ChatGPT goes viral and subsequently gets subscription

An EFL and ESL English Lesson

Lesson Collection
A photo of a typewriter.

Date: 5th February 2023

Level: C1 Advanced

Grammar: Linking adverbials

Topics: Apps & Social Media, Education, Technology

Printables: 10-Page Lesson, Single-Page Lesson

Lesson

Text

ChatGPT goes viral and subsequently gets subscription

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan. To begin with, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. Subsequently, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during peak usage hours.

The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after prompting it with questions. Despite being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had reliability problems. Whilst complementing the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.

Furthermore, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to determine if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have admittedly disclosed that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays. As a result, this has urged them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.

However, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “imperfect” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”. For instance, it has a high degree of inaccuracy, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. Clearly the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the limitations of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

Information sources (external links): edition.cnn.com, theguardian.com

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Warm-up activities and vocabulary

Activities:

Which is worse for you — paying for a subscription or a free subscription with adverts?

What are some positives and negatives about using a chatbot to write or help write your work?

Starting with the word chat, in a pair or a group take turns saying a word associated to the word just said. If someone can’t say an associated word, they are out. Keep going until there is one winner. (Example: “chat... gossip... share... give... take...”)

Vocabulary:

1. Scan the text and find a word or phrase that means:

  • instantly popular (paragraph 1)(v...)
  • highest (paragraph 1)(p...)
  • offering (paragraph 2)(p...)
  • write (paragraph 3)(d...)
  • find (paragraph 4)(d...)
Answers
  • viral, peak, prompting, draft, detect

2. What does the italicised word below mean — withheld, pushed away, or welcomed?

  • widely embraced by the public
Answer
  • welcomed

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Reading comprehension true or false

  1. ChatGPT Plus is a computer antivirus software app.
  2. The free version of ChatGPT is closing down.
  3. Work produced by ChatGPT is almost human-like.
  4. ChatGPT is unreliable when it is busy.
  5. OpenAI is a competitor to ChatGPT.
  6. An AI text classifier can tell if a text is AI produced.
  7. Universities will use chatbots to check for plagiarism.
  8. Classifier tools are still far from perfect.
  9. 26% of essays are written using chatbots.
  10. Educational institutions are worried about AI.
Answers
  • 1F, 2F, 3T, 4T, 5F, 6T, 7F, 8T, 9F, 10T

interactive  |  top

Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms match-up

Match the words on the left to their endings to make phrases from the text.

  1. publicly
  2. reliability
  3. went
  4. AI
  5. spark
  6. high degree
  7. to begin
  8. educational
  9. peak
  10. draft
  1. with
  2. concern
  3. chatbot
  4. released
  5. essays
  6. usage hours
  7. problems
  8. viral
  9. institutions
  10. of inaccuracy
Answers
  • 1D, 2G, 3H, 4C, 5B, 6J, 7A, 8I, 9F, 10E

Match the words on the left from the text to their synonyms.

  1. urge
  2. label
  3. determine
  4. prompt
  5. inaccurate
  1. name
  2. suggest
  3. error
  4. figure out
  5. warn
Answers
  • 1E, 2A, 3D, 4B, 5C

Match the words on the left from the text to their antonyms.

  1. peak
  2. disclose
  3. public
  1. private
  2. hide
  3. low
Answers
  • 1C, 2B, 3A

interactive  |  top

Grammar pairs cloze: linking adverbials

  1. A. Clearly / B. To begin with
  2. A. Whilst / B. Subsequently
  3. A. Despite / B. Furthermore
  4. A. Admittedly / B. Whilst
  5. A. Furthermore / B. To begin with
  1. A. admittedly / B. for instance
  2. A. However / B. As a result
  3. A. However / B. Despite
  4. A. For instance / B. Subsequently
  5. A. As a result / B. Clearly

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan. 1._______________, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. 2._______________, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during peak usage hours.

The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after prompting it with questions. 3._______________ being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had reliability problems. 4._______________ complementing the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.

5._______________, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to determine if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have 6._______________ disclosed that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays. 7._______________, this has urged them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.

8._______________, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “imperfect” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”. 9._______________, it has a high degree of inaccuracy, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. 10._______________ the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the limitations of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

Answers
  1. 1B, 2B, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6A, 7B, 8A, 9A, 10B

interactive  |  top

Vocabulary gap-fill cloze

  1. limitations
  2. complementing
  3. disclosed
  4. reliability
  5. peak
  1. determine
  2. prompting
  3. urged
  4. imperfect
  5. inaccuracy

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan. To begin with, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. Subsequently, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during 1._______________ usage hours.

The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after 2._______________ it with questions. Despite being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had 3._______________ problems. Whilst 4._______________ the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.

Furthermore, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to 5._______________ if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have admittedly 6._______________ that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays. As a result, this has 7._______________ them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.

However, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “8._______________” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”. For instance, it has a high degree of 9._______________, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. Clearly the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the 10._______________ of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

Answers
  1. 1E, 2G, 3D, 4B, 5F, 6C, 7H, 8I, 9J, 10A

interactive  |  top

Writing cloze

  1. a free AI chatbot that went r l v i a(v...)
  2. since it was u y l b i p l c released(p...)
  3. after o p i m p g r t n it with questions(p...)
  4. at busy times has had l e a r y b i l i t i problems(r...)
  5. e i t d e r m e n if a text was written by a chatbot(d...)
  6. t n s t n i u t i o l i a centres such as universities(i...)
  7. using ChatGPT to a r f t d essays(d...)
  8. this has d r g u e them to rethink(u...)
  9. impossible to reliably t d e c t e(d...)
  10. t m i l t i a i n s o of recognizing AI-produced texts(l...)
Answers
  1. VIRAL
  2. PUBLICLY
  3. PROMPTING
  4. RELIABILITY
  5. DETERMINE
  6. INSTITUTIONAL
  7. DRAFT
  8. URGED
  9. DETECT
  10. LIMITATIONS

interactive  |  top

Fill-in first letters

_ _ree _I _hatbot _hat _ent _iral _as _ow _nnounced _ _ubscription _lan.

_o _egin _ith, _hatGPT _as _een _ree _ince _t _as _ublicly _eleased, _ut _ow _ _remium _lan _abelled _hatGPT _lus _s _eing _rialled.

_ubsequently, _or $20 _ _onth _he _ubscription _ill _ive _sers _riority _ccess _uring _eak _sage _ours.

_he _I _hatbot _ives _onvincingly _ritten _nswers _fter _rompting _t _ith _uestions.

_espite _eing _idely _mbraced _y _he _ublic, _ccess _o _hatGPT _t _usy _imes _as _ad _eliability _roblems.

_hilst _omplementing _he _ree _ersion _ith _hatGPT _lus, _ts _wner _ompany _penAI _ope _o _educe _he _ervice’s _nreliability.

_urthermore, _penAI _ave _nnounced _nother _ool _alled _n “_I _ext _lassifier” _hat _an _elp _o _etermine _f _ _ext _as _ritten _y _ _hatbot.

_nstitutional _entres _uch _s _niversities _ave _dmittedly _isclosed _hat _tudents _re _sing _hatGPT _o _raft _ssays.

_s _ _esult, _his _as _rged _hem _o _ethink _ow _xams _nd _esting _re _ssessed.

_owever, _esearchers _t _penAI _ave _alled _ts _lassifier _ool “_mperfect” _nd _aid _hat _t _s “_mpossible _o _eliably _etect _ll _I-_ritten _ext”.

_or _nstance, _t _as _ _igh _egree _f _naccuracy, _etecting _nly 26% _f _I-_ritten _exts.

_learly _he _uccess _f _he _I _hatbot, _oupled _ith _he _imitations _f _ecognizing _I-_roduced _exts, _ill _ontinue _o _park _oncern _n _ducational _nstitutions.

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3

Cool-down discussion, game, and keywords

Discussion questions:

  • How could you use a chatbot to improve your English?
  • Can AI ever replace a real human teacher?
  • Can you name and talk about an AI robot character from a book, film, or TV show?
  • What are your top three apps right now?
  • How close will AI get to being “alive”?

CEFR C1 10 keywords revision list:

complement determine disclose imperfect inaccuracy limitation peak prompt reliability urge

Scattergories. In the table below, add one word to each box that matches both the beginning letter and the category, e.g. something free beginning with C is charity.

C H A T
Something free
An acronym
Something AI can control
Something you can read
A subject to study

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Interactive exercises

Reading comprehension interactive true or false

Choose the correct options from the pairs

ChatGPT goes viral and subsequently gets subscription

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan. To begin with, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. Subsequently, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during peak usage hours.

The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after prompting it with questions. Despite being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had reliability problems. Whilst complementing the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.

Furthermore, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to determine if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have admittedly disclosed that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays. As a result, this has urged them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.

However, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “imperfect” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”. For instance, it has a high degree of inaccuracy, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. Clearly the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the limitations of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

1.
ChatGPT Plus is a computer antivirus software app.
2.
The free version of ChatGPT is closing down.
3.
Work produced by ChatGPT is almost human-like.
4.
ChatGPT is unreliable when it is busy.
5.
OpenAI is a competitor to ChatGPT.
6.
An AI text classifier can tell if a text is AI produced.
7.
Universities will use chatbots to check for plagiarism.
8.
Classifier tools are still far from perfect.
9.
26% of essays are written using chatbots.
10.
Educational institutions are worried about AI.

lesson  |  top

Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms interactive match-up

Select the correct matches from the dropdown menus

Phrases
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Synonyms
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Antonyms
16.
17.
18.

lesson  |  top

Grammar pairs interactive cloze: linking adverbials

Choose the correct options from the pairs

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan.
1.
, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled.
2.
, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during peak usage hours.
The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after prompting it with questions.
3.
being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had reliability problems.
4.
complementing the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.
5.
, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to determine if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have
6.
disclosed that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays.
7.
, this has urged them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.
8.
, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “imperfect” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”.
9.
, it has a high degree of inaccuracy, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts.
10.
the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the limitations of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

lesson  |  top

Vocabulary gap-fill interactive cloze

Select the correct answers from the dropdown menus

A free AI chatbot that went viral has now announced a subscription plan. To begin with, ChatGPT has been free since it was publicly released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. Subsequently, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during
1.
usage hours.
The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after
2.
it with questions. Despite being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had
3.
problems. Whilst
4.
the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.
Furthermore, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to
5.
if a text was written by a chatbot. Institutional centres such as universities have admittedly
6.
that students are using ChatGPT to draft essays. As a result, this has
7.
them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.
However, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “
8.
” and said that it is “impossible to reliably detect all AI-written text”. For instance, it has a high degree of
9.
, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. Clearly the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the
10.
of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

lesson  |  top

Interactive writing cloze

Type the words correctly in the boxes

A free AI chatbot that went
1.
has now announced a subscription plan. To begin with, ChatGPT has been free since it was
2.
released, but now a premium plan labelled ChatGPT Plus is being trialled. Subsequently, for $20 a month the subscription will give users priority access during peak usage hours.
The AI chatbot gives convincingly written answers after
3.
it with questions. Despite being widely embraced by the public, access to ChatGPT at busy times has had
4.
problems. Whilst complementing the free version with ChatGPT Plus, its owner company OpenAI hope to reduce the service’s unreliability.
Furthermore, OpenAI have announced another tool called an “AI text classifier” that can help to
5.
if a text was written by a chatbot.
6.
centres such as universities have admittedly disclosed that students are using ChatGPT to
7.
essays. As a result, this has
8.
them to rethink how exams and testing are assessed.
However, researchers at OpenAI have called its classifier tool “imperfect” and said that it is “impossible to reliably
9.
all AI-written text”. For instance, it has a high degree of inaccuracy, detecting only 26% of AI-written texts. Clearly the success of the AI chatbot, coupled with the
10.
of recognizing AI-produced texts, will continue to spark concern in educational institutions.

lesson  |  top

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