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Centuries-old diseases coming back (28th December, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now making a comeback. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a serious rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping cough. An NHS spokesperson said that TB is now more common in England than it is in less developed countries such Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also increasing across the globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that number is rising. Tuberculosis largely affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight loss and sweating.

Researchers say that many of the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and treatable. One big problem in England is that TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the past three years. This is putting these old people in greater danger of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is totally unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and proper medicine.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.newsquench.com /2015/12/victorian-age-diseases-on-the-rise-across-the-globe/
http://www.upi.com /Health_News/2015/12/24/Victorian-disease-resurgence-in-England-follows-global-pattern/3411450977111/
http://www.albanydailystar.com /health/common-diseases-in-the-19th-century-are-return-back-14728.html

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. DISEASES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about diseases. 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?

diseases / comeback / spokesperson / common / developed / worldwide / infectious / preventable / malnutrition / elderly / danger / society / unacceptable / medicine

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. CURES: Students A strongly believe there will be cures for all diseases in the future; Students B strongly believe there won't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. DISEASES: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important diseases to cure at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• influenza

• malaria

• diabetes

• epilepsy

• obesity

• asthma

• tuberculosis

• cancer

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. DOCTOR: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "doctor". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	America's health service reported on a rise in the number of TB cases.	T / F
b.	TB killed over 15 million people in 2013.	T / F
c.	TB is an infectious disease that affects the lungs.	T / F
d.	One of the symptoms of tuberculosis is weight loss.	T / F
e.	Many old people in England suffer from malnutrition.	T / F
f.	The number of old people with little food in England doubled in 3 years.	T / F
g.	A doctor said that malnutrition could not be treated.	T / F
h.	The doctor said there was enough of a focus on good medicine.	T / F

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

1.	disappeared	a.	figure
2.	rise	b.	more
3.	common	c.	signs
4.	number	d.	increase
5.	symptoms	e.	aged
6.	problem	f.	real
7.	elderly	g.	vanished
8.	greater	h.	completely
9.	totally	i.	usual
10.	proper	j.	difficulty

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

1.	diseases that doctors thought had	a.	nutrition
2.	a serious rise	b.	countries
3.	less developed	c.	loss
4.	an infectious	d.	doing more
5.	weight	e.	almost disappeared
6.	preventable	f.	medicine
7.	doubled in the past	g.	in the number
8.	understand why society wasn't	h.	three years
9.	a bigger focus on better	i.	disease
10.	proper	j.	and treatable

GAP FILL

Many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now (1) ____________ a comeback. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a (2) ____________ rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping cough. An NHS (3) ____________ said that TB is now more common in England than it is in less (4) ____________ countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also (5) ____________ across the globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that (6) ____________ is rising. Tuberculosis largely (7) ____________ very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight (8) ____________ and sweating.

increasing
spokesperson
affects
loss
making
number
serious
developed

Researchers say that many of the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and (9) ____________. One big problem in England is that TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have (10) ____________ to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without food has (11) ____________ in the past three years. This is putting these old people in greater (12) ____________ of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why (13) ____________ wasn't doing more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is (14) ____________ unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at (15) ____________ of malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and (16) ____________ medicine.

society
risk
enough
danger
proper
treatable
totally
doubled

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now ______
	a. making the comeback b. making a coming back c. making the coming back d. making a comeback
2)	people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles ______
	a. and hooping cough b. and hoop in cough c. and who pin cough d. and whooping cough
3)	TB is now more common in England than it is in less ______
	a. developing countries b. developer countries c. development countries d. developed countries
4)	Tuberculosis largely affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that ______
	a. affects the lungs b. affects the lung c. affects the rungs d. affects the wrongs
5)	Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight ______
	a. loss and sweat in b. loss and sweating c. loss and sweat tin d. loss and sweating in
6)	TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have ______
	a. enough to eating b. enough to ate c. enough to eat d. enough to eaten
7)	The number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the ______
	a. passed three years b. posted three years c. past three years d. paste three years
8)	A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing ______
	a. most to fight TB b. many to fight TB c. more to fight TB d. mean to fight TB
9)	there are at least one million older people malnourished or at ______
	a. risk of malnourishment b. risky of malnourishment c. risks of malnourishment d. risked of malnourishment
10)	She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition ______
	a. and proper medicine b. and properly medicine c. and prosper medicine d. and proffer medicine

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Many diseases that doctors (1) ___________________ disappeared are now making a comeback. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a serious (2) ___________________ number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping cough. An NHS spokesperson said that TB is (3) ___________________ in England than it is in less developed countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also increasing (4) ___________________. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that (5) ___________________. Tuberculosis largely affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms (6) ___________________, fever, weight loss and sweating.

Researchers say (7) ___________________ the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and treatable. One big problem in England is that TB (8) ___________________ people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough to eat. The number of elderly (9) ___________________ without food has doubled in the past three years. This is putting these old people in (10) ___________________ of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is (11) ___________________ that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger (12) ___________________ nutrition and proper medicine.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Who thought many diseases had disappeared?
2.	Which country's health service reported a rise in TB?
3.	Where is TB more common than Rwanda, Iraq and Guatemala?
4.	How many people did TB kill in 2013?
5.	What organ in the body does TB affect?
6.	Who is TB affecting in England?
7.	What are a lot of old people in England having to go without?
8.	What did a UK doctor say was preventable?
9.	How many older people are malnourished in England?
10.	What did a doctor say there needed to be a bigger focus on?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Who thought many diseases had disappeared?	6.	Who is TB affecting in England?
	a) sufferers b) the WHO c) doctors d) patients		a) everyone b) old people c) doctors d) children
2.	Which country's health service reported a rise in TB?	7.	What are a lot of old people in England having to go without?
	a) Britain's b) America's c) China's d) Brazil's		a) a doctor b) medical care c) medicine d) food
3.	Where is TB more common than Rwanda, Iraq and Guatemala?	8.	What did a UK doctor say was preventable?
	a) Fiji b) Vietnam c) Nigeria d) England		a) death b) malnutrition c) disease d) the health service
4.	How many people did TB kill in 2013?	9.	How many older people are malnourished in England?
	a) 150,000 b) 1.5 million c) 15,000,000 d) 155,000		a) at least one million b) just less than a million c) exactly a million d) millions
5.	What organ in the body does TB affect?	10.	What did a doctor say there needed to be a bigger focus on?
	a) the liver b) the heart c) the lungs d) the skin		a) healthy food b) older people c) life d) better nutrition

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Influenza

You think influenza is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, obesity or cancer.

Role B – Diabetes

You think diabetes is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): influenza, obesity or cancer.

Role C – Obesity

You think obesity is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, influenza or cancer.

Role D – Cancer

You think cancer is the most important disease to cure. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what people should do to help find a cure for this disease. Also, tell the others which is the most difficult of these to cure (and why): diabetes, obesity or influenza.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

cough

fever

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:

thought
rise
common
globe
largely
loss

both
big
without
danger
million
proper

DISEASES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about diseases 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.

DISEASES DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'disease'?
3)	What do you think about what you read?
4)	Why are diseases from hundreds of years ago coming back?
5)	What can we do to keep disease away?
6)	Why doesn't the world spend more on helping poor people with diseases?
7)	What do you do when you get a cough or fever?
8)	Will doctors make all diseases go away in the future?
9)	How healthy are you?
10)	What advice do you have for people to stay healthy?

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	How often are you ill?
13)	Which disease would you like doctors to end for good?
14)	Why do old people in a rich country like England not have enough to eat?
15)	What should your government do to make people healthier?
16)	How much should a country spend on healthcare?
17)	What do you think healthcare will be like in the future?
18)	Will there be more or fewer diseases in the future?
19)	How often do you take medicine?
20)	What questions would you like to ask a doctor?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Many diseases that doctors thought had almost (1) ____ are now making a comeback. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a (2) ____ rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping cough. An NHS spokesperson said that TB is now more (3) ____ in England than it is in less developed countries such (4) ____ Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also (5) ____ across the globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that number is rising. Tuberculosis largely affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight (6) ____ and sweating.

Researchers say that many of the diseases that are (7) ____ a comeback are both preventable and treatable. One big problem in England is that TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have (8) ____ to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the past three years. This is (9) ____ these old people in greater danger of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is (10) ____ unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or (11) ____ risk of malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and (12) ____ medicine.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	disappear	(b)	disappeared	(c)	disappearing	(d)	disappears
2.	(a)	seriously	(b)	serious	(c)	series	(d)	seriousness
3.	(a)	commoner	(b)	commons	(c)	commonly	(d)	common
4.	(a)	has	(b)	as	(c)	was	(d)	ease
5.	(a)	increase	(b)	increasing	(c)	increases	(d)	increased
6.	(a)	loses	(b)	lost	(c)	loss	(d)	losing
7.	(a)	doing	(b)	planning	(c)	making	(d)	suggesting
8.	(a)	many	(b)	plenty	(c)	enough	(d)	most
9.	(a)	doing	(b)	giving	(c)	taking	(d)	putting
10.	(a)	totally	(b)	complete	(c)	whole	(d)	all
11.	(a)	at	(b)	on	(c)	as	(d)	to
12.	(a)	proffer	(b)	prosper	(c)	proper	(d)	propeller

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	a eirusso rise in the number
2.	more cnmmoo in England
3.	in less eoedpdelv countries
4.	it killed 1.5 million people idldwoerw
5.	an infectious aedeiss
6.	teiwgh loss
Paragraph 2
7.	both preventable and eaalettrb
8.	TB is citenfgfa old people
9.	ddlebuo in the past three years
10.	ocysite wasn't doing more
11.	It is otyltla unacceptable
12.	better nutrition and proper ecdimnei

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and proper medicine.
( )	measles and whooping cough. An NHS spokesperson said that TB is now more common in England than it is in less
( )	to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the past three years. This is putting
( )	developed countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also increasing across the
( )	Researchers say that many of the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and
( )	society wasn't doing more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is totally
( )	affects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its
( 1 )	Many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now making a comeback. Britain's National Health Service
( )	these old people in greater danger of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why
( )	treatable. One big problem in England is that TB is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough
( )	unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of
( )	globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that number is rising. Tuberculosis largely
( )	symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight loss and sweating.
( )	(NHS) has reported a serious rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera,

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	had diseases almost that disappeared doctors thought Many .
2.	serious the people A in of diseases rise number with .
3.	in countries common than developed More England less in .
4.	worldwide people million 1.5 killed it , 2013 In .
5.	disease the It infectious affects an that lungs is .
6.	that a Many diseases making the are comeback of .
7.	go The elderly to food of have without number who .
8.	these in putting people danger is old greater This .
9.	not society more did why doing She understand wasn't .
10.	to be a bigger focus on better nutrition There needed .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Many diseases that doctors thought / thinking had almost disappeared are now / know making a comeback. Britain's National Health Service (NHS) has reported a seriously / serious rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), cholera, measles and whooping tough / cough. An NHS spokesperson said that TB is now more common / commonly in England than it is in less development / developed countries such as Rwanda, Iraq, and Guatemala. Tuberculosis is also increasing across the global / globe. In 2013, it killed 1.5 million people worldwide, and that / then number is rising. Tuberculosis largely affects / defects very poor people. It is an infectious disease that affects the lungs. Its symptoms include bad coughs, fever, weight loss / lose and sweating.

Researchers say that many of the disease / diseases that are making a comeback are both prevented / preventable and treatable. One big problem in England is that TB is affecting olden / old people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough to eat. The number of elderly who have to go without / within food has doubled in the past three years. This is put / putting these old people in greater danger of getting TB. A UK doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing most / more to fight TB. She said: "Malnutrition is preventable. It is total / totally unacceptable that…there are at least / last one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment." She said there needed to be a bigger focal / focus on better nutrition and proper / properly medicine.

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)

M_ny d_s__s_s th_t d_ct_rs th__ght h_d _lm_st d_s_pp__r_d _r_ n_w m_k_ng _ c_m_b_ck. Br_t__n's N_t__n_l H__lth S_rv_c_ (NHS) h_s r_p_rt_d _ s_r___s r_s_ _n th_ n_mb_r _f p__pl_ w_th d_s__s_s s_ch _s t_b_rc_l_s_s (TB), ch_l_r_, m__sl_s _nd wh__p_ng c__gh. _n NHS sp_k_sp_rs_n s__d th_t TB _s n_w m_r_ c_mm_n _n _ngl_nd th_n _t _s _n l_ss d_v_l_p_d c__ntr__s s_ch _s Rw_nd_, _r_q, _nd G__t_m_l_. T_b_rc_l_s_s _s _ls_ _ncr__s_ng _cr_ss th_ gl_b_. _n 2013, _t k_ll_d 1.5 m_ll__n p__pl_ w_rldw_d_, _nd th_t n_mb_r _s r_s_ng. T_b_rc_l_s_s l_rg_ly _ff_cts v_ry p__r p__pl_. _t _s _n _nf_ct___s d_s__s_ th_t _ff_cts th_ l_ngs. _ts sympt_ms _ncl_d_ b_d c__ghs, f_v_r, w__ght l_ss _nd sw__t_ng.

R_s__rch_rs s_y th_t m_ny _f th_ d_s__s_s th_t _r_ m_k_ng _ c_m_b_ck _r_ b_th pr_v_nt_bl_ _nd tr__t_bl_. _n_ b_g pr_bl_m _n _ngl_nd _s th_t TB _s _ff_ct_ng _ld p__pl_ wh_ h_v_ m_ln_tr_t__n – th_y d_ n_t h_v_ _n__gh t_ __t. Th_ n_mb_r _f _ld_rly wh_ h_v_ t_ g_ w_th__t f__d h_s d__bl_d _n th_ p_st thr__ y__rs. Th_s _s p_tt_ng th_s_ _ld p__pl_ _n gr__t_r d_ng_r _f g_tt_ng TB. _ _K d_ct_r s__d sh_ d_d n_t _nd_rst_nd why s_c__ty w_sn't d__ng m_r_ t_ f_ght TB. Sh_ s__d: "M_ln_tr_t__n _s pr_v_nt_bl_. _t _s t_t_lly _n_cc_pt_bl_ th_t…th_r_ _r_ _t l__st _n_ m_ll__n _ld_r p__pl_ m_ln__r_sh_d _r _t r_sk _f m_ln__r_shm_nt." Sh_ s__d th_r_ n__d_d t_ b_ _ b_gg_r f_c_s _n b_tt_r n_tr_t__n _nd pr_p_r m_d_c_n_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

many diseases that doctors thought had almost disappeared are now making a comeback britain's national health service (nhs) has reported a serious rise in the number of people with diseases such as tuberculosis (tb) cholera measles and whooping cough an nhs spokesperson said that tb is now more common in england than it is in less developed countries such as Rwanda iraq and guatemala tuberculosis is also increasing across the globe in 2013 it killed 15 million people worldwide and that number is rising tuberculosis largely affects very poor people it is an infectious disease that affects the lungs its symptoms include bad coughs fever weight loss and sweating

researchers say that many of the diseases that are making a comeback are both preventable and treatable one big problem in england is that tb is affecting old people who have malnutrition – they do not have enough to eat the number of elderly who have to go without food has doubled in the past three years this is putting these old people in greater danger of getting tb a uk doctor said she did not understand why society wasn't doing more to fight tb she said "malnutrition is preventable it is totally unacceptable that…there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment" she said there needed to be a bigger focus on better nutrition and proper medicine

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Manydiseasesthatdoctorsthoughthadalmostdisappearedarenowma
kingacomeback.Britain'sNationalHealthService(NHS)hasreporteda
seriousriseinthenumberofpeoplewithdiseasessuchastuberculosis(T
B),cholera,measlesandwhoopingcough.AnNHSspokespersonsaidth
atTBisnowmorecommoninEnglandthanitisinlessdevelopedcountries
suchasRwanda,Iraq,andGuatemala.Tuberculosisisalsoincreasingacro
sstheglobe.In2013,itkilled1.5millionpeopleworldwide,andthatnum
berisrising.Tuberculosislargelyaffectsverypoorpeople.Itisaninfectio
usdiseasethataffectsthelungs.Itssymptomsincludebadcoughs,fever
,weightlossandsweating.Researcherssaythatmanyofthediseasesth
ataremakingacomebackarebothpreventableandtreatable.Onebigpr
obleminEnglandisthatTBisaffectingoldpeoplewhohavemalnutrition–
theydonothaveenoughtoeat.Thenumberofelderlywhohavetogowith
outfoodhasdoubledinthepastthreeyears.Thisisputtingtheseoldpeopl
eingreaterdangerofgettingTB.AUKdoctorsaidshedidnotunderstand
whysocietywasn'tdoingmoretofightTB.Shesaid:"Malnutritionisprev
entable.Itistotallyunacceptablethat…thereareatleastonemillionolde
rpeoplemalnourishedoratriskofmalnourishment."Shesaidthereneed
edtobeabiggerfocusonbetternutritionandpropermedicine.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Governments should spend more on cures for diseases than on anything else. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 the diseases. mentioned in the article. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Make a poster about diseases. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. TUBERCULOSIS: Write a magazine article about tuberculosis. Include imaginary interviews with doctors who are trying to fight it.

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 diseases. Ask him/her three questions about TB. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to keep people healthy. 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

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	disappeared	a.	vanished
2	rise	b.	increase
3.	common	c.	usual
4.	number	d.	figure
5.	symptoms	e.	signs
6.	problem	f.	difficulty
7.	elderly	g.	aged
8.	greater	h.	more
9.	totally	i.	completely
10.	proper	j.	real

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Doctors
2.	Britain’s
3.	England
4.	1.5 million
5.	The lungs
6.	Old people
7.	Food
8.	Malnutrition
9.	At least one million
10.	Better nutrition and proper medicine

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

d

4.

b

5.

c

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

a

10.

d

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Centuries-old diseases coming back (28th December, 2015)

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