A man named Ian Leaman wanted to buy a website name for his new computer business. He found out someone else already owned the name Pantry.ai he wanted. He had to pay $12,000 to get it. This is because names for websites about smart computers are getting more expensive.

Lots of people want to buy website names that have “AI” in them, which stands for artificial intelligence. These names can cost from a little bit to a lot of money. The total worth of these names is now $20 million. Some people buy these names hoping to sell them for more money later.

Businesses that work with smart computers should think carefully before spending a lot of money on a website name. It’s good to have a name that fits your business, but it shouldn’t cost too much. Smart computers are getting more popular in technology. Companies want to show how good they are at making smart computers.

Original news source: The race to buy AI website addresses (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Each group will read the article and then work together to create a short summary of the news story. They should aim to present the main points in two or three sentences. Afterward, they will share their summaries with the class.

– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article (e.g., website name, AI, artificial intelligence, technology, business) on individual cards. Divide the class into two teams. Players take turns drawing a card and describing the word to their team without saying the word itself or the other words listed on the card. The team gets a point for each correctly guessed word.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Conduct an opinion poll in the classroom on whether it’s worth it for businesses to spend a lot of money on a website name. Have students move to one side of the room if they agree, and to the other side if they disagree. Then, have representatives from each side share their reasons. This will encourage the students to use language of agreement and disagreement and to practice giving reasons for their opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down words and phrases related to the article (e.g., pantry, computer business, smart computers, website, expensive) on slips of paper. Students take turns picking a slip of paper and drawing the word or phrase for their team to guess. This activity helps with word recognition and vocabulary expansion.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask the students to imagine the future of AI and technology. In pairs or small groups, they will discuss and make predictions about what kinds of AI-related website names could be popular and valuable in the future. They can also discuss what other trends in technology might influence business decisions. Each group will then share their predictions with the class, using the future tense.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Ian Leaman want to buy for his new business?
2. Which website name did Ian Leaman want to buy?
3. How much money did Ian Leaman have to pay for the website name he wanted?
4. What does “AI” stand for in website names?
5. How much can website names with “AI” cost?
6. What is the total value of all the website names with “AI” in them?
7. Why do companies want website names that are related to smart computers?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man (1)______ Ian Leaman wanted to buy a website name for his new (2)______ business. He (3)______ out someone else already owned the name Pantry.ai he wanted. He had to pay $12,000 to get it. This is because names for websites about (4)______ computers are getting more expensive.

Lots of people want to buy website names that have “AI” in them, which stands for artificial (5)______. These names can cost from a (6)______ bit to a lot of money. The total (7)______ of these names is now $20 million. Some people buy these names hoping to sell them for (8)______ money later.

Businesses that work with smart (9)______ should think carefully before spending a lot of money on a website name. It’s (10)______ to have a name that fits your business, but it shouldn’t cost too much. Smart computers are getting more popular in technology. Companies (11)______ to show how good they are at (12)______ smart computers.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a website name?
2. How would you feel if you had to pay a lot of money for a website name?
3. Do you like the idea of having “AI” in a website name? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important for a computer business to have a good website name?
5. What would you do if someone else owned the website name you wanted?
6. Have you ever wanted to buy something but it was too expensive? What did you do?
7. Why do you think people like to buy website names with “AI” in them?
8. Do you think it is smart to spend a lot of money on a website name? Why or why not?
9. What is artificial intelligence? Can you give an example?
10. Would you ever buy a website name hoping to sell it for more money later? Why or why not?
11. Do you think smart computers will be more popular in the future?
12. If you had a business, what kind of name would you choose for your website? Why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. website
2. artificial
3. expensive
4. worth
5. popular
6. technology
7. businesses
8. intelligence

Meanings:
(a) Not real, made by humans
(b) The value of something
(c) Using machines and computers
(d) A place on the internet
(e) Companies and stores
(f) Costs a lot of money
(g) Being smart and able to learn and understand
(h) Liked by many people
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did Ian Leaman have to pay $12,000 for the website name Pantry.ai?
(a) He really liked the name
(b) Someone else already owned the name
(c) It was the only name available
(d) It was a special deal

2. What does “AI” stand for in website names?
(a) Amazing internet
(b) Awesome ideas
(c) Advanced information
(d) Artificial intelligence

3. How much are website names with “AI” in them worth in total?
(a) $10 million
(b) $5 million
(c) $20 million
(d) $30 million

4. Why do some people buy website names with “AI” in them?
(a) To use them for their own business
(b) To keep them away from others
(c) To make friends with other website owners
(d) To sell them for more money later

5. What should businesses think carefully about before spending a lot of money on a website name?
(a) If it fits their business
(b) If it’s a popular name
(c) If it’s easy to remember
(d) If it’s a funny name

6. What is getting more popular in technology?
(a) Smart computers
(b) Old-fashioned computers
(c) Typewriters
(d) Fax machines

7. What do companies want to show by having a good website name for their smart computers?
(a) How much money they have
(b) How many employees they have
(c) How good they are at making smart computers
(d) How many customers they have

8. What is the main idea of the article?
(a) Ian Leaman bought a website name for his computer business
(b) Website names with “AI” are getting more expensive
(c) Smart computers are not popular in technology
(d) Companies don’t need to worry about their website names

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The total value of website names with “AI” in them is now $20 million.
2. Some people buy website names with “AI” in them to sell them for a higher price later.
3. Companies do not want to show that they are good at making smart computers.
4. Businesses that work with smart computers should be careful about not spending a lot of money on a website name.
5. Website names about smart computers are becoming less expensive.
6. Smart computers are becoming more popular in technology.
7. Ian Leaman paid $12,000 to buy the website name Pantry.ai for his computer business.
8. Website names without “AI” in them are in high demand because of artificial intelligence.
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 did Ian Leaman want to buy for his new business?
2. How much did Ian have to pay for the website name he wanted?
3. What does “AI” stand for in website names?
4. How much can website names with “AI” cost?
5. Why do businesses want to have “AI” in their website names?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Ian Leaman want to buy for his new business?
Ian Leaman wanted to buy a website name for his new computer business.

2. Which website name did Ian Leaman want to buy?
He wanted to buy the website name Pantry.ai.

3. How much money did Ian Leaman have to pay for the website name he wanted?
Ian Leaman had to pay $12,000 for the website name.

4. What does “AI” stand for in website names?
“AI” stands for artificial intelligence in website names.

5. How much can website names with “AI” cost?
Website names with “AI” can cost from a little bit to a lot of money.

6. What is the total value of all the website names with “AI” in them?
The total value of all the website names with “AI” is now $20 million.

7. Why do companies want website names that are related to smart computers?
Companies want website names related to smart computers to show how good they are at making smart computers.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) computer
(3) found
(4) smart
(5) intelligence
(6) little
(7) worth
(8) more
(9) computers
(10) good
(11) want
(12) making
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. website
Answer: (d) A place on the internet

2. artificial
Answer: (a) Not real, made by humans

3. expensive
Answer: (f) Costs a lot of money

4. worth
Answer: (b) The value of something

5. popular
Answer: (h) Liked by many people

6. technology
Answer: (c) Using machines and computers

7. businesses
Answer: (e) Companies and stores

8. intelligence
Answer: (g) Being smart and able to learn and understand
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did Ian Leaman have to pay $12,000 for the website name Pantry.ai?
Answer: (b) Someone else already owned the name

2. What does “AI” stand for in website names?
Answer: (d) Artificial intelligence

3. How much are website names with “AI” in them worth in total?
Answer: (c) $20 million

4. Why do some people buy website names with “AI” in them?
Answer: (d) To sell them for more money later

5. What should businesses think carefully about before spending a lot of money on a website name?
Answer: (a) If it fits their business

6. What is getting more popular in technology?
Answer: (a) Smart computers

7. What do companies want to show by having a good website name for their smart computers?
Answer: (c) How good they are at making smart computers

8. What is the main idea of the article?
Answer: (b) Website names with “AI” are getting more expensive
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The total value of website names with “AI” in them is now $20 million. (Answer: True)
2. Some people buy website names with “AI” in them to sell them for a higher price later. (Answer: True)
3. Companies do not want to show that they are good at making smart computers. (Answer: False)
4. Businesses that work with smart computers should be careful about not spending a lot of money on a website name. (Answer: False)
5. Website names about smart computers are becoming less expensive. (Answer: False)
6. Smart computers are becoming more popular in technology. (Answer: True)
7. Ian Leaman paid $12,000 to buy the website name Pantry.ai for his computer business. (Answer: True)
8. Website names without “AI” in them are in high demand because of artificial intelligence. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧