Breaking News English Lesson on Weapons

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U.S. to spend $2 billion on artificial intelligence weapons (12th September, 2018)

The Reading / Listening - Weapons - Level 3

The United States Defense Department is going to spend up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons over the next five years. This will be the most the department has ever spent on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the most advanced weapons in the world. It wants its weapons to be better than those of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapons to be trusted and accepted by military generals and commanders. They want to make sure weapons in the future do not make mistakes. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good time to seed the field of AI. We think we can accelerate two decades of progress into five years."

Some of the new AI weapons may be able to make and act on their own decisions. This means computer systems and algorithms could make a decision (without any human decision-making) to attack a target that could kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent lives being lost. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it possible to develop and [use] autonomous systems that could independently select and attack targets with [deadly] force". It added that weapons using AI systems can currently choose targets on their own, but military commanders do not want to let the weapons decide on the targets to attack. The commanders want to make the final decision.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Weapons - Level 0, Weapons - Level 1 or Weapons - Level 2

Sources

https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/8/17833160/pentagon-darpa-artificial-intelligence-ai-investment
https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/07/technology/darpa-artificial-intelligence/index.html
https://interestingengineering.com/us-department-of-defense-to-invest-2-billion-in-ai-research

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. WEAPONS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about weapons. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
defense / artificial intelligence / weapons / advanced / military / generals / decades /
decisions / computer systems / algorithms / dangerous / force / targets / commanders
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Students A strongly believe artificial intelligence is dangerous; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AI: How can AI help us in our lives? Could there be any dangers? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Help	Dangers
Weapons
Education
Health
Crime
In out homes
Transport

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. DEPARTMENT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "department". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. $2 BILLION: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to spend $2 billion on at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

sport
agriculture
homelessness
small businesses
weapons
schools
hospitals
police

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	artificial	a.	People in charge (the leaders) of a worker, company or organization.
2.	systems	b.	Made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally.
3.	bosses	c.	Has the quality of being believed in by people.
4.	trusted	d.	Agreed to a person, plan or offer.
5.	accepted	e.	Sets of things working together as parts of a machine or an interconnecting network.
6.	decades	f.	Advances or development toward a better, more complete, or more modern condition.
7.	progress	g.	A period of ten years.

Paragraph 2

8.	algorithms	h.	A person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack.
9.	target	i.	Acting independently or having the freedom to do so.
10.	innocent	j.	A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
11.	develop	k.	Not responsible for or directly involved in an event, but suffering its effects.
12.	autonomous	l.	Making people do things they don't want to, especially with the use or threat of violence.
13.	force	m.	Grow or cause to grow and become more mature and advanced.
14.	military	n.	About the soldiers, armies, navies, etc. of a country.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

The USA will spend over $2 billion on artificial intelligence for weapons. T / F
The USA has a five-year spending plan for the weapons. T / F
The article says the USA wants better weapons than Russia and China. T / F
The USA will try to do 20 years of work in just five years. T / F
The new weapons will not be able to make decisions without humans. T / F
Nobody thinks the artificial intelligence weapons will be dangerous. T / F
A.I. weapons will never be able to select targets on their own. T / F
Military commanders want to make final decisions about targets. T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

up to
next
advanced
accepted
accelerate
decisions
lead to
select
deadly
final

modern
lethal
speed up
cause
upcoming
choose
last
as much as
judgments
welcomed

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

the most the department has
the most advanced
trusted and accepted
make sure weapons in the future do
we can accelerate two decades of
act on their own
computer systems and
lead to innocent lives
select and attack targets with
The commanders want to make

not make mistakes
the final decision
ever spent
algorithms
by military generals
deadly force
weapons in the world
progress into five years
decisions
being lost

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

those
next
seed
most
progress
accepted
spend
mistakes

The United States Defense Department is going to (1) ____________ up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons over the (2) ____________ five years. This will be the most the department has ever spent on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the (3) ____________ advanced weapons in the world. It wants its weapons to be better than (4) ____________ of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapons to be trusted and (5) ____________ by military generals and commanders. They want to make sure weapons in the future do not make (6) ____________. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good time to (7) ____________ the field of AI. We think we can accelerate two decades of (8) ____________ into five years."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

possible
means
final
innocent
military
able
target
force

Some of the new AI weapons may be (9) ____________ to make and act on their own decisions. This (10) ____________ computer systems and algorithms could make a decision (without any human decision-making) to attack a (11) ____________ that could kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to (12) ____________ lives being lost. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it (13) ____________ to develop and [use] autonomous systems that could independently select and attack targets with [deadly] (14) ____________ ". It added that weapons using AI systems can currently choose targets on their own, but (15) ____________ commanders do not want to let the weapons decide on the targets to attack. The commanders want to make the (16) ____________ decision.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) spend up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons ______ five years
     a. overly the next
     b. over a next
     c. over the next
     d. over that next
2) The department wants to have the most advanced weapons ______
     a. on the world
     b. an the world
     c. to the world
     d. in the world
3) bosses want future weapons to be trusted and accepted ______
     a. by military generals
     b. bye militarily generals
     c. by military generalise
     d. bye military general
4) They want to make sure weapons in the future ______ mistakes
     a. do not take
     b. do not make
     c. do not fake
     d. do not sake
5) We think we can accelerate two decades of progress ______
     a. onto five years
     b. unto five years
     c. as to five years
     d. into five years

6) Some of the new AI weapons may be able to make and act ______ decisions
     a. in their own
     b. on they're roam
     c. on their own
     d. in their roam
7) This means computer systems and algorithms ______ decision
     a. could make all
     b. could make a
     c. could make an
     d. could make at
8) Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent ______
     a. live been lost
     b. lives be in lost
     c. live being lost
     d. lives being lost
9) systems that could independently select and attack targets ______
     a. with deadly force
     b. with deadly farce
     c. with deadly fierce
     d. with deadly fours
10) The commanders want to make ______
     a. the final revision
     b. the final derision
     c. the final incision
     d. the final decision

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The United States Defense Department is going to spend up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons (1) ___________________ five years. This will be the most the department (2) ___________________ on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the most advanced weapons in the world. It wants its weapons to be (3) ___________________ of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapons to be trusted and accepted (4) ___________________ and commanders. They want to make sure weapons in the future do (5) ___________________. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good time to seed the field of AI. We think we can accelerate (6) ___________________ progress into five years."

Some of the new AI weapons (7) ___________________ to make and act on their own decisions. This means computer systems and algorithms could (8) ___________________ (without any human decision-making) to attack a target that could kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent (9) ___________________. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it possible to develop and [use] autonomous systems that could independently (10) ___________________ targets with [deadly] force". It added that weapons using AI systems can currently (11) ___________________ their own, but military commanders do not want to let the weapons decide on the targets to attack. The commanders want to (12) ___________________ decision.

Comprehension questions

How long will it take the USA to spend the $2 billion?
What countries does the USA want to have better weapons than?
Who does the USA want to trust and accept its new weapons?
What do officials not want the new weapons to do?
How many years of work do officials want to put into five years?
What allows the weapons to make decisions besides computer systems?
What do many people think could be lost because of the new weapons?
What kind of force could the new weapons attack targets with?
What can AI systems currently choose on their own?
What do commanders want to make regarding attacking targets?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How long will it take the USA to spend the $2 billion?
a) two decades
b) no time at all
c) five years
d) a year
2) What countries does the USA want to have better weapons than?
a) China and Russia
b) Russia and North Korea
c) North Korea and China
d) Mexico and Canada
3) Who does the USA want to trust and accept its new weapons?
a) the people
b) military generals
c) its enemies
d) its soldiers
4) What do officials not want the new weapons to do?
a) cost too much
b) go into space
c) explode
d) make mistakes
5) How many years of work do officials want to put into five years?
a) 25
b) 15
c) 20
d) 10

6) What allows the weapons to make decisions besides computer systems?
a) silicon
b) algorithms
c) chips
d) professors
7) What do many people think could be lost because of the new weapons?
a) jobs
b) money
c) borders
d) innocent lives
8) What kind of force could the new weapons attack targets with?
a) a massive force
b) deadly force
c) brute force
d) a space force
9) What can AI systems currently choose on their own?
a) zeroes and ones
b) targets
c) numbers
d) colours
10) What do commanders want to make regarding attacking targets?
a) the final decision
b) maps
c) proof
d) money

Role play

Role A – Weapons
You think weapons are the best thing to spend $2 billion on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with spending on their things. Also, tell the others which is the last of these to get money (and why): schools, hospitals or small businesses.

Role B – Schools
You think schools are the best thing to spend $2 billion on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with spending on their things. Also, tell the others which is the last of these to get money (and why): weapons, hospitals or small businesses.

Role C – Hospitals
You think hospitals are the best thing to spend $2 billion on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with spending on their things. Also, tell the others which is the last of these to get money (and why): schools, weapons or small businesses.

Role D – Small Businesses
You think small businesses are the best thing to spend $2 billion on. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with spending on their things. Also, tell the others which is the last of these to get money (and why): schools, hospitals or weapons.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'artificial'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'intelligence'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

•Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

own

making

lost

deadly

currently

final

spend

most

better

trusted

sure

two

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - U.S. to spend $2 billion on artificial intelligence weapons

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'weapon'?
Is $2 billion a lot to spend on a defense system?
How could the $2 billion be used is better ways?
What do you think of weapons?
What do you think of artificial intelligence?
What do you think of weapons with artificial intelligence?
What do you think of weapons that decide to bomb people?
What will future weapons be like?
What would the world be like with no weapons?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'intelligence'?
What do you think about what you read?
What are the weapons like in your country's army?
Why do countries think they need weapons?
Should humans always make the decision about what to target?
What would happen if we could not control AI weapons?
How does AI help your life?
Could artificial intelligence weapons destroy the Earth?
What questions would you like to ask the U.S. Defense Department?

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The United States Defense Department is going to spend (1) ____ to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons over the next five years. This will be the most the department has (2) ____ spent on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the most advanced weapons (3) ____ the world. It wants its weapons to be better than those of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapons to (4) ____ trusted and accepted by military generals and commanders. They want to make sure weapons in the future do not (5) ____ mistakes. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good time to seed the field of AI. We think we can accelerate two decades of progress (6) ____ five years."

Some of the new AI weapons may be able to make and (7) ____ on their own decisions. This means computer systems and algorithms could make a decision (without (8) ____ human decision-making) to attack a target that could kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent lives (9) ____ lost. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it possible to develop and [use] autonomous systems that could (10) ____ select and attack targets with [deadly] force". It added that weapons using AI systems can (11) ____ choose targets on their own, but military commanders do not want to (12) ____ the weapons decide on the targets to attack. The commanders want to make the final decision.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) up (b) along (c) down (d) of
(a) never (b) even (c) ever (d) every
(a) to (b) of (c) in (d) on
(a) bean (b) being (c) been (d) be
(a) make (b) get (c) do (d) take
(a) unto (b) into (c) as to (d) onto
(a) tact (b) fact (c) pact (d) act
(a) many (b) any (c) all (d) few
(a) be (b) been (c) being (d) bean
(a) independence (b) independently (c) independent (d) independents
(a) currant (b) currency (c) current (d) currently
(a) lot (b) let (c) late (d) latter

Spelling

Paragraph 1

the most the darettmnpe has ever spent
the most eavadcdn weapons
taepdcce by military generals
do not make aketimss
We think we can cteeaaeclr
two cdeedsa of progress

Paragraph 2

act on their own ssociiden
computer semtsys
lead to nicnneot lives being lost
make it ispesblo
attack targets with deadly cfero
can lcrternuy choose

Put the text back together

( 1 ) The United States Defense Department is going to spend up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons
(...) systems and algorithms could make a decision (without any human decision-making) to attack
(...) force". It added that weapons using AI systems can currently choose targets on their own, but military commanders
(...) be trusted and accepted by military generals and commanders. They want to make
(...) lost. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it possible to develop and [use] autonomous
(...) over the next five years. This will be the most the department has ever spent
(...) on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the most advanced weapons in the
(...) world. It wants its weapons to be better than those of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapons to
(...) systems that could independently select and attack targets with [deadly]
(...) do not want to let the weapons decide on the targets to attack. The commanders want to make the final decision.
(...) time to seed the field of AI. We think we can accelerate two decades of progress into five years."
(...) Some of the new AI weapons may be able to make and act on their own decisions. This means computer
(...) a target that could kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent lives being
(...) sure weapons in the future do not make mistakes. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good

Put the words in the right order

department most ever the The spent . has
advanced in most the Have the weapons world .
wants its to be better . weapons It
bosses Defense want be future to weapons trusted .
a to good think We seed . time it's
human without decision-making . Make a any decision
lost . innocent This to could lives being lead
using systems choose AI can currently Weapons targets .
weapons targets decide the on attack . The to
want decision . The commanders the make to final

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The United States Defense Department is going / gone to spend up to $2 billion on artificial intelligence (AI) weapons over / under the next five years. This will be the most the department has never / ever spent on AI systems for weapons. The department wants to have the most / must advanced weapons in the world. It wants its weapons to be more / better than those of China and Russia. Defense bosses want future weapon / weapons to be trusted and accepted by / at military generals and commanders. They want to make ensure / sure weapons in the future do not fake / make mistakes. Department official John Everett said: "We think it's a good time to seed the field of AI. We think we can accelerate two decades / decadence of progress into five years."

Some of the new AI weapons may be ability / able to make and act on their own decisions. This means / mean computer systems and algorithms could make a decision (without any humane / human decision-making) to attack a target that could killer / kill people. Many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent / innocence lives being lost. The Defense Department said AI technology could, "make it possibly / possible to develop and [use] autonomous systems that could independently select and attack targets with [deadly] farce / force". It added that weapons using AI systems can currently choose targets / target on their own, but military commanders do not want to let the weapons decide on / in the targets to attack. The commanders want to make the finally / final decision.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

T h_ U n_t_d S t_t_s D_f_n s_ D_p_r t m_n t _s g__ n g t_ s p_n d _p t_ $ 2 b_l l__ n _n _r t_f_c__ l _n t_l l_g_n c_ ( A I ) w__ p_n s _v_r t h_ n_x t f_v_ y__ r s . T h_s w_l l b_ t h_ m_s t t h_ d_p_r t m_n t h_s _v_r s p_n t _n A I s y s t_m s f_r w__ p_n s . T h_ d_p_r t m_n t w_n t s t_ h_v_ t h_ m_s t _d v_n c_d w__ p_n s _n t h_ w_r l d . I t w_n t s _t s w__ p_n s t_ b_ b_t t_r t h_n t h_s_ _f C h_n_ _n d R_s s__ . D_f_n s_ b_s s_s w_n t f_t_r_ w__ p_n s t_ b_ t r_s t_d _n d _c c_p t_d b y m_l_t_r y g_n_r_l s _n d c_m m_n d_r s . T h_y w_n t t_ m_k_ s_r_ w__ p_n s _n t h_ f_t_r_ d_ n_t m_k_ m_s t_k_s . D_p_r t m_n t _f f_c__ l J_h n E v_r_t t s__ d : " W_ t h_n k _t ' s _ g__ d t_m_ t_ s__ d t h_ f__ l d _f A I . W_ t h_n k w_ c_n _c c_l_r_t_ t w_ d_c_d_s _f p r_g r_s s _n t_ f_v_ y__ r s . "

S_m_ _f t h_ n_w A I w__ p_n s m_y b_ _b l_ t_ m_k_ _n d _c t _n t h__ r _w n d_c_s__ n s . T h_s m__ n s c_m p_t_r s y s t_m s _n d _l g_r_t h m s c__ l d m_k_ _ d_c_s__ n ( w_t h__ t _n y h_m_n d_c_s__ n - m_k_n g ) t_ _t t_c k _ t_r g_t t h_t c__ l d k_l l p__ p l_. M_n y p__ p l_ t h_n k t h_s _s d_n g_r__ s _n d c__ l d l__ d t_ _n n_c_n t l_v_s b__ n g l_s t . T h_ D_f_n s_ D_p_r t m_n t s__ d A I t_c h n_l_g y c__ l d , " m_k_ _t p_s s_b l_ t_ d_v_l_p _n d [_s_] __ t_n_m__ s s y s t_m s t h_t c__ l d _n d_p_n d_n t l y s_l_c t _n d _t t_c k t_r g_t s w_t h [ d__ d l y ] f_r c_" . I t _d d_d t h_t w__ p_n s _s_n g A I s y s t_m s c_n c_r r_n t l y c h__ s_ t_r g_t s _n t h__ r _w n , b_t m_l_t_r y c_m m_n d_r s d_ n_t w_n t t_ l_t t h_ w__ p_n s d_c_d_ _n t h_ t_r g_t s t_ _t t_c k . T h_ c_m m_n d_r s w_n t t_ m_k_ t h_ f_n_l d_c_s__ n .

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the united states defense department is going to spend up to 2 billion on artificial intelligence ai weapons over the next five years this will be the most the department has ever spent on ai systems for weapons the department wants to have the most advanced weapons in the world it wants its weapons to be better than those of china and russia defense bosses want future weapons to be trusted and accepted by military generals and commanders they want to make sure weapons in the future do not make mistakes department official john everett said we think its a good time to seed the field of ai we think we can accelerate two decades of progress into five years

some of the new ai weapons may be able to make and act on their own decisions this means computer systems and algorithms could make a decision without any human decisionmaking to attack a target that could kill people many people think this is dangerous and could lead to innocent lives being lost the defense department said ai technology could make it possible to develop and use autonomous systems that could independently select and attack targets with deadly force it added that weapons using ai systems can currently choose targets on their own but military commanders do not want to let the weapons decide on the targets to attack the commanders want to make the final decision

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUnitedStatesDefenseDepartmentisgoingtospendupto$2billiono
nartificialintelligence(AI)weaponsoverthenextfiveyears.Thiswillbet
hemostthedepartmenthaseverspentonAIsystemsforweapons.Thed
epartmentwantstohavethemostadvancedweaponsintheworld.Itwa
ntsitsweaponstobebetterthanthoseofChinaandRussia.Defenseboss
eswantfutureweaponstobetrustedandacceptedbymilitarygeneralsa
ndcommanders.Theywanttomakesureweaponsinthefuturedonotma
kemistakes.DepartmentofficialJohnEverettsaid:"Wethinkit'sagoodt
imetoseedthefieldofAI.Wethinkwecanacceleratetwodecadesofprogr
essintofiveyears."SomeofthenewAIweaponsmaybeabletomakeand
actontheirowndecisions.Thismeanscomputersystemsandalgorithm
scouldmakeadecision(withoutanyhumandecision-making)toattac
katargetthatcouldkillpeople.Manypeoplethinkthisisdangerousandco
uldleadtoinnocentlivesbeinglost.TheDefenseDepartmentsaidAItech
nologycould,"makeitpossibletodevelopand[use]autonomoussyste
msthatcouldindependentlyselectandattacktargetswith[deadly]forc
e".ItaddedthatweaponsusingAIsystemscancurrentlychoosetargets
ontheirown,butmilitarycommandersdonotwanttolettheweaponsdec
ideonthetargetstoattack.Thecommanderswanttomakethefinaldecis
ion.

Free writing

Write about weapons for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

All countries should destroy their weapons. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Homework

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. WEAPONS: Make a poster about weapons. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: Write a magazine article about artificial intelligence. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on weapons. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on weapons. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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Breaking News English Lesson on Weapons

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