Google is being sued by the family of a man who died in a tragic accident. The family says that Google’s maps were not updated, which caused the man to drive off a collapsed bridge. The accident happened in September 2022 in Hickory, North Carolina. The man, Philip Paxson, was trying to drive over the broken bridge when it happened. The family says that Google should have shown that the bridge had fallen down nine years ago. Google is looking into the claims.

In the lawsuit, the family says that Mr. Paxson was driving home from his daughter’s birthday party when the accident happened. He didn’t know the area very well, so he used Google Maps to find his way. But the directions were old, and they led him to the broken bridge. He crashed into the water and drowned. The family’s lawyers say that Mr. Paxson was being careful because it was dark and raining, but he didn’t know the bridge was damaged.

The lawsuit also says that people who lived nearby had told Google many times to update their maps after the bridge fell down in 2013. The lawsuit says that three local companies should also be held responsible for taking care of the bridge. Mr. Paxson’s wife, Alicia Paxson, is very sad and frustrated. She doesn’t know how to explain to her daughters why their dad died.

A spokesperson for Google said they are sorry for what happened to the Paxson family. They want to make sure that Google Maps gives the right directions. They are looking into the lawsuit. This case shows how important it is to keep navigation systems up to date and for companies to make sure their maps are accurate.

Original news source: Google accused of directing motorist to drive off collapsed bridge (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, students will read the article and then write a summary of the main points. They should focus on the key details such as the lawsuit, the accident, and Google’s response. After they have finished, each group can share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Students will work individually and write down their opinion on whether they think Google should be held responsible for the accident. They should provide reasons to support their opinion. After everyone has finished, the teacher can collect the responses and create a class poll. The class can discuss the different viewpoints and reasons.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Students will work in small groups. Each group will be given a list of vocabulary words from the article. One student from the group will choose a word and try to draw it while the other group members guess what the word is. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Students will work in pairs or small groups. They will create a headline for the article that captures the main idea. The headline should be concise and attention-grabbing. After they have come up with their headlines, each group can share their headline with the class and explain why they chose it.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Students will individually think about and write down their response to the following question: “What could Google do to prevent similar accidents in the future?” After they have finished, they will pair up with a partner and share their ideas. Finally, the teacher can open up a class discussion and students can share their partner’s ideas with the rest of the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened to the man named Philip Paxson?
2. Why did Philip Paxson use Google Maps?
3. Why did Philip Paxson crash into the water?
4. Who is being sued by the family of Philip Paxson?
5. Why does the family think Google should be held responsible for the accident?
6. What other companies are being held responsible for the bridge?
7. How does Alicia Paxson feel about her husband’s death?
8. What does Google say about the lawsuit?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Google is being sued by the (1)______ of a man who died in a tragic (2)______. The family says that Google’s maps were not updated, which caused the man to drive off a collapsed bridge. The accident happened in September 2022 in (3)______, North Carolina. The man, (4)______ Paxson, was trying to drive over the broken bridge when it happened. The family says that Google should have shown that the bridge had fallen down nine (5)______ ago. Google is looking into the claims.

In the lawsuit, the family says that Mr. Paxson was (6)______ home from his daughter’s birthday party when the accident happened. He didn’t know the area very well, so he used Google Maps to find his way. But the (7)______ were old, and they led him to the broken bridge. He (8)______ into the water and drowned. The family’s lawyers say that Mr. (9)______ was being careful because it was dark and raining, but he didn’t know the (10)______ was damaged.

The lawsuit also says that people who lived nearby had told Google many times to update their maps after the bridge fell down in 2013. The lawsuit says that three local (11)______ should also be held responsible for taking care of the bridge. Mr. Paxson’s wife, (12)______ Paxson, is very sad and frustrated. She doesn’t know how to explain to her (13)______ why their dad died.

A spokesperson for Google said they are (14)______ for what happened to the Paxson family. They want to make sure that Google Maps gives the right directions. They are looking into the lawsuit. This case shows how important it is to keep (15)______ systems up to date and for companies to make sure their maps are (16)______.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is Google Maps and how do people use it?
2. How would you feel if you were in Mr. Paxson’s situation?
3. Do you think Google should be held responsible for the accident? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever had a bad experience using a navigation system? Can you tell us about it?
5. What precautions should people take when using navigation systems?
6. Do you think it’s important for companies to keep their maps up to date? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the Paxson family feels about the situation?
8. What steps do you think Google should take to prevent similar accidents in the future?
9. Have you ever had a situation where you relied on technology and it let you down? Can you share your experience?
10. How do you think the lawsuit will impact Google’s reputation?
11. What responsibility do you think the local companies have in maintaining the bridge?
12. How do you think Alicia Paxson can explain her husband’s death to her daughters?
13. Do you think the accident could have been prevented if Mr. Paxson had known about the bridge? Why or why not?
14. How can technology improve navigation systems to avoid accidents like this?
15. Do you think the Paxson family will win the lawsuit? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. sued
2. accident
3. updated
4. collapsed
5. directions
6. damaged
7. responsible
8. frustrated

Meanings:
(a) Harmed or broken
(b) Taken to court for legal action
(c) Feeling annoyed or upset due to a problem
(d) Fell down or caved in
(e) An unfortunate event or incident
(f) Made current or brought up to date
(g) Accountable or to blame for something
(h) Instructions on how to get somewhere
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why is Google being sued?
(a) Google caused a tragic accident
(b) Google gave incorrect directions
(c) The family claims Google’s maps were not updated
(d) Google is responsible for the collapsed bridge

2. Where did the accident happen?
(a) Paris, France
(b) Hickory, North Carolina
(c) London, England
(d) Berlin, Germany

3. How did the man, Philip Paxson, find his way?
(a) He used Google Maps
(b) He asked for directions
(c) He followed road signs
(d) He used a different navigation system

4. What happened to Mr. Paxson when he drove over the bridge?
(a) He was able to drive safely across
(b) He crashed into the water and drowned
(c) He realized the bridge was broken and turned back
(d) He called for help and was rescued

5. How long ago did the bridge collapse?
(a) Three years ago
(b) One year ago
(c) It is not mentioned in the article
(d) Nine years ago

6. Who else does the lawsuit hold responsible for the bridge’s maintenance?
(a) Google’s competitors
(b) The government
(c) The Paxson family
(d) Three local companies

7. How does Alicia Paxson feel about her husband’s death?
(a) Very sad and frustrated
(b) Angry at Google
(c) Relieved that Google is being sued
(d) Indifferent

8. What does Google want to ensure about Google Maps?
(a) That it is the most popular navigation system
(b) That it has the most features
(c) That it gives the right directions
(d) That it is the only navigation system available

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The man, Philip Paxson, was pushed off a collapsed bridge.
2. The accident happened in September 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
3. The family’s lawyers argue that Mr. Paxson was not aware that the bridge was damaged.
4. Google is investigating the claims and acknowledges the importance of accurate navigation systems.
5. The family of a man who died in a tragic accident is suing Google.
6. Mr. Paxson used Google Maps to find his way home from his daughter’s birthday party.
7. The lawsuit also absolves three local companies of responsibility for the bridge’s maintenance.
8. The family denies that Google’s maps were not updated, leading to the accident.
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 happened to the man named Philip Paxson?
2. How did Philip Paxson use Google Maps before the accident?
3. Why did the family sue Google?
4. Who else does the family think should be held responsible for the accident?
5. How does the spokesperson for Google feel about the situation?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What happened to the man named Philip Paxson?
Philip Paxson died in a tragic accident.

2. Why did Philip Paxson use Google Maps?
Philip Paxson used Google Maps to find his way home from his daughter’s birthday party because he didn’t know the area well.

3. Why did Philip Paxson crash into the water?
Philip Paxson crashed into the water because he drove over a broken bridge that was not shown on Google Maps.

4. Who is being sued by the family of Philip Paxson?
The family of Philip Paxson is suing Google.

5. Why does the family think Google should be held responsible for the accident?
The family thinks Google should be held responsible because they believe Google’s maps were not updated and did not show that the bridge had fallen down.

6. What other companies are being held responsible for the bridge?
The lawsuit also holds three local companies responsible for taking care of the bridge.

7. How does Alicia Paxson feel about her husband’s death?
Alicia Paxson is very sad and frustrated about her husband’s death. She doesn’t know how to explain it to her daughters.

8. What does Google say about the lawsuit?
Google is sorry for what happened to the Paxson family and they are looking into the lawsuit. They want to make sure that Google Maps gives the right directions and that their maps are accurate.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) family
(2) accident
(3) Hickory
(4) Philip
(5) years
(6) driving
(7) directions
(8) crashed
(9) Paxson
(10) bridge
(11) companies
(12) Alicia
(13) daughters
(14) sorry
(15) navigation
(16) accurate
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. sued
Answer: (b) Taken to court for legal action

2. accident
Answer: (e) An unfortunate event or incident

3. updated
Answer: (f) Made current or brought up to date

4. collapsed
Answer: (d) Fell down or caved in

5. directions
Answer: (h) Instructions on how to get somewhere

6. damaged
Answer: (a) Harmed or broken

7. responsible
Answer: (g) Accountable or to blame for something

8. frustrated
Answer: (c) Feeling annoyed or upset due to a problem
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why is Google being sued?
Answer: (c) The family claims Google’s maps were not updated

2. Where did the accident happen?
Answer: (b) Hickory, North Carolina

3. How did the man, Philip Paxson, find his way?
Answer: (a) He used Google Maps

4. What happened to Mr. Paxson when he drove over the bridge?
Answer: (b) He crashed into the water and drowned

5. How long ago did the bridge collapse?
Answer: (d) Nine years ago

6. Who else does the lawsuit hold responsible for the bridge’s maintenance?
Answer: (d) Three local companies

7. How does Alicia Paxson feel about her husband’s death?
Answer: (a) Very sad and frustrated

8. What does Google want to ensure about Google Maps?
Answer: (c) That it gives the right directions
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The man, Philip Paxson, was pushed off a collapsed bridge. (Answer: False)
2. The accident happened in September 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Answer: False)
3. The family’s lawyers argue that Mr. Paxson was not aware that the bridge was damaged. (Answer: True)
4. Google is investigating the claims and acknowledges the importance of accurate navigation systems. (Answer: True)
5. The family of a man who died in a tragic accident is suing Google. (Answer: True)
6. Mr. Paxson used Google Maps to find his way home from his daughter’s birthday party. (Answer: True)
7. The lawsuit also absolves three local companies of responsibility for the bridge’s maintenance. (Answer: False)
8. The family denies that Google’s maps were not updated, leading to the accident. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧