Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

English Newsroom

Learn English through news articles - complete lesson plans, including articles, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

Tesla’s New Robot Helpers Will Come Soon

Tesla's humanoid robots, named Optimus, aim to enhance efficiency amid declining electric vehicle demand.

Try this article at a different level?

 

Elon Musk says Tesla will make robot helpers soon. These robots are called Optimus. They will help in Tesla’s factories next year. Later, Tesla wants to sell them to other companies by 2026. Tesla is doing this because they need new ideas to make more money.

Tesla’s car sales are not doing as well as before. But they are making more money from energy storage. Some people are worried, so Tesla’s stock price went down. Musk wants to use robots and smart technology to help Tesla. This can make Tesla’s work faster and better.

Original news source: Musk says Tesla to use humanoid robots next year (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

1robotsMachines that can do work by themselves
2factoriesBig buildings where things are made
3companiesGroups of people who work together to make and sell things
4ideasThoughts or plans about how to do something new
5energyPower that makes things work, like electricity
6storageA place where you keep things until you need them
7worriedFeeling scared or nervous about something
8stockA piece of a company that you can buy
9technologyTools and machines that help us do things
10fasterMoving or working more quickly than before

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group takes turns acting out key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., robot, factory, money, sales) without speaking, while the other groups guess the word. This helps with vocabulary retention and encourages teamwork.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Have students draw vocabulary words related to the article on the board (e.g., robot, Tesla, stock price) while their peers guess what they are drawing. This visual activity aids in understanding and remembering new terms.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Ask students if they think robots like Optimus will be helpful in factories. Students can raise their hands for “yes,” “no,” or “maybe.” After the poll, encourage a short class discussion about their opinions and reasoning to practice speaking skills.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Pose the question, “What jobs do you think robots can do in the future?” Give students a minute to think, then have them pair up to discuss their thoughts. Afterward, invite a few pairs to share their ideas with the class to promote speaking and listening.

– FUTURE PREDICTIONS
Instructions: Have students predict what they think will happen with Tesla and robots in the next five years. They can write down their predictions and then share them with a partner or in small groups. This activity encourages critical thinking and helps them practice future tense.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What are the robots called that Tesla will make?
2. Where will the robots help Tesla?
3. When does Tesla want to sell the robots to other companies?
4. Why does Tesla want to make new robots?
5. How are Tesla’s car sales doing right now?
6. What is making more money for Tesla?
7. What does Musk want the robots to help with?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Elon Musk says (1)______ will make (2)______ helpers soon. These robots are called Optimus. They will help in Tesla’s factories next year. Later, Tesla (3)______ to sell them to other companies by 2026. Tesla is (4)______ this because they need new ideas to make more money.

Tesla’s car (5)______ are not doing as well as before. But they are making (6)______ money from energy storage. Some people are worried, so Tesla’s stock price went down. (7)______ wants to use robots and smart technology to help Tesla. This can make Tesla’s (8)______ faster and better.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a robot to you?
2. Do you like robots? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if a robot helped you at home?
4. What is a factory?
5. Do you think robots can help people? Why?
6. Have you ever seen a robot? Where?
7. What is your favorite toy?
8. Do you think robots can be friends? Why or why not?
9. How would you feel if you had a robot friend?
10. What do you want a robot to do for you?
11. Do you think it is good to use robots at work? Why?
12. How would you feel if there were many robots around you?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. robots
2. factories
3. companies
4. ideas
5. energy
6. storage
7. worried
8. stock
9. technology
10. faster

Meanings:
(A) Big buildings where things are made
(B) Power that makes things work, like electricity
(C) Moving or working more quickly than before
(D) A place where you keep things until you need them
(E) Machines that can do work by themselves
(F) A piece of a company that you can buy
(G) Feeling scared or nervous about something
(H) Thoughts or plans about how to do something new
(I) Groups of people who work together to make and sell things
(J) Tools and machines that help us do things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the robots Tesla will make?
(a) Max
(b) Robo
(c) Optimus
(d) Helper

2. Where will the robots help first?
(a) In schools
(b) In homes
(c) In Tesla’s factories
(d) In hospitals

3. When does Tesla want to sell the robots to other companies?
(a) By 2026
(b) By 2025
(c) By 2024
(d) By 2030

4. Why is Tesla making robots?
(a) To have fun
(b) To play games
(c) To go on vacation
(d) To make more money

5. How are Tesla’s car sales doing?
(a) Very good
(b) Not as good as before
(c) Perfect
(d) Bad

6. What is Tesla making more money from now?
(a) Toys
(b) Energy storage
(c) Food
(d) Clothes

7. What happened to Tesla’s stock price?
(a) It went down
(b) It went up
(c) It stayed the same
(d) It disappeared

8. What does Musk want to use to help Tesla?
(a) Cars and bikes
(b) People and animals
(c) Books and toys
(d) Robots and smart technology

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Tesla does not plan to sell the robots to other companies by 2026.
2. Elon Musk is the boss of Tesla.
3. Tesla’s car sales are not as good as before.
4. Musk wants to use robots to help Tesla work better and faster.
5. Tesla does not need new ideas to make more money.
6. Tesla is losing money from energy storage.
7. Tesla is not making robots called Optimus.
8. The robots will help in Tesla’s factories next year.
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 are the robots called that Tesla will make?
2. Where will the robots help first?
3. Why does Tesla want to make robots?
4. What is happening to Tesla’s car sales?
5. What does Elon Musk want to use to help Tesla’s work?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are the robots called that Tesla will make?
The robots are called Optimus.

2. Where will the robots help Tesla?
The robots will help in Tesla’s factories.

3. When does Tesla want to sell the robots to other companies?
Tesla wants to sell the robots by 2026.

4. Why does Tesla want to make new robots?
Tesla wants to make new robots to get new ideas and make more money.

5. How are Tesla’s car sales doing right now?
Tesla’s car sales are not doing as well as before.

6. What is making more money for Tesla?
Tesla is making more money from energy storage.

7. What does Musk want the robots to help with?
Musk wants the robots to help Tesla work faster and better.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Tesla
(2) robot
(3) wants
(4) doing
(5) sales
(6) more
(7) Musk
(8) work
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. robots
Answer: (E) Machines that can do work by themselves

2. factories
Answer: (A) Big buildings where things are made

3. companies
Answer: (I) Groups of people who work together to make and sell things

4. ideas
Answer: (H) Thoughts or plans about how to do something new

5. energy
Answer: (B) Power that makes things work, like electricity

6. storage
Answer: (D) A place where you keep things until you need them

7. worried
Answer: (G) Feeling scared or nervous about something

8. stock
Answer: (F) A piece of a company that you can buy

9. technology
Answer: (J) Tools and machines that help us do things

10. faster
Answer: (C) Moving or working more quickly than before
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the robots Tesla will make?
Answer: (c) Optimus

2. Where will the robots help first?
Answer: (c) In Tesla’s factories

3. When does Tesla want to sell the robots to other companies?
Answer: (a) By 2026

4. Why is Tesla making robots?
Answer: (d) To make more money

5. How are Tesla’s car sales doing?
Answer: (b) Not as good as before

6. What is Tesla making more money from now?
Answer: (b) Energy storage

7. What happened to Tesla’s stock price?
Answer: (a) It went down

8. What does Musk want to use to help Tesla?
Answer: (d) Robots and smart technology
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Tesla does not plan to sell the robots to other companies by 2026. (Answer: False)
2. Elon Musk is the boss of Tesla. (Answer: True)
3. Tesla’s car sales are not as good as before. (Answer: True)
4. Musk wants to use robots to help Tesla work better and faster. (Answer: True)
5. Tesla does not need new ideas to make more money. (Answer: False)
6. Tesla is losing money from energy storage. (Answer: False)
7. Tesla is not making robots called Optimus. (Answer: False)
8. The robots will help in Tesla’s factories next year. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

How about these other Level 1 articles?

Feedback