickly. AI can also check if new chemicals are safe, which (3)______ catch problems early. These smart computers are even helping to make new medicines.

AI is sometimes better than animal (4)______, but it can still make mistakes. One problem is that AI might not work well for everyone if it only learns from one group of (5)______. Sometimes, (6)______ tests are wrong too, like with a medicine called Vioxx that was safe for animals but not for people. New AI projects are being made to guess how animals would react, so we don’t (7)______ to test on them. Groups like Cruelty Free International want to (8)______ animal testing and use AI instead.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is AI and how does it help scientists?
2. How would you feel if you found out that AI can help make new medicines?
3. Do you think AI is better than animal tests? Why or why not?
4. Why do you think AI might not work well for everyone?
5. How would you feel if you were told that AI can sometimes make mistakes?
6. Do you like the idea of using AI to guess how animals would react? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about the idea of using AI instead of testing on animals?
8. How would you feel if you knew that some groups want to stop animal testing?
9. Do you think it’s important to find alternatives to animal testing? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you were told that AI can check if new chemicals are safe?
11. What is one problem with animal tests that the article mentions?
12. How would you feel if you were told that AI is helping scientists find and understand important information quickly?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. scientists
2. computers
3. testing
4. chemicals
5. medicines
6. mistakes
7. projects
8. guess
9. react
10. group

Meanings:
(A) People who study and learn about things
(B) Plans or tasks to do something new
(C) A bunch of people or things together
(D) To think what might happen
(E) Things you take to feel better when sick
(F) To do something because of something else
(G) Things used to make stuff, like in a lab
(H) Trying something to see if it works
(I) Machines that can think and do work
(J) When something goes wrong
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are scientists using smart computers called AI for?
(a) To help train animals for testing
(b) To help scientists find new animals for testing
(c) To help animals escape from testing
(d) To help stop using animals for testing

2. How do AI systems help scientists find important information quickly?
(a) By doing new tests on animals
(b) By asking humans for help
(c) By looking at old animal test results
(d) By playing games on the computer

3. What can AI systems check to help catch problems early?
(a) If animals are happy
(b) If new chemicals are safe
(c) If people like the new medicines
(d) If the weather is nice

4. Are animal tests always correct?
(a) Yes, they are always right
(b) No, sometimes they are wrong
(c) No, they are never right
(d) Yes, they are sometimes right

5. What is one problem with AI systems?
(a) They are too expensive
(b) They are too slow
(c) They are too big
(d) They might not work well for everyone if they only learn from one group of people

6. Can animal tests sometimes be wrong?
(a) Yes, like with a medicine called Vioxx that was safe for animals but not for people
(b) No, animal tests are always right
(c) Yes, animal tests are always wrong
(d) No, animal tests are never wrong

7. What are new AI projects being made to do?
(a) Guess how animals would react, so we don’t need to test on them
(b) Guess how people would react, so we don’t need to test on them
(c) Guess how plants would react, so we don’t need to test on them
(d) Guess how computers would react, so we don’t need to test on them

8. What do groups like Cruelty Free International want to do?
(a) Increase animal testing and stop using AI
(b) Stop using animals and AI for testing
(c) Stop animal testing and use AI instead
(d) Increase animal testing and use AI instead

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sometimes, animal tests are accurate too, like with a medicine called Vioxx.
2. AI helps scientists find and understand important information quickly.
3. Scientists are using smart computers called AI to help them stop using animals for testing.
4. AI is always better than animal tests, and it rarely makes mistakes.
5. Smart computers are even helping to make new medicines.
6. AI cannot check if new chemicals are safe, which hinders catching problems early.
7. These smart computers look at old animal test results to avoid doing new tests.
8. New AI projects are not being made to guess how animals would react, so we still need to test on them.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What are scientists using smart computers called AI for?
2. How do AI systems help scientists find important information quickly?
3. Can AI check if new chemicals are safe?
4. Why might AI not work well for everyone?
5. What do groups like Cruelty Free International want to use instead of animal testing?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are scientists using to help them stop using animals for testing?
Scientists are using smart computers called AI.

2. How do the smart computers called AI help scientists find important information quickly?
The smart computers look at old animal test results to find important information quickly.

3. What can AI check to see if they are safe?
AI can check if new chemicals are safe.

4. Can AI make mistakes sometimes?
Yes, AI can make mistakes sometimes.

5. Why might AI not work well for everyone?
AI might not work well for everyone if it only learns from one group of people.

6. Can animal tests be wrong sometimes?
Yes, animal tests can be wrong sometimes.

7. What do groups like Cruelty Free International want to use instead of animal testing?
Groups like Cruelty Free International want to use AI instead of animal testing.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) animals
(2) find
(3) helps
(4) tests
(5) people
(6) animal
(7) need
(8) stop
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. scientists
Answer: (A) People who study and learn about things

2. computers
Answer: (I) Machines that can think and do work

3. testing
Answer: (H) Trying something to see if it works

4. chemicals
Answer: (G) Things used to make stuff, like in a lab

5. medicines
Answer: (E) Things you take to feel better when sick

6. mistakes
Answer: (J) When something goes wrong

7. projects
Answer: (B) Plans or tasks to do something new

8. guess
Answer: (D) To think what might happen

9. react
Answer: (F) To do something because of something else

10. group
Answer: (C) A bunch of people or things together
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are scientists using smart computers called AI for?
Answer: (d) To help stop using animals for testing

2. How do AI systems help scientists find important information quickly?
Answer: (c) By looking at old animal test results

3. What can AI systems check to help catch problems early?
Answer: (b) If new chemicals are safe

4. Are animal tests always correct?
Answer: (b) No, sometimes they are wrong

5. What is one problem with AI systems?
Answer: (d) They might not work well for everyone if they only learn from one group of people

6. Can animal tests sometimes be wrong?
Answer: (a) Yes, like with a medicine called Vioxx that was safe for animals but not for people

7. What are new AI projects being made to do?
Answer: (a) Guess how animals would react, so we don’t need to test on them

8. What do groups like Cruelty Free International want to do?
Answer: (c) Stop animal testing and use AI instead
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sometimes, animal tests are accurate too, like with a medicine called Vioxx. (Answer: False)
2. AI helps scientists find and understand important information quickly. (Answer: True)
3. Scientists are using smart computers called AI to help them stop using animals for testing. (Answer: True)
4. AI is always better than animal tests, and it rarely makes mistakes. (Answer: False)
5. Smart computers are even helping to make new medicines. (Answer: True)
6. AI cannot check if new chemicals are safe, which hinders catching problems early. (Answer: False)
7. These smart computers look at old animal test results to avoid doing new tests. (Answer: True)
8. New AI projects are not being made to guess how animals would react, so we still need to test on them. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧