Breaking News English Lesson: Translation
New technology could transform language learning and communication. Apple says its AirPods Pro 3 earbuds can translate foreign languages in real time. In addition, conversations will automatically appear on the screens of users' devices. This could have major consequences for the language teaching industry. Instant translation could stop people from spending time and money on learning other languages. The technology is another example of how AI is changing jobs. Many teachers are worried about how real-time translation might affect their future.
Apple said its earbuds would help people communicate "seamlessly". It added the buds would overcome language barriers. The Live Translation feature will help us "across select languages when messaging or speaking". This is an example of science fiction becoming science fact. For decades, writers have written about real-time language translation tools. In the novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" there was a fictional "Babel fish". This was put in the ear to translate languages. The Japanese manga character Doraemon used a special jelly to translate any language.
Try the same news story at these levels:
- https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/09/new-apple-intelligence-features-are-available-today/
- https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251001-how-real-time-translation-could-transform-travel
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/airpods-pro-3-can-live-translate-conversations-in-your-ear/
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 :-)
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News
"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."
The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)
"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."
Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)
"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."
Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.
Phrase Matching Paragraph 1- technology could transform
- conversations will automatically
- This could have major
- the language teaching
- spending time
- another example of how AI
- Many teachers are
- real-time translation might
- worried
- industry
- affect their future
- consequences
- is changing jobs
- appear
- language learning
- and money
- help people communicate
- the buds would overcome
- help us across select
- when messaging
- science fiction becoming
- real-time language translation
- put in the ear to
- The Japanese manga
- science fact
- languages
- character Doraemon
- "seamlessly"
- translate languages
- or speaking
- language barriers
- tools
New (1) ________________________________________________ language learning and communication. Apple says its AirPods Pro 3 earbuds can translate foreign languages in real time. In addition, conversations will (2) ________________________________________________ the screens of users' devices. This could (3) ________________________________________________ for the language teaching industry. Instant translation could stop people (4) ________________________________________________ and money on learning other languages. The technology is (5) ________________________________________________ how AI is changing jobs. Many teachers are worried about how real-time translation (6) ________________________________________________ future.
Apple said (7) ________________________________________________ help people communicate "seamlessly". It added the buds would (8) ________________________________________________. The Live Translation feature will help us "across select languages when (9) ________________________________________________". This is an example of science fiction (10) ______________________________________________. For decades, writers have written about real-time language translation tools. In the novel "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" there (11) ________________________________________________ "Babel fish". This was put in the ear to translate languages. The Japanese manga character Doraemon used a (12) ________________________________________________ translate any language.
Put a slash (/) where the spaces areNewtechnologycouldtransformlanguagelearningandcommunication .ApplesaysitsAirPodsPro3earbudscantranslateforeignlanguagesinre altime.Inaddition,conversationswillautomaticallyappearonthescree nsofusers'devices.Thiscouldhavemajorconsequencesforthelanguag eteachingindustry.Instanttranslationcouldstoppeoplefromspending timeandmoneyonlearningotherlanguages.Thetechnologyisanother exampleofhowAIischangingjobs.Manyteachersareworriedaboutho wreal-timetranslationmightaffecttheirfuture.Applesaiditsearbudsw ouldhelppeoplecommunicate"seamlessly".Itaddedthebudswouldov ercomelanguagebarriers.TheLiveTranslationfeaturewillhelpus"acro ssselectlanguageswhenmessagingorspeaking".Thisisanexampleofs ciencefictionbecomingsciencefact.Fordecades,writershavewrittena boutreal-timelanguagetranslationtools.Inthenovel"TheHitchhike r'sGuidetotheGalaxy"therewasafictional"Babelfish".Thiswasputinth eeartotranslatelanguages.TheJapanesemangacharacterDoraemon usedaspecialjellytotranslateanylanguage.
Student surveyWrite 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 — Write your own questionsSTUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
(a) ________________
(b) ________________
(c) ________________
(d) ________________
(e) ________________
(f) ________________
(g) ________________
(h) ________________
STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
(i) ________________
(j) ________________
(k) ________________
(l) ________________
(m) ________________
(n) ________________
(o) ________________
(p) ________________
Free writingWrite about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.
Answers(Please check your answers against the article above.
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