Breaking News English

        

1. HAIRSTYLES: Walk around the class and talk to other students about hairstyles. Change partners often. Sit with your first 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.

tough sports / surprises / dangerous conduct / umpires / hairstyles / disbelief / jokes / commentators / confused / logic / being sent off / following rules / long hair

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

3. DANGERS: How could these things be dangerous? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners and share what you wrote. Change and share again.

Things	Possible dangers	How to reduce the danger
hairstyles
iPads
bottled water
studying English
taking a bath
paper

4. SPORT AND HAIR: Students A strongly believe sports players should have respectable hairstyles; Students B strongly believe not.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

5. CHANGES: Which of these would you most like to change? Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners and share your rankings again.

hairstyle nose stomach size teeth

eye colour shape of bottom muscles voice

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	An Australian footballer’s hairstyle was considered hazardous.	T / F
b.	The player wasn’t so surprised at receiving his marching orders.	T / F
c.	The sending off was the first the player heard of the umpire’s opinion.	T / F
d.	The player had never heard other umpires comment about his hair.	T / F
e.	The umpire let the player play half the match before sending him off.	T / F
f.	The player’s coach didn’t understand why the umpire sent him off.	T / F
g.	A football association said the umpire hadn’t followed the rules.	T / F
h.	The player got his hair cut the day after being sent off.	T / F

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

1.	tough	a.	astonishment
2	conduct	b.	swish
3.	injure	c.	quite
4.	disbelief	d.	behaviour
5.	decision	e.	insulting
6.	somewhat	f.	hard
7.	logic	g.	ruling
8.	abusing	h.	declined
9.	refused	i.	harm
10.	flick	j.	reasoning

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

1.	Imagine the	a.	quarter
2	… for dangerous	b.	logic
3.	sent him	c.	he was joking
4.	expressed his disbelief	d.	someone in the eye
5.	We all thought that	e.	at the decision
6.	commentators are somewhat	f.	rules properly
7.	in the third	g.	off the field
8.	he could not understand the umpire’s	h.	surprise
9.	followed the	i.	confused as to why
10.	it could flick	j.	conduct

 

WHILE READING / LISTENING

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

Australian Rules football is a (1) ____________ sport for tough men. Imagine the (2) ____________ this week when a player was sent off not for dangerous (3) ____________, but for a “dangerous haircut”. This happened to Aussie Rules player Nathan Van Someren (4) ____________ playing for his team Simpson in the Australian state of Victoria. Umpire Don Wheadon (5) ____________ Mr Van Someren’s spiked mohawk hairstyle could injure other players and so sent him off the field. Van Someren expressed his (6) ____________ at the decision, saying: "Before the game the umpire said that I could not play with my hair like that. He told me it was dangerous. We (7) ____________ thought that he was [joking]. A few umpires have (8) ____________ jokes about my hair before."		decided surprise while made tough conduct all disbelief
Football commentators are (9) ____________ confused as to why the umpire sent Van Someren off. The 25-year-old player played in the first and second quarters of the match, but in the third quarter the umpire gave him his (10) ____________ orders. The Simpson team coach also said he could not understand the umpire’s (11) ____________. “You expect players to be sent off for hitting [guys] or (12) ____________ umpires, not for their hairstyles,” he said. The Victorian Country Football League later (13) ____________ the umpire had not (14) ____________ the rules (15) ____________. Van Someren has refused to change his hairstyle, telling reporters: "I don't think I should have to. Even if someone has long hair, it could (16) ____________ someone in the eye. Should they be made to cut [their hair] as well?"		followed abusing marching flick agreed somewhat logic properly

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Australian Rules football is a _______________________ men. Imagine the surprise this week when a player was sent off _______________________, but for a “dangerous haircut”. This happened to Aussie Rules player Nathan Van Someren _______________________ team Simpson in the Australian state of Victoria. Umpire Don Wheadon decided Mr Van Someren’s spiked mohawk hairstyle could injure other players and so sent him off the field. Van Someren _______________________ at the decision, saying: "Before the game the umpire said that I could not play _______________________. He told me it was dangerous. We all thought that he was [joking]. A few umpires _______________________ my hair before."

Football commentators are _______________________ to why the umpire sent Van Someren off. The 25-year-old player played in the first and second quarters of the match, but _______________________ the umpire gave _______________________. The Simpson team coach also said he could not understand the umpire’s logic. “You expect players to _______________________ [guys] or abusing umpires, not for their hairstyles,” he said. The Victorian Country Football League later agreed the umpire had _______________________ properly. Van Someren has refused to change his hairstyle, telling reporters: "I don't think I should have to. Even if someone has long hair, it could _______________________ eye. Should they be made to cut [their hair] as well?"

 
 

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

tough

sport

• 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:

imagine conduct spiked disbelief before jokes

somewhat third logic followed refused flick

STUDENT HAIRSTYLES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about hairstyles 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.

HAIRSTYLES 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 ‘tough’?
c)	What three adjectives would you use to describe this story?
d)	What do you know about Australian Rules football?
e)	Why is a mohican hairstyle called a mohican?
f)	Was the umpire right to send the player off because of his haircut?
g)	Have you ever been in trouble because of your hairstyle?
h)	Do sports stars have a responsibility as role models to sport a “proper” haircut?
i)	How is it possible the spiky haircut could injure people?
j)	What do haircuts say about people?

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

a)	Did you like reading this article?
b)	Why do you think the umpire allowed Nathan to play the first half of the match with his dangerous haircut?
c)	What’s the difference between an umpire and a referee?
d)	Have you ever been given your marching orders?
e)	What’s the worst hairstyle you’ve ever had?
f)	Is hair a waste of time?
g)	Should the umpire be punished for making the wrong decision?
h)	Should Nathan get compensation?
i)	What do you think of the haircuts of today’s top sports stars?
j)	What questions would you like to ask Nathan Van Someren?

LANGUAGE – MULTIPLE CHOICE

Australian Rules football is a tough sport for tough men. Imagine the (1) ____ this week when a player was sent off not for dangerous (2) ____, but for a “dangerous haircut”. This happened to Aussie Rules player Nathan Van Someren (3) ____ playing for his team Simpson in the Australian state of Victoria. Umpire Don Wheadon decided Mr Van Someren’s (4) ____ mohawk hairstyle could injure other players and so sent him off the field. Van Someren expressed (5) ____ disbelief at the decision, saying: "Before the game the umpire said that I could not play with my hair like that. He told me it was dangerous. We all thought that he was [joking]. A few umpires have (6) ____ jokes about my hair before."

Football commentators are somewhat confused (7) ____ to why the umpire sent Van Someren off. The 25-year-old player played in the first and second quarters of the match, but in the third quarter the umpire gave him his (8) ____ orders. The Simpson team coach also said he could not understand the umpire’s (9) ____. “You expect players to be sent off (10) ____ hitting [guys] or abusing umpires, not for their hairstyles,” he said. The Victorian Country Football League later agreed the umpire had not (11) ____ the rules properly. Van Someren has refused to change his hairstyle, telling reporters: "I don't think I should have to. Even if someone has long hair, it could flick someone in the eye. Should they (12) ____ made to cut [their hair] as well?"

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

1.	(a)	appraise	(b)	surprise	(c)	prissy	(d)	surpass
2.	(a)	conduction	(b)	conductor	(c)	conduct	(d)	conducting
3.	(a)	while	(b)	whole	(c)	whiles	(d)	wholly
4.	(a)	plumy	(b)	feathery	(c)	rusty	(d)	spiky
5.	(a)	Nathan’s	(b)	he	(c)	his	(d)	him
6.	(a)	made	(b)	gone	(c)	been	(d)	spoken
7.	(a)	has	(b)	was	(c)	is	(d)	as
8.	(a)	parading	(b)	marching	(c)	walking	(d)	offing
9.	(a)	logically	(b)	logics	(c)	logistics	(d)	logic
10.	(a)	via	(b)	thorough	(c)	for	(d)	as
11.	(a)	tailed	(b)	followed	(c)	stalked	(d)	chased
12.	(a)	be	(b)	take	(c)	do	(d)	have

 
 

WRITING

Write about hairstyles 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 out more about dangerous hairstyles. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

4. SENDING OFF: Write a magazine article about the sending off of Nathan Van Someren. Include imaginary interviews with him and the umpire.

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 the boss of Aussie Rules football. Ask him three questions about the sending off of Nathan Van Someren. Give him three of your opinions on hairstyles in sport. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

 

 
 

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a.

T

b.

F

c.

F

d.

F

e.

T

f.

T

g.

T

h.

F

SYNONYM MATCH:

1.	tough	a.	hard
2	conduct	b.	behaviour
3.	injure	c.	harm
4.	disbelief	d.	astonishment
5.	decision	e.	ruling
6.	somewhat	f.	quite
7.	logic	g.	reasoning
8.	abusing	h.	insulting
9.	refused	i.	declined
10.	flick	j.	swish

PHRASE MATCH:

1.	Imagine the	a.	surprise
2	… for dangerous	b.	conduct
3.	sent him	c.	off the field
4.	expressed his disbelief	d.	at the decision
5.	We all thought that	e.	he was joking
6.	commentators are somewhat	f.	confused as to why
7.	in the third	g.	quarter
8.	he could not understand the umpire’s	h.	logic
9.	followed the	i.	rules properly
10.	it could flick	j.	someone in the eye

GAP FILL:

Footballer sent off for “dangerous haircut”

Australian Rules football is a (1) tough sport for tough men. Imagine the (2) surprise this week when a player was sent off not for dangerous (3) conduct, but for a “dangerous haircut”. This happened to Aussie Rules player Nathan Van Someren (4) while playing for his team Simpson in the Australian state of Victoria. Umpire Don Wheadon (5) decided Mr Van Someren’s spiked mohawk hairstyle could injure other players and so sent him off the field. Van Someren expressed his (6) disbelief at the decision, saying: "Before the game the umpire said that I could not play with my hair like that. He told me it was dangerous. We (7) all thought that he was [joking]. A few umpires have (8) made jokes about my hair before."

Football commentators are (9) somewhat confused as to why the umpire sent Van Someren off. The 25-year-old player played in the first and second quarters of the match, but in the third quarter the umpire gave him his (10) marching orders. The Simpson team coach also said he could not understand the umpire’s (11) logic. “You expect players to be sent off for hitting [guys] or (12) abusing umpires, not for their hairstyles,” he said. The Victorian Country Football League later (13) agreed the umpire had not (14) followed the rules (15) properly. Van Someren has refused to change his hairstyle, telling reporters: "I don't think I should have to. Even if someone has long hair, it could (16) flick someone in the eye. Should they be made to cut [their hair] as well?"

LANGUAGE WORK

1 - b

2 - c

3 - a

4 - d

5 - c

6 - a

7 - d

8 - b

9 - d

10 - c

11 - b

12 - a

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