The Reading / Listening - Timber Shortage - Level 6

A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a dearth in supply and major problems for the housing and construction industry. The decrease in the availability of timber has caused a sharp spike in the prices of newly built homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber has shot up by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are struggling to get supplies is because people have been repairing or reforming their homes during lockdown. Another reason is that post-lockdown construction and additional DIY projects have created "extraordinary demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the clock" but are "struggling to keep up".

Environmental scientists assert that a major reason for the shortage is climate change. Global warming is increasing the pressure on the sustainability of forests. An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large swathes of forest. Many have been completely razed to the ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the number of pests that cause damage to trees and stunt tree growth. Sweden, which supplies almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest timber stocks for 20 years. A solution the UK has come up with is to plant more trees. It said it is "committed to trebling tree planting rates". A builder joked that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Timber Shortage - Level 4  or  Timber Shortage - Level 5

Sources
  • https://indaily.com.au/news/2021/07/27/timber-shortage-threatens-to-send-builders-to-the-wall/
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57920510
  • https://www.natlawreview.com/article/pandemic-demand-causes-unprecedented-building-supply-shortage


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. WOOD: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about wood. 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?
       shortage / timber / supply / problems / spike / homes / builders / lockdown / project /
       scientists / climate change / pressure / forest / ground / pests / wood / joke / planting
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ALTERNATIVES: Students A strongly believe we should use alternatives to wood; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SHORTAGES: What would happen if there were shortages of these things?  How would you be affected? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What Would Happen?

How Would You Be Affected?

Wood

 

 

Chocolate

 

 

Taxis

 

 

Food

 

 

Water

 

 

YouTube videos

 

 
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. HOUSING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "housing". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. DIY: Rank these with your partner. Put the most useful DIY tasks at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Changing a light bulb
  • Painting the ceiling
  • Making bookshelves
  • Fixing electronics
  • Oiling a creaking door
  • Making a vegetable patch
  • Repairing the gutters
  • Fixing a leaky tap

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. dearth a. A great lack of something.
      2. construction b. Very unusual or remarkable.
      3. spike c. The building of large structures considered as an industry.
      4. struggling d. Do-it-yourself; making or fixing things by yourself.
      5. DIY e. A sharp increase in the size or power of something.
      6. extraordinary f. Really trying to achieve or attain something in the face of difficulty.
      7. federation g. An organization or group within which smaller divisions have some degree of internal autonomy.

    Paragraph 2

      8. assert h. Rapid increase in numbers.
      9. sustainability i. Completely destroyed.
      10. swathes j. State a fact or belief confidently.
      11. razed k. A destructive insect or other animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.
      12. proliferation l. The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
      13. pest m. Multiplied by or occurring three times.
      14. trebling n. A broad strip or area of something.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. There is a dearth in the supply of timber worldwide.     T / F
  2. The article says the timber shortage increased the price of old homes.   T / F
  3. The price of timber in some countries has increased by a third.     T / F
  4. People doing DIY is one reason for the timber shortage.     T / F
  5. Environmentalists blame climate change for the timber shortage.     T / F
  6. The articles says there were swathes and swathes of wildfires.     T / F
  7. Pests are one reason for the lack of available timber.     T / F
  8. The UK said it would treble the amount of trees it plants.     T / F

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

  1. shortage
  2. spike
  3. struggling
  4. repairing
  5. extraordinary
  6. assert
  7. swathes
  8. razed
  9. stunt
  10. joked
  1. astonishing
  2. quipped
  3. increase
  4. maintain
  5. areas
  6. dearth
  7. restrict
  8. endeavouring
  9. levelled
  10. mending

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

  1. A shortage of timber worldwide is
  2. The decrease in the availability
  3. a sharp
  4. the price builders pay for timber has
  5. working around
  6. a major reason
  7. An increase in the number
  8. a proliferation in the
  9. cause damage to trees and stunt
  10. committed to trebling tree
  1. number of pests
  2. shot up
  3. tree growth
  4. for the shortage
  5. of timber
  6. planting rates
  7. the clock
  8. causing a dearth in supply
  9. of wildfires
  10. spike in the prices

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
built
lockdown
dearth
clock
struggling
availability
DIY
shot

A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a (1) _____________________ in supply and major problems for the housing and construction industry. The decrease in the (2) _____________________ of timber has caused a sharp spike in the prices of newly (3) _____________________ homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber has (4) _____________________ up by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are (5) _____________________ to get supplies is because people have been repairing or reforming their homes during (6) _____________________. Another reason is that post-lockdown construction and additional (7) _____________________ projects have created "extraordinary demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the (8) ___________________" but are "struggling to keep up".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
swathes
stunt
committed
assert
joked
pressure
stocks
razed

Environmental scientists (9) _____________________ that a major reason for the shortage is climate change. Global warming is increasing the (10) _____________________ on the sustainability of forests. An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large (11) _____________________ of forest. Many have been completely (12) _____________________ to the ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the number of pests that cause damage to trees and (13) _____________________ tree growth. Sweden, which supplies almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest timber (14) _____________________ for 20 years. A solution the UK has come up with is to plant more trees. It said it is "(15) _____________________ to trebling tree planting rates". A builder (16) _____________________ that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a ______
     a.  death in supply
     b.  hearth in supply
     c.  thud in supply
     d.  thunder in supply
2)  In some countries, the price builders pay for timber ______
     a.  has shot up
     b.  has fired up
     c.  has attacked up
     d.  has higher up
3) get supplies is because people have been repairing or reforming their ______
     a.  homes while lockdown
     b.  homes during lockdown
     c.  homes adjourning lockdown
     d.  homes adjoining lockdown
4)  Another reason is that post-lockdown construction and ______
     a.  additionally DIY projects
     b.  addition ally DIY projects
     c.  addition all DIY projects
     d.  additional DIY projects
5)  suppliers were working around the clock but are struggling ______
     a.  too keep up
     b.  took quay pup
     c.  to keep up
     d.  to key pup

6)  Global warming is increasing the pressure on the ______
     a.  sustain ability of forests
     b.  sustain nobility of forests
     c.  sustain a billet of forests
     d.  sustainability of forests
7)  An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large ______
     a.  swathe soft forest
     b.  swathes of forest
     c.  switches of forest
     d.  stashes of forest
8)  The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the ______
     a.  numbered off pests
     b.  number off pests
     c.  number of pests
     d.  numeral of pests
9) half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest timber ______ years
     a.  stacks for 20
     b.  stocks for 20
     c.  sticks for 20
     d.  stuck for 20
10)  It said it is committed to trebling ______
     a.  tree planting rates
     b.  tree plantain rates
     c.  tree plant tin rates
     d.  tree plan tin rates

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ____________________ worldwide is causing a dearth in supply and major problems for the (2) ____________________ industry. The decrease in the availability of timber has caused a (3) ____________________ the prices of newly built homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber (4) ____________________ by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are struggling to get supplies is because people have been (5) ____________________ their homes during lockdown. Another reason is that post-lockdown construction and additional DIY projects have created "extraordinary demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the clock" but are "(6) ____________________ up".

Environmental (7) ____________________ a major reason for the shortage is climate change. Global warming is (8) ____________________ on the sustainability of forests. An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large (9) ____________________. Many have been completely razed to the ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the (0) ____________________ that cause damage to trees and stunt tree growth. Sweden, which supplies almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest timber stocks for 20 years. (11) ____________________ UK has come up with is to plant more trees. It said it is "committed to (12) ____________________ rates". A builder joked that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.

Comprehension questions

  1. What two industries are affected by the shortage of timber?
  2. What has the shortage caused a sharp spike in?
  3. By how much have builders' costs gone up?
  4. When were people reforming their homes?
  5. When have many suppliers been working?
  6. What did scientists say is increasing the pressure on sustainability?
  7. What has destroyed large swathes of forests?
  8. What has there been a proliferation in the number of?
  9. How much of the wood the UK buys is from Sweden?
  10. What will the UK do to its tree-planting rate?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What two industries are affected by the shortage of timber?
a) logging and shipping
b) housing and construction
c) retail and logistics
d) tourism and leisure
2)  What has the shortage caused a sharp spike in?
a) fights outside DIY stores
b) wood splinters
c) injuries
d) the prices of newly built homes
3) By how much have builders' costs gone up?
a) about 25%
b) exactly 25%
c) just above 25%
d) just under 25%
4) When were people reforming their homes?
a) since time began
b) when the Internet started
c) during lockdown
d) last week

5) When have many suppliers been working?
a) all God's hours
b) around the clock
c) night and day
d) 24-7

6) What did scientists say is increasing the pressure on sustainability?
a) climate change
b) DIY stores
c) new housing
d) us
7) What has destroyed large swathes of forests?
a) floods
b) logging
c) wildfires
d) acid rain
8) What has there been a proliferation in the number of?
a) pests
b) hikers
c) bears
d) invasive tree species
9) How much of the wood the UK buys is from Sweden?
a) almost half
b) over half
c) exactly 50%
d) around 50%

10) What will the UK do to its tree-planting rate?
a) double it
b) halve it
c) quadruple it
d) treble it

Role play

Role  A – Changing a Light Bulb
You think changing a light bulb is the most important DIY task. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their tasks. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): fixing electronics, repairing the gutters or fixing a leaky tap.

Role  B – Fixing Electronics
You think fixing electronics is the most important DIY task. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their tasks. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): changing a light bulb, repairing the gutters or fixing a leaky tap.

Role  C – Repairing the Gutters
You think repairing the gutters is the most important DIY task. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their tasks. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): fixing electronics, changing a light bulb or fixing a leaky tap.

Role  D – Fixing a Leaky Tap
You think fixing a leaky tap is the most important DIY task. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their tasks. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): fixing electronics, repairing the gutters or changing a light bulb.

After reading / listening

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

'global'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'timber'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • dearth
    • sharp
    • 25
    • repairing
    • DIY
    • clock
    • major
    • pressure
    • large
    • pests
    • 20
    • joked

    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 - Timber Shortage

    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 'wood'?
    3. What do you think of wood?
    4. What could we use as a replacement for wood?
    5. Do you think it is wrong to cut down trees for our use?
    6. How important is the construction industry?
    7. What are house prices like in your country?
    8. How did you spend your time during lockdown?
    9. Have you ever struggled to keep up with something?
    10. Have you ever worked around the clock?

    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 'shortage'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How useful is wood in our lives?
    5. What can we do about climate change?
    6. What do you think of DIY?
    7. What pests are there that damage trees?
    8. Why aren't we growing more trees?
    9. What do you think of the joke at the end of the article?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

    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)

    A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a (1) ____ in supply and major problems for the housing and construction industry. The decrease (2) ____ the availability of timber has caused a sharp spike in the prices of newly built homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber has (3) ____ up by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are struggling to (4) ____ supplies is because people have been repairing or reforming their homes during lockdown. Another reason is that (5) ____ -lockdown construction and additional DIY projects have created "extraordinary demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the clock" but are "struggling to (6) ____ up".

    Environmental scientists (7) ____ that a major reason for the shortage is climate change. Global warming is increasing the pressure (8) ____ the sustainability of forests. An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large swathes of forest. Many have been completely razed (9) ____ the ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the number of pests that cause damage to trees and (10) ____ tree growth. Sweden, which supplies almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest timber stocks for 20 years. A solution the UK has come (11) ____ with is to plant more trees. It said it is "committed to trebling tree planting (12) ____". A builder joked that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     dearth     (b)     hearth     (c)     berth     (d)     oath    
    2. (a)     an     (b)     on     (c)     in     (d)     at    
    3. (a)     spat     (b)     slot     (c)     shot     (d)     spot    
    4. (a)     slice     (b)     pay     (c)     obtuse     (d)     get    
    5. (a)     post     (b)     mail     (c)     send     (d)     package    
    6. (a)     float     (b)     keep     (c)     ramp     (d)     elevate    
    7. (a)     assuage     (b)     asset     (c)     assist     (d)     assert    
    8. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     as    
    9. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     to     (d)     at    
    10. (a)     fungal     (b)     abate     (c)     fortune     (d)     stunt    
    11. (a)     as     (b)     down     (c)     top     (d)     up    
    12. (a)     seeds     (b)     rates     (c)     seedlings     (d)     saplings

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. causing a adethr in supply
    2. the bivatalliyai of timber
    3. post-lockdown cscototnruni
    4. get espsiupl
    5. redtyorarnxia demand
    6. sngitrlggu to keep up

    Paragraph 2

    1. Environmental scientists rsetsa that
    2. the syiliusaintbat of forests
    3. large ewtassh of forest
    4. a aoeprfioirltn in the number of pests
    5. A sntuloio the UK has come up
    6. committed to glibnter tree planting rates

    Put the text back together

    (...)  built homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber has shot
    (...)  been repairing or reforming their homes during lockdown. Another reason is that post-
    (...)  ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the number of pests that cause damage to trees and stunt
    (...)  Environmental scientists assert that a major reason for the shortage is climate
    (...)  lockdown construction and additional DIY projects have created "extraordinary
    (...)  demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the clock" but are "struggling to keep up".
    (...)  trees. It said it is "committed to trebling tree planting rates". A builder joked that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.
    (...)  its lowest timber stocks for 20 years. A solution the UK has come up with is to plant more
    (...)  up by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are struggling to get supplies is because people have
    (...)  tree growth. Sweden, which supplies almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded
    (...)  construction industry. The decrease in the availability of timber has caused a sharp spike in the prices of newly
    (  1  )A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a dearth in supply and major problems for the housing and
    (...)  change. Global warming is increasing the pressure on the sustainability of forests. An increase in the number
    (...)  of wildfires is causing great damage to large swathes of forest. Many have been completely razed to the

    Put the words in the right order

    1. prices   homes      .   A   in   the   spike   sharp   of
    2. has   builders   timber   for   pay   The   price   increased      .
    3. One   builders   are   the   reasons   of   struggling      .
    4. DIY   have   extraordinary   created   Additional   demand    .  projects
    5. the   were   suppliers   around   working   clock      .   They   said
    6. major   A   for   climate   is   shortages   reason   change      .
    7. great   large   to   Causing   damage   of   forest      .   swathes
    8. number   a   pests      .   the   in   There's   proliferation   of
    9. trebling   tree   committed   is   planting   It   to   rates      .
    10. trees   to   for   He   have   time   grow      .   didn't

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A shortage of timber worldwide is causing a death / dearth in supply and major problems for the housing and construction industrial / industry. The decrease in the availability of timber has caused a sharp / sharpen spike in the prices of newly building / built homes around the world. In some countries, the price builders pay for timber has shot sky / up by about 25 per cent. One of the reasons builders are struggling on / to get supplies is because people have being / been repairing or reforming their homes while / during lockdown. Another reason is that / what post-lockdown construction and additional DIY projects have created "extraordinary / extraordinaire demand". A timber trade federation said suppliers were "working around the clock" but are "struggling to keep.

    Environmental scientists assert that a majority / major reason for the shortage is climate change. Global warming is increasing the pressure on / in the sustainability to / an forests. An increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage to large switches / swathes of forest. Many have been completely razed / risen to the ground. The warmer weather has also caused a proliferation on / in the number of pests that cause damage for / to trees and stunt tree growth. Sweden, which supplies / suppliers almost half of the wood used in the UK, has recorded its lowest / low timber stocks for 20 years. A solution the UK has come up with is to plant more trees. It said it is "committed to trebling tree planting rates". A builder joking / joked that he didn't have time for those trees to grow.

    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)

    _  sh_rt_g_  _f  t_mb_r  w_rldw_d_  _s  c__s_ng  _  d__rth  _n  s_pply  _nd  m_j_r  pr_bl_ms  f_r  th_  h__s_ng  _nd  c_nstr_ct__n  _nd_stry.  Th_  d_cr__s_  _n  th_  _v__l_b_l_ty  _f  t_mb_r  h_s  c__s_d  _  sh_rp  sp_k_  _n  th_  pr_c_s  _f  n_wly  b__lt  h_m_s  _r__nd  th_  w_rld.  _n  s_m_  c__ntr__s,  th_  pr_c_  b__ld_rs  p_y  f_r  t_mb_r  h_s  sh_t  _p  by  _b__t  25  p_r  c_nt.  _n_  _f  th_  r__s_ns  b__ld_rs  _r_  str_ggl_ng  t_  g_t  s_ppl__s  _s  b_c__s_  p__pl_  h_v_  b__n  r_p__r_ng  _r  r_f_rm_ng  th__r  h_m_s  d_r_ng  l_ckd_wn.  _n_th_r  r__s_n  _s  th_t  p_st-l_ckd_wn  c_nstr_ct__n  _nd  _dd_t__n_l  D_Y  pr_j_cts  h_v_  cr__t_d  "_xtr__rd_n_ry  d_m_nd".  _  t_mb_r  tr_d_  f_d_r_t__n  s__d  s_ppl__rs  w_r_  "w_rk_ng  _r__nd  th_  cl_ck"  b_t  _r_  "str_ggl_ng  t_  k__p  _p".

    _nv_r_nm_nt_l  sc__nt_sts  _ss_rt  th_t  _  m_j_r  r__s_n  f_r  th_  sh_rt_g_  _s  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_.  Gl_b_l  w_rm_ng  _s  _ncr__s_ng  th_  pr_ss_r_  _n  th_  s_st__n_b_l_ty  _f  f_r_sts.  _n  _ncr__s_  _n  th_  n_mb_r  _f  w_ldf_r_s  _s  c__s_ng  gr__t  d_m_g_  t_  l_rg_  sw_th_s  _f  f_r_st.  M_ny  h_v_  b__n  c_mpl_t_ly  r_z_d  t_  th_  gr__nd.  Th_  w_rm_r  w__th_r  h_s  _ls_  c__s_d  _  pr_l_f_r_t__n  _n  th_  n_mb_r  _f  p_sts  th_t  c__s_  d_m_g_  t_  tr__s  _nd  st_nt  tr__  gr_wth.  Sw_d_n,  wh_ch  s_ppl__s  _lm_st  h_lf  _f  th_  w__d  _s_d  _n  th_  _K,  h_s  r_c_rd_d  _ts  l_w_st  t_mb_r  st_cks  f_r  20  y__rs.  _  s_l_t__n  th_  _K  h_s  c_m_  _p  w_th  _s  t_  pl_nt  m_r_  tr__s.  _t  s__d  _t  _s  "c_mm_tt_d  t_  tr_bl_ng  tr__  pl_nt_ng  r_t_s".  _  b__ld_r  j_k_d  th_t  h_  d_dn't  h_v_  t_m_  f_r  th_s_  tr__s  t_  gr_w.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a shortage of timber worldwide is causing a dearth in supply and major problems for the housing and construction industry the decrease in the availability of timber has caused a sharp spike in the prices of newly built homes around the world in some countries the price builders pay for timber has shot up by about 25 per cent one of the reasons builders are struggling to get supplies is because people have been repairing or reforming their homes during lockdown another reason is that postlockdown construction and additional diy projects have created extraordinary demand a timber trade federation said suppliers were working around the clock but are struggling to keep up

    environmental scientists assert that a major reason for the shortage is climate change global warming is increasing the pressure on the sustainability of forests an increase in the number of wildfires is causing great damage large swathes of forest many have been completely razed to the ground the warmer weather has also caused a proliferation in the number of pests that cause damage to trees and stunt tree growth sweden which supplies almost half of the wood used in the uk has recorded its lowest timber stocks for 20 years a solution the uk has come up with is to plant more trees it said it is committed to trebling tree planting rates a builder joked that he didnt have time for those trees to grow

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Ashortageoftimberworldwideiscausingadearthinsupplyandmajorpr
    oblemsforthehousingandconstructionindustry.Thedecreaseintheav
    ailabilityoftimberhascausedasharpspikeinthepricesofnewlybuiltho
    mesaroundtheworld.Insomecountries,thepricebuilderspayfortimbe
    rhasshotupbyabout25percent.Oneofthereasonsbuildersarestruggli
    ngtogetsuppliesisbecausepeoplehavebeenrepairingorreformingthei
    rhomesduringlockdown.Anotherreasonisthatpost-lockdownconstr
    uctionandadditionalDIYprojectshavecreated"extraordinarydemand
    ".Atimbertradefederationsaidsupplierswere"workingaroundthecloc
    k"butare"strugglingtokeepup".Environmentalscientistsassertthata
    majorreasonfortheshortageisclimatechange.Globalwarmingisincre
    asingthepressureonthesustainabilityofforests.Anincreaseinthenum
    berofwildfiresiscausinggreatdamagetolargeswathesofforest.Manyh
    avebeencompletelyrazedtotheground.Thewarmerweatherhasalsoc
    ausedaproliferationinthenumberofpeststhatcausedamagetotreesan
    dstunttreegrowth.Sweden,whichsuppliesalmosthalfofthewoodused
    intheUK,hasrecordeditslowesttimberstocksfor20years.Asolutionthe
    UKhascomeupwithistoplantmoretrees.Itsaiditis"committedtotreblin
    gtreeplantingrates".Abuilderjokedthathedidn'thavetimeforthosetre
    estogrow.

    Free writing

    Write about timber shortage for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should stop using wood and use more sustainable resources. 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. WOOD: Make a poster about wood. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PLASTIC OR METAL: Write a magazine article about using plastic or metal instead of wood. 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 wood. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on what we could use instead of wood. 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

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    Answers

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

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