Tag: technology

Artificial Intelligence to Become Sentient

B2 – Upper Intermediate

In 2022, software engineer Blake Lemoine was fired from Google after blowing the whistle on the firm’s artificially intelligent chatbot “LaMDA”. He thought the AI ‘has come to life’. 

But Google was quick to respond saying Lemoine’s claims that the advanced AI chatbot was sentient were nothing short of baseless.

The question remains, though. Will computers eventually become sentient?

Watch this video and find out about computers gaining consciousness.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Explain what ”reframe” means. “We have to be very careful about how we talk about that and reframe these things as tools.” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does the expression “state of affairs” mean? “It’s a sad state of affairs for us.” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What does “means to an end” mean, “We must treat others as ends in and of themselves rather than means to our own end.”? Use this idiom in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are your thoughts on how the AI describes itself and how it has started having a sense of a soul at the beginning of the video?
  2. How about the app that lets you chat with what seems to be a girlfriend?
  3. Share your views about the possibility of AI gaining consciousness.
  4. What does David Chalmer mean when he said “subjective experience” instead of “consciousness”?
  5. What are the pros and cons of sentient AIs?

Smishing – The Latest Texting Scam

B2 – Upper Intermediate

All forms of scams are very rampant nowadays. It could be through phone calls, phone texts, social media messages, and so on. One of the latest scams is “smishing”. Everyone needs to be on the lookout for these schemes to avoid falling victim to them.

Read this article to learn about “smishing” and how to spot it.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/smishing-phone-scam_l_6554dd0be4b0998d699e5c0f

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “innocuous” mean? “In package smishing scams, the suspicious message can seem innocuous and read: “USPS: Since your package address does not have a house number, we are unable to arrange home delivery for you. Please update online,” the FTC shared as an example.” Give two synonyms and make a sentence with this word.
  2. Define “bogus”. “It is better to contact the company from their original website or phone number than to provide account information and login and password information from a bogus link.” Provide two synonyms and make a sentence with this word.
  3. What does “telltale”? “A ‘smishing’ message can seem like any other text message, but there are a few telltale signs that will warn you that something’s off.” Make a sentence with this phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is ‘smishing,’ and how does it differ from other forms of online scams?
  2. How can individuals identify potential ‘smishing’ attempts and distinguish them from legitimate messages?
  3. In what ways can raising awareness about ‘smishing’ and educating the public contribute to reducing the success of these scams?
  4. What measures do you currently take to protect yourself from phishing attempts or scams via text messages?
  5. Have you or anyone you know fallen victim to a text message scam and what was the outcome?

Laser Pointer Incidents on the Rise

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Laser pointers are typically used in business and school presentations. It is a pointing device that makes it easier for the audience to follow what the speaker is discussing.

Unfortunately, some people tend to use it for other purposes that could be fatal to a lot of people travelling by plane.

Let’s read the article and know more about the threats this kind of incidents pose to planes.

https://www.english-online.at/news-articles/technology/laser-pointer-incidents-on-the-rise.htm

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does the word “shine into” mean? “In February, a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York JFK had to return to London Heathrow because a laser light had been shone into the cockpit.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  2. What does “to target a particular person or thing” mean? “Pope Franciscus’ flight from Cuba to Mexico was targeted by a laser beamer during landing.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
  3. What does the phrasal verb “carry something out” mean? “Most attacks are carried out by young men or boys, who are often not aware of the dangers of laser instruments.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your reaction to this news?
  2. How does laser pointing affect aviation safety?
  3. Given the possible danger laser pointing pose to aircrafts, do you think the selling of this item should be strictly regulated?
  4. What might be airline measures for pilots to reduce the severity of this incident?
  5. How can these incidents be stopped?
  6. Have you heard of laser pointing incidents involving aircrafts in your country? How did it end?
  7. Share your thoughts on this: “According to psychologists, playing around with guns and other weapons is something that typically attracts males.“.

Electric Roads Charge Cars as You Drive

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Buckle up for a glimpse into the future of electric vehicles, where the roads themselves are the charging stations. Imagine cruising along highways, not just as a driver, but as a participant in a dynamic energy exchange. The concept of electric roads is reshaping the landscape of sustainable transportation, offering a seamless and continuous charging experience as you journey from point A to B. In this electrifying revolution, the asphalt beneath your tires becomes a conduit for power, propelling us towards a greener and more efficient tomorrow.

Watch the video about electric roads and be able to answer questions that follow:

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What’s the meaning of the expression “take a spin”? “How about we take a spin on the newly upgraded highway with electric roads and experience the seamless charging as we drive?” Use it in a sentence
  2. What does the expression “give it a go” mean? “Curious about the future of electric cars? Why not give it a go and test drive on the electric roads to witness the revolutionary charging technology in action?” Use it in a sentence.
  3. What doe the phrase “tamper with” mean? “It’s crucial not to tamper with the delicate infrastructure of electric roads to ensure a smooth and safe charging experience for all drivers.” Make one sentence using the phrase.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How do you think electric roads that charge cars while driving could revolutionize the convenience and practicality of electric vehicles?
  2. In your opinion, what potential impact could electric roads have on addressing the range anxiety often associated with traditional electric vehicles?
  3. From an environmental standpoint, how do you see electric roads contributing to a more sustainable future compared to traditional charging infrastructure?
  4. In your view, what are the key factors that might influence the public’s acceptance and adoption of electric roads as a mainstream technology for electric vehicles?

Put your Phone on Airplane Mode

B2 – Upper Intermediate

If you are a frequent flyer, you have probably heard the cabin crew’s announcement to switch off your mobile phone or atleast put it on airplane mode for the duration of the flight. They expect the passengers to follow this rule without necessarily providing ample details for doing so.

Watch the video and be informed as to why our mobile phones should be on airplane mode when we are flying.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is the meaning of the word “interference” in this context? “At least your special eyes would be able to see this if the sky wasn’t flooded with interference from routers, satellites, and of course, people flying who haven’t put their phones on airplane mode.” Use it in your own sentence.
  2. Define the phrasal verb “drown out“. “Since planes travel so quickly, the phones might find themselves much closer to a cell tower than expected; blasting it with a massive signal that drowns out those on the ground.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  3. What does the phrasal verb “blot out” mean? “This leads consumers to pay for more bandwidth, pushing service providers to take over more of the radio spectrum, and eventually, send more satellites into the sky — creating a vicious cycle that could eventually blot out the stars.” Use this phrase in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are the benefits of putting your phone on airplane mode when you are on a plane?
  2. What are the dangers of not putting your phone on airplane mode?
  3. Do you think airline companies should stop offering wi-fi connection on a plane? Why or why not?
  4. Do you put your phone on airplane mode every time you fly? Are there other situations where you do the same?

Should We Fear Chatbots

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Chatbots have become more and more popular these days. We encounter a lot of chatbots when we do certain transactions on the internet. However, there is this existing fear that chatbots might surpass the level of information stored in human brains.

Listen to this audio and read the transcript to learn more about chatbots.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230706

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “on guard” mean? “…we need to be on guard against that because what’s coming out of ChatGPT is none of that.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
  2. What is a “sentient entity“? “You can provoke it to say things that sound like what a sentient entity would say.” Make a sentence with this phrase.
  3. Define “primed“. “We are really primed to imagine a mind behind language whenever we encounter language.” Use it in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you think of chatbots?
  2. In your opinion, are chatbots helpful? Why or why not?
  3. Should we fear chatbots? Why or why not?
  4. What are the potential reasons that people might be afraid of chatbots?
  5. What do you think are the pros and cons of using a chatbot?

Key Challenges to Make AI Safe

B2 – Upper Intermediate

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to create more impact in almost all aspects of our society, it is crucial to sit down and discuss how the technology can be regulated in order to ensure that we can safely make use of it. However, it seems this task isn’t going to be a walk in the park.

Read this article about the key challenges in making AI safe.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-65850668

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What is a “school of thought”? “Artificial-intelligence experts generally follow one of two schools of thought – it will either improve our lives enormously or destroy us all.” Use this phrase in your own sentence.
  2. What does it mean when something “doesn’t sit (well) with/within”? “These technologies don’t sit within the boundaries of one country.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  3. Explain what the word “interim” mean. “She is drawing up an interim voluntary code for the sector, alongside the US, which could be ready within weeks.” Use this word in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which among the key challenges to make AI safe mentioned in the article is the hardest one to address and why?
  2. Why do you think it is difficult to have international collaboration on AI?
  3. Do you agree that the public should be informed about the risks attached to each AI product? If so, how do we do that?
  4. Do you agree or disagree with this policy: “Companies that break its rules could be fined the greater of €30m or 6% of global annual turnover.”? Why or why not?
  5. What are some government regulations that we should have to mitigate the potential risks posed by AI products?
  6. AI “godfathers Geoffrey Hinton and Prof Yoshua Bengio warn that the technology has huge potential for harm. Do you believe them or not? Explain your point.

Lab-Grown Steak

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Whether we like it or not, most of us are carnivorous. Are we not? Most of the time, we visit restaurants to order our preferred rare, medium, or well-done steak. Can you imagine living a life without meat on our tables? Probably not, right? No worries. That’s so normal for most of us meat lovers.

According to experts, the global beef industry has been broken. Hence, the attempt to produce meat in laboratories. Although this sounds wonderful, it still might have a rather strange ring to it.

Please watch the video below to learn more about lab-grown meat.

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “to make room for someone/something” mean? ” “On average, tropical rainforests the size of El Salvador are cleared every year to make room for cattle.” Use this idiom in your own sentence.
  2. Explain what ” to hop/jump on the bandwagon” means? “It’s like everyone wants to hop on to that bandwagon.” Kindly make your sentence.
  3. How about “pour in“? “It wasn’t until 2020 that funding for lab-grown food really started to pour in. ” Give a similar expression and make your own sentence using the phrase “pour in”.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you believe that this could resolve the current problems, particularly in the broken supply chain? Elaborate on your opinion.
  2. What are your thoughts on lab-grown meat? Would you be so interested in giving it a try? Why/why not?
  3. In general, what are your thoughts on other meat/beef alternatives?
  4. Share reaction to this statement, “Beef is one of the most damaging foods for the planet.“.
  5. Do you enjoy eating meat? How much meat do you consume per week and why is that?

Restrict Kids’ Youtube Settings

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Imagine that your child has started spending less time with you. He doesn’t share what’s going on in his life, where he’s been, or who his friends are.

This scenario has become all too familiar to some parents. Sadly, they’ve lost their kids to gadgets or technology.

Read the article to know how you can block inappropriate contents and not let social media interfere with your relationship with your loved ones.

https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/parental-control-guide-restrict-kids-youtube-settings/story?id=52135658

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. What does “safeguard‘ mean? “An outline for parents to set up controls to add safeguards for kids.” Use this word in a sentence.
  2. What does “to spark outrage” mean? “Paul, a 22-year-old comedic actor with 15 million subscribers on YouTube, sparked outrage after posting a video which appeared to show the lifeless body of a person who committed suicide.” Use phrase word in a sentence.
  3. What does “to slip through the cracks” mean? “It can difficult for YouTube’s filter or algorithm to stop videos like Paul’s from slipping through the cracks due to the sheer volume of content that gets uploaded to YouTube daily.” Use this word in a sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Imagine an app you would like to use to keep track of some activity. What kind of app would it be exactly? Do you think such an app may already exist?
  2. Share your personal stand on allowing children to use the Internet without controlling them.
  3. What are some others way to ensure children’s safety when they go online?
  4. Do you know any family that control their kids too much? What do they do?
  5. How do you feel when if you can’t reach your loved ones by phone? Share your experience when you can’t contact a friend or family.

The Difference between Strong and Weak AI

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It is safe to say that advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have made our lives easier today. As it becomes an integral part of our lives more and more, we stand at the cusp of realizing the true power of AI technology.

Read the article and understand the key differences between a strong AI and a weak AI.

https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/strong-ai-weak-ai

Vocabulary Questions:

  1. Define “threshold“, “As artificial intelligence continues to grow more advanced, the threshold of what can be considered true intelligence continues to get more complicated to define.”. Use this word in your own sentence.
  2. Define “settle” here, “Until then, we will have to settle for the type of artificial intelligence that exists today: weak AI, which operates under far more constraints and limitations than even the most basic human intelligence in order to perfect very specific tasks.” Use ‘settle’ in your own sentence in this context. Give 2 other definitions of this word.
  3. What does “to far exceed someone/something” mean, “And it is setting a foundation for AI’s potential to not only mimic and match human intelligence, but far exceed it.”? Use this phrase in your own sentence.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is the difference between weak, general, and super AI?
  2. In which sectors has AI been widely used?
  3. What benefits do the industries described in the video get when AI is used?
  4. Share your thoughts on this statement, “People have no idea how much of their lives is actually governed by weak AI, or specialized AI.”.
  5. For you, what does it mean to be intelligent?