In London, there are new taxis that can drive themselves. These special cars are called self-driving taxis. They have a human driver inside just to be safe. Right now, there are only 15 of these taxis in London. Many people are excited and want to try riding in them.
A reporter took a ride in one of these cool taxis. The car mostly did the driving all by itself. But, at one point, the human driver had to help. The reporter said the ride was mostly smooth and nice. If you want to ride in these taxis, you can order them using the Uber app.
Original news source: What it's like to ride in Uber's new self-driving taxis in London – BBC News (BBC)
🎧 Listen:
📖 Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
1. Talk about a time you rode in a car.
2. Name different types of vehicles you know.
3. Imagine what it would be like if your toys moved by themselves.
4. Describe your favorite car color and why you like it.
5. Discuss what you think a driver does.
🤔 Comprehension Questions:
A: In London.
A: They can drive by themselves.
A:
A: A human driver.
A: By ordering them using the Uber app.
A: A reporter.
A: It was mostly smooth.
🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
In London, there are new taxis that can themselves. These cars are called self-driving taxis. They have a human driver inside just to be safe. Right now, there are 15 of these taxis in London. Many people are excited and to try riding in them. A reporter took a ride in one of these cool . The car mostly did the driving all by . But, at one point, the human driver had to help. The reporter said the ride was mostly smooth and . If you want to ride in these taxis, you can them using the Uber app.
💬 Discussion Questions:
1. Would you like to ride in a self-driving taxi? Why or why not?
2. How do you feel about cars that drive themselves?
3. Do you trust robots or machines to do things by themselves? Why?
4. Which do you think is safer: a human driver or a self-driving car?
5. Have you used an app to order anything before? What was it?
6. What is your favorite thing about riding in a car?
7. If you could have any vehicle, what would it be?
8. How do you think cars without drivers see the road?
9. Would you be excited or scared to try a self-driving car?
10. How should people decide when to let a self-driving car take over?
11. Do you think there will be more self-driving cars in the future?
12. What is the coolest technology you have ever seen?
Individual Activities
📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
