Breaking News English

Date: May 5, 2007
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WARM-UPS

1. GLOBAL WARMING: Walk around the class and talk to other students about global warming. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

United Nations / committees / greenhouses / atmosphere / energy / fuel-efficiency / addressing problems / economic output / floods / storms / trouble

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

3. WHAT WE CAN DO: With your partner(s), rank these things – which are best to slow down / control climate change?

• Walk or take public transport instead of driving.
• Write to US president George W. Bush urging him to do more.
• Replace your electricity supply with renewable energy, such as solar or wind power.
• Use the lights in your house less.
• Replace your electrical appliances with more energy efficient ones.
• Plant a tree in the forest.
• Recycle everything you use.
• Donate money to organizations pushing for controls on global warming.

4. GREENHOUSE GASES: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with greenhouse gases. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

5. WARMING FUTURE: In pairs / groups, rank the following outcomes of global warming  - most serious at the top.

Polar bears and penguins will disappear Winters will be 10 degrees colder Malaria will spread around the globe Cockroaches will be everywhere Africa will have more droughts

Hurricanes will be stronger Skin cancer will increase Drinking water will be expensive Many countries will disappear under water Water wars will break out between nations

6. QUICK DEBATE: Have this quick debate with your partner(s). Students A think climate change is not a problem; students B think climate change is the most serious problem in the world today. Change partners and topics every two minutes.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	The UN said global warming and climate change are not problems.	T / F
b.	Over 120 nations met to discuss how to limit greenhouse gases.	T / F
c.	The UN’s report said Armageddon may still happen.	T / F
d.	People will have to buy cars and refrigerators that use less energy.	T / F
e.	Tackling climate change will cost 10% of world economic output.	T / F
f.	The UN’s report doesn’t provide governments with any answers.	T / F
g.	Rising temperatures are not such a big problem now.	T / F
h.	The report stressed the need for a wide range of clean technology.	T / F

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

a.	committee	pointed out
b.	limit	purchasing
c.	strategies	big
d.	indicated	solving
e.	spending	endangering
f.	addressing	plans
g.	relatively	panel
h.	range	comparatively
i.	threatening	cap
j.	deep	variety

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	A United Nations committee	lifestyles and spending patterns
b.	limit the harm	and destructive storms
c.	the picture of Armageddon	forward
d.	a remarkable step	on our hands
e.	individuals need to change their	on climate change
f.	addressing this problem	with a way out
g.	We've got a big problem	greenhouse gases do
h.	this report provides governments	of clean technologies
i.	more violent	painted by many scientists
j.	a wide variety	at relatively low costs

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

UN - We can control Global Warming
 

A United Nations committee ________ climate change has said we can control global warming. The panel, made ________ of representatives from over 120 countries, believes we can limit the ________ greenhouse gases do to the atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon ________ by many scientists will not happen if we use technology and have the right strategies to protect the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the panel, told reporters in Bangkok that the study was a “remarkable ________ forward”. The panel indicated that we can keep our Earth safe by changing the ________ we use energy around the world. Most important is to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles and household goods. For ________ to happen, individuals need to change their lifestyles and spending ________.		this painted up way on step patterns harm
Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We can go a ________ way to addressing this problem at relatively low costs with a range of ________.” He calculated that it would cost ________ than three percent of world economic output by 2030. He added: “We've got a big problem on our ________ [but] this report provides governments with a way out." The “big problem” is the damage rising temperatures are doing to the Earth. Increased floods, droughts, rising sea ________, more violent and destructive storms and extinctions of ________ are just a few things threatening the life of our planet. The report stressed the urgent need for introducing a wide variety of ________ technologies. Harlan Watson, head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are doing, then we are in ________ trouble.”		less clean hands species long deep levels options

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

UN - We can control Global Warming

A United Nations committee on climate change ________________ control global warming. The panel, made up of representatives from over 120 countries, believes ________________ harm greenhouse gases do to the atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon painted by many scientists ________________ use technology and have the right strategies to protect the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the panel, told reporters in Bangkok ________________ a “remarkable step forward”. The panel indicated that we can keep our Earth safe by changing ________________ energy around the world. Most important is to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles and household goods. For this to happen, individuals ___________________ lifestyles and spending patterns.

Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We ________________ to addressing this problem at relatively low costs ________________ options.” He calculated that it would cost less than three percent of world economic output by 2030. He added: “We've got a big ________________ [but] this report provides governments with a way out." The “big problem” is the damage rising temperatures ________________ Earth. Increased floods, droughts, ________________, more violent and destructive storms and extinctions of species are just a few things threatening ________________ planet. The report stressed the urgent need for introducing ________________ clean technologies. Harlan Watson, head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are doing, ________________ deep trouble.”

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘climate’ and ‘change’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “CLIMATE CHANGE” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about global warming.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

made up picture strategies remarkable way patterns

a long way calculated a way out violent a few things deep

DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. What do you think about global warming?
3. When did you first hear about climate change?
4. Do you agree with people who say global warming is not man made?
5. What do you think global warming will do to the Earth?
6. What is your government doing to slow down the rate of climate change?
7. What are you doing to help save out environment?
8. Do you think Armageddon might happen one day?
9. Do you think you need to change your lifestyles and spending?
10. What question would you like to ask the UN climate change panel?

--------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. Do you think cost is important in saving our planet?
3. Do you think 3 percent of economic activity is a little or a lot?
4. Has global warming changed the weather in your country?
5. What are the most dangerous weather phenomena that happen in your country?
6. What can we do to protect species from becoming extinct?
7. What clean technologies do you think your country will introduce?
8. Do you think we’re already in deep trouble?
9. Do you think scientists and governments can control climate change?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

CLIMATE CHANGE FOR ANIMALS:

Discuss with your partner(s) what he following animals think of climate change:

Animal	Good things about climate change	Bad things about climate change
Penguin
Mosquito
Human
Cockroach
Fish
Other ________

Change partners and share your ideas.

Make a presentation to the class about your ideas.

LANGUAGE

CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.

UN - We can control Global Warming

A United Nations committee (1) ____ climate change has said we can control global warming. The panel, made (2) ____ of representatives from over 120 countries, believes we can limit the harm greenhouse gases do to the atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon (3) ____ by many scientists will not happen if we use technology and have the right strategies to (4) ____ the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the panel, told reporters in Bangkok that the study was a “remarkable step forward”. The panel indicated that we can keep our Earth safe by changing the (5) ____ we use energy around the world. Most important is to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles and household (6) ____. For this to happen, individuals need to change their lifestyles and spending patterns.

Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We can (7) ____ a long way to addressing this problem at relatively low costs with a range of (8) ____.” He calculated that it would cost less than three percent of world economic output by 2030. He added: “We've got a big problem on our hands [but] this report provides governments with a way (9) ____." The “big problem” is the damage rising temperatures are doing to the Earth. Increased floods, droughts, rising sea levels, more (10) ____ and destructive storms and extinctions of species are just a (11) ____ things threatening the life of our planet. The report stressed the urgent need for introducing a wide variety of clean technologies. Harlan Watson, head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are doing, then we are in (12) ____ trouble.”

1.	(a)	on	(b)	in	(c)	an	(d)	of
2.	(a)	out	(b)	in	(c)	up	(d)	down
3.	(a)	paints	(b)	painter	(c)	painting	(d)	painted
4.	(a)	protective	(b)	protect	(c)	protection	(d)	protects
5.	(a)	path	(b)	hour	(c)	way	(d)	will
6.	(a)	goods	(b)	good	(c)	goodness	(d)	goodies
7.	(a)	head	(b)	go	(c)	visit	(d)	come
8.	(a)	optics	(b)	opinions	(c)	option	(d)	options
9.	(a)	over	(b)	in	(c)	out	(d)	under
10.	(a)	violent	(b)	violence	(c)	violently	(d)	violate
11.	(a)	three	(b)	some	(c)	few	(d)	all
12.	(a)	depths	(b)	deep	(c)	depth	(d)	deeply

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about global warming. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. DISASTER POSTER: Make a poster about the different disasters happening around the world because of global warming. Show your poster to your class in the next lesson. Vote on the best one(s).

4. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about global warming. In particular, write about your country. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Which article was best and why?

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the UN. Ask them three questions about global warming. Give them three pieces of advice about what they should do next. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	committee	panel
b.	limit	cap
c.	strategies	plans
d.	indicated	pointed out
e.	spending	purchasing
f.	addressing	solving
g.	relatively	comparatively
h.	range	variety
i.	threatening	endangering
j.	deep	big

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	A United Nations committee	on climate change
b.	limit the harm	greenhouse gases do
c.	the picture of Armageddon	painted by many scientists
d.	a remarkable step	forward
e.	individuals need to change their	lifestyles and spending patterns
f.	addressing this problem	at relatively low costs
g.	We've got a big problem	on our hands
h.	this report provides governments	with a way out
i.	more violent	and destructive storms
j.	a wide variety	of clean technologies

GAP FILL:

UN - We can control Global Warming

A United Nations committee on climate change has said we can control global warming. The panel, made up of representatives from over 120 countries, believes we can limit the harm greenhouse gases do to the atmosphere. Its report concluded the picture of Armageddon painted by many scientists will not happen if we use technology and have the right strategies to protect the ozone layer. Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the panel, told reporters in Bangkok that the study was a “remarkable step forward”. The panel indicated that we can keep our Earth safe by changing the way we use energy around the world. Most important is to introduce more fuel-efficient vehicles and household goods. For this to happen, individuals need to change their lifestyles and spending patterns.

Report co-author Pete Smith said: “We can go a long way to addressing this problem at relatively low costs with a range of options.” He calculated that it would cost less than three percent of world economic output by 2030. He added: “We've got a big problem on our hands [but] this report provides governments with a way out." The “big problem” is the damage rising temperatures are doing to the Earth. Increased floods, droughts, rising sea levels, more violent and destructive storms and extinctions of species are just a few things threatening the life of our planet. The report stressed the urgent need for introducing a wide variety of clean technologies. Harlan Watson, head of the U.S. team, warned: “If we continue to do what we are doing, then we are in deep trouble.”

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - a

2 - c

3 - d

4 -b

5 - c

6 -a

7 - b

8 -d

9 -c

10 - a

11 -c

12 - b

 

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