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Study says eyelashes keep eyes from drying (27th February, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Scientists have come up with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are the length they are. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a variety of tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special wind tunnel and an artificial eye to provide mathematical models of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion of head researcher David Hu is that the function of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes from drying out and that the optimal eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is wide. Professor Hu found that across a wide variety of mammals, the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was consistently one-third.

Dr Hu started his investigation after the birth of his newborn daughter. He wondered why his baby kept on batting her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes that rim the eyes in mammals have been a mystery for a long time as to what their function was. There were a lot of hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering the blink reflex….What we did was the first aerodynamic study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes reduce evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent, and they reduce [the deposits] of small airborne particles." A colleague said Hu had a talent for, "looking at what everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/science/length-of-lashes-keeps-eyes-from-drying-study-finds.html?_r=0
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/why-do-we-have-eyelashes-mystery-finally-solved-by-scientists-1489343
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/biologists-lift-lid-eyelash-mystery-004048675.html#E3eAftO

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. EYELASHES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about eyelashes. 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?

scientists / answers / variety / tests / wind tunnel / mathematical models / eye width / newborn daughter / eyelids / mystery / hypotheses / blink / evaporation / colleague

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

3. EYES: How are these parts of and around the eye used for beauty, how effective is it, and how can it go wrong? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Beautification	Effectiveness	How it can go wrong
Eyelashes
Eyelids
Eyebrows
Retina
Under the eyes
Glasses

4. BEAUTY: Students A strongly believe eyelashes greatly increase someone's beauty; Students B strongly believe the opposite. 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. HAIR: Rank these with your partner. Put the most useful hair at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• eyelashes

• upper lip

• underarm

• beard

• eyebrows

• hair on legs

• hair on your head

• chest hair

6. BLINK: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "blink". 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.	Scientists found an answer to a question about eyelashes and age.	T / F
b.	Scientists looked at the eyelashes of over 20 mammals.	T / F
c.	Scientists used a wind tunnel to see how aerodynamic eyelashes are.	T / F
d.	Eyelashes are usually one-third of an eye's width in most mammals.	T / F
e.	A scientist embarked on this study after looking at his daughter's eyes.	T / F
f.	There were very few thoughts on what the function of eyelashes was.	T / F
g.	The research used one independent means to support it.	T / F
h.	The researcher has a talent for seeing what everyone has seen.	T / F

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

1.	come up with	a.	role
2.	variety	b.	imitation
3.	artificial	c.	enquiry
4.	function	d.	broad
5.	wide	e.	decrease
6.	investigation	f.	found
7.	mystery	g.	theories
8.	hypotheses	h.	flair
9.	reduce	i.	range
10.	talent	j.	puzzle

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

1.	Scientists have come up with answers to	a.	of tests on the lashes
2.	why eyelashes are the	b.	nobody has seen
3.	conducted a variety	c.	evaporation of the eye
4.	protect the eyes	d.	length they are
5.	across a wide	e.	small airborne particles
6.	triggering the blink	f.	from drying out
7.	the first aerodynamic	g.	reflex
8.	eyelashes reduce	h.	the age-old question
9.	reduce the deposits of	i.	study of eyelashes
10.	seeing what	j.	variety of mammals

GAP FILL

Scientists have come (1) ____________ with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are the length they are. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a (2) ____________ of tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special (3) ____________ tunnel and an artificial eye to provide mathematical (4) ____________ of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion of head researcher David Hu is that the (5) ____________ of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes from drying out and that the (6) ____________ eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is wide. Professor Hu found that (7) ____________ a wide variety of mammals, the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was (8) ____________ one-third.

wind
function
across
up
consistently
models
optimal
variety

Dr Hu started his investigation after the birth of his newborn daughter. He (9) ____________ why his baby kept on batting her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes that rim the eyes in mammals have been a (10) ____________ for a long time as to what their function was. There were a lot of (11) ____________, from dust catchers to (12) ____________ the blink reflex….What we did was the first (13) ____________ study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes (14) ____________ evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent, and they reduce [the deposits] of small airborne (15) ____________." A colleague said Hu had a (16) ____________ for, "looking at what everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."

triggering
mystery
particles
wondered
talent
aerodynamic
hypotheses
reduce

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Scientists have come up with answers to the ______
	a. aged-old question b. ages-old question c. age-old question d. aging-old question
2)	conducted a variety of tests on the lashes of ______
	a. 22 different mammalians b. 22 different mammals c. 22 different mammal d. 22 different mammoths
3)	One was to create a special wind tunnel and _______
	a. an artificially eye b. an arty official eye c. an art officiall eye d. an artificial eye
4)	the function of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes ______
	a. from drying out b. from dry in out c. from crying out d. from cry in out
5)	the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was ______
	a. consistency one-third b. consistence one-third c. consistently one-third d. consistent one-third
6)	Hu started his investigation after the birth of ______
	a. his new born daughter b. his newborn daughter c. his new birth daughter d. his newly born daughter
7)	He wondered why his baby kept on ______
	a. battling her eyelids b. batting her eyelids c. baiting her eyelids d. bartering her eyelids
8)	Eyelashes that rim the eyes in mammals have been a mystery ______
	a. for the long time b. for a long time c. for and long time d. for all long time
9)	There were a lot of hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering ______
	a. the blinks reflex b. the blinked reflex c. the blinker reflex d. the blink reflex
10)	eyelashes reduce evaporation of the eye _______
	a. by 70 per cent b. buy 70 per cent c. bay 70 per cent d. bye 70 per cent

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are (2) ___________________. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted (3) ___________________ on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special wind tunnel and an artificial eye to provide (4) ___________________ of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion of head researcher David Hu is that the function of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes from drying out and that the optimal eyelash length for this to happen (5) ___________________ long as the eye is wide. Professor Hu found that across a wide variety of mammals, the ratio of eyelash length and eye width (6) ___________________ one-third.

Dr Hu started his investigation (7) ___________________ his newborn daughter. He wondered why his baby kept on batting her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes (8) ___________________ in mammals have been a mystery for a long time (9) ___________________ function was. There were a lot of hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering the blink reflex….What (10) ___________________ aerodynamic study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes (11) ___________________ the eye by 70 per cent, and they reduce [the deposits] of small airborne particles." A colleague said Hu had a talent for, " (12) ___________________ everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	How old did the article say the question was about eyelashes?
2.	How many different mammals did the scientists look at?
3.	What special machine was made to test eyelashes?
4.	What did David Hu conclude about the function of eyelashes?
5.	What was the ratio of eyelash length and eye width found in mammals?
6.	What triggered Dr Hu to start his investigation?
7.	What did Hu's baby keep doing to her eyelids to make him wonder?
8.	What did one hypothesis say was triggered by eyelashes?
9.	By how much is evaporation in the eye reduced by eyelashes?
10.	What did a colleague say Hu had a talent for seeing?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	How old did the article say the question was about eyelashes?	6.	What triggered Dr Hu to start his investigation?
	a) 27,000 years old b) four millennia c) 27 years old d) age-old		a) his own blinking b) his baby daughter c) a magazine article d) an eye operation
2.	How many different mammals did the scientists look at?	7.	What did Hu's baby keep doing to her eyelids to make him wonder?
	a) 21 b) 22 c) 23 d) 24		a) closing them b) rubbing them c) keeping them open d) batting them
3.	What special machine was made to test eyelashes?	8.	What did one hypothesis say was triggered by eyelashes?
	a) a mascara measurer b) a laser c) a wind tunnel d) a 3D eyelash printer		a) the blink reflex b) the butterfly effect c) colds d) shortsightedness
4.	What did David Hu conclude about the function of eyelashes?	9.	By how much is evaporation in the eye reduced by eyelashes?
	a) it protects eyes from drying out b) they are to attract partners c) very little d) they help us sleep		a) 50% b) 60% c) 70% d) 80%
5.	What was the ratio of eyelash length and eye width found in mammals?	10.	What did a colleague say Hu had a talent for seeing?
	a) a fifth b) a quarter c) a third d) three-eighths		a) past the obvious b) what others had not seen c) eyelashes d) the future

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Eyelashes

You think eyelashes are the most beautiful part of the face. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so beautiful. Also, tell the others which is the least beautiful of these (and why): eyebrows, the nose or the mouth.

Role B – Eyebrows

You think eyebrows are the most beautiful part of the face. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so beautiful. Also, tell the others which is the least beautiful of these (and why): eyelashes, the nose or the mouth.

Role C – Nose

You think the nose is the most beautiful part of the face. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so beautiful. Also, tell the others which is the least beautiful of these (and why): eyebrows, eyelashes or the mouth.

Role D – Mouth

You think the mouth is the most beautiful part of the face. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so beautiful. Also, tell the others which is the least beautiful of these (and why): eyebrows, the nose or eyelashes.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

eye

lash

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:

answers
variety
special
function
happen
width

birth
rim
dust
first
three
talent

EYELASHES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about eyelashes 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.

EYELASHES 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 'eyelash'?
3)	What did you think eyelashes were for?
4)	What would life be like without eyelashes?
5)	What do you think about what you read?
6)	What do you think of your eyelashes?
7)	Why do people think longer eyelashes are more attractive?
8)	What do you do when you get an eyelash in your eye?
9)	What do you think of eyelashes on animals?
10)	How interesting would it be to do this research?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	How cute are baby's eyelashes?
13)	When and why do you bat your eyelashes?
14)	Why do we blink?
15)	How would people do an aerodynamic study of eyelashes?
16)	People say camel's eyelashes are very beautiful. What do you think?
17)	How can we look after our eyelashes?
18)	Which are more important, eyelashes or eyebrows?
19)	What do you have a talent for nobody else has?
20)	What questions would you like to ask David Hu?

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

Scientists have come up with answers to the (1) ____-old question of why eyelashes are the length they are. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a (2) ____ of tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special wind tunnel and an (3) ____ eye to provide mathematical models of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion of head researcher David Hu is that the function of eyelashes is to help (4) ____ the eyes from drying out and that the optimal eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is (5) ____. Professor Hu found that across a wide variety of mammals, the (6) ____ of eyelash length and eye width was consistently one-third.

Dr Hu started his investigation after the birth of his (7) ____ daughter. He wondered why his baby kept on batting her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes that (8) ____ the eyes in mammals have been a mystery for a long time as to what their function (9) ____. There were a lot of hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering the (10) ____ reflex….What we did was the first aerodynamic study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes reduce evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent, and they (11) ____ [the deposits] of small airborne particles." A colleague said Hu had a (12) ____ for, "looking at what everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."

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

1.	(a)	aged	(b)	ageing	(c)	age	(d)	ageless
2.	(a)	variety	(b)	varies	(c)	various	(d)	varied
3.	(a)	artificial	(b)	anti	(c)	artsy	(d)	arty
4.	(a)	protect	(b)	produce	(c)	proliferate	(d)	prognosis
5.	(a)	oval	(b)	wide	(c)	almond	(d)	tall
6.	(a)	rattan	(b)	rated	(c)	radio	(d)	ratio
7.	(a)	newbie	(b)	newish	(c)	newborn	(d)	news
8.	(a)	ram	(b)	dam	(c)	dim	(d)	rim
9.	(a)	was	(b)	be	(c)	are	(d)	were
10.	(a)	trigger	(b)	blink	(c)	holster	(d)	stare
11.	(a)	deduct	(b)	reduce	(c)	level	(d)	edge
12.	(a)	ability	(b)	apt	(c)	talent	(d)	inclination

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	answers to the gae-dlo question
2.	an acilftirai eye
3.	The ocunonicls of head researcher David Hu
4.	the oalitmp eyelash length
5.	a wide variety of lasammm
6.	eye width was esnctysnoitl one-third
Paragraph 2
7.	Hu started his tviinotineasg
8.	a yyrestm for a long time
9.	There were a lot of shyehsopte
10.	the first cdyioamraen study of eyelashes
11.	reduce peiaovontra
12.	small airborne tsrilpeca

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	on batting her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes that rim the eyes in
( )	particles." A colleague said Hu had a talent for, "looking at what everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."
( )	length they are. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a variety of
( )	variety of mammals, the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was consistently one-third.
( 1 )	Scientists have come up with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are the
( )	Dr Hu started his investigation after the birth of his newborn daughter. He wondered why his baby kept
( )	evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent, and they reduce [the deposits] of small airborne
( )	hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering the blink reflex….What we did was the first aerodynamic
( )	researcher David Hu is that the function of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes from drying out and that the optimal
( )	tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special wind tunnel and an artificial
( )	eye to provide mathematical models of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion of head
( )	study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes reduce
( )	eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is wide. Professor Hu found that across a wide
( )	mammals have been a mystery for a long time as to what their function was. There were a lot of

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	- old question Come up with answers to the age .
2.	variety A mammals different 22 of lashes the on tests of .
3.	tunnel create a One special was wind to .
4.	protect Help out drying from eyes the .
5.	ratio eye of width eyelash length The and .
6.	batting her eyelids He wondered why his baby kept on .
7.	mammals in eyes the rim that Eyelashes .
8.	did study was the What first we aerodynamic .
9.	eye reduce by evaporation 70% of . the Eyelashes
10.	has everybody what at Looking at looked .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Scientists have come up / down with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are the length they be / are. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted a variety / varied of tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals. One was to create a special wind tunnel and an artificial / fake eye to provide mathematical models of how the wind blew over lashes. The conclusion / concluded of head researcher David Hu is that the function of eyelashes is to / for help protect the eyes from drying out and that the optimal / optical eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is width / wide. Professor Hu found that across a wide variety of / for mammals, the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was consistently / contiguously one-third.

Dr Hu started his investigation after the birth of his newbie / newborn daughter. He wondered why his baby kept on batting / battling her eyelids. He told the International Business Times that: "Eyelashes that dim / rim the eyes in mammals have been a mystery / mastery for a long time as to what their function was. There were a lot / loads of hypotheses, from dust catchers to triggering the blink reflex….What we done / did was the first aerodynamic / anabolic study of eyelashes. We showed using three independent means that eyelashes reduce exploration / evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent, and they reduce [the deposits] of / for small airborne particles." A collage / colleague said Hu had a talent for, "looking at what everybody has looked at, and seeing what nobody has seen."

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)

Sc__nt_sts h_v_ c_m_ _p w_th _nsw_rs t_ th_ _g_-_ld q__st__n _f why _y_l_sh_s _r_ th_ l_ngth th_y _r_. R_s__rch_rs _t th_ G__rg__ _nst_t_t_ _f T_chn_l_gy c_nd_ct_d _ v_r__ty _f t_sts _n th_ l_sh_s _f 22 d_ff_r_nt m_mm_ls. _n_ w_s t_ cr__t_ _ sp_c__l w_nd t_nn_l _nd _n _rt_f_c__l _y_ t_ pr_v_d_ m_th_m_t_c_l m_d_ls _f h_w th_ w_nd bl_w _v_r l_sh_s. Th_ c_ncl_s__n _f h__d r_s__rch_r D_v_d H_ _s th_t th_ f_nct__n _f _y_l_sh_s _s t_ h_lp pr_t_ct th_ _y_s fr_m dry_ng __t _nd th_t th_ _pt_m_l _y_l_sh l_ngth f_r th_s t_ h_pp_n _s _n_-th_rd _s l_ng _s th_ _y_ _s w_d_. Pr_f_ss_r H_ f__nd th_t _cr_ss _ w_d_ v_r__ty _f m_mm_ls, th_ r_t__ _f _y_l_sh l_ngth _nd _y_ w_dth w_s c_ns_st_ntly _n_-th_rd.

Dr H_ st_rt_d h_s _nv_st_g_t__n _ft_r th_ b_rth _f h_s n_wb_rn d__ght_r. H_ w_nd_r_d why h_s b_by k_pt _n b_tt_ng h_r _y_l_ds. H_ t_ld th_ _nt_rn_t__n_l B_s_n_ss T_m_s th_t: "_y_l_sh_s th_t r_m th_ _y_s _n m_mm_ls h_v_ b__n _ myst_ry f_r _ l_ng t_m_ _s t_ wh_t th__r f_nct__n w_s. Th_r_ w_r_ _ l_t _f hyp_th_s_s, fr_m d_st c_tch_rs t_ tr_gg_r_ng th_ bl_nk r_fl_x….Wh_t w_ d_d w_s th_ f_rst __r_dyn_m_c st_dy _f _y_l_sh_s. W_ sh_w_d _s_ng thr__ _nd_p_nd_nt m__ns th_t _y_l_sh_s r_d_c_ _v_p_r_t__n _f th_ _y_ by 70 p_r c_nt, _nd th_y r_d_c_ [th_ d_p_s_ts] _f sm_ll __rb_rn_ p_rt_cl_s." _ c_ll__g__ s__d H_ h_d _ t_l_nt f_r, "l__k_ng _t wh_t _v_ryb_dy h_s l__k_d _t, _nd s___ng wh_t n_b_dy h_s s__n."

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

scientists have come up with answers to the age-old question of why eyelashes are the length they are researchers at the georgia institute of technology conducted a variety of tests on the lashes of 22 different mammals one was to create a special wind tunnel and an artificial eye to provide mathematical models of how the wind blew over lashes the conclusion of head researcher david hu is that the function of eyelashes is to help protect the eyes from drying out and that the optimal eyelash length for this to happen is one-third as long as the eye is wide professor hu found that across a wide variety of mammals the ratio of eyelash length and eye width was consistently one-third

dr hu started his investigation after the birth of his newborn daughter he wondered why his baby kept on batting her eyelids he told the international business times that "eyelashes that rim the eyes in mammals have been a mystery for a long time as to what their function was there were a lot of hypotheses from dust catchers to triggering the blink reflex…what we did was the first aerodynamic study of eyelashes we showed using three independent means that eyelashes reduce evaporation of the eye by 70 per cent and they reduce [the deposits] of small airborne particles" a colleague said hu had a talent for "looking at what everybody has looked at and seeing what nobody has seen"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Scientistshavecomeupwithanswerstotheage-oldquestionofwh
yeyelashesarethelengththeyare.ResearchersattheGeorgiaInstitute
ofTechnologyconductedavarietyoftestsonthelashesof22differentma
mmals.Onewastocreateaspecialwindtunnelandanartificialeyetopro
videmathematicalmodelsofhowthewindblewoverlashes.Theconclusi
onofheadresearcherDavidHuisthatthefunctionofeyelashesistohelpp
rotecttheeyesfromdryingoutandthattheoptimaleyelashlengthforthi
stohappenisone-thirdaslongastheeyeiswide.ProfessorHufoundtha
tacrossawidevarietyofmammals,theratioofeyelashlengthandeyewid
thwasconsistentlyone-third.DrHustartedhisinvestigationafterth
ebirthofhisnewborndaughter.Hewonderedwhyhisbabykeptonbattin
ghereyelids.HetoldtheInternationalBusinessTimesthat:"Eyelashest
hatrimtheeyesinmammalshavebeenamysteryforalongtimeastowha
ttheirfunctionwas.Therewerealotofhypotheses,fromdustcatcherstot
riggeringtheblinkreflex….Whatwedidwasthefirstaerodynamicstudy
ofeyelashes.Weshowedusingthreeindependentmeansthateyelashe
sreduceevaporationoftheeyeby70percent,andtheyreduce[thedepos
its]ofsmallairborneparticles."AcolleaguesaidHuhadatalentfor,"looki
ngatwhateverybodyhaslookedat,andseeingwhatnobodyhasseen."

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Eyelashes are more beautiful than eyebrows. 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 eyelashes. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

4. BEAUTY: Write a magazine article about eyelashes and beauty. Include imaginary interviews with people who are think they are beautiful and with those who think they are not.

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 eyelash expert. Ask him/her three questions about eyelashes. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. 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

T

f

F

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	come up with	a.	found
2	variety	b.	range
3.	artificial	c.	imitation
4.	function	d.	role
5.	wide	e.	broad
6.	investigation	f.	enquiry
7.	mystery	g.	puzzle
8.	hypotheses	h.	theories
9.	reduce	i.	decrease
10.	talent	j.	flair

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Age-old
2.	22
3.	A wind tunnel
4.	They protect eyes from drying out
5.	A third
6.	The birth of his daughter
7.	Bat them
8.	The blink reflex
9.	70%
10.	What nobody has seen

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

c

4.

a

5.

c

6.

b

7.

d

8.

a

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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Study says eyelashes keep eyes from drying (27th February, 2015)

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