The Reading / Listening - The 2020s - Level 4

The clock struck twelve and people worldwide wondered what the new decade has in store for us. Many hope the 2020s will improve things for them and the Earth. The 2010s were a little chaotic. Global warming put our existence in danger; wars continue around the world; millions still lack clean water and education; and thousands of species became extinct. Technology and more cooperation between nations will hopefully make the 2020s better.

A technology website predicted our lives will be more like science fiction. It wrote: "The decade...will take us even further toward a world where far-out ideas like hooking brains up to computers, and even immortality, become topics of serious conversation." A futurologist wrote about flying cars and unlimited clean energy. He said: "The 2020s will be when the incredible promises of technology finally happen." Let's talk in 2030 to see if this comes true.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    The 2020s - Level 5 or  The 2020s - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.forbes.com/sites/bijankhosravi/2019/12/22/happy-new-year-happy-new-decade-and-welcome-to-the-2020s/#2c50444a2508
  • https://fortune.com/longform/ideas-shape-2020s-tech-economy-markets-ai-health-work-society/
  • https://www.cnet.com/news/2020s-visions-we-will-get-flying-cars-just-before-becoming-software-based-people/


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. what the new decade
  2. Many hope the 2020s will
  3. The 2010s were
  4. Global warming put our
  5. millions still lack
  6. thousands of species
  7. more cooperation between
  8. make the 2020s
  1. a little chaotic
  2. better
  3. clean water
  4. improve things
  5. nations
  6. has in store for us
  7. became extinct
  8. existence in danger

Paragraph 2

  1. far-
  2. hooking brains
  3. topics of serious
  4. A futurologist wrote about flying
  5. unlimited clean
  6. the incredible promises of
  7. finally
  8. see if this comes
  1. cars
  2. out ideas
  3. true
  4. conversation
  5. happen
  6. energy
  7. up to computers
  8. technology

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) ___________________ and people worldwide wondered what the new decade has (2) ___________________ us. Many hope the 2020s will improve things for them and the Earth. The 2010s were (3) ___________________. Global warming put (4) ___________________ danger; wars continue around the world; millions (5) ___________________ water and education; and thousands of species became extinct. Technology and more cooperation between nations (6) ___________________ the 2020s better.

A technology website predicted our lives will be more (7) ___________________. It wrote: "The decade...will take us even further toward a world (8) ___________________ like hooking brains up to computers, and even immortality, become (9) ___________________ conversation." A futurologist wrote about flying cars (10) ___________________ energy. He said: "The 2020s will be when (11) ___________________ of technology finally happen." Let's talk in 2030 to see if (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Theclockstrucktwelveandpeopleworldwidewonderedwhatthenewde
cadehasinstoreforus.Manyhopethe2020swillimprovethingsforthem
andtheEarth.The2010swerealittlechaotic.Globalwarmingputourexis
tenceindanger;warscontinuearoundtheworld;millionsstilllackclean
waterandeducation;andthousandsofspeciesbecameextinct.Technol
ogyandmorecooperationbetweennationswillhopefullymakethe2020
sbetter.Atechnologywebsitepredictedourliveswillbemorelikescience
fiction.Itwrote:"Thedecade...willtakeusevenfurthertowardaworldw
herefar-outideaslikehookingbrainsuptocomputers,andevenimmor
tality,becometopicsofseriousconversation."Afuturologistwroteabou
tflyingcarsandunlimitedcleanenergy.Hesaid:"The2020swillbewhent
heincrediblepromisesoftechnologyfinallyhappen."Let'stalkin2030to
seeifthiscomestrue.

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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