The Reading / Listening - Extreme Heat - Level 6

Extreme heat may have a harsher effect on older people than doctors previously thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's tolerance for heat deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise in global temperatures could pose a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The threat of rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older people at risk of a condition called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body loses its ability to cool itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can even lead to death.

The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for longer durations, affecting far more people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because of three physical factors — they sweat less, their hearts have to work harder in the heat, and their blood vessels expand more slowly. These three things limit the ability of the body to cool itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she found the conclusions in the study alarming. She said: "This study means there's now no denying that extreme heat poses a very real health threat to our older population." Elderly people in low-income countries are likely to be at highest risk.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Extreme Heat - Level 4  or  Extreme Heat - Level 5

Sources
  • https://phys.org/news/2026-08-degree-month-intolerable-billion-people.html
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/19/why-extreme-heat-is-much-more-dangerous-for-the-elderly-than-we-realised
  • https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/17/extreme-heat-more-dangerous-for-people-60-and-over-than-previously-thought


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. EXTREME HEAT: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about extreme heat. 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?
       extreme heat / doctors / the body / tolerance / global temperatures / illness / death /
       the over-60s / sweating / the heart / blood vessels / charity / low-income countries
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CLIMATE DAMAGE: Students A strongly believe we cannot reverse climate damage; Students B strongly believe we can. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HEATWAVE: How do heatwaves affect the things in the table? What do you do? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Effects

What I Do

Sleeping

 

 

Exercising

 

 

Cooking

 

 

Concentrating

 

 

Shopping

 

 

Moving around town

 

 
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. SWEAT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "sweat". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CHANGING CLIMATE: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst climate-related difficulties at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Extreme heat
  • Extreme cold
  • Heavy rain
  • Typhoons
  • Droughts
  • Wildfires
  • Food insecurity
  • Disrupted seasons

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. harsher a. Before now or before a particular time.
      2. previously b. Becomes worse over time.
      3. tolerance c. A health problem or illness.
      4. deteriorates d. The ability to accept or deal with something difficult.
      5. pose (verb) e. Thought to be less important, serious, or large than it really is.
      6. underestimated f. More difficult, unpleasant, or serious than something else.
      7. condition g. To cause a problem or danger.

    Paragraph 2

      8. intolerable h. The amount of time that something continues.
      9. duration i. Small tubes in the body that carry blood.
      10. blood vessels j. Something that is certainly true and cannot reasonably be argued against.
      11. expand k. To stop something from becoming bigger or continuing.
      12. limit (verb) l. To become bigger or wider.
      13. alarming m. Too difficult, painful, or unpleasant to accept or deal with.
      14. no denying n. Making you feel worried or frightened because something is dangerous or serious.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says harsh heat has an extreme effect on old people.     T / F
  2. Older people have a higher tolerance for heat.     T / F
  3. The over-60s are at risk of a condition called uncomfortable heat stress.  T / F
  4. Older people's bodies may not be able to cool themselves in the heat.     T / F
  5. Extreme heat will be with us on a bigger scale and for longer.    T / F
  6. People who are over 60 sweat less.     T / F
  7. The blood vessels of people over 60 expand quickly.     T / F
  8. Older people in poorer countries are most at risk from extreme heat.     T / F

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

  1. extreme
  2. previously
  3. deteriorates
  4. pose
  5. condition
  6. intolerable
  7. duration
  8. expand
  9. conclusions
  10. population
  1. worsens
  2. citizens
  3. unbearable
  4. earlier
  5. enlarge
  6. findings
  7. hazardous
  8. length of time
  9. present
  10. illness

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

  1. Extreme heat may have a harsher
  2. the body's tolerance for heat
  3. pose a serious
  4. The threat of
  5. the body loses its ability to
  6. affecting far more people than
  7. they sweat
  8. blood vessels
  9. there's now no denying
  10. Elderly people in low-
  1. that
  2. risk of illness
  3. less
  4. cool itself
  5. effect on older people
  6. income countries
  7. rising temperatures
  8. previously thought
  9. deteriorates
  10. expand more slowly

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
threat
harsher
heatwaves
cool
pose
even
tolerance
condition

Extreme heat may have a (1) _________________________________ effect on older people than doctors previously thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's (2) _________________________________ for heat deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise in global temperatures could (3) _________________________________ a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The (4) _________________________________ of rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said (5) _________________________________ will put millions of older people at risk of a (6) _________________________________ called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body loses its ability to (7) _________________________________ itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can (8) _________________________________ lead to death.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
denying
vessels
likely
longer
conclusions
physical
threat
cool

The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for (9) _________________________________ durations, affecting far more people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because of three (10) _________________________________ factors — they sweat less, their hearts have to work harder in the heat, and their blood (11) _________________________________ expand more slowly. These three things limit the ability of the body to (12) _________________________________ itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she found the (13) _________________________________ in the study alarming. She said: "This study means there's now no (14) _________________________________ that extreme heat poses a very real health (15) _________________________________ to our older population." Elderly people in low-income countries are (16) _________________________________ to be at highest risk.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  have a harsher effect on older people than ______
     a.  doctors previously thoughts
     b.  doctors previously thoughtful
     c.  doctors previously throughout
     d.  doctors previously thought
2)  the body's tolerance for heat deteriorates ______
     a.  in elder people
     b.  in older peoples
     c.  in older people
     d.  on older people
3)  The threat of rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has ______
     a.  been seriously underestimated
     b.  been seriously overestimated
     c.  been seriously guesstimated
     d.  been seriously understated
4)  The researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older ______
     a.  people at risk
     b.  people at risky
     c.  people at risks
     d.  people at risked
5)  This is when the body loses its ability ______
     a.  too cool itself
     b.  to cool itself
     c.  to cool oneself
     d.  to cool lit self

6)  They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because of ______
     a.  three physically factors
     b.  three physical factories
     c.  three physical factors
     d.  free physical factors
7)  work harder in the heat, and their blood vessels ______
     a.  expands more slowly
     b.  expand more slow
     c.  expand mere slowly
     d.  expand more slowly
8)  A director at the charity Age UK said she found the conclusions in ______
     a.  the study alarm in
     b.  the study alarming
     c.  the study all arming
     d.  the study all alarming
9)  She said: "This study means there's now ______"
     a.  not denying that
     b.  no denying what
     c.  no deny in that
     d.  no denying that
10)  Elderly people in low-income countries are likely to be ______
     a.  at highest risk
     b.  at height risk
     c.  at heightens risk
     d.  at highest risky

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Extreme heat may have a (1) _______________________________________________ older people than doctors previously thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's (2) _______________________________________________ deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise in global temperatures could (3) _______________________________________________ risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The threat of rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older people at risk (4) _______________________________________________ called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body (5) _______________________________________________ to cool itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can (6) _______________________________________________ death.

The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for longer durations, (7) _______________________________________________ people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because of (8) _______________________________________________ — they sweat less, their hearts have to work harder in the heat, and their (9) _______________________________________________ more slowly. These three things limit the ability of the (10) _______________________________________________ itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she found the conclusions in the study alarming. She said: "This study means there's (11) _______________________________________________ that extreme heat poses a very real health threat to our older population." Elderly people (12) _______________________________________________ countries are likely to be at highest risk.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of effect might extreme heat have on older people.
  2. What deteriorates in older people?
  3. What is continuing to rise?
  4. What will cause uncompensable heat stress?
  5. With uncompensable heat stress, what is it difficult for the body to do?
  6. What did researchers say would be experienced at much larger scales?
  7. What does the article say older people do less?
  8. What in older people expand more slowly?
  9. What is Age UK?
  10. Where in the world are older people most at risk?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of effect might extreme heat have on older people.
a) a worrying effect
b) a lethal effect
c) a mild effect
d) a harsher effect
2) What deteriorates in older people?
a) the skin's ability to resist UV rays
b) the body's tolerance for heat
c) the ability to see without squinting
d) the ability to be under the sun
3) What is continuing to rise?
a) the UV count
b) the threat of water wars
c) sea levels
d) global temperatures
4) What will cause uncompensable heat stress?
a) too much sunbathing
b) a lack of water in dams
c) heatwaves
d) old age
5) With uncompensable heat stress, what is it difficult for the body to do?
a) sweat
b) resist UV rays
c) move
d) cool itself

6) What did researchers say would be experienced at much larger scales?
a) heatwaves
b) hurricanes
c) intolerable heat
d) droughts
7) What does the article say older people do less?
a) sweat
b) sleep
c) eat
d) work
8) What in older people expand more slowly?
a) muscle
b) skin
c) blood vessels
d) body fluids
9) What is Age UK?
a) the name of a prize
b) a charity
c) a hostel
d) a magazine
10) Where in the world are older people most at risk?
a) low-income countries
b) countries on the equator
c) the Global South
d) the Global North

Role play

Role  A – Extreme Heat
You think extreme heat is the worst part of the changing climate. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): disrupted seasons, heavy rain or food insecurity.

Role  B – Disrupted Seasons
You think disrupted seasons is the worst part of the changing climate. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): extreme heat, heavy rain or food insecurity.

Role  C – Heavy Rain
You think heavy rain is the worst part of the changing climate. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): disrupted seasons, extreme heat or food insecurity.

Role  D – Food Insecurity
You think food insecurity is the worst part of the changing climate. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): disrupted seasons, heavy rain or extreme heat.

After reading / listening

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

'heat'

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

    • and 'old age'.

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

    • • 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:

    • effect
    • tolerance
    • rise
    • seriously
    • millions
    • damage
    • experienced
    • factors
    • expand
    • cool
    • denying
    • low

    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 - Extreme Heat

    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 term 'extreme heat'?
    3. What do you think of the changing climate?
    4. What changes in the weather have you noticed?
    5. How good are you at dealing with extreme heat?
    6. Do you prefer boiling hot or freezing cold temperatures?
    7. What do you like doing on hot days?
    8. What do you know about heatstroke?
    9. What's the hottest temperature you are comfortable with?
    10. What advice do you have for older people in hot weather?

    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 term 'old age'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How concerned are you about the world becoming warmer?
    5. Do you exercise on hot days?
    6. Do you worry about how much you sweat?
    7. What do you do to cool down when it's hot?
    8. What natural disasters are happening because of climate change?
    9. What will the climate be like in 50 years from now?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    Extreme heat may have a (1) ____ effect on older people than doctors previously thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's (2) ____ for heat deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise in global temperatures could (3) ____ a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The threat (4) ____ rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older people at risk (5) ____ a condition called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body loses its ability to cool itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can (6) ____ lead to death.

    The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced (7) ____ much larger scales and for longer durations, affecting far more people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because of three physical (8) ____ — they sweat less, their hearts have to work harder in the heat, and their blood vessels expand more slowly. These three things limit the (9) ____ of the body to cool itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she (10) ____ the conclusions in the study alarming. She said: "This study means there's now (11) ____ denying that extreme heat poses a very real health threat to our older population." Elderly people in low-income countries are (12) ____ to be at highest risk.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     hash     (b)     hashes     (c)     hashed     (d)     harsher    
    2. (a)     iterates     (b)     totals     (c)     tolerates     (d)     tolerance    
    3. (a)     suppose     (b)     pose     (c)     posse     (d)     possie    
    4. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     in    
    5. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     in    
    6. (a)     even     (b)     every     (c)     ever     (d)     eventual    
    7. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     as     (d)     at    
    8. (a)     factors     (b)     strategies     (c)     proxies     (d)     moments    
    9. (a)     able     (b)     ability     (c)     capable     (d)     ableism    
    10. (a)     located     (b)     spotted     (c)     found     (d)     saw    
    11. (a)     not     (b)     non     (c)     no     (d)     never    
    12. (a)     liken     (b)     likely     (c)     likelihood     (d)     likes

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. than doctors oeliuyvsrp thought
    2. the body's ltaenecor
    3. heat aitoeedrtesr
    4. The threat of rising esrrteeuatmp
    5. seriously nedemtrsteiuad
    6. at risk of a citidnono

    Paragraph 2

    1. bateilnrloe heat
    2. for longer ranoudsti
    3. blood ssleesv
    4. dpnxea more slowly
    5. the oscnulonsci in the study
    6. no ienndgy

    Put the text back together

    (    )   alarming. She said: "This study means there's now no denying that extreme heat poses a very real health
    (    )   cool itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she found the conclusions in the study
    (    )   durations, affecting far more people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher risk because
    (  1  )   Extreme heat may have a harsher effect on older people than doctors previously
    (    )   for heat deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise in global
    (    )   harder in the heat, and their blood vessels expand more slowly. These three things limit the ability of the body to
    (    )   its ability to cool itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can even lead to death.
    (    )   of rising temperatures to the health of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said heatwaves will
    (    )   of three physical factors — they sweat less, their hearts have to work
    (    )   put millions of older people at risk of a condition called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body loses
    (    )   temperatures could pose a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The threat
    (    )   The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for longer
    (    )   thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's tolerance
    (    )   threat to our older population." Elderly people in low-income countries are likely to be at highest risk.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. effect   Extreme   heat   harsher   have   may   a   .
    2. body's   deteriorates   heat   in   older   people   tolerance   The   .
    3. could   Global   health   pose   risk   temperatures   a   serious   .
    4. at   Heatwaves   millions   of   people   put   risk   will   .
    5. ability   body   cool   itself   its   loses   The   to   .
    6. at   be   experienced   heat   Intolerable   larger   scales   will   .
    7. Affecting   far   more   previously   people   than   thought   .
    8. harder   hearts   heat   in   must   Their   the   work   .
    9. alarming   conclusions   found   in   She   study   the   the   .
    10. a   Extreme   heat   health   poses   real   threat   very   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Extreme heat may have a harsher / harshly effect on older people than doctors previous / previously thought. Researchers from Stanford University in the USA have said that the body's tolerance / tolerates for heat deteriorates in older people. They added that the continuing rise / raise in global temperatures could pose / suppose a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over. The treat / threat of rising temperatures to the health on / of the over-60s has been seriously underestimated. The researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older people to / at risk of a condition called uncompensable heat stress. This is when the body loses / losses its ability to cool itself. This can cause serious damage to the body and can even / ever lead to death.

    The researchers warned: "Intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for / up longer durations, affecting far / for more people than previously thought." They said the over-60s are at a higher / height risk because of three physical factors — they sweat less, their hearts have to work harder in the heat, and their blood vessel / vessels expand more slowly. These three things limit the able / ability of the body to cool itself. A director at the charity Age UK said she found / located the conclusions in the study alarming / alerting. She said: "This study means there's now not / no denying that extreme heat poses a very real healthy / health threat to our older population." Elderly people in low-income countries are likely / liken to be at highest risk.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    _xtr_m_  h__t  m_y  h_v_  _  h_rsh_r  _ff_ct  _n  _ld_r  p__pl_  th_n  d_ct_rs  pr_v___sly  th__ght.  R_s__rch_rs  fr_m  St_nf_rd  _n_v_rs_ty  _n  th_  _S_  h_v_  s__d  th_t  th_  b_dy's  t_l_r_nc_  f_r  h__t  d_t_r__r_t_s  _n  _ld_r  p__pl_.  Th_y  _dd_d  th_t  th_  c_nt_n__ng  r_s_  _n  gl_b_l  t_mp_r_t_r_s  c__ld  p_s_  _  s_r___s  r_sk  _f  _lln_ss  _r  d__th  f_r  th_s_  _g_d  60  _nd  _v_r.  Th_  thr__t  _f  r_s_ng  t_mp_r_t_r_s  t_  th_  h__lth  _f  th_  _v_r-60s  h_s  b__n  s_r___sly  _nd_r_st_m_t_d.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s__d  h__tw_v_s  w_ll  p_t  m_ll__ns  _f  _ld_r  p__pl_  _t  r_sk  _f  _  c_nd_t__n  c_ll_d  _nc_mp_ns_bl_  h__t  str_ss.  Th_s  _s  wh_n  th_  b_dy  l_s_s  _ts  _b_l_ty  t_  c__l  _ts_lf.  Th_s  c_n  c__s_  s_r___s  d_m_g_  t_  th_  b_dy  _nd  c_n  _v_n  l__d  t_  d__th.

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  w_rn_d:  "_nt_l_r_bl_  h__t  w_ll  b_  _xp_r__nc_d  _t  m_ch  l_rg_r  sc_l_s  _nd  f_r  l_ng_r  d_r_t__ns,  _ff_ct_ng  f_r  m_r_  p__pl_  th_n  pr_v___sly  th__ght."  Th_y  s__d  th_  _v_r-60s  _r_  _t  _  h_gh_r  r_sk  b_c__s_  _f  thr__  phys_c_l  f_ct_rs  —  th_y  sw__t  l_ss,  th__r  h__rts  h_v_  t_  w_rk  h_rd_r  _n  th_  h__t,  _nd  th__r  bl__d  v_ss_ls  _xp_nd  m_r_  sl_wly.  Th_s_  thr__  th_ngs  l_m_t  th_  _b_l_ty  _f  th_  b_dy  t_  c__l  _ts_lf.  _  d_r_ct_r  _t  th_  ch_r_ty  _g_  _K  s__d  sh_  f__nd  th_  c_ncl_s__ns  _n  th_  st_dy  _l_rm_ng.  Sh_  s__d:  "Th_s  st_dy  m__ns  th_r_'s  n_w  n_  d_ny_ng  th_t  _xtr_m_  h__t  p_s_s  _  v_ry  r__l  h__lth  thr__t  t_  __r  _ld_r  p_p_l_t__n."  _ld_rly  p__pl_  _n  l_w-_nc_m_  c__ntr__s  _r_  l_k_ly  t_  b_  _t  h_gh_st  r_sk.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    extreme heat may have a harsher effect on older people than doctors previously thought researchers from stanford university in the usa have said that the bodys tolerance for heat deteriorates in older people they added that the continuing rise in global temperatures could pose a serious risk of illness or death for those aged 60 and over the threat of rising temperatures to the health of the over60s has been seriously underestimated the researchers said heatwaves will put millions of older people at risk of a condition called uncompensable heat stress this is when the body loses its ability to cool itself this can cause serious damage to the body and can even lead to death

    the researchers warned intolerable heat will be experienced at much larger scales and for longer durations affecting far more people than previously thought they said the over60s are at a higher risk because of three physical factors — they sweat less their hearts have to work harder in the heat and their blood vessels expand more slowly these three things limit the ability of the body to cool itself a director at the charity age uk said she found the conclusions in the study alarming she said this study means theres now no denying that extreme heat poses a very real health threat to our older population elderly people in lowincome countries are likely to be at highest risk

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Extremeheatmayhaveaharshereffectonolderpeoplethandoctorspre
    viouslythought.ResearchersfromStanfordUniversityintheUSAhaves
    aidthatthebody'stoleranceforheatdeterioratesinolderpeople.Theya
    ddedthatthecontinuingriseinglobaltemperaturescouldposeaserious
    riskofillnessordeathforthoseaged60andover.Thethreatofrisingtemp
    eraturestothehealthoftheover-60shasbeenseriouslyunderestimate
    d.Theresearcherssaidheatwaveswillputmillionsofolderpeopleatrisko
    faconditioncalleduncompensableheatstress.Thisiswhenthebodylose
    sitsabilitytocoolitself.Thiscancauseseriousdamagetothebodyandca
    nevenleadtodeath.Theresearcherswarned:"Intolerableheatwillbeex
    periencedatmuchlargerscalesandforlongerdurations,affectingfarmo
    repeoplethanpreviouslythought."Theysaidtheover-60sareatahighe
    rriskbecauseofthreephysicalfactors—theysweatless,theirheartshav
    etoworkharderintheheat,andtheirbloodvesselsexpandmoreslowly.T
    hesethreethingslimittheabilityofthebodytocoolitself.Adirectoratthec
    harityAgeUKsaidshefoundtheconclusionsinthestudyalarming.Shesa
    id:"Thisstudymeansthere'snownodenyingthatextremeheatposesav
    eryrealhealththreattoourolderpopulation."Elderlypeopleinlow-inco
    mecountriesarelikelytobeathighestrisk.

    Free writing

    Write about extreme heat and old age for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    It's too late to reverse climate damage. 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. EXTREME HEAT: Make a poster about extreme heat. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. CLIMATE DAMAGE: Write a magazine article about our ability to reverse the damage done to our planet due to climate change. Include imaginary interviews with people who believe we can do this and with those who believe we can't.
    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 extreme heat. Ask him/her three questions about extreme heat. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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