The Reading / Listening - Ants - Level 3

Ants are some of the most impressive creatures on this planet. There are so many things we do not know about them. Scientists have just discovered an amazing new fact about these tiny insects. It is about the way ants navigate – the way they get from A to B without getting lost. An international group of scientists say ants can go in a straight line along a compass route, whatever direction they are facing. The BBC said it is the same as, "trying to find your way home while walking backwards or even spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do this by using the position of the Sun, their past memories, and what they can see around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants get around like a self-driving car.

The scientists studied desert ants near Seville, Spain. They published their report in the journal 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate over long distances between their nest and food sites using visual [clues]." They did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when they had to drag food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny brain, less than the size of a pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult conditions, including going backwards." She said we can learn many things from ants: "Understanding their behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired us to build robot systems that mimic their functions."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Ants - Level 0 Ants - Level 1   or  Ants - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38665058
  • http://www.popsci.com/ants-find-way-walk-backwards-navigation
  • http://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(16)31466-X


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. ANTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about ants. 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?

       impressive / creatures / scientists / insects / navigate / compass / direction /
       biology / nest / obstacles / backwards / successfully / difficult / behaviour / robot

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

3. INSECTS: Students A strongly believe ants are the best insects; Students B strongly believe they are not.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. BUGS: How useful are these bugs? What can we learn from them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How useful?

What we can learn from them

Ants

 

 

Bees

 

 

Flies

 

 

Butterflies

 

 

Spiders

 

 

Cockroaches

 

 

MY e-BOOK
See a sample

5. LOST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "lost". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. CREATURES: Rank these with your partner. Put the best creatures at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • butterflies
  • bees
  • snails
  • cockroaches
  • ants
  • worms
  • spiders
  • mosquitos

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The article says ants are the most impressive creatures on Earth.     T / F
  2. The article says we know almost everything about ants.     T / F
  3. Ants are good at using compasses.     T / F
  4. A professor likened ants to self-driving cars.     T / F
  5. The study was conducted in a desert in Spain.     T / F
  6. The professor said ants have fairly large brains.     T / F
  7. The professor said we can learn many things from ants.     T / F
  8. Understanding ants will help us to build robot systems.     T / F

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

  1. creatures
  2. discovered
  3. navigate
  4. direction
  5. spinning
  6. journal
  7. obstacles
  8. tiny
  9. insights
  10. mimic
  1. hurdles
  2. way
  3. understanding
  4. found out
  5. copy
  6. living things
  7. minute
  8. steer
  9. turning
  10. publication

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

  1. some of the most impressive creatures
  2. There are so many things we
  3. tiny
  4. go in
  5. using the position
  6. They published their report in the journal
  7. navigate over long
  8. put obstacles
  9. under many difficult
  10. Understanding their behaviour
  1. a straight line
  2. conditions
  3. on this planet
  4. 'Current Biology'
  5. in their way
  6. do not know
  7. gives us new insights
  8. of the Sun
  9. distances
  10. insects

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
while
impressive
around
navigate
position
discovered
past
straight

Ants are some of the most (1) ____________ creatures on this planet. There are so many things we do not know about them. Scientists have just (2) ____________ an amazing new fact about these tiny insects. It is about the way ants (3) ____________ – the way they get from A to B without getting lost. An international group of scientists say ants can go in a (4) ____________ line along a compass route, whatever direction they are facing. The BBC said it is the same as, "trying to find your way home (5) ____________ walking backwards or even spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do this by using the (6) ____________ of the Sun, their (7) ____________ memories, and what they can see around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants get (8) ____________ like a self-driving car.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
distances
robot
near
conditions
brain
published
insights
obstacles

The scientists studied desert ants (9) ____________ Seville, Spain. They (10) ____________ their report in the journal 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate over long (11) ____________ between their nest and food sites using visual [clues]." They did this even when the scientists put (12) ____________ in their way and when they had to drag food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny (13) ____________, less than the size of a pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult (14) ____________, including going backwards." She said we can learn many things from ants: "Understanding their behaviour gives us new (15) ____________ into brain function and has inspired us to build (16) ____________ systems that mimic their functions."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Ants are some of the most impressive creatures ______
     a.  on this planet
     b.  on this plane
     c.  on this planted
     d.  on this plant

2)  Scientists have just discovered an amazing new fact about these ______
     a.  tinny insects
     b.  tiny insects
     c.  tie knee insects
     d.  tied knee insects

3)  scientists say ants can go in a straight line along a ______
     a.  compass route
     b.  compass root
     c.  compass loot
     d.  compass rout

4)  Scientists say ants do this by using the ______ Sun
     a.  position of a
     b.  posting of the
     c.  position off the
     d.  position of the

5)  Professor Barbara Webb said ants get around like a ______ car
     a.  self-driver
     b.  self-drive-in
     c.  self-driving
     d.  self-driven

6)  They published their report in the journal '______'
     a.  Current Biology
     b.  Currant Biology
     c.  Currency Biology
     d.  Concurrent Biology

7)  navigate over long distances between their nest and ______
     a.  food sights
     b.  food sites
     c.  food sates
     d.  food sighs

8)  when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when they had ______
     a.  to drug food
     b.  to drab food
     c.  to drag food
     d.  to brag food

9)  Yet they can navigate successfully under many ______
     a.  difficulty conditions
     b.  difficult conditions
     c.  difference conditions
     d.  difficult conditioning

10)  inspired us to build robot systems that mimic ______
     a.  their functions
     b.  them functions
     c.  they functions
     d.  they're functions

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Ants are (1) ___________________ impressive creatures on this planet. There are so many things we do not (2) ___________________. Scientists have just discovered an amazing new fact about these tiny insects. It is about the way ants navigate – the (3) ___________________ from A to B without getting lost. An international group of scientists say ants can go in a straight line along a compass route, (4) ___________________ they are facing. The BBC said it is the same as, "trying to find your way home while walking backwards or even spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do (5) ___________________ the position of the Sun, their past memories, and what they can see around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants get (6) ___________________ self-driving car.

The scientists studied desert ants near Seville, Spain. They published their (7) ___________________ journal 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate over long distances between their nest and food (8) ___________________ [clues]." They did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when (9) ___________________ drag food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny brain, less than (10) ___________________ pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult conditions, (11) ___________________ backwards." She said we can learn many things from ants: "Understanding their behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired us to build robot systems (12) ___________________ functions."

Comprehension questions

  1. What did the article say we do not know about ants?
  2. What did scientists find out about ants?
  3. What kind of line did scientists say ants could travel in?
  4. What do ants use the position of to navigate?
  5. What did a professor liken ants to?
  6. What kind of ants did researchers study?
  7. What clues do ants use when they go between their nest and food sites?
  8. What is an ant's brain the size of?
  9. What did a professor say we can learn from ants?
  10. What can an understanding of ants help us to build?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article say we do not know about ants?
a) about how they fall in love
b) three things
c) so many things
d) how they discover things

2) What did scientists find out about ants?
a) how they navigate
b) that they really have eight legs
c) there are A ants and B ants
d) they like sunbathing

3) What kind of line did scientists say ants could travel in?
a) the Central Line
b) a straight line
c) a wavy line
d) a long line

4) What do ants use the position of to navigate?
a) a compass
b) their antennae
c) directions
d) the Sun

5) What did a professor liken ants to?
a) her neighbours
b) memories
c) self-driving cars
d) the past

6) What kind of ants did researchers study?
a) desiccated ants
b) desert ants
c) deserted ants
d) dessert ants

7) What clues do ants use when they go between their nest and food sites?
a) easy clues
b) site clues
c) obstacles
d) visual clues

8) What is an ant's brain the size of?
a) a grain of rice
b) a pinhead
c) a raisin
d) 3 ½ atoms

9) What did a professor say we can learn from ants?
a) behaviour
b) many things
c) teamwork
d) directions

10) What can an understanding of ants help us to build?
a) robot systems
b) GPS satellites
c) mega-cities
d) friendships

Role play

Role A — Ants

You think ants are the most useful creatures. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their creatures. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): worms, bees or spiders.

Role B — Worms

You think worms the most useful creatures. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their creatures. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): ants, bees or spiders.

Role C — Bees

You think bees the most useful creatures. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their creatures. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): worms, ants or spiders.

Role D — Spiders

You think spiders the most useful creatures. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their creatures. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why):  worms, bees or ants.

After reading / listening

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

'ant'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'sun'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • near
    • over
    • even
    • size
    • learn
    • build
    • so
    • fact
    • without
    • line
    • even
    • past

    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 - Ants use the Sun to get from A to B

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'ant'?
    3. What do you know about ants?
    4. What are the most impressive things about ants?
    5. What would happen to the world if all the ants disappeared?
    6. What are your navigation skills like?
    7. What experiences do you have of using a compass?
    8. What do you do when you get lost?
    9. What are your favourite insects, and why?
    10. What would you like to know about ants?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'insect'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What experiences do you have of using a compass?
    5. What do you do when obstacles are put in front of you?
    6. Would you like to read the research on this?
    7. How important are ants?
    8. What can we learn from ants?
    9. What could ant robots do for us?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Ants are (1) ____ of the most impressive creatures on this planet. There are so many things we do not know about them. Scientists have just discovered an amazing new (2) ____ about these tiny insects. It is about the way ants navigate – the way they get from A to B (3) ____ getting lost. An international group of scientists say ants can go (4) ____ a straight line along a compass route, whatever direction they are facing. The BBC said it is the same as, "trying to find your way home while walking backwards or (5) ____ spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do this by using the position of the Sun, their past memories, and what they can see around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants (6) ____ around like a self-driving car.

    The scientists studied desert ants (7) ____ Seville, Spain. They published their report in the journal 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate (8) ____ long distances between their nest and food sites using visual [(9) ____]." They did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when they had to (10) ____ food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny brain, less than the size of a pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult conditions, (11) ____ going backwards." She said we can learn many things from ants: "Understanding their behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired (12) ____ to build robot systems that mimic their functions."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     some     (b)     sum     (c)     many     (d)     much    
    2. (a)     factual     (b)     facts     (c)     fact     (d)     in fact    
    3. (a)     missing     (b)     lacking     (c)     without     (d)     within    
    4. (a)     at     (b)     by     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    5. (a)     even     (b)     every     (c)     ever     (d)     event    
    6. (a)     let     (b)     get     (c)     met     (d)     set    
    7. (a)     nearly     (b)     nearish     (c)     neared     (d)     near    
    8. (a)     bottom     (b)     over     (c)     top     (d)     under    
    9. (a)     blues     (b)     glues     (c)     clues     (d)     flues    
    10. (a)     flag     (b)     plug     (c)     drug     (d)     drag    
    11. (a)     include     (b)     inclusive     (c)     includes     (d)     including    
    12. (a)     we     (b)     us     (c)     them     (d)     they

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. impressive reuetcsar
    2. the way ants vitgneaa
    3. a straight line along a asoscmp route
    4. whatever iitondecr they are facing
    5. walking bdwcakars
    6. their past reoismme

    Paragraph 2

    1. the uonjlra 'Current Biology'
    2. scientists put sltoaebcs in their way
    3. difficult onniotidsc
    4. Understanding their rhvibeoua (UK)  /  obaehvri (USA)
    5. rinesipd us to build robot systems
    6. mimic their sctoifnnu

    Put the text back together

    (    )     journal 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate over long distances between their nest

    (    )     and food sites using visual [clues]." They did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their

    (    )     navigate – the way they get from A to B without getting lost. An international group of scientists say ants can go in a straight

    (    )     way and when they had to drag food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny

    (    )     them. Scientists have just discovered an amazing new fact about these tiny insects. It is about the way ants

    (    )     The scientists studied desert ants near Seville, Spain. They published their report in the

    (    )     behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired us to build robot systems that mimic their functions."

    (  1  )     Ants are some of the most impressive creatures on this planet. There are so many things we do not know about

    (    )     conditions, including going backwards." She said we can learn many things from ants: "Understanding their

    (    )     brain, less than the size of a pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult

    (    )     line along a compass route, whatever direction they are facing. The BBC said it is the same as, "trying to find your way

    (    )     by using the position of the Sun, their past memories, and what they can see

    (    )     home while walking backwards or even spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do this

    (    )     around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants get around like a self-driving car.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. on   the   this   most   planet   impressive   Some   creatures   of   .
    2. do   know   so   about   many   them   things   There   not   are   we   .
    3. an   discovered   just   have   Scientists   fact   new   amazing   .
    4. line   along   a   compass   route   Ants   can   go   in   a   straight   .
    5. the   do   using   of   Ants   by   position   Sun   this   the   .
    6. in   obstacles   put   scientists   the   When   way   their   .
    7. than   brain  have   a   the   ,  a   pinhead   size   less   tiny  Ants   of   .
    8. under   successfully   Navigate   conditions   difficult   many   .
    9. new   Understanding   behaviour   us   insights   their   gives   .
    10. that   their   Build   systems   mimic   functions   robot   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Ants are some / many of the most impressive creatures on this planet. There are so many / much things we do not know about them. Scientists have just discovered an amazing / amazed new fact about these tiny insects. It is about the weigh / way ants navigate – the way they get from A to B without getting lost / losing. An international group of scientists say ants can go in a straight line long / along a compass route, whatever direction they are facing. The BBC said it is the similar / same as, "trying to find your way home while walking backwards or ever / even spinning round and round". Scientists say ants do these / this by using the position of the Sun, their past memories, and what they can see around them. Professor Barbara Webb said ants get around like / in a self-driving car.

    The scientists studied desert / dessert ants near Seville, Spain. They published their report in the journal / journey 'Current Biology'. They said: "Ants can navigate under / over long distances between their nest and food sites / sights using visual [clues]." They did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when they had to drug / drag food while walking backwards. Professor Webb said: "Ants have a…tiny brain, less / fewer than the /a size of a pinhead. Yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult conditions / condition, including going backwards." She said we can learn many things from / by ants: "Understanding their behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired us to build robot systems that mimic them / their functions."

    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)

    _nts _r_ s_m_ _f th_ m_st _mpr_ss_v_ cr__t_r_s _n th_s pl_n_t. Th_r_ _r_ s_ m_ny th_ngs w_ d_ n_t kn_w _b__t th_m. Sc__nt_sts h_v_ j_st d_sc_v_r_d _n _m_z_ng n_w f_ct _b__t th_s_ t_ny _ns_cts. _t _s _b__t th_ w_y _nts n_v_g_t_ – th_ w_y th_y g_t fr_m _ t_ B w_th__t g_tt_ng l_st. _n _nt_rn_t__n_l gr__p _f sc__nt_sts s_y _nts c_n g_ _n _ str__ght l_n_ _l_ng _ c_mp_ss r__t_, wh_t_v_r d_r_ct__n th_y _r_ f_c_ng. Th_ BBC s__d _t _s th_ s_m_ _s, "try_ng t_ f_nd y__r w_y h_m_ wh_l_ w_lk_ng b_ckw_rds _r _v_n sp_nn_ng r__nd _nd r__nd". Sc__nt_sts s_y _nts d_ th_s by _s_ng th_ p_s_t__n _f th_ S_n, th__r p_st m_m_r__s, _nd wh_t th_y c_n s__ _r__nd th_m. Pr_f_ss_r B_rb_r_ W_bb s__d _nts g_t _r__nd l_k_ _ s_lf-dr_v_ng c_r.

    Th_ sc__nt_sts st_d__d d_s_rt _nts n__r S_v_ll_, Sp__n. Th_y p_bl_sh_d th__r r_p_rt _n th_ j__rn_l 'C_rr_nt B__l_gy'. Th_y s__d: "_nts c_n n_v_g_t_ _v_r l_ng d_st_nc_s b_tw__n th__r n_st _nd f__d s_t_s _s_ng v_s__l [cl__s]." Th_y d_d th_s _v_n wh_n th_ sc__nt_sts p_t _bst_cl_s _n th__r w_y _nd wh_n th_y h_d t_ dr_g f__d wh_l_ w_lk_ng b_ckw_rds. Pr_f_ss_r W_bb s__d: "_nts h_v_ _…t_ny br__n, l_ss th_n th_ s_z_ _f _ p_nh__d. Y_t th_y c_n n_v_g_t_ s_cc_ssf_lly _nd_r m_ny d_ff_c_lt c_nd_t__ns, _ncl_d_ng g__ng b_ckw_rds." Sh_ s__d w_ c_n l__rn m_ny th_ngs fr_m _nts: "_nd_rst_nd_ng th__r b_h_v___r g_v_s _s n_w _ns_ghts _nt_ br__n f_nct__n _nd h_s _nsp_r_d _s t_ b__ld r_b_t syst_ms th_t m_m_c th__r f_nct__ns."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    ants are some of the most impressive creatures on this planet there are so many things we do not know about them scientists have just discovered an amazing new fact about these tiny insects it is about the way ants navigate – the way they get from a to b without getting lost an international group of scientists say ants can go in a straight line along a compass route whatever direction they are facing the bbc said it is the same as "trying to find your way home while walking backwards or even spinning round and round" scientists say ants do this by using the position of the sun their past memories and what they can see around them professor barbara webb said ants get around like a self-driving car

    the scientists studied desert ants near seville spain they published their report in the journal 'current biology' they said "ants can navigate over long distances between their nest and food sites using visual [clues]" they did this even when the scientists put obstacles in their way and when they had to drag food while walking backwards professor webb said "ants have a…tiny brain less than the size of a pinhead yet they can navigate successfully under many difficult conditions including going backwards" she said we can learn many things from ants "understanding their behaviour gives us new insights into brain function and has inspired us to build robot systems that mimic their functions"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Antsaresomeofthemostimpressivecreaturesonthisplanet.Thereares
    omanythingswedonotknowaboutthem.Scientistshavejustdiscovere
    danamazingnewfactaboutthesetinyinsects.Itisaboutthewayantsnav
    igate–thewaytheygetfromAtoBwithoutgettinglost.Aninternationa
    lgroupofscientistssayantscangoinastraightlinealongacompassroute
    ,whateverdirectiontheyarefacing.TheBBCsaiditisthesameas,"trying
    tofindyourwayhomewhilewalkingbackwardsorevenspinningrounda
    ndround".ScientistssayantsdothisbyusingthepositionoftheSun,their
    pastmemories,andwhattheycanseearoundthem.ProfessorBarbara
    Webbsaidantsgetaroundlikeaself-drivingcar.Thescientistsstudiedde
    sertantsnearSeville,Spain.Theypublishedtheirreportinthejournal'C
    urrentBiology'.Theysaid:"Antscannavigateoverlongdistancesbetwe
    entheirnestandfoodsitesusingvisual[clues]."Theydidthisevenwhent
    hescientistsputobstaclesintheirwayandwhentheyhadtodragfoodwhi
    lewalkingbackwards.ProfessorWebbsaid:"Antshavea…tinybrain,les
    sthanthesizeofapinhead.Yettheycannavigatesuccessfullyunderman
    ydifficultconditions,includinggoingbackwards."Shesaidwecanlearn
    manythingsfromants:"Understandingtheirbehaviourgivesusnewinsi
    ghtsintobrainfunctionandhasinspiredustobuildrobotsystemsthatmi
    mictheirfunctions."

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    Ants are the most amazing creatures on Earth. 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 this news. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. ROBOT ANTS: Write a magazine article about robot ants and how they can help us. Include imaginary interviews with scientists and engineers who will make the robots.

    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 ants. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on what we can learn from 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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