A doctor at a hospital has a new robot to help people lose weight. The robot is called “da Vinci Xi” and it’s the first time they are using it. The doctor says using the robot is like flying a plane because you need to use your hands, eyes, and feet. They hope the robot will make surgeries faster. There were fewer surgeries because of the sickness that was everywhere.

The hospital wants to do more surgeries and make people wait less time. The doctor says it’s hard to learn the robot, but it can help a lot. The robot makes small cuts and helps people feel better faster. The robot will help the hospital take care of more people who need help losing weight. They want to catch up on surgeries they missed because of the sickness.

Original news source: Luton and Dunstable Hospital surgeon uses new robot (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. One student acts out a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. robot, surgery, weight loss) without speaking, while the other students guess what it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to read the article and summarize it in their own words. They can then share their summaries with a partner or small group.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write down key words from the article (e.g. robot, surgery, sickness) on the board. Have students take turns saying a word that they associate with each key word. Encourage them to explain their reasoning.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a word from the article (e.g. hospital, surgeries, weight loss) and ask them to draw a picture to represent it. Students can then take turns showing their drawings to the class, who must guess the word.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask students to think about and write down their opinions on the use of robots in hospitals to help with surgeries. Then, have them pair up and share their thoughts with each other. Finally, have a class discussion where students can share their opinions with the whole group.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the robot that the doctor is using at the hospital?
2. Why does the doctor say using the robot is like flying a plane?
3. What does the hospital want to do more of?
4. Why were there fewer surgeries at the hospital?
5. Is it easy or hard to learn how to use the robot?
6. How does the robot help people feel better faster?
7. Why does the hospital want to catch up on surgeries they missed?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A (1)______ at a hospital has a new robot to help people lose weight. The robot is called “da Vinci Xi” and it’s the first (2)______ they are using it. The doctor says using the robot is like (3)______ a plane because you need to use your hands, eyes, and feet. They (4)______ the robot will make surgeries faster. There were fewer surgeries because of the sickness that was everywhere.

The hospital wants to do more surgeries and (5)______ people wait less time. The doctor says it’s hard to learn the robot, but it can help a lot. The robot makes small cuts and (6)______ people feel better faster. The robot will (7)______ the hospital (8)______ care of more people who need help losing weight. They want to catch up on surgeries they missed because of the sickness.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a robot?
2. How do you think the robot helps people lose weight?
3. Do you think it’s important for hospitals to do more surgeries? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you had to learn how to use the robot?
5. Do you like the idea of a robot helping with surgeries? Why or why not?
6. How do you think the robot makes surgeries faster?
7. What do you think the doctor means when he says using the robot is like flying a plane?
8. How would you feel if you had to wait a long time for surgery?
9. Do you think the robot is a good way to catch up on missed surgeries? Why or why not?
10. What do you think the robot does to help people feel better faster?
11. How would you feel if you needed help losing weight and the robot was there to help you?
12. Do you think using a robot in surgeries is a good idea? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. doctor
2. hospital
3. robot
4. surgeries
5. sickness
6. cuts
7. people
8. weight

Meanings:
(a) A place where sick people go to get better
(b) When you feel really bad and your body doesn’t work right
(c) How heavy something is
(d) Small holes in your body that help you get better
(e) The humans who need help from the doctor
(f) A machine that can do things by itself
(g) When a doctor fixes something wrong with your body
(h) A person who helps you when you’re sick
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the robot that the doctor is using?
(a) Super Robot
(b) Robot Helper
(c) da Vinci Xi
(d) Robo Surgeon

2. According to the doctor, using the robot is similar to what activity?
(a) Riding a bike
(b) Cooking a meal
(c) Flying a plane
(d) Painting a picture

3. What does the hospital hope the robot will do for surgeries?
(a) Make them faster
(b) Make them slower
(c) Make them more difficult
(d) Make them disappear

4. Why were there fewer surgeries at the hospital?
(a) Because of the robot
(b) Because of the sickness
(c) Because of the weather
(d) Because of the doctor

5. What does the hospital want to do with the robot?
(a) Do less surgeries
(b) Do more surgeries
(c) Stop doing surgeries
(d) Start doing different surgeries

6. According to the doctor, is it easy or hard to learn how to use the robot?
(a) Easy
(b) Fun
(c) Boring
(d) Hard

7. What does the robot do to help people feel better faster?
(a) Gives them medicine
(b) Makes them sleep
(c) Gives them food
(d) Makes small cuts

8. Who does the hospital want to help with the robot?
(a) People who need help losing weight
(b) People who need help finding a job
(c) People who need help cooking dinner
(d) People who need help with homework

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The doctor says using the robot is not at all like flying a plane because you don’t need to use your hands, eyes, and feet.
2. The robot is called “da Vinci Xi” and it’s the first time they are using it.
3. There were more surgeries because of the sickness that was nowhere.
4. They hope the robot will make surgeries faster.
5. The doctor says it’s easy to learn the robot, but it can’t help at all.
6. The hospital wants to do fewer surgeries and make people wait longer.
7. A doctor at a hospital has a new robot to help people lose weight.
8. The robot makes small cuts and helps people feel better faster.
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 is the name of the robot that the doctor is using at the hospital?
2. Why does the doctor say using the robot is like flying a plane?
3. What does the hospital want to do more of?
4. Why was there a decrease in surgeries at the hospital?
5. How will the robot help the hospital take care of more people?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of the robot that the doctor is using at the hospital?
The robot is called “da Vinci Xi”.

2. Why does the doctor say using the robot is like flying a plane?
The doctor says using the robot is like flying a plane because you need to use your hands, eyes, and feet to control it.

3. What does the hospital want to do more of?
The hospital wants to do more surgeries.

4. Why were there fewer surgeries at the hospital?
There were fewer surgeries at the hospital because of the sickness that was everywhere.

5. Is it easy or hard to learn how to use the robot?
It is hard to learn how to use the robot.

6. How does the robot help people feel better faster?
The robot makes small cuts and helps people feel better faster.

7. Why does the hospital want to catch up on surgeries they missed?
The hospital wants to catch up on surgeries they missed because of the sickness.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) doctor
(2) time
(3) flying
(4) hope
(5) make
(6) helps
(7) help
(8) take
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. doctor
Answer: (h) A person who helps you when you’re sick

2. hospital
Answer: (a) A place where sick people go to get better

3. robot
Answer: (f) A machine that can do things by itself

4. surgeries
Answer: (g) When a doctor fixes something wrong with your body

5. sickness
Answer: (b) When you feel really bad and your body doesn’t work right

6. cuts
Answer: (d) Small holes in your body that help you get better

7. people
Answer: (e) The humans who need help from the doctor

8. weight
Answer: (c) How heavy something is
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the robot that the doctor is using?
Answer: (c) da Vinci Xi

2. According to the doctor, using the robot is similar to what activity?
Answer: (c) Flying a plane

3. What does the hospital hope the robot will do for surgeries?
Answer: (a) Make them faster

4. Why were there fewer surgeries at the hospital?
Answer: (b) Because of the sickness

5. What does the hospital want to do with the robot?
Answer: (b) Do more surgeries

6. According to the doctor, is it easy or hard to learn how to use the robot?
Answer: (d) Hard

7. What does the robot do to help people feel better faster?
Answer: (d) Makes small cuts

8. Who does the hospital want to help with the robot?
Answer: (a) People who need help losing weight
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The doctor says using the robot is not at all like flying a plane because you don’t need to use your hands, eyes, and feet. (Answer: False)
2. The robot is called “da Vinci Xi” and it’s the first time they are using it. (Answer: True)
3. There were more surgeries because of the sickness that was nowhere. (Answer: False)
4. They hope the robot will make surgeries faster. (Answer: True)
5. The doctor says it’s easy to learn the robot, but it can’t help at all. (Answer: False)
6. The hospital wants to do fewer surgeries and make people wait longer. (Answer: False)
7. A doctor at a hospital has a new robot to help people lose weight. (Answer: True)
8. The robot makes small cuts and helps people feel better faster. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧