The Reading / Listening - Level 2

A British man can see again because of a new bionic eye. Ray Flynn, 80, is the first patient in the world to get the new, artificial retina. He suffers from a condition called AMD. This is one of the most common eyesight problems in the world. He started losing his sight ten years ago. Doctors told him he had AMD. From that time, his sight became worse and worse. He could only see things out of the corners of his eyes. Everything in the centre was blurred and he could not see shapes properly. He said that even looking at simple things made his eyes tired.

Mr Flynn's bionic eye cost $125,000. Britain's national health service hopes it will become cheaper so more people will be able to have the operation. Flynn had the four-hour operation last month. Doctors put a microchip in the back of his eye. They said the operation was a success. Flynn can now read a newspaper and look at flowers for the first time in many years. His doctor said: "Mr Flynn's progress is truly remarkable. He is seeing the outline of people and objects very effectively." The doctor hopes scientists will help people who have been blind from birth.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3169864/Eye-sight-breakthrough-thousands-UK-scientists-invent-BIONIC-EYE-save-sight-80-year-old.html#ixzz3gYzWtYRM
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11753949/Bionic-eye-fitted-to-British-pensioner-in-world-first.html
  • http://www.itv.com/news/2015-07-21/bionic-eye-therapy-restores-sight-to-pensioner/


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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

A British man can see again because

a.

was blurred

2.

He suffers from a condition

b.

shapes properly

3.

one of the most common

c.

worse and worse

4.

He started losing

d.

of a new bionic eye

5.

his sight became

e.

called AMD

6.

Everything in the centre

f.

made his eyes tired

7.

he could not see

g.

eyesight problems

8.

even looking at simple things

h.

his sight ten years ago



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Mr Flynn's bionic

a.

truly remarkable

2.

Britain's national health service hopes it

b.

to have the operation

3.

more people will be able

c.

was a success

4.

Flynn had the four-hour

d.

in the back of his eye

5.

Doctors put a microchip

e.

eye cost $125,000

6.

They said the operation

f.

operation last month

7.

Mr Flynn's progress is

g.

been blind from birth

8.

help people who have

h.

will become cheaper

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A British (1) ___________________ because of a new bionic eye. Ray Flynn, 80, is the first patient (2) ___________________ get the new, artificial retina. He suffers from a condition called AMD. This is (3) ___________________ common eyesight problems in the world. He started (4) ___________________ ten years ago. Doctors told him he had AMD. From that time, his sight became worse and worse. He could (5) ___________________ out of the corners of his eyes. Everything in the centre was blurred and he could not see shapes properly. He said that (6) ___________________ simple things made his eyes tired.

Mr Flynn's bionic eye cost $125,000. Britain's national health service (7) ___________________ cheaper so more people will be able to have the operation. Flynn (8) ___________________ operation last month. Doctors put a microchip (9) ___________________ eye. They said the operation was a success. Flynn can now read a newspaper and look at flowers (10) ___________________ in many years. His doctor said: "Mr Flynn's progress (11) ___________________. He is seeing the outline of people and objects very effectively." The doctor hopes scientists will help people who have been (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ABritishmancanseeagainbecauseofanewbioniceye.RayFlynn,80,ist
hefirstpatientintheworldtogetthenew,artificialretina.Hesuffersfrom
aconditioncalledAMD.Thisisoneofthemostcommoneyesightproblem
sintheworld.Hestartedlosinghissighttenyearsago.Doctorstoldhimhe
hadAMD.Fromthattime,hissightbecameworseandworse.Hecouldonl
yseethingsoutofthecornersofhiseyes.Everythinginthecentrewasblur
redandhecouldnotseeshapesproperly.Hesaidthatevenlookingatsim
plethingsmadehiseyestired.MrFlynn'sbioniceyecost$125,000.Britai
n'snationalhealthservicehopesitwillbecomecheapersomorepeoplew
illbeabletohavetheoperation.Flynnhadthefour-houroperationlas
tmonth.Doctorsputamicrochipinthebackofhiseye.Theysaidtheopera
tionwasasuccess.Flynncannowreadanewspaperandlookatflowersfor
thefirsttimeinmanyyears.Hisdoctorsaid:"MrFlynn'sprogressistrulyr
emarkable.Heisseeingtheoutlineofpeopleandobjectsveryeffectively
."Thedoctorhopesscientistswillhelppeoplewhohavebeenblindfrombi
rth.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about eyesight 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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