Breaking News English

WARM-UPS

1. THE EARTH: Walk around the class and talk to other students about the Earth. Change partners often. After you finish, sit with your partner(s) and share your findings.

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

buildings / the dark / climate change / people’s backgrounds / switching off lights / agreement / feel-good exercises / Titanic / raising awareness / energy consumption

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

3. WHAT DO YOU DO?: What do you do to save energy? Complete the table. Talk about what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you found out.

Action	Do you do this?	Why (not)?	Will you change?
Turn off lights
Use stairs, not lifts
Walk, don’t drive
Energy-saving light bulbs
Use heater / AC less
Tell others to save energy

4. THE END: Students A strongly believe we have run out of time to save the Earth; Students B strongly believe the Earth will survive. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. SAVE: Which of these things do we need to save most? Rank them in order of most important. Change partners and talk about your ranking.

_____   frogs _____   energy _____   money _____   polar ice caps

_____   the Amazon _____   electricity _____   our rivers _____   lives

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	Many buildings will be in darkness for an hour on March 28.	T / F
b.	Earth Hour is organized by the World Wildlife Fund.	T / F
c.	People can vote for who they want to save the Earth.	T / F
d.	Maybe one billion people will hear about Earth Hour.	T / F
e.	There are quite a few people who think Earth Hour will change little.	T / F
f.	A climate campaigner said the Titanic sank because of climate change.	T / F
g.	Earth Hour means the Earth will make a recovery by the next morning.	T / F
h.	An environmentalist said sitting in the dark is the best thing we can do.	T / F

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

1.	globe	a.	focusing on
2	takes place	b.	instead of
3.	drawing attention to	c.	just
4.	opportunity	d.	turned
5.	reach	e.	results in
6.	switched	f.	happens
7.	raising	g.	get to
8.	leads to	h.	world
9.	rather than	i.	increasing
10.	simply	j.	chance

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

1.	buildings around the globe will be	a.	too late
2	a way of drawing attention to the dangers	b.	has recovered a little
3.	people of all ages, nationalities,	c.	about climate change
4.	Organizers hope their message will reach	d.	good exercises
5.	the largest demonstration of public concern	e.	dark for an hour
6.	Many see it as a being too little,	f.	in the dark
7.	We are well past the time for feel-	g.	a billion people
8.	people will think the climate	h.	of climate change
9.	the need to reduce our daily	i.	race and background
10.	sitting around	j.	energy consumption

WHILE READING / LISTENING

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

Millions of buildings around the __________ will be dark for an hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour __________ place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 as a way of drawing attention to the __________ of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, __________ and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their __________ – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers __________ their message will reach a billion people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour __________ to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change __________ attempted”.		vote dangers ever globe promises race takes hope
Not everyone __________ that Earth Hour will help. Many see it as being too little, too __________ and that not much will change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are well past the time for __________ -good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic __________.” He says the event is __________ because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a little. "Symbolism is powerful if it __________ to action, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He __________ the need to reduce our daily energy consumption, rather than __________ “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.		leads sinks late simply agrees feel stresses risky

LISTENING:  Listen and fill in the spaces.

Millions of buildings around the globe _________________ hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour takes place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 ________________ attention to the dangers of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For _________________ history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity _________________ switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers hope their message _________________ people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour promises to be “the largest demonstration _________________ about climate change ever attempted”.

Not everyone agrees that Earth Hour will help. Many _________________ too little, too late and _________________ change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are well _________________ feel-good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic sinks.” He says _________________ because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a little. "Symbolism is powerful _________________, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He stresses _________________ our daily energy consumption, rather than simply “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

earth

hour

• 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:

dark event dangers race vote promises

help change raising risky action stresses

STUDENT ENERGY SAVING SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about saving energy 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.

CLIMATE CHANGE 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 phrase ‘climate change’?
c)	Do you think Earth Hour is a good idea?
d)	Will / Did you turn off the lights for Earth Hour?
e)	What are the dangers of climate change?
f)	What do you think of the idea of turning off your lights for an hour being a vote for Earth?
g)	Have you taken part in any other climate change events?
h)	Do you think the even should be Earth 12 Hours and people should turn off their lights for a lot longer?
i)	Do you think people around the world are actually concerned about climate change?
j)	What do you do every day to help save energy or save the planet?

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

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	What difference do you think Earth Hour will make to the world?
c)	Do you agree that Earth Hour is “too little, too late”?
d)	Is Earth Hour more than a ”feel-good exercise”?
e)	What did Clive Hamilton mean when he mentioned the Titanic?
f)	How long do you think it will take people to forget about Earth Hour?
g)	Do you think it’s possible for everyone to reduce their daily energy consumption?
h)	Has your life been affected by climate change?
i)	What have you done today that has added to climate change?
j)	What questions would you ask campaigner Clive Hamilton?

LANGUAGE

Millions of buildings around the (1) ____ will be dark for an hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour takes place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 as a (2) ____ of drawing attention to the dangers of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For the first time in (3) ____, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch (4) ____ their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers hope their message will (5) ____ a billion people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour promises to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever (6) ____”.

Not everyone agrees that Earth Hour will help. Many see it as being too little, too (7) ____ and that not much will change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are (8) ____ past the time for feel-good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic sinks.” He says the event is (9) ____ because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a (10) ____. "Symbolism is powerful if it (11) ____ to action, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He stresses the need to reduce our daily energy consumption, rather than (12) ____ “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.

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

1.	(a)	globally	(b)	globalization	(c)	globe	(d)	global
2.	(a)	away	(b)	way	(c)	way out	(d)	ways
3.	(a)	history	(b)	historical	(c)	historian	(d)	histories
4.	(a)	at	(b)	of	(c)	to	(d)	as
5.	(a)	reached	(b)	reaching	(c)	reach	(d)	reaches
6.	(a)	attempt	(b)	attempts	(c)	attempted	(d)	attempting
7.	(a)	much	(b)	late	(c)	early	(d)	hot
8.	(a)	well	(b)	every	(c)	good	(d)	real
9.	(a)	risks	(b)	risky	(c)	risked	(d)	risk
10.	(a)	little	(b)	small	(c)	tiny	(d)	mini
11.	(a)	leading	(b)	leader	(c)	leaded	(d)	leads
12.	(a)	simple	(b)	simpleton	(c)	simplify	(d)	simply

WRITING: 

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 Earth Hour and what happened in different countries around the world. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SAVE: Make a poster about how we can save energy every day. Include a survey of whether people do these things and what they think of them. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE: Write a magazine article about climate change and the future of the Earth. Include imaginary interviews with someone who thinks it’s too late to save the Earth and someone who thinks we have plenty of time.

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. LETTER: Write a letter to someone you know. Ask him/her three questions about what they do to save energy. Give him/her three ideas on what (s)he should do to save energy. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

T

b.

T

c.

F

d.

T

e.

T

f.

F

g.

F

h.

F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	globe	a.	world
2	takes place	b.	happens
3.	drawing attention to	c.	focusing on
4.	opportunity	d.	chance
5.	reach	e.	get to
6.	switched	f.	turned
7.	raising	g.	increasing
8.	leads to	h.	results in
9.	rather than	i.	instead of
10.	simply	j.	just

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	buildings around the globe will be	a.	dark for an hour
2	a way of drawing attention to the dangers	b.	of climate change
3.	people of all ages, nationalities,	c.	race and background
4.	Organizers hope their message will reach	d.	a billion people
5.	the largest demonstration of public concern	e.	about climate change
6.	Many see it as a being too little,	f.	too late
7.	We are well past the time for feel-	g.	good exercises
8.	people will think the climate	h.	has recovered a little
9.	the need to reduce our daily	i.	energy consumption
10.	sitting around	j.	in the dark

GAP FILL:

World prepares to save energy for an hour

Millions of buildings around the globe will be dark for an hour on Saturday, March 28 as the third Earth Hour takes place. The event is organized by the World Wildlife Fund. It started in 2007 as a way of drawing attention to the dangers of climate change. The Earth Hour website says: “For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming.” Organizers hope their message will reach a billion people. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Earth Hour promises to be “the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted”.

Not everyone agrees that Earth Hour will help. Many see it as being too little, too late and that not much will change when the lights are switched back on. Climate campaigner Clive Hamilton says: "We are well past the time for feel-good exercises aimed at raising awareness… It's like the band playing on as the Titanic sinks.” He says the event is risky because the next morning people will think the climate has recovered a little. "Symbolism is powerful if it leads to action, but dangerous if it substitutes for it," he says. Environmentalist Mark Alexander-Warne agrees. He stresses the need to reduce our daily energy consumption, rather than simply “sitting around in the dark” for an hour.

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - c

2 - b

3 - a

4 - d

5 - c

6 - c

7 - b

8 - a

9 - b

10 - a

11 - d

12 - d

 

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

• Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

• You can download a free sample PDF showing various parts of my book,
  "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".
  

Copyright © 2004-2019 by Sean Banville | Links | About | Privacy Policy

 
 

SHARE THIS LESSON:

E-Mail

RSS