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Beef production damages the environment (24th July, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A new study says beef production is very damaging to the environment. It damages the environment around ten times more than the production of pork, lamb, chicken or other farm animals. Scientists said cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also produce a lot of greenhouse gas after they eat. Compared to food like potatoes, wheat, and rice, beef production needs 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases. The scientists said farming (of livestock and crops) is a major cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases. About half of this is from livestock.

One scientist said we could all reduce our carbon footprint by eating less beef. Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said cutting down on the amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than using the car less. He also said that if we ate less beef, we could use the wheat that farmers give to cows to feed starving people. He said this sounds simple, but many governments would not try to do it. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should consider these messages carefully if they want to improve overall production." He added: "The message for the consumer is even stronger. Avoiding excessive meat consumption, especially beef, is good for the environment."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28409704
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jul/21/giving-up-beef-reduce-carbon-footprint-more-than-cars
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/21/beef-environmental-impact_n_5599370.html

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. BEEF: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about beef. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

beef / environment / chicken / farm animals / greenhouse gas / potatoes / crops / scientist / cutting down / using the car / starving people / production / consumer

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

3. DAMAGING: How might these foods damage the environment? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How bad?	How to make it better?
Beef
White bread
Fast food
GM food
Sugar
Frozen food

4. VEGETARIAN: Students A strongly believe we should all be vegetarian; Students B strongly believe not. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. EAT LESS: Rank these with your partner. Put the things we should eat less at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• Beef

• Chocolate

• White bread

• Burgers

• Ice cream

• Peanut butter

• Cream

• French fries

6. ENVIRONMENT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "environment". 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.	Beef damages the environment 10 times more than lamb or chicken.	T / F
b.	Beef production needs 28 times more land than lamb production.	T / F
c.	Lamb production needs 11 times more water than chicken production.	T / F
d.	Agriculture causes 1.5% of all greenhouse gases.	T / F
e.	A scientist said our carbon footprint could be lower by eating less beef.	T / F
f.	The scientist said using the car less is better than eating less beef.	T / F
g.	The article said governments want to try to reduce beef production.	T / F
h.	A professor said we should not eat too much beef.	T / F

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

1.	study	a.	requires
2.	damages	b.	easy
3.	produce	c.	reducing
4.	needs	d.	harms
5.	half	e.	think about
6.	reduce	f.	shopper
7.	cutting down	g.	report
8.	simple	h.	lower
9.	consider	i.	make
10.	consumer	j.	fifty per cent

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

1.	beef production is very damaging	a.	of beef
2.	farming of livestock	b.	gases
3.	a major cause of global	c.	this is from livestock
4.	It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse	d.	give to cows
5.	About half of	e.	footprint
6.	we could all reduce our carbon	f.	warming
7.	cutting down on the amount	g.	simple
8.	the wheat that farmers	h.	and crops
9.	He said this sounds	i.	production
10.	improve overall	j.	to the environment

GAP FILL

A new study says beef production is very (1) ____________ to the environment. It damages the environment around ten times more than the production of pork, (2) ____________, chicken or other farm animals. Scientists said cows need 28 (3) ____________ more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also (4) ____________ a lot of greenhouse gas after they eat. Compared to food like potatoes, (5) ____________, and rice, beef production needs 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse (6) ____________. The scientists said farming (of livestock and (7) ____________) is a major cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases. About half of this is from (8) ____________.

wheat
crops
times
livestock
damaging
produce
lamb
gases

One scientist said we could all reduce our (9) ____________ footprint by eating less beef. Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said (10) ____________ down on the amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than using the car (11) ____________. He also said that if we ate less beef, we could use the wheat that farmers give to cows to feed (12) ____________ people. He said this sounds (13) ____________, but many governments would not try to do it. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should (14) ____________ these messages carefully if they want to improve overall production." He added: "The (15) ____________ for the consumer is even stronger. Avoiding excessive meat consumption, (16) ____________ beef, is good for the environment."

message
consider
starving
especially
cutting
carbon
simple
less

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	A new study says beef production is very damaging ______
	a. at the environment b. to the environment c. for the environment d. too the environment
2)	Scientists said cows need 28 times more land and 11 ______
	a. times more watery b. times more watered c. times more water d. times more waters
3)	Compared to food like potatoes, wheat ______
	a. and lice b. and thrice c. and rice d. and rise
4)	It causes 15 per cent of all ______
	a. greenhouse gases b. greenhouse gaseous c. greenhouse gassy d. greenhouse gas is
5)	About half of this is ______
	a. from living stock b. from lively stock c. from life stock d. from livestock
6)	One scientist said we could all reduce our ______
	a. carbon footprints b. carbon footprint c. carbon feet print d. carbon foot prints
7)	we could use the wheat that farmers give to cows to ______
	a. feed starving people b. feed starve in people c. feed staffing people d. feed staff in people
8)	Governments should consider these ______
	a. message is carefully b. messages carefully c. messages cared fully d. message is cared fully
9)	The message for the consumer ______
	a. is even strongest b. is even strongly c. is even stronger d. is ever stronger
10)	Avoiding excessive ______
	a. meat consuming b. meat consumption c. meat resumption d. meat contraption

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

A new study says beef production is (1) ___________________ the environment. It damages the environment around ten times more than the production of pork, lamb, chicken (2) ___________________. Scientists said cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also (3) ___________________ greenhouse gas after they eat. Compared to food like (4) ___________________, beef production needs 160 times more land and produces 11 times (5) ___________________. The scientists said farming (of livestock and crops) is a major cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases. About (6) ___________________ livestock.

One scientist said we could all reduce (7) ___________________ by eating less beef. Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said (8) ___________________ amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than using the car less. He also said that if we ate less beef, we (9) ___________________ that farmers give to cows to feed starving people. He said this sounds simple, but many governments would (10) ___________________. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should consider these messages carefully if they (11) ___________________ production." He added: "The message for the consumer is even stronger. Avoiding excessive (12) ___________________, especially beef, is good for the environment."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Who or what said beef production is damaging to the environment?
2.	How much more land does beef production need than lamb?
3.	How much more land does beef production need than wheat?
4.	What did scientists say was a major cause of global warming?
5.	How much of the world's greenhouse gas is from agriculture?
6.	What did a scientist say we could do to reduce our carbon footprint?
7.	What is Mark Sutton's job?
8.	Who could we give wheat to if we do not feed it to cows?
9.	For whom is a message stronger, according to Mark Sutton?
10.	What did Mark Sutton say we should avoid?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Who or what said beef production is damaging to the environment?	6.	What did a scientist say we could do to reduce our carbon footprint?
	a) a new study b) a farmer c) the United Nations d) McDonald's		a) not freeze meat b) eat more fish c) have fewer barbecues d) eat less beef
2.	How much more land does beef production need than lamb?	7.	What is Mark Sutton's job?
	a) 11 b) 15 c) 28 d) 116		a) a farmer b) a hamburger company CEO c) a professor d) a U.N. worker
3.	How much more land does beef production need than wheat?	8.	Who could we give wheat to if we do not feed it to cows?
	a) 100 b) 120 c) 140 d) 160		a) researchers b) starving people c) farmers d) restaurants
4.	What did scientists say was a major cause of global warming?	9.	For whom is a message stronger, according to Mark Sutton?
	a) fishing b) farming c) barbecues d) growing corn		a) professors b) farmers c) consumers d) butchers
5.	How much of the world's greenhouse gas is from agriculture?	10.	What did Mark Sutton say we should avoid?
	a) 15% b) 25% c) 40% d) 55%		a) driving b) too much meat c) barbecues d) the environment

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Beef

You think beef is the thing we need to cut down on most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their food isn't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): white bread, chocolate or French fries.

Role B – White bread

You think white bread is the thing we need to cut down on most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their food isn't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): beef, chocolate or French fries.

Role C – Chocolate

You think chocolate is the thing we need to cut down on most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their food isn't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): white bread, beef or French fries.

Role D – French fries

You think French fries are the things we need to cut down on most. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their food isn't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): white bread, chocolate or beef.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'farm' and 'animal'.

farm

animal

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:

study
28
after
rice
farming
half

reduce
cutting
car
feed
messages
stronger

BEEF SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about beef 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.

BEEF 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 'beef'?
c)	Do we need to eat beef?
d)	Do we need to eat meat?
e)	What do you think about what you read?
f)	Should governments tax beef?
g)	Would the world be a better place if we were all vegetarian?
h)	Should we all try to grow some food?
i)	Should countries produce less beef and more lamb, pork, etc.?
j)	How can we eat to help the environment?

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

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

a)	What do you do to reduce your carbon footprint?
b)	What do you think of the comparison between beef and cars?
c)	Is it wrong to give cows wheat when people are starving?
d)	What could people replace beef with?
e)	What food could you never give up?
f)	Is frozen and microwave food bad for the environment?
g)	What happens if we run out of space on farms for cows?
h)	Why would it be difficult for people to change what they eat?
i)	What do you think of people wasting food?
j)	What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

A new study says beef production is very (1) ____ to the environment. It damages the environment around ten times more than the (2) ____ of pork, lamb, chicken or other farm animals. Scientists said cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also produce a lot (3) ____ greenhouse gas after they eat. Compared to food (4) ____ potatoes, wheat, and rice, beef production needs 160 times more land and (5) ____ 11 times more greenhouse gases. The scientists said farming (of livestock and crops) is a major cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases. About half of (6) ____ is from livestock.

One scientist said we could all reduce our carbon footprint (7) ____ eating less beef. Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said cutting down (8) ____ the amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than using the car less. He also said that if we ate (9) ____ beef, we could use the wheat that farmers give to cows to feed (10) ____ people. He said this sounds simple, but many governments would not try to do it. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should (11) ____ these messages carefully if they want to improve overall production." He added: "The message for the consumer is even stronger. Avoiding (12) ____ meat consumption, especially beef, is good for the environment."

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

1.	(a)	damages	(b)	damaged	(c)	damaging	(d)	damage
2.	(a)	production	(b)	producer	(c)	productive	(d)	producers
3.	(a)	of	(b)	for	(c)	from	(d)	if
4.	(a)	like	(b)	same	(c)	similar	(d)	looks
5.	(a)	predicts	(b)	reduces	(c)	products	(d)	produces
6.	(a)	all	(b)	these	(c)	them	(d)	this
7.	(a)	by	(b)	of	(c)	at	(d)	as
8.	(a)	as	(b)	to	(c)	in	(d)	on
9.	(a)	less	(b)	fewer	(c)	smaller	(d)	none
10.	(a)	striving	(b)	starving	(c)	staffing	(d)	staying
11.	(a)	think	(b)	consider	(c)	belief	(d)	reflect
12.	(a)	excessive	(b)	greedy	(c)	overeating	(d)	outrageous

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	beef production is very giaagndm
2.	farm laminas
3.	cpdouer a lot of greenhouse gas
4.	potatoes, ehawt, and rice
5.	kovlicset and crops
6.	a major easuc of global warming
Paragraph 2
7.	eedurc our carbon footprint
8.	the outamn of beef we eat
9.	feed gritsvna people
10.	meporvi overall production
11.	The message for the cnmuores
12.	esexvisce meat consumption

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	gases. About half of this is from livestock.
( )	wheat that farmers give to cows to feed starving people. He said this sounds
( )	stronger. Avoiding excessive meat consumption, especially beef, is good for the environment."
( )	times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases. The scientists said
( )	One scientist said we could all reduce our carbon footprint by eating less beef. Professor Mark Sutton from
( )	messages carefully if they want to improve overall production." He added: "The message for the consumer is even
( )	eat is better for the environment than using the car less. He also said that if we ate less beef, we could use the
( )	simple, but many governments would not try to do it. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should consider these
( )	of greenhouse gas after they eat. Compared to food like potatoes, wheat, and rice, beef production needs 160
( 1 )	A new study says beef production is very damaging to the environment. It damages the environment around
( )	farming (of livestock and crops) is a major cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse
( )	the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said cutting down on the amount of beef we
( )	ten times more than the production of pork, lamb, chicken or other farm animals. Scientists said
( )	cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also produce a lot

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	study production damaging new beef very A says is.
2.	times of more pork than the Ten production.
3.	more cows land need 28 Scientists times said.
4.	greenhouse It per all 15 of gases causes cent.
5.	half About livestock from is this of.
6.	carbon beef footprint by Reduce eating our less.
7.	amount the on down Cutting better is eat we beef of.
8.	that farmers Use give the to wheat cows.
9.	should these carefully Governments consider messages.
10.	for stronger the consumer The is message even.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A new study says beef production is very damaged / damaging to the environment. It damages the environment around ten times more than the production / product of pork, lamb, chicken or other / another farm animals. Scientists said cow / cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs, sheep or chickens. They also product / produce a lot of greenhouse gas after / then they eat. Compared to food like potatoes, wheat, and rice, beef production needing / needs 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases. The scientists said farming (of livestock and crop / crops) is a major case / cause of global warming. It causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases. About half of this is from / for livestock.

One scientist said we could all reduce / low our carbon footprint by eating less / fewer beef. Professor Mark Sutton from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the UK said cuts / cutting down on the amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than uses / using the car less. He also said that if we ate less beef, we could use / have the wheat that farmers give to cows to feed starving / starvation people. He said this sounds sample / simple, but many governments would not try to do it. Professor Sutton said: "Governments should considerate / consider these messages carefully if they want to improve overall / overalls production." He added: "The message for the consumer is even stronger. Avoiding excessive meat consumption, especially / particular, is good for the environment."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_ n_w st_dy s_ys b__f pr_d_ct__n _s v_ry d_m_g_ng t_ th_ _nv_r_nm_nt. _t d_m_g_s th_ _nv_r_nm_nt _r__nd t_n t_m_s m_r_ th_n th_ pr_d_ct__n _f p_rk, l_mb, ch_ck_n _r _th_r f_rm _n_m_ls. Sc__nt_sts s__d c_ws n__d 28 t_m_s m_r_ l_nd _nd 11 t_m_s m_r_ w_t_r th_n p_gs, sh__p _r ch_ck_ns. Th_y _ls_ pr_d_c_ _ l_t _f gr__nh__s_ g_s _ft_r th_y __t. C_mp_r_d t_ f__d l_k_ p_t_t__s, wh__t, _nd r_c_, b__f pr_d_ct__n n__ds 160 t_m_s m_r_ l_nd _nd pr_d_c_s 11 t_m_s m_r_ gr__nh__s_ g_s_s. Th_ sc__nt_sts s__d f_rm_ng (_f l_v_st_ck _nd cr_ps) _s _ m_j_r c__s_ _f gl_b_l w_rm_ng. _t c__s_s 15 p_r c_nt _f _ll gr__nh__s_ g_s_s. _b__t h_lf _f th_s _s fr_m l_v_st_ck.

_n_ sc__nt_st s__d w_ c__ld _ll r_d_c_ __r c_rb_n f__tpr_nt by __t_ng l_ss b__f. Pr_f_ss_r M_rk S_tt_n fr_m th_ C_ntr_ f_r _c_l_gy _nd Hydr_l_gy _n th_ _K s__d c_tt_ng d_wn _n th_ _m__nt _f b__f w_ __t _s b_tt_r f_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt th_n _s_ng th_ c_r l_ss. H_ _ls_ s__d th_t _f w_ _t_ l_ss b__f, w_ c__ld _s_ th_ wh__t th_t f_rm_rs g_v_ t_ c_ws t_ f__d st_rv_ng p__pl_. H_ s__d th_s s__nds s_mpl_, b_t m_ny g_v_rnm_nts w__ld n_t try t_ d_ _t. Pr_f_ss_r S_tt_n s__d: "G_v_rnm_nts sh__ld c_ns_d_r th_s_ m_ss_g_s c_r_f_lly _f th_y w_nt t_ _mpr_v_ _v_r_ll pr_d_ct__n." H_ _dd_d: "Th_ m_ss_g_ f_r th_ c_ns_m_r _s _v_n str_ng_r. _v__d_ng _xc_ss_v_ m__t c_ns_mpt__n, _sp_c__lly b__f, _s g__d f_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a new study says beef production is very damaging to the environment it damages the environment around ten times more than the production of pork lamb chicken or other farm animals scientists said cows need 28 times more land and 11 times more water than pigs sheep or chickens they also produce a lot of greenhouse gas after they eat compared to food like potatoes wheat and rice beef production needs 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases the scientists said farming (of livestock and crops) is a major cause of global warming it causes 15 per cent of all greenhouse gases about half of this is from livestock

one scientist said we could all reduce our carbon footprint by eating less beef professor mark sutton from the centre for ecology and hydrology in the uk said cutting down on the amount of beef we eat is better for the environment than using the car less he also said that if we ate less beef we could use the wheat that farmers give to cows to feed starving people he said this sounds simple but many governments would not try to do it professor sutton said "governments should consider these messages carefully if they want to improve overall production" he added "the message for the consumer is even stronger avoiding excessive meat consumption especially beef is good for the environment"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Anewstudysaysbeefproductionisverydamagingtotheenvironmen
t.Itdamagestheenvironmentaroundtentimesmorethantheprodu
ctionofpork,lamb,chickenorotherfarmanimals.Scientistssaidcow
sneed28timesmorelandand11timesmorewaterthanpigs,sheepor
chickens.Theyalsoproducealotofgreenhousegasaftertheyeat.Co
mparedtofoodlikepotatoes,wheat,andrice,beefproductionneeds
160timesmorelandandproduces11timesmoregreenhousegases.
Thescientistssaidfarming(oflivestockandcrops)isamajorcauseof
globalwarming.Itcauses15percentofallgreenhousegases.Abouth
alfofthisisfromlivestock.Onescientistsaidwecouldallreduceourcar
bonfootprintbyeatinglessbeef.ProfessorMarkSuttonfromtheCent
reforEcologyandHydrologyintheUKsaidcuttingdownontheamoun
tofbeefweeatisbetterfortheenvironmentthanusingthecarless.He
alsosaidthatifweatelessbeef,wecouldusethewheatthatfarmersgi
vetocowstofeedstarvingpeople.Hesaidthissoundssimple,butman
ygovernmentswouldnottrytodoit.ProfessorSuttonsaid:"Govern
mentsshouldconsiderthesemessagescarefullyiftheywanttoimpro
veoverallproduction."Headded:"Themessagefortheconsumerise
venstronger.Avoidingexcessivemeatconsumption,especiallybee
f,isgoodfortheenvironment."

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

We should not give wheat to cows when people are starving. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 beef production. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

4. ENVIRONMENT: Write a magazine article about beef production and its effect on the environment. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against getting people to eat less beef.

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. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on beef. Ask him/her three questions about beef. Give him/her three of your ideas. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	study	a.	report
2.	damages	b.	harms
3.	produce	c.	make
4.	needs	d.	requires
5.	half	e.	fifty per cent
6.	reduce	f.	lower
7.	cutting down	g.	reducing
8.	simple	h.	easy
9.	consider	i.	think about
10.	consumer	j.	shopper

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	A new study
2.	28
3.	160
4.	Farming
5.	15%
6.	Eat less beef
7.	A professor
8.	Starving people
9.	Consumers
10.	Excessive meat consumption

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

d

4.

b

5.

a

6.

d

7.

c

8.

b

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Beef production damages the environment (24th July, 2014)

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