Two hospitals in London are trying a new computer system called Aire-DM. This system helps find people who might get type 2 diabetes before they actually do. It looks at heart tests called ECGs to find signs that doctors might miss. The computer is right about 70% of the time. It works even better if it knows things like how old a person is or if they have high blood pressure.

The hospitals will test this on 1,000 people to see how well it works. They hope it can be used everywhere in the future. Finding diabetes early can stop bad things like heart problems. The British Heart Foundation is helping pay for this research. They think it can help many people stay healthy.

Type 2 diabetes is when your body can’t handle sugar well. Many people have it and don’t know. This can be bad for their health. The new computer system can help find these people early. Then, they can get help to stay healthy and avoid problems.

Original news source: Hospitals trial AI to spot type 2 diabetes risk (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Students take turns acting out words or phrases related to health, diabetes, or hospitals without speaking, while the others guess what they are acting out. Use simple terms like “doctor,” “hospital,” “sugar,” or “computer.”

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Students draw words related to the article on the board (e.g., “diabetes,” “computer,” “health”) while their classmates guess the word. This activity helps build vocabulary through visual representation.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Students think about how technology can help in healthcare. They then pair up to discuss their ideas and share them with the class. This encourages speaking and listening skills while discussing a relevant topic.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students create a catchy headline for the article based on its content. They can work in pairs or small groups to brainstorm and then share their headlines with the class.

– OPINION SPECTRUM
Instructions: Create a line in the classroom with “Strongly Agree” on one end and “Strongly Disagree” on the other. Read statements related to the article (e.g., “Technology can help find health problems early”). Students move to a position on the line that represents their opinion and discuss their reasoning with a partner.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the new computer system?
2. What does the computer system help find?
3. How does the computer system know if someone might get diabetes?
4. How many people will the hospitals test the computer system on?
5. Why do the hospitals want to find diabetes early?
6. Who is helping pay for the research?
7. What can happen if someone has type 2 diabetes and doesn’t know?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Two hospitals in (1)______ are trying a new computer system called Aire-DM. This system helps (2)______ people who might get type 2 diabetes before they actually do. It looks at heart tests called ECGs to find signs that doctors might miss. The computer is right about 70% of the time. It works even better if it knows things like how old a person is or if they have high blood (3)______.

The hospitals will test this on 1,000 people to see how well it works. They (4)______ it can be used everywhere in the future. (5)______ (6)______ early can stop bad things like heart problems. The British Heart Foundation is helping pay for this research. They think it can help many people stay healthy.

Type 2 diabetes is when your (7)______ can’t handle sugar well. Many people have it and don’t know. This can be bad for their health. The new computer (8)______ can help find these people early. Then, they can get help to stay healthy and avoid problems.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is diabetes?
2. Do you think it is good to find diabetes early? Why?
3. How would you feel if you found out you had diabetes?
4. Do you like going to the doctor? Why or why not?
5. What is a computer?
6. Do you think computers can help doctors? Why?
7. Have you ever had a health check-up? How was it?
8. Do you think it is important to be healthy? Why?
9. What do you eat to stay healthy?
10. How would you feel if you had to eat less sugar?
11. Do you think everyone should check their health? Why or why not?
12. What is a heart? Why is it important?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. hospitals
2. computer
3. system
4. diabetes
5. heart
6. tests
7. signs
8. doctors
9. research
10. healthy

Meanings:
(A) Clues that show something might happen
(B) The part of your body that pumps blood
(C) Feeling good and not sick
(D) A group of things that work together
(E) A sickness where your body has trouble with sugar
(F) A machine that helps you do things like play games or find information
(G) People who help you when you are sick
(H) Looking for answers to questions
(I) Things you do to check how something is working
(J) Places where sick people go to get better
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the new computer system?
(a) Aire-DM
(b) Brite-DM
(c) Care-DM
(d) Share-DM

2. What does the computer system help find?
(a) Type 1 diabetes
(b) Type 2 diabetes
(c) Heart disease
(d) Colds

3. How many people will the hospitals test this system on?
(a) 500 people
(b) 1,000 people
(c) 2,000 people
(d) 100 people

4. What does the computer look at to find signs of diabetes?
(a) Eye tests
(b) Blood tests
(c) Skin tests
(d) Heart tests

5. Who is helping to pay for the research?
(a) American Heart Foundation
(b) World Health Organization
(c) Red Cross
(d) British Heart Foundation

6. What can finding diabetes early help stop?
(a) Heart problems
(b) Coughing
(c) Headaches
(d) Stomach aches

7. What does type 2 diabetes make it hard for the body to handle?
(a) Water
(b) Air
(c) Sugar
(d) Food

8. Why is it good to find diabetes early?
(a) To eat more candy
(b) To sleep more
(c) To stay healthy
(d) To run faster

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Type 2 diabetes is when the body has trouble with insulin.
2. Aire-DM does not help find people who might get type 2 diabetes.
3. The computer looks at heart tests called ECGs.
4. The hospitals will test the computer on 1,000 people.
5. Finding diabetes early cannot help stop heart problems.
6. Two hospitals in London are using a new computer system called Aire-DM.
7. The British Heart Foundation is helping pay for the research.
8. The computer is wrong about 70% of the time.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What is the name of the new computer system in the hospitals?
2. What does the computer system help find?
3. How many people will the hospitals test the computer system on?
4. Why is it good to find diabetes early?
5. Who is helping pay for the research?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of the new computer system?
The name of the new computer system is Aire-DM.

2. What does the computer system help find?
The computer system helps find people who might get type 2 diabetes.

3. How does the computer system know if someone might get diabetes?
The computer system looks at heart tests called ECGs to find signs.

4. How many people will the hospitals test the computer system on?
The hospitals will test the computer system on 1,000 people.

5. Why do the hospitals want to find diabetes early?
The hospitals want to find diabetes early to stop bad health problems.

6. Who is helping pay for the research?
The British Heart Foundation is helping pay for the research.

7. What can happen if someone has type 2 diabetes and doesn’t know?
If someone has type 2 diabetes and doesn’t know, it can be bad for their health.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) London
(2) find
(3) pressure
(4) hope
(5) Finding
(6) diabetes
(7) body
(8) system
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. hospitals
Answer: (J) Places where sick people go to get better

2. computer
Answer: (F) A machine that helps you do things like play games or find information

3. system
Answer: (D) A group of things that work together

4. diabetes
Answer: (E) A sickness where your body has trouble with sugar

5. heart
Answer: (B) The part of your body that pumps blood

6. tests
Answer: (I) Things you do to check how something is working

7. signs
Answer: (A) Clues that show something might happen

8. doctors
Answer: (G) People who help you when you are sick

9. research
Answer: (H) Looking for answers to questions

10. healthy
Answer: (C) Feeling good and not sick
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the new computer system?
Answer: (a) Aire-DM

2. What does the computer system help find?
Answer: (b) Type 2 diabetes

3. How many people will the hospitals test this system on?
Answer: (b) 1,000 people

4. What does the computer look at to find signs of diabetes?
Answer: (d) Heart tests

5. Who is helping to pay for the research?
Answer: (d) British Heart Foundation

6. What can finding diabetes early help stop?
Answer: (a) Heart problems

7. What does type 2 diabetes make it hard for the body to handle?
Answer: (c) Sugar

8. Why is it good to find diabetes early?
Answer: (c) To stay healthy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Type 2 diabetes is when the body has trouble with insulin. (Answer: False)
2. Aire-DM does not help find people who might get type 2 diabetes. (Answer: False)
3. The computer looks at heart tests called ECGs. (Answer: True)
4. The hospitals will test the computer on 1,000 people. (Answer: True)
5. Finding diabetes early cannot help stop heart problems. (Answer: False)
6. Two hospitals in London are using a new computer system called Aire-DM. (Answer: True)
7. The British Heart Foundation is helping pay for the research. (Answer: True)
8. The computer is wrong about 70% of the time. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧