The Reading / Listening - Level 5

The New Year is when we make plans to change our life for the better over the next twelve months. A psychiatry professor said: "January 1 is a 'magical' date and a vow made on this day is much more powerful than one made on August 26, for example." Unfortunately, most of our promises to quit, start or change things are, more often than not, broken by January 31st. They are usually identical to resolutions that were not fulfilled from the previous years. People tend to make the same resolutions year after year, even though they have a hard time keeping them.

Around 45 per cent of us make a New Year’s resolution. The most common ones are to lose weight, volunteer to help others, quit smoking, save money, and get fit. Others include eating healthier food, drinking less alcohol, and going on trips. Research shows that most of us do not stick to these. A study found that 71 per cent of us stick to our promises for the first two weeks, but six months later, less than 50 per cent are on track. Most people give up because they have a lack of willpower. They also use the 'escape clause' that they will 'try again next year'. i q

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.science20.com/the_conversation/symbolic_gestures_the_magical_thinking_of_new_years_resolutions-151909
  • http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2015/01/01/top-new-years-resolutions-for-2015/
  • http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/01/bad-new-years-resolutions_n_6401180.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 Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

make

a.

to make the same resolutions

2.

change our life

b.

time keeping them

3.

A psychiatry

c.

years

4.

much more

d.

identical

5.

They are usually

e.

for the better

6.

from the previous

f.

plans

7.

People tend

g.

powerful

8.

they have a hard

h.

professor



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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The most common

a.

track

2.

lose

b.

smoking

3.

quit

c.

two weeks

4.

most of us do not

d.

weight

5.

for the first

e.

clause

6.

less than 50 per cent are on

f.

stick to these

7.

they have a lack of

g.

ones

8.

escape

h.

willpower

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The New Year (1) ___________________ plans to change our life for the (2) ___________________ twelve months. A psychiatry professor said: "January 1 is a 'magical' date and a vow (3) ___________________ is much more powerful than one made on August 26, for example." Unfortunately, most of our (4) ___________________, start or change things are, more often than not, broken by January 31st. They (5) ___________________ resolutions that were not fulfilled from the previous years. People tend to make the same resolutions year after year, (6) ___________________ have a hard time keeping them.

Around 45 per cent of us make a New Year's resolution. The most common (7) ___________________ weight, volunteer to help others, quit smoking, save money, and get fit. (8) ___________________ healthier food, drinking less alcohol, and going on trips. Research (9) ___________________ of us do not stick to these. A study found that 71 per cent of us stick to our promises (10) ___________________ weeks, but six months later, less than 50 per cent are on track. Most people give up because (11) ___________________ willpower. They also use the 'escape clause' that (12) ___________________ next year'.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about New Year's resolutions 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.

 

 

 

 

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)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about New Year's resolutions for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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