The Reading / Listening - Zombies - Level 3

Everyone knows that zombies only exist in horror movies. Or do they? A new article in the University of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts that zombies would kill almost everyone on Earth in just 100 days. Students predicted there would only be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie apocalypse. The students were not, of course, using real zombies found in fiction. Instead, they pretended that a deadly virus had infected someone and then spread around the world. They decided that one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent chance of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that rate, the human population would fall to just 273 people by day 100.

A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explained why students did research into a zombie apocalypse, even though zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year we ask students to write short papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show off their creative side and apply some of the physics they know to the weird, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students valuable practice in writing and reviewing academic papers. He added that the annual research tested the ability of students to apply their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary situations). This could help in the future to prepare us for real-life disasters.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Zombies - Level 0 Zombies - Level 1   or  Zombies - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.yahoo.com/news/zombies-wipe-humans-less-100-134700805.html
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-long-humans-survive-zombie-apocalypse-scientists-a7513941.html
  • http://www.sciencealert.com/new-study-calculates-how-long-humanity-could-survive-a-zombie-apocalypse


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. ZOMBIES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about zombies. 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?

       zombies / article / predict / survivors / apocalypse / fiction / deadly / virus / infected /
       professor / university / physics / weird / wonderful / writing / ability / imaginary

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

3. VIRUSES: Students A strongly believe viruses are the biggest danger to humans; Students B strongly believe humans are the biggest danger to humans.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. FICTION: What do you know about these fictional things? Are they fiction? What would the world be like if they were real? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What we know

Fiction?

The world with these things

Zombies

 

 

 

UFOs

 

 

 

Ghosts

 

 

 

Unicorns

 

 

 

Vampires

 

 

 

Cupid

 

 

 

MY e-BOOK
See a sample

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

6. MOVIES: Rank these movie genres with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • haunted house movies
  • possessed child movies
  • killer spider movies
  • alien invasion movies
  • zombie movies
  • ghost movies
  • vampire movies
  • crazy killer movies

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. This news is about research in a new book about zombies.     T / F
  2. Students say there would be 273 survivors after a 3-month zombie attack.   T / F
  3. The students pretended zombies were really aliens.     T / F
  4. Students decided that 100 people would get a virus.     T / F
  5. Mervin Roy is the name of a university professor.     T / F
  6. Students write papers for a special physics journal to be creative.     T / F
  7. A professor said the creative writing takes place every year.     T / F
  8. The zombie paper will not help anyone to prepare for disasters.     T / F

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

  1. exist
  2. predicts
  3. fiction
  4. stretched
  5. calculated
  6. explained
  7. show off
  8. weird
  9. valuable
  10. real-life
  1. described
  2. extended
  3. actual
  4. forecasts
  5. strange
  6. worked out
  7. live
  8. useful
  9. novels
  10. display

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

  1. zombies only exist
  2. there would only be 273
  3. a zombie
  4. at that
  5. the human population would fall to
  6. it gives students valuable
  7. students to apply their understanding
  8. hypothetical scenarios
  9. This could help in the future
  10. real-
  1. rate
  2. to prepare us
  3. just 273 people
  4. practice in writing
  5. life disasters
  6. (imaginary situations)
  7. in horror movies
  8. of physics
  9. apocalypse
  10. survivors

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
course
only
chance
almost
rate
article
spread
after

Everyone knows that zombies (1) ____________ exist in horror movies. Or do they? A new (2) ____________ in the University of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts that zombies would kill (3) ____________ everyone on Earth in just 100 days. Students predicted there would only be 273 survivors (4) ____________ three months of a zombie apocalypse. The students were not, of (5) ____________, using real zombies found in fiction. Instead, they pretended that a deadly virus had infected someone and then (6) ____________ around the world. They decided that one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent (7) ____________ of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that (8) ____________, the human population would fall to just 273 people by day 100.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
off
apply
real
short
weird
situations
into
papers

A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explained why students did research (9) ____________ a zombie apocalypse, even though zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year we ask students to write (10) ____________ papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show (11) ____________ their creative side and apply some of the physics they know to the (12) ____________, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students valuable practice in writing and reviewing academic (13) ____________. He added that the annual research tested the ability of students to (14) ____________ their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary (15) ____________). This could help in the future to prepare us for (16) ____________ -life disasters.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Everyone knows that zombies only exist in horror movies. ______?
     a.  Or are they
     b.  Or did they
     c.  Or have they
     d.  Or do they

2)  Students predicted there would only be ______
     a.  273 survives
     b.  273 survivors
     c.  273 survival
     d.  273 survive oars

3)  Instead, they pretended that a deadly virus had ______
     a.  infection someone
     b.  infecting someone
     c.  infected someone
     d.  infect it someone

4) one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent chance of infecting ______
     a.  an other person
     b.  all other person
     c.  other person
     d.  another person

5)  at that rate, the human population would fall to just 273 people ______
     a.  by day 100
     b.  by days 100
     c.  by daily 100
     d.  by date 100

6)  He said: "Every year we ask students to write ______"
     a.  short paper
     b.  short papers
     c.  shortly papers
     d.  shortly paper

7)  show off their creative side and apply some of the physics they know ______
     a.  to the wired
     b.  to the weird
     c.  to the world
     d.  to the ward

8)  it gives students valuable practice in writing and reviewing ______
     a.  academics paper
     b.  academic paper
     c.  academic papers
     d.  academics papers

9) the ability of students to apply their understanding of physics to ______
     a.  hypothetical scenarios
     b.  hypothetically scenarios
     c.  hypodermic scenarios
     d.  hypothesis scenarios

10)  This could help in the future to prepare us for real-______
     a.  live disasters
     b.  rife disasters
     c.  rifle disasters
     d.  life disasters

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Everyone knows that zombies (1) ___________________ horror movies. Or do they? A (2) ___________________ the University of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts that zombies would kill almost everyone on Earth in just 100 days. Students predicted (3) ___________________ be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie apocalypse. The students were not, of course, using real zombies (4) ___________________. Instead, they pretended that a deadly virus had infected someone and then spread around the world. They decided that one person (5) ___________________ would have a 90 per cent chance of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that rate, the human population would fall to just 273 (6) ___________________.

A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explained why students did research into a zombie apocalypse, (7) ___________________ zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year we ask students (8) ___________________ papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show off their creative side and (9) ___________________ physics they know to the weird, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students (10) ___________________ writing and reviewing academic papers. He added that the annual research (11) ___________________ of students to apply their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary situations). This could help in the future (12) ___________________ real-life disasters.

Comprehension questions

  1. Where is it that everyone knows zombies only really exist?
  2. How many survivors did students say would left after 100 days?
  3. What did the students pretend the zombies were?
  4. Where did students say the virus would spread?
  5. What chance did an infected person have of infecting another person?
  6. What is Mervin Roy's job?
  7. How often do students write a short paper for the physics journal?
  8. What does the writing let students show off?
  9. What kind of situations do the students write about?
  10. What can the papers help us to prepare for in the future?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Where is it that everyone knows zombies only really exist?
a) in your worst nightmares
b) in shopping malls
c) in horror movies
d) underground

2) How many survivors did students say would left after 100 days?
a) 273
b) 237
c) 372
d) 723

3) What did the students pretend the zombies were?
a) cups
b) a deadly virus
c) politicians
d) aliens

4) Where did students say the virus would spread?
a) to other planets
b) among shopping malls
c) along the coast
d) around the world

5) What chance did an infected person have of infecting another person?
a) a zero chance
b) a 50-50 chance
c) a 90% chance
d) a good chance

6) What is Mervin Roy's job?
a) zombie actor
b) university professor
c) zombie make-up artist
d) zombie horror writer

7) How often do students write a short paper for the physics journal?
a) during Zombie Week
b) at exam time
c) every week
d) once a year

8) What does the writing let students show off?
a) their handwriting
b) their creative side
c) their scariest face
d) their knowledge of horror

9) What kind of situations do the students write about?
a) real ones
b) imaginary ones
c) scary ones
d) apocalyptic ones

10) What can the papers help us to prepare for in the future?
a) real-life disasters
b) a zombie attack
c) an alien invasion
d) nuclear war

Role play

Role A — Zombies

You think zombies are the scariest things in horror movies. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): killer spiders, haunted houses or aliens.

Role B — Spiders

You think killer spiders are the scariest things in horror movies. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): zombies, haunted houses or aliens.

Role C — Haunted Houses

You think haunted houses are the scariest things in horror movies. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): killer spiders, zombies or aliens.

Role D — Aliens

You think aliens are the scariest things in horror movies. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why):  killer spiders, haunted houses or zombies.

After reading / listening

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

'zombie'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'apocalypse'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • explained
    • even
    • short
    • weird
    • annual
    • help
    • or
    • kill
    • three
    • spread
    • 90
    • fall

    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 - Zombies would wipe out humans in 100 days

    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 'zombie'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How interesting do you think the article might be?
    5. How worried are you about deadly viruses?
    6. What do you think of zombies?
    7. What zombie movies or TV shows do you like?
    8. Why are we so interested in zombies?
    9. What kind of horror movies are best?
    10. How would you escape from thousands of zombies?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. Why are physics students writing about zombies?
    3. Do you think this was a good research project?
    4. What do you think of physics?
    5. Could topics like zombies help make physics more popular?
    6. What do you like writing about, and why?
    7. How good are you at writing essays?
    8. What imaginary situations would you like to write about?
    9. How well prepared are you for natural disasters?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a zombie?

    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)

    Everyone knows that zombies only (1) ____ in horror movies. Or do they? A new article in the University of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts that zombies would kill almost everyone (2) ____ Earth in just 100 days. Students predicted there would only be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie apocalypse. The students were not, of (3) ____, using real zombies found in fiction. Instead, they pretended that a (4) ____ virus had infected someone and then spread around the world. They decided that one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent (5) ____ of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that rate, the human population would (6) ____ to just 273 people by day 100.

    A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explained why students did research (7) ____ a zombie apocalypse, even though zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year we ask students to write (8) ____ papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show (9) ____ their creative side and apply some of the physics they know to the weird, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students valuable practice (10) ____ writing and reviewing academic papers. He added that the annual research tested the (11) ____ of students to apply their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary situations). This could help in the future to prepare (12) ____ for real-life disasters.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     exist     (b)     exit     (c)     exact     (d)     exits    
    2. (a)     in     (b)     by     (c)     on     (d)     at    
    3. (a)     because     (b)     course     (c)     coarse     (d)     cause    
    4. (a)     dearth     (b)     death     (c)     dead     (d)     deadly    
    5. (a)     opportunity     (b)     odds     (c)     chance     (d)     hope    
    6. (a)     topple     (b)     fall     (c)     lose     (d)     down    
    7. (a)     onto     (b)     into     (c)     up to     (d)     unto    
    8. (a)     small     (b)     short     (c)     little     (d)     petite    
    9. (a)     on     (b)     up     (c)     off     (d)     over    
    10. (a)     by     (b)     to     (c)     at     (d)     in    
    11. (a)     ablutions     (b)     ablaze     (c)     able     (d)     ability    
    12. (a)     they     (b)     them     (c)     we     (d)     us

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. zombies only ixtes in horror movies
    2. there would only be 273 rsiorsvvu
    3. zombies found in ionicft
    4. a deadly isvru had infected someone
    5. They dcucaltlae that
    6. the human oiplnotpau would fall

    Paragraph 2

    1. A ofeprossr at the university
    2. show off their reivctae side
    3. tested the tliyiab of students
    4. hypothetical scenarios (nmgirayai situations)
    5. help in the future to prarpee us
    6. real-life sdsrseiat

    Put the text back together

    (    )     of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts that zombies would kill almost everyone

    (    )     on Earth in just 100 days. Students predicted there would only be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie

    (    )     papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show off their creative side and apply

    (    )     rate, the human population would fall to just 273 people by day 100.

    (    )     of students to apply their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary

    (    )     apocalypse. The students were not, of course, using real zombies found in fiction. Instead, they pretended that a deadly

    (    )     virus would have a 90 per cent chance of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that

    (    )     some of the physics they know to the weird, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students valuable

    (    )     situations). This could help in the future to prepare us for real-life disasters.

    (    )     practice in writing and reviewing academic papers. He added that the annual research tested the ability

    (    )     apocalypse, even though zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year we ask students to write short

    (    )     virus had infected someone and then spread around the world. They decided that one person with the

    (    )     A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explained why students did research into a zombie

    1  )     Everyone knows that zombies only exist in horror movies. Or do they? A new article in the University

    Put the words in the right order

    1. knows   movies   in   only   that   Everyone   horror   exist   zombies   .
    2. would   there   predicted   Students   survivors   273   be   only   .
    3. then   had   spread   infected   A   someone   deadly   and   virus   .
    4. cent   person   chance   A   of   90   infecting   per   another   .
    5. The   273   just   to   fall   would   population   human   .
    6. students   Why   apocalypse   zombie   a   into   research   did   .
    7. the   creative   students   side   show   It   off   lets   their   .
    8. valuable   students   gives   it   said   also   He   writing   in   practice   .
    9. students   Tested   to   the   apply   ability   their   of   understanding   .
    10. real   for   us   prepare   to   future   the   in   Help   disasters   life   -   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Everyone knows that zombies only exit / exist in horror movies. Or do they? A new article / particle in the University of Leicester's 'Journal of Physics Special Topics' predicts what / that zombies would kill almost everyone in / on Earth in just 100 days. Students prediction / predicted there would only be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie apocalypse. The students were not, of cause / course, using real zombies found in fiction. Instead, they pretended that a deadly viral / virus had infected someone and then spread around the world. They decided / decision that one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent chance off / of infecting another person every day. They calculated that at that rate, the human population would fall to just 273 people by days / day 100.

    A professor at the university, Mervin Roy, explain / explained why students did research into a zombie apocalypse, even / ever though zombies do not exist. He said: "Every year / yearly we ask students to write short papers for the Journal of Physics Special Topics. It lets the students show on / off their creative side and apply many / some of the physics they know to the weird / wired, the wonderful, or the everyday." He also said it gives students valuable / value practice in writing and reviewing academic paper / papers. He added that the annual research tested the ability of students to apply their understanding of physics at / to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary situations). This could help in the future to prepare them / us for real-life disasters.

    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)

    _v_ry_n_ kn_ws th_t z_mb__s _nly _x_st _n h_rr_r m_v__s. _r d_ th_y? _ n_w _rt_cl_ _n th_ _n_v_rs_ty _f L__c_st_r's 'J__rn_l _f Phys_cs Sp_c__l T_p_cs' pr_d_cts th_t z_mb__s w__ld k_ll _lm_st _v_ry_n_ _n __rth _n j_st 100 d_ys. St_d_nts pr_d_ct_d th_r_ w__ld _nly b_ 273 s_rv_v_rs _ft_r thr__ m_nths _f _ z_mb__ _p_c_lyps_. Th_ st_d_nts w_r_ n_t, _f c__rs_, _s_ng r__l z_mb__s f__nd _n f_ct__n. _nst__d, th_y pr_t_nd_d th_t _ d__dly v_r_s h_d _nf_ct_d s_m__n_ _nd th_n spr__d _r__nd th_ w_rld. Th_y d_c_d_d th_t _n_ p_rs_n w_th th_ v_r_s w__ld h_v_ _ 90 p_r c_nt ch_nc_ _f _nf_ct_ng _n_th_r p_rs_n _v_ry d_y. Th_y c_lc_l_t_d th_t _t th_t r_t_, th_ h_m_n p_p_l_t__n w__ld f_ll t_ j_st 273 p__pl_ by d_y 100.

    _ pr_f_ss_r _t th_ _n_v_rs_ty, M_rv_n R_y, _xpl__n_d why st_d_nts d_d r_s__rch _nt_ _ z_mb__ _p_c_lyps_, _v_n th__gh z_mb__s d_ n_t _x_st. H_ s__d: "_v_ry y__r w_ _sk st_d_nts t_ wr_t_ sh_rt p_p_rs f_r th_ J__rn_l _f Phys_cs Sp_c__l T_p_cs. _t l_ts th_ st_d_nts sh_w _ff th__r cr__t_v_ s_d_ _nd _pply s_m_ f th_ phys_cs th_y kn_w t_ th_ w__rd, th_ w_nd_rf_l, _r th_ _v_ryd_y." H_ _ls_ s__d _t g_v_s st_d_nts v_l__bl_ pr_ct_c_ _n wr_t_ng _nd r_v__w_ng _c_d_m_c p_p_rs. H_ _dd_d th_t th_ _nn__l r_s__rch t_st_d th_ _b_l_ty _f st_d_nts t_ _pply th__r _nd_rst_nd_ng _f phys_cs t_ hyp_th_t_c_l sc_n_r__s (_m_g_n_ry s_t__t__ns). Th_s c__ld h_lp _n th_ f_t_r_ t_ pr_p_r_ _s f_r r__l-l_f_ d_s_st_rs.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    everyone knows that zombies only exist in horror movies or do they a new article in the university of leicester's 'journal of physics special topics' predicts that zombies would kill almost everyone on earth in just 100 days students predicted there would only be 273 survivors after three months of a zombie apocalypse the students were not of course using real zombies found in fiction instead they pretended that a deadly virus had infected someone and then spread around the world they decided that one person with the virus would have a 90 per cent chance of infecting another person every day they calculated that at that rate the human population would fall to just 273 people by day 100

    a professor at the university mervin roy explained why students did research into a zombie apocalypse even though zombies do not exist he said "every year we ask students to write short papers for the journal of physics special topics it lets the students show off their creative side and apply some of the physics they know to the weird the wonderful or the everyday" he also said it gives students valuable practice in writing and reviewing academic papers he added that the annual research tested the ability of students to apply their understanding of physics to hypothetical scenarios (imaginary situations) this could help in the future to prepare us for real-life disasters

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Everyoneknowsthatzombiesonlyexistinhorrormovies.Ordothey?An
    ewarticleintheUniversityofLeicester's'JournalofPhysicsSpecialTopic
    s'predictsthatzombieswouldkillalmosteveryoneonEarthinjust100da
    ys.Studentspredictedtherewouldonlybe273survivorsafterthreemon
    thsofazombieapocalypse.Thestudentswerenot,ofcourse,usingrealz
    ombiesfoundinfiction.Instead,theypretendedthatadeadlyvirushadin
    fectedsomeoneandthenspreadaroundtheworld.Theydecidedthaton
    epersonwiththeviruswouldhavea90percentchanceofinfectinganoth
    erpersoneveryday.Theycalculatedthatatthatrate,thehumanpopulati
    onwouldfalltojust273peoplebyday100.Aprofessorattheuniversity,M
    ervinRoy,explainedwhystudentsdidresearchintoazombieapocalyps
    e,eventhoughzombiesdonotexist.Hesaid:"Everyyearweaskstudents
    towriteshortpapersfortheJournalofPhysicsSpecialTopics.Itletsthest
    udentsshowofftheircreativesideandapplysomeofthephysicstheykno
    wtotheweird,thewonderful,ortheeveryday."Healsosaiditgivesstude
    ntsvaluablepracticeinwritingandreviewingacademicpapers.Headde
    dthattheannualresearchtestedtheabilityofstudentstoapplytheirund
    erstandingofphysicstohypotheticalscenarios(imaginarysituations).
    Thiscouldhelpinthefuturetoprepareusforreal-lifedisasters.

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    Viruses are the biggest danger to humans. 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 story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. VIRUSES: Write a magazine article about viruses being the biggest danger to humans. Include imaginary interviews with people who believe this, and with people who believe humans are the biggest danger to humans.

    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 zombies. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to survive a zombie attack. 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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