Breaking News English

Date: Jan 7, 2008
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WARM-UPS

1. BEING LAZY: Walk around the class and talk to other students about being lazy. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your original partner(s) and share what you found out.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

museum / laziness / hurrying / sofas and beds / coincidences / lifestyle / bottoms / enemies / revolutions / pressure / stress / chilling out / taking a nap / weight

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

3. LAZINESS: Discuss with your partner(s) the different ways you are lazy in these situations. Is it good laziness or bad laziness?

studying English being with parents at home being with friends

keeping New Year resolutions at work / school diets or fitness plans other __________________________

4. LAZYBONES: Who is the biggest lazybones you know? Give these people a score from 10 (bone idle) to 1 (full of energy and get-up-and-go).

_____ yourself

_____ the person next to you in class

_____ your teacher

_____ your boss

_____ someone in a store you go to often

_____ your country’s leader

_____ a grandparent

_____ a local government worker in your country

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

6. QUICK ROLE PLAY: Student A strongly believes people should be less lazy; Student B strongly believes being more lazy will make us live longer lives. Change partners again and talk about your roles and conversations.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	Museum workers in Colombia are the laziest people in the world.	T / F
b.	The museum exhibits include beds and sofas that you can try out.	T / F
c.	There are plenty of potato products on sale to make you lazier.	T / F
d.	By chance, the museum opened at the end of the holiday season.	T / F
e.	The museum wants people to think more about laziness.	T / F
f.	The museum curator said laziness is always a bad thing.	T / F
g.	It may be that being lazy might actually make us live longer.	T / F
h.	The article ends by telling us to sit down, relax and think.	T / F

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

1.	entirely	a.	dramatic change
2	dedicated	b.	relaxing
3.	lounge	c.	devoted
4.	bottoms	d.	foe
5.	coincidence	e.	totally
6.	revolution	f.	let
7.	enemy	g.	backsides
8.	allow	h.	laze
9.	chilling out	i.	suggested
10.	implied	j.	accident

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

1.	A new museum entirely dedicated	a.	potatoes
2	the exhibition lasts	b.	revolution
3.	lets you take the weight	c.	to laziness
4.	couch	d.	paced societies
5.	our high-speed, fast-	e.	in taking a nap
6.	she wanted people to have	f.	allow us
7.	Ms Arrieta may not be leading a	g.	for only one week
8.	need more down time than our jobs	h.	feet up
9.	the social issues implied	i.	off your feet
10.	take the weight off your feet, put your	j.	a rethink about laziness

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words into the gaps in the text.

A new museum entirely dedicated to laziness has ________ in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. But, you have to ________ if you want to see the exhibits and find out about being lazy because the exhibition ________ for only one week. The unusual show has displays that include a whole ________ of sofas, beds, hammocks, futons and anything that lets you take the weight off your feet. There are also plenty of televisions for visiting ________ potatoes to watch while they lounge around in the museum. The museum’s opening so soon after the holiday season is no ________. The idea is for people to think about laziness, and perhaps change their behaviour and lifestyle throughout the rest of the year. It is a hands on, or we should say ________ on, way of making us think about laziness in our high-speed, fast-________ societies.		range coincidence bottoms opened lasts paced hurry couch
The museum’s curator Marcela Arrieta said she wanted people to have a ________ about laziness and decide whether it really is a bad thing. She told the Associated Press news agency: "We always think about laziness as an ________ of work.” Ms Arrieta may not be leading a ________ for a shorter working week, but she could have a ________ in that we might just be designed to need more ________ time than our jobs allow us. Avoiding the pressures and stresses of work and ________ out more may even make us healthier and live longer. Arrieta explained that the exhibition aims to “make people think about the social issues implied in taking a ________, in being jobless or in feeling that maybe we are wasting time.” Try out her advice for yourself; take the weight off your feet, put your ________ up, and think about being lazy.		chilling enemy point feet rethink nap down revolution

LISTENING:  Listen and fill in the spaces.

A new museum _____________________ laziness has opened in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. But, you have to hurry if you want to see the exhibits and find out about being lazy because the exhibition ________________ week. The unusual show has displays that include ________________ sofas, beds, hammocks, futons and anything that lets you take the ________________. There are also plenty of televisions for visiting ______________ to watch while they lounge around in the museum. The museum’s opening so soon after the holiday season ________________. The idea is for people to think about laziness, and perhaps change their behaviour and lifestyle throughout the rest of the year. It is a hands on, or we ________________, way of making us think about laziness in our ____________________ societies.

The museum’s curator Marcela Arrieta said she wanted people to have a ___________________ and decide whether it really is a bad thing. She told the Associated Press news agency: "We always think about laziness as an ______________.” Ms Arrieta may not be leading a revolution for a shorter working week, but she could ______________ that we might just be designed to need ___________________ our jobs allow us. Avoiding the pressures and stresses of work and ______________ may even make us healthier and live longer. Arrieta explained that the exhibition aims to “make people think about the social issues ______________ a nap, in being jobless or in feeling that maybe we are wasting time” ______________ for yourself; take the weight off your feet, ______________, and think about being lazy.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘couch’ and ‘potato’.

couch

potato

• 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 exactly how these were used in the text:

dedicated lasts weight lounge rest hands on

rethink enemy point avoiding nap advice

STUDENT LAZINESS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about being lazy 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.

DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word ‘laziness’?
c)	Would you like to visit the Museum of Laziness?
d)	Do you think being lazy is in our genes and that it’s necessary for us to put our feet up and do nothing?
e)	Do you like being lazy and taking the weight off your feet? When are you lazy?
f)	Does it annoy you when other people are lazy?
g)	Is laziness a good or bad thing?
h)	What exhibits, besides beds and sofas, do you think a Museum of Laziness should have?
i)	Is it difficult to be lazy in this fast-paced world?

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	Do you think the Museum of Laziness is a good idea?
c)	Are you a couch potato? What do you eat and drink when you veg out in front of the TV?
d)	Is laziness “an enemy of work” or do you think lazy periods at work could mean workers work better?
e)	Do you think there should be a shorter working week in your country?
f)	What do you think are the “social issues” of taking a nap?
g)	Would you be lazier if you knew laziness meant you lived longer?
h)	Why are people lazy?
i)	Did you like this discussion?

LANGUAGE

CORRECT WORD: Put the correct words from a–d below in the article.

A new museum (1) ____ dedicated to laziness has opened in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. But, you have to (2) ____ if you want to see the exhibits and find out about being lazy because the exhibition (3) ____ for only one week. The unusual show has displays that include a whole range of sofas, beds, hammocks, futons and anything that lets you take the weight off your feet. There are also plenty (4) ____ televisions for visiting couch potatoes to watch while they lounge around in the museum. The museum’s opening so soon after the holiday season is (5) ____ coincidence. The idea is for people to think about laziness, and perhaps change their behaviour and lifestyle throughout the (6) ____ of the year. It is a hands on, or we should say bottoms on, way of making us think about laziness in our high-speed, fast-paced societies.

The museum’s curator Marcela Arrieta said she wanted people to have a    (7) ____ about laziness and decide whether it really is a bad thing. She told the Associated Press news agency: "We always think about laziness as an  (8) ____ of work.” Ms Arrieta may not be leading a revolution for a shorter working week, but she could have a (9) ____ in that we might just be designed to need more down time than our jobs allow us. Avoiding the pressures and stresses (10) ____ work and chilling out more may even make us healthier and live longer. Arrieta explained that the exhibition aims to “make people think about the social issues implied in taking a nap, in being jobless or in feeling that maybe we are wasting time.” Try out her advice for yourself; take the (11) ____ off your feet, put your feet (12) ____, and think about being lazy.

1.	(a)	entire	(b)	entirely	(c)	entry	(d)	entertaining
2.	(a)	hurry	(b)	hurried	(c)	hurrying	(d)	hurries
3.	(a)	casts	(b)	fasts	(c)	pasts	(d)	lasts
4.	(a)	with	(b)	for	(c)	of	(d)	by
5.	(a)	no	(b)	non	(c)	no-no	(d)	none
6.	(a)	laze	(b)	rest	(c)	lounge	(d)	relax
7.	(a)	refresh	(b)	recharge	(c)	relax	(d)	rethink
8.	(a)	enema	(b)	energy	(c)	enemy	(d)	enmity
9.	(a)	item	(b)	tip	(c)	sharp	(d)	point
10.	(a)	of	(b)	at	(c)	to	(d)	in
11.	(a)	force	(b)	heavy	(c)	weight	(d)	mass
12.	(a)	over	(b)	up	(c)	out	(d)	down

WRITING: 

Write about laziness for 10 minutes. Correct your partner’s paper.

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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 more information about laziness and its effects on our health. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. LAZINESS: Make a poster about your own habits of laziness. Include information on whether each point is good or bad laziness, and what you can do to make your laziness better. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. BEING LAZY: Write a magazine article about how laziness affects society. Include imaginary interviews with an expert on taking naps and a hard-working business executive.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down new words and expressions.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the Museum of Laziness. Ask them three questions about their exhibition. Give them three suggestions on what they should add to their museum (explain why). Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. T

c. F

d. F

e. T

f. F

g. T

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	entirely	a.	totally
2	dedicated	b.	devoted
3.	lounge	c.	laze
4.	bottoms	d.	backsides
5.	coincidence	e.	accident
6.	revolution	f.	dramatic change
7.	enemy	g.	foe
8.	allow	h.	let
9.	chilling out	i.	relaxing
10.	implied	j.	suggested

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	A new museum entirely dedicated	a.	to laziness
2	the exhibition lasts	b.	for only one week
3.	lets you take the weight	c.	off your feet
4.	couch	d.	potatoes
5.	our high-speed, fast-	e.	paced societies
6.	she wanted people to have	f.	a rethink about laziness
7.	Ms Arrieta may not be leading a	g.	revolution
8.	need more down time than our jobs	h.	allow us
9.	the social issues implied	i.	in taking a nap
10.	take the weight off your feet, put your	j.	feet up

GAP FILL:

Museum of Laziness opens in Colombia

A new museum entirely dedicated to laziness has opened in Colombia’s capital, Bogota. But, you have to hurry if you want to see the exhibits and find out about being lazy because the exhibition lasts for only one week. The unusual show has displays that include a whole range of sofas, beds, hammocks, futons and anything that lets you take the weight off your feet. There are also plenty of televisions for visiting couch potatoes to watch while they lounge around in the museum. The museum’s opening so soon after the holiday season is no coincidence. The idea is for people to think about laziness, and perhaps change their behaviour and lifestyle throughout the rest of the year. It is a hands on, or we should say bottoms on, way of making us think about laziness in our high-speed, fast-paced societies.

The museum’s curator Marcela Arrieta said she wanted people to have a rethink about laziness and decide whether it really is a bad thing. She told the Associated Press news agency: "We always think about laziness as an enemy of work.” Ms Arrieta may not be leading a revolution for a shorter working week, but she could have a point in that we might just be designed to need more down time than our jobs allow us. Avoiding the pressures and stresses of work and chilling out more may even make us healthier and live longer. Arrieta explained that the exhibition aims to “make people think about the social issues implied in taking a nap, in being jobless or in feeling that maybe we are wasting time.” Try out her advice for yourself; take the weight off your feet, put your feet up, and think about being lazy.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - b

2 -a

3 - d

4 - c

5 - a

6 - b

7 - d

8 - c

9 - d

10 - a

11 - c

12 - b

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