Maximus Trest, a 13-year-old boy from Canada, has caught the attention of the PlayStation team with his own game called Astrolander. He’s so talented that he’s decided to take a year off from school to focus on developing his game. Astrolander will be released on PlayStation 5 in 2024.
At a festival where he showed off his game, Max impressed the PlayStation team with his skills and creativity. Even though he’s young, Max is already doing well in his classes, which gives him more time to work on his passion for making games.
Astrolander is a cool game where you can play with friends and go on exciting missions in different worlds. It’s expected to be really popular among PlayStation 5 users when it comes out next year.
Max’s hard work and talent have made him famous in the gaming industry at such a young age. His decision to take a break from school and focus on his game shows how determined he is to succeed in the world of game development.
It’s really inspiring to see young people like Max following their passions and accomplishing great things. Max’s story reminds us that age doesn’t stop you from being successful, and with dedication and hard work, anyone can achieve their dreams. We’re excited to see what Max will do with Astrolander and in his future projects.
Original news source: Meet the 13-year-old with his own PlayStation 5 game (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Students are divided into pairs. One student plays the role of a news reporter, while the other is Maximus Trest. The reporter interviews Maximus about his journey creating Astrolander, his decision to take a year off school, and his future plans. Encourage the use of reported speech and interviewing techniques.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask students to write an eye-catching newspaper headline for an article about Maximus Trest and his game Astrolander. Then, have them explain why they chose that headline and what information it conveys about the story.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Line up the students on an opinion spectrum from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree” in response to statements such as “Taking a year off school for personal projects is beneficial” or “Age is not a barrier to success.” Discuss the reasons for their positions and encourage them to use language for agreeing and disagreeing politely.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Students work in small groups to predict the future of gaming and young developers like Maximus Trest. They should consider questions like “What kind of games will be popular?” and “How will young talent shape the future of the industry?” Afterward, groups share their predictions and discuss the likelihood of each one.
– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Challenge students to summarize the article in under one minute, focusing on the key points about Maximus Trest, his game Astrolander, and his decision to focus on game development. They can do this in pairs or small groups, taking turns to practice their oral summarization skills.
Comprehension Questions:
1. Who is Maximus Trest and what has he accomplished at the age of 13?
2. What is the name of the game Maximus has created and for which platform will it be released?
3. Why has Maximus decided to take a year off from school?
4. During which event did Maximus impress the PlayStation team?
5. What can players do in the game Astrolander?
6. When is Astrolander expected to be released?
7. How has Maximus become known in the gaming industry?
8. What does Max’s story suggest about the relationship between age and success?
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is your dream job and why do you want to do it?
2. How would you feel if you had the chance to take a year off school to follow your passion?
3. Do you think it’s a good idea to take a break from education to pursue personal projects? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever tried to create something like a game or a story? What was it about?
5. What qualities do you think are important to be successful at a young age?
6. Do you like playing video games with friends? What makes it fun for you?
7. If you could design your own video game, what kind of game would it be?
8. How do you balance schoolwork with other activities that you’re passionate about?
9. Do you think it’s important to be really good at school subjects to be successful in life? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever been to a festival or fair where you got to show something you created? What was it like?
11. What do you think are the biggest challenges for young people who want to achieve big things?
12. Do you admire people who are dedicated to their goals? Can you name someone you look up to for their dedication?
13. What kind of support do you think is important for young talents like Max?
14. Would you like to be famous for something you’re good at? What would it be and why?
15. What do you think Max’s life will be like after his game is released? Do you think it will change a lot?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. attention
2. talented
3. focus
4. festival
5. impressed
6. passion
7. popular
8. determined
Meanings:
(a) A special event or celebration
(b) Having a natural ability or skill
(c) When someone is looking at or listening to you
(d) Something you love and enjoy doing
(e) When someone thinks you are very good at something
(f) To give all your attention and effort to one thing
(g) Having a strong desire to achieve something
(h) Liked by many people
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is the name of the 13-year-old boy who caught the attention of the PlayStation team?
(a) Maximus Trest
(b) Astrolander
(c) PlayStation 5
(d) Canada
2. Why did Maximus decide to take a year off from school?
(a) To go on exciting missions
(b) To impress the PlayStation team
(c) To become famous in the gaming industry
(d) To focus on developing his game
3. What is the name of the game that Maximus created?
(a) PlayStation 5
(b) Astrolander
(c) Canada
(d) Festival
4. What impressed the PlayStation team about Maximus?
(a) His young age
(b) His dedication to school
(c) His popularity among PlayStation 5 users
(d) His skills and creativity
5. When is Astrolander expected to be released on PlayStation 5?
(a) 2024
(b) Next year
(c) This year
(d) 2023
6. What does Astrolander allow you to do?
(a) Become famous in the gaming industry
(b) Take a break from school
(c) Play with friends and go on exciting missions in different worlds
(d) Impress the PlayStation team
7. What does Max’s story remind us?
(a) PlayStation 5 is the best gaming console
(b) Age doesn’t stop you from being successful
(c) Astrolander is the most popular game
(d) School is not important for success
8. What are people excited to see from Max in the future?
(a) His dedication and hard work
(b) His skills and creativity
(c) What he will do with Astrolander and his future projects
(d) His popularity in the gaming industry
True or False Questions:
1. Astrolander is a multiplayer game where players can go on exciting missions in different worlds.
2. A 13-year-old Canadian girl named Maximus Trest has created her own game called Astrolander.
3. Maximus has decided to take a break from school to focus on developing his game.
4. Maximus’ lack of effort and talent have made him infamous in the gaming industry at a young age.
5. Maximus has caught the attention of the PlayStation team with his game.
6. Astrolander will be released on PlayStation 5 in 2022.
7. Maximus disappointed the PlayStation team with his mediocrity and lack of creativity at a festival where he showcased his game.
8. Maximus’ story is inspiring and shows that age doesn’t limit success, as long as one is dedicated and works hard.
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 has Maximus Trest achieved that caught the attention of the PlayStation team?
2. How old is Maximus, and what significant decision has he made regarding his education?
3. Can you describe what players can do in his game, Astrolander?
4. Why is Max’s story considered inspiring to others?
5. What does Max’s success tell us about the relationship between age and achievement?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. Who is Maximus Trest and what has he accomplished at the age of 13?
Maximus Trest is a 13-year-old boy from Canada who has created a game called Astrolander, which has caught the attention of the PlayStation team.
2. What is the name of the game Maximus has created and for which platform will it be released?
The game is called Astrolander and it will be released on the PlayStation 5.
3. Why has Maximus decided to take a year off from school?
Maximus has decided to take a year off from school to focus on developing his game, Astrolander.
4. During which event did Maximus impress the PlayStation team?
Maximus impressed the PlayStation team at a festival where he showcased his game.
5. What can players do in the game Astrolander?
In Astrolander, players can go on exciting missions in different worlds with their friends.
6. When is Astrolander expected to be released?
Astrolander is expected to be released in 2024.
7. How has Maximus become known in the gaming industry?
Maximus has become known in the gaming industry for his hard work and talent in game development, especially for creating Astrolander at a young age.
8. What does Max’s story suggest about the relationship between age and success?
Max’s story suggests that age doesn’t limit someone’s ability to be successful, and with dedication and hard work, anyone, regardless of age, can achieve their dreams.
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. attention
Answer: (c) When someone is looking at or listening to you
2. talented
Answer: (b) Having a natural ability or skill
3. focus
Answer: (f) To give all your attention and effort to one thing
4. festival
Answer: (a) A special event or celebration
5. impressed
Answer: (e) When someone thinks you are very good at something
6. passion
Answer: (d) Something you love and enjoy doing
7. popular
Answer: (h) Liked by many people
8. determined
Answer: (g) Having a strong desire to achieve something
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is the name of the 13-year-old boy who caught the attention of the PlayStation team?
Answer: (a) Maximus Trest
2. Why did Maximus decide to take a year off from school?
Answer: (d) To focus on developing his game
3. What is the name of the game that Maximus created?
Answer: (b) Astrolander
4. What impressed the PlayStation team about Maximus?
Answer: (d) His skills and creativity
5. When is Astrolander expected to be released on PlayStation 5?
Answer: (a) 2024
6. What does Astrolander allow you to do?
Answer: (c) Play with friends and go on exciting missions in different worlds
7. What does Max’s story remind us?
Answer: (b) Age doesn’t stop you from being successful
8. What are people excited to see from Max in the future?
Answer: (c) What he will do with Astrolander and his future projects
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Astrolander is a multiplayer game where players can go on exciting missions in different worlds. (Answer: True)
2. A 13-year-old Canadian girl named Maximus Trest has created her own game called Astrolander. (Answer: False)
3. Maximus has decided to take a break from school to focus on developing his game. (Answer: True)
4. Maximus’ lack of effort and talent have made him infamous in the gaming industry at a young age. (Answer: False)
5. Maximus has caught the attention of the PlayStation team with his game. (Answer: True)
6. Astrolander will be released on PlayStation 5 in 2022. (Answer: False)
7. Maximus disappointed the PlayStation team with his mediocrity and lack of creativity at a festival where he showcased his game. (Answer: False)
8. Maximus’ story is inspiring and shows that age doesn’t limit success, as long as one is dedicated and works hard. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧
