The Reading / Listening - Yawning - Level 3

Do you ever wonder why we yawn? Do you always yawn when you see other people yawn? A new study from Nottingham University in the UK has done research on this. Researchers found that yawning is contagious. It is a powerful and unstoppable reaction. People automatically want to yawn when they see other people yawning. The researchers said people actually yawn more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger urge to yawn than other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said that even reading about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to yawn right now.

The researchers studied the reactions and brain activity of 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked at video clips of other people yawning. They then had two choices - either to stop themselves yawning or to allow themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tried not to yawn. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers and checked how strong their feeling to want to yawn was. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat conditions such as dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for potential non-drug, personalized treatments…that might be effective in [changing] imbalances in the brain."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Yawning - Level 0 Yawning - Level 1   or  Yawning - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/why-is-yawning-contagious-answer-407557
  • http://metro.co.uk/2017/08/31/why-is-yawning-contagious-6892289/
  • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319227.php


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. YAWNING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about yawning. 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?

       wonder / study / research / yawning / contagious / reaction / automatically / urge
       brain activity / volunteers / video clips / monitored / checked / feeling / dementia

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

3. CONTAGIOUS: Students A strongly believe yawning is contagious; Students B strongly believe it isn't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. YAWN: Is it OK to yawn in these situations? How bad is it? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

OK?

How bad?

Why?

In a job interview

 

 

 

On a first date

 

 

 

On a train

 

 

 

In a school lesson

 

 

 

Talking to a friend

 

 

 

Paying for shopping

 

 

 

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

6. YAWN MAKERS: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest yawn makers at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • sports on TV
  • boring people
  • reading
  • politics
  • tiredness
  • reading about yawning
  • other people yawning
  • English classes

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. A university in the UK did some research on yawning.     T / F
  2. Researchers discovered that yawning is contagious.     T / F
  3. Researchers said people yawn more if they try to stop yawning.     T / F
  4. A professor said reading about yawning stops us yawning.     T / F
  5. Researchers studied the brain activity of 360 volunteers.     T / F
  6. The volunteers looked at videos and were videoed.     T / F
  7. The professor said yawning leads to dementia.     T / F
  8. The professor hopes his research will lead to better drugs for the brain.   T / F

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

  1. wonder
  2. contagious
  3. automatically
  4. urge
  5. right now
  6. reactions
  7. choices
  8. monitored
  9. conditions
  10. effective
  1. encourage
  2. options
  3. this instant
  4. illnesses
  5. catching
  6. watched
  7. instinctively
  8. successful
  9. think about
  10. responses

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

  1. Researchers found that yawning is
  2. It is a powerful and
  3. some people have a much stronger
  4. reading about yawning could be enough
  5. You might even want to yawn right
  6. They then had two
  7. brain
  8. how strong their feeling to
  9. treat conditions
  10. be effective in changing
  1. such as dementia
  2. now
  3. want to yawn was
  4. contagious
  5. urge to yawn
  6. imbalances in the brain
  7. choices
  8. to make people yawn
  9. activity
  10. unstoppable reaction

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
automatically
done
urge
wonder
now
actually
even
powerful

Do you ever (1) ____________ why we yawn? Do you always yawn when you see other people yawn? A new study from Nottingham University in the UK has (2) ____________ research on this. Researchers found that yawning is contagious. It is a (3) ____________ and unstoppable reaction. People (4) ____________ want to yawn when they see other people yawning. The researchers said people (5) ____________ yawn more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger (6) ____________ to yawn than other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said that (7) ____________ reading about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to yawn right (8) ____________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
feeling
clips
potential
monitored
imbalances
reactions
allow
treat

The researchers studied the (9) ____________ and brain activity of 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked at video (10) ____________ of other people yawning. They then had two choices - either to stop themselves yawning or to (11) ____________ themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tried not to yawn. The researchers also (12) ____________ the brain activity of the volunteers and checked how strong their (13) ____________ to want to yawn was. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to (14) ____________ conditions such as dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for (15) ____________ non-drug, personalized treatments…that might be effective in [changing] (16) ____________ in the brain."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  A new study from Nottingham University in the UK has ______ this
     a.  done research in
     b.  done research off
     c.  done research on
     d.  done research of

2)  It is a powerful and ______
     a.  non-stop a bull reaction
     b.  non-stoppable reaction
     c.  unstoppable reaction
     d.  and stop able reaction

3)  The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger ______
     a.  urgent to yawn
     b.  urge to yawn
     c.  purge to yawn
     d.  urge too yawn

4)  Professor Stephen Jackson said that even reading about yawning ______
     a.  could be enough
     b.  couldn't be enough
     c.  could been enough
     d.  could being enough

5)  You might even want to yawn ______
     a.  right now
     b.  light now
     c.  weight now
     d.  write now

6)  The researchers studied the reactions and brain activity of 36 ______
     a.  adult volunteer
     b.  adult volunteer is
     c.  adults volunteers
     d.  adult volunteers

7)  either to stop themselves yawning or to allow themselves ______
     a.  to done it
     b.  too do it
     c.  to doing it
     d.  to do it

8)  The volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tried ______
     a.  not two yawn
     b.  not too yawn
     c.  not to yawn
     d.  not thru yawn

9) understanding more about yawning will help to treat ______ dementia
     a.  condition such as
     b.  conditions such as
     c.  conditions such has
     d.  conditions such was

10)  personalized treatments…that might be effective in changing ______ brain
     a.  imbalance is on the
     b.  imbalances on the
     c.  imbalances in the
     d.  imbalance is in the

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Do you ever wonder why we yawn? Do (1) ___________________ when you see other people yawn? A new study from Nottingham University in the UK has (2) ___________________ this. Researchers found that yawning is contagious. It is a powerful and unstoppable reaction. People automatically want to yawn when they (3) ___________________ yawning. The researchers said people actually yawn more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people (4) ___________________ stronger urge to yawn than other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said (5) ___________________ about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to (6) ___________________.

The researchers studied the reactions and (7) ___________________ 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked at video clips of other people yawning. They then (8) ___________________ - either to stop themselves yawning or to allow themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed as they yawned (9) ___________________ to yawn. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers and checked how strong their feeling to want (10) ___________________. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to (11) ___________________ as dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for potential non-drug, personalized treatments…that might (12) ___________________ [changing] imbalances in the brain."

Comprehension questions

  1. What was the name of the UK university that did the research?
  2. What did the researchers say was contagious?
  3. What do some people have a stronger urge to do?
  4. What might people read about to make them yawn more?
  5. When did the article say people might want to yawn?
  6. How many volunteers did the researchers study?
  7. How many choices did the volunteers have?
  8. What did the researchers monitor?
  9. How many conditions did the article mention?
  10. What did the professor want to change in the brain?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What was the name of the UK university that did the research?
a) Oxford
b) Nottingham
c) Cambridge
d) Lancaster

2) What did the researchers say was contagious?
a) shopping
b) viruses
c) laughter
d) yawning

3) What do some people have a stronger urge to do?
a) yawn
b) sleep
c) stop yawning
d) yawn loudly

4) What might people read about to make them yawn more?
a) baseball statistics
b) politics
c) yawning
d) English grammar

5) When did the article say people might want to yawn?
a) at night
b) right now
c) after dinner
d) at a party

6) How many volunteers did the researchers study?
a) 36
b) 34
c) 38
d) 32

7) How many choices did the volunteers have?
a) 4
b) 3
c) 2
d) 1

8) What did the researchers monitor?
a) brain activity
b) yawn length
c) yawn loudness
d) dementia

9) How many conditions did the article mention?
a) 3
b) 4
c) 2
d) 5

10) What did the professor want to change in the brain?
a) electricity
b) conditions
c) chemicals
d) imbalances

Role play

Role  A – Boring People

You think boring people are the things that make us yawn most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least likely to make us yawn of these (and why): English classes, politics or other people yawning.

Role  B – English Classes

You think English classes are the things that make us yawn most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least likely to make us yawn of these (and why): boring people, politics or other people yawning.

Role  C – Politics

You think politics is the thing that makes us yawn most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least likely to make us yawn of these (and why): English classes, boring people or other people yawning.

Role  D – Other People Yawning

You think other people yawning is the thing that makes us yawn most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least likely to make us yawn of these (and why):  English classes, politics or boring people.

After reading / listening

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

'yawn'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'brain'.

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

    • 36
    • choices
    • not
    • strong
    • treat
    • effective
    • always
    • this
    • automatically
    • stronger
    • enough
    • now

    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 - Why do people yawn?

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'yawn'?
    3. What do you think of yawning?
    4. What do you think when you see other people yawning?
    5. Why do people yawn?
    6. How does yawning make you feel?
    7. Why is yawning contagious?
    8. When do you stop yourself yawning?
    9. What do you think of the research on yawning?
    10. Has reading this made you want to yawn?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'brain'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Is yawning a good or bad thing?
    5. What do you think of your brain activity?
    6. How strong is your desire to yawn?
    7. What do you think of people making sounds when they yawn?
    8. What do you think of the word 'yawn'?
    9. Are there times when we should never yawn?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    Do you ever (1) ____ why we yawn? Do you always yawn when you see other people yawn? A (2) ____ study from Nottingham University in the UK has done research on this. Researchers found that yawning is (3) ____. It is a powerful and unstoppable (4) ____. People automatically want to yawn when they see other people yawning. The researchers said people (5) ____ yawn more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger urge to yawn than other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said that even reading about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to yawn right (6) ____.

    The researchers studied the reactions and brain activity (7) ____ 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked at video clips of other people yawning. They then had two choices - (8) ____ to stop themselves yawning or to allow themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed (9) ____ they yawned or tried not to yawn. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers and checked (10) ____ strong their feeling to want to yawn was. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat conditions such (11) ____ dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for potential non-drug, personalized treatments…that might be effective (12) ____ [changing] imbalances in the brain."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     wander     (b)     wonder     (c)     wonders     (d)     wanders    
    2. (a)     newly     (b)     new     (c)     newt     (d)     newsy    
    3. (a)     contagiously     (b)     contagion     (c)     contagiously     (d)     contagious    
    4. (a)     reactive     (b)     reaction     (c)     reacts     (d)     reacted    
    5. (a)     actualize     (b)     actuality     (c)     actual     (d)     actually    
    6. (a)     then     (b)     again     (c)     now     (d)     never    
    7. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     on     (d)     by    
    8. (a)     neither     (b)     ether     (c)     either     (d)     earthier    
    9. (a)     has     (b)     is     (c)     was     (d)     as    
    10. (a)     how     (b)     what     (c)     which     (d)     where    
    11. (a)     as     (b)     has     (c)     was     (d)     is    
    12. (a)     in     (b)     of     (c)     on     (d)     by

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Do you ever dornew why?
    2. has done aechsrer on this
    3. yawning is otnsagcuoi
    4. a powerful and unstoppable arctieon
    5. a much stronger gure to yawn
    6. could be ongheu

    Paragraph 2

    1. brain ivcittya
    2. The rnuolteesv looked at video clips
    3. drtoonmei the brain
    4. help to treat ncdoiinots such as dementia
    5. that might be effective
    6. blcaasniem in the brain

    Put the text back together

    1  )     Do you ever wonder why we yawn? Do you always yawn when you see other people

    (    )     other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said that even reading

    (    )     on this. Researchers found that yawning is contagious. It is a powerful and unstoppable

    (    )     not to yawn. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers and checked how

    (    )     conditions such as dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for potential non-

    (    )     The researchers studied the reactions and brain activity of 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked

    (    )     yawn? A new study from Nottingham University in the UK has done research

    (    )     reaction. People automatically want to yawn when they see other people yawning. The researchers said people actually yawn

    (    )     at video clips of other people yawning. They then had two choices - either to stop themselves yawning

    (    )     about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to yawn right now.

    (    )     or to allow themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tried

    (    )     more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger urge to yawn than

    (    )     strong their feeling to want to yawn was. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat

    (    )     drug, personalized treatments…that might be effective in [changing] imbalances in the brain."

    Put the words in the right order

    1. yawning   that   found   Researchers   contagious   is   .
    2. unstoppable   It   a   and   reaction   is   powerful   .
    3. more   try   yawning   yawn  they   stop   actually   when   to   People   .
    4. Even   about   could   enough   reading   yawning   be   .
    5. might   You   now   right   yawn   to   want   even   .
    6. other   at   people   video   The   clips   volunteers   of   looked   .
    7. brain   The   also   the   activity   researchers   monitored   .
    8. more  to   about  treat  yawning  conditions  will  Understanding  help   .
    9. non-   treatments   Looking   drug   for   ,   potential   personalized   .
    10. Effective   changing   in   brain   in   imbalances   the   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Do you ever wonder / wander why we yawn? Do you always yawn when you see other people yawn? A new studying / study from Nottingham University in the UK has done research on / in this. Researchers found that yawning is contagious / contagion. It is a powerful and unstoppable reacts / reaction. People automatically want to yawn when they see other / others people yawning. The researchers said people actual / actually yawn more when they try to stop yawning. The researchers also found that some people have a much stronger urgent / urge to yawn than other people. Lead researcher Professor Stephen Jackson said that even / ever reading about yawning could be enough to make people yawn. You might even want to yawn right now / then.

    The researchers studied the reactions and brain active / activity of 36 adult volunteers. The volunteers looked at video clips of / off other people yawning. They then had two choice / choices - either to stop themselves yawning or to allow / allowance themselves to do it. The volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tired / tried not to yawn. The researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers / voluntary and checked now / how strong their feeling to want to yawn was. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat / threat conditions such as dementia, epilepsy and Tourettes. He said: "We are looking for potential non-drug, personalized treatment / treatments…that might be effective in [changing] imbalances in / on the brain."

    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)

    D_ y__ _v_r w_nd_r why w_ y_wn? D_ y__ _lw_ys y_wn wh_n y__ s__ _th_r p__pl_ y_wn? _ n_w st_dy fr_m N_tt_ngh_m _n_v_rs_ty _n th_ _K h_s d_n_ r_s__rch _n th_s. R_s__rch_rs f__nd th_t y_wn_ng _s c_nt_g___s. _t _s _ p_w_rf_l _nd _nst_pp_bl_ r__ct__n. P__pl_ __t_m_t_c_lly w_nt t_ y_wn wh_n th_y s__ _th_r p__pl_ y_wn_ng. Th_ r_s__rch_rs s__d p__pl_ _ct__lly y_wn m_r_ wh_n th_y try t_ st_p y_wn_ng. Th_ r_s__rch_rs _ls_ f__nd th_t s_m_ p__pl_ h_v_ _ m_ch str_ng_r _rg_ t_ y_wn th_n _th_r p__pl_. L__d r_s__rch_r Pr_f_ss_r St_ph_n J_cks_n s__d th_t _v_n r__d_ng _b__t y_wn_ng c__ld b_ _n__gh t_ m_k_ p__pl_ y_wn. Y__ m_ght _v_n w_nt t_ y_wn r_ght n_w.

    Th_ r_s__rch_rs st_d__d th_ r__ct__ns _nd br__n _ct_v_ty _f 36 _d_lt v_l_nt__rs. Th_ v_l_nt__rs l__k_d _t v_d__ cl_ps _f _th_r p__pl_ y_wn_ng. Th_y th_n h_d tw_ ch__c_s - __th_r t_ st_p th_ms_lv_s y_wn_ng _r t_ _ll_w th_ms_lv_s t_ d_ _t. Th_ v_l_nt__rs w_r_ v_d___d _s th_y y_wn_d _r tr__d n_t t_ y_wn. Th_ r_s__rch_rs _ls_ m_n_t_r_d th_ br__n _ct_v_ty _f th_ v_l_nt__rs _nd ch_ck_d h_w str_ng th__r f__l_ng t_ w_nt t_ y_wn w_s. J_cks_n s__d _nd_rst_nd_ng m_r_ _b__t y_wn_ng w_ll h_lp t_ tr__t c_nd_t__ns s_ch _s d_m_nt__, _p_l_psy _nd T__r_tt_s. H_ s__d: "W_ _r_ l__k_ng f_r p_t_nt__l n_n-dr_g, p_rs_n_l_z_d tr__tm_nts…th_t m_ght b_ _ff_ct_v_ _n [ch_ng_ng] _mb_l_nc_s _n th_ br__n."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    do you ever wonder why we yawn do you always yawn when you see other people yawn a new study from nottingham university in the uk has done research on this researchers found that yawning is contagious it is a powerful and unstoppable reaction people automatically want to yawn when they see other people yawning the researchers said people actually yawn more when they try to stop yawning the researchers also found that some people have a much stronger urge to yawn than other people lead researcher professor stephen jackson said that even reading about yawning could be enough to make people yawn you might even want to yawn right now

    the researchers studied the reactions and brain activity of 36 adult volunteers the volunteers looked at video clips of other people yawning they then had two choices - either to stop themselves yawning or to allow themselves to do it the volunteers were videoed as they yawned or tried not to yawn the researchers also monitored the brain activity of the volunteers and checked how strong their feeling to want to yawn was jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat conditions such as dementia epilepsy and tourettes he said "we are looking for potential non-drug personalized treatments…that might be effective in [changing] imbalances in the brain"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Doyoueverwonderwhyweyawn?Doyoualwaysyawnwhenyouseeoth
    erpeopleyawn?AnewstudyfromNottinghamUniversityintheUKhasdo
    neresearchonthis.Researchersfoundthatyawningiscontagious.Itisa
    powerfulandunstoppablereaction.Peopleautomaticallywanttoyawn
    whentheyseeotherpeopleyawning.Theresearcherssaidpeopleactual
    lyyawnmorewhentheytrytostopyawning.Theresearchersalsofoundt
    hatsomepeoplehaveamuchstrongerurgetoyawnthanotherpeople.Le
    adresearcherProfessorStephenJacksonsaidthatevenreadingabouty
    awningcouldbeenoughtomakepeopleyawn.Youmightevenwanttoya
    wnrightnow.Theresearchersstudiedthereactionsandbrainactivityof
    36adultvolunteers.Thevolunteerslookedatvideoclipsofotherpeopley
    awning.Theythenhadtwochoices-eithertostopthemselvesyawningo
    rtoallowthemselvestodoit.Thevolunteerswerevideoedastheyyawne
    dortriednottoyawn.Theresearchersalsomonitoredthebrainactivityof
    thevolunteersandcheckedhowstrongtheirfeelingtowanttoyawnwas.
    Jacksonsaidunderstandingmoreaboutyawningwillhelptotreatconditi
    onssuchasdementia,epilepsyandTourettes.Hesaid:"Wearelookingfo
    rpotentialnon-drug,personalizedtreatments…thatmightbeeffecti
    vein[changing]imbalancesinthebrain."

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    What are the good and bad things about yawning?

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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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 news. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. NO YAWNING IN PUBLIC: Write a magazine article about not yawning in public. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

    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 yawning. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on the benefits of yawning. 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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