The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Less than 10% of Britain's engineers are women. This is the lowest in Europe. The UK Business Secretary said this would be an "enormous problem" for many years. He said Britain needed more women in computer science. Many women have degrees in computer science, but there are few female computer engineers. Many companies have a "psychological barrier" against women becoming engineers. Many schools don't have any girls studying physics.

The UK started a new campaign to get women into engineering. It explains why engineering is necessary for the future of UK industry. It is important to make sure businesses get the skilled engineers they need to grow. Britain has to help young people understand that engineering is a good career. The campaign website said it would show all the exciting businesses and industries that need creative engineers.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/campaign-unveiled-to-inspire-young-to-go-into-engineering-8920049.html
  • http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/04/vince-cable-uk-economy-female-engineers
  • http://www.tomorrowsengineers.org.uk/week/


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 :-)



The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Less than

a.

for many years

2.

This is the lowest

b.

barrier

3.

an "enormous problem"

c.

engineers

4.

Britain needed more women

d.

in Europe

5.

degrees in

e.

studying physics

6.

a psychological

f.

in computer science

7.

women becoming

g.

computer science

8.

girls

h.

10% of Britain's engineers


MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The UK started a

a.

is a good career

2.

get women into

b.

is necessary

3.

It explains why engineering

c.

engineers

4.

for the future

d.

make sure

5.

It is important to

e.

new campaign

6.

get the skilled engineers they

f.

of UK industry

7.

understand that engineering

g.

engineering

8.

industries that need creative

h.

need to grow

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ of Britain's engineers are women. This is (2) ___________________. The UK Business Secretary said this would be an "enormous problem" (3) ___________________. He said Britain needed more women in computer science. Many women (4) ___________________ computer science, but there are few female computer engineers. Many companies have a "(5) ___________________" against women becoming engineers. Many schools don't have any (6) ___________________.

The UK started (7) ___________________ to get women into engineering. It (8) ___________________ is necessary for the future of UK industry. It is important to make sure businesses get the skilled engineers (9) ___________________. Britain has to help young (10) ___________________ engineering is a good career. The campaign website (11) ___________________ all the exciting businesses and industries (12) ___________________ engineers.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Lessthan10%ofBritain'sengineersarewomen.ThisisthelowestinEur
ope.TheUKBusinessSecretarysaidthiswouldbean"enormousproble
m"formanyyears.HesaidBritainneededmorewomenincomputerscie
nce.Manywomenhavedegreesincomputerscience,buttherearefewf
emalecomputerengineers.Manycompanieshavea"psychologicalbar
rier"againstwomenbecomingengineers.Manyschoolsdon'thaveany
girlsstudyingphysics.TheUKstartedanewcampaigntogetwomenint
oengineering.Itexplainswhyengineeringisnecessaryforthefutureof
UKindustry.Itisimportanttomakesurebusinessesgettheskilledengi
neerstheyneedtogrow.Britainhastohelpyoungpeopleunderstandth
atengineeringisagoodcareer.Thecampaignwebsitesaiditwouldsho
walltheexcitingbusinessesandindustriesthatneedcreativeengineer
s.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about women engineers for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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