The Reading / Listening - Older Mothers - Level 0

Children of older mothers grow up happier. They have fewer behavioural, social and emotional problems. A researcher said older mothers are more flexible and more easy-going. They do not shout at or hit their children so much. He said this means children grow up in a better world.

Older mothers worry less when pregnant. They are happier about having children. This means they are more caring. They also have good relationships, more money and a better education. Children of older mothers have better language skills. Maybe older mothers spend more time with their children and talk to them more.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Older Mothers - Level 1,  Older Mothers - Level 2   or  Older Mothers - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20170323/older-mothers-may-raise-better-behaved-kids-study-suggests
  • http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17405629.2016.1266248?journalCode=pedp20
  • http://www.news-medical.net/news/20170323/Children-born-to-older-mothers-are-at-an-advantage-report-researchers.aspx


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Children
  2. grow
  3. social
  4. emotional
  5. older mothers are more
  6. more easy-
  7. shout at or
  8. grow up in
  1. a better world
  2. and emotional
  3. flexible
  4. hit their children
  5. of older mothers
  6. problems
  7. up happier
  8. going

Paragraph 2

  1. Older mothers worry
  2. They are happier about
  3. This means they
  4. They also have good
  5. more
  6. a better
  7. better language
  8. spend more time
  1. money
  2. are more caring
  3. skills
  4. education
  5. less
  6. with their children
  7. having children
  8. relationships

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Children of older mothers (1) ___________________ happier. They have fewer behavioural, (2) ___________________ emotional problems. A (3) ___________________ older mothers are (4) ___________________ and more easy-going. They do not (5) ___________________ their children so much. He said this means children grow (6) ___________________ world.

Older mothers (7) ___________________ pregnant. They are (8) ___________________ having children. This means (9) ___________________ caring. They also have good relationships, more money (10) ___________________ education. Children of older mothers have better (11) ___________________. Maybe older mothers spend more time with their children and talk (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Childrenofoldermothersgrowuphappier.Theyhavefewerbehavioural
,socialandemotionalproblems.Aresearchersaidoldermothersaremor
eflexibleandmoreeasy-going.Theydonotshoutatorhittheirchildrens
omuch.Hesaidthismeanschildrengrowupinabetterworld.Oldermoth
ersworrylesswhenpregnant.Theyarehappierabouthavingchildren.T
hismeanstheyaremorecaring.Theyalsohavegoodrelationships,more
moneyandabettereducation.Childrenofoldermothershavebetterlan
guageskills.Maybeoldermothersspendmoretimewiththeirchildrenan
dtalktothemmore.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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