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)
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π 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.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Apple recently canceled their plans to make electric vehicles (EV).
Apple had been working on their electric vehicle project for about 10 years.
Apple decided to move their employees to the artificial intelligence division because more people want AI technology right now.
Apple originally wanted to create a self-driving car without a steering wheel or pedals.
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.
The virtual reality headset that Apple recently made is called the Vision Pro.
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.
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.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
It's been reported that Apple has decided to cancel its plans to make vehicles (EV). They had been on this project for about 10 , 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) . 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. 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 . They recently made a virtual reality called the Vision Pro. A research firm called 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 down because it's expensive to 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 to make more electric cars. A 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 companies and have had to 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 electric cars and focus on AI instead. This is because more people want AI technology right now. Other car companies are also having with electric cars.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
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
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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