A guy named Noland Arbaugh, who can’t move his body from the shoulders down because of a diving accident, played chess using a brain implant made by a company called Neuralink. He said that he could control the cursor on the screen just by thinking about where it should go. In a video, Arbaugh and a person from Neuralink talked about how the implant works and how it can help people like him. Arbaugh said that using the device was really cool and easy to understand.

The brain implant made by Neuralink lets people with paralysis use their thoughts to control things like computers and phones. They put a device in the person’s brain, and it sends signals to control other devices. Arbaugh used it to play chess online by just thinking about where the cursor should go. This new technology can make life better for people with paralysis because it gives them more independence and lets them do things they couldn’t do before.

In the livestream, Arbaugh and the person from Neuralink talked about how the brain implant works. Arbaugh had surgery to put the implant in his brain, and it’s connected to a computer that understands his thoughts and makes them happen on the screen. The person from Neuralink said that it’s really important to train the device to understand the person’s thoughts well so that it works smoothly.

The video of Arbaugh playing chess with the brain implant has made a lot of people excited about Neuralink’s technology. It shows that we’re making progress in making computers and brains work together, and it could help people with paralysis have more control and independence. Even though the technology is still new, it has the potential to change how we use technology and give people with disabilities more opportunities.

Original news source: Neuralink patient seen playing chess using brain implant (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article and summarize the key points in their own words.
4. After a set amount of time, have each group share their summary with the class.
5. Facilitate a discussion to compare and contrast the different summaries.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to discuss their opinions on the topic of brain implants and their potential impact on people with paralysis.
4. After a set amount of time, have each group present their opinions to the class.
5. Facilitate a class discussion to explore different perspectives and opinions on the topic.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a list of vocabulary words from the article.
3. Instruct the groups to take turns selecting a word and drawing a picture to represent it.
4. The other group members must guess the word based on the drawing.
5. Repeat the process until all the words have been drawn and guessed.
6. Facilitate a class discussion to review the vocabulary words and their meanings.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions:
1. Write the title of the article on the board, leaving out some key words.
2. Divide the class into two teams.
3. Instruct one team to choose a letter and guess if it is in one of the missing words.
4. If the letter is correct, write it in the appropriate blank space. If the letter is incorrect, draw a body part of a hangman.
5. Alternate turns between the two teams until either the missing words are completed or the hangman is fully drawn.
6. Facilitate a class discussion to review the missing words and their meanings.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions:
1. Instruct the class to individually read the article.
2. After reading, have the students pair up and discuss their thoughts and reactions to the article.
3. After a set amount of time, bring the class back together and have a few pairs share their discussions with the whole class.
4. Facilitate a class discussion to explore different perspectives and insights on the topic.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is Noland Arbaugh and why is he unable to move his body from the shoulders down?
2. How does the brain implant made by Neuralink work?
3. How did Arbaugh control the cursor on the screen while playing chess?
4. How can this new technology improve the lives of people with paralysis?
5. What did Arbaugh and the person from Neuralink discuss in the livestream?
6. What is the importance of training the brain implant to understand the person’s thoughts well?
7. Why are people excited about Neuralink’s technology after watching the video of Arbaugh playing chess?
8. How could this technology potentially change how we use technology and benefit people with disabilities?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A guy named Noland Arbaugh, who can’t move his body from the shoulders down because of a diving accident, played chess using a (1)______ implant made by a company (2)______ Neuralink. He said that he could (3)______ the cursor on the screen just by thinking about where it should go. In a video, Arbaugh and a person from Neuralink talked about how the implant works and how it can help (4)______ like him. Arbaugh said that using the device was really cool and easy to understand.

The brain (5)______ made by Neuralink lets people with paralysis use their (6)______ to control things like computers and phones. They put a (7)______ in the person’s brain, and it sends signals to control other devices. Arbaugh used it to play chess online by just thinking about where the cursor should go. This new technology can make life better for people with paralysis because it (8)______ them more independence and lets them do things they couldn’t do before.

In the livestream, Arbaugh and the person from (9)______ talked about how the brain implant works. Arbaugh had surgery to put the implant in his brain, and it’s connected to a (10)______ that (11)______s his thoughts and makes them happen on the screen. The person from Neuralink said that it’s really important to (12)______ the device to understand the person’s thoughts well so that it works smoothly.

The video of Arbaugh (13)______ chess with the brain implant has made a lot of people excited about Neuralink’s (14)______. It shows that we’re (15)______ progress in making computers and brains work together, and it could help people with paralysis have more control and independence. Even though the technology is still new, it has the potential to change how we use technology and give people with disabilities more (16)______.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a brain implant and how does it work?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t move your body from the shoulders down? Why?
3. Do you think it’s cool that Noland Arbaugh can control a computer with his thoughts? Why or why not?
4. What are some ways that this brain implant technology could help people with paralysis?
5. Have you ever heard of Neuralink before? What do you think about their technology?
6. How do you think the brain implant technology could change how we use computers and phones?
7. Do you think it’s important to give people with disabilities more opportunities? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever played chess before? If so, do you think it would be easier or harder to play using just your thoughts?
9. How do you think it would feel to have a device implanted in your brain? Why?
10. What are some other ways that technology has improved the lives of people with disabilities?
11. Do you think it’s important for technology to be easy to understand? Why or why not?
12. How do you think the brain implant technology could be improved in the future?
13. Do you like the idea of computers and brains working together? Why or why not?
14. How do you think this technology could benefit society as a whole?
15. Would you be interested in trying out a brain implant like the one Noland Arbaugh has? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. paralysis
2. implant
3. cursor
4. independence
5. livestream
6. surgery
7. signals
8. disabilities
9. technology
10. opportunities
11. progress
12. device
13. control
14. potential
15. excitement

Meanings:
(A) Moving forward or developing in a positive way
(B) The use of scientific knowledge to create tools and machines
(C) Conditions that make it difficult for people to do certain activities
(D) To have power over something or someone
(E) Being able to do things on your own without help
(F) The ability to grow, develop, or become better
(G) Broadcasting video in real-time over the internet
(H) A feeling of being very happy or enthusiastic about something
(I) A moving marker on a computer screen that shows where actions will happen
(J) Electrical or other types of messages sent from one point to another
(K) A tool or piece of equipment made for a specific purpose
(L) Not being able to move parts of your body
(M) A small object placed inside the body by doctors
(N) Chances to do something that could bring good results
(O) A medical operation where doctors fix or remove something inside your body
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the company that made the brain implant?
(a) Neuralink
(b) Arbaugh Technologies
(c) Paralysis Solutions
(d) Brain Control Systems

2. How does the brain implant help people with paralysis?
(a) It helps them regain movement in their bodies.
(b) It allows them to communicate telepathically with others.
(c) It allows them to control computers and phones with their thoughts.
(d) It helps them overcome their fear of diving accidents.

3. What did Noland Arbaugh use the brain implant to do?
(a) Control his body movements
(b) Swim underwater
(c) Write a book
(d) Play chess online

4. What does the person from Neuralink say is important when using the brain implant?
(a) Keeping the device connected to a computer at all times
(b) Training the device to understand the person’s thoughts well
(c) Using the implant to control other people’s thoughts
(d) Making sure the device is charged regularly

5. How has the video of Arbaugh playing chess with the brain implant made people feel?
(a) Excited about the potential of the technology
(b) Scared of diving accidents
(c) Confused about how the implant works
(d) Indifferent towards people with disabilities

6. What does the article say about the potential of the brain implant technology?
(a) It will replace all other forms of communication in the future.
(b) It is only useful for playing chess online.
(c) It could change how we use technology and give people with disabilities more opportunities.
(d) It has no potential to help people with paralysis.

7. What does the article say about the progress being made in making computers and brains work together?
(a) It is impossible to make computers and brains work together.
(b) The technology is already perfect and doesn’t need any improvements.
(c) No progress has been made in this area.
(d) We are making progress in this area.

8. What is the main benefit of the brain implant for people with paralysis?
(a) It allows them to swim underwater.
(b) It gives them more independence and control.
(c) It helps them regain movement in their bodies.
(d) It lets them control other people’s thoughts.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Noland Arbaugh, who is not paralyzed from the shoulders down, played chess using a brain implant made by Neuralink.
2. The video of Arbaugh playing chess with the brain implant has generated excitement about Neuralink’s technology.
3. The brain implant allows people with paralysis to control computers and phones using their thoughts.
4. This new technology has the potential to change how we use technology and provide more opportunities for people with disabilities.
5. Arbaugh was not able to control the cursor on the screen just by thinking about where it should go.
6. Arbaugh had surgery to implant the device in his brain, which is connected to a computer that understands his thoughts.
7. The brain implant does not provide people with paralysis more independence and does not allow them to do things they couldn’t do before.
8. The person from Neuralink de-emphasized the importance of training the device to understand the person’s thoughts poorly for smooth operation.
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 the purpose of the brain implant made by Neuralink?
2. How does the brain implant allow people with paralysis to control computers and phones?
3. How did Noland Arbaugh use the brain implant to play chess online?
4. Why is it important to train the device to understand the person’s thoughts well?
5. What impact could Neuralink’s technology have on people with disabilities?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who is Noland Arbaugh and why is he unable to move his body from the shoulders down?
Noland Arbaugh is a person who cannot move his body from the shoulders down due to a diving accident.

2. How does the brain implant made by Neuralink work?
The brain implant made by Neuralink is a device that is placed in a person’s brain. It sends signals to control other devices, such as computers and phones, using the person’s thoughts.

3. How did Arbaugh control the cursor on the screen while playing chess?
Arbaugh controlled the cursor on the screen by simply thinking about where it should go.

4. How can this new technology improve the lives of people with paralysis?
This new technology can improve the lives of people with paralysis by giving them more independence and allowing them to control things like computers and phones using their thoughts.

5. What did Arbaugh and the person from Neuralink discuss in the livestream?
In the livestream, Arbaugh and the person from Neuralink discussed how the brain implant works and how it can help people with paralysis.

6. What is the importance of training the brain implant to understand the person’s thoughts well?
It is important to train the brain implant to understand the person’s thoughts well so that it can work smoothly and accurately translate their thoughts into actions.

7. Why are people excited about Neuralink’s technology after watching the video of Arbaugh playing chess?
People are excited about Neuralink’s technology after watching the video of Arbaugh playing chess because it shows progress in making computers and brains work together, and it offers the potential for people with paralysis to have more control and independence.

8. How could this technology potentially change how we use technology and benefit people with disabilities?
This technology could potentially change how we use technology by allowing people with disabilities to control devices using their thoughts. It can give them more opportunities and improve their quality of life by providing greater independence and access to technology.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) brain
(2) called
(3) control
(4) people
(5) implant
(6) thoughts
(7) device
(8) gives
(9) Neuralink
(10) computer
(11) understand
(12) train
(13) playing
(14) technology
(15) making
(16) opportunities
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. paralysis
Answer: (L) Not being able to move parts of your body

2. implant
Answer: (M) A small object placed inside the body by doctors

3. cursor
Answer: (I) A moving marker on a computer screen that shows where actions will happen

4. independence
Answer: (E) Being able to do things on your own without help

5. livestream
Answer: (G) Broadcasting video in real-time over the internet

6. surgery
Answer: (O) A medical operation where doctors fix or remove something inside your body

7. signals
Answer: (J) Electrical or other types of messages sent from one point to another

8. disabilities
Answer: (C) Conditions that make it difficult for people to do certain activities

9. technology
Answer: (B) The use of scientific knowledge to create tools and machines

10. opportunities
Answer: (N) Chances to do something that could bring good results

11. progress
Answer: (A) Moving forward or developing in a positive way

12. device
Answer: (K) A tool or piece of equipment made for a specific purpose

13. control
Answer: (D) To have power over something or someone

14. potential
Answer: (F) The ability to grow, develop, or become better

15. excitement
Answer: (H) A feeling of being very happy or enthusiastic about something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the company that made the brain implant?
Answer: (a) Neuralink

2. How does the brain implant help people with paralysis?
Answer: (c) It allows them to control computers and phones with their thoughts.

3. What did Noland Arbaugh use the brain implant to do?
Answer: (d) Play chess online

4. What does the person from Neuralink say is important when using the brain implant?
Answer: (b) Training the device to understand the person’s thoughts well

5. How has the video of Arbaugh playing chess with the brain implant made people feel?
Answer: (a) Excited about the potential of the technology

6. What does the article say about the potential of the brain implant technology?
Answer: (c) It could change how we use technology and give people with disabilities more opportunities.

7. What does the article say about the progress being made in making computers and brains work together?
Answer: (d) We are making progress in this area.

8. What is the main benefit of the brain implant for people with paralysis?
Answer: (b) It gives them more independence and control.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Noland Arbaugh, who is not paralyzed from the shoulders down, played chess using a brain implant made by Neuralink. (Answer: False)
2. The video of Arbaugh playing chess with the brain implant has generated excitement about Neuralink’s technology. (Answer: True)
3. The brain implant allows people with paralysis to control computers and phones using their thoughts. (Answer: True)
4. This new technology has the potential to change how we use technology and provide more opportunities for people with disabilities. (Answer: True)
5. Arbaugh was not able to control the cursor on the screen just by thinking about where it should go. (Answer: False)
6. Arbaugh had surgery to implant the device in his brain, which is connected to a computer that understands his thoughts. (Answer: True)
7. The brain implant does not provide people with paralysis more independence and does not allow them to do things they couldn’t do before. (Answer: False)
8. The person from Neuralink de-emphasized the importance of training the device to understand the person’s thoughts poorly for smooth operation. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧