Breaking News English

WARM-UPS

1. DIABETES: Walk around the class and talk to other students about diabetes. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your partner(s) and share your findings.

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

The past decade /disease control / epidemics / obesity / fast food / recipes / disasters / silent killer / strains / changing one’s lifestyle / reversing trends / specialists / signs

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE: Could your lifestyle be healthier? Complete the table below. Give yourself a mark from 1 (serious problem) to 10 (not a problem at all). What do you need to do to get all 10s? Share what you wrote with your partner(s).

Feature	1 - 10	To get a 10, I need to…
Exercise
Stress levels
Weight
What I eat
Stamina
Lifestyle

4. WE WILL SURVIVE: Students A strongly believe people will be healthier in the future; Students B strongly believe we will be less healthy in the future. Change partners again and talk about your roles and conversations.

5. RECIPES FOR DISASTER: With your partner(s), discuss how these things could represent a recipe for disaster for our health. Share your ideas with other students.

Video games Television Computers Fast food

Cars Desk jobs Mobile phones Cities

6. DISEASE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word ‘disease'. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Diabetes has increased almost 100% in America in the past decade.	T / F
b.	More new cases of diabetes were reported in 2007 than in 1997.	T / F
c.	Americans are eating less fast food and getting more exercise.	T / F
d.	In the U.S.A. just over 23% of people have diabetes.	T / F
e.	It’s easy for America’s hospitals to cope with more diabetes patients.	T / F
f.	Education is necessary to reduce diabetes levels in the U.S.A.	T / F
g.	A spokeswoman said people are changing their lifestyles.	T / F
h.	An expert warned the number of American diabetics could rise.	T / F

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

1.	rate	a.	increasing
2	epidemic	b.	formula
3.	cases	c.	steeply
4.	recipe	d.	instances
5.	exact	e.	burden
6.	strain	f.	level
7.	escalating	g.	expert
8.	reverse	h.	precise
9.	specialist	i.	flood
10.	sharply	j.	turn around

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

1.	The rate of diabetes in the USA has	a.	the trend
2	there was now an	b.	of the population
3.	This is a recipe for	c.	America’s health service
4.	one of the biggest reasons	d.	to rise sharply
5.	This is about eight per cent	e.	almost doubled
6.	causing a great strain on	f.	of changing
7.	control the escalating	g.	epidemic in America
8.	hopefully we can reverse	h.	for the rise in diabetes
9.	the numbers of new cases would continue	i.	disaster
10.	Americans showed no signs	j.	levels of diabetes

WHILE READING / LISTENING

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

The __________ of diabetes in the USA has almost doubled in the past decade. This is according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). A spokesperson for the centre said there was now an __________ in America. There were 9.1 new __________ per 1,000 people between 2005 and 2007. This is an increase from 4.8 per 1,000 between 1995 and 1997. Experts say that one of the biggest reasons for the rise in diabetes is the increasing __________ of obesity. Americans are eating more fast food and __________ less exercise. This is a __________ for disaster and the exact conditions that __________ to diabetes. The American Diabetes Association said 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes.  This is about eight per cent of the __________.		lead epidemic levels rate recipe population cases getting
Experts say the disease is becoming a __________ killer. It is also causing a great strain on America’s health service. The only way for America to __________ the escalating levels of diabetes is through educating people about the __________ of the disease. A CDCP spokeswoman, Karen Kirtland, told the Reuters news agency: “The __________ and the message is that if people are kind of changing their lifestyles, doing the things that are __________ for them, then hopefully we can reverse the __________.” Many other studies suggest Americans are not leading healthier lifestyles. A diabetes __________ warned the numbers of new cases would continue to rise sharply because Americans showed no __________ of changing their eating and exercise habits.		dangers  specialist trend silent good control signs hope

LISTENING:  Listen and fill in the spaces.

The rate of diabetes in the USA has almost __________________ decade. This is according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). A spokesperson __________________ there was now an epidemic in America. There were 9.1 new cases per 1,000 people between 2005 and 2007. This is an increase from __________________ 1995 and 1997. Experts say that one of the biggest __________________ in diabetes is the increasing levels of obesity. Americans are eating more fast food and getting less exercise. This is __________________ and the exact conditions that lead to diabetes. The American Diabetes Association said 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes.  This __________________ of the population.

Experts say the disease is __________________. It is also causing a great strain on America’s health service. The only way for America to control the escalating levels of diabetes __________________ people about the dangers of the disease. A CDCP spokeswoman, Karen Kirtland, told the Reuters news agency: “The hope and the message __________________ kind of changing their lifestyles, doing the things __________________ them, then hopefully we can reverse the trend.” Many other studies suggest Americans ____________________ lifestyles. A diabetes specialist warned the numbers of new cases would continue to rise sharply because Americans showed no signs of changing their eating __________________.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

disease

control

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

almost epidemic biggest getting recipe population

silent dangers hope reverse suggest warned

STUDENT LIFESTYLE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about lifestyles in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

DIABETES DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘diabetes’?
c)	How could you lead a healthier lifestyle?
d)	What do you know about diabetes?
e)	How could you improve the health of people in your country?
f)	What kinds of lifestyle choices in your country are a recipe for disaster?
g)	Do you think about how healthy fast food is before you eat it?
h)	What nationalities do you think have the healthiest lifestyles?
i)	Do fast food chains have a responsibility to serve healthier food?
j)	Why do people like fast food so much?

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	Is the health system in your country under a great strain?
c)	What does the government need to do to educate people about the dangers of obesity and diabetes?
d)	What changes would you like to make to your lifestyle?
e)	Why do you think people continue their lifestyle when they know it is unhealthy?
f)	What are the biggest health problems in your country?
g)	What three adjectives would you use to describe your lifestyle?
h)	Do you think it would be easy for you to change your lifestyle?
i)	Do you think people in your country are getting healthier?
j)	What questions would you like to ask CDCP spokeswoman Karen Kirtland?

LANGUAGE

The rate of diabetes in the USA has almost (1) ____ in the past decade. This is according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). A spokesperson (2) ____ the centre said there was now an epidemic in America. There were 9.1 new cases per 1,000 people between 2005 and 2007. This is an   (3) ____ from 4.8 per 1,000 between 1995 and 1997. Experts (4) ____ that one of the biggest reasons for the rise in diabetes is the increasing levels of obesity. Americans are eating more fast food and getting (5) ____ exercise. This is a recipe for disaster and the exact conditions that lead to diabetes. The American Diabetes Association said 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes.  This is about eight per cent (6) ____ the population.

Experts say the disease is becoming a silent (7) ____. It is also causing a great strain on America’s health service. The only way for America to control the escalating levels of diabetes is (8) ____ educating people about the dangers of the disease. A CDCP spokeswoman, Karen Kirtland, told the Reuters news agency: “The hope and the message is that if people are kind of (9) ____ their lifestyles, doing the things that are good for them, then hopefully we can reverse the (10) ____.” Many other studies (11) ____ Americans are not leading healthier lifestyles. A diabetes specialist warned the numbers of new cases would continue to rise sharply because Americans showed no signs of changing their eating and exercise (12) ____.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	doubling	(b)	doubles	(c)	double	(d)	doubled
2.	(a)	for	(b)	by	(c)	on	(d)	to
3.	(a)	increasing	(b)	increase	(c)	increased	(d)	increases
4.	(a)	speak	(b)	tell	(c)	say	(d)	joke
5.	(a)	lesser	(b)	lessen	(c)	less	(d)	least
6.	(a)	from	(b)	of	(c)	for	(d)	fro
7.	(a)	kills	(b)	kill	(c)	killing	(d)	killer
8.	(a)	through	(b)	over	(c)	around	(d)	for
9.	(a)	changes	(b)	changing	(c)	changed	(d)	change
10.	(a)	trendsetter	(b)	trendiness	(c)	trendy	(d)	trend
11.	(a)	suggested	(b)	suggestion	(c)	suggest	(d)	suggesting
12.	(a)	habits	(b)	habitat	(c)	habitation	(d)	habitate

WRITING: 

Write about healthy lifestyles for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

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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 out more about diabetes. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MY LIFESTYLE: Make a poster about your lifestyle. Include the things you do that are healthy and the things you do that are unhealthy. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. UNHEALTHY: Write a magazine article about a healthy person and an overweight, unhealthy person. Include imaginary interviews with the two.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. DIARY / JOURNAL: Write about what you do each day. Make a schedule of what is healthy and unhealthy and write it as a diary entry. Read your entry to your classmates in the next lesson.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to CDCP spokeswoman Karen Kirtland. Ask her three questions about diabetes. Give her your three ideas for educating people and making them healthier. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. T

c. F

d. F

e. F

f. T

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	rate	a.	level
2	epidemic	b.	flood
3.	cases	c.	instances
4.	recipe	d.	formula
5.	exact	e.	precise
6.	strain	f.	burden
7.	escalating	g.	increasing
8.	reverse	h.	turn around
9.	specialist	i.	expert
10.	sharply	j.	steeply

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	The rate of diabetes in the USA has	a.	almost doubled
2	there was now an	b.	epidemic in America
3.	This is a recipe for	c.	disaster
4.	one of the biggest reasons	d.	for the rise in diabetes
5.	This is about eight per cent	e.	of the population
6.	causing a great strain on	f.	America’s health service
7.	control the escalating	g.	levels of diabetes
8.	hopefully we can reverse	h.	the trend
9.	the numbers of new cases would continue	i.	to rise sharply
10.	Americans showed no signs	j.	of changing

GAP FILL:

Diabetes in U.S. rising sharply

The rate of diabetes in the USA has almost doubled in the past decade. This is according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). A spokesperson for the centre said there was now an epidemic in America. There were 9.1 new cases per 1,000 people between 2005 and 2007. This is an increase from 4.8 per 1,000 between 1995 and 1997. Experts say that one of the biggest reasons for the rise in diabetes is the increasing levels of obesity. Americans are eating more fast food and getting less exercise. This is a recipe for disaster and the exact conditions that lead to diabetes. The American Diabetes Association said 23.6 million American children and adults have diabetes.  This is about eight per cent of the population.

Experts say the disease is becoming a silent killer. It is also causing a great strain on America’s health service. The only way for America to control the escalating levels of diabetes is through educating people about the dangers of the disease. A CDCP spokeswoman, Karen Kirtland, told the Reuters news agency: “The hope and the message is that if people are kind of changing their lifestyles, doing the things that are good for them, then hopefully we can reverse the trend.” Many other studies suggest Americans are not leading healthier lifestyles. A diabetes specialist warned the numbers of new cases would continue to rise sharply because Americans showed no signs of changing their eating and exercise habits.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - d

2 - a

3 - b

4 - c

5 - c

6 - b

7 - d

8 - a

9 - b

10 - d

11 - c

12 - a

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