The Reading / Listening - 2019 - Level 6

Despite all the bad and often depressing news that filled our televisions, newspapers, radios and news feeds in 2018, there are reports that the year 2019 will be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say it will be a particularly good year for students of English. The reporters say the year will provide ample opportunities to refine and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The New Year's resolution of all learners of English and other languages should be to exploit the myriad of websites dedicated to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will reap great rewards in developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills.

There are other reasons why 2019 will prove to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull together and treat each other with love and respect. This year will be the year of good deeds and of helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars in the sky are aligning to send positive vibes so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need to tighten our belts so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw up. And finally, we will all be more health conscious and take better care of ourselves. Reporters urge us all to exercise more and eat more nutritious food.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    2019 - Level 4  or  2019 - Level 5

Sources
  • Breaking News English.com


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. THE YEAR 2019: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the year 2019. 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?
       bad news / newspapers / news feed / opportunities / speaking / writing skills / fluency
       reasons why / pull together / love / respect / hobbies / financially / health / exercise
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BEST YEAR EVER: Students A strongly believe 2019 will be the best year ever; Students B strongly believe it won't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. RESOLUTIONS: What would you like to promise yourself you will do this year? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Resolution

How successful will I be?

English

 

 

Health

 

 

Exercise

 

 

Money

 

 

Friends

 

 

Hobbies

 

 

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. NEWS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "news". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. ENGLISH: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things to do to improve your English at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • read news
  • practice writing
  • speaking circles
  • speak to yourself
  • new friends
  • watch movies
  • read more books
  • study vocabulary

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. depressing a. Receive a reward or benefit as a consequence of one's own or other people's actions.
      2. feeds b. More than enough.
      3. ample c. A firm decision to do or not to do something.
      4. refine d. Causing or resulting in a feeling of miserable sadness.
      5. resolution e. A countless or extremely great number.
      6. myriad f. A computer software function that tells the user of a blog or other frequently updated website that new content has been added.
      7. reap g. Improve something by making small changes.

    Paragraph 2

      8. treat h. The atmosphere of a place as communicated to and felt by others.
      9. deed i. An action.
      10. aligning j. Good and healthy as food.
      11. vibes k. Behave towards a person or deal with a person in a certain way.
      12. tighten our belts l. Spend less money or cut back on spending.
      13. urge m. Moving so as to be in a straight line.
      14. nutritious n. Recommend or advise something strongly.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article said there was depressing news in news feeds in 2018.     T / F
  2. Reporters say 2019 will be particularly good for English students.     T / F
  3. Reporters warn of a minefield of language learning websites.     T / F
  4. The article says there are rewards for studying for half-an-hour a day.     T / F
  5. The article says we must treat other with love and respect in 2019.     T / F
  6. The article says we should focus on learning English and not hobbies.     T / F
  7. Reporters say we should buy a new belt and keep it loose.     T / F
  8. Reporters said we should enjoy what we eat, even if it is fast food.     T / F

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

  1. depressing
  2. particularly
  3. ample
  4. exploit
  5. reap
  6. prove
  7. deeds
  8. excel
  9. weather
  10. urge
  1. sufficient
  2. encourage
  3. get
  4. survive
  5. gloomy
  6. shine
  7. utilize
  8. especially
  9. turn out
  10. actions

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

  1. Despite all the bad and
  2. news
  3. a particularly good
  4. the year will provide ample
  5. reap great rewards in
  6. 2019 will prove to
  7. treat each other
  8. the stars in the sky
  9. Financially, we all need
  10. take better care
  1. be the best year ever
  2. year for students
  3. are aligning
  4. developing vocabulary
  5. of ourselves
  6. with love and respect
  7. often depressing news
  8. to tighten our belts
  9. opportunities
  10. feeds

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
refine
reports
reap
resolution
particularly
fluency
depressing
dedicated

Despite all the bad and often (1) ____________ news that filled our televisions, newspapers, radios and news feeds in 2018, there are (2) ____________ that the year 2019 will be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say it will be a (3) ____________ good year for students of English. The reporters say the year will provide ample opportunities to (4) ____________ and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The New Year's (5) ____________ of all learners of English and other languages should be to exploit the myriad of websites (6) ____________ to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will (7) ____________ great rewards in developing vocabulary, (8) ____________ and comprehension skills.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
vibes
deeds
conscious
prove
nutritious
fortunate
belts
treat

There are other reasons why 2019 will (9) ____________ to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull together and (10) ____________ each other with love and respect. This year will be the year of good (11) ____________ and of helping those who are less (12) ____________ than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars in the sky are aligning to send positive (13) ____________ so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need to tighten our (14) ____________ so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw up. And finally, we will all be more health (15) ____________ and take better care of ourselves. Reporters urge us all to exercise more and eat more (16) ____________ food.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Despite all the bad and often depressing news that ______ televisions
     a.  fill dour
     b.  filled hour
     c.  fill  door
     d.  filled our
2)  for students of English. The reporters say the year will ______ opportunities
     a.  provide ample
     b.  provide amply
     c.  provide damp all
     d.  provide amp all
3)  refine and develop your listening, speaking, reading and ______
     a.  writing skill
     b.  write in skills
     c.  writing skills
     d.  written in skills
4)  learners of English and other languages should be to exploit ______ websites
     a.  the mirrored of
     b.  them myriad of
     c.  the mirrored off
     d.  the myriad of
5)  reap great rewards in developing vocabulary, fluency and ______
     a.  comprehensive skills
     b.  comprehension skills
     c.  comprehension skill
     d.  comprehended skills

6)  However, we all need to pull together and treat each other with ______
     a.  love and respect
     b.  love and respected
     c.  love and respectful
     d.  love and respecting
7)  This year will be the year of good deeds and of helping those who are ______
     a.  less fortune ate
     b.  less fortune eat
     c.  less fortune at
     d.  less fortunate
8)  Reporters say the stars in the sky are aligning to send ______
     a.  positive vibes
     b.  positive bribes
     c.  positive fibers
     d.  positive vines
9)  we all need to tighten our belts so we can weather whatever ______ the...
     a.  moneyed tree storms
     b.  monetarily storms
     c.  monetary storms
     d.  money tree storms
10)  Reporters urge us all to exercise more and eat more ______
     a.  nourish food
     b.  nutritious food
     c.  nutrition food
     d.  new tree shush food

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Despite all the bad (1) ___________________ news that filled our televisions, newspapers, radios and (2) ___________________ 2018, there are reports that the year 2019 will be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say it will (3) ___________________ good year for students of English. The reporters say the year (4) ___________________ opportunities to refine and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The New Year's resolution of all learners of English and other languages should (5) ___________________ the myriad of websites dedicated to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will (6) ___________________ in developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills.

There are (7) ___________________ 2019 will prove to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull together and treat each other with love and respect. This year will be the year (8) ___________________ and of helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars in the sky (9) ___________________ send positive vibes so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need (10) ___________________ belts so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw up. And finally, we will all be (11) ___________________ and take better care of ourselves. Reporters urge us all to exercise more and eat (12) ___________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of feeds did the article mention in the first paragraph?
  2. Who will 2019 be a particularly good year for?
  3. What will there be ample of to refine listening?
  4. What did the article say learners should exploit?
  5. How much time is needed to reap great rewards in developing fluency?
  6. What do we need to treat each other with?
  7. Who did the article say we should help?
  8. What did the reporters say is aligning?
  9. What did the article say we should tighten?
  10. What did reporters suggest we should eat more of?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of feeds did the article mention in the first paragraph?
a) paper feeds
b) animal feeds
c) news feeds
d) baby feeds
2) Who will 2019 be a particularly good year for?
a) students of English
b) teachers
c) reporters
d) websites
3) What will there be ample of to refine listening?
a) movies
b) CDs
c) podcasts
d) opportunities
4) What did the article say learners should exploit?
a) the Internet
b) language learning websites
c) teachers
d) books
5) How much time is needed to reap great rewards in developing fluency?
a) 30 minutes a week
b) a lot of time
c) half-an-hour a day
d) an hour a day

6) What do we need to treat each other with?
a) contempt
b) love and respect
c) kid gloves
d) disdain
7) Who did the article say we should help?
a) poor children
b) students
c) low-level English learners
d) those less fortunate
8) What did the reporters say is aligning?
a) books on shelves
b) the stars in the sky
c) contracts
d) dreams
9) What did the article say we should tighten?
a) our belts
b) nuts
c) ropes
d) face skin
10) What did reporters suggest we should eat more of?
a) alphabet spaghetti
b) fast food
c) avocados
d) nutritious food

Role play

Role  A – Making New Friends
You think making friends is the best way of improving your English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): watching movies, reading news or studying vocabulary.

Role  B – Watching Movies
You think watching movies is the best way of improving your English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): making friends, reading news or studying vocabulary.

Role  C – Reading News
You think reading news is the best way of improving your English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): watching movies, making friends or studying vocabulary.

Role  D – Studying Vocabulary
You think studying vocabulary is the best way of improving your English. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): watching movies, reading news or making friends.

After reading / listening

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

'best'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'year'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • prove
    • deeds
    • fantastic
    • both
    • throw
    • eat
    • despite
    • reports
    • ample
    • all
    • 30
    • fluency

    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 - The year 2019 to be the best ever

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'year'?
    3. Was 2018 a good or bad year?
    4. What were the big news stories around the world in 2018?
    5. What will the big news stories be in 2019?
    6. What were the big news stories in your country in 2018?
    7. What plans do you have for your English in 2019?
    8. What are your favourite websites for studying English?
    9. Is 30 minutes a day enough to improve your English?
    10. What do you think of the Breaking News English website?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word '2019'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What will you do to love and respect people more this year?
    5. What good deeds do you plan to do in 2019?
    6. What new hobbies would you like to start?
    7. Will 2019 be a good year for you financially?
    8. How will you take better care of yourself?
    9. What New Year's resolutions do you have?
    10. What questions would you like to ask someone from the year 2020?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Despite all the bad and often depressing news that (1) ____ our televisions, newspapers, radios and news (2) ____ in 2018, there are reports that the year 2019 will be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say it will be a particularly good year for students of English. The reporters say the year will provide (3) ____ opportunities to refine and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The New Year's (4) ____ of all learners of English and other languages should be to exploit the (5) ____ of websites dedicated to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will (6) ____ great rewards in developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills.

    There are other reasons why 2019 will (7) ____ to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull together and treat (8) ____ other with love and respect. This year will be the year of good deeds and of helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars in the sky are (9) ____ to send positive vibes so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need to tighten our (10) ____ so we can weather whatever monetary (11) ____ the year might throw up. And finally, we will all be more health conscious and take better care of ourselves. Reporters (12) ____ us all to exercise more and eat more nutritious food.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     filling     (b)     filler     (c)     filled     (d)     filtered    
    2. (a)     feeds     (b)     flood     (c)     frees     (d)     freeze    
    3. (a)     ample     (b)     sample     (c)     dimple     (d)     pimple    
    4. (a)     resolution     (b)     indication     (c)     restitution     (d)     induction    
    5. (a)     marred     (b)     myriad     (c)     mirth     (d)     mute    
    6. (a)     weep     (b)     leap     (c)     heap     (d)     reap    
    7. (a)     proof     (b)     proven     (c)     prove     (d)     proofing    
    8. (a)     every     (b)     all     (c)     one     (d)     each    
    9. (a)     aligning     (b)     aligns     (c)     align     (d)     a line    
    10. (a)     belts     (b)     waists     (c)     wallets     (d)     coins    
    11. (a)     winds     (b)     storms     (c)     tempests     (d)     gales    
    12. (a)     surge     (b)     purge     (c)     urge     (d)     verge

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. sdriseegpn news
    2. a cryipuratlla good year
    3. The New Year's rsteioloun
    4. dedacetid to language learning
    5. reap great wesrard
    6. ulcyenf and comprehension skills

    Paragraph 2

    1. love and tesecpr
    2. the stars in the sky are lgngiina
    3. send positive seibv
    4. eonramyt storms
    5. we will all be more health siccouson
    6. eat more tnurtiuios food

    Put the text back together

    (...)  rewards in developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills.
    (...)  it will be a particularly good year for students of English. The reporters say the year will provide ample
    (...)  up. And finally, we will all be more health conscious and take better care of ourselves. Reporters
    1  ) Despite all the bad and often depressing news that filled our televisions, newspapers, radios and news
    (...)  in the sky are aligning to send positive vibes so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need
    (...)  feeds in 2018, there are reports that the year 2019 will be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say
    (...)  skills. The New Year's resolution of all learners of English and other languages should be to
    (...)  There are other reasons why 2019 will prove to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull
    (...)  opportunities to refine and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing
    (...)  to tighten our belts so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw
    (...)  urge us all to exercise more and eat more nutritious food.
    (...)  helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars
    (...)  exploit the myriad of websites dedicated to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will reap great
    (...)  together and treat each other with love and respect. This year will be the year of good deeds and of

    Put the words in the right order

    1. year   English   .   good   particularly   A   of   students   for
    2. the   year   ample   opportunities   .   will   say   Reporters   provide
    3. learners   New   The   of   of   Year's   resolution   English   .
    4. websites   of   to   myriad   language   learning   .   The   dedicated
    5. will   day   great   Thirty   reap   rewards   .   a   minutes
    6. 2019   best   .   to   will   prove   the   Why   be
    7. each   Pull   together   treat   and   other   with   love   .
    8. This   year   will   be   the   deeds   .   of   good
    9. we   Financially,   our   tighten   need   belts   .   to   all
    10. nutritious   more   eat   Exercise   and   more   food   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Despite all the bad and often depression / depressing news that filled our televisions, newspapers, radios and news deeds / feeds in 2018, there are reports that the year 2019 will being / be the best ever. Breaking News English reporters say it will be a particular / particularly good year for students of English. The reporters say the year will provide sample / ample opportunities to refine / refinery and develop your listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The New Year's revolution / resolution of all learners of English and other languages should be to exploit the myriad / mystical of websites dedicated to language learning. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day will reap / heap great rewards in developing vocabulary, fluency and comprehension / comprehensively skills.

    There are other reason / reasons why 2019 will prove to be the best year ever. However, we all need to pull / push together and treaty / treat each other with love and respect. This year will be the year of good beads / deeds and of helping those who are less fortune / fortunate than ourselves. It will also be a fantastic year for hobbies. Reporters say the stars on / in the sky are aligning to send positive vibes / bribes so that we all excel in our hobbies - both existing and new. Financially, we all need to tighten / tight our belts so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw up. And finally, we will all be more healthy / health conscious and take better care of ourselves. Reporters purge / urge us all to exercise more and eat more nutritious food.

    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)

    D_s p_t_ _l l t h_ b_d _n d _f t_n d_p r_s s_n g n_w s t h_t f_l l_d __ r t_l_v_s__ n s , n_w s p_p_r s , r_d__ s _n d n_w s f__ d s _n 2 0 1 8 , t h_r_ _r_ r_p_r t s t h_t t h_ y__ r 2 0 1 9 w_l l b_ t h_ b_s t _v_r . B r__ k_n g N_w s E n g l_s h r_p_r t_r s s_y _t w_l l b_ _ p_r t_c_l_r l y g__ d y__ r f_r s t_d_n t s _f E n g l_s h . T h_ r_p_r t_r s s_y t h_ y__ r w_l l p r_v_d_ _m p l_ _p p_r t_n_t__ s t_ r_f_n_ _n d d_v_l_p y__ r l_s t_n_n g , s p__ k_n g , r__ d_n g _n d w r_t_n g s k_l l s . T h_ N_w Y__ r ' s r_s_l_t__ n _f _l l l__ r n_r s _f E n g l_s h _n d _t h_r l_n g__ g_s s h__ l d b_ t_ _x p l__ t t h_ m y r__ d _f w_b s_t_s d_d_c_t_d t_ l_n g__ g_ l__ r n_n g . D_d_c_t_n g j_s t 3 0 m_n_t_s _ d_y w_l l r__ p g r__ t r_w_r d s _n d_v_l_p_n g v_c_b_l_r y , f l__ n c y _n d c_m p r_h_n s__ n s k_l l s .

    T h_r_ _r_ _t h_r r__ s_n s w h y 2 0 1 9 w_l l p r_v_ t_ b_ t h_ b_s t y__ r _v_r . H_w_v_r , w_ _l l n__ d t_ p_l l t_g_t h_r _n d t r__ t __ c h _t h_r w_t h l_v_ _n d r_s p_c t . T h_s y__ r w_l l b_ t h_ y__ r _f g__ d d__ d s _n d _f h_l p_n g t h_s_ w h_ _r_ l_s s f_r t_n_t_ t h_n __ r s_l v_s . I t w_l l _l s_ b_ _ f_n t_s t_c y__ r f_r h_b b__ s . R_p_r t_r s s_y t h_ s t_r s _n t h_ s k y _r_ _l_g n_n g t_ s_n d p_s_t_v_ v_b_s s_ t h_t w_ _l l _x c_l _n __ r h_b b__ s - b_t h _x_s t_n g _n d n_w . F_n_n c__ l l y , w_ _l l n__ d t_ t_g h t_n __ r b_l t s s_ w_ c_n w__ t h_r w h_t_v_r m_n_t_r y s t_r m s t h_ y__ r m_g h t t h r_w _p . A n d f_n_l l y , w_ w_l l _l l b_ m_r_ h__ l t h c_n s c___s _n d t_k_ b_t t_r c_r_ _f __ r s_l v_s . R_p_r t_r s _r g_ _s _l l t_ _x_r c_s_ m_r_ _n d __ t m_r_ n_t r_t___s f__ d .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    despite all the bad and often depressing news that filled our televisions newspapers radios and news feeds in 2018 there are reports that the year 2019 will be the best ever breaking news english reporters say it will be a particularly good year for students of english the reporters say the year will provide ample opportunities to refine and develop your listening speaking reading and writing skills the new years resolution of all learners of english and other languages should be to exploit the myriad of websites dedicated to language learning dedicating just 30 minutes a day will reap great rewards in developing vocabulary fluency and comprehension skills

    there are other reasons why 2019 will prove to be the best year ever however we all need to pull together and treat each other with love and respect this year will be the year of good deeds and of helping those who are less fortunate than ourselves it will also be a fantastic year for hobbies reporters say the stars in the sky are aligning to send positive vibes so that we all excel in our hobbies both existing and new financially we all need to tighten our belts so we can weather whatever monetary storms the year might throw up and finally we will all be more health conscious and take better care of ourselves reporters urge us all to exercise more and eat more nutritious food.

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Despiteallthebadandoftendepressingnewsthatfilledourtelevisions,n
    ewspapers,radiosandnewsfeedsin2018,therearereportsthattheyear
    2019willbethebestever.BreakingNewsEnglishreporterssayitwillbea
    particularlygoodyearforstudentsofEnglish.Thereporterssaytheyear
    willprovideampleopportunitiestorefineanddevelopyourlistening,spe
    aking,readingandwritingskills.TheNewYear'sresolutionofalllearners
    ofEnglishandotherlanguagesshouldbetoexploitthemyriadofwebsite
    sdedicatedtolanguagelearning.Dedicatingjust30minutesadaywillre
    apgreatrewardsindevelopingvocabulary,fluencyandcomprehension
    skills.Thereareotherreasonswhy2019willprovetobethebestyearever
    .However,weallneedtopulltogetherandtreateachotherwithloveandr
    espect.Thisyearwillbetheyearofgooddeedsandofhelpingthosewhoar
    elessfortunatethanourselves.Itwillalsobeafantasticyearforhobbies.
    Reporterssaythestarsintheskyarealigningtosendpositivevibessotha
    tweallexcelinourhobbies-bothexistingandnew.Financially,weallne
    edtotightenourbeltssowecanweatherwhatevermonetarystormsthey
    earmightthrowup.Andfinally,wewillallbemorehealthconsciousandta
    kebettercareofourselves.Reportersurgeusalltoexercisemoreandeat
    morenutritiousfood.

    Free writing

    Write about the year 2019 for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    The year 2019 will be the best year ever for all the world. Discuss.

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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 this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. THE YEAR 2019: Make a poster about the year 2019. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. THE BEST YEAR: Write a magazine article about the year 2019. Include imaginary interviews with people who believe this and with people who don't believe it.
    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 the news. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on what news we might be reading about in 2019. 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

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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