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Man waits 3 hours for ambulance (8th January, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A man who broke his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to arrive. Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg while playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical team called for an ambulance and the game was stopped while they waited for it to arrive. The players and officials waited and waited but no ambulance turned up. In the end, the match was called off. Stadium workers had to turn the floodlights on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the dark. His teammates covered him in blankets to protect him from the cold. The ambulance service told people not to move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become worse. An ambulance finally arrived three hours later.

Mr Segadelli is now recovering in a local hospital. He needed an operation to repair his broken leg. Doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it heals properly. Segadelli is not happy with his experience. He told reporters: "I want an apology for the delay. They must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to anyone else again." He explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour back into my foot, they said it was a big concern because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk of losing my foot." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very busy that day.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-30693304
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/rugby-player-waited-three-hours-8389551
http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Rugby-player-twists-ankle-90-degrees-waits-hours/story-25810844-detail/story.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. AMBULANCES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about ambulances. 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?

broken leg / three hours / ambulance / doctor / floodlights / in the dark / the cold / recovering / operation / apology / shaking / paramedics / worried / risk / very busy

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

3. THREE HOURS: What would you do in these situations? Complete this table and share what you wrote with your partner(s). Change partners often.

Three hours…	What you would do	Why?
waiting for an ambulance
waiting for a first date
waiting to see the dentist
stuck in an elevator
with no Internet or phone
stuck in traffic

4. PRIVATE AMBULANCE: Students A strongly believe all sports teams should have their own private ambulance; Students B strongly believe this isn't necessary. 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. WAITING: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst things to wait for at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• an ambulance

• an Internet connection

• a friend to arrive

• the dentist

• pay day

• an apology

• the rain to stop

• food to be served

6. DOCTORS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "doctors". 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.	A man waited for three hours for an ambulance with a broken back.	T / F
b.	The man was injured while playing in a rugby game.	T / F
c.	The man's teammates put blankets on him to help keep him warm.	T / F
d.	The ambulance service told people not to move the man.	T / F
e.	The man is now out of hospital.	T / F
f.	The man said he was happy with the ambulance service.	T / F
g.	Paramedics worried after they saw the man's foot turn blue.	T / F
h.	The ambulance service was not so busy when the man was injured.	T / F

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

1.	match	a.	shield
2.	called	b.	come
3.	arrive	c.	surgery
4.	called off	d.	concerned
5.	protect	e.	game
6.	recovering	f.	wait
7.	operation	g.	phoned
8.	delay	h.	getting better
9.	worried	i.	chance
10.	risk	j.	abandoned

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

1.	A man who broke his leg waited	a.	no ambulance came
2.	rugby	b.	for the delay
3.	they waited for it to arrive but	c.	came three hours later
4.	wait in the	d.	with cold
5.	An ambulance finally	e.	for three hours
6.	recovering in	f.	busy that day
7.	I want an apology	g.	dark
8.	he was shaking	h.	his foot
9.	there was a risk of him losing	i.	match
10.	The ambulance service said it was very	j.	hospital

GAP FILL

A man who (1) ____________ his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to (2) ____________. Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg while playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical team called for an ambulance and the game was (3) ____________ while they waited for it to arrive. The players and officials waited and waited but no ambulance (4) ____________ up. In the end, the match was called off. Stadium workers had to turn the (5) ____________ on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the (6) ____________. His teammates covered him in (7) ____________ to protect him from the cold. The ambulance service told people not to move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become (8) ____________. An ambulance finally arrived three hours later.

floodlights
arrive
blankets
broke
worse
turned
stopped
dark

Mr Segadelli is now (9) ____________ in a local hospital. He needed an operation to repair his broken leg. Doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it heals (10) ____________. Segadelli is not happy with his experience. He told reporters: "I want an (11) ____________ for the delay. They must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to anyone (12) ____________ again." He explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was (13) ____________ to get colour back into my foot, they said it was a big (14) ____________ because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk of (15) ____________ my foot." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very (16) ____________ that day.

properly
taking
losing
recovering
busy
else
apology
concern

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	A man who broke his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for _____
	a. an ambulance to arrive b. an ambulance too arrive c. an ambulance to arrival d. the ambulance to arrive
2)	Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg while playing in ______ Swansea
	a. a rugby match on b. the rugby match in c. a rugby match in d. the rugby match on
3)	The players and officials waited and waited but no ______
	a. ambulance tuned up b. ambulance trained up c. ambulance turned up d. ambulance churned up
4)	His teammates covered him in blankets to protect ______
	a. him from the colds b. him from the coldly c. him from the coldness d. him from the cold
5)	The ambulance service told people not to move Mr Segadelli as his injury ______
	a. could become worst b. could become words c. could become worse d. could become whirls
6)	He needed an operation to repair ______
	a. his broken leg b. his breaking leg c. his breaker leg d. his broke leg
7)	They must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to ______
	a. anyone more again b. anyone else again c. anyone some again d. anyone health again
8)	the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour ______
	a. backs into my foot b. backs onto my foot c. back onto my foot d. back into my foot
9)	it was a big concern because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk ______
	a. if losing my foot b. of losing my foot c. for losing my foot d. off losing my foot
10)	The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very ______
	a. busily that day b. business that day c. bossy that day d. busy that day

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

A man who broke his leg in Wales had (1) ___________________ hours for an ambulance to arrive. Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg while playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical (2) ___________________ ambulance and the game was stopped while they waited for it to arrive. The players and officials (3) ___________________ but no ambulance turned up. In the end, the match (4) ___________________. Stadium workers had to turn the floodlights on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the dark. His teammates covered him in blankets to (5) ___________________ the cold. The ambulance service told people not to move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become worse. An ambulance (6) ___________________ hours later.

Mr Segadelli is now (7) ___________________ local hospital. He needed an operation to repair his broken leg. Doctors put metal pins (8) ___________________ sure it heals properly. Segadelli is not happy with his experience. He told reporters: "I want (9) ___________________ the delay. They must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to (10) ___________________." He explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour (11) ___________________, they said it was a big concern because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk of (12) ___________________." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very busy that day.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What did a man break?
2.	What kind of game was the man playing in?
3.	What did people turn on so the man wouldn't be in the dark?
4.	What did the man's teammates use to protect him from the cold?
5.	What did the ambulance service tell people not to do?
6.	Where is the man now?
7.	What did doctors put in the man's leg?
8.	What does the man want from the ambulance service?
9.	What colour did the man's foot become?
10.	What reason did the ambulance service give for being late?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What did a man break?	6.	Where is the man now?
	a) the rules b) his leg c) the law d) his back		a) in hospital b) at home c) in an ambulance d) playing rugby
2.	What kind of game was the man playing in?	7.	What did doctors put in the man's leg?
	a) a card game b) an important game c) a new game d) a rugby game		a) needles b) blood c) metal pins d) a new bone
3.	What did people turn on so the man wouldn't be in the dark?	8.	What does the man want from the ambulance service?
	a) emergency lights b) their mobile phones c) floodlights d) torches		a) an apology b) money c) an ambulance d) medical help
4.	What did the man's teammates use to protect him from the cold?	9.	What colour did the man's foot become?
	a) blankets b) candles c) their bodies d) car engines		a) white b) orange c) red d) blue
5.	What did the ambulance service tell people not to do?	10.	What reason did the ambulance service give for being late?
	a) talk to the man b) move the man c) bring the man to hospital d) play rugby		a) it was Sunday b) the drivers were sick c) it was busy d) no reason

ROLE PLAY

Role A – An ambulance

You think an ambulance is the worst thing to wait for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which of these is the least difficult to wait for (and why): pay day, an apology or food to be served.

Role B – Pay day

You think pay day is the worst thing to wait for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which of these is the least difficult to wait for (and why): an ambulance, an apology or food to be served.

Role C – An apology

You think an apology is the worst thing to wait for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which of these is the least difficult to wait for (and why): pay day, an ambulance or food to be served.

Role D – Food to be served

You think food to be served is the worst thing to wait for. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which of these is the least difficult to wait for (and why): pay day, an apology or an ambulance.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

break

leg

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:

30
stopped
off
protect
move
finally

hospital
pins
happy
shaking
blue
busy

AMBULANCES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about ambulances 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.

AMBULANCES DISCUSSION

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

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'ambulance'?
3)	What experiences do you have with ambulances?
4)	What are the good and bad things about ambulances?
5)	What is the longest it should take for an ambulance to arrive?
6)	What do you think about what you read?
7)	What would you do if you had to wait three hours for an ambulance?
8)	What do you think Mr Segadelli thought about?
9)	What do you think it's like to be an ambulance driver?
10)	What's the ambulance service like in your country?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	How would you be feeling if you were Mr Segadelli?
13)	What can the ambulance service do to stop this happening again?
14)	How important is an ambulance service?
15)	Should Mr Segadelli take the ambulance service to court?
16)	What would have happened if Mr Segadelli lost his foot?
17)	Should sports teams have their own ambulance?
18)	What advice do you have for the ambulance service?
19)	What should the ambulance service do to apologise?
20)	What questions would you like to ask Mr Segadelli?

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 man who (1) ____ his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to arrive. Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg (2) ____ playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical team called for an ambulance and the game was (3) ____ while they waited for it to arrive. The players and officials waited and waited but no ambulance turned up. In the (4) ____, the match was called off. Stadium workers had to turn the floodlights on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the (5) ____. His teammates covered him in blankets to protect him from the cold. The ambulance service told people not to move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become worse. An ambulance (6) ____ arrived three hours later.

Mr Segadelli is now recovering in a (7) ____ hospital. He needed an operation to repair his broken leg. Doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it (8) ____ properly. Segadelli is not happy with his experience. He told reporters: "I want an apology for the (9) ____. They must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to anyone (10) ____ again." He explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour (11) ____ into my foot, they said it was a big concern because I had been in the cold so long there was a risk of losing my foot." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very busy (12) ____ day.

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

1.	(a)	break	(b)	breaking	(c)	broken	(d)	broke
2.	(a)	wish	(b)	where	(c)	was	(d)	while
3.	(a)	stopping	(b)	stopped	(c)	stops	(d)	stop
4.	(a)	final	(b)	start	(c)	end	(d)	beginning
5.	(a)	lonely	(b)	light	(c)	dark	(d)	bus
6.	(a)	finally	(b)	firstly	(c)	friendly	(d)	firmly
7.	(a)	next	(b)	local	(c)	close	(d)	opposite
8.	(a)	heals	(b)	feels	(c)	wheels	(d)	gels
9.	(a)	decay	(b)	delay	(c)	relay	(d)	belay
10.	(a)	another	(b)	other	(c)	else	(d)	whoever
11.	(a)	leg	(b)	front	(c)	back	(d)	arm
12.	(a)	such	(b)	so	(c)	this	(d)	that

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	they waited for it to erraiv
2.	Workers turned on the oliodgtshlf
3.	His team put antkslbe on him
4.	ttproec him from the cold
5.	his leg could become osrwe
6.	An ambulance lyflina came
Paragraph 2
7.	Segadelli is now revrngcioe in hospital
8.	He had an oaiontepr
9.	I want an ypogloa for the delay
10.	he was nhasikg with cold
11.	He said the aasprdceim were worried
12.	The ambulance iscerev said it was very busy

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become worse. An ambulance finally arrived three hours later.
( )	waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shaking. When the paramedics saw how
( )	officials waited and waited but no ambulance turned up. In the end, the match was called off. Stadium workers had to turn
( )	long it was taking to get colour back into my foot, they said it was a big concern because I had been in the
( )	sure it does not happen to anyone else again." He explained what happened while he was
( 1 )	A man who broke his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to arrive. Luigi Segadelli,
( )	Mr Segadelli is now recovering in a local hospital. He needed an operation to repair his
( )	the floodlights on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the dark. His teammates covered him in
( )	blankets to protect him from the cold. The ambulance service told people not to
( )	experience. He told reporters: "I want an apology for the delay. They must have the decency to make
( )	cold so long there was a risk of losing my foot." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very busy that day.
( )	broken leg. Doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it heals properly. Segadelli is not happy with his
( )	ambulance and the game was stopped while they waited for it to arrive. The players and
( )	30, broke his leg while playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical team called for an

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	to hours an for Wait three for . ambulance arrive
2.	for team His an called medical ambulance .
3.	while The was game . waited it for stopped they
4.	called In , was end match off the the .
5.	blankets His him him teammates to in covered protect .
6.	local Mr now a is in hospital Segadelli recovering .
7.	make his metal sure leg pins Doctors it to in put heals .
8.	else again Make sure it does not happen to anyone .
9.	was saw taking how long The it paramedics .
10.	of There losing was my a foot risk .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A man who broke / broken his leg in Wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to depart / arrive. Luigi Segadelli, 30, broke his leg while / was playing in a rugby match in Swansea, Wales. His medical team called for an ambulance and the game was stopping / stopped while they waited for it to arrive. The players and officials waited and waited but no / not ambulance turned up. In the end, the match was called on / off. Stadium workers had to turn the floodlights on so Mr Segadelli would not have to wait in the light / dark. His teammates covered him in blanket / blankets to protect him from the cold. The ambulance service told people not / no to move Mr Segadelli as his injury could become worse. An ambulance finally / final arrived three hours later.

Mr Segadelli is now recovery / recovering in a local hospital. He needed an operation to repair / repairing his broken leg. Doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it heels / heals properly. Segadelli is not happily / happy with his experience. He told reporters: "I want an apologise / apology for the delay. They must have the decency / decent to make sure it does not happen to anyone else / whoever again." He explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance. He said: "I was cold and shook / shaking. When the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour back / be into my foot, they said it was a big concern because I had been in the cold / cool so long there was a risk of losing my foot." The Welsh Ambulance Service said it had been very busy that day.

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)

_ m_n wh_ br_k_ h_s l_g _n W_l_s h_d t_ w__t f_r thr__ h__rs f_r _n _mb_l_nc_ t_ _rr_v_. L__g_ S_g_d_ll_, 30, br_k_ h_s l_g wh_l_ pl_y_ng _n _ r_gby m_tch _n Sw_ns__, W_l_s. H_s m_d_c_l t__m c_ll_d f_r _n _mb_l_nc_ _nd th_ g_m_ w_s st_pp_d wh_l_ th_y w__t_d f_r _t t_ _rr_v_. Th_ pl_y_rs _nd _ff_c__ls w__t_d _nd w__t_d b_t n_ _mb_l_nc_ t_rn_d _p. _n th_ _nd, th_ m_tch w_s c_ll_d _ff. St_d__m w_rk_rs h_d t_ t_rn th_ fl__dl_ghts _n s_ Mr S_g_d_ll_ w__ld n_t h_v_ t_ w__t _n th_ d_rk. H_s t__mm_t_s c_v_r_d h_m _n bl_nk_ts t_ pr_t_ct h_m fr_m th_ c_ld. Th_ _mb_l_nc_ s_rv_c_ t_ld p__pl_ n_t t_ m_v_ Mr S_g_d_ll_ _s h_s _nj_ry c__ld b_c_m_ w_rs_. _n _mb_l_nc_ f_n_lly _rr_v_d thr__ h__rs l_t_r.

Mr S_g_d_ll_ _s n_w r_c_v_r_ng _n _ l_c_l h_sp_t_l. H_ n__d_d _n _p_r_t__n t_ r_p__r h_s br_k_n l_g. D_ct_rs p_t m_t_l p_ns _n h_s l_g t_ m_k_ s_r_ _t h__ls pr_p_rly. S_g_d_ll_ _s n_t h_ppy w_th h_s _xp_r__nc_. H_ t_ld r_p_rt_rs: "_ w_nt _n _p_l_gy f_r th_ d_l_y. Th_y m_st h_v_ th_ d_c_ncy t_ m_k_ s_r_ _t d__s n_t h_pp_n t_ _ny_n_ _ls_ _g__n." H_ _xpl__n_d wh_t h_pp_n_d wh_l_ h_ w_s w__t_ng f_r th_ _mb_l_nc_. H_ s__d: "_ w_s c_ld _nd sh_k_ng. Wh_n th_ p_r_m_d_cs s_w h_w l_ng _t w_s t_k_ng t_ g_t c_l__r b_ck _nt_ my f__t, th_y s__d _t w_s _ b_g c_nc_rn b_c__s_ _ h_d b__n _n th_ c_ld s_ l_ng th_r_ w_s _ r_sk _f l_s_ng my f__t." Th_ W_lsh _mb_l_nc_ S_rv_c_ s__d _t h_d b__n v_ry b_sy th_t d_y.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a man who broke his leg in wales had to wait for three hours for an ambulance to arrive luigi segadelli 30 broke his leg while playing in a rugby match in swansea wales his medical team called for an ambulance and the game was stopped while they waited for it to arrive the players and officials waited and waited but no ambulance turned up in the end the match was called off stadium workers had to turn the floodlights on so mr segadelli would not have to wait in the dark his teammates covered him in blankets to protect him from the cold the ambulance service told people not to move mr segadelli as his injury could become worse an ambulance finally arrived three hours later

mr segadelli is now recovering in a local hospital he needed an operation to repair his broken leg doctors put metal pins in his leg to make sure it heals properly segadelli is not happy with his experience he told reporters "i want an apology for the delay they must have the decency to make sure it does not happen to anyone else again" he explained what happened while he was waiting for the ambulance he said "i was cold and shaking when the paramedics saw how long it was taking to get colour back into my foot they said it was a big concern because i had been in the cold so long there was a risk of losing my foot" the welsh ambulance service said it had been very busy that day

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AmanwhobrokehisleginWaleshadtowaitforthreehoursforanambulan
cetoarrive.LuigiSegadelli,30,brokehislegwhileplayinginarugbymatc
hinSwansea,Wales.Hismedicalteamcalledforanambulanceandthega
mewasstoppedwhiletheywaitedforittoarrive.Theplayersandofficials
waitedandwaitedbutnoambulanceturnedup.Intheend,thematchwas
calledoff.StadiumworkershadtoturnthefloodlightsonsoMrSegadelli
wouldnothavetowaitinthedark.Histeammatescoveredhiminblankets
toprotecthimfromthecold.Theambulanceservicetoldpeoplenottomo
veMrSegadelliashisinjurycouldbecomeworse.Anambulancefinallyar
rivedthreehourslater.MrSegadelliisnowrecoveringinalocalhospital.H
eneededanoperationtorepairhisbrokenleg.Doctorsputmetalpinsinhi
slegtomakesureithealsproperly.Segadelliisnothappywithhisexperie
nce.Hetoldreporters:"Iwantanapologyforthedelay.Theymusthaveth
edecencytomakesureitdoesnothappentoanyoneelseagain."Heexpla
inedwhathappenedwhilehewaswaitingfortheambulance.Hesaid:"Iw
ascoldandshaking.Whentheparamedicssawhowlongitwastakingtog
etcolourbackintomyfoot,theysaiditwasabigconcernbecauseIhadbee
ninthecoldsolongtherewasariskoflosingmyfoot."TheWelshAmbulan
ceServicesaidithadbeenverybusythatday.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

All companies and sports teams should have their own ambulance. 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 ambulances. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. AMBULANCES: Make a poster about ambulances and paramedics. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. LUIGI: Write a magazine article about Luigi and his three-hour ambulance wait. Include imaginary interviews with him and the head of the ambulance service.

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 ambulances. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make the ambulance service better. 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

Buy my book

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

F

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	match	a.	game
2	called	b.	phoned
3.	arrive	c.	come
4.	called off	d.	abandoned
5.	protect	e.	shield
6.	recovering	f.	getting better
7.	operation	g.	surgery
8.	delay	h.	wait
9.	worried	i.	concerned
10.	risk	j.	chance

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	His leg
2.	A rugby match
3.	Floodlights
4.	Blankets
5.	Move the man
6.	In hospital
7.	Metal pins
8.	An apology
9.	Blue
10.	It was very busy

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

c

4.

a

5.

b

6.

a

7.

c

8.

a

9.

d

10.

c

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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Man waits 3 hours for ambulance (8th January, 2015)

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