The Reading / Listening - Level 1

A survey from a U.K. company shows what British people are most afraid of. Top of the list is heights. Over half of people said they had a fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes. The third biggest fear was public speaking. Twenty per cent of people were "very afraid" of speaking in public. Other things include spiders, mice, injections, blood, flying, and being in small spaces. Number 10 on the list was the fear of clowns.

Over 2,000 people answered questions about common phobias. There were big differences between men and women, and between old and young people. The researchers said not everyone is "created equal when it comes to fears". Women were afraid of more things than men. Spiders scare a third of men and about half of women. Young people are more afraid of public speaking. Older people are more afraid of heights.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/musophobia-coulrophobia-pteromerhanophobia-what-are-britons-most-afraid-1441650
  • http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/25/what-top-five-fears-phobias-yougov
  • http://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/03/20/afraid-heights-not-alone/


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.

A survey from

a.

spaces

2.

Top of

b.

were very afraid

3.

In second

c.

a U.K. company

4.

Twenty per cent of people

d.

on the list

5.

speaking in

e.

spiders

6.

Other things include

f.

the list

7.

being in small

g.

place

8.

Number 10

h.

public


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.

Over 2,000 people

a.

young people

2.

common

b.

big differences

3.

There were

c.

speaking

4.

old and

d.

equal

5.

not everyone is created

e.

answered questions

6.

Women were afraid

f.

of men

7.

a third

g.

phobias

8.

public

h.

of more things

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ U.K. company shows what British people are most afraid of. (2) ___________________ heights. Over half of people (3) ___________________ fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes. The third biggest fear was public speaking. Twenty per cent (4) ___________________ "very afraid" of (5) ___________________. Other things include spiders, mice, injections, blood, flying, and being in small spaces. Number 10 (6) ___________________ the fear of clowns.

Over 2,000 (7) ___________________ about common phobias. There (8) ___________________ between men and women, and between old and young people. The researchers said not everyone (9) ___________________ when it comes to fears". Women (10) ___________________ things than men. Spiders (11) ___________________ and about half of women. Young people are more afraid (12) ___________________. Older people are more afraid of heights.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AsurveyfromaU.K.companyshowswhatBritishpeoplearemostafrai
dof.Topofthelistisheights.Overhalfofpeoplesaidtheyhadafearofhei
ghts.Insecondplacewasafearofsnakes.Thethirdbiggestfearwaspu
blicspeaking.Twentypercentofpeoplewere"veryafraid"ofspeakingi
npublic.Otherthingsincludespiders,mice,injections,blood,flying,a
ndbeinginsmallspaces.Number10onthelistwasthefearofclowns.O
ver2,000peopleansweredquestionsaboutcommonphobias.There
werebigdifferencesbetweenmenandwomen,andbetweenoldandy
oungpeople.Theresearcherssaidnoteveryoneis"createdequalwhe
nitcomestofears".Womenwereafraidofmorethingsthanmen.Spide
rsscareathirdofmenandabouthalfofwomen.Youngpeoplearemore
afraidofpublicspeaking.Olderpeoplearemoreafraidofheights.

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)

________________________________________________________

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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