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New social media platforms like Butterflies AI and Bluesky are becoming popular. People are not happy with big platforms like X and Facebook. Butterflies AI lets users interact with AI, which some find interesting. Bluesky lets people control what they see, which many users like.
These new platforms face challenges as they try to grow. More users make a network more valuable, which is hard for new platforms. Some groups want to make social media more open and connected. They hope to let users move easily between different platforms.
Some new apps focus on real-life connections. Mozi helps people meet in person, not just online. Flipboard’s Surf app combines news from different places into one feed. These changes mean there will be many different ways to use social media.
Original news source: What’s next for social media? (BBC)
π§ Listen:
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π Vocabulary:
| 1 | platforms | Places or systems where people can share and communicate |
| 2 | interact | To talk or do things with others |
| 3 | challenges | Difficulties or problems to solve |
| 4 | network | A group of people or things that are linked together |
| 5 | valuable | Worth a lot or very useful |
| 6 | connected | Joined or linked together |
| 7 | focus | To pay attention to something specific |
| 8 | combine | To put things together to make one |
| 9 | feed | A stream of information or updates |
| 10 | control | To have power over something |
| 11 | popular | Liked by many people |
| 12 | real-life | Things that happen in the actual world, not online |
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out one of the new social media platforms mentioned in the article (like Butterflies AI, Bluesky, Mozi, or Flipboard’s Surf) without speaking. The other groups will guess which platform it is.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Create a simple survey with questions about social media preferences (e.g., “Do you prefer smaller social media platforms or larger ones?”). Students will walk around the classroom asking their classmates these questions and recording their answers. Afterward, discuss the results as a class.
– SKETCH IT
Instructions: Students will work in pairs. One student will describe a new social media platform from the article without naming it, while the other student draws what they think it is based on the description. After a few minutes, they will show their drawings and see how closely they match the actual platform.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students will read the article and then create a catchy headline for it. They can work individually or in pairs. Encourage them to think about what is most interesting or important about the new social media platforms. Afterward, students will share their headlines with the class.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: On a whiteboard or large sheet of paper, write “New Social Media Platforms.” Students will work in small groups to brainstorm and add ideas related to the article, such as features of the platforms, user preferences, and challenges they face. They can draw connections between ideas to create a visual representation of their thoughts.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
1. What are the names of two new social media platforms mentioned in the article?
2. Why are some people unhappy with big platforms like X and Facebook?
3. What special feature does Butterflies AI offer to its users?
4. How does Bluesky help its users control what they see?
5. What challenge do new social media platforms face as they try to grow?
6. What does the Mozi app help people do?
7. How does Flipboard’s Surf app make news easier for users?
Go to answers β©
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
New social (1)______ platforms like Butterflies AI and Bluesky are becoming popular. People are not (2)______ with big platforms like X and Facebook. Butterflies AI lets (3)______ interact with AI, which some find (4)______. (5)______ lets people control what they see, which many users like.
These new platforms face (6)______ as they try to grow. More users make a network more valuable, which is hard for new platforms. Some (7)______ want to make (8)______ media more open and connected. They hope to let users (9)______ easily between different platforms.
Some new apps focus on real-life connections. Mozi helps people meet in person, not just (10)______. Flipboard’s Surf app combines news from different (11)______ into one feed. These (12)______ mean there will be many different ways to use social media.
Go to answers β©
π¬ Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is your favorite social media platform? Why do you like it?
2. Do you think it is important to meet friends in real life? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you could talk to an AI on social media?
4. Do you like the idea of controlling what you see on social media? Why?
5. What is a good way to make new friends online?
6. Do you think new social media platforms are better than old ones? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you could easily move between different social media platforms?
8. What do you think is more important: online friends or real-life friends? Why?
9. Do you like reading news on social media? Why or why not?
10. What is a challenge you think new social media platforms face?
11. How would you feel if you could choose exactly what news you see online?
12. Do you think social media can help people connect better? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. platforms
2. interact
3. challenges
4. network
5. valuable
6. connected
7. focus
8. combine
9. feed
10. control
11. popular
12. real-life
Meanings:
(A) Places or systems where people can share and communicate
(B) Difficulties or problems to solve
(C) To have power over something
(D) Liked by many people
(E) To pay attention to something specific
(F) A group of people or things that are linked together
(G) A stream of information or updates
(H) Worth a lot or very useful
(I) To talk or do things with others
(J) Things that happen in the actual world, not online
(K) To put things together to make one
(L) Joined or linked together
Go to answers β©
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is Butterflies AI?
(a) A video game
(b) A news website
(c) A social media platform
(d) A music app
2. What do many people dislike about big platforms like X and Facebook?
(a) They like their features
(b) They want something new
(c) They want to pay for them
(d) They want to use them more
3. What does Bluesky allow users to do?
(a) Share videos
(b) Play games
(c) Send messages
(d) Control what they see
4. What is a challenge for new social media platforms?
(a) Getting more users
(b) Making money
(c) Creating fun games
(d) Finding good names
5. What does Mozi help people do?
(a) Share photos
(b) Play online games
(c) Write stories
(d) Meet in person
6. What does Flipboard’s Surf app do?
(a) Lets users chat
(b) Shows funny videos
(c) Combines news into one feed
(d) Plays music
7. What do some groups want for social media?
(a) To have more ads
(b) To be more open and connected
(c) To be more private
(d) To be only for friends
8. What is a trend in new social media apps?
(a) Focusing on real-life connections
(b) Making everything private
(c) Only sharing pictures
(d) Using more ads
Go to answers β©
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
1. Some groups want social media to be more closed and disconnected for everyone.
2. Flipboard’s Surf app puts news from different places into one feed for users.
3. New social media platforms have a hard time growing because they need more users.
4. Bluesky gives users control over what they see on their feeds.
5. Butterflies AI prohibits users from talking to AI, which some people find fun.
6. Mozi is an app that hinders people from meeting in real life, not just online.
7. Many people are not happy with big platforms like X and Facebook.
8. New social media platforms like Butterflies AI and Bluesky are not becoming popular.
Go to answers β©
π 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 are two new social media platforms mentioned in the article?
2. Why are some people unhappy with big platforms like X and Facebook?
3. What does Butterflies AI allow users to do?
4. How does Bluesky help users control their experience on the platform?
5. What is the purpose of the Mozi app?
β Answers
π€β Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What are the names of two new social media platforms mentioned in the article?
Butterflies AI and Bluesky.
2. Why are some people unhappy with big platforms like X and Facebook?
They are not happy with how these big platforms work and want something different.
3. What special feature does Butterflies AI offer to its users?
Butterflies AI lets users talk and interact with AI.
4. How does Bluesky help its users control what they see?
Bluesky lets users choose what content they want to see.
5. What challenge do new social media platforms face as they try to grow?
New platforms find it hard to get more users because they need a lot of people to be valuable.
6. What does the Mozi app help people do?
Mozi helps people meet and connect in person.
7. How does Flipboard’s Surf app make news easier for users?
Surf combines news from different places into one easy feed.
Go back to questions β§
π§βοΈβ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) media
(2) happy
(3) users
(4) interesting
(5) Bluesky
(6) challenges
(7) groups
(8) social
(9) move
(10) online
(11) places
(12) changes
Go back to questions β§
ππβ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. platforms
Answer: (A) Places or systems where people can share and communicate
2. interact
Answer: (I) To talk or do things with others
3. challenges
Answer: (B) Difficulties or problems to solve
4. network
Answer: (F) A group of people or things that are linked together
5. valuable
Answer: (H) Worth a lot or very useful
6. connected
Answer: (L) Joined or linked together
7. focus
Answer: (E) To pay attention to something specific
8. combine
Answer: (K) To put things together to make one
9. feed
Answer: (G) A stream of information or updates
10. control
Answer: (C) To have power over something
11. popular
Answer: (D) Liked by many people
12. real-life
Answer: (J) Things that happen in the actual world, not online
Go back to questions β§
π‘β Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is Butterflies AI?
Answer: (c) A social media platform
2. What do many people dislike about big platforms like X and Facebook?
Answer: (b) They want something new
3. What does Bluesky allow users to do?
Answer: (d) Control what they see
4. What is a challenge for new social media platforms?
Answer: (a) Getting more users
5. What does Mozi help people do?
Answer: (d) Meet in person
6. What does Flipboard’s Surf app do?
Answer: (c) Combines news into one feed
7. What do some groups want for social media?
Answer: (b) To be more open and connected
8. What is a trend in new social media apps?
Answer: (a) Focusing on real-life connections
Go back to questions β§
π΅οΈβ True or False Answers:
1. Some groups want social media to be more closed and disconnected for everyone. (Answer: False)
2. Flipboard’s Surf app puts news from different places into one feed for users. (Answer: True)
3. New social media platforms have a hard time growing because they need more users. (Answer: True)
4. Bluesky gives users control over what they see on their feeds. (Answer: True)
5. Butterflies AI prohibits users from talking to AI, which some people find fun. (Answer: False)
6. Mozi is an app that hinders people from meeting in real life, not just online. (Answer: False)
7. Many people are not happy with big platforms like X and Facebook. (Answer: True)
8. New social media platforms like Butterflies AI and Bluesky are not becoming popular. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions β§
