Car interiors a breeding ground for deadly bacteria

Car interiors a breeding ground for deadly bacteria (27th July, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Some people think cars are less of a risk for getting germs than public transport. The opposite may be true. A survey found that most cars are dirty enough inside to breed bacteria such as the deadly E.Coli. The survey was carried out by microbiologists. They analysed steering wheels, hand brakes and other areas to look for bacteria. Most car owners did not spend a long time thinking about keeping the inside of their car clean.

Cars are a perfect place for germs. Many car owners drop food or drink in their car. Other owners spoke of vomit and 'pet accidents'. Other problems include drink bottles under seats, used tissues in storage areas and rotting food. Only a quarter of owners cleaned the inside of their cars regularly. A spokeswoman said: "It's really worrying to see just how dirty people are letting their cars get….We didn't expect to find bacteria relating to E.coli in there."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www. dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3173386/How-clean-car-Deadly-bugs-E-coli-lurking-steering-wheels-handbrakes-caused-people-eating-drinking-move.html
http://www. express.co.uk/life-style/health/593581/Car-staphylococcus-eColi-British-germs-dangerous
https:// home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/motoring-news/dirty-cars-breeding-ground-for-bacteria-11363994273687

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.	cars are less of a risk	a.	be true
2.	public	b.	for bacteria
3.	The opposite may	c.	bacteria
4.	breed	d.	their car clean
5.	look	e.	for getting germs
6.	Most car	f.	time thinking
7.	spend a long	g.	transport
8.	keeping the inside of	h.	owners did not

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.	Cars are a perfect	a.	letting their cars get
2.	Many car owners drop	b.	to E.coli
3.	rotting	c.	of owners
4.	Only a quarter	d.	food or drink
5.	cleaned the inside of their	e.	worrying
6.	It's really	f.	place for germs
7.	see just how dirty people are	g.	food
8.	bacteria relating	h.	cars regularly

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Some people think cars (1) ___________________ for getting germs than public transport. The opposite (2) ___________________. A survey found that most cars are dirty (3) ___________________ breed bacteria such as the deadly E.Coli. The survey (4) ___________________ microbiologists. They analysed steering wheels, hand brakes (5) ___________________ look for bacteria. Most car owners did not spend a long time thinking about keeping (6) ___________________ car clean.

Cars are a perfect (7) ___________________. Many car owners drop food or drink in their car. Other (8) ___________________ vomit and 'pet accidents'. Other problems include drink bottles under seats, (9) ___________________ storage areas and rotting food. (10) ___________________ owners cleaned the inside of their cars regularly. A spokeswoman said: "It's really worrying (11) ___________________ dirty people are letting their cars get….We didn't (12) ___________________ bacteria relating to E.coli in there."

BACTERIA SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about bacteria 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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