In India, people have been making carpets by hand for a very long time. They used a special code to help them make very detailed designs. But now, they are using computers to help them see the designs better and fix any mistakes before they happen. Also, they are teaching computers to understand the old code, which helps them make carpets faster to keep up with what people want to buy.

The people who make carpets in India are having a tough time because other countries like Turkey and China are also making carpets. A big carpet company is using new technology to help make carpets better, but they still make them by hand because people like that. They also started using special tags to show that their carpets are real and made the traditional way, which is important to keep the old ways of making carpets alive.

A man named Feroz Ahmad Bhat, who makes carpets, is happy because these new changes are helping the carpet business do well again. The new technology, like computers, is not taking away from the art of making carpets but is actually making it easier to make them. This way, they can make more carpets that people want to buy, without losing the special touch of being made by hand.

Original news source: India’s ancient carpet weaving industry meets AI (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 on small pieces of paper and put them in a hat. One student from each team will take turns picking a word and acting it out without speaking. The team members will try to guess the word within a certain time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups. Each group will read the article and then create a one-minute news summary of the main points. They can use bullet points or short sentences to summarize the information. After each group presents their summary, the class can discuss any differences or similarities between the summaries.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write down a statement related to the article on the board, such as “Using computers to make carpets is a good idea.” Have students stand on one side of the classroom if they agree with the statement and on the other side if they disagree. Then, encourage students to discuss their opinions in pairs or small groups. Afterward, have a class discussion to share different viewpoints.

– 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 two teams. One student from each team will take turns picking a word and drawing a picture to represent it on the board. The other students in their team must guess the word within a certain time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups. Ask them to imagine what the future of carpet making might look like based on the article. They can discuss and write down their predictions, considering factors such as technology advancements, market trends, and cultural preservation. Afterward, each group can share their predictions with the class and discuss the likelihood of each scenario.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How are people in India making carpets?
2. What are computers helping people do with the carpet designs?
3. Why are people in India having a tough time making carpets?
4. What is the big carpet company using to make carpets better?
5. Why do they still make carpets by hand?
6. What are the special tags used for?
7. Why is Feroz Ahmad Bhat happy about the new changes in the carpet business?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In India, people have been (1)______ carpets by hand for a very long (2)______. They used a special code to help them make very detailed designs. But now, they are using computers to help them see the designs better and fix any mistakes before they happen. Also, they are teaching computers to (3)______ the old code, which helps them make (4)______ faster to keep up with what people want to buy.

The people who make carpets in India are having a tough time because other countries like (5)______ and (6)______ are also making carpets. A big carpet company is using new technology to help make carpets better, but they still make them by hand because people like that. They also started (7)______ special tags to show that their carpets are real and made the traditional way, which is important to (8)______ the old ways of making carpets alive.

A man (9)______ Feroz Ahmad Bhat, who makes carpets, is happy because these new changes are helping the carpet business do well again. The new (10)______, like computers, is not taking away from the art of making carpets but is actually making it easier to make them. This way, they can make more carpets that (11)______ want to buy, without (12)______ the special touch of being made by hand.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a carpet?
2. How would you feel if you had to make carpets by hand?
3. Do you like the idea of using computers to help make carpets?
4. Do you think it’s important to keep the old ways of making carpets alive? Why or why not?
5. What do you think about using special tags to show that a carpet is made the traditional way?
6. How do you think computers can make it easier to make carpets?
7. Do you think it’s good that the new changes are helping the carpet business do well again? Why or why not?
8. What other things do you think computers can help people make?
9. How would you feel if other countries were making the same things as your country?
10. Do you think it’s better to make more carpets or to keep the special touch of being made by hand? Why or why not?
11. What other things do you think could be made using the old ways?
12. How important do you think it is to preserve traditional crafts and arts? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. carpets
2. code
3. detailed
4. computers
5. mistakes
6. technology
7. traditional
8. tags
9. alive
10. changes
11. art
12. touch

Meanings:
(A) Still existing or active
(B) Small pieces of material attached to something that give information about it
(C) The act of making something different
(D) Electronic machines that can store, organize, and find information
(E) Errors or things that are not correct
(F) The feeling or effect that comes from something, making it special
(G) A system of symbols or instructions used to carry out tasks or create things
(H) The use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry
(I) Following the old ways of doing things, passed down from generation to generation
(J) The expression of human creative skill and imagination
(K) Soft floor coverings made from wool or other materials
(L) Having lots of small parts or features that are carefully arranged
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How have people in India traditionally made carpets?
(a) Using computers
(b) With special tags
(c) By hand
(d) By using new technology

2. What is the new technology that people in India are using to make carpets?
(a) Special tags
(b) Computers
(c) Handmade techniques
(d) Traditional code

3. Why are people in India using computers to help them make carpets?
(a) To make the carpets faster
(b) To keep up with what people want to buy
(c) To see the designs better and fix mistakes
(d) All of the above

4. Why are people in India using special tags on their carpets?
(a) To make the carpets better
(b) To keep the old ways of making carpets alive
(c) To compete with other countries
(d) To show that they are made by hand

5. What is the name of the man who makes carpets in India?
(a) Feroz Ahmad Bhat
(b) Feroz Carpet Company
(c) Feroz Technology
(d) Feroz Traditional Carpets

6. How does Feroz Ahmad Bhat feel about the new changes in the carpet business?
(a) Angry
(b) Happy
(c) Confused
(d) Sad

7. What is the benefit of using computers to make carpets?
(a) It takes away from the art of making carpets
(b) It makes the carpets more expensive
(c) It makes the carpets less popular
(d) It makes it easier to make them

8. What is the purpose of using the old code in making carpets?
(a) To help computers understand the designs
(b) To make the carpets faster
(c) To keep the old ways of making carpets alive
(d) To compete with other countries

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Other countries like Turkey and China also make carpets, making it tough for Indian carpet makers.
2. A big carpet company uses new technology to make carpets better, but they still make them by hand because people like that.
3. The new changes, like computers, are hindering the carpet business from thriving again.
4. They used a common code to help them make detailed designs.
5. They are teaching computers to understand the old code to make carpets faster.
6. The company started using ordinary tags to show that their carpets are made the modern way.
7. Now, they are using computers to see the designs worse and create mistakes before they happen.
8. In India, people have been making carpets by hand for a long time.
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. How are computers helping people in India make carpets?
2. Why are people in India having a tough time making carpets?
3. What is the special tag used by the big carpet company for their carpets?
4. Why is Feroz Ahmad Bhat happy about the new changes in the carpet business?
5. How are computers making it easier to make carpets in India?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How are people in India making carpets?
– People in India are making carpets by hand.

2. What are computers helping people do with the carpet designs?
– Computers are helping people see the designs better and fix any mistakes before they happen.

3. Why are people in India having a tough time making carpets?
– People in India are having a tough time making carpets because other countries like Turkey and China are also making carpets.

4. What is the big carpet company using to make carpets better?
– The big carpet company is using new technology to make carpets better.

5. Why do they still make carpets by hand?
– They still make carpets by hand because people like the special touch of handmade carpets.

6. What are the special tags used for?
– The special tags are used to show that the carpets are real and made in the traditional way.

7. Why is Feroz Ahmad Bhat happy about the new changes in the carpet business?
– Feroz Ahmad Bhat is happy because the new changes, like using computers, are making it easier to make carpets without taking away from the art of making them.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) making
(2) time
(3) understand
(4) carpets
(5) Turkey
(6) China
(7) using
(8) keep
(9) named
(10) technology
(11) people
(12) losing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. carpets
Answer: (K) Soft floor coverings made from wool or other materials

2. code
Answer: (G) A system of symbols or instructions used to carry out tasks or create things

3. detailed
Answer: (L) Having lots of small parts or features that are carefully arranged

4. computers
Answer: (D) Electronic machines that can store, organize, and find information

5. mistakes
Answer: (E) Errors or things that are not correct

6. technology
Answer: (H) The use of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry

7. traditional
Answer: (I) Following the old ways of doing things, passed down from generation to generation

8. tags
Answer: (B) Small pieces of material attached to something that give information about it

9. alive
Answer: (A) Still existing or active

10. changes
Answer: (C) The act of making something different

11. art
Answer: (J) The expression of human creative skill and imagination

12. touch
Answer: (F) The feeling or effect that comes from something, making it special
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How have people in India traditionally made carpets?
Answer: (c) By hand

2. What is the new technology that people in India are using to make carpets?
Answer: (b) Computers

3. Why are people in India using computers to help them make carpets?
Answer: (c) To see the designs better and fix mistakes

4. Why are people in India using special tags on their carpets?
Answer: (d) To show that they are made by hand

5. What is the name of the man who makes carpets in India?
Answer: (a) Feroz Ahmad Bhat

6. How does Feroz Ahmad Bhat feel about the new changes in the carpet business?
Answer: (b) Happy

7. What is the benefit of using computers to make carpets?
Answer: (d) It makes it easier to make them

8. What is the purpose of using the old code in making carpets?
Answer: (a) To help computers understand the designs
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Other countries like Turkey and China also make carpets, making it tough for Indian carpet makers. (Answer: True)
2. A big carpet company uses new technology to make carpets better, but they still make them by hand because people like that. (Answer: True)
3. The new changes, like computers, are hindering the carpet business from thriving again. (Answer: False)
4. They used a common code to help them make detailed designs. (Answer: False)
5. They are teaching computers to understand the old code to make carpets faster. (Answer: True)
6. The company started using ordinary tags to show that their carpets are made the modern way. (Answer: False)
7. Now, they are using computers to see the designs worse and create mistakes before they happen. (Answer: False)
8. In India, people have been making carpets by hand for a long time. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧