The Reading / Listening - Teenagers - Level 1

Today's teenagers are growing up more slowly. Researchers looked at the behaviour of 8 million teens in seven countries over the past 40 years. Today's teens are not as responsible as teenagers from the 70s, 80s and 90s. A professor said their development has slowed down. She said today's 18-year-olds are like 15-year-olds used to be. She said teenagers are taking fewer risks than they did before.

Today's teenagers take longer to do things their parents did. They are older when they date, work and drive. The professor said they have a, "slow life strategy". More teenagers live with their parents instead of renting their own room. One reason for this is teenagers spend a long time online. They use social media, look at videos or play games instead of living in the "real world". Another reason is parents do too much for their children.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Teenagers - Level 0 Teenagers - Level 2   or  Teenagers - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/09/19/teens-grow-up-slower-study/105758486/
  • http://honey.nine.com.au/2017/09/19/07/34/teens-growing-up-more-slowly-due-to-decline-in-adult-activites
  • https://www.metro.news/kid-you-not-teens-are-growing-up-more-slowly/750932/


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. Researchers looked
  2. 8 million teens in
  3. over the
  4. Today's teens are not as
  5. teenagers from the
  6. their development has slowed
  7. like 15-year-olds
  8. teenagers are taking
  1. responsible
  2. down
  3. seven countries
  4. fewer risks
  5. past 40 years
  6. used to be
  7. at the behaviour
  8. 70s, 80s and 90s

Paragraph 2

  1. do things their
  2. They are older
  3. More teenagers
  4. renting their
  5. teenagers spend a long
  6. social
  7. instead of living
  8. parents do too
  1. in the "real world"
  2. live with their parents
  3. when they date
  4. much for their children
  5. media
  6. parents did
  7. time online
  8. own room

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Today's teenagers are growing up more slowly. Researchers (1) ___________________ behaviour of 8 million teens in seven countries (2) ___________________ 40 years. Today's teens are not as responsible as teenagers (3) ___________________, 80s and 90s. A professor said (4) ___________________ has slowed down. She said today's 18-year-(5) ___________________ 15-year-olds used to be. She said teenagers are taking fewer risks (6) ___________________ before.

Today's teenagers take longer (7) ___________________ their parents did. They (8) ___________________ they date, work and drive. The professor said they have a, "slow (9) ___________________". More teenagers live with their parents instead (10) ___________________ own room. One reason for this is teenagers (11) ___________________ time online. They use social media, look at videos or play games instead of living in the "real world". Another reason is parents (12) ___________________ for their children.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Today'steenagersaregrowingupmoreslowly.Researcherslookedatth
ebehaviourof8millionteensinsevencountriesoverthepast40years.To
day'steensarenotasresponsibleasteenagersfromthe70s,80sand90s
.Aprofessorsaidtheirdevelopmenthassloweddown.Shesaidtoday's1
8-year-oldsarelike15-year-oldsusedtobe.Shesaidteenagersareta
kingfewerrisksthantheydidbefore.Today'steenagerstakelongertodo
thingstheirparentsdid.Theyareolderwhentheydate,workanddrive.T
heprofessorsaidtheyhavea,"slowlifestrategy".Moreteenagerslivewit
htheirparentsinsteadofrentingtheirownroom.Onereasonforthisistee
nagersspendalongtimeonline.Theyusesocialmedia,lookatvideosorpl
aygamesinsteadoflivinginthe"realworld".Anotherreasonisparentsdo
toomuchfortheirchildren.

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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