Sir Demis Hassabis, a really smart guy who helped create AI and recently became a knight and millionaire, thinks that parents shouldn’t tell their kids to stop playing video games. Instead, he says parents should encourage their kids to use technology in a creative way. Sir Demis grew up playing chess and video games, and he thinks that gaming actually helped him become successful. He wants parents to help their kids develop their skills and interests through gaming. He believes that in a world that’s always changing, kids need to be able to adapt and embrace new things.

When Sir Demis was a teenager, he made a popular game called Theme Park. He went to Cambridge University after that and started a video game company. He also got a PhD in neuroscience and co-founded DeepMind, which is now part of Google. He recently got knighted for his work in AI and for being a cool guy. Sir Demis thinks that selling DeepMind to Google was a good idea because they have the resources to deal with the big challenges of AI.

Even though AI can be a little scary sometimes, like with deepfake videos and biased algorithms, Sir Demis thinks that we should focus on making it safer. He signed a statement saying that we need to address the risks of AI, along with other big problems in the world. Sir Demis knows that AI is really powerful and can do a lot of good things, even more than nuclear power.

In the end, Sir Demis Hassabis wants parents to support their kids’ creative use of technology, including playing video games. He thinks that by doing this, kids can develop their skills and passions and be successful in a world that’s always changing. Sir Demis is a really smart guy who knows a lot about AI, and he thinks that we should be careful about the risks it might have. But he also believes that AI can do a lot of good things for us.

Original news source: AI millionaire: ‘Video games can boost creativity’ (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to come up with a catchy headline for the article about Sir Demis Hassabis and his views on video games and AI. Encourage them to be creative and use their English language skills to create attention-grabbing headlines.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate slips of paper. Divide the class into two teams. Each team takes turns sending one person to draw a word from the slips of paper and try to get their team to guess the word by drawing it. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been drawn and guessed. The team with the most points wins.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group should discuss the pros and cons of children playing video games, based on the information in the article. After the discussion, each group should present their arguments to the class. Encourage them to use persuasive language and support their arguments with evidence from the article.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students discuss and make predictions about the future of AI and its impact on society, based on the information in the article. They should consider both the positive and negative aspects of AI. After the discussion, each group should share their predictions with the class and explain their reasoning.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. One person in each pair will be the “speaker” and the other will be the “listener”. Give the speaker one minute to summarize the main points of the article about Sir Demis Hassabis and his views on video games and AI. The listener should actively listen and take notes. After one minute, the roles switch and the listener becomes the speaker, summarizing what they heard. Encourage the students to use their English language skills to summarize the article quickly and accurately.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. According to Sir Demis Hassabis, what should parents do instead of telling their kids to stop playing video games?
2. How did Sir Demis Hassabis believe gaming helped him become successful?
3. What game did Sir Demis create when he was a teenager?
4. What did Sir Demis do after creating the game Theme Park?
5. Why does Sir Demis think selling DeepMind to Google was a good idea?
6. What statement did Sir Demis sign regarding AI?
7. What does Sir Demis believe about the power of AI compared to nuclear power?
8. What does Sir Demis believe will happen if parents support their kids’ creative use of technology, including playing video games?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Sir Demis Hassabis, a really smart guy who helped create AI and recently became a (1)______ and millionaire, thinks that (2)______ shouldn’t tell their kids to stop (3)______ video games. Instead, he says parents should (4)______ their kids to use technology in a creative way. Sir Demis grew up playing chess and video games, and he thinks that gaming actually helped him become successful. He wants parents to help their kids develop their skills and interests through gaming. He believes that in a world that’s always changing, kids need to be able to adapt and (5)______ new things.

When Sir Demis was a teenager, he made a popular game called (6)______ Park. He went to (7)______ University after that and started a video game company. He also got a PhD in neuroscience and co-founded (8)______, which is now part of Google. He recently got knighted for his work in AI and for being a cool guy. Sir Demis thinks that selling DeepMind to (9)______ was a good idea because they have the resources to deal with the big challenges of AI.

Even though AI can be a little scary sometimes, like with deepfake videos and biased (10)______, Sir Demis thinks that we should focus on making it (11)______. He signed a statement (12)______ that we need to address the risks of AI, along with other big problems in the world. Sir Demis knows that AI is really powerful and can do a lot of good things, even more than nuclear (13)______.

In the end, Sir Demis Hassabis (14)______ parents to support their kids’ creative use of technology, including playing video games. He (15)______ that by doing this, kids can develop their skills and passions and be successful in a world that’s always (16)______. Sir Demis is a really smart guy who knows a lot about AI, and he thinks that we should be careful about the risks it might have. But he also believes that AI can do a lot of good things for us.
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 why is it important?
2. How do you feel about parents encouraging their kids to play video games?
3. Do you think playing video games can help develop important skills? Why or why not?
4. What is your favorite video game and why do you like it?
5. How do you think technology can be used in a creative way?
6. Why do you think Sir Demis Hassabis believes that kids need to be able to adapt and embrace new things?
7. What skills do you think are important for success in a world that’s always changing?
8. Do you think it’s a good idea to sell a company like DeepMind to a big company like Google? Why or why not?
9. What are some potential risks of artificial intelligence? How can we make it safer?
10. How do you feel about the statement signed by Sir Demis Hassabis addressing the risks of AI and other big problems in the world?
11. Do you think artificial intelligence can do more good things than nuclear power? Why or why not?
12. How do you think parents can support their kids’ creative use of technology?
13. What are some other ways technology can be used for good in the world?
14. How do you feel about the idea of technology constantly changing our lives?
15. What do you think about Sir Demis Hassabis’s perspective on AI and its potential impact on society?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. knighted
2. millionaire
3. encourage
4. technology
5. adapt
6. embrace
7. neuroscience
8. co-founded
9. resources
10. challenges
11. deepfake
12. biased
13. statement
14. nuclear
15. passions

Meanings:
(A) Officially given a title of honor by a monarch
(B) Videos that have been digitally altered to look real, often misleadingly
(C) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems, especially in industry and commerce
(D) Relating to the technology and energy produced by splitting atoms
(E) The tools, money, or other assets needed to achieve something
(F) To change or adjust to fit new conditions or environments
(G) Showing unfair preference or prejudice towards someone or something
(H) To accept something enthusiastically
(I) To start a company or organization with someone else
(J) Strong interests or desires that drive someone to do something
(K) Difficult situations that need to be dealt with
(L) A person who has a lot of money, more than a million dollars
(M) A formal expression of opinion or intention
(N) The scientific study of the nervous system and the brain
(O) To support or suggest that someone does something in a positive way
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Sir Demis Hassabis think parents should do about their kids playing video games?
(a) Tell them to stop playing video games
(b) Limit their time playing video games
(c) Encourage them to use technology in a creative way
(d) Ban them from playing video games

2. How did playing video games help Sir Demis become successful?
(a) It made him popular among his friends
(b) It helped him develop his skills and interests
(c) It made him rich and famous
(d) It gave him a lot of free time

3. What game did Sir Demis create when he was a teenager?
(a) Chess
(b) Theme Park
(c) DeepMind
(d) Google

4. What did Sir Demis do after creating the game Theme Park?
(a) Started a video game company
(b) Got a PhD in neuroscience
(c) All of the above
(d) Went to Cambridge University

5. Why does Sir Demis think selling DeepMind to Google was a good idea?
(a) Google has the resources to deal with the challenges of AI
(b) Google offered him a lot of money
(c) DeepMind was not successful on its own
(d) All of the above

6. What statement did Sir Demis sign regarding AI?
(a) AI is too dangerous and should be banned
(b) AI is not as powerful as nuclear power
(c) AI is not a big problem in the world
(d) We need to address the risks of AI

7. What does Sir Demis want parents to support in their kids?
(a) Their creative use of technology
(b) Their love for video games
(c) Their interest in nuclear power
(d) None of the above

8. What does Sir Demis believe about AI?
(a) It is too scary and should be avoided
(b) It is not as powerful as nuclear power
(c) It can do a lot of good things for us
(d) It is not a big problem in the world

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Sir Demis thinks that gaming helped him become successful, and wants parents to help their kids develop their skills and interests through gaming.
2. Sir Demis Hassabis believes that parents should encourage their kids to use technology in a creative way, rather than telling them to stop playing video games.
3. Sir Demis created a popular game called Theme Park when he was a teenager, and later co-founded DeepMind, which is now independent of Google.
4. Sir Demis believes that AI is not as powerful as nuclear power and cannot do as many good things.
5. Sir Demis recently became a knight and millionaire for his work in AI and for being a cool guy.
6. Sir Demis believes that selling DeepMind to Google was a bad idea because they lack the resources to deal with the big challenges of AI.
7. Sir Demis thinks that AI can be scary all the time, and we should focus on being afraid rather than making it safer.
8. Sir Demis signed a statement saying that we need to address the risks of AI, along with other big problems in the world.
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. Why does Sir Demis Hassabis think parents should encourage their kids to use technology in a creative way?
2. How did Sir Demis Hassabis become successful?
3. What is DeepMind and why did Sir Demis think selling it to Google was a good idea?
4. What are some of the risks associated with AI, according to Sir Demis?
5. What does Sir Demis Hassabis believe about the potential of AI?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. According to Sir Demis Hassabis, parents should encourage their kids to use technology in a creative way instead of telling them to stop playing video games.
2. Sir Demis believes that gaming helped him become successful because it helped him develop his skills and interests, and taught him how to adapt and embrace new things.
3. When he was a teenager, Sir Demis created a popular game called Theme Park.
4. After creating the game Theme Park, Sir Demis went to Cambridge University, started a video game company, and got a PhD in neuroscience. He also co-founded DeepMind, which is now part of Google.
5. Sir Demis thinks selling DeepMind to Google was a good idea because Google has the resources to deal with the big challenges of AI.
6. Sir Demis signed a statement saying that we need to address the risks of AI, along with other big problems in the world.
7. Sir Demis believes that AI is more powerful than nuclear power and can do a lot of good things for us.
8. Sir Demis believes that if parents support their kids’ creative use of technology, including playing video games, it can help them develop their skills and passions and be successful in a world that’s always changing.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) knight
(2) parents
(3) playing
(4) encourage
(5) embrace
(6) Theme
(7) Cambridge
(8) DeepMind
(9) Google
(10) algorithms
(11) safer
(12) saying
(13) power
(14) wants
(15) thinks
(16) changing
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. knighted
Answer: (A) Officially given a title of honor by a monarch

2. millionaire
Answer: (L) A person who has a lot of money, more than a million dollars

3. encourage
Answer: (O) To support or suggest that someone does something in a positive way

4. technology
Answer: (C) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems, especially in industry and commerce

5. adapt
Answer: (F) To change or adjust to fit new conditions or environments

6. embrace
Answer: (H) To accept something enthusiastically

7. neuroscience
Answer: (N) The scientific study of the nervous system and the brain

8. co-founded
Answer: (I) To start a company or organization with someone else

9. resources
Answer: (E) The tools, money, or other assets needed to achieve something

10. challenges
Answer: (K) Difficult situations that need to be dealt with

11. deepfake
Answer: (B) Videos that have been digitally altered to look real, often misleadingly

12. biased
Answer: (G) Showing unfair preference or prejudice towards someone or something

13. statement
Answer: (M) A formal expression of opinion or intention

14. nuclear
Answer: (D) Relating to the technology and energy produced by splitting atoms

15. passions
Answer: (J) Strong interests or desires that drive someone to do something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Sir Demis Hassabis think parents should do about their kids playing video games?
Answer: (c) Encourage them to use technology in a creative way

2. How did playing video games help Sir Demis become successful?
Answer: (b) It helped him develop his skills and interests

3. What game did Sir Demis create when he was a teenager?
Answer: (b) Theme Park

4. What did Sir Demis do after creating the game Theme Park?
Answer: (d) Went to Cambridge University

5. Why does Sir Demis think selling DeepMind to Google was a good idea?
Answer: (a) Google has the resources to deal with the challenges of AI

6. What statement did Sir Demis sign regarding AI?
Answer: (d) We need to address the risks of AI

7. What does Sir Demis want parents to support in their kids?
Answer: (a) Their creative use of technology

8. What does Sir Demis believe about AI?
Answer: (c) It can do a lot of good things for us
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Sir Demis thinks that gaming helped him become successful, and wants parents to help their kids develop their skills and interests through gaming. (Answer: True)
2. Sir Demis Hassabis believes that parents should encourage their kids to use technology in a creative way, rather than telling them to stop playing video games. (Answer: True)
3. Sir Demis created a popular game called Theme Park when he was a teenager, and later co-founded DeepMind, which is now independent of Google. (Answer: False)
4. Sir Demis believes that AI is not as powerful as nuclear power and cannot do as many good things. (Answer: False)
5. Sir Demis recently became a knight and millionaire for his work in AI and for being a cool guy. (Answer: True)
6. Sir Demis believes that selling DeepMind to Google was a bad idea because they lack the resources to deal with the big challenges of AI. (Answer: False)
7. Sir Demis thinks that AI can be scary all the time, and we should focus on being afraid rather than making it safer. (Answer: False)
8. Sir Demis signed a statement saying that we need to address the risks of AI, along with other big problems in the world. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧