Why read this: Most A2 students have already used AI to help with school work. This short reading lets them meet the question "is this making my brain lazy?" in language they can actually read. The four tips at the end are practical and personal, so the lesson can move straight into a discussion of their own habits.
What to notice: At A2, sentences are short and the structure is signposted. Each tip starts with First, Second, Third, Fourth, so students can use these markers to find each tip on a re-read. Only one term, critical thinking, is glossed; everything else uses everyday words like brain, weak, slow, by hand. The gym metaphor is the one image to discuss in class because it carries the article's main point.
Skills practised: Finding key facts (what does Green say, what did Benge find), recognising signposted instructions (First, Second...), and giving personal answers in short sentences. The two open questions invite students to choose one tip and to talk about their own AI habits, both of which support describing and listing at A2.
Is AI making your brain lazy?
Some scientists worry. Here are four simple ways to use AI and still keep your brain strong.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
GPSgps: Global Positioning System; a satellite-based system used to find the exact location of a place or person — 全球定位系统 made our sensesense: A feeling or ability to understand something. — 感觉；意识；道理 of directiondirection: The way you go or face to reach a place or point. — 方向；方位 worse. Searchsearch: The act of looking for something. — 搜索；寻找 enginesengine: A machine that converts energy into movement, used to power vehicles. — 发动机；引擎 made our memorymemory: The ability to remember things, or something you remember. — 记忆；记忆力 weakerweak: Not having much physical strength or power. — 虚弱的；软弱的. Now scientists worryworry: To feel anxious or troubled about a problem or possible event. — 担心；烦恼 that AI toolstool: An object used for doing a particular job or activity, such as a hammer or knife. — 工具；器具, like ChatGPT, could do the same to other skills. They worry about creativitycreativity: The use of imagination or original ideas to create something. — 创造力；创意, focus, and critical thinking: thinking carefully about information to decide if it is true — 批判性思维. I use AI every day for my workwork: [General Physics] The product of force and distance moved in the direction of force — 功. Latelylately: Recently; not long ago. — 最近；近来, new studiesstudies: Mental effort to acquire knowledge or learning — 学业 have made me ask: am I making my own brain lazylazy: Not willing to work or be active. — 懒惰的?
"Yes, on a high levellevel: The height, amount, or standard of something. — 水平；程度；级别," says Adam Green, a brain scientist at Georgetown University. "If you are not doingdo: to (auxiliary) A syntactic marker — 助动词 do the thinking, your brain will get weaker at it." Other scientists are not so sure. Jared Benge, a brain doctor, looked at 57 studies of 411,000 adults. He foundfound: To establish an institution or organisation, especially by providing money. — 创立；创办 no clearclear: Easy to understand or see; not confusing or blocked. — 清晰的；清楚的；晴朗的 signsign: A notice with words or pictures giving information. — 标志；标牌；迹象 of harmharm: Physical or mental damage or injury. — 伤害；损害. Some technologytechnology: Scientific knowledge used to create machines and devices that help us. — 技术；科技 may eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 help your memory.
Even so, smaller studies show real problems. People who use GPS forget the streets around them. People who use search engines forget what they read, because looking it up is so easy. "It is like you are at the gym, and a robotrobot: A machine that can move and do tasks automatically. — 机器人 liftslift: To move something to a higher position. — 举起；提起 the weightweight: The force on an object due to the gravitational attraction between it and the Earth (or whatever astronomical object it is primarily influenced by) — 重力 for you," Green says. "You get nothing."
So how can we use AI well? Here are four simple tipstip: A useful piece of advice or information to help you do something. — 建议；小窍门. First, do not just trusttrust: To place confidence in; to rely on, to confide, or have faith, in — 信任；信赖 AI. AI can be wrong. Try to think of your own answer first. Second, slow down when you read AI. Take notes by hand. Ask the chatbotchatbot: a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet — 聊天机器人 to test you with questions. The small efforteffort: The physical or mental energy that you need to do something. — 努力；精力 helps you remember.
Third, write your own ideas first, before you ask AI. Even roughrough: Having an uneven surface; not smooth, or not gentle. — 粗糙的；崎岖的 ideas are good. Then ask AI to help you make them better. Fourth, do hard things the slow way on purposepurpose: The reason why something is done. — 目的；用途. Sit with a hard problem before you ask the robot. You can still be the bossboss: The person who is in charge of a workplace and tells others what to do. — 老板；上司 of your own brain. Green says people make ideas that are personal and surprisingsurprising: Causing a feeling of surprise because it is unexpected or unusual. — 令人惊讶的；出人意料的. AI cannot do that. The wish to think for ourselves is one thing, it seemsseem: To appear to be a certain way. — 似乎；好像, that AI will not take away.
GPSgps: Global Positioning System; a satellite-based system used to find the exact location of a place or person — 全球定位系统 made our sensesense: A feeling or ability to understand something. — 感觉；意识；道理 of directiondirection: The way you go or face to reach a place or point. — 方向；方位 worse. Searchsearch: The act of looking for something. — 搜索；寻找 enginesengine: A machine that converts energy into movement, used to power vehicles. — 发动机；引擎 made our memorymemory: The ability to remember things, or something you remember. — 记忆；记忆力 weakerweak: Not having much physical strength or power. — 虚弱的；软弱的. Now scientists worryworry: To feel anxious or troubled about a problem or possible event. — 担心；烦恼 that AI toolstool: An object used for doing a particular job or activity, such as a hammer or knife. — 工具；器具, like ChatGPT, could do the same to other skills. They worry about creativitycreativity: The use of imagination or original ideas to create something. — 创造力；创意, focus, and critical thinking: thinking carefully about information to decide if it is true — 批判性思维. I use AI every day for my workwork: [General Physics] The product of force and distance moved in the direction of force — 功. Latelylately: Recently; not long ago. — 最近；近来, new studiesstudies: Mental effort to acquire knowledge or learning — 学业 have made me ask: am I making my own brain lazylazy: Not willing to work or be active. — 懒惰的?
"Yes, on a high levellevel: The height, amount, or standard of something. — 水平；程度；级别," says Adam Green, a brain scientist at Georgetown University. "If you are not doingdo: to (auxiliary) A syntactic marker — 助动词 do the thinking, your brain will get weaker at it." Other scientists are not so sure. Jared Benge, a brain doctor, looked at 57 studies of 411,000 adults. He foundfound: To establish an institution or organisation, especially by providing money. — 创立；创办 no clearclear: Easy to understand or see; not confusing or blocked. — 清晰的；清楚的；晴朗的 signsign: A notice with words or pictures giving information. — 标志；标牌；迹象 of harmharm: Physical or mental damage or injury. — 伤害；损害. Some technologytechnology: Scientific knowledge used to create machines and devices that help us. — 技术；科技 may eveneven: Exactly, just, fully — 正好 help your memory.
Even so, smaller studies show real problems. People who use GPS forget the streets around them. People who use search engines forget what they read, because looking it up is so easy. "It is like you are at the gym, and a robotrobot: A machine that can move and do tasks automatically. — 机器人 liftslift: To move something to a higher position. — 举起；提起 the weightweight: The force on an object due to the gravitational attraction between it and the Earth (or whatever astronomical object it is primarily influenced by) — 重力 for you," Green says. "You get nothing."
So how can we use AI well? Here are four simple tipstip: A useful piece of advice or information to help you do something. — 建议；小窍门. First, do not just trusttrust: To place confidence in; to rely on, to confide, or have faith, in — 信任；信赖 AI. AI can be wrong. Try to think of your own answer first. Second, slow down when you read AI. Take notes by hand. Ask the chatbotchatbot: a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, especially over the internet — 聊天机器人 to test you with questions. The small efforteffort: The physical or mental energy that you need to do something. — 努力；精力 helps you remember.
Third, write your own ideas first, before you ask AI. Even roughrough: Having an uneven surface; not smooth, or not gentle. — 粗糙的；崎岖的 ideas are good. Then ask AI to help you make them better. Fourth, do hard things the slow way on purposepurpose: The reason why something is done. — 目的；用途. Sit with a hard problem before you ask the robot. You can still be the bossboss: The person who is in charge of a workplace and tells others what to do. — 老板；上司 of your own brain. Green says people make ideas that are personal and surprisingsurprising: Causing a feeling of surprise because it is unexpected or unusual. — 令人惊讶的；出人意料的. AI cannot do that. The wish to think for ourselves is one thing, it seemsseem: To appear to be a certain way. — 似乎；好像, that AI will not take away.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does Adam Green say will happen if we let AI do our thinking?
- 02
Why does the writer compare using AI to a robot at the gym?
- 03
What is one tip the article gives for using AI well?
- 04
Name one of the four tips in the article. Why is it a good idea? Use simple sentences.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Do you use AI for school work? When you use it, what do you do to make sure your brain still learns? Write three or four sentences.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What does Adam Green say will happen if we let AI do our thinking?
- 02
Why does the writer compare using AI to a robot at the gym?
- 03
What is one tip the article gives for using AI well?
- 04
Name one of the four tips in the article. Why is it a good idea? Use simple sentences.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Do you use AI for school work? When you use it, what do you do to make sure your brain still learns? Write three or four sentences.
Suggested length: ~50 words