Alan Turing, Father of Modern Computing to Appear on Banknote



1.The Imitaton Game - Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuPZUUED5uk




Alan Turing, the man widely recognised as being the father of modern computer science, has been honored by being selected to appear on a United Kingdom banknote. Mr Turing was chosen ahead of a wealth of notable British historical figures and luminaries to be the face of the new £50 note. Turing was instrumental in helping Britain and its allies win World War II. He led a team of codebreakers to crack the Enigma code the Nazis used to send messages to warships and military commanders. He invented the now famous British Bombe to do this. This was a giant computer, which ushered in the birth of modern computing and the beginnings of artificial intelligence.

Alan Turing was a mathematical genius who also excelled in the sciences. He was born in London in 1912. He graduated from Cambridge University and then outlined his vision for creating an algorithm-based computing machine. He said of his invention: "This is only a foretaste of what is to come, and only the shadow of what is going to be." His idea is central to the computers we use today. His brilliance led to his being asked to join the WWII code-breaking team. Despite his pivotal role in ending that war, he was persecuted in the post-war years for being homosexual. Being gay was illegal in the UK until 1967. He chose to be chemically castrated rather than go to prison. Turing died in 1954, aged 41, in an apparent suicide.


NOTABLE FIGURES: Who are the most notable figures in your country? And internatioanlly? What is so notable about them? Complete this table.

 

Who?

Why?

Science

 

 

Sports

 

 

Literature

 

 

Music

 

 

Business

 

 

Politics

 

 

 Have you seen this movie ?

What is the genre?

What is the best movie you have seen made of a real person's life?

Which movie would you like to see based on the life of a real person ? Why ?

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1.

widely

a.

A group of nation staking military action together.

      2.

recognised

b.

Showed official appreciation of; reward formally.

      3.

honored

c.

People who inspire or influence others, especially one prominent in a particular sphere.

      4.

luminaries

d.

To a large degree.

      5.

instrumental

e.

Caused or marked the start of something new.

      6.

allies

f.

Regarded with great respect.

      7.

ushered in

g.

Serving as an key player or means in pursuing an aim or policy.

    Paragraph 2

      8.

genius

h.

A sample or suggestion of something that lies ahead.

      9.

excelled

i.

Gave a summary of something.

      10.

outlined

j.

Subject someone to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their race or political or religious beliefs.

      11.

foretaste

k.

A person who is exceptionally intelligent or creative, either generally or in some particular respect.

      12.

brilliance

l.

Was amazingly good at or proficient in an activity or subject.

      13.

persecuted

m.

The action of killing oneself intentionally.

      14.

suicide

n.

Exceptional talent or intelligence.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article said Alan Turing isn't widely recognized in computing.     T / F
  2. Alan Turing will appear on a new £100 note.     T / F
  3. Turing helped crack a World War II code called Commando.     T / F
  4. Alan Turing helped bring about the emergence of artificial intelligence.     T / F
  5. Turing excelled in maths and the sciences.     T / F
  6. Alan Turing graduated from Cambridge University in 1912.     T / F
  7. Alan Turing played a pivotal role in ending WWII early.     T / F
  8. It is believed Mr Turing took his own life.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. recognised
  2. wealth
  3. figures
  4. commanders
  5. birth
  6. vision
  7. brilliance
  8. persecuted
  9. chose
  10. apparent
  1. plan
  2. harassed
  3. emergence
  4. supposed
  5. acknowledged
  6. abundance
  7. opted
  8. leaders
  9. genius
  10. people

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. a wealth of notable British
  2. Turing was instrumental
  3. send messages to warships
  4. ushered in the birth
  5. the beginnings of
  6. Alan Turing was a
  7. creating an algorithm-
  8. This is only a foretaste
  9. his pivotal
  10. Turing died in 1954, aged 41, in
  1. artificial intelligence
  2. an apparent suicide
  3. mathematical genius
  4. based computing machine
  5. and military commanders
  6. historical figures
  7. role in ending that war
  8. of modern computing
  9. of what is to come
  10. in helping Britain

Comprehension questions

  1. Who was Mr Turing chosen ahead of to appear on a banknote?
  2. What denomination of banknote will Mr Turing appear on?
  3. What is the name of the code that Alan Turing cracked?
  4. What is the name of the computer that Alan Turing made?
  5. What is Alan Turing usher in the birth of?
  6. When was Alan Turing born?
  7. What was Mr Turing's vision of computers based on?
  8. What did Mr Turing say his vision was only a shadow of?
  9. What was Alan Turing persecuted for in the UK after WWII?
  10. In what year did Alan Turing die?

Role play

Role  A – Physics
You think physics is the most important science. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sciences. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): computing, neuroscience or astronomy.

Role  B – Computing
You think computing is the most important science. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sciences. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): physics, neuroscience or astronomy.

Role  C – Neuroscience
You think neuroscience is the most important science. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sciences. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): computing, physics or astronomy.

Role  D – Astronomy
You think astronomy is the most important science. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their sciences. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): computing, neuroscience or physics.





Discussion - Father of modern computing to appear on banknote

 

  1. What did you think when you read the headline?
  2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'computing'?
  3. What do you know about Alan Turing?
  4. What do you know about the people on your banknotes?
  5. How did the beginnings of computing begin?
  6. Who do you think are the biggest historical figures?
  7. How do you think Alan Turing helped in World War II?
  8. What will computers be like in 50 years from now?
  9. How useful is it to study computer science?
  10. What do you know about artificial intelligence?
  1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
  2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'banknote'?
  3. What do you think about what you read?
  4. What would you like to be a genius at?
  5. How good were you at sciences?
  6. How has Alan Turing changed the world?
  7. What is an algorithm?
  8. What three adjectives best describe this story?
  9. How sad was the end of Alan Turing's life?
  10. What questions would you like to ask an Alan Turing biographer?

Spelling

Paragraph 1

  1. widely secgenorid as being the father
  2. a wealth of notable British olsthiicar figures
  3. Turing was tlamtiernusn in helping Britain
  4. amryitli commanders
  5. rsedehu in the birth of modern computing
  6. the beginnings of ticiraaifl intelligence

Paragraph 2

  1. a mathematical neuigs
  2. an ihgmotrla-based computing machine
  3. His eiblalnric led to his being asked
  4. Despite his ilvpato role in ending that war
  5. he was rtseeucdpe in the post-war years
  6. in an pnarptae suicide

 

Academic writing

The computer is the greatest invention in the past 200 years. Discuss.


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