A bus company in the UK is using a smart computer program to make sure buses come on time. This program looks at things like traffic to plan bus schedules better. Buses are now on time more often, especially when it’s busy. The company wants to use this smart program for all its buses in the UK.

The smart program comes from a company in London. It learns from lots of information, like where the buses are and when people buy tickets. The man in charge of the London company says they also think about when electric buses need to charge. All around the world, more bus companies are using smart programs to help buses run better. But it’s also important that people know the right times for the buses. Two groups say bus companies must tell people when bus times change.

Original news source: How AI is helping to prevent three buses turning up at once (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Write down key words from the article (e.g. bus, traffic, schedules) on separate pieces of paper and put them in a hat. One student from each team will come up and pick a word from the hat without looking. They must then act out the word without speaking, while their team tries to guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point.

– News Summary
Instructions: Give each student a copy of the article. In pairs, they must take turns summarizing the article to their partner, using their own words. Encourage them to include the main points and key details. After they’ve finished, they can discuss any questions or thoughts they have about the article.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on the board (e.g. bus, traffic, schedules). Go around the class and have each student say a word that they associate with one of the key words. For example, if the key word is “bus”, a student might say “public transportation”. Encourage them to explain their associations if necessary.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Divide the class into small groups. One student from each group will come up and pick a word from the hat without looking. They must then draw a picture to represent the word, while their group tries to guess what it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, have students discuss and make predictions about the future of smart programs in bus companies. They can use the information from the article and their own ideas. After they’ve finished, encourage them to share their predictions with the class and have a discussion about the possibilities and potential benefits of smart programs in the transportation industry.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the smart computer program used for?
2. How does the smart program help buses be on time?
3. Where does the smart program come from?
4. What does the smart program learn from?
5. Why is it important for bus companies to tell people when bus times change?
6. What other thing do bus companies think about when using the smart program?
7. Are more bus companies around the world using smart programs?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A bus company in the UK is using a smart computer program to make sure (1)______ come on time. This program looks at things like traffic to (2)______ bus schedules better. Buses are now on time more often, especially when it’s busy. The company wants to use this smart program for all its buses in the UK.

The smart program comes from a company in (3)______. It learns from (4)______ of information, like where the buses are and when people buy tickets. The man in charge of the London company says they also think about when electric buses (5)______ to charge. All around the (6)______, more bus companies are (7)______ smart programs to help buses run better. But it’s also important that people know the right times for the buses. Two (8)______ say bus companies must tell people when bus times change.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a smart computer program?
2. How would you feel if the buses were always late?
3. Do you like the idea of using a smart program to plan bus schedules? Why or why not?
4. What is something that the smart program learns from?
5. How do you think the smart program helps buses run better?
6. Do you think it’s important for bus companies to tell people when bus times change? Why or why not?
7. What is an electric bus?
8. Have you ever seen an electric bus before? Where?
9. How do you think the smart program helps electric buses?
10. What are some things that the smart program looks at to plan bus schedules better?
11. How do you think the smart program knows when people buy tickets?
12. Would you like to ride on a bus that uses a smart program? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. program
2. traffic
3. schedules
4. especially
5. charge
6. information
7. company
8. electric
9. smart
10. important

Meanings:
(A) Even more than other times
(B) Plans that tell you when things will happen
(C) Something that uses a kind of clean energy that doesn’t make smoke
(D) Things you know or learn about
(E) To give power to something, like when you put batteries in a toy
(F) A set of instructions that tell a computer what to do
(G) When something matters a lot or is very special
(H) A group of people who work together to make or sell things
(I) Lots of cars and trucks on the road that can make you slow
(J) When something can think or learn like a person
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the smart computer program helping the bus company in the UK?
(a) A program that helps people buy tickets for the bus.
(b) A program that teaches people how to drive buses.
(c) A program that makes sure the buses are clean.
(d) A program that looks at traffic and plans bus schedules better.

2. Where does the smart program come from?
(a) Paris
(b) Berlin
(c) Tokyo
(d) London

3. What does the smart program learn from?
(a) Lots of information, like what the weather is like and what people eat for lunch.
(b) Lots of information, like how to play the piano and how to bake a cake.
(c) Lots of information, like where the buses are and when people buy tickets.
(d) Lots of information, like how to ride a bike and how to swim.

4. What else does the man in charge of the London company think about?
(a) When the buses need to be painted.
(b) When the drivers need to take a break.
(c) When electric buses need to charge.
(d) When the buses need new tires.

5. Why are more bus companies around the world using smart programs?
(a) To help people buy tickets faster.
(b) To help buses run better.
(c) To help people find their lost belongings on the bus.
(d) To help people learn how to drive a bus.

6. What do two groups say bus companies must do?
(a) Give people free bus tickets.
(b) Tell people when bus times change.
(c) Teach people how to drive a bus.
(d) Make sure the buses are always clean.

7. What is the main goal of the smart program?
(a) To make sure buses come on time.
(b) To make sure people buy tickets.
(c) To make sure the buses are clean.
(d) To make sure the drivers are happy.

8. What is the bus company in the UK planning to do with the smart program?
(a) Use it for all its buses in the UK.
(b) Use it for all its buses around the world.
(c) Use it to teach people how to drive a bus.
(d) Use it to make sure the buses are always clean.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A bus company in the UK is using a special computer program to make sure buses come on time.
2. More bus companies around the world are using special programs to help buses run better.
3. The company wants to use this special program for all its buses in the UK.
4. The program does not come from a company in London.
5. It does not learn from lots of information, such as where the buses are and when people buy tickets.
6. The man in charge of the London company says they do not think about when electric buses need to charge.
7. The program does not consider things like traffic to plan bus schedules better.
8. Buses are now on time more often, especially when it’s busy.
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 smart computer program helping the bus company do?
2. Why are buses on time more often now?
3. Where does the smart program come from?
4. What does the smart program learn from?
5. Why is it important for bus companies to tell people when bus times change?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the smart computer program used for?
The smart computer program is used to make sure buses come on time.

2. How does the smart program help buses be on time?
The smart program looks at things like traffic to plan bus schedules better, so the buses can be on time more often.

3. Where does the smart program come from?
The smart program comes from a company in London.

4. What does the smart program learn from?
The smart program learns from lots of information, like where the buses are and when people buy tickets.

5. Why is it important for bus companies to tell people when bus times change?
It’s important for bus companies to tell people when bus times change so that people know the right times for the buses.

6. What other thing do bus companies think about when using the smart program?
Bus companies also think about when electric buses need to charge when using the smart program.

7. Are more bus companies around the world using smart programs?
Yes, more bus companies around the world are using smart programs to help buses run better.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) buses
(2) plan
(3) London
(4) lots
(5) need
(6) world
(7) using
(8) groups
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. program
Answer: (F) A set of instructions that tell a computer what to do

2. traffic
Answer: (I) Lots of cars and trucks on the road that can make you slow

3. schedules
Answer: (B) Plans that tell you when things will happen

4. especially
Answer: (A) Even more than other times

5. charge
Answer: (E) To give power to something, like when you put batteries in a toy

6. information
Answer: (D) Things you know or learn about

7. company
Answer: (H) A group of people who work together to make or sell things

8. electric
Answer: (C) Something that uses a kind of clean energy that doesn’t make smoke

9. smart
Answer: (J) When something can think or learn like a person

10. important
Answer: (G) When something matters a lot or is very special
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the smart computer program helping the bus company in the UK?
Answer: (d) A program that looks at traffic and plans bus schedules better.

2. Where does the smart program come from?
Answer: (d) London

3. What does the smart program learn from?
Answer: (c) Lots of information, like where the buses are and when people buy tickets.

4. What else does the man in charge of the London company think about?
Answer: (c) When electric buses need to charge.

5. Why are more bus companies around the world using smart programs?
Answer: (b) To help buses run better.

6. What do two groups say bus companies must do?
Answer: (b) Tell people when bus times change.

7. What is the main goal of the smart program?
Answer: (a) To make sure buses come on time.

8. What is the bus company in the UK planning to do with the smart program?
Answer: (a) Use it for all its buses in the UK.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A bus company in the UK is using a special computer program to make sure buses come on time. (Answer: True)
2. More bus companies around the world are using special programs to help buses run better. (Answer: True)
3. The company wants to use this special program for all its buses in the UK. (Answer: True)
4. The program does not come from a company in London. (Answer: False)
5. It does not learn from lots of information, such as where the buses are and when people buy tickets. (Answer: False)
6. The man in charge of the London company says they do not think about when electric buses need to charge. (Answer: False)
7. The program does not consider things like traffic to plan bus schedules better. (Answer: False)
8. Buses are now on time more often, especially when it’s busy. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧