It’s been reported that Apple has decided to cancel its plans to make electric vehicles (EV). They had been working on this project for about 10 years, but they never talked about it publicly. Now, many of the employees who were working on the EV project will be moved to Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) division. At first, they wanted to make a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but it was going to take a long time before they could actually make a car. Experts think this is a good move because right now, more people want AI technology than electric cars.

Apple has been trying to find new things to do besides just making iPhones and computers. They recently made a virtual reality headset called the Vision Pro. A research firm called Counterpoint says that AI technology in things like smartphones will keep getting more popular. They think that by 2024, more than 100 million smartphones with AI will be sold, and by 2027, it could be over 500 million. On the other hand, the demand for electric cars has been going down because it’s expensive to borrow money to buy them. This makes it harder for big companies to compete.

Other car companies like Ford and General Motors have also put off their plans to make more electric cars. A company called Rivian, which makes electric trucks, recently said they’re not going to grow this year and had to cut jobs. Tesla, which is led by Elon Musk, has been having a hard time too. They have a lot of competition from Chinese companies and have had to lower their prices in important markets. When Musk heard that Apple was canceling their electric car project, he responded with emojis on social media.

So, in summary, Apple has decided to stop making electric cars and focus on AI instead. This is because more people want AI technology right now. Other car companies are also having trouble with electric cars.

Original news source: Apple unplugs self-driving electric car project, reports say (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have students read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can take turns sharing their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into groups. Each group should come up with a question related to the article, such as “Do you think Apple made the right decision to focus on AI instead of electric cars?” Have each group conduct a mini opinion poll within the class, asking students to share their opinions and reasons for their answers. Afterwards, groups can share their findings with the whole class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper. Have students take turns choosing a word and drawing it on the board while their classmates guess what word it is. Encourage students to use their English vocabulary and language skills to describe the word if necessary.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Assign each group a scene or concept from the article, such as “Apple employees working on the EV project” or “Apple’s AI division.” Have students sketch out the scene or concept on a large piece of paper and then present their artwork to the class, explaining what they drew and why.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. Assign one group to list the pros of Apple’s decision to focus on AI instead of electric cars, and assign the other group to list the cons. Give students time to brainstorm and discuss their ideas within their groups. Then, have each group present their lists to the class and engage in a class discussion about the different points raised.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was Apple’s plan that they recently canceled?
2. How long had Apple been working on their electric vehicle project?
3. Why did Apple decide to move their employees to the artificial intelligence division?
4. What did Apple originally want to create with their self-driving car?
5. Why do experts think it was a good move for Apple to focus on AI technology instead of electric cars?
6. What is the name of the virtual reality headset that Apple recently made?
7. According to Counterpoint, what will happen to the popularity of AI technology in smartphones by 2024?
8. Why has the demand for electric cars been going down recently?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

It’s been reported that Apple has decided to cancel its plans to make (1)______ vehicles (EV). They had been (2)______ on this project for about 10 (3)______, but they never talked about it publicly. Now, many of the employees who were working on the EV project will be moved to Apple’s artificial intelligence (AI) (4)______. At first, they wanted to make a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but it was going to take a long time before they could actually make a car. (5)______ think this is a good move because right now, more people want AI technology than electric cars.

Apple has been trying to find new things to do besides just making iPhones and (6)______. They recently made a virtual reality (7)______ called the Vision Pro. A research firm called (8)______ says that AI technology in things like smartphones will keep getting more popular. They think that by 2024, more than 100 million smartphones with AI will be sold, and by 2027, it could be over 500 million. On the other hand, the demand for electric cars has been (9)______ down because it’s expensive to (10)______ money to buy them. This makes it harder for big companies to compete.

Other car companies like Ford and General Motors have also put off their (11)______ to make more electric cars. A (12)______ called Rivian, which makes electric trucks, recently said they’re not going to grow this year and had to cut jobs. Tesla, which is led by Elon Musk, has been having a hard time too. They have a lot of competition from (13)______ companies and have had to (14)______ their prices in important markets. When Musk heard that Apple was canceling their electric car project, he responded with emojis on social media.

So, in summary, Apple has decided to stop (15)______ electric cars and focus on AI instead. This is because more people want AI technology right now. Other car companies are also having (16)______ with electric cars.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is artificial intelligence (AI) and how is it different from electric vehicles (EV)?
2. How would you feel if Apple had decided to continue making electric cars instead of focusing on AI?
3. Do you like the idea of self-driving cars without a steering wheel or pedals? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s a good move for Apple to shift its focus to AI technology? Why or why not?
5. What other new things do you think Apple could explore besides iPhones and computers?
6. How do you think AI technology can be used in smartphones?
7. Do you think the demand for electric cars will increase in the future? Why or why not?
8. Why do you think it’s expensive to borrow money to buy electric cars?
9. How do you think the competition from Chinese companies has affected Tesla’s business?
10. How do you think the cancellation of Apple’s electric car project will impact the electric car industry?
11. What are some advantages of electric cars compared to traditional cars?
12. How do you think the popularity of AI technology will affect other industries besides smartphones?
13. Have you ever used any AI technology? If so, how was your experience?
14. What do you think are some potential drawbacks of relying too much on AI technology?
15. How do you think the shift towards AI technology will affect job opportunities in the future?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. electric
2. artificial
3. division
4. self-driving
5. experts
6. virtual
7. headset
8. smartphones
9. demand
10. compete
11. Rivian
12. trucks
13. emojis
14. focus
15. technology

Meanings:
(A) Not real, created by computers to simulate a real environment
(B) Powered by electricity instead of gas
(C) Made by humans, not natural
(D) Mobile phones that can do a lot of different things besides just calling
(E) Large vehicles designed for carrying goods
(F) To pay special attention to something
(G) Able to operate without a human driver
(H) A part of a company that deals with a specific area of business
(I) A company known for making electric vehicles
(J) Small digital pictures or symbols used in messages to express emotions
(K) A device worn on the head that lets you interact with virtual or augmented realities
(L) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry
(M) To try to be more successful than others
(N) How much people want to buy something
(O) People with a lot of knowledge about a particular subject
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How long was Apple working on their electric vehicle project?
(a) About 5 years
(b) About 15 years
(c) About 10 years
(d) About 20 years

2. What division will many of the employees from the electric vehicle project be moved to?
(a) Virtual reality (VR)
(b) Artificial intelligence (AI)
(c) Computer programming
(d) Smartphone development

3. What did Apple initially want to create with their electric vehicle project?
(a) A car with the best fuel efficiency
(b) A car with the fastest acceleration
(c) A car with the most luxurious features
(d) A self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals

4. Why do experts think Apple’s decision to focus on AI is a good move?
(a) More people want AI technology than electric cars right now
(b) Electric cars are too expensive to produce
(c) AI technology is easier to develop than electric cars
(d) Apple has already achieved success in the AI industry

5. According to Counterpoint, how many smartphones with AI technology could be sold by 2027?
(a) Over 100 million
(b) Over 500 million
(c) Less than 100 million
(d) Less than 500 million

6. Why has the demand for electric cars been going down?
(a) Electric cars have poor performance
(b) People prefer traditional gasoline-powered cars
(c) Electric cars are not environmentally friendly
(d) It’s expensive to borrow money to buy them

7. Which car companies have also delayed their plans to make more electric cars?
(a) Ford and General Motors
(b) Tesla and Rivian
(c) Apple and Ford
(d) General Motors and Rivian

8. How has Tesla been affected by competition and market conditions?
(a) They have seen an increase in sales and profits
(b) They have expanded their production capacity
(c) They have had to lower their prices in important markets
(d) They have acquired other electric car companies

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Apple has decided to cancel its plans to make electric vehicles after working on the project for about 10 years.
2. Experts believe that this decision is a good move because there is currently a higher demand for AI technology than electric cars.
3. The demand for electric cars has been declining due to the high cost of borrowing money to purchase them, making it difficult for large companies to compete.
4. The employees who were working on the electric vehicle project will not be moved to Apple’s artificial intelligence division.
5. A research firm called Counterpoint predicts that the popularity of AI technology in smartphones will not continue to grow, with over 100 million AI-enabled smartphones sold by 2024 and potentially over 500 million by 2027.
6. Initially, Apple wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but it would have taken a long time to develop.
7. Apple has not been exploring new ventures beyond iPhones and computers, such as their recent release of the Vision Pro virtual reality headset.
8. Other car companies, including Ford and General Motors, have not delayed their plans to produce more electric cars, and electric truck manufacturer Rivian has not experienced setbacks and job cuts.
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 was Apple’s plan before they decided to focus on AI technology?
2. Why did Apple decide to cancel their plans to make electric vehicles?
3. What is the name of the virtual reality headset that Apple recently made?
4. According to Counterpoint, how many smartphones with AI technology are expected to be sold by 2024?
5. Why has the demand for electric cars been going down recently?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was Apple’s plan that they recently canceled?
Apple recently canceled their plans to make electric vehicles (EV).

2. How long had Apple been working on their electric vehicle project?
Apple had been working on their electric vehicle project for about 10 years.

3. Why did Apple decide to move their employees to the artificial intelligence division?
Apple decided to move their employees to the artificial intelligence division because more people want AI technology right now.

4. What did Apple originally want to create with their self-driving car?
Apple originally wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals.

5. Why do experts think it was a good move for Apple to focus on AI technology instead of electric cars?
Experts think it was a good move for Apple to focus on AI technology instead of electric cars because more people want AI technology right now.

6. What is the name of the virtual reality headset that Apple recently made?
The virtual reality headset that Apple recently made is called the Vision Pro.

7. According to Counterpoint, what will happen to the popularity of AI technology in smartphones by 2024?
According to Counterpoint, the popularity of AI technology in smartphones will keep increasing and by 2024, more than 100 million smartphones with AI will be sold.

8. Why has the demand for electric cars been going down recently?
The demand for electric cars has been going down recently because it’s expensive to borrow money to buy them, making it harder for big companies to compete.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) electric
(2) working
(3) years
(4) division
(5) Experts
(6) computers
(7) headset
(8) Counterpoint
(9) going
(10) borrow
(11) plans
(12) company
(13) Chinese
(14) lower
(15) making
(16) trouble
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. electric
Answer: (B) Powered by electricity instead of gas

2. artificial
Answer: (C) Made by humans, not natural

3. division
Answer: (H) A part of a company that deals with a specific area of business

4. self-driving
Answer: (G) Able to operate without a human driver

5. experts
Answer: (O) People with a lot of knowledge about a particular subject

6. virtual
Answer: (A) Not real, created by computers to simulate a real environment

7. headset
Answer: (K) A device worn on the head that lets you interact with virtual or augmented realities

8. smartphones
Answer: (D) Mobile phones that can do a lot of different things besides just calling

9. demand
Answer: (N) How much people want to buy something

10. compete
Answer: (M) To try to be more successful than others

11. Rivian
Answer: (I) A company known for making electric vehicles

12. trucks
Answer: (E) Large vehicles designed for carrying goods

13. emojis
Answer: (J) Small digital pictures or symbols used in messages to express emotions

14. focus
Answer: (F) To pay special attention to something

15. technology
Answer: (L) The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How long was Apple working on their electric vehicle project?
Answer: (c) About 10 years

2. What division will many of the employees from the electric vehicle project be moved to?
Answer: (b) Artificial intelligence (AI)

3. What did Apple initially want to create with their electric vehicle project?
Answer: (d) A self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals

4. Why do experts think Apple’s decision to focus on AI is a good move?
Answer: (a) More people want AI technology than electric cars right now

5. According to Counterpoint, how many smartphones with AI technology could be sold by 2027?
Answer: (b) Over 500 million

6. Why has the demand for electric cars been going down?
Answer: (d) It’s expensive to borrow money to buy them

7. Which car companies have also delayed their plans to make more electric cars?
Answer: (a) Ford and General Motors

8. How has Tesla been affected by competition and market conditions?
Answer: (c) They have had to lower their prices in important markets
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Apple has decided to cancel its plans to make electric vehicles after working on the project for about 10 years. (Answer: True)
2. Experts believe that this decision is a good move because there is currently a higher demand for AI technology than electric cars. (Answer: True)
3. The demand for electric cars has been declining due to the high cost of borrowing money to purchase them, making it difficult for large companies to compete. (Answer: True)
4. The employees who were working on the electric vehicle project will not be moved to Apple’s artificial intelligence division. (Answer: False)
5. A research firm called Counterpoint predicts that the popularity of AI technology in smartphones will not continue to grow, with over 100 million AI-enabled smartphones sold by 2024 and potentially over 500 million by 2027. (Answer: False)
6. Initially, Apple wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals, but it would have taken a long time to develop. (Answer: True)
7. Apple has not been exploring new ventures beyond iPhones and computers, such as their recent release of the Vision Pro virtual reality headset. (Answer: False)
8. Other car companies, including Ford and General Motors, have not delayed their plans to produce more electric cars, and electric truck manufacturer Rivian has not experienced setbacks and job cuts. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧