A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up
- Vocab List
- Reading and Audio
- Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Multiple Choice Check understanding.
- Words That Go Together Connect words and collocated phrases from the lesson.
- New Sentences Choose words to complete sentences in new contexts.
- Discussion Builder Choose connecting expressions for discussion ideas.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: Why do you think Anthropic must pay authors and publishers?
a) It stopped selling books from several publishers.
b) It copied books and sold them on its own website.
c) It used pirated copies of books to train its AI.
VOCAB LIST
Reading
A federal judge has approved a $1.5 billion copyright settlement involving the AI company Anthropic. The company will pay thousands of authors and publishers after using pirated copies of books to train its Claude chatbot.
The settlement covers more than 482,000 books. Authors and publishers can receive about $3,000 for each book. About 91% of the books now have an author or publisher who will receive payment.
The case includes an important legal difference. An earlier court ruling said that training an AI on copyrighted books was not illegal. However, Anthropic had obtained millions of books through pirate websites. The court found that the company got those books illegally.
Three authors brought the lawsuit against Anthropic in 2024. The case later became part of a wider debate about AI companies and copyrighted material.
This is the first major settlement among dozens of AI copyright lawsuits still being decided in court. The case raises a larger question about how AI companies should obtain the books and other material they use for training.
Anthropic Faces Major Copyright Settlement
Warm-up ā Read & Listen ā Check Understanding ā Language ā Use It
Think Ahead: Why do you think Anthropic must pay authors and publishers?
a) It stopped selling books from several publishers.
b) It copied books and sold them on its own website.
c) It used pirated copies of books to train its AI.
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copyright settlement (n. phrase)
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publisher (n.)
-
pirated (adj.)
-
train (v.)
-
ruling (n.)
-
lawsuit (n.)
-
copyrighted (adj.)
-
approve (v.)
-
debate (n.)
-
obtain (v.)
A federal judge has approved a $1.5 billion copyright settlement involving the AI company Anthropic. The company will pay thousands of authors and publishers after using pirated copies of books to train its Claude chatbot.
The settlement covers more than 482,000 books. Authors and publishers can receive about $3,000 for each book. About 91% of the books now have an author or publisher who will receive payment.
The case includes an important legal difference. An earlier court ruling said that training an AI on copyrighted books was not illegal. However, Anthropic had obtained millions of books through pirate websites. The court found that the company got those books illegally.
Three authors brought the lawsuit against Anthropic in 2024. The case later became part of a wider debate about AI companies and copyrighted material.
This is the first major settlement among dozens of AI copyright lawsuits still being decided in court. The case raises a larger question about how AI companies should obtain the books and other material they use for training.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
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Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
A federal judge has (1) a $1.5 billion copyright settlement involving the AI company Anthropic. The company will pay thousands of authors and publishers after using pirated copies of books to train its Claude chatbot.
The settlement covers more than 482,000 books. Authors and publishers can (2) about $3,000 for each book. About 91% of the books now have an author or publisher who will receive payment.
The case includes an (3) legal difference. An earlier court ruling said that training an AI on copyrighted books was not illegal. However, Anthropic had (4) millions of books through pirate websites. The court found that the company got those books illegally.
Three authors (5) the lawsuit against Anthropic in 2024. The case later became part of a wider debate about AI companies and copyrighted material.
This is the first major settlement among dozens of AI copyright lawsuits still being decided in court. The case (6) a larger question about how AI companies should obtain the books and other material they use for training.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- Anthropic will pay authors after illegally obtaining books that it used to train AI. Correct answer
- Courts have decided that using copyrighted books to train AI is always illegal.
- Authors are asking AI companies to stop using books and other written material.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. The settlement covers more than 482,000 books. TRUEFALSE True
2. The court ruled that training AI on copyrighted books was illegal. TRUEFALSE False
3. Anthropic obtained millions of books through pirate websites. TRUEFALSE True
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. About how much can authors and publishers receive for each book?
a) $300
b) $3,000Correct
c) $30,000
2. What important difference did the court make?
a) Publishing books was legal, but selling them online was not.
b) Training AI on copyrighted books was not illegal, but obtaining the books illegally was.Correct
c) Reading copyrighted books was allowed, but copying short parts was not.
3. Who first brought the lawsuit against Anthropic?
a) Three authorsCorrect
b) Several AI companies
c) Bookstore owners
4. Why is this settlement important?
a) It ended every copyright case involving AI companies.
b) It stopped Anthropic from developing AI chatbots.
c) It is the first major settlement among many AI copyright lawsuits.Correct
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. approvef) a settlement
2. paye) authors
3. traind) an AI
4. receivec) payment
5. bringb) a lawsuit
6. raisea) a question
a) a question
b) a lawsuit
c) payment
d) an AI
e) authors
f) a settlement
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
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The two companies reached a {blank} instead of continuing the case in court.
-
The author sent her new book to a {blank} that works with new writers.
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The website was removed because it offered {blank} copies of movies.
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Developers need large amounts of information to {blank} a new AI system.
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The judge is expected to give a {blank} later this week.
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The company faced a {blank} after customers said it had broken the law.
New Sentences
Use the words in the bank to complete the new sentences.
lawsuit / pirated / publisher / ruling / settlement / train
- The two companies reached a instead of continuing the case in court.
- The author sent her new book to a that works with new writers.
- The website was removed because it offered copies of movies.
- Developers need large amounts of information to a new AI system.
- The judge is expected to give a later this week.
- The company faced a after customers said it had broken the law.
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Addition 3) Condition
Q: Have you ever used an AI chatbot for work, study, or daily life? What did you use it for?
A:Q: Why is copyright important for writers, musicians, artists, and other creators?
A:Q: If you wrote a novel, would you allow an AI company to use it for training if they paid you? Why or why not?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: Have you ever used an AI chatbot for work, study, or daily life? What did you use it for?
A: I use AI chatbots quite often they can help me find information quickly.
because / but / so / although
I use AI chatbots quite often because they can help me find information quickly.
Q: Why is copyright important for writers, musicians, artists, and other creators?
A: Copyright protects creators. it can help them earn money from their work.
Also, / However, / For example, / As a result,
Copyright protects creators. Also, it can help them earn money from their work.
Q: If you wrote a novel, would you allow an AI company to use it for training if they paid you? Why or why not?
A: I would allow an AI company to use my novel they paid me a fair amount.
if / because / but / so
I would allow an AI company to use my novel if they paid me a fair amount.
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever used an AI chatbot for work, study, or daily life? What did you use it for?
- Why is copyright important for writers, musicians, artists, and other creators?
- Why do you think Anthropic used books from pirate websites instead of getting them legally?
- Do you think $3,000 per book sounds like a fair payment? Why or why not?
- Do you think an AI company should need permission before using a book for training? Why or why not?
- Have you ever downloaded or watched something from an pirate website? Why do people do this?
- Do you think AI will make it easier or harder for writers to earn money in the future?
- If you wrote a novel, would you allow an AI company to use it for training if they paid you? Why or why not?
Discussion Questions
- Have you ever used an AI chatbot for work, study, or daily life? What did you use it for?
- Why is copyright important for writers, musicians, artists, and other creators?
- Why do you think Anthropic used books from pirate websites instead of getting them legally?
- Do you think $3,000 per book sounds like a fair payment? Why or why not?
- Do you think an AI company should need permission before using a book for training? Why or why not?
- Have you ever downloaded or watched something from an pirate website? Why do people do this?
- Do you think AI will make it easier or harder for writers to earn money in the future?
- If you wrote a novel, would you allow an AI company to use it for training if they paid you? Why or why not?
Answers
Think Ahead: c
Listening: (1) approved, (2) receive, (3) important, (4) obtained, (5) brought, (6) raises
Main Idea: Anthropic will pay authors after illegally obtaining books that it used to train AI.
True or False:
- True. The story says more than 482,000 books are covered by the settlement.
- False. The earlier ruling said that training AI on copyrighted books was not illegal.
- True. The court found that Anthropic got millions of books through pirate websites.
Multiple Choice: b, b, a, c
Vocabulary:
- approve: a settlement
- pay: authors
- train: an AI
- receive: payment
- bring: a lawsuit
- raise: a question
New Sentences: 1. settlement; 2. publisher; 3. pirated; 4. train; 5. ruling; 6. lawsuit
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Addition. 3) Condition.
- because
- Also,
- if