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Cut music to an hour a day (2nd March, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is worried that 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and early thirties are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income countries risk hearing loss because of the "unsafe use" of personal music players, including smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also increases the risk. The WHO recommends a safe limit of listening to music for just one hour a day. The WHO director for injury prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is raise awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily preventable.

Dr Krug said keeping the volume down and limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would save a lot of people's hearing. However, he also said that, "even an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained how loud noise can damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing by killing off thousands of little hair cells in the inner ear. The cells detect different pitches of sound through vibration…but they are very fragile and if they vibrate too much due to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged and die." He warned that: "The problem is they don’t grow back and the ear can no longer detect sound."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31661789 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/children-warned-to-not-listen-to-music-for-more-than-one-hour-a-day-10076200.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/music-health-warning-listening-more-5244982

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. LOUD MUSIC: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about loud music. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

WHO / teenagers / hearing / loud music / high-income countries / injury / awareness / volume / audio devices / damage / vibration / fragile / inner ear / damaged / sound

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

3. EASY LISTENING: What kind of music is best in these situations? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Type?	Why?	Volume?	Why?
Studying
In bed
In a gym
In a restaurant
Hiking
While cooking

4. VOLUME: Students A strongly believe there should be a limit on the volume of music players; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. MUSIC: Rank these with your partner. Put the best music at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• rock

• hip hop

• classical

• pop

• jazz

• folk

• soul

• punk

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Over 1.1 billion teenagers risk hearing loss because of loud music.	T / F
b.	Half the young people in poorer countries risk hearing loss.	T / F
c.	Loud music at sporting events increases the risk of hearing loss.	T / F
d.	The WHO said too many people are talking about hearing loss.	T / F
e.	A doctor said an hour of music a day is OK even at high volumes.	T / F
f.	Loud noise kills tiny hair cells inside our ears.	T / F
g.	The hair cells in our ears can break very easily.	T / F
h.	Once a hair cell dies, it can never grow back.	T / F

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

1.	worried	a.	knowledge
2.	damaging	b.	heightens
3.	increases	c.	ceiling
4.	limit	d.	identify
5.	awareness	e.	described
6.	limiting	f.	concerned
7.	explained	g.	easily broken
8.	little	h.	restricting
9.	fragile	i.	ruining
10.	detect	j.	tiny

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

1.	people in their twenties and	a.	awareness
2.	nearly half	b.	events
3.	middle- and high-	c.	fragile
4.	sporting	d.	the young people
5.	raise	e.	is too loud
6.	keeping the volume	f.	sound
7.	too much if the volume	g.	early thirties
8.	thousands of little hair cells	h.	down
9.	they are very	i.	in the inner ear
10.	detect	j.	income countries

GAP FILL

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is (1) ____________ that 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and (2) ____________ thirties are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-(3) ____________ countries risk hearing loss because of the "(4) ____________ use" of personal music players, including smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also increases the (5) ____________. The WHO recommends a safe limit of listening to music for just one hour a day. The WHO director for (6) ____________ prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is (7) ____________ awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily (8) ____________.

unsafe
worried
injury
income
preventable
early
risk
raise

Dr Krug said keeping the volume (9) ____________ and limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would (10) ____________ a lot of people's hearing. However, he also said that, "even an hour can be too much if the volume is too (11) ____________ ". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained how loud noise can damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing by (12) ____________ off thousands of little hair cells in the inner ear. The cells (13) ____________ different pitches of sound through (14) ____________ …but they are very fragile and if they vibrate too much (15) ____________ to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged and die." He (16) ____________ that: "The problem is they don't grow back and the ear can no longer detect sound."

detect
down
due
loud
warned
save
vibration
killing

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties ______
	a. and early-bird thirties b. and earliest thirties c. and early thirties d. and earlier thirties
2)	nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income countries ______
	a. risk hearing lost b. risk hearing loss c. risk hearing lose d. risk hearing lots
3)	Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also ______
	a. increases the risky b. increases the risks c. increases the risked d. increases the risk
4)	What we're trying to do is raise awareness of an issue that is not ______
	a. talked around enough b. talked about enough c. talked abut enough d. talked a boot enough
5)	He said hearing loss is ______
	a. easily preventable b. easy preventable c. ease a lea preventable d. easy lea preventable
6)	keeping the volume down and limiting the use of ______
	a. personal audio device b. personal audio devices c. personal audio devises d. personal audio devise
7)	even an hour can be too much if the volume ______
	a. is too loudly b. is too louder c. is too loudest d. is too loud
8)	Loud sounds damage your hearing by killing off thousands of little hair cells ______
	a. in the in a ear b. in the in a rear c. in the inner ear d. in the inner rear
9)	The cells detect different pitches of sound ______
	a. through vibration b. though vibration c. threw vibration d. throw vibration
10)	they don't grow back and the ear can no longer ______
	a. detest sound b. deject sound c. detect sound d. deflect sound

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

The World Health Organisation (WHO) (1) ___________________ 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and early thirties are damaging their hearing (2) ___________________ loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income countries (3) ___________________ because of the "unsafe use" of personal music players, including smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, (4) ___________________ sporting events also increases the risk. The WHO recommends a safe limit of listening to music for (5) ___________________ day. The WHO director for injury prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is raise awareness (6) ___________________ is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily preventable.

Dr Krug said keeping the volume down and (7) ___________________ of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day (8) ___________________ people's hearing. However, he also said that, "even an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained (9) ___________________ damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing (10) ___________________ thousands of little hair cells in the inner ear. The cells detect different pitches of sound through vibration…but they (11) ___________________ and if they vibrate too much due to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged and die." He warned that: "The problem is they don't grow back and the ear can no (12) ___________________."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	How many people are at risk of hearing loss due to loud music?
2.	What proportion of people in richer countries are at risk?
3.	At what kind of events could people damage their hearing?
4.	What is Etienne Krug the director of at the WHO?
5.	What did Dr Krug say he is trying to raise?
6.	What would be saved by limiting loud music to an hour a day?
7.	What is Ralph Holme's job?
8.	Where in the body are the hair cells mentioned in the article?
9.	What can happen to the hair cells if they vibrate for too long?
10.	What can the cells no longer do if they die?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	How many people are at risk of hearing loss due to loud music?	6.	What would be saved by limiting loud music to an hour a day?
	a) 1.1 billion b) 1,100,000 c) 1.1 million d) 11,000,000,000		a) music b) the jobs of rock guitarists c) money d) people's hearing
2.	What proportion of people in richer countries are at risk?	7.	What is Ralph Holme's job?
	a) two-fifths b) a third c) half d) a quarter		a) a volume measurer b) a rock guitarist c) a biomedical researcher d) CEO of a headphone company
3.	At what kind of events could people damage their hearing?	8.	Where in the body are the hair cells mentioned in the article?
	a) work events b) social events c) weddings d) sporting events		a) the fingertips b) the inner ear c) the brain d) the eyebrows
4.	What is Etienne Krug the director of at the WHO?	9.	What can happen to the hair cells if they vibrate for too long?
	a) volume control b) injury prevention c) operations d) loud music		a) the dance b) they can explode c) they can die d) the vibrate even faster
5.	What did Dr Krug say he is trying to raise?	10.	What can the cells no longer do if they die?
	a) awareness b) the volume c) money d) the roof		a) play music b) detect sound c) balance d) die

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Rock

You think rock is the best form of music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms of music aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, jazz or classical.

Role B – Hip-Hop

You think hip-hop is the best form of music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms of music aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): rock, jazz or classical.

Role C – Jazz

You think jazz is the best form of music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms of music aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, rock or classical.

Role D – Classical

You think classical is the best form of music. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms of music aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): hip-hop, jazz or rock.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'loud' and 'music'.

loud

music

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:

early
half
events
safe
injury
easily

use
even
much
killing
long
longer

LOUD MUSIC SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about loud music 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.

LOUD MUSIC DISCUSSION

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

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'hearing'?
3)	How is your hearing?
4)	What are your favourite sounds?
5)	What do you think about what you read?
6)	Do you worry about loud music?
7)	Do you think young people will listen to the WHO advice?
8)	How important is your hearing to you?
9)	How important is it for music to be loud?
10)	How good is listening to music through headphones?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What kind of music is best to listen to loud?
13)	What kind of music should you never listen to at a high volume?
14)	How many hours a day do you need to listen to music?
15)	What loud sounds do you hate?
16)	What problems does noise pollution cause?
17)	What do you think of people who listen to loud music in public?
18)	Do you think scientists will be able to regrow the hair cells in the future?
19)	Will you change your listening habits after reading this?
20)	What questions would you like to ask the WHO director?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is (1) ____ that 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and (2) ____ thirties are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income countries risk hearing (3) ____ because of the "unsafe use" of personal music players, including smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also increases the risk. The WHO recommends a safe (4) ____ of listening to music for just one hour a day. The WHO director for injury (5) ____, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is raise awareness (6) ____ an issue that is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily preventable.

Dr Krug said keeping the volume down and limiting the (7) ____ of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would save a lot of people's hearing. However, he also said that, "(8) ____ an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained how loud noise can damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing (9) ____ killing off thousands of little hair cells in the inner ear. The cells (10) ____ different pitches of sound through vibration…but they are very (11) ____ and if they vibrate too much due to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged and die." He warned that: "The problem is they don't grow back and the ear can (12) ____ longer detect sound."

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

1.	(a)	worries	(b)	worrier	(c)	worry	(d)	worried
2.	(a)	fast	(b)	early	(c)	small	(d)	few
3.	(a)	lost	(b)	losing	(c)	loss	(d)	lose
4.	(a)	limit	(b)	bar	(c)	sound	(d)	noise
5.	(a)	perversion	(b)	pretension	(c)	prevention	(d)	pretention
6.	(a)	by	(b)	of	(c)	for	(d)	at
7.	(a)	hour	(b)	listen	(c)	play	(d)	use
8.	(a)	even	(b)	such	(c)	though	(d)	usual
9.	(a)	to	(b)	of	(c)	by	(d)	as
10.	(a)	defect	(b)	detect	(c)	detest	(d)	detract
11.	(a)	fragile	(b)	fragility	(c)	fragrantly	(d)	fragilely
12.	(a)	non	(b)	not	(c)	now	(d)	no

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	people in their tswtenei
2.	high-nimoce countries
3.	inlnugcdi smartphones
4.	juniry prevention
5.	raise nsaeaewsr
6.	hearing loss is easily peatreelnbv
Paragraph 2
7.	keeping the movelu down
8.	personal audio deisvec
9.	loud noise can maaedg ears
10.	different ihscpet
11.	if they ebvirta too much
12.	the ear can no longer eecdtt sound

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	Dr Krug said keeping the volume down and limiting the use of personal audio
( )	can be too much if the volume is too loud". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained how loud
( )	smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also increases the
( )	risk. The WHO recommends a safe limit of listening to music for just one hour a day. The WHO director for injury
( )	income countries risk hearing loss because of the "unsafe use" of personal music players, including
( )	they vibrate too much due to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged
( )	devices to less than one hour a day would save a lot of people's hearing. However, he also said that, "even an hour
( )	in the inner ear. The cells detect different pitches of sound through vibration…but they are very fragile and if
( 1 )	The World Health Organisation (WHO) is worried that 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and early
( )	an issue that is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily preventable.
( )	and die." He warned that: "The problem is they don't grow back and the ear can no longer detect sound."
( )	noise can damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing by killing off thousands of little hair cells
( )	prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is raise awareness of
( )	thirties are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	to their loud hearing music by listening Damaging .
2.	one day to just a Listening for hour music .
3.	is we're raise trying awareness to do What .
4.	enough is not An talked issue about that .
5.	is loss hearing said He preventable easily .
6.	of use the Limiting devices audio personal .
7.	if loud the volume Too is much too .
8.	hair little of thousands off Killing cells .
9.	sound of pitches different detect cells The .
10.	back grow don't they is problem The .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is worried / worrier that 1.1 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and fast / early thirties are damaging their hearing at / by listening to loud music. It says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income / high-outcome countries risk hearing loss because of the "unsafe use" of personally / personal music players, including smartphones. Loud music in nightclubs, bars and at sporting events also increases / increase the risk. The WHO recommends a safe limit / limitation of listening to music for just one hourly / hour a day. The WHO director for injury prevent / prevention, Dr Etienne Krug, told the BBC that: "What we're trying to do is raise awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough." He said hearing loss is easily / easy preventable.

Dr Krug said keeping the volume / voluminous down and limiting the use of personal audio device / devices to less than one hour a day would save a lot of people's listening / hearing. However, he also said that, "even an hour can be too many / much if the volume is too loud". Ralph Holme, a biomedical researcher, explained how loud noise can damaging / damage ears. He said: "Loud sounds damage your hearing by / as killing off thousands of little hair sells / cells in the inner ear. The cells detect / detest different pitches of sound through vibration…but they are very fragile and if they vibrate too much due / dew to loud sounds for too long, they get damaged and die." He warned that: "The problem is they don't grow back and the ear can not / no longer detect sound."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ W_rld H__lth _rg_n_s_t__n (WH_) _s w_rr__d th_t 1.1 b_ll__n t__n_g_rs _nd p__pl_ _n th__r tw_nt__s _nd __rly th_rt__s _r_ d_m_g_ng th__r h__r_ng by l_st_n_ng t_ l__d m_s_c. _t s_ys n__rly h_lf th_ y__ng p__pl_ _n m_ddl_- _nd h_gh-_nc_m_ c__ntr__s r_sk h__r_ng l_ss b_c__s_ _f th_ "_ns_f_ _s_" _f p_rs_n_l m_s_c pl_y_rs, _ncl_d_ng sm_rtph_n_s. L__d m_s_c _n n_ghtcl_bs, b_rs _nd _t sp_rt_ng _v_nts _ls_ _ncr__s_s th_ r_sk. Th_ WH_ r_c_mm_nds _ s_f_ l_m_t _f l_st_n_ng t_ m_s_c f_r j_st _n_ h__r _ d_y. Th_ WH_ d_r_ct_r f_r _nj_ry pr_v_nt__n, Dr _t__nn_ Kr_g, t_ld th_ BBC th_t: "Wh_t w_'r_ try_ng t_ d_ _s r__s_ _w_r_n_ss _f _n _ss__ th_t _s n_t t_lk_d _b__t _n__gh." H_ s__d h__r_ng l_ss _s __s_ly pr_v_nt_bl_.

Dr Kr_g s__d k__p_ng th_ v_l_m_ d_wn _nd l_m_t_ng th_ _s_ _f p_rs_n_l __d__ d_v_c_s t_ l_ss th_n _n_ h__r _ d_y w__ld s_v_ _ l_t _f p__pl_'s h__r_ng. H_w_v_r, h_ _ls_ s__d th_t, "_v_n _n h__r c_n b_ t__ m_ch _f th_ v_l_m_ _s t__ l__d". R_lph H_lm_, _ b__m_d_c_l r_s__rch_r, _xpl__n_d h_w l__d n__s_ c_n d_m_g_ __rs. H_ s__d: "L__d s__nds d_m_g_ y__r h__r_ng by k_ll_ng _ff th__s_nds _f l_ttl_ h__r c_lls _n th_ _nn_r __r. Th_ c_lls d_t_ct d_ff_r_nt p_tch_s _f s__nd thr__gh v_br_t__n…b_t th_y _r_ v_ry fr_g_l_ _nd _f th_y v_br_t_ t__ m_ch d__ t_ l__d s__nds f_r t__ l_ng, th_y g_t d_m_g_d _nd d__." H_ w_rn_d th_t: "Th_ pr_bl_m _s th_y d_n't gr_w b_ck _nd th_ __r c_n n_ l_ng_r d_t_ct s__nd."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the world health organisation (who) is worried that 11 billion teenagers and people in their twenties and early thirties are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music it says nearly half the young people in middle- and high-income countries risk hearing loss because of the "unsafe use" of personal music players including smartphones loud music in nightclubs bars and at sporting events also increases the risk the who recommends a safe limit of listening to music for just one hour a day the who director for injury prevention dr etienne krug told the bbc that "what we're trying to do is raise awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough" he said hearing loss is easily preventable

dr krug said keeping the volume down and limiting the use of personal audio devices to less than one hour a day would save a lot of people's hearing however he also said that "even an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud" ralph holme a biomedical researcher explained how loud noise can damage ears he said "loud sounds damage your hearing by killing off thousands of little hair cells in the inner ear the cells detect different pitches of sound through vibration…but they are very fragile and if they vibrate too much due to loud sounds for too long they get damaged and die" he warned that "the problem is they don't grow back and the ear can no longer detect sound"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)isworriedthat1.1billionteenage
rsandpeopleintheirtwentiesandearlythirtiesaredamagingtheirheari
ngbylisteningtoloudmusic.Itsaysnearlyhalftheyoungpeopleinmiddl
e-andhigh-incomecountriesriskhearinglossbecauseofthe"unsafeus
e"ofpersonalmusicplayers,includingsmartphones.Loudmusicinnight
clubs,barsandatsportingeventsalsoincreasestherisk.TheWHOrecom
mendsasafelimitoflisteningtomusicforjustonehouraday.TheWHOdir
ectorforinjuryprevention,DrEtienneKrug,toldtheBBCthat:"Whatwe'
retryingtodoisraiseawarenessofanissuethatisnottalkedaboutenoug
h."Hesaidhearinglossiseasilypreventable.DrKrugsaidkeepingthevol
umedownandlimitingtheuseofpersonalaudiodevicestolessthanoneh
ouradaywouldsavealotofpeople'shearing.However,healsosaidthat,"
evenanhourcanbetoomuchifthevolumeistooloud".RalphHolme,abio
medicalresearcher,explainedhowloudnoisecandamageears.Hesaid:
"Loudsoundsdamageyourhearingbykillingoffthousandsoflittlehairce
llsintheinnerear.Thecellsdetectdifferentpitchesofsoundthroughvibr
ation…buttheyareveryfragileandiftheyvibratetoomuchduetoloudso
undsfortoolong,theygetdamagedanddie."Hewarnedthat:"Theprobl
emistheydon'tgrowbackandtheearcannolongerdetectsound."

FREE WRITING

Write about loud music for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

If people want to damage their hearing with loud music, they can. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 loud music. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. LOUD MUSIC: Make a poster about loud music. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. HEARING LOSS: Write a magazine article about listening to loud music for just one hour a day. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

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. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on loud music and hearing. Ask him/her three questions about loud music. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to encourage people to turn down the volume or listen to loud music less. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	worried	a.	concerned
2	damaging	b.	ruining
3.	increases	c.	heightens
4.	limit	d.	ceiling
5.	awareness	e.	knowledge
6.	limiting	f.	restricting
7.	explained	g.	described
8.	little	h.	tiny
9.	fragile	i.	easily broken
10.	detect	j.	identify

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	1.1 billion
2.	Half
3.	Sporting events
4.	Injury prevention
5.	Awareness
6.	People's hearing
7.	Biomedical researcher
8.	The inner ear
9.	They can die
10.	Detect sound

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

d

4.

b

5.

a

6.

d

7.

c

8.

b

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Cut music to an hour a day (2nd March, 2015)

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