A big tech party is happening in Bristol. They are showing off new cool ideas. One cool thing is a pair of socks that can tell if someone might get Alzheimer’s disease. The socks can feel your heart beat and sweat and tell if something is wrong. This can help doctors find the disease early.

Another cool thing is a new way to do tests like the ones for babies and sickness. They are making these tests better by using electricity. This can help blind women know if they are going to have a baby. There is also a pretend picture of a past US President that can talk like him. This could help kids learn in school or tell people about their flights. The party shows how Bristol is making lots of new tech things.

Original news source: Technology festival’s sock that detect Alzheimer’s signs (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Read the article aloud to the class.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. Instruct each group to summarize the article in their own words, focusing on the main ideas and key details.
4. Give the groups a few minutes to discuss and come up with their summaries.
5. Ask each group to share their summary with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Select a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, socks, doctors, tests, babies).
2. Write each word on a separate piece of paper or index card.
3. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
4. Give each group a set of vocabulary words.
5. Instruct the groups to take turns choosing a word and drawing a picture that represents the word.
6. The other group members must guess the word based on the drawing.
7. Encourage the use of English to describe and discuss the drawings.

– Headline Creation
Instructions:
1. Write the following headline on the board: “New Tech Innovations Unveiled in Bristol”.
2. Explain to the class that they will be creating their own headlines based on the article.
3. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
4. Instruct each group to come up with a catchy headline that summarizes the main ideas of the article.
5. Give the groups a few minutes to brainstorm and come up with their headlines.
6. Ask each group to share their headline with the class and explain their reasoning behind it.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions:
1. Select a few important keywords from the article (e.g. tech party, Alzheimer’s disease, socks, tests, US President).
2. Write dashes on the board to represent each letter in the keyword.
3. Divide the class into two teams.
4. Choose one student from each team to be the “guesser”.
5. The guessers take turns guessing letters. If the letter is in the keyword, write it in the correct position on the board.
6. If the guesser guesses a letter that is not in the keyword, draw part of a hangman figure.
7. The game continues until one team successfully guesses the keyword or the hangman figure is completed.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Instruct each pair to think about how the new tech innovations mentioned in the article could benefit people in their daily lives.
3. Give the pairs a few minutes to discuss and come up with their ideas.
4. Ask each pair to share their ideas with the class.
5. Encourage the use of English to express their opinions and thoughts.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What can the socks do?
2. How can the socks help doctors?
3. What are they making better with electricity?
4. How can this help blind women?
5. What can the pretend picture of the past US President do?
6. How could the pretend picture help kids in school?
7. What is Bristol making a lot of?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big tech party is happening in Bristol. They are showing off new (1)______ ideas. One cool thing is a pair of socks that can tell if someone might get Alzheimer’s (2)______. The socks can (3)______ your heart beat and sweat and tell if something is wrong. This can (4)______ doctors find the disease early.

Another cool thing is a new way to do tests like the ones for babies and sickness. They are making these (5)______ better by using electricity. This can help blind women know if they are (6)______ to have a baby. There is also a pretend picture of a past US President that can talk like him. This could help (7)______ learn in school or tell people about their flights. The party shows how (8)______ is making lots of new tech things.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Alzheimer’s disease?
2. How would you feel if you had socks that could tell if something was wrong with your body?
3. Do you think it’s important for doctors to find diseases early? Why or why not?
4. What are tests for babies and sickness?
5. How would you feel if you were blind and could use electricity to know if you were going to have a baby?
6. Do you think it’s helpful for blind women to have better tests? Why or why not?
7. What is a US President?
8. How would you feel if you could talk to a pretend picture of a past US President?
9. Do you think it’s a good idea for kids to learn from a talking picture? Why or why not?
10. What is tech?
11. How would you feel if you lived in a city that made lots of new tech things?
12. Do you like going to parties? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. tech
2. party
3. cool
4. socks
5. disease
6. tests
7. picture
8. Bristol

Meanings:
(a) A city in England where the party is happening
(b) Awesome or interesting
(c) Exams or checks to see if something is okay
(d) Things you wear on your feet
(e) Fancy gadgets and computers
(f) A fun gathering with friends and games
(g) Sickness or illness
(h) A drawing or painting that looks like a person or thing
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the big tech party showing off in Bristol?
(a) Old boring ideas
(b) New cool ideas
(c) Funny jokes
(d) Delicious food

2. What can the socks do?
(a) Tell the time
(b) Feel your heart beat and sweat
(c) Play music
(d) Cook dinner

3. How can the socks help doctors?
(a) Find a lost dog
(b) Find a treasure map
(c) Find a new friend
(d) Find Alzheimer’s disease early

4. What are they making better with electricity?
(a) Tests for babies and sickness
(b) Tests for dogs and cats
(c) Tests for cars and bikes
(d) Tests for trees and flowers

5. Who can the new tests help?
(a) Blind women
(b) Blind men
(c) Blind dogs
(d) Blind cats

6. What can the pretend picture of a past US President do?
(a) Dance like him
(b) Sing like him
(c) Talk like him
(d) Swim like him

7. How can the pretend picture help kids in school?
(a) Help them sleep
(b) Help them eat
(c) Help them learn
(d) Help them play

8. What is Bristol making lots of?
(a) Old boring things
(b) Funny jokes
(c) Delicious food
(d) New tech things

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. This cannot help doctors find the disease early.
2. This cannot help blind women know if they are going to have a baby.
3. They are making these tests better by using electricity.
4. In Bristol, there is a small party happening where they show off old uncool ideas.
5. Another boring idea is a new way to do tests for babies and sickness.
6. There is a pretend picture of a past US President that can talk like him.
7. The socks can feel your heart beat and sweat and tell if something is wrong.
8. One cool idea is a pair of socks that can tell if someone might get Alzheimer’s disease.
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 can the socks do?
2. How can the socks help doctors?
3. What are they making better with electricity?
4. How can blind women benefit from these tests?
5. What can the pretend picture of a past US President do?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What can the socks do?
The socks can tell if someone might get Alzheimer’s disease.

2. How can the socks help doctors?
The socks can help doctors find the disease early.

3. What are they making better with electricity?
They are making tests better with electricity.

4. How can this help blind women?
This can help blind women know if they are going to have a baby.

5. What can the pretend picture of the past US President do?
The pretend picture can talk like him.

6. How could the pretend picture help kids in school?
The pretend picture could help kids learn in school.

7. What is Bristol making a lot of?
Bristol is making a lot of new tech things.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) cool
(2) disease
(3) feel
(4) help
(5) tests
(6) going
(7) kids
(8) Bristol
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. tech
Answer: (e) Fancy gadgets and computers

2. party
Answer: (f) A fun gathering with friends and games

3. cool
Answer: (b) Awesome or interesting

4. socks
Answer: (d) Things you wear on your feet

5. disease
Answer: (g) Sickness or illness

6. tests
Answer: (c) Exams or checks to see if something is okay

7. picture
Answer: (h) A drawing or painting that looks like a person or thing

8. Bristol
Answer: (a) A city in England where the party is happening
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the big tech party showing off in Bristol?
Answer: (b) New cool ideas

2. What can the socks do?
Answer: (b) Feel your heart beat and sweat

3. How can the socks help doctors?
Answer: (d) Find Alzheimer’s disease early

4. What are they making better with electricity?
Answer: (a) Tests for babies and sickness

5. Who can the new tests help?
Answer: (a) Blind women

6. What can the pretend picture of a past US President do?
Answer: (c) Talk like him

7. How can the pretend picture help kids in school?
Answer: (c) Help them learn

8. What is Bristol making lots of?
Answer: (d) New tech things
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. This cannot help doctors find the disease early. (Answer: False)
2. This cannot help blind women know if they are going to have a baby. (Answer: False)
3. They are making these tests better by using electricity. (Answer: True)
4. In Bristol, there is a small party happening where they show off old uncool ideas. (Answer: False)
5. Another boring idea is a new way to do tests for babies and sickness. (Answer: False)
6. There is a pretend picture of a past US President that can talk like him. (Answer: True)
7. The socks can feel your heart beat and sweat and tell if something is wrong. (Answer: True)
8. One cool idea is a pair of socks that can tell if someone might get Alzheimer’s disease. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧