Breaking News English Lesson on Bottled Air

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Man sells British countryside air to China (16th February, 2016)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

An English entrepreneur has started a booming business from selling bottled, British countryside air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, struck upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news footage of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a market for cleaner air. De Watts launched his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry of "air farming". His team "harvests" air in bottles from various locations across Britain and ships it to China. Even though the air is cheap to collect, De Watts puts a hefty price on his products. Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh stuff.

De Watts was born in the British countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the air in rural Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air at local street markets. A lot of his merchandise is sold in Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be particularly bad. He said his Chinese customers can be quite fussy about exactly what kind of air they buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite often, a lot of our orders are bespoke. We have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other times at the bottom of a valley." He added: "There's really a market for this. We've just started."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://www.abc57.com/story/31164306/the-smell-of-success-115-bottles-of-british-air-sold-to-chinese-buyers
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/131909/20160209/china-now-also-buying-bottled-clean-air-from-britain.htm
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/296065/making-money-out-of-fresh-air

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. AIR: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about air. 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?

entrepreneur / booming business / countryside / consumers / pollution / harvest / fresh / appreciate / quality / street markets / merchandise / fussy / mountain / valley

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

3. BUSINESS: How could you make a new business from these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	The kind of business	How it is original	Why it would work
Empty cola cans
Sunlight
Old sofas
English
Relaxation
Grass

4. POLLUTION: Students A strongly believe we should stop doing things that pollute the air; Students B strongly believe that is impossible. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

See a sample

5. COUNTRYSIDE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• mountains

• valleys

• fields

• riverbanks

• desert

• glaciers

• beach

• forests

6. CONSUMERS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "consumers". 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.	The businessman selling the air is from England.	T / F
b.	The man got the idea after seeing pollution in China on the news.	T / F
c.	The industry the man is in is called 'air harvesting'.	T / F
d.	The air costs $115 for a litre bottle.	T / F
e.	The man was born in the middle of the city of London.	T / F
f.	The man now lives in Beijing.	T / F
g.	Some Chinese customers ask for mountain air.	T / F
h.	The man said there was a market for selling countryside air.	T / F

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

1.	entrepreneur	a.	values
2.	struck upon	b.	places
3.	locations	c.	environment
4.	hefty	d.	produce
5.	lovers	e.	business person
6.	appreciates	f.	order made
7.	merchandise	g.	large
8.	fussy	h.	aficionados
9.	bespoke	i.	picky
10.	circumstances	j.	thought of

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

1.	started a booming	a.	bad
2.	struck	b.	footage
3.	news	c.	quality of the air
4.	from various locations	d.	promotional video
5.	De Watts puts a hefty	e.	business
6.	he appreciates the	f.	price on his products
7.	rural	g.	of a valley
8.	pollution can be particularly	h.	upon the idea
9.	He explained in a	i.	Britain
10.	the bottom	j.	across Britain

GAP FILL

An English entrepreneur has started a (1) ____________ business from selling bottled, British countryside air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, (2) ____________ upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news (3) ____________ of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a market for cleaner air. De Watts (4) ____________ his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry of "air farming". His team "(5) ____________ " air in bottles from various (6) ____________ across Britain and ships it to China. Even though the air is cheap to collect, De Watts puts a (7) ____________ price on his products. Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh (8) ____________.

launched
booming
locations
stuff
footage
hefty
struck
harvests

De Watts was born in the British countryside and said he (9) ____________ the quality of the air in (10) ____________ Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air at local street markets. A lot of his (11) ____________ is sold in Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be (12) ____________ bad. He said his Chinese customers can be quite (13) ____________ about exactly what kind of air they buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite often a lot of our orders are (14) ____________. We have clients who request very particular (15) ____________ for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other times at the bottom of a valley." He added: "There's really a (16) ____________ for this. We've just started."

merchandise
fussy
rural
circumstances
particularly
market
appreciates
bespoke

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Leo De Watts, 27, struck upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news ______
	a. footage off pollution b. footage for pollution c. footage of pollution d. footage from pollution
2)	De Watts launched his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry ______
	a. of "air farm in" b. of "air farming" c. off "air farming" d. off "air farm in"
3)	His team "harvests" air in bottles from various locations across Britain ______ China
	a. and ships it to b. and slips it to c. and sips it to d. and skips it to
4)	Even though the air is cheap to collect, De Watts puts a hefty ______ products
	a. price on this b. price on his c. price on these d. price on those
5)	Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of ______
	a. the flesh stuff b. the French stuff c. the fresh stuff d. the frozen stuff
6)	he appreciates the quality of the ______ Britain
	a. air in rural b. air in royal c. air in real d. air in really
7)	He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air ______ markets
	a. that local street b. at locals street c. at local street d. at local streets
8)	Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be ______
	a. particular bad b. peculiar bad c. peculiarly bad d. particularly bad
9)	We have clients who request very particular circumstances ______
	a. far they're air b. for their air c. for there air d. far their air
10)	Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other times at the ______
	a. bottom by a valley b. bottom at a valley c. bottom of a valley d. bottom off a valley

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

An English entrepreneur has started a (1) ___________________ from selling bottled, British countryside air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, struck (2) ___________________ of selling air to China after seeing (3) ___________________ of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a market for cleaner air. De Watts launched his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry (4) ___________________. His team "harvests" air in bottles from various locations across Britain and ships it to China. Even though (5) ___________________ to collect, De Watts puts a hefty price on his products. Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle (6) ___________________ stuff.

De Watts (7) ___________________ British countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the (8) ___________________ Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his (9) ___________________ local street markets. A lot of his merchandise is sold in Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be particularly bad. He said his Chinese customers can be (10) ___________________ exactly what kind of air they buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite often a lot of our (11) ___________________. We have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other times (12) ___________________ a valley." He added: "There's really a market for this. We've just started."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	How old is the entrepreneur?
2.	What did the man see that made him decide to start his business?
3.	When did the man start his company?
4.	What is the name of the industry the man is in?
5.	How much air can you buy for $115?
6.	Where in Britain was the entrepreneur born?
7.	Where does the entrepreneur live now?
8.	Who can be fussy about the kind of air they buy?
9.	What does the man sometimes have to go to the top of to get air?
10.	What does the man sometimes have to go to the bottom of to get air?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	How old is the entrepreneur?	6.	Where in Britain was the entrepreneur born?
	a) 28 b) 27 c) 26 d) 29		a) the countryside b) Scotland c) London d) in a hospital
2.	What did the man see that made him decide to start his business?	7.	Where does the entrepreneur live now?
	a) a mountain b) clouds c) news footage of pollution d) an oxygen shop in Beijing		a) Beijing b) Shanghai c) London d) Hong Kong
3.	When did the man start his company?	8.	Who can be fussy about the kind of air they buy?
	a) a few days ago b) in 2010 c) 2 years ago d) last year		a) entrepreneurs b) people in rural England c) Chinese consumers d) people with breathing problems
4.	What is the name of the industry the man is in?	9.	What does the man sometimes have to go to the top of to get air?
	a) aerodynamics b) air farming c) soft air d) bottled oxygen		a) a tower b) a hill c) a building d) a mountain
5.	How much air can you buy for $115?	10.	What does the man sometimes have to go to the bottom of to get air?
	a) 580 ml b) half-a-litre c) a litre d) 100 ml		a) a mine b) a valley c) the sea d) a cave

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Mountains

You think mountains are the best place to be in the countryside. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): beaches, deserts or forests.

Role B – Beaches

You think beaches are the best place to be in the countryside. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): mountains, deserts or forests.

Role C – Deserts

You think deserts are the best place to be in the countryside. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): beaches, mountains or forests.

Role D – Forests

You think forests are the best place to be in the countryside. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their places aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): beaches, deserts or mountains.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

countryside

air

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:

selling
idea
guessed
farming
cheap
fresh

born
rural
lot
fussy
orders
bottom

AIR SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about air 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.

AIR 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 'air'?
3)	What do you think about what you read?
4)	What is the air quality like where you live?
5)	How can we stop doing things that make the air quality worse?
6)	What do you think of buying bottled air?
7)	What other ways can you think of to make money from air?
8)	Should there be a tax on people and companies who create pollution?
9)	What do you think of the 'air farming' industry?
10)	How do you think people 'harvest' air?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	How useful do you think bottled air is?
13)	Do you ever worry about air quality?
14)	How do you think it is possible to be fussy about air?
15)	How different is mountain air from valley air?
16)	What do you think an air salesperson might say to sell air?
17)	What will air quality be like in 100 years from now?
18)	What kind of air would you order, and why?
19)	How big do you think the air farming industry will become?
20)	What questions would you like to ask the entrepreneur?

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

An English entrepreneur has started a (1) ____ business from selling bottled, British countryside air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, (2) ____ upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news (3) ____ of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a market for cleaner air. De Watts launched his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry of "air farming". His team "(4) ____" air in bottles from various locations across Britain and ships it to China. Even (5) ____ the air is cheap to collect, De Watts puts a hefty price on his products. Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh (6) ____.

De Watts was born in the British countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the air in (7) ____ Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air at local street markets. A lot of his (8) ____ is sold in Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be particularly bad. He said his Chinese customers can be quite (9) ____ about exactly what kind of air they buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite (10) ____ a lot of our orders are (11) ____. We have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other times at the bottom of a (12) ____." He added: "There's really a market for this. We've just started."

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

1.	(a)	blaming	(b)	blooming	(c)	beaming	(d)	booming
2.	(a)	strike	(b)	stick	(c)	stuck	(d)	struck
3.	(a)	footer	(b)	footage	(c)	feet	(d)	footing
4.	(a)	invests	(b)	divests	(c)	harvests	(d)	vests
5.	(a)	through	(b)	although	(c)	though	(d)	thou
6.	(a)	stuff	(b)	staff	(c)	stiff	(d)	tuft
7.	(a)	royal	(b)	rural	(c)	reality	(d)	really
8.	(a)	merchandise	(b)	thing	(c)	garments	(d)	artifacts
9.	(a)	mossy	(b)	fussy	(c)	glossy	(d)	hussy
10.	(a)	now	(b)	lot	(c)	often	(d)	always
11.	(a)	spoken	(b)	speaking	(c)	bespoke	(d)	spoke
12.	(a)	heaven	(b)	corner	(c)	draft	(d)	valley

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	An English nrueeerpetrn
2.	Chinese emcornssu
3.	seeing news efoogat of pollution
4.	His team atsvesrh air
5.	from vurioas locations across Britain
6.	De Watts puts a theyf price on his products
Paragraph 2
7.	he arstepeacpi the quality of the air
8.	A lot of his eaimsechrnd is sold
9.	He explained in a oiormpnlaot video
10.	a lot of our orders are sbkpoee
11.	very particular stcmsircanceu
12.	the bottom of a ellayv

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( 1 )	An English entrepreneur has started a booming business from selling bottled, British countryside
( )	footage of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a market for cleaner air. De Watts launched
( )	farming". His team "harvests" air in bottles from various locations across Britain and
( )	air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, struck upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news
( )	Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air at local street markets. A lot of his merchandise is
( )	buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite often, a lot of our orders are
( )	his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry of "air
( )	of a mountain, and other times at the bottom of a valley." He added: "There's really a market for this. We've just started."
( )	bad. He said his Chinese customers can be quite fussy about exactly what kind of air they
( )	bespoke. We have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top
( )	sold in Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be particularly
( )	ships it to China. Even though the air is cheap to collect, De Watts puts a hefty price on his products. Chinese lovers
( )	of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh stuff.
( )	De Watts was born in the British countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the air in rural

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	English booming entrepreneur business has started An a .
2.	News pollution in of smog cities footage and Chinese .
3.	He was for there market air guessed a cleaner .
4.	team in various His air from harvests bottles locations .
5.	of lovers Chinese $115 around pay to have air British .
6.	of the air in rural Britain He appreciates the quality .
7.	his sold cities of is Chinese lot merchandise in A .
8.	of buy about kind they Fussy what air exactly .
9.	lot of our orders are bespoke Quite often , a .
10.	be top mountain we'll the a Sometimes at of .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

An English entrepreneur has started a booming / beaming business from selling bottled, British countryside air to Chinese consumers. Leo De Watts, 27, struck / strike upon the idea of selling air to China after seeing news footage / footing of pollution and smog in Chinese cities. He guessed there was a marketing / market for cleaner air. De Watts lunched / launched his company last year in the somewhat imagination / imaginatively named industry / industrial of "air farming". His team "harvests" air in bottles from various / variety locations across Britain and ships it to China. Even though the air is cheap to collective / collect, De Watts puts a hefty price on his products. Chinese lovers of British air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh stuff / stiff.

De Watts was born in the Britain / British countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the air in mural / rural Britain. He now lives in Hong Kong where he sells his fresh air at locally / local street markets. A lot of his merchandise is sold in Chinese cities such like / as Beijing and Shanghai, where pollution can be particularly / particular bad. He said his Chinese customers can be quite / quiet fussy about exactly what kind of air they buy. He explained in a promotional video that: "Quite always / often a lot of our orders are bespoke. We have clients who request very / so particular circumstances for their air. Sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain, and other time / times at the bottom of a valley." He added: "There's really a market for this / these. We've just started."

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)

_n _ngl_sh _ntr_pr_n__r h_s st_rt_d _ b__m_ng b_s_n_ss fr_m s_ll_ng b_ttl_d, Br_t_sh c__ntrys_d_ __r t_ Ch_n_s_ c_ns_m_rs. L__ D_ W_tts, 27, str_ck _p_n th_ _d__ _f s_ll_ng __r t_ Ch_n_ _ft_r s___ng n_ws f__t_g_ _f p_ll_t__n _nd sm_g _n Ch_n_s_ c_t__s. H_ g__ss_d th_r_ w_s _ m_rk_t f_r cl__n_r __r. D_ W_tts l__nch_d h_s c_mp_ny l_st y__r _n th_ s_m_wh_t _m_g_n_t_v_ly n_m_d _nd_stry _f "__r f_rm_ng". H_s t__m "h_rv_sts" __r _n b_ttl_s fr_m v_r___s l_c_t__ns _cr_ss Br_t__n _nd sh_ps _t t_ Ch_n_. _v_n th__gh th_ __r _s ch__p t_ c_ll_ct, D_ W_tts p_ts _ h_fty pr_c_ _n h_s pr_d_cts. Ch_n_s_ l_v_rs _f Br_t_sh __r h_v_ t_ p_y _r__nd $115 f_r _ 580 ml b_ttl_ _f th_ fr_sh st_ff.

D_ W_tts w_s b_rn _n th_ Br_t_sh c__ntrys_d_ _nd s__d h_ _ppr_c__t_s th_ q__l_ty _f th_ __r _n r_r_l Br_t__n. H_ n_w l_v_s _n H_ng K_ng wh_r_ h_ s_lls h_s fr_sh __r _t l_c_l str__t m_rk_ts. _ l_t _f h_s m_rch_nd_s_ _s s_ld _n Ch_n_s_ c_t__s s_ch _s B__j_ng _nd Sh_ngh__, wh_r_ p_ll_t__n c_n b_ p_rt_c_l_rly b_d. H_ s__d h_s Ch_n_s_ c_st_m_rs c_n b_ q__t_ f_ssy _b__t _x_ctly wh_t k_nd _f __r th_y b_y. H_ _xpl__n_d _n _ pr_m_t__n_l v_d__ th_t: "Q__t_ _ft_n _ l_t _f __r _rd_rs _r_ b_sp_k_. W_ h_v_ cl__nts wh_ r_q__st v_ry p_rt_c_l_r c_rc_mst_nc_s f_r th__r __r. S_m_t_m_s w_'ll b_ _t th_ t_p _f _ m__nt__n, _nd _th_r t_m_s _t th_ b_tt_m _f _ v_ll_y." H_ _dd_d: "Th_r_'s r__lly _ m_rk_t f_r th_s. W_'v_ j_st st_rt_d."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

an english entrepreneur has started a booming business from selling bottled british countryside air to chinese consumers leo de watts 27 struck upon the idea of selling air to china after seeing news footage of pollution and smog in chinese cities he guessed there was a market for cleaner air de watts launched his company last year in the somewhat imaginatively named industry of "air farming" his team "harvests" air in bottles from various locations across britain and ships it to china even though the air is cheap to collect de watts puts a hefty price on his products chinese lovers of british air have to pay around $115 for a 580 ml bottle of the fresh stuff

de watts was born in the british countryside and said he appreciates the quality of the air in rural britain he now lives in hong kong where he sells his fresh air at local street markets a lot of his merchandise is sold in chinese cities such as beijing and shanghai where pollution can be particularly bad he said his chinese customers can be quite fussy about exactly what kind of air they buy he explained in a promotional video that "quite often a lot of our orders are bespoke we have clients who request very particular circumstances for their air sometimes we'll be at the top of a mountain and other times at the bottom of a valley" he added "there's really a market for this we've just started"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AnEnglishentrepreneurhasstartedaboomingbusinessfromsellingbot
tled,BritishcountrysideairtoChineseconsumers.LeoDeWatts,27,stru
ckupontheideaofsellingairtoChinaafterseeingnewsfootageofpollutio
nandsmoginChinesecities.Heguessedtherewasamarketforcleanerai
r.DeWattslaunchedhiscompanylastyearinthesomewhatimaginativel
ynamedindustryof"airfarming".Histeam"harvests"airinbottlesfromv
ariouslocationsacrossBritainandshipsittoChina.Eventhoughtheairis
cheaptocollect,DeWattsputsaheftypriceonhisproducts.Chineselover
sofBritishairhavetopayaround$115fora580mlbottleofthefreshstuff.
DeWattswasbornintheBritishcountrysideandsaidheappreciatestheq
ualityoftheairinruralBritain.HenowlivesinHongKongwherehesellshis
freshairatlocalstreetmarkets.AlotofhismerchandiseissoldinChinese
citiessuchasBeijingandShanghai,wherepollutioncanbeparticularlyb
ad.HesaidhisChinesecustomerscanbequitefussyaboutexactlywhatki
ndofairtheybuy.Heexplainedinapromotionalvideothat:"Quiteoftenal
otofourordersarebespoke.Wehaveclientswhorequestveryparticular
circumstancesfortheirair.Sometimeswe'llbeatthetopofamountain,a
ndothertimesatthebottomofavalley."Headded:"There'sreallyamark
etforthis.We'vejuststarted.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

We shouldn't do anything in our daily life that makes the air quality worse. 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 air quality around the world. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

4. BOTTLED AIR: Write a magazine article about bottled air. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against 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 air quality. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three ideas on how to improve it. 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

T

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

F

f

F

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	entrepreneur	a.	business person
2.	struck upon	b.	thought of
3.	locations	c.	places
4.	hefty	d.	large
5.	lovers	e.	aficionados
6.	appreciates	f.	values
7.	merchandise	g.	produce
8.	fussy	h.	picky
9.	bespoke	i.	order made
10.	circumstances	j.	environment

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	27
2.	News footage of pollution
3.	Last year
4.	Air farming
5.	580 ml
6.	The countryside
7.	Hong Kong
8.	Chinese consumers
9.	A mountain
10.	A valley

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

c

3.

d

4.

b

5.

a

6.

a

7.

d

8.

c

9.

d

10.

b

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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Breaking News English Lesson on Bottled Air

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Man sells British countryside air to China (16th February, 2016)

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The Reading / Listening - Level 6

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