Google made a new smart computer friend called Gemini. It is very good at thinking and can answer hard questions. Gemini can work with words, pictures, and sounds. It will help with Google’s search and talking robot, Bard. People think Gemini is very special because it can learn from pictures too, not just words.

But Gemini has other computer friends that are also very smart. One is made by OpenAI and another by a man named Elon Musk. These smart computer friends are getting better too. Some people are worried that these smart computer friends might cause problems. So, leaders from different places are trying to make rules to keep everyone safe.

Original news source: Google claims new Gemini AI ‘thinks more carefully’ (BBC)

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Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down a list of words related to the article (e.g. Gemini, computer, friend, smart, pictures). Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will come to the front of the class and act out one of the words silently, while the rest of their team tries to guess what word they are acting out. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been acted out or until time runs out. The team with the most points wins.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write down a list of words related to the article (e.g. Gemini, computer, friend, smart, pictures) on the board. Have the students take turns saying a word that they associate with each word on the board. Encourage them to explain their associations if they can. For example, if the word is “Gemini,” a student might say “twins” because Gemini is a zodiac sign representing twins.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. Gemini, computer, friend, smart, pictures). One student from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture representing that word, while the other student tries to guess what word it is. They can only use their drawings, no spoken or written words. After a certain amount of time, switch roles and continue until all the words have been drawn.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Write down three key points from the article on the board (e.g. Gemini is a smart computer friend, it can work with words, pictures, and sounds, leaders are making rules to keep everyone safe). Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will have 30 seconds to summarize one of the key points to their partner. Then, the roles switch and the other student has 30 seconds to summarize a different key point. After both students have had a turn, they can discuss and compare their summaries.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask the students to think about and write down their opinion on the statement: “Smart computer friends like Gemini are helpful for society.” After a few minutes, have the students pair up and share their opinions with each other. Encourage them to ask questions and have a discussion about their opinions. Then, have a few pairs share their opinions with the whole class and facilitate a class discussion on the topic.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of Google’s new smart computer friend?
2. What can Gemini do well?
3. Who else made smart computer friends?
4. Why do people think Gemini is special?
5. What are some things Gemini can learn from?
6. Why are some people worried about smart computer friends?
7. What are leaders trying to do to keep everyone safe?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Google made a new smart computer (1)______ called Gemini. It is very good at thinking and can answer hard questions. Gemini can work with (2)______, pictures, and sounds. It will help with Google’s search and talking (3)______, (4)______. People think Gemini is very special because it can learn from pictures too, not just words.

But Gemini has other computer friends that are also very smart. One is made by (5)______ and another by a man (6)______ Elon Musk. These smart computer friends are getting better too. Some (7)______ are worried that these smart computer friends might cause problems. So, leaders from different (8)______ are trying to make rules to keep everyone safe.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Gemini?
2. How do you think Gemini helps Google?
3. Do you think Gemini is special? Why or why not?
4. What are some things that Gemini can work with?
5. How do you feel about smart computer friends like Gemini?
6. Do you like learning from pictures? Why or why not?
7. What are some other smart computer friends that Gemini has?
8. Are you worried about smart computer friends causing problems? Why or why not?
9. Do you think it’s important to make rules to keep everyone safe? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you had a smart computer friend like Gemini?
11. Do you think smart computer friends can help people? Why or why not?
12. What do you think the future will be like with smart computer friends?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. computer
2. pictures
3. smart
4. learn
5. rules
6. special
7. problems
8. leaders
9. places
10. worried

Meanings:
(A) People who tell others what to do
(B) Different areas or locations
(C) Something that is different and important
(D) Feeling scared or nervous about something
(E) To get information from something and remember it
(F) Very clever and can do difficult things
(G) Difficult things that need to be fixed
(H) A machine that can think and answer questions
(I) Images that you take with a camera
(J) Things you have to follow to stay safe
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of Google’s new smart computer friend?
(a) Bard
(b) OpenAI
(c) Elon Musk
(d) Gemini

2. What can Gemini work with?
(a) Words, pictures, and sounds
(b) Numbers, shapes, and colors
(c) Animals, plants, and rocks
(d) Food, toys, and clothes

3. What makes Gemini special?
(a) It can learn from pictures
(b) It can fly and swim
(c) It can talk to animals
(d) It can play music

4. Who made one of Gemini’s smart computer friends?
(a) Google
(b) OpenAI
(c) Bard
(d) Elon Musk

5. What are some people worried about?
(a) Smart computer friends being too friendly
(b) Smart computer friends being too smart
(c) Smart computer friends causing problems
(d) Smart computer friends not being helpful

6. What are leaders trying to do?
(a) Make rules to make everyone happy
(b) Make rules to make everyone rich
(c) Make rules to keep everyone safe
(d) Make rules to make everyone famous

7. What is the purpose of Gemini?
(a) To play games with humans
(b) To help with Google’s search and talking robot
(c) To take over the world
(d) To make people laugh

8. What can Gemini learn from?
(a) Movies and songs
(b) Pictures and words
(c) Computers and robots
(d) Planets and stars

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The article talks about the importance of keeping rules to protect people from the smart computer friends.
2. Gemini can work with words, pictures, and sounds to help with Google’s search and talking robot, Bard.
3. Gemini has no other smart computer friends made by OpenAI and Elon Musk.
4. Leaders from different places are trying to make rules to keep everyone safe from these smart computer friends.
5. People don’t think Gemini is special because it can’t learn from pictures, only words.
6. These smart computer friends are not getting better.
7. Google made a new computer enemy called Gemini that is very bad at thinking and can’t answer hard questions.
8. Some people are worried that these smart computer friends might cause problems.
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 Gemini?
2. What is Gemini good at?
3. What can Gemini work with?
4. Why do people think Gemini is special?
5. Why are some people worried about smart computer friends?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of Google’s new smart computer friend?
Google’s new smart computer friend is called Gemini.

2. What can Gemini do well?
Gemini can think and answer hard questions. It can work with words, pictures, and sounds.

3. Who else made smart computer friends?
OpenAI and a man named Elon Musk also made smart computer friends.

4. Why do people think Gemini is special?
People think Gemini is special because it can learn from pictures, not just words.

5. What are some things Gemini can learn from?
Gemini can learn from words, pictures, and sounds.

6. Why are some people worried about smart computer friends?
Some people are worried that smart computer friends might cause problems.

7. What are leaders trying to do to keep everyone safe?
Leaders are trying to make rules to keep everyone safe.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) friend
(2) words
(3) robot
(4) Bard
(5) OpenAI
(6) named
(7) people
(8) places
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. computer
Answer: (H) A machine that can think and answer questions

2. pictures
Answer: (I) Images that you take with a camera

3. smart
Answer: (F) Very clever and can do difficult things

4. learn
Answer: (E) To get information from something and remember it

5. rules
Answer: (J) Things you have to follow to stay safe

6. special
Answer: (C) Something that is different and important

7. problems
Answer: (G) Difficult things that need to be fixed

8. leaders
Answer: (A) People who tell others what to do

9. places
Answer: (B) Different areas or locations

10. worried
Answer: (D) Feeling scared or nervous about something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of Google’s new smart computer friend?
Answer: (d) Gemini

2. What can Gemini work with?
Answer: (a) Words, pictures, and sounds

3. What makes Gemini special?
Answer: (a) It can learn from pictures

4. Who made one of Gemini’s smart computer friends?
Answer: (d) Elon Musk

5. What are some people worried about?
Answer: (c) Smart computer friends causing problems

6. What are leaders trying to do?
Answer: (c) Make rules to keep everyone safe

7. What is the purpose of Gemini?
Answer: (b) To help with Google’s search and talking robot

8. What can Gemini learn from?
Answer: (b) Pictures and words
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The article talks about the importance of keeping rules to protect people from the smart computer friends. (Answer: True)
2. Gemini can work with words, pictures, and sounds to help with Google’s search and talking robot, Bard. (Answer: True)
3. Gemini has no other smart computer friends made by OpenAI and Elon Musk. (Answer: False)
4. Leaders from different places are trying to make rules to keep everyone safe from these smart computer friends. (Answer: True)
5. People don’t think Gemini is special because it can’t learn from pictures, only words. (Answer: False)
6. These smart computer friends are not getting better. (Answer: False)
7. Google made a new computer enemy called Gemini that is very bad at thinking and can’t answer hard questions. (Answer: False)
8. Some people are worried that these smart computer friends might cause problems. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧