Tag: Science and Technology

Companies Destroying Books to Train AI Models 

B1 — Intermediate 

Consumer groups in the US want the government to check AI companies. They say some AI companies are buying rare and old books to train AI. They scan the books and then destroy them.

People are worried because some books may be the last copies of important texts. Bookstores are also concerned because AI companies are buying many expensive books. Critics say we should save old books because they are important to history.

Read the article about how some companies destroy rare books to train AI models.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2608/260831-destroying-rare-books-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “spine“ mean here: ”The process includes breaking the spines of the books, scanning the pages, and then destroying them. ” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. What does “bulk buying” mean? “The bulk buying of books is creating a problem for bookstores.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “to digitize” mean? “The groups claim that AI companies are digitizing rare books to train their large language models (LLMs).” Use the verb in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about destroying old books after scanning them?
  2. Should rare books be protected? Why?
  3. Should the government make rules about this?
  4. Would you sell a rare book if you knew it might be destroyed? Why?
  5. How can we protect old books while still helping AI improve? 
  6. Do you think AI is more important than keeping old books? Why or why not?
  7. What should bookstores do if AI companies buy too many rare books?

Australia Bans AI Songs from Official Music Charts

B1 — Intermediate 

AI is now used to help make music. It can help people make songs and sounds faster. Some musicians use AI to get new ideas or improve their songs. 

However, some people worry that AI may take the place of human musicians. AI is a helpful tool, but people should still be the ones who create the music.

Australia’s music group, ARIA, will not allow songs made completely by AI on its music charts. This happened after an AI version of a Madonna song became very popular.

However, songs made with help from AI are still allowed if people are still involved in creating them. ARIA wants to protect human musicians and their jobs.

Read the article about the ban onAI songs from official music charts in Australia. 

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2609/260907-ban-on-ai-songs-4.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hit“ mean here: ”There is controversy over an AI version of a Madonna hit.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. What does “cover/cover version” mean in music? “The cover version used AI technology. It spent 16 weeks in the top 20.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “music chart” mean? “Australia’s recording industry (ARIA) has banned songs that are “wholly” created with AI from the official music charts.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your view on using AI in making music? Do you agree that “AI in music isn’t for everyone and that’s fine.”?
  2. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantage of using AI in making music?
  3. How do you feel about AI music being on top of the music charts?
  4. What is your opinion about banning AI songs from official music charts?
  5. What is your opinion on banning “wholly AI-generated” music from the charts, but not “AI-assisted” music?
  6. How can human artists be protected and their “human nature of artistry” promoted?

Posting Zero

B1 — Intermediate 

Social media feels too much and fake. Many people still use it, but they post less. This is called Posting Zero. People are afraid of judgment or to feel pressure to look perfect. Bots also make social media feel less real. Many users want simple and honest posts again.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about social media use drop.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/posting-zero-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to feel louder than ever” mean? “Social media feels louder than ever, filled with ads, repetitive videos, and artificial content.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “honest moment“ mean? ”Many users hope social media can return to a place where real people share small, honest moments again.” Use the expression in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “feed” mean here: “In the past, people shared simple photos and everyday moments; however, now, feeds look perfect, commercial, and unreal.”Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why do people used to post on social media in the past? 
  2. Why are they stopping or posting less now?
  3. Do you like posting on social media? Why?
  4. Is it okay to stop posting on social media? Why?
  5. “Bots also make social media feel less real.” Do you agree or disagree?
  6. How can social media feel more real?

Google Earth Flight Simulator

B1 — Intermediate 

Google’s Flight Simulator is a fun feature in Google Earth. You can fly a virtual plane over cities, mountains, and oceans. It uses real satellite images and 3D maps. The controls are simple, but flying takes practice. It is great for exploring the world from the sky.

Read the article about Google Earth flight simulator.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2606/260618-google-earth.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “flight simulator”? ”To use the flight simulator, you will have to open the Google Earth website and click on the “Explore Earth” button in the top right corner.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “high-fidelity“ mean in this context: ”The flight simulator is designed for casual exploration rather than high-fidelity aerodynamic training.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What is a “drop-down menu”? ”To start flying, you need to click on “Tools” in the menu bar and then select “Flight simulator” from the drop-down menu.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How can this simulator help people learn about the world?
  2. What are other things people can learn from using Google’s Flight Simulator? 
  3. Would you ever use Google’s Flight Simulator? Why or why not? Which country would you like to visit in the simulator?
  4. Is it better to explore places online or in real life? Why?
  5. Do you like games or apps that let you explore places?
  6. If you could fly anywhere, where would you go first?

The EU Checks Meta

B1 — Intermediate 

The European Commission is preparing to intensify its formal investigation into Meta Platforms over claims that it uses addictive design elements to keep children using its social media apps.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about the European Commission’s official investigation into Meta Platforms.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/the-eu-checks-meta-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “hooked on something” mean? “According to recent reports, EU regulators are preparing preliminary findings that accuse the tech giant of using addictive design practices specifically to keep children hooked on its social media platforms.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “breaching” mean? “This move follows previous charges from April, where the EU accused Meta of breaching tech rules and failing to block children under 13 from accessing its networks.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “a landmark court verdict” mean? “In the US, the company is lobbying Congress for legal immunity against claims of harming children, especially after a landmark court verdict found both Meta and Google negligent in designing platforms harmful to youth.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Is social media helpful or harmful to children and teenagers? Explain your answer.
  2. Should children below 13 years old be allowed to use social media? Explain your answer.
  3. Do you think social media platforms are designed to keep users addicted? Why?
  4. Who should be most responsible for protecting children on social media: parents, schools, governments, or technology companies? Why?
  5. “Social media companies should face legal penalties if their platforms harm children.” Do you agree or disagree?

Fake AI Ads

B1 — Intermediate 

Nowadays, you will see a lot of advertisements made using AI on social media. These ads usually sell products that are cheap, low-quality, or sometimes, do not exist at all.

Scammers use AI to make realistic videos and fake customer reviews. They can make these ads quickly and at a low cost. The ads appear on dodgy websites and even on trusted platforms like Amazon.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about fake AI advertisements.

https://www.newsinlevels.com/products/fake-ai-ads-level-2

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to be flooded with something” mean? ”Social media platforms are being flooded with ultra-realistic ads created by AI to sell products that either don’t exist or turn out to be cheap junk.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “to slip through” mean? ”Experts note that these ads easily slip through automated moderation systems due to the sheer volume of new content.” Use the phrasal verb in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “shady” mean? ”These ads appear on both shady websites and legitimate platforms like Amazon.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever seen an AI-generated ad online? What is your opinion about them? 
  2. Do you think AI-generated ads are dangerous? Why or why not?
  3. Should social media platforms do more to stop fake ads? Discuss your opinion.
  4. What do you do before buying a product you see in an online ad?
  5. Have you ever bought something that looked different from the ad? Talk about your experience.

The Unfortunate Truth About GMOs

B2 – Upper Intermediate

All across the internet and on traditional outlets, Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs have been lambasted as dangerous, unnatural, and unhealthy. And in America, GMOs have to be labelled as such, painting these items in a further negative light. But is the negative reputation of GMOs actually true, or have they been unfairly treated?

Watch this video about

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “fear-mongering” mean? “Nah, all of that is nonsense. The real problem is that they need to fire their PR team. Because they’re a victim of a widely successful fear-mongering campaign.” Use this expression in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  2. What does “school of thought” mean? “Whenever I discuss GMOs online, there are two schools of thought that I frequently have to debunk.”  Use this phrase in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
  3. What does “best bet” mean? “If consuming fewer pesticides is your goal, then maybe reaching for the GMO might be your best bet.”  Use this idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Who should be responsible for regulating GMO products—scientists, governments, companies, or consumers? Explain.
  2. What are the possible benefits or concerns associated with GMO foods?
  3. How might GMOs affect farmers, especially small-scale farmers?
  4. Could GMOs help address food shortages and world hunger? Why or why not?
  5. Should GMO foods be required to have special labels? Why?

Rising Memory Chip Prices to Push Up Tech Costs

B1 — Intermediate 

Gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, and others are such an essential part of our day-to-day lives. 

Nowadays, the demand for servers in AI data centers has increased very quickly. Because of this, AI systems need to store big amounts of data and process it much faster than regular computers. As a result, catching up with new technology is likely to be more expensive.

Read the article about rising tech products prices.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2606/260629-memory-chip-price-hikes.html

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is “components crisis”? ”The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  2. What does “to be insulated from something” mean here: “However, Apple said its iPhone would be insulated from the price hikes.” Use the expression in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What does “to affect one’s pocket” mean? ”People are now worrying about rising tech prices affecting their pockets.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the impact of the growth of AI on the technology industry?
  2. Do you think AI is worth the higher cost of technology? Explain your answer.
  3. How might higher technology prices affect the consumers and businesses?
  4. If technology becomes more expensive, how will it affect you?
  5. In your opinion, is it better to repair old devices or buy new ones? Explain.

Chatbot Therapy

B1 — Intermediate 

More people are using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and DeepSeek for emotional support. AI can give helpful and personalized responses, especially for people who cannot afford therapy.

However, AI does not truly understand emotions like human therapists do. Even so, it can provide support to people who might not have other options.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript about chatbot therapy.

https://newsinlevels.com/products/chatbot-therapy-level-3

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “companionship” mean? “These tools provide emotional support and a sense of companionship, particularly for people in remote areas or those who cannot afford traditional therapy.” Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. What does “mental well-being” mean? “Experts like Ronnie Das say AI can now copy human emotions and provide helpful responses for mental well-being.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  3. What is the meaning of “remote area”? ”These tools provide emotional support and a sense of companionship, particularly for people in remote areas or those who cannot afford traditional therapy.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think about using AI chatbots as personal therapists?
  2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using chatbots for therapy?
  3. What is your opinion on this, “AI doesn’t truly understand emotions or care about people like human therapists do.”?
  4. What is your opinion on this, “AI’s role in mental health will continue to grow.”?
  5. If you felt sad or had a problem, would you rather talk to a person or an AI chatbot? Why?

What Happens in Your Brain When You Can’t Recall a Word

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The video explains why people sometimes experience “tip-of-the-tongue” moments, when a word feels just out of reach. It discusses how the brain stores and retrieves language and why certain memories can temporarily become difficult to access, even when we know the information is there.

The video also explores the science behind memory and communication, showing how different areas of the brain work together during word recall. It highlights factors such as stress, aging, and distraction that can interfere with memory while emphasizing that occasional forgetting is a normal part of brain function.

Watch the video and learn more.

Vocabulary Questions:  

  1. What does “tip-of-the-tongue state” mean? “Lots of things seem to influence how likely you are to enter a tip-of-the-tongue state.” Use the idiom in a sentence. Give a synonym. 
  2. What does “to trip someone up” mean? “Cognitively, recognizing a face and associating it with general information, like someone’s profession, is often easy, while names tend to trip us up.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym.
  3. What does “red herring” mean? “In these situations, the words seem to work as distracting, red herring-like blockers in the retrieval pathway.” Use the phrase in a sentence. Give a synonym. 

Discussion Questions:  

  1. Have you ever experienced this situation? Describe it.
  2. What strategies can help someone remember a forgotten word?
  3. Can practicing language skills improve word recall? Share your insights.
  4. Do you think technology helps or weakens our abilities to remember words? Share your opinion.