The Reading / Listening - Xenobots - Level 3

Scientists say that a new kind of robot can reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is an example of science fiction becoming science fact. The scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created the world's first "living" robots. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them in 2020 from the stem cells of an African frog. Its scientific name – "xenopus laevis" – gave the xenobot its name. The xenobots are less than a millimetre wide. They can move, work together in groups and self-heal. Although they are not what we imagine robots to be, scientists say they are technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an entirely new life-form".

The scientists explained that the bots reproduce because of their shape. Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shapes. The result was a C-shaped robot. It was able to find tiny stem cells in a petri dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days later, the cells became a new, "baby" xenobot. The xenobots are very early technology. However, they could change science, medicine, technology and the way we live. They could carry out tasks inside our body to repair damage to organs. They could also help the environment by attacking micro-plastics in our oceans, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite the possible benefits, some people are worried about robots that can reproduce.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Xenobots - Level 0,  Xenobots - Level 1   or  Xenobots - Level 2

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2021/11/29/americas/xenobots-self-replicating-robots-scn/index.html
  • https://inews.co.uk/news/scientists-create-worlds-first-reproductive-robots-1325805
  • https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/11/xenobots-reproduce/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. XENOBOTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about xenobots. 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?
       scientists / robot / reproduce / baby / robot / science fiction / stem cell / imagine / life
       shape / artificial intelligence / body shapes / cell / medicine / organs / oceans / oil spill
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DANGEROUS: Students A strongly believe robots that can have babies are dangerous to humans; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ROBOT HELP: How can robots help us in these areas? Would you like this help? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Help

Me

Learning English

 

 

Health

 

 

Transport

 

 

Friendship

 

 

Housework

 

 

Exercise

 

 
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. BABY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "baby". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. BENEFITS: Rank these with your partner. Put the things robots could change most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Medicine
  • Food
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Housework
  • Loneliness
  • Transport
  • Learning languages

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. reproduce a. The smallest part of a body, plant, or other life form that can function.
      2. science fiction b. Completely; totally.
      3. fact c. Create / have babies.
      4. cell d. Something that is true.
      5. heal e. Stories about the future, time travel and life on other planets.
      6. hybrid f. Become healthy again.
      7. entirely g. A thing made by joining two different things.

    Paragraph 2

      8. artificial h. Very, very, very small.
      9. tiny i. Brought together or collected.
      10. gathered j. A part of an organism that has a special and important job (like the heart, liver, eyes, etc.).
      11. medicine k. Not real; made by human beings rather than by nature.
      12. task l. A good thing to come from something.
      13. organ m. One piece of work to be done.
      14. benefit n. The science of finding, helping with, and stopping disease and illness.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says science fact has become science fiction.     T / F
  2. Scientists made the first living robots in 2020.     T / F
  3. The xenobots got their name from an African frog.     T / F
  4. The xenobots are less than a hundredth of a millimetre wide.     T / F
  5. Scientists tested hundreds of thousands of xenobot shapes.     T / F
  6. The xenobots create babies by gathering cells in their mouth.     T / F
  7. Xenobots could increase the risk of oil spills in our oceans.     T / F
  8. Some people are worried about robots that can have babies.     T / F

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

  1. reproduce
  2. fact
  3. created
  4. imagine
  5. entirely
  6. shape
  7. gathered
  8. carry out
  9. repair
  10. benefits
  1. collected
  2. totally
  3. visualize
  4. fix
  5. give birth
  6. do
  7. made
  8. advantages
  9. reality
  10. form

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

  1. a new kind of robot
  2. science
  3. stem
  4. work together
  5. an entirely new life
  6. the bots reproduce because
  7. artificial
  8. the way we
  9. repair damage to
  10. help the environment by attacking
  1. intelligence
  2. cells
  3. of their shape
  4. live
  5. can reproduce
  6. organs
  7. form
  8. micro-plastics
  9. in groups
  10. fiction

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
first
wide
fact
entirely
kind
imagine
stem
example

Scientists say that a new (1) _____________________ of robot can reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is an (2) _____________________ of science fiction becoming science (3) _____________________. The scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created the world's (4) _____________________ "living" robots. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them in 2020 from the (5) _____________________ cells of an African frog. Its scientific name - "xenopus laevis" - gave the xenobot its name. The xenobots are less than a millimetre (6) _____________________. They can move, work together in groups and self-heal. Although they are not what we (7) _____________________ robots to be, scientists say they are technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an (8) _____________________ new life-form".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
tiny
worried
shape
early
oceans
result
out
later

The scientists explained that the bots reproduce because of their (9) _____________________. Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shapes. The (10) _____________________ was a C-shaped robot. It was able to find (11) _____________________ stem cells in a petri dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days (12) _____________________, the cells became a new, "baby" xenobot. The xenobots are very (13) _____________________ technology. However, they could change science, medicine, technology and the way we live. They could carry (14) _____________________ tasks inside our body to repair damage to organs. They could also help the environment by attacking micro-plastics in our (15) _____________________, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite the possible benefits, some people are (16) _____________________ about robots that can reproduce.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) This is an example of science fiction ______
     a.  becoming science factual
     b.  becoming science pact
     c.  becoming science face
     d.  becoming science fact
2)  They can move, work together in groups ______
     a.  and self-heel
     b.  and self-wheel
     c.  and self-heal
     d.  and selfie-heal
3)  they are not what we imagine robots to be, scientists say they ______
     a.  art technically robots
     b.  all technically robots
     c.  ate technically robots
     d.  are technically robots
4)  They are a machine-______
     a.  animal hi breed
     b.  animal hay breed
     c.  animal high bread
     d.  animal hybrid
5)  The scientists say xenobots are "an entirely ______
     a.  new life fame
     b.  new life firm
     c.  new life farm
     d.  new life form

6)  The scientists explained that the bots reproduce because ______
     a.  of their shape
     b.  of their sharp
     c.  of their sheep
     d.  of their chap
7)  test billions of body shapes. The result was a ______
     a.  C-shapes robot
     b.  C-shaped robot
     c.  C-shaped robots
     d.  sea-shaped robot
8)  However, they could change science, medicine, technology and the ______
     a.  way we live
     b.  way we life
     c.  way we lively
     d.  way we lives
9)  They could carry out tasks inside our body to repair ______
     a.  damage to organs
     b.  damage to pianos
     c.  damage to keyboards
     d.  damage to synthesizers
10)  attacking micro-plastics in our oceans, or by cleaning ______
     a.  up oil pills
     b.  up oil spills
     c.  up oil bills
     d.  up oil fills

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists say that a (1) ____________________ robot can reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is (2) ____________________ science fiction becoming science fact. The scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created the world's (3) ____________________. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them in 2020 from the stem cells of an African frog. (4) ____________________ - "xenopus laevis" - gave the xenobot its name. The xenobots are less than a millimetre wide. They can move, work (5) ____________________ and self-heal. Although they are not what we imagine robots to be, scientists say they are technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an entirely (6) ____________________".

The scientists explained that the bots reproduce because (7) ____________________. Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shapes. The result was a C-shaped robot. It was able to find (8) ____________________ in a petri dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days later, the cells became a new, "baby" xenobot. The xenobots (9) ____________________ technology. However, they could change science, medicine, technology and the way we live. They could (10) ____________________ inside our body to repair damage to organs. They could also help the environment by attacking micro-plastics (11) ____________________, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite (12) ____________________, some people are worried about robots that can reproduce.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say science fiction is becoming?
  2. How many universities are the researchers from?
  3. What animal does the xenobot get its name from?
  4. How wide are the xenobots?
  5. What kind of hybrid did a researcher say xenobots were?
  6. What allowed the bots to reproduce?
  7. Where did the xenobots find tiny stem cells?
  8. What could xenobots repair damage to in our body?
  9. What could xenobots clean up in our oceans?
  10. What are some people worried about?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What does the article say science fiction is becoming?
a) dull and boring
b) science fact
c) interesting
d) difficult to understand
2)  How many universities are the researchers from?
a) one
b) four
c) three
d) two
3)  What animal does the xenobot get its name from?
a) an Indian beetle
b) a South American lizard
c) an Australian snake
d) an African frog
4)  How wide are the xenobots?
a) less than a hundredth of a millimetre
b) less than a millimetre
c) less than a micron
d) less than a nanometre
5)  What kind of hybrid did a researcher say xenobots were?
a) a machine-animal hybrid
b) a life-imagination hybrid
c) an electric-diesel hybrid
d) a robot-C hybrid

6)  What allowed the bots to reproduce?
a) its shape
b) chemicals
c) electricity
d) medicine
7)  Where did the xenobots find tiny stem cells?
a) in chemicals
b) in the air
c) in water
d) in a petri dish
8)  What could xenobots repair damage to in our body?
a) our mental health
b) the aging process
c) organs
d) cuts
9)  What could xenobots clean up in our oceans?
a) chemicals
b) shipwrecks
c) dead coral
d) oil spills
10)  What are some people worried about?
a) robots taking over the world
b) robots that can reproduce
c) how lonely the xenobots are
d) naming the xenobots

Role play

Role  A – Food
You think food is the thing that robots can improve most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these robots could change least (and why): education, housework or loneliness.

Role  B – Education
You think education is the thing that robots can improve most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these robots could change least (and why): food, housework or loneliness.

Role  C – Housework
You think housework is the thing that robots can improve most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these robots could change least (and why): education, food or loneliness.

Role  D – Loneliness
You think loneliness is the thing that robots can improve most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which of these robots could change least (and why): education, housework or food.

After reading / listening

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

'robot'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'baby'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • kind
    • fact
    • stem
    • work
    • animal
    • entirely
    • shape
    • able
    • few
    • early
    • help
    • worried

    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 - Xenobots

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'robot'?
    3. What do you think of robots?
    4. Would you like a robot?
    5. Are robots dangerous?
    6. What do you think of the idea of baby robots?
    7. What do you think of 'living robots'?
    8. Do you think these xenobots are really robots?
    9. What do you think of machine-animal hybrids?
    10. Is it good we have created an 'entirely new life form'?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'baby'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of artificial intelligence?
    5. Is it good that xenobots could change science and medicine?
    6. How could the xenobots help the environment?
    7. What could this technology be like in 50 years from now?
    8. Could xenobots help to fight viruses?
    9. Why might people be worried about the xenobots?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    Scientists say that a new (1) ____ of robot can reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is an example of science fiction becoming science (2) ____. The scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created the world's first "living" robots. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them in 2020 from the (3) ____ cells of an African frog. Its scientific name - "xenopus laevis" - gave the xenobot its name. The xenobots are (4) ____ than a millimetre wide. They can move, work together in groups and self-heal. Although they are not what we imagine robots to (5) ____, scientists say they are technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an (6) ____ new life-form".

    The scientists explained that the bots reproduce (7) ____ of their shape. Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shapes. The result was a C-shaped robot. It was (8) ____ to find tiny stem cells in a petri dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days later, the cells became a new, "baby" xenobot. The xenobots are very (9) ____ technology. However, they could change science, medicine, technology and the way we (10) ____. They could carry out tasks inside our body to repair damage to (11) ____. They could also help the environment by attacking micro-plastics in our oceans, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite the possible benefits, some people are (12) ____ about robots that can reproduce.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     kinder     (b)     kind     (c)     kindly     (d)     kinds    
    2. (a)     novel     (b)     fact     (c)     true     (d)     experimental    
    3. (a)     strum     (b)     stump     (c)     storm     (d)     stem    
    4. (a)     below     (b)     less     (c)     under     (d)     fewer    
    5. (a)     been     (b)     be     (c)     being     (d)     bin    
    6. (a)     entry     (b)     enters     (c)     entirely     (d)     entrance    
    7. (a)     however     (b)     although     (c)     because     (d)     such    
    8. (a)     ability     (b)     abled     (c)     able     (d)     enable    
    9. (a)     high     (b)     fast     (c)     cell     (d)     early    
    10. (a)     live     (b)     life     (c)     lifetime     (d)     lively    
    11. (a)     organs     (b)     keyboards     (c)     pianos     (d)     harpsichords    
    12. (a)     worry     (b)     worries     (c)     worried     (d)     worn

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. a new kind of robot can uoedrperc
    2. This is an example of ciesenc fiction
    3. what we mnagiei robots to be
    4. scientists say they are nhcitllycae robots
    5. They are a machine-animal bihyrd
    6. an itylnere new life-form

    Paragraph 2

    1. ciltariafi intelligence (AI)
    2. It etdrgeha the cells in its mouth
    3. goconlthey and the way we live
    4. repair damage to sgraon
    5. attacking micro-plastics in our onceas
    6. cleaning up oil isslpl

    Put the text back together

    (...)  technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an entirely new life-form".
    (  1  ) Scientists say that a new kind of robot can reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is an example of science
    (...)  cells in a petri dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days later, the cells became a new,
    (...)  name. The xenobots are less than a millimetre wide. They can move, work together in groups and self-
    (...)  fiction becoming science fact. The scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created
    (...)  benefits, some people are worried about robots that can reproduce.
    (...)  heal. Although they are not what we imagine robots to be, scientists say they are
    (...)  environment by attacking micro-plastics in our oceans, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite the possible
    (...)  "baby" xenobot. The xenobots are very early technology. However, they could change science, medicine,
    (...)  intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shapes. The result was a C-shaped robot. It was able to find tiny stem
    (...)  The scientists explained that the bots reproduce because of their shape. Researchers used artificial
    (...)  technology and the way we live. They could carry out tasks inside our body to repair damage to organs. They could also help the
    (...)  the world's first "living" robots. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them
    (...)  in 2020 from the stem cells of an African frog. Its scientific name - "xenopus laevis" - gave the xenobot its

    Put the words in the right order

    1. that   say   reproduce   .   robot   Scientists   a   can   new
    2. of   science   science   fiction   example   fact   .   An   becoming
    3. created   stem   in   Scientists   2020   from   them   cells   .
    4. than   a   less   wide   .   The   are   millimetre   xenobots
    5. to   be   .   what   aren't   imagine   They   robots   we
    6. shapes   .   of   AI   used   Researchers   billions   test   to
    7. carry   inside   out   tasks   could   They   body   .   our
    8. could   help   the   by  attacking   micro-plastics   .   environment   They
    9. spills   .   up   oil   oceans   Help   our   cleaning   by
    10. about   can   robots   are   People   reproduce   .   that   worried

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

         Scientists say that a new kind of robot can represent / reproduce - it can create baby robots. This is an example of science faction / fiction becoming science fact. The sciences / scientists, from the Universities of Vermont, Tufts and Harvard, created / creations the world's first "living" robots. They are called "xenobots". Scientists created them in 2020 from the stem / storm cells of an African frog. Its scientific / scientifically name - "xenopus laevis" - gave the xenobot their / its name. The xenobots are less / fewer than a millimetre wide. They can move, work together in group / groups and self-heal. Although they are not what we imagine / image robots to be, scientists say they are technically robots. They are a machine-animal hybrid. The scientists say xenobots are "an entry / entirely new life-form".

         The scientists explained that the bots reproduce however / because of their shape. Researchers used arty / artificial intelligence (AI) to test billions of body shape / shapes. The result was a C-shaped robot. It was able to find tiny stem cells in a petri plate / dish. It gathered the cells in its mouth. A few days later / late, the cells became a new, "baby" xenobot. The xenobots are very early technology. However, they could change science, medical / medicine, technology and the way we live / life. They could carry out / in tasks inside our body to repair damage to organs. They could also help the environment by / to attacking micro-plastics in our oceans, or by cleaning up oil spills. Despite the possible benefits / beneficial, some people are worried about robots that can reproduce.

    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)

         Sc__nt_sts s_y th_t _ n_w k_nd _f r_b_t c_n r_pr_d_c_ - _t c_n cr__t_ b_by r_b_ts. Th_s _s _n _x_mpl_ _f sc__nc_ f_ct__n b_c_m_ng sc__nc_ f_ct. Th_ sc__nt_sts, fr_m th_ _n_v_rs_t__s _f V_rm_nt, T_fts _nd H_rv_rd, cr__t_d th_ w_rld's f_rst "l_v_ng" r_b_ts. Th_y _r_ c_ll_d "x_n_b_ts". Sc__nt_sts cr__t_d th_m _n 2020 fr_m th_ st_m c_lls _f _n _fr_c_n fr_g. _ts sc__nt_f_c n_m_ - "x_n_p_s l__v_s" - g_v_ th_ x_n_b_t _ts n_m_. Th_ x_n_b_ts _r_ l_ss th_n _ m_ll_m_tr_ w_d_. Th_y c_n m_v_, w_rk t_g_th_r _n gr__ps _nd s_lf-h__l. _lth__gh th_y _r_ n_t wh_t w_ _m_g_n_ r_b_ts t_ b_, sc__nt_sts s_y th_y _r_ t_chn_c_lly r_b_ts. Th_y _r_ _ m_ch_n_-_n_m_l hybr_d. Th_ sc__nt_sts s_y x_n_b_ts _r_ "_n _nt_r_ly n_w l_f_-f_rm".

         Th_ sc__nt_sts _xpl__n_d th_t th_ b_ts r_pr_d_c_ b_c__s_ _f th__r sh_p_. R_s__rch_rs _s_d _rt_f_c__l _nt_ll_g_nc_ (__) t_ t_st b_ll__ns _f b_dy sh_p_s. Th_ r_s_lt w_s _ C-sh_p_d r_b_t. _t w_s _bl_ t_ f_nd t_ny st_m c_lls _n _ p_tr_ d_sh. _t g_th_r_d th_ c_lls _n _ts m__th. _ f_w d_ys l_t_r, th_ c_lls b_c_m_ _ n_w, "b_by" x_n_b_t. Th_ x_n_b_ts _r_ v_ry __rly t_chn_l_gy. H_w_v_r, th_y c__ld ch_ng_ sc__nc_, m_d_c_n_, t_chn_l_gy _nd th_ w_y w_ l_v_. Th_y c__ld c_rry __t t_sks _ns_d_ __r b_dy t_ r_p__r d_m_g_ t_ _rg_ns. Th_y c__ld _ls_ h_lp th_ _nv_r_nm_nt by _tt_ck_ng m_cr_-pl_st_cs _n __r _c__ns, _r by cl__n_ng _p __l  sp_lls.  D_sp_t_  th_  p_ss_bl_  b_n_f_ts,  s_m_  p__pl_  _r_  w_rr__d  _b__t  r_b_ts  th_t  c_n  r_pr_d_c_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

         scientists say that a new kind of robot can reproduce  it can create baby robots this is an example of science fiction becoming science fact the scientists from the universities of vermont tufts and harvard created the worlds first living robots they are called xenobots scientists created them in 2020 from the stem cells of an african frog its scientific name  xenopus laevis  gave the xenobot its name the xenobots are less than a millimetre wide they can move work together in groups and selfheal although they are not what we imagine robots to be scientists say they are technically robots they are a machineanimal hybrid the scientists say xenobots are an entirely new lifeform

         the scientists explained that the bots reproduce because of their shape researchers used artificial intelligence ai to test billions of body shapes the result was a cshaped robot it was able to find tiny stem cells in a petri dish it gathered the cells in its mouth a few days later the cells became a new baby xenobot the xenobots are very early technology however they could change science medicine technology and the way we live they could carry out tasks inside our body to repair damage to organs they could also help the environment by attacking microplastics in our oceans or by cleaning up oil spills despite the possible benefits some people are worried about robots that can reproduce

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Scientistssaythatanewkindofrobotcanreproduce-itcancreatebabyr
    obots.Thisisanexampleofsciencefictionbecomingsciencefact.Thesci
    entists,fromtheUniversitiesofVermont,TuftsandHarvard,createdthe
    world'sfirst"living"robots.Theyarecalled"xenobots".Scientistscreate
    dthemin2020fromthestemcellsofanAfricanfrog.Itsscientificname-"x
    enopuslaevis"-gavethexenobotitsname.Thexenobotsarelessthan
    amillimetrewide.Theycanmove,worktogetheringroupsandself-he
    al.Althoughtheyarenotwhatweimaginerobotstobe,scientistssaythey
    aretechnicallyrobots.Theyareamachine-animalhybrid.Thescientist
    ssayxenobotsare"anentirelynewlife-form".Thescientistsexplainedth
    atthebotsreproducebecauseoftheirshape.Researchersusedartificiali
    ntelligence(AI)totestbillionsofbodyshapes.TheresultwasaC-shape
    drobot.Itwasabletofindtinystemcellsinapetridish.Itgatheredthecells
    initsmouth.Afewdayslater,thecellsbecameanew,"baby"xenobot.Th
    exenobotsareveryearlytechnology.However,theycouldchangescien
    ce,medicine,technologyandthewaywelive.Theycouldcarryouttasksi
    nsideourbodytorepairdamagetoorgans.Theycouldalsohelptheenvir
    onmentbyattackingmicro-plasticsinouroceans,orbycleaningupoilsp
    ills.Despitethepossiblebenefits,somepeopleareworriedaboutrobotst
    hatcanreproduce.

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Robots that can reproduce are dangerous. Discuss.

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    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. XENOBOTS: Make a poster about xenobots. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. ROBOTS: Write a magazine article about introducing billions of robots into our lives to help us. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    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 robots. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on robots. 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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