Game makers are working hard to make the weather in their games feel real. In a car racing game called Forza Motorsport, players see and feel changes in the weather like sunshine, fog, and rain. These changes make it harder to see and drive. Chris Esaki, who helps make the game, says weather is very important to make the game feel real and fun.

Adding real weather to games makes them more exciting and can help tell a story. Chris Esaki thinks that soon, games will show weather even better, with things like clouds forming and rain drying up. But games must still be fun, so they can’t be too hard because of the weather. Learning about weather in games can also teach players about science and history.

People have always been interested in weather. Long ago, people knew a lot about the weather and used it to make plans. Games with real weather can show us that old times were not so different from today. So, having real weather in games makes them feel more like the real world and can teach us something too.

Original news source: Why weather in games is getting more realistic (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a weather-related word or phrase from the article (e.g. sunshine, fog, rain). One student from each group will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the other members of the group try to guess what it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. Then, ask them to write a brief summary of the article in their own words. After they finish, have them share their summaries with a partner and compare their answers.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article (e.g. “Having real weather in games makes them more fun”). Have the students walk around the room and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement. They should record their classmates’ responses and summarize the overall opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of weather-related vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. sunshine, fog, rain, clouds). Divide the students into two teams. One student from each team will come to the board and draw a picture to represent one of the words. Their team members must guess the word based on the drawing.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask the students to think about how weather affects their daily lives. In pairs, have them discuss the ways in which weather influences their activities, moods, and plans. After the discussion, ask some pairs to share their ideas with the whole class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What are some changes in the weather that players can see and feel in the car racing game Forza Motorsport?
2. Why does Chris Esaki think that weather is important in games?
3. How can adding real weather to games make them more exciting?
4. What does Chris Esaki think will happen in the future with weather in games?
5. Why can’t games be too hard because of the weather?
6. What can players learn about through weather in games?
7. How can games with real weather show us that old times were not so different from today?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Game makers are working hard to make the weather in their games feel real. In a car (1)______ game called Forza (2)______, players see and feel changes in the weather like sunshine, fog, and (3)______. These changes make it harder to see and drive. Chris Esaki, who helps make the (4)______, says (5)______ is very important to make the game feel (6)______ and fun.

Adding real weather to games makes them more exciting and can help tell a story. Chris Esaki thinks that soon, games will show weather even better, with things like clouds (7)______ and rain drying up. But games must still be fun, so they can’t be too hard because of the weather. Learning about weather in games can also teach players about science and history.

(8)______ have always been (9)______ in weather. Long ago, people knew a lot about the weather and used it to (10)______ plans. Games with real weather can show us that old times were not so different from today. So, having real weather in (11)______ makes them feel more like the real (12)______ and can teach us something too.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a car racing game called Forza Motorsport?
2. How would you feel if you were playing a game and it started raining?
3. Do you like playing games with real weather? Why or why not?
4. How do you think adding real weather to games can make them more exciting?
5. What can games with real weather teach us about science and history?
6. Have you ever played a game that had changes in the weather? How did it make the game feel?
7. Do you think games with real weather make them feel more like the real world? Why or why not?
8. What are some ways that games can show weather even better in the future?
9. How do you think players can learn about weather through games?
10. What did people long ago use the weather for?
11. How do you think games with real weather can show us that old times were not so different from today?
12. Do you think it’s important for games to be fun even if they have challenging weather? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. weather
2. changes
3. sunshine
4. fog
5. rain
6. car racing
7. real
8. fun
9. clouds
10. drying up
11. science
12. history

Meanings:
(A) When the sun is shining and it’s bright outside
(B) What the sky is like outside, like if it’s sunny or rainy
(C) When water goes away and things become dry
(D) Learning about how things work in the world, like plants and animals
(E) Something that is like how it is in the world, not fake
(F) Something that makes you happy and you enjoy doing
(G) A game where you drive cars really fast
(H) When white, fluffy things are in the sky and can bring rain
(I) When it’s hard to see because there is a lot of mist in the air
(J) Learning about what happened a long time ago
(K) When something becomes different
(L) When water falls from the sky
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are some changes in the weather that players can see and feel in the car racing game Forza Motorsport?
(a) Snow, hail, and thunderstorms
(b) Wind, earthquakes, and tornadoes
(c) Sunshine, fog, and rain
(d) Sandstorms, hurricanes, and blizzards

2. Why is weather important in making games feel real and fun?
(a) It makes the game harder to play
(b) It teaches players about science and history
(c) It adds excitement and can help tell a story
(d) It shows that old times were not so different from today

3. According to Chris Esaki, how will games show weather even better in the future?
(a) With earthquakes and tornadoes
(b) With sandstorms and hurricanes
(c) With snow and hail
(d) With things like clouds forming and rain drying up

4. Why can’t games be too hard because of the weather?
(a) They need to teach players about science and history
(b) They need to show that old times were not so different from today
(c) They need to add excitement and help tell a story
(d) They must still be fun

5. How can games with real weather teach players about science and history?
(a) By showing them how to predict the weather
(b) By explaining the different types of weather
(c) By demonstrating how weather was important in the past
(d) By teaching them how to drive in different weather conditions

6. What did people long ago know a lot about and use to make plans?
(a) The stock market
(b) The weather
(c) Technology
(d) Sports

7. What do games with real weather make them feel more like?
(a) A fantasy world
(b) The real world
(c) The future
(d) A different planet

8. What is the main goal of game makers when adding real weather to games?
(a) To make the game feel real and fun
(b) To make the game harder to play
(c) To teach players about science and history
(d) To show that old times were not so different from today

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. In a car racing game called Forza Motorsport, players cannot experience changes in the weather like sunshine, fog, and rain.
2. Having simulated weather in games makes them feel more like the real world and can teach us something too.
3. Chris Esaki doubts that games will soon show weather even better, with things like clouds forming and rain drying up.
4. Adding fictional weather to games makes them more exciting and can help tell a story.
5. Chris Esaki, who helps make the game, believes that weather is important to make the game feel real and fun.
6. Game makers are working hard to make the weather in their games feel real.
7. People have always been interested in weather and used it to make plans.
8. Games with real weather can teach players about science and history.
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 game makers trying to do with the weather in their games?
2. How does weather in a car racing game make it harder to see and drive?
3. According to Chris Esaki, what are some things that games might show in the future to make the weather even better?
4. Why is it important for games to still be fun even with the weather?
5. How can learning about weather in games teach players about science and history?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are some changes in the weather that players can see and feel in the car racing game Forza Motorsport?
Players can see and feel changes in the weather like sunshine, fog, and rain in the game Forza Motorsport.

2. Why does Chris Esaki think that weather is important in games?
Chris Esaki thinks that weather is important in games because it makes the game feel real and fun.

3. How can adding real weather to games make them more exciting?
Adding real weather to games can make them more exciting because it adds a challenge and can help tell a story.

4. What does Chris Esaki think will happen in the future with weather in games?
Chris Esaki thinks that in the future, games will show weather even better with things like clouds forming and rain drying up.

5. Why can’t games be too hard because of the weather?
Games can’t be too hard because of the weather because they still need to be fun for players.

6. What can players learn about through weather in games?
Players can learn about science and history through weather in games.

7. How can games with real weather show us that old times were not so different from today?
Games with real weather can show us that old times were not so different from today because people have always been interested in weather and used it to make plans.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) racing
(2) Motorsport
(3) rain
(4) game
(5) weather
(6) real
(7) forming
(8) People
(9) interested
(10) make
(11) games
(12) world
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. weather
Answer: (B) What the sky is like outside, like if it’s sunny or rainy

2. changes
Answer: (K) When something becomes different

3. sunshine
Answer: (A) When the sun is shining and it’s bright outside

4. fog
Answer: (I) When it’s hard to see because there is a lot of mist in the air

5. rain
Answer: (L) When water falls from the sky

6. car racing
Answer: (G) A game where you drive cars really fast

7. real
Answer: (E) Something that is like how it is in the world, not fake

8. fun
Answer: (F) Something that makes you happy and you enjoy doing

9. clouds
Answer: (H) When white, fluffy things are in the sky and can bring rain

10. drying up
Answer: (C) When water goes away and things become dry

11. science
Answer: (D) Learning about how things work in the world, like plants and animals

12. history
Answer: (J) Learning about what happened a long time ago
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are some changes in the weather that players can see and feel in the car racing game Forza Motorsport?
Answer: (c) Sunshine, fog, and rain

2. Why is weather important in making games feel real and fun?
Answer: (c) It adds excitement and can help tell a story

3. According to Chris Esaki, how will games show weather even better in the future?
Answer: (d) With things like clouds forming and rain drying up

4. Why can’t games be too hard because of the weather?
Answer: (d) They must still be fun

5. How can games with real weather teach players about science and history?
Answer: (a) By showing them how to predict the weather

6. What did people long ago know a lot about and use to make plans?
Answer: (b) The weather

7. What do games with real weather make them feel more like?
Answer: (b) The real world

8. What is the main goal of game makers when adding real weather to games?
Answer: (a) To make the game feel real and fun
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. In a car racing game called Forza Motorsport, players cannot experience changes in the weather like sunshine, fog, and rain. (Answer: False)
2. Having simulated weather in games makes them feel more like the real world and can teach us something too. (Answer: False)
3. Chris Esaki doubts that games will soon show weather even better, with things like clouds forming and rain drying up. (Answer: False)
4. Adding fictional weather to games makes them more exciting and can help tell a story. (Answer: False)
5. Chris Esaki, who helps make the game, believes that weather is important to make the game feel real and fun. (Answer: True)
6. Game makers are working hard to make the weather in their games feel real. (Answer: True)
7. People have always been interested in weather and used it to make plans. (Answer: True)
8. Games with real weather can teach players about science and history. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧