Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is looking for people to test a new brain-computer tool. This tool could help people who can’t move to use a computer with their thoughts. The test will put a small device in the brain that can send signals to a computer. Other companies are also making these tools and have already tested them on people.

Neuralink will use a robot to put tiny wires in the brain. These wires will send brain signals to an app that can understand what movement the person wants to make. People who can’t move their bodies might be able to join the test. We don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies.

Original news source: Musk start-up Neuralink seeks people for brain-implant trial (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a list of actions related to the article (e.g. typing on a computer, moving a robot arm). One student from each group will act out the action without speaking, while the others in the group try to guess what it is.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, have students take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. Encourage them to use their own words and focus on the most important information.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to draw a scene related to the article. After a few minutes, have them share their drawings with a partner and explain what they drew.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on individual slips of paper. Divide the class into teams and have one student from each team come up to the front. Show the student a word and they must draw it on the board while their team tries to guess what it is.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question related to the article to the class (e.g. “Do you think brain-computer tools are a good idea? Why or why not?”). Have students take a few minutes to think about their answer, then pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts. Finally, have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Elon Musk’s company called?
2. What is the new tool that Neuralink is testing?
3. How does the tool help people who can’t move?
4. How will the wires be put in the brain?
5. What does the app do?
6. Who can join the test?
7. Do we know if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as other companies’ tools?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Elon Musk’s company, (1)______, is looking for (2)______ to test a new brain-computer tool. This tool could help people who can’t move to use a computer with their thoughts. The test will put a small (3)______ in the brain that can send signals to a computer. Other companies are also making these (4)______ and have already tested them on people.

Neuralink will use a robot to put tiny wires in the (5)______. These wires will send brain signals to an app that can (6)______ what movement the person wants to make. People who can’t move their bodies might be (7)______ to join the test. We don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from (8)______ companies.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Neuralink looking for people to do?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t move your body?
3. Do you think a brain-computer tool is a good idea? Why or why not?
4. What do you think a robot can do?
5. How do you think the tiny wires in the brain work?
6. Do you like using a computer? Why or why not?
7. What do you think it would be like to use a computer with your thoughts?
8. How do you think the app can understand what movement the person wants to make?
9. Do you know any other companies that make brain-computer tools?
10. How do you think the brain signals can be sent to a computer?
11. What do you think the test will be like for people who can’t move their bodies?
12. Why do you think we don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. company
2. test
3. brain
4. computer
5. device
6. signals
7. wires
8. movement

Meanings:
(a) Trying something to see if it works
(b) The way your body can change position or go from one place to another
(c) Messages that tell you what to do
(d) A group of people who work together
(e) A tool or object that helps you do something
(f) A machine that you can use to play games and watch videos
(g) Thin strings that carry messages
(h) The organ inside your head that helps you think
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is Neuralink looking for?
(a) People to test a new phone
(b) People to test a new brain-computer tool
(c) People to test a new car
(d) People to test a new toy

2. What can the brain-computer tool help people with?
(a) Using a computer with their thoughts
(b) Using a computer with their hands
(c) Using a computer with their feet
(d) Using a computer with their eyes

3. How does the brain-computer tool work?
(a) It sends signals from the computer to the brain
(b) It sends signals from the brain to the phone
(c) It sends signals from the phone to the brain
(d) It sends signals from the brain to a computer

4. What will Neuralink use to put wires in the brain?
(a) A car
(b) A phone
(c) A robot
(d) A toy

5. What will the wires in the brain do?
(a) Send brain signals to a car
(b) Send brain signals to a phone
(c) Send brain signals to a toy
(d) Send brain signals to an app

6. Who might be able to join the test?
(a) People who can’t move their cars
(b) People who can’t move their bodies
(c) People who can’t move their phones
(d) People who can’t move their toys

7. Do we know if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies?
(a) Yes, we know for sure
(b) No, we know for sure
(c) No, we don’t know yet
(d) Yes, we don’t know yet

8. What is the purpose of the test?
(a) To see if the brain-computer tool works
(b) To see if the phone works
(c) To see if the car works
(d) To see if the toy works

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. We don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies.
2. These wires will send signals from the brain to an app that can understand what movement the person wants to make.
3. People who can move their bodies might be able to join the test.
4. This tool cannot help people who can’t move to use a computer with their thoughts.
5. Neuralink will not use a robot to put tiny wires in the brain.
6. The tool will put a small device in the brain that can send signals to a computer.
7. No other companies have tested similar tools on people.
8. Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is looking for people to try a new tool for the brain.
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 Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, looking for?
2. How could the brain-computer tool help people who can’t move?
3. How will the tiny wires in the brain send signals to the computer?
4. Who might be able to join the test for Neuralink’s tool?
5. Do we know if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is Elon Musk’s company called?
Elon Musk’s company is called Neuralink.

2. What is the new tool that Neuralink is testing?
The new tool that Neuralink is testing is a brain-computer tool.

3. How does the tool help people who can’t move?
The tool helps people who can’t move by allowing them to use a computer with their thoughts.

4. How will the wires be put in the brain?
The wires will be put in the brain using a robot.

5. What does the app do?
The app can understand what movement the person wants to make by receiving signals from the brain.

6. Who can join the test?
People who can’t move their bodies might be able to join the test.

7. Do we know if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as other companies’ tools?
We don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as other companies’ tools.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Neuralink
(2) people
(3) device
(4) tools
(5) brain
(6) understand
(7) able
(8) other
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. company
Answer: (d) A group of people who work together

2. test
Answer: (a) Trying something to see if it works

3. brain
Answer: (h) The organ inside your head that helps you think

4. computer
Answer: (f) A machine that you can use to play games and watch videos

5. device
Answer: (e) A tool or object that helps you do something

6. signals
Answer: (c) Messages that tell you what to do

7. wires
Answer: (g) Thin strings that carry messages

8. movement
Answer: (b) The way your body can change position or go from one place to another
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is Neuralink looking for?
Answer: (b) People to test a new brain-computer tool

2. What can the brain-computer tool help people with?
Answer: (a) Using a computer with their thoughts

3. How does the brain-computer tool work?
Answer: (d) It sends signals from the brain to a computer

4. What will Neuralink use to put wires in the brain?
Answer: (c) A robot

5. What will the wires in the brain do?
Answer: (d) Send brain signals to an app

6. Who might be able to join the test?
Answer: (b) People who can’t move their bodies

7. Do we know if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies?
Answer: (c) No, we don’t know yet

8. What is the purpose of the test?
Answer: (a) To see if the brain-computer tool works
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. We don’t know yet if Neuralink’s tool will work as well as the tools from other companies. (Answer: True)
2. These wires will send signals from the brain to an app that can understand what movement the person wants to make. (Answer: True)
3. People who can move their bodies might be able to join the test. (Answer: False)
4. This tool cannot help people who can’t move to use a computer with their thoughts. (Answer: False)
5. Neuralink will not use a robot to put tiny wires in the brain. (Answer: False)
6. The tool will put a small device in the brain that can send signals to a computer. (Answer: True)
7. No other companies have tested similar tools on people. (Answer: False)
8. Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink, is looking for people to try a new tool for the brain. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧