A man named Carlos plays video games very well, but he cannot see. He listens to the sounds in the game to know what to do. Carlos started playing when he was little, but then he couldn’t see anymore. He still played one game very well because of the sounds. Now, some new games help people who can’t see by talking to them or making special noises.

Some people who make games are trying to help players who can’t see. They make games that talk about what’s happening or use sounds to help players know where they are. One big game didn’t have help for players who can’t see, so a different person made a special part for the game that used sounds to tell players about things around them. This person didn’t spend a lot of money to do this. Carlos now helps make games better for people who can’t see, and he says it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games.

Original news source: The pro gamer who has to rely upon sound alone (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and act out a video game action without speaking. The team members will try to guess the action being acted out. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article in their own words. They should include the main ideas and key details. After they have both summarized, they can compare their summaries and discuss any differences.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: As a class, discuss the importance of making games accessible for people with disabilities. Then, have students write down their opinion on whether or not they think game developers should prioritize making games accessible. Collect the opinions and display them for a class poll. Discuss the results as a class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words from the article. One student from each group will draw a picture representing a word while the other group members try to guess the word. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns sharing two true statements and one false statement about themselves related to video games. The other student must guess which statement is false. After both students have shared, they can discuss their answers and learn more about each other.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is Carlos?
2. How does Carlos play video games if he can’t see?
3. What helps Carlos know what to do in the game?
4. Why do some new games talk or make special noises?
5. How do some games help players who can’t see?
6. What did someone do to help players who can’t see in a big game?
7. Why does Carlos think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man (1)______ Carlos plays video games very well, but he cannot see. He listens to the sounds in the game to know what to do. Carlos started playing when he was little, but then he couldn’t see anymore. He still (2)______ one game very well because of the sounds. Now, some new games (3)______ people who can’t see by talking to them or making special noises.

Some people who make games are (4)______ to help players who can’t see. They make games that talk about what’s happening or use (5)______ to help players know where they are. One big (6)______ didn’t have help for players who can’t see, so a different person made a special part for the game that used sounds to tell players about things around them. This person didn’t spend a lot of money to do this. (7)______ now helps make games better for people who can’t see, and he says it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when (8)______ games.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a video game?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t see but still wanted to play video games?
3. Do you like playing video games? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about games that talk or use sounds to help players who can’t see?
5. How do you think Carlos plays video games even though he can’t see?
6. Do you think it’s important to make games better for people who can’t see? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever played a game that used sounds to tell you about things? How did you feel about it?
8. What do you think about Carlos helping to make games better for people who can’t see?
9. How do you think the person who made the special part for the game felt when they finished it?
10. Do you think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games? Why or why not?
11. How do you think Carlos feels now that he helps make games better for people who can’t see?
12. What other ways do you think games can help people who can’t see?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Carlos
2. video games
3. sounds
4. little
5. special
6. talking
7. disabilities
8. important
9. players
10. making

Meanings:
(A) Something that you really need to think about or do
(B) Games you play on a TV or computer
(C) Noises that things make, like when a dog barks or a car honks
(D) Very different and not like other things
(E) Creating or building something new
(F) Using words to say something
(G) A boy’s name, like a friend you might have
(H) Ways that some people’s bodies work differently
(I) People who are trying to win in a game
(J) Small or young, like you!
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How does Carlos know what to do in the video games?
(a) He can see everything on the screen.
(b) He listens to the sounds in the game.
(c) He reads the instructions.
(d) He asks his friends for help.

2. When did Carlos start playing video games?
(a) When he was little.
(b) When he couldn’t see anymore.
(c) When he was a teenager.
(d) When he became a game developer.

3. How do some new games help people who can’t see?
(a) By showing them pictures.
(b) By talking to them or making special noises.
(c) By giving them a special controller.
(d) By making the screen bigger.

4. What did a different person do to help players who can’t see in a big game?
(a) Made the game easier to play.
(b) Made the game more colorful.
(c) Made the game more expensive.
(d) Made a special part that used sounds to tell players about things around them.

5. How much money did the person spend to help players who can’t see in the big game?
(a) Not a lot of money.
(b) A lot of money.
(c) No money at all.
(d) All of their money.

6. What does Carlos do now to help make games better for people who can’t see?
(a) He plays video games all day.
(b) He talks to people with disabilities.
(c) He listens to the sounds in the game.
(d) He helps make games better for people who can’t see.

7. What does Carlos say is important when making games?
(a) Making the games more expensive.
(b) Making the games more difficult.
(c) Talking to people with disabilities.
(d) Playing the games all day.

8. What do some games use to help players know where they are?
(a) Pictures.
(b) Words.
(c) Sounds.
(d) Colors.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Carlos does not use the sounds in the game to know what to do.
2. Carlos started playing video games when he was little, but then he couldn’t see anymore.
3. Some new games help people who can’t see by talking to them or making special noises.
4. Carlos cannot play any games well because of the sounds it makes.
5. One big game had help for players who can’t see, so someone removed the special part for the game that used sounds to tell players about things around them.
6. People who make games are trying to help players who can’t see.
7. Carlos does not help make games better for people who can’t see and doesn’t think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games.
8. Carlos plays video games very well even though he cannot see.
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. Who is Carlos and what does he like to do?
2. What happened to Carlos when he was little?
3. How do some new games help people who can’t see?
4. What did a different person do to help players who can’t see in a big game?
5. Why does Carlos think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is Carlos?
Carlos is a man who plays video games very well but cannot see.

2. How does Carlos play video games if he can’t see?
Carlos plays video games by listening to the sounds in the game.

3. What helps Carlos know what to do in the game?
The sounds in the game help Carlos know what to do.

4. Why do some new games talk or make special noises?
Some new games talk or make special noises to help players who can’t see.

5. How do some games help players who can’t see?
Some games help players who can’t see by talking about what’s happening or using sounds to help them know where they are.

6. What did someone do to help players who can’t see in a big game?
Someone made a special part for the big game that used sounds to tell players about things around them.

7. Why does Carlos think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games?
Carlos thinks it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games because they can give important feedback and help make the games better for people who can’t see.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) played
(3) help
(4) trying
(5) sounds
(6) game
(7) Carlos
(8) making
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Carlos
Answer: (G) A boy’s name, like a friend you might have

2. video games
Answer: (B) Games you play on a TV or computer

3. sounds
Answer: (C) Noises that things make, like when a dog barks or a car honks

4. little
Answer: (J) Small or young, like you!

5. special
Answer: (D) Very different and not like other things

6. talking
Answer: (F) Using words to say something

7. disabilities
Answer: (H) Ways that some people’s bodies work differently

8. important
Answer: (A) Something that you really need to think about or do

9. players
Answer: (I) People who are trying to win in a game

10. making
Answer: (E) Creating or building something new
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How does Carlos know what to do in the video games?
Answer: (b) He listens to the sounds in the game.

2. When did Carlos start playing video games?
Answer: (a) When he was little.

3. How do some new games help people who can’t see?
Answer: (b) By talking to them or making special noises.

4. What did a different person do to help players who can’t see in a big game?
Answer: (d) Made a special part that used sounds to tell players about things around them.

5. How much money did the person spend to help players who can’t see in the big game?
Answer: (a) Not a lot of money.

6. What does Carlos do now to help make games better for people who can’t see?
Answer: (d) He helps make games better for people who can’t see.

7. What does Carlos say is important when making games?
Answer: (c) Talking to people with disabilities.

8. What do some games use to help players know where they are?
Answer: (c) Sounds.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Carlos does not use the sounds in the game to know what to do. (Answer: False)
2. Carlos started playing video games when he was little, but then he couldn’t see anymore. (Answer: True)
3. Some new games help people who can’t see by talking to them or making special noises. (Answer: True)
4. Carlos cannot play any games well because of the sounds it makes. (Answer: False)
5. One big game had help for players who can’t see, so someone removed the special part for the game that used sounds to tell players about things around them. (Answer: False)
6. People who make games are trying to help players who can’t see. (Answer: True)
7. Carlos does not help make games better for people who can’t see and doesn’t think it’s important to talk to people with disabilities when making games. (Answer: False)
8. Carlos plays video games very well even though he cannot see. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧