The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage floating in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has joined forces with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining us in this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool."

Garbage in the ocean is a huge problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. Adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer. The sole of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas says it will be releasing a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year. In another green initiative, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores in the near future.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 4  or  Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/from-trash-to-treasure-adidas-designs-shoes-made-of-ocean-garbage/
  • http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/27495/20150706/recycled-ocean-waste-adidas-parley-design-shoe-from-garbage.htm
  • https://news.google.com/news/story?cf=all&ned=uk&hl=en&topic=snc&ncl=dR-Rlxfsi_LAlMMzkJMcZh5SZBTWM


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. OCEAN POLLUTION: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about ocean pollution. 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?

 

sports shoe / floating / serious problem / preserving / objective / awareness / mission / estimates / square / a million / marine / mammals / sustainable / waste / initiative

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

3. RECYCLE: How can we re-use these things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Recycled

Re-used

Mobile phones

 

 

Car tyres

 

 

Plastic bottles

 

 

Fridges

 

 

Magazines

 

 

Shoes

 

 

4. BAN: Students A strongly believe there should be a ban on plastic; Students B strongly believe this is silly.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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5. RECYLCED: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things to be recycled at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • newspapers

  • batteries

  • plastic water bottles

  • food waste

  • old cars

  • mobile phones

  • clothes

  • tin cans

6. OCEAN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "ocean". 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.

Adidas has made a shoe from garbage at the bottom of the ocean.

T / F

b.

Adidas teamed up with an environmental group to make the shoe.

T / F

c.

The environmental group's main aim is to produce quality footwear.

T / F

d.

The group said the Adidas shoe was functional but wasn't so cool.

T / F

e.

UNESCO said there were 30,000 bits of plastic in the oceans in 2006.

T / F

f.

Plastic kills more than a million seabirds every year.

T / F

g.

Only the upper part of the Adidas shoe is made from ocean garbage.

T / F

h.

Adidas will begin to end its use of plastic bags in its stores.

T / F

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

1.

created

a.

stylish

2.

awareness

b.

waste

3.

joined forces

c.

issuing

4.

objective

d.

understanding

5.

cool

e.

withdrawing

6.

huge

f.

aim

7.

debris

g.

environmentally friendly

8.

releasing

h.

produced

9.

green

i.

enormous

10.

phasing out

j.

teamed up

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

1.

joined

a.

of floating plastic

2.

protecting and preserving

b.

initiative

3.

Our objective is to boost

c.

something cool

4.

We are extremely proud that

d.

kilometre of ocean

5.

turn ocean plastic into

e.

forces with

6.

nearly 30,000 pieces

f.

the Earth's oceans

7.

every square

g.

materials

8.

made from sustainable

h.

Adidas is joining us

9.

another green

i.

future

10.

in the near

j.

public awareness

GAP FILL

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage (1) ____________ in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a (2) ____________ to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has joined (3) ____________ with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's (4) ____________ Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to (5) ____________ public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can (6) ____________ to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely (7) ____________ that Adidas is joining us in this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something (8) ____________."

 

 

boost
floating
founder
proud
forces
cool
project
contribute

Garbage in the ocean is a (9) ____________ problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic (10) ____________ kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine (11) ____________ every year. Adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer. The (12) ____________ of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and (13) ____________ fishing nets. Adidas says it will be (14) ____________ a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year. In another (15) ____________ initiative, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas (16) ____________ stores in the near future.

 

mammals
huge
releasing
debris
retail
illegal
green
sole

LISTENING – Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage ______

 

a.  floated in the ocean
b.  floating on the ocean
c.  float in on the ocean
d.  floating in the ocean

2)

The new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of ______

 

a.  the seriously problem
b.  the series problem
c.  the seriousness problem
d.  the serious problem

3)

Our objective is to boost public awareness and to ______

 

a.  inspire new collaborations
b.  inspire new corroborations
c.  inspire new calibrations
d.  inspire new corporations

4)

We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining ______

 

a.  use in this mission
b.  us on this mission
c.  us in this mission
d.  us in these mission

5)

show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic ______

 

a.  into some things cool
b.  onto something cool
c.  into some thing cool
d.  into something cool

6)

there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for ______

 

a.  every square kilometre
b.  every squared kilometre
c.  every squares kilometre
d.  every squarer kilometre

7)

Plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 ______ year

 

a.  mariner mammals every
b.  marine mammal every
c.  marine mammals every
d.  marine mammals each

8)

The sole of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses ______

 

a.  recycled ocean baste
b.  recycled ocean haste
c.  recycled ocean paste
d.  recycled ocean waste

9)

Adidas says it will be releasing a new trainer made ______

 

a.  from oceanic waste
b.  from oceans waste
c.  from ocean waste
d.  from oceanology waste

10)

phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores ______

 

a.  in the nearly future
b.  in the near future
c.  in the neared future
d.  in the nears future

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Adidas has created a sports shoe (1) ___________________ in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has (2) ___________________ an organisation called Parley, which (3) ___________________ protecting and preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to boost public awareness (4) ___________________ collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely proud that Adidas (5) ___________________ this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic (6) ___________________."

Garbage (7) ___________________ a huge problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of (8) ___________________ every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic (9) ___________________ a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every year. Adidas used some of this plastic (10) ___________________ trainer. The sole of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas says it will be releasing a new trainer made from ocean waste (11) ____________. In another green initiative, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores (12) _______________.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

Where is the garbage floating?

2.

What does Adidas want to raise awareness of?

3.

Who is Cyrill Gutsch?

4.

How does Cyrill Gutsch feel about teaming up with Adidas?

5.

What did Cyrill Gutsch say it was possible to turn ocean plastic into?

6.

Who mentioned the figure of 30,000 pieces of floating plastic?

7.

How many seabirds does plastic debris kill every year?

8.

What is the sole of the sneaker made from?

9.

What else did Adidas use to make the shoes besides plastic?

10.

What will Adidas be phasing out in its stores?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

Where is the garbage floating?

6.

Who mentioned the figure 30,000 pieces of floating plastic?

 

a) the Mediterranean Sea
b) in the Amazon river
c) in the oceans
d) in space

 

a) Adidas
b) UNESCO
c) UNWTO
d) UNICEF

2.

What does Adidas want to raise awareness of?

7.

How many seabirds does plastic debris kill every year?

 

a) ocean pollution
b) its shoes
c) foot health
d) the benefits of swimming

 

a) a trillion
b) a billion
c) a hundred thousand
d) a million

3.

Who is Cyrill Gutsch?

8.

What is the sole of the sneaker made from?

 

a) the CEO of Adidas
b) the head of Greenpeace
c) a plastic bottle maker
d) founder of Parley

 

a) leather
b) sustainable materials
c) fishing nets
d) plastic bottles

4.

How does Cyrill Gutsch feel about teaming up with Adidas?

9.

What else did Adidas use to make the shoes besides plastic?

 

a) inspired
b) proud
c) ecstatic
d) sad

 

a) illegal fishing nets
b) sand
c) water bottles
d) fish bones

5.

What did Cyrill Gutsch say it was possible to turn ocean plastic into?

10.

What will Adidas be phasing out in its stores?

 

a) mammals
b) nothing special
c) something cool
d) anything

 

a) sales assistants
b) the use of cash for payments
c) leather trainers
d) plastic bags

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Newspapers

You think newspapers are the most important things to be recycled. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): batteries, food waste or plastic water bottles.

Role  B – Batteries

You think batteries are the most important things to be recycled. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): newspapers, food waste or plastic water bottles.

Role  C – Food waste

You think food waste is the most important thing to be recycled. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): batteries, newspapers or plastic water bottles.

Role  D – Plastic water bottles

You think plastic water bottles are the most important things to be recycled. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):  batteries, food waste or newspapers.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

ocean

 

garbage

 

 

  • 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:

  • created
  • part
  • joined
  • boost
  • extremely
  • cool
  • 2006
  • square
  • 100,000
  • sole
  • releasing
  • bags

OCEAN POLLUTION SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about ocean pollution 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.

OCEAN POLLUTION 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 'garbage'?

3)

What do you think about what you read?

4)

How do you think the new trainers will sell?

5)

'Trainers' is British English; 'sneakers' is American English. Which is best?

6)

How much good will the new trainers do?

7)

How big a problem is ocean pollution?

8)

What else can Adidas do to boost public awareness?

9)

What would be a good name for the new trainers?

10)

How cool will the new trainers be?

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

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

11)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

12)

How can the world get rid of the garbage in the ocean?

13)

How did the problem of ocean pollution become so bad?

14)

Why don't other companies make things from ocean debris?

15)

What kinds of trainers do you like?

16)

What are the alternatives to plastic?

17)

How would we survive without plastic?

18)

Are green initiatives from companies really "look good" PR campaigns?

19)

What do you think of stores that no longer use plastic bags?

20)

What questions would you like to ask Adidas' boss?

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

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage (1) ____ in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has joined (2) ____ with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated (3) ____ protecting and preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's (4) ____ with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely (5) ____ that Adidas is joining us in this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something (6) ____."

Garbage in the ocean is a huge problem. UNESCO (7) ____ that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic (8) ____ kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 (9) ____ mammals every year. Adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer. The (10) ____ of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas says it will be       (11) ____ a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year. In another green initiative, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing (12) ____ the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores in the near future.

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

1.

(a)

flotation

(b)

floats

(c)

floating

(d)

float

2.

(a)

forces

(b)

farces

(c)

forges

(d)

forrays

3.

(a)

to

(b)

at

(c)

of

(d)

by

4.

(a)

cooperation

(b)

corporation

(c)

compensation

(d)

constipation

5.

(a)

prides

(b)

pride

(c)

proudly

(d)

proud

6.

(a)

temperate

(b)

freezing

(c)

cold

(d)

cool

7.

(a)

estimates

(b)

reckoners

(c)

counts

(d)

totals

8.

(a)

vis-a-vis

(b)

Chablis

(c)

hubris

(d)

debris

9.

(a)

marine

(b)

marinated

(c)

mariner

(d)

marinade

10.

(a)

soul

(b)

sole

(c)

sail

(d)

soil

11.

(a)

release

(b)

releasing

(c)

released

(d)

releases

12.

(a)

out

(b)

in

(c)

up

(d)

down

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

raise aarseewns

2.

his organisation's aptcioroone with Adidas

3.

Our ijvtecebo is to…

4.

inspire new nslooalibtcaor

5.

protect and veerpser the oceans

6.

Adidas is joining us in this smsiino

Paragraph 2

7.

UNESCO tisematse that in 2006…

8.

Plastic brdise kills over a million seabirds

9.

100,000 marine mmmsaal

10.

made from nbustielaas materials

11.

another green nteviiaiti

12.

hgisnpa out the use of plastic bags

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

mammals every year. Adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer. The sole

(    )

maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas retail stores in the near future.

(    )

forces with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated to protecting and

1  )

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage floating in the ocean. The new trainer is part

(    )

with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can

(    )

Garbage in the ocean is a huge problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of

(    )

floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine

(    )

releasing a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year. In another green initiative, the sportswear

(    )

contribute to protect and preserve the oceans. We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining

(    )

of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution. Adidas has joined

(    )

recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas says it will be

(    )

preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation

(    )

us in this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool."

(    )

of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

of   of   problem   pollution   awareness   serious   ocean   Raise   the   .  

2.

Adidas   Parley   forces   has   organisation   with   joined   called  an   .

3.

awareness   boost   is   Our   public   to   objective   .  

4.

that   Adidas   is   joining   us   in   this   mission   Extremely   proud   .  

5.

cool   possible   ocean   something   is   turn   into   It   to   plastic   .  

6.

30,000  there  plastic  ,  floating  2006   of   nearly   In  pieces  were   .

7.

trainer   new   its   make   to   plastic   this   of   some   used  Adidas   .

8.

materials  of   is   sustainable  sole   sneaker  from  The   the   made   .

9.

waste  ocean   from   made  trainer   new   a   releasing  be   will   It   .

10.

out   of  in  retail  Phasing   use   bags  Adidas  the  plastic  all  stores  .

 

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage floated / floating in the ocean. The new trainer is part of a project to raise / rise awareness of the serious problem of oceanography / ocean pollution. Adidas has joined forges / forces with an organisation called Parley, which is dedicated by / to protecting and persevering / preserving the Earth's oceans. Parley's founder Cyrill Gutsch spoke about his organisation's corporation / cooperation with Adidas. He said: "Our objective is to boost / boast public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect / project and preserve the oceans. We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining us in this mission…to show that it is possible to twist / turn ocean plastic into something cool."

Garbage in the ocean is a hug / huge problem. UNESCO estimates that in 2006, there were nearly 30,000 pieces of floating plastic for all / every square kilometre of ocean. Plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100,000 marine / marinated mammals every year. Adidas used some of these / this plastic to make its new trainer. The sole / soul of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials, while the upper uses recycled ocean waste. This consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets. Adidas saysit will be releasing a new trainer made from ocean wasting / waste later this year. In another green initiative / invitation, the sportswear maker said it would be phasing / phase out the use of plastic bags in all Adidas detail / retail stores in the near / nearly future.

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)

_d_d_s h_s cr__t_d _ sp_rts sh__ fr_m g_rb_g_ fl__t_ng _n th_ _c__n. Th_ n_w tr__n_r _s p_rt _f _ pr_j_ct t_ r__s_ _w_r_n_ss _f th_ s_r___s pr_bl_m _f _c__n p_ll_t__n. _d_d_s h_s j__n_d f_rc_s w_th _n _rg_n_s_t__n c_ll_d P_rl_y, wh_ch _s d_d_c_t_d t_ pr_t_ct_ng _nd pr_s_rv_ng th_ __rth's _c__ns. P_rl_y's f__nd_r Cyr_ll G_tsch sp_k_ _b__t h_s _rg_n_s_t__n's c__p_r_t__n w_th _d_d_s. H_ s__d: "__r _bj_ct_v_ _s t_ b__st p_bl_c _w_r_n_ss _nd t_ _nsp_r_ n_w c_ll_b_r_t__ns th_t c_n c_ntr_b_t_ t_ pr_t_ct _nd pr_s_rv_ th_ _c__ns. W_ _r_ _xtr_m_ly pr__d th_t _d_d_s _s j__n_ng _s _n th_s m_ss__n…t_ sh_w th_t _t _s p_ss_bl_ t_ t_rn _c__n pl_st_c _nt_ s_m_th_ng c__l."

G_rb_g_ _n th_ _c__n _s _ h_g_ pr_bl_m. _N_SC_ _st_m_t_s th_t _n 2006, th_r_ w_r_ n__rly 30,000 p__c_s _f fl__t_ng pl_st_c f_r _v_ry sq__r_ k_l_m_tr_ _f _c__n. Pl_st_c d_br_s k_lls _v_r _ m_ll__n s__b_rds _nd 100,000 m_r_n_ m_mm_ls _v_ry y__r. _d_d_s _s_d s_m_ _f th_s pl_st_c t_ m_k_ _ts n_w tr__n_r. Th_ s_l_ _f th_ sn__k_r _s m_d_ fr_m s_st__n_bl_ m_t_r__ls, wh_l_ th_ _pp_r _s_s r_cycl_d _c__n w_st_. Th_s c_ns_st_d _f pl_st_c _nd _ll_g_l f_sh_ng n_ts. _d_d_s s_ys _t w_ll b_ r_l__s_ng _ n_w tr__n_r m_d_ fr_m _c__n w_st_ l_t_r th_s y__r. _n _n_th_r gr__n _n_t__t_v_, th_ sp_rtsw__r m_k_r s__d _t w__ld b_ ph_s_ng __t th_ _s_ _f pl_st_c b_gs _n _ll _d_d_s r_t__l st_r_s _n th_ n__r f_t_r_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

adidas has created a sports shoe from garbage floating in the ocean the new trainer is part of a project to raise awareness of the serious problem of ocean pollution adidas has joined forces with an organisation called parley which is dedicated to protecting and preserving the earth's oceans parley's founder cyrill gutsch spoke about his organisation's cooperation with adidas he said "our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protect and preserve the oceans we are extremely proud that adidas is joining us in this mission…to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool"

garbage in the ocean is a huge problem unesco estimates that in 2006 there were nearly 30000 pieces of floating plastic for every square kilometre of ocean plastic debris kills over a million seabirds and 100000 marine mammals every year adidas used some of this plastic to make its new trainer the sole of the sneaker is made from sustainable materials while the upper uses recycled ocean waste this consisted of plastic and illegal fishing nets adidas says it will be releasing a new trainer made from ocean waste later this year in another green initiative the sportswear maker said it would be phasing out the use of plastic bags in all adidas retail stores in the near future

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Adidashascreatedasportsshoefromgarbagefloatingintheocean.Then
ewtrainerispartofaprojecttoraiseawarenessoftheseriousproblemofo
ceanpollution.AdidashasjoinedforceswithanorganisationcalledParle
y,whichisdedicatedtoprotectingandpreservingtheEarth'soceans.Par
ley'sfounderCyrillGutschspokeabouthisorganisation'scooperationwi
thAdidas.Hesaid:"Ourobjectiveistoboostpublicawarenessandtoinspi
renewcollaborationsthatcancontributetoprotectandpreservetheoce
ans.WeareextremelyproudthatAdidasisjoiningusinthismission…tos
howthatitispossibletoturnoceanplasticintosomethingcool."Garbagei
ntheoceanisahugeproblem.UNESCOestimatesthatin2006,therewer
enearly30,000piecesoffloatingplasticforeverysquarekilometreofoce
an.Plasticdebriskillsoveramillionseabirdsand100,000marinemamm
alseveryyear.Adidasusedsomeofthisplastictomakeitsnewtrainer.Th
esoleofthesneakerismadefromsustainablematerials,whiletheupper
usesrecycledoceanwaste.Thisconsistedofplasticandillegalfishingnet
s.Adidassaysitwillbereleasinganewtrainermadefromoceanwastelate
rthisyear.Inanothergreeninitiative,thesportswearmakersaiditwould
bephasingouttheuseofplasticbagsinallAdidasretailstoresinthenearf
uture.

FREE WRITING

Write about ocean pollution for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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ACADEMIC WRITING

There should be a worldwide ban on the production and use of plastic. Discuss.

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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 the new trainers from Adidas. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. OCEAN POLLUTION: Make a poster about ocean pollution. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. PLASTIC BAN: Write a magazine article about a total ban on plastic. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

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 the marine environment. Ask him/her three questions about ocean pollution. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to solve the problem. 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:

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  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
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  • 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

F

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

created

a.

produced

2

awareness

b.

understanding

3.

joined forces

c.

teamed up

4.

objective

d.

aim

5.

cool

e.

stylish

6.

huge

f.

enormous

7.

debris

g.

waste

8.

releasing

h.

issuing

9.

green

i.

environmentally friendly

10.

phasing out

j.

withdrawing

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

In the oceans

2.

Ocean pollution

3.

Founder of Parley

4.

Proud

5.

Something cool

6.

UNESCO

7.

A million

8.

Sustainable materials

9.

Illegal fishing nets

10.

Plastic bags

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

d

4.

b

5.

c

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

a

10.

d

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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