The Reading / Listening - Level 1

People want Daylight Saving Time (DST) to end. DST is putting clocks backwards and forwards an hour in the autumn and spring. It gives an extra hour of daylight in the summer. Scientists say it could be harmful to our health and increase energy costs. Two states in the USA are thinking about ending DST. People there say it has no meaning today because we have electric lights and people work day and night.

People who want DST say it saves energy because lights are turned on later. They say people do more outdoor activities, so it is good for our health. They also say it cuts traffic accidents and crime. People who support DST include city workers, shop owners, and tourism companies. People who want DST to end say it increases energy costs. They say the number of heart attacks increases because of changes to our body clock.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://europe.newsweek.com/few-benefits-daylight-saving-time-scrap-it-516694
  • http://www.gjsentinel.com/lifestyle/articles/daylight-saving-a-dim-idea-whose-time-should-end
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. putting clocks
  2. forwards an
  3. in the autumn
  4. it could be harmful
  5. increase energy
  6. it has no meaning
  7. electric
  8. people work day
  1. to our health
  2. and spring
  3. and night
  4. backwards
  5. hour
  6. lights
  7. costs
  8. today

Paragraph 2

  1. lights are turned
  2. it is good
  3. it cuts traffic accidents
  4. People who support DST include
  5. People who want DST
  6. it increases energy
  7. the number of heart
  8. because of changes to our body
  1. city workers
  2. attacks increases
  3. for our health
  4. clock
  5. on later
  6. to end
  7. costs
  8. and crime

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

People want Daylight Saving Time (DST) to end. DST is putting (1) ___________________ and forwards an hour in the autumn and spring. It (2) ___________________ hour of daylight in the summer. Scientists (3) ___________________ harmful to our health and increase (4) ___________________. Two states in the USA are thinking (5) ___________________ DST. People there say it has no meaning today because we have electric lights and (6) ___________________ and night.

People who want DST (7) ___________________ energy because lights are (8) ___________________. They say people do more outdoor activities, (9) ___________________ our health. They also say it cuts traffic accidents and crime. People who support DST include city workers, (10) ___________________ tourism companies. People who want DST (11) ___________________ increases energy costs. They say the number of heart attacks increases because of changes (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

PeoplewantDaylightSavingTime(DST)toend.DSTisputtingclocksbac
kwardsandforwardsanhourintheautumnandspring.Itgivesanextrah
ourofdaylightinthesummer.Scientistssayitcouldbeharmfultoourheal
thandincreaseenergycosts.TwostatesintheUSAarethinkingabouten
dingDST.Peopletheresayithasnomeaningtodaybecausewehaveelect
riclightsandpeopleworkdayandnight.PeoplewhowantDSTsayitsaves
energybecauselightsareturnedonlater.Theysaypeopledomoreoutdo
oractivities,soitisgoodforourhealth.Theyalsosayitcutstrafficaccident
sandcrime.PeoplewhosupportDSTincludecityworkers,shopowners,a
ndtourismcompanies.PeoplewhowantDSTtoendsayitincreasesener
gycosts.Theysaythenumberofheartattacksincreasesbecauseofchan
gestoourbodyclock.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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