A company in California named Atom Limbs is making a new kind of robot arm. This arm is smart because it uses something called artificial intelligence and can learn and feel things like a real arm. It is easy to wear and doesn’t hurt the person using it. The arm can move like a real one, and it is not as heavy as other robot arms. They want to sell it for about $20,000, which is cheaper than many others.

But, some people might find it hard to buy this arm because it costs a lot of money. The people who might need this arm the most often don’t have a lot of money. The company hopes many people can buy it, but some people might not want or need this kind of arm. There are also some big questions and things to think about on how and why to use this arm.

In short, Atom Limbs is working on a very smart and light robot arm that can do many things like a real arm. It will cost less than other robot arms, but it’s still a lot of money. There are some big questions about this arm that need answers. The company is still working on making the arm better and getting permission to sell it.

Original news source: The ‘mind-bending’ bionic arm powered by AI (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Read the article aloud to the students.
2. Divide the students into pairs or small groups.
3. Each pair/group will work together to write a summary of the article in their own words.
4. Encourage them to include key details and main ideas.
5. After a designated amount of time, have each pair/group share their summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Divide the students into pairs or small groups.
2. Assign each pair/group a specific role: pro or con.
3. Give the students a few minutes to discuss and come up with reasons why they are in favor of or against the robot arm.
4. Have each pair/group present their arguments to the class.
5. After each presentation, conduct a class poll to see which side has the most supporters.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate slips of paper.
2. Divide the students into small groups.
3. Give each group a set of vocabulary words.
4. One student from each group will pick a slip of paper and silently act out the word, while their group members try to guess what it is.
5. The group that guesses correctly earns a point.
6. Repeat the process with different students acting out the words until all the vocabulary words have been used.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions:
1. Choose a keyword from the article.
2. Draw a series of blanks on the board to represent the letters in the keyword.
3. Have the students take turns guessing letters.
4. If a guessed letter is in the keyword, write it in the correct blank space(s).
5. If a guessed letter is not in the keyword, draw a body part of a hangman on the board.
6. The students must guess the keyword before the hangman is complete.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the students into pairs or small groups.
2. Assign each pair/group a specific role: pro or con.
3. Give the students a few minutes to discuss and come up with reasons why they are in favor of or against the robot arm.
4. Have each pair/group present their arguments to the class.
5. Encourage the students to listen to opposing arguments and engage in a respectful debate.
6. After the presentations, facilitate a class discussion where students can share their thoughts and opinions on the topic.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the company making the robot arm?
2. How is the robot arm smart?
3. Why might some people find it hard to buy the arm?
4. Who are the people that might need this arm the most?
5. How much does the company want to sell the arm for?
6. What are some big questions about this arm?
7. What is the company still working on?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A company in California named Atom (1)______ is making a new kind of robot arm. This arm is smart because it uses something called artificial (2)______ and can learn and feel things like a real arm. It is easy to wear and doesn’t hurt the (3)______ using it. The arm can move like a real one, and it is not as (4)______ as (5)______ robot (6)______. They want to sell it for about $20,000, which is cheaper than many others.

But, some people might find it hard to buy this arm because it costs a lot of money. The people who might need this arm the most often don’t have a lot of money. The company hopes many (7)______ can buy it, but some people might not want or need this kind of arm. There are also some big questions and (8)______ to (9)______ about on how and why to use this arm.

In short, Atom Limbs is working on a very smart and light robot arm that can do (10)______ things like a (11)______ arm. It will cost less than other robot arms, but it’s still a lot of money. There are some big questions about this arm that (12)______ answers. The company is still working on making the arm better and getting permission to sell it.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a robot arm and what can it do?
2. How would you feel if you had a robot arm that could move and feel like a real arm?
3. Do you think it’s important for robot arms to be easy to wear and not hurt the person using it? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the price of the robot arm? Do you think it’s too expensive or just right? Why?
5. How do you think people who don’t have a lot of money might feel about not being able to afford this kind of arm?
6. Do you think many people will want or need this kind of arm? Why or why not?
7. What are some big questions that you think need to be answered about this arm?
8. How do you think Atom Limbs can make the arm even better?
9. Do you think it’s important for the company to get permission to sell the arm? Why or why not?
10. Would you like to have a robot arm? Why or why not?
11. What are some ways that the robot arm could be helpful to people?
12. How do you think the world would be different if everyone had a robot arm?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. artificial
2. intelligence
3. learn
4. permission
5. expensive
6. questions
7. smart
8. light
9. sell
10. company
11. improve
12. permission

Meanings:
(A) Made by humans, not natural
(B) The act of allowing something to happen
(C) Very clever or intelligent
(D) The ability to think and understand
(E) Things people ask because they want to know more
(F) To give something to someone in exchange for money
(G) Costs a lot of money
(H) Not heavy, easy to carry
(I) To gain knowledge or skills
(J) Saying it’s okay to do something
(K) To make something better
(L) A group of people who work together to make or sell things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is Atom Limbs making?
(a) A new kind of robot arm
(b) A new kind of computer
(c) A new kind of car
(d) A new kind of phone

2. What makes the robot arm smart?
(a) Super strength
(b) Artificial intelligence
(c) Fast speed
(d) Bright colors

3. How does the robot arm feel?
(a) Like a rock
(b) Like a feather
(c) Like a real arm
(d) Like a toy

4. How much does Atom Limbs want to sell the arm for?
(a) About $10,000
(b) About $5,000
(c) About $20,000
(d) About $50,000

5. Why might some people find it hard to buy the arm?
(a) Because it is too heavy
(b) Because it is too big
(c) Because it is too slow
(d) Because it costs a lot of money

6. Who might need the arm the most?
(a) People who don’t have a lot of money
(b) People who have a lot of money
(c) People who don’t have arms
(d) People who don’t like robots

7. What are some big questions about the arm?
(a) What color it should be
(b) How and why to use it
(c) How fast it can move
(d) How much it weighs

8. What is Atom Limbs still working on?
(a) Making a new kind of computer
(b) Making a new kind of car
(c) Making a new kind of phone
(d) Making the arm better and getting permission to sell it

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The company wants to sell the arm for around $30,000, which is more expensive than many other robot arms.
2. It can move just like a real arm and is not as heavy as other robot arms.
3. Some people might find it easy to buy this arm because it is affordable.
4. This robot arm does not use artificial intelligence and cannot learn and feel things like a real arm.
5. The people who might need this arm the most often have a lot of money.
6. Atom Limbs is still working on improving the arm and getting permission to sell it.
7. Atom Limbs, a company in California, is creating a new type of robot arm.
8. The arm is easy to wear and does not cause any pain to the person using it.
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 Atom Limbs making?
2. How is this robot arm different from other robot arms?
3. Why might some people find it hard to buy this arm?
4. Who might need this arm the most?
5. What are some big questions that need to be answered about this arm?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of the company making the robot arm?
The name of the company making the robot arm is Atom Limbs.

2. How is the robot arm smart?
The robot arm is smart because it uses artificial intelligence and can learn and feel things like a real arm.

3. Why might some people find it hard to buy the arm?
Some people might find it hard to buy the arm because it costs a lot of money.

4. Who are the people that might need this arm the most?
The people who might need this arm the most are the ones who don’t have a lot of money.

5. How much does the company want to sell the arm for?
The company wants to sell the arm for about $20,000.

6. What are some big questions about this arm?
Some big questions about this arm are how and why to use it.

7. What is the company still working on?
The company is still working on making the arm better and getting permission to sell it.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Limbs
(2) intelligence
(3) person
(4) heavy
(5) other
(6) arms
(7) people
(8) things
(9) think
(10) many
(11) real
(12) need
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. artificial
Answer: (A) Made by humans, not natural

2. intelligence
Answer: (D) The ability to think and understand

3. learn
Answer: (I) To gain knowledge or skills

4. permission
Answer: (J) Saying it’s okay to do something

5. expensive
Answer: (G) Costs a lot of money

6. questions
Answer: (E) Things people ask because they want to know more

7. smart
Answer: (C) Very clever or intelligent

8. light
Answer: (H) Not heavy, easy to carry

9. sell
Answer: (F) To give something to someone in exchange for money

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

11. improve
Answer: (K) To make something better

12. permission
Answer: (B) The act of allowing something to happen
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is Atom Limbs making?
Answer: (a) A new kind of robot arm

2. What makes the robot arm smart?
Answer: (b) Artificial intelligence

3. How does the robot arm feel?
Answer: (c) Like a real arm

4. How much does Atom Limbs want to sell the arm for?
Answer: (c) About $20,000

5. Why might some people find it hard to buy the arm?
Answer: (d) Because it costs a lot of money

6. Who might need the arm the most?
Answer: (a) People who don’t have a lot of money

7. What are some big questions about the arm?
Answer: (b) How and why to use it

8. What is Atom Limbs still working on?
Answer: (d) Making the arm better and getting permission to sell it
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The company wants to sell the arm for around $30,000, which is more expensive than many other robot arms. (Answer: False)
2. It can move just like a real arm and is not as heavy as other robot arms. (Answer: True)
3. Some people might find it easy to buy this arm because it is affordable. (Answer: False)
4. This robot arm does not use artificial intelligence and cannot learn and feel things like a real arm. (Answer: False)
5. The people who might need this arm the most often have a lot of money. (Answer: False)
6. Atom Limbs is still working on improving the arm and getting permission to sell it. (Answer: True)
7. Atom Limbs, a company in California, is creating a new type of robot arm. (Answer: True)
8. The arm is easy to wear and does not cause any pain to the person using it. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧