A man named Noland Arbaugh showed people how he can play chess on a computer by just thinking about it. He uses a special device in his brain made by a company owned by Elon Musk. Noland can’t move his body from the shoulders down because of an accident, but this device lets him control a computer cursor with his mind. He thinks it’s really cool and is excited about what this technology can do.

During a live video, Noland played chess with the help of Bliss Chapman, who works on the brain device. They talked about how this technology can help people who can’t move parts of their bodies. Watching Noland play chess by thinking about it shows how amazing this brain device is. It gives people a peek into how these devices might help people with disabilities in the future.

Noland called using the device “wild” because it’s so different and new. The video showed that this brain device could really help people who can’t move to do things by thinking. It makes people hopeful that in the future, more advancements will come. This live video was a way to show everyone the hard work going into making life better for people with disabilities.

Original news source: Neuralink patient seen playing chess using brain implant (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different actions or activities related to the article, such as “playing chess,” “moving a computer cursor,” or “thinking.” The other groups will try to guess what they are acting out.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and a pen. Write down different vocabulary words from the article, such as “device,” “technology,” “disabilities,” or “advancements.” Each student will take turns drawing a picture to represent one of the words, while the rest of the class tries to guess what word it is.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Each pair will create a headline for the article using only a few words. Encourage them to be creative and capture the main idea of the article. After a few minutes, have each pair share their headline with the class and discuss the different ideas that were generated.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write down different statements related to the article on the board, such as “Using a brain device to control a computer cursor is amazing,” or “Advancements in technology can greatly benefit people with disabilities.” Have the students indicate whether they agree or disagree with each statement by raising their hands. After each statement, encourage a brief discussion to hear different opinions and perspectives.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have the students work in pairs or small groups. Ask them to think about how the technology described in the article might evolve in the future. Have them discuss and make predictions about the potential impact and implications of this technology on society, healthcare, or everyday life. After a few minutes, have each group share their predictions with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is Noland Arbaugh and what can he do with his mind?
2. Why can’t Noland move his body from the shoulders down?
3. How does the brain device made by Elon Musk’s company help Noland?
4. Who did Noland play chess with during the live video?
5. What did Noland and Bliss Chapman talk about during the video?
6. Why is Noland excited about the brain device?
7. What does the video show about how the brain device can help people with disabilities?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man named Noland (1)______ showed people how he can play chess on a (2)______ by just thinking about it. He uses a special device in his brain made by a company owned by Elon (3)______. Noland can’t move his body from the shoulders down because of an accident, but this device lets him control a computer cursor with his (4)______. He thinks it’s really cool and is excited about what this technology can do.

During a live video, Noland played chess with the help of Bliss (5)______, who works on the brain device. They (6)______ about how this technology can help people who can’t move parts of their bodies. Watching Noland play chess by (7)______ about it shows how amazing this brain (8)______ is. It gives people a peek into how these devices might help people with disabilities in the future.

Noland called (9)______ the device “wild” because it’s so different and new. The video showed that this brain device could really help (10)______ who can’t move to do things by thinking. It makes people hopeful that in the future, more advancements will come. This live video was a way to show everyone the hard work (11)______ into (12)______ life better for people with disabilities.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a brain device?
2. How would you feel if you could control a computer with your mind?
3. Do you think it’s cool that Noland can play chess just by thinking about it? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the idea of using brain devices to help people who can’t move their bodies?
5. How do you think this technology can help people with disabilities in the future?
6. Do you think it’s important to develop new technologies to help people with disabilities? Why or why not?
7. What other things do you think brain devices could help people do?
8. How do you think Noland feels about using the brain device?
9. Would you like to try using a brain device to control a computer? Why or why not?
10. What do you think about the live video showing Noland playing chess with the brain device?
11. How do you think this technology can make life better for people with disabilities?
12. Do you think it’s good that people are working hard to make life better for people with disabilities? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. chess
2. device
3. disabilities
4. cursor
5. technology
6. advancements
7. peek
8. wild
9. disabilities
10. hopeful
11. live
12. advancements

Meanings:
(A) A game played on a board with pieces that move in different ways
(B) The use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or to solve problems
(C) New developments or improvements in science, technology, or other fields
(D) Very unusual or surprising
(E) A thing made for a particular purpose, often electronic
(F) Feeling positive about the future or the success of something
(G) A quick look at something
(H) A moving point on a computer screen that shows where you are looking or working
(I) Conditions that make it difficult for some people to do things that others can easily do
(J) Conditions that make it difficult for some people to do things that others can easily do
(K) New developments or improvements in science, technology, or other fields
(L) Happening now, in real time, especially when watched on the internet
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Noland use to play chess on a computer?
(a) His hands
(b) A special device in his brain
(c) A joystick
(d) A keyboard

2. Why can’t Noland move his body from the shoulders down?
(a) Because of an accident
(b) Because he was born that way
(c) Because he is lazy
(d) Because he doesn’t want to

3. Who owns the company that made the special device in Noland’s brain?
(a) Bliss Chapman
(b) Noland Arbaugh
(c) None of the above
(d) Elon Musk

4. What can Noland control with his mind using the brain device?
(a) A computer cursor
(b) His body
(c) A chessboard
(d) A robot

5. What did Noland and Bliss talk about during the live video?
(a) How to play chess
(b) What they had for breakfast
(c) How the brain device can help people who can’t move parts of their bodies
(d) The weather

6. What did the live video show about the brain device?
(a) That it can make people fly
(b) That it can help people who can’t move to do things by thinking
(c) That it can read minds
(d) That it can make people invisible

7. How did Noland describe using the brain device?
(a) “Boring”
(b) “Scary”
(c) “Easy”
(d) “Wild”

8. What did the live video aim to show?
(a) How to play chess
(b) How to use a computer
(c) The hard work going into making life better for people with disabilities
(d) The latest fashion trends

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The brain device enables Noland to control a computer cursor with his thoughts.
2. Noland thinks the brain device is interesting but is not particularly excited about its potential.
3. The video demonstrated how the brain device can assist people who have limited mobility.
4. Noland is unable to move his body from the shoulders down due to an accident.
5. Noland uses a special device in his brain made by Elon Musk’s company.
6. The live video aimed to show the progress being made in improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.
7. Bliss Chapman, who works on the brain device, played chess with Noland during a live video.
8. Noland Arbaugh cannot play chess on a computer using only his mind.
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 special device that Noland Arbaugh uses to play chess on a computer?
2. Why can’t Noland move his body from the shoulders down?
3. Who helped Noland play chess using the brain device?
4. How does the brain device work?
5. Why is the live video important for people with disabilities?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is Noland Arbaugh and what can he do with his mind?
Noland Arbaugh is a man who can play chess on a computer using his mind.

2. Why can’t Noland move his body from the shoulders down?
Noland can’t move his body from the shoulders down because of an accident.

3. How does the brain device made by Elon Musk’s company help Noland?
The brain device allows Noland to control a computer cursor with his mind.

4. Who did Noland play chess with during the live video?
Noland played chess with Bliss Chapman during the live video.

5. What did Noland and Bliss Chapman talk about during the video?
They talked about how the brain device can help people who can’t move parts of their bodies.

6. Why is Noland excited about the brain device?
Noland is excited about the brain device because it allows him to do things by just thinking.

7. What does the video show about how the brain device can help people with disabilities?
The video shows that the brain device can help people with disabilities by allowing them to control computers with their minds.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Arbaugh
(2) computer
(3) Musk
(4) mind
(5) Chapman
(6) talked
(7) thinking
(8) device
(9) using
(10) people
(11) going
(12) making
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. chess
Answer: (A) A game played on a board with pieces that move in different ways

2. device
Answer: (E) A thing made for a particular purpose, often electronic

3. disabilities
Answer: (I) Conditions that make it difficult for some people to do things that others can easily do

4. cursor
Answer: (H) A moving point on a computer screen that shows where you are looking or working

5. technology
Answer: (B) The use of science in industry, engineering, etc., to invent useful things or to solve problems

6. advancements
Answer: (C) New developments or improvements in science, technology, or other fields

7. peek
Answer: (G) A quick look at something

8. wild
Answer: (D) Very unusual or surprising

9. disabilities
Answer: (I) Conditions that make it difficult for some people to do things that others can easily do

10. hopeful
Answer: (F) Feeling positive about the future or the success of something

11. live
Answer: (L) Happening now, in real time, especially when watched on the internet

12. advancements
Answer: (C) New developments or improvements in science, technology, or other fields
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Noland use to play chess on a computer?
Answer: (b) A special device in his brain

2. Why can’t Noland move his body from the shoulders down?
Answer: (a) Because of an accident

3. Who owns the company that made the special device in Noland’s brain?
Answer: (d) Elon Musk

4. What can Noland control with his mind using the brain device?
Answer: (a) A computer cursor

5. What did Noland and Bliss talk about during the live video?
Answer: (c) How the brain device can help people who can’t move parts of their bodies

6. What did the live video show about the brain device?
Answer: (b) That it can help people who can’t move to do things by thinking

7. How did Noland describe using the brain device?
Answer: (d) “Wild”

8. What did the live video aim to show?
Answer: (c) The hard work going into making life better for people with disabilities
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The brain device enables Noland to control a computer cursor with his thoughts. (Answer: False)
2. Noland thinks the brain device is interesting but is not particularly excited about its potential. (Answer: False)
3. The video demonstrated how the brain device can assist people who have limited mobility. (Answer: True)
4. Noland is unable to move his body from the shoulders down due to an accident. (Answer: True)
5. Noland uses a special device in his brain made by Elon Musk’s company. (Answer: True)
6. The live video aimed to show the progress being made in improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. (Answer: True)
7. Bliss Chapman, who works on the brain device, played chess with Noland during a live video. (Answer: False)
8. Noland Arbaugh cannot play chess on a computer using only his mind. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧