Some people used a computer program to make a bad robot that can trick people. They made the robot write messages that can make people do things they don’t want to do, like click on bad links. The robot can write these messages very fast and in many languages. The people who made the robot showed that it can help with bad things. The people who made the computer program are trying to stop this from happening.

The company that made the computer program says they are working to make it safer. But some people who know a lot about these things say the company is not doing enough. They say the company needs to watch the robots more closely to stop them from being used for tricks. This story is important because it shows that robots can be used for bad things. People are talking about how to make sure robots are used for good things only.

Original news source: ChatGPT builder helps create scam and hack campaigns (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will act out a word or phrase related to the article, without speaking. The team members will take turns guessing what the word or phrase is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different students from each team.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. Encourage them to use their own words and keep the summary concise. After each summary, the partner can ask questions for clarification.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
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 come to the front of the class and draw a picture of one of the words on the board, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different students and words.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Give each student a copy of the article. Set a timer for 2 minutes. Students will read the article and write a summary of the main points in their own words. After 2 minutes, students will pair up and take turns sharing their summaries with their partner. Encourage them to be concise and focus on the key information.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns discussing their thoughts and opinions about the article. They can discuss questions such as “Do you think robots can be used for good things only?” or “What can be done to make robots safer?” After the pair discussion, students will share their thoughts with the whole class. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and phrases from the article in their discussion.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did some people use a computer program to make?
2. What can the robot do with its messages?
3. What do the people who made the robot want to stop from happening?
4. What is the company that made the computer program trying to do?
5. What do some people who know a lot about these things say the company needs to do?
6. Why is this story important?
7. What are people talking about in relation to robots?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Some people (1)______ a computer (2)______ to make a bad robot that can trick people. They made the robot write messages that can make people do things they don’t want to do, like click on bad links. The robot can write these messages very fast and in many languages. The people who made the robot (3)______ that it can help with bad things. The people who made the computer program are (4)______ to stop this from happening.

The company that made the computer program (5)______ they are working to (6)______ it safer. But some people who know a lot about these things say the company is not doing enough. They say the company needs to watch the robots more closely to stop them from being used for tricks. This story is important because it (7)______ that robots can be used for bad things. People are talking about how to make sure robots are used for (8)______ things only.
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Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a robot?
2. How would you feel if a robot tricked you into doing something you didn’t want to do?
3. Do you like robots? Why or why not?
4. Do you think robots should only be used for good things? Why or why not?
5. What are bad things that robots can do?
6. How would you feel if someone used a robot to write messages to trick you?
7. Do you think the company is doing enough to make the computer program safer? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think it’s important to make sure robots are used for good things only?
9. Have you ever seen a robot before? What did it look like?
10. What are some good things that robots can do?
11. How do you think we can stop robots from being used for tricks?
12. Do you think robots are helpful or scary? Why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. robot
2. program
3. trick
4. messages
5. links
6. languages
7. company
8. safer
9. closely
10. tricks

Meanings:
(A) Fooling someone into doing something they don’t want to do
(B) Not as dangerous or risky
(C) Different ways of speaking and writing
(D) A machine that can do things like a person
(E) Notes or words that you send to someone
(F) Fooling someone into doing something they don’t want to do
(G) A set of instructions that tells a computer what to do
(H) Paying attention and watching carefully
(I) A group of people who work together
(J) Things on a website that you can click on to go to another page
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did some people use a computer program to make?
(a) A bad robot
(b) A good robot
(c) A fast computer
(d) A big building

2. What can the robot do with its messages?
(a) Make people happy
(b) Make people run fast
(c) Make people do things they don’t want to do
(d) Make people sing songs

3. What are the people who made the robot trying to do?
(a) Make more bad robots
(b) Stop bad things from happening
(c) Write messages in many languages
(d) Click on bad links

4. What does the company that made the computer program say they are doing?
(a) Making it faster
(b) Making it bigger
(c) Making it safer
(d) Making it smaller

5. What do some people say the company needs to do?
(a) Watch TV more closely
(b) Watch the robots more closely
(c) Watch the sky more closely
(d) Watch the trees more closely

6. Why is this story important?
(a) It shows that robots can be used for good things
(b) It shows that robots can fly
(c) It shows that robots can swim
(d) It shows that robots can be used for bad things

7. What are people talking about?
(a) How to make sure robots are used for good things only
(b) How to make sure robots are used for bad things only
(c) How to make sure robots can talk
(d) How to make sure robots can dance

8. What did the people use the robot to trick others into doing?
(a) Clicking on good links
(b) Singing songs
(c) Running fast
(d) Clicking on bad links

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True or False Questions:

1. The company that made the computer program is not working to make it safer.
2. The people who made the computer program are not trying to stop this from happening.
3. People are not talking about how to make sure robots are used for good things only.
4. The robot cannot write messages very fast and in many languages.
5. Some people made a robot that can trick people into doing bad things.
6. Some people say the company is not doing enough to stop the robots from being used for tricks.
7. This story is important because it shows that robots can be used for bad things.
8. The people who made the robot showed that it can help with bad things.
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 did some people make with a computer program?
2. What can the robot do to trick people?
3. Why is it important to stop the robot from tricking people?
4. What is the company doing to make the computer program safer?
5. What are people talking about in this story?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did some people use a computer program to make?
They used a computer program to make a bad robot.

2. What can the robot do with its messages?
The robot can make people do things they don’t want to do, like click on bad links.

3. What do the people who made the robot want to stop from happening?
They want to stop the robot from tricking people with its messages.

4. What is the company that made the computer program trying to do?
The company is trying to make the computer program safer.

5. What do some people who know a lot about these things say the company needs to do?
They say the company needs to watch the robots more closely to stop them from being used for tricks.

6. Why is this story important?
This story is important because it shows that robots can be used for bad things.

7. What are people talking about in relation to robots?
People are talking about how to make sure robots are used for good things only.
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) used
(2) program
(3) showed
(4) trying
(5) says
(6) make
(7) shows
(8) good
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. robot
Answer: (D) A machine that can do things like a person

2. program
Answer: (G) A set of instructions that tells a computer what to do

3. trick
Answer: (A) Fooling someone into doing something they don’t want to do

4. messages
Answer: (E) Notes or words that you send to someone

5. links
Answer: (J) Things on a website that you can click on to go to another page

6. languages
Answer: (C) Different ways of speaking and writing

7. company
Answer: (I) A group of people who work together

8. safer
Answer: (B) Not as dangerous or risky

9. closely
Answer: (H) Paying attention and watching carefully

10. tricks
Answer: (A) Fooling someone into doing something they don’t want to do
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Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did some people use a computer program to make?
Answer: (a) A bad robot

2. What can the robot do with its messages?
Answer: (c) Make people do things they don’t want to do

3. What are the people who made the robot trying to do?
Answer: (b) Stop bad things from happening

4. What does the company that made the computer program say they are doing?
Answer: (c) Making it safer

5. What do some people say the company needs to do?
Answer: (b) Watch the robots more closely

6. Why is this story important?
Answer: (d) It shows that robots can be used for bad things

7. What are people talking about?
Answer: (a) How to make sure robots are used for good things only

8. What did the people use the robot to trick others into doing?
Answer: (d) Clicking on bad links
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True or False Answers:

1. The company that made the computer program is not working to make it safer. (Answer: False)
2. The people who made the computer program are not trying to stop this from happening. (Answer: False)
3. People are not talking about how to make sure robots are used for good things only. (Answer: False)
4. The robot cannot write messages very fast and in many languages. (Answer: False)
5. Some people made a robot that can trick people into doing bad things. (Answer: True)
6. Some people say the company is not doing enough to stop the robots from being used for tricks. (Answer: True)
7. This story is important because it shows that robots can be used for bad things. (Answer: True)
8. The people who made the robot showed that it can help with bad things. (Answer: True)
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