The Reading / Listening - Blood - Level 3

Scientists from Bristol University in the UK say they have found a way to mass produce blood that would be suitable for patients who need it in hospitals. For a number of years, they have been able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory. However, the process to do that was very slow and they could not produce a lot of blood. The new technique means scientists can make an "unlimited supply" of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches to producing red blood cells have relied on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities." She added: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical use."

Professor David Anstee, another of the researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a way to mass produce blood, but they now need the technology to actually do this on a large scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering challenge. To produce that much [blood] is quite a challenge….The next phase of our work is to look at methods of [producing more]." He told reporters that to begin with, they would produce only rare types of blood, as these can be difficult to find with traditional blood donation sources. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups, because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Blood - Level 0 Blood - Level 1   or  Blood - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/health-39354627
  • http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14750
  • http://www.onmedica.com/newsArticle.aspx?id=80fff617-337c-475f-a65d-59c76b4cab0d


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. BLOOD: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about blood. 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 / produce / blood / laboratory / technique / sources / stem cells / clinical /
       researchers / technology / large scale / challenge / rare / donation / patients

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

3. DONATE: Students A strongly believe everyone must donate blood twice a year; Students B strongly believe otherwise.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. BLOOD TYPES: What personalities do you think people with these blood types have? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Blood Type

Positive

Negative

O negative

 

 

O positive

 

 

A

 

 

B

 

 

AB

 

 

Hot

 

 

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

6. MASS PRODUCE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things for scientists to mass produce at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • eyes
  • hearts
  • brains
  • knee caps
  • blood
  • hair
  • teeth
  • young-looking skin

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The new mass produced blood is not suitable for hospital patients.     T / F
  2. Scientists have never been able to make blood before now.     T / F
  3. Scientists can now make as much blood as they want.     T / F
  4. The new method of producing blood is not sustainable.     T / F
  5. A professor said he needed no technology to mass produce blood.     T / F
  6. The professor said mass producing blood is a challenge.     T / F
  7. The professor said he would produce only rare blood types to begin with. T / F
  8. It is difficult to find blood for people with rare blood types.     T / F

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

  1. found
  2. a number of
  3. technique
  4. presently
  5. manufacture
  6. scale
  7. phase
  8. difficult
  9. rare
  10. conventional
  1. size
  2. currently
  3. make
  4. tough
  5. several
  6. traditional
  7. discovered
  8. uncommon
  9. step
  10. method

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

  1. produce blood that would be suitable for
  2. produce red blood cells in a
  3. make an unlimited
  4. stem
  5. manufacture red cells for clinical
  6. the technology to actually do this on a large
  7. To produce that much blood is quite a
  8. these can be difficult
  9. traditional blood
  10. likely to be for patients with
  1. scale
  2. supply of blood
  3. rare blood groups
  4. patients
  5. to find
  6. challenge
  7. donation sources
  8. use
  9. cells
  10. laboratory

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
relied
suitable
process
use
technique
presently
number
supply

Scientists from Bristol University in the UK say they have found a way to mass produce blood that would be (1) ____________ for patients who need it in hospitals. For a (2) ____________ of years, they have been able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory. However, the (3) ____________ to do that was very slow and they could not produce a lot of blood. The new (4) ____________ means scientists can make an "unlimited (5) ____________ " of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches to producing red blood cells have (6) ____________ on various sources of stem cells which can only (7) ____________ produce very limited quantities." She added: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical (8) ____________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
challenge
way
only
suitable
another
donation
actually
phase

Professor David Anstee, (9) ____________ of the researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a (10) ____________ to mass produce blood, but they now need the technology to (11) ____________ do this on a large scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering (12) ____________. To produce that much [blood] is quite a challenge….The next (13) ____________ of our work is to look at methods of [producing more]." He told reporters that to begin with, they would produce (14) ____________ rare types of blood, as these can be difficult to find with traditional blood (15) ____________ sources. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups, because (16) ____________ conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Scientists from Bristol University in the UK say they have ______
     a.  fund a way
     b.  fond a way
     c.  found a way
     d.  founded a way

2)  mass produce blood that would be suitable for patients ______
     a.  whom needs it
     b.  who need this
     c.  who need it
     d.  whom need it

3)  they have been able to produce red blood cells ______
     a.  inner lavatory
     b.  in a laboratory
     c.  in a lab oratory
     d.  inner laboratory

4)  stem cells which can only presently produce very ______
     a.  limit it quantities
     b.  limited quantities
     c.  limit tied quantities
     d.  limit and quantities

5)  demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells ______
     a.  for clinical use
     b.  for clinic all use
     c.  for clean call use
     d.  for cleaner call use

6)  they now need the technology to actually do this ______
     a.  on a large scale
     b.  on a largely scale
     c.  on a large scales
     d.  in a large scale

7)  To produce that much blood is ______
     a.  quite a challenge
     b.  quiet a challenge
     c.  quit a challenge
     d.  quote a challenge

8)  He told reporters that to begin with, they would produce only ______
     a.  rare types for blood
     b.  rarely types of blood
     c.  rare type of blood
     d.  rare types of blood

9) use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare ______
     a.  bloody groups
     b.  blooded groups
     c.  blood groups
     d.  bloods groups

10)  because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be ______
     a.  difficulties to source
     b.  difficult too source
     c.  difficult to sauce
     d.  difficult to source

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists from Bristol University in the UK (1) ___________________ found a way to mass produce blood that would (2) ___________________ patients who need it in hospitals. For a number of years, they have been able to produce red blood (3) ___________________ laboratory. However, the process to do that was very slow and they could not produce a lot of blood. The new technique means scientists (4) ___________________ "unlimited supply" of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches to producing red blood cells (5) ___________________ various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities." She added: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells (6) ___________________."

Professor David Anstee, (7) ___________________ researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a way to mass produce blood, but they now need the technology to actually (8) ___________________ large scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering challenge. To produce that much [blood] is quite a challenge….The next (9) ___________________ work is to look at methods of [producing more]." He told reporters (10) ___________________ with, they would produce only rare types of blood, as these can be difficult to find with traditional (11) ___________________ sources. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups, because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be (12) ___________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. What is the name of the university that carried out this research?
  2. What was wrong with the old process of making blood?
  3. How much blood can scientists make using the new technique?
  4. Who is Jan Frayne?
  5. What kind of use will scientists manufacture red cells for?
  6. Which news agency did Professor David Anstee talk to?
  7. What does the professor need to make blood on a large scale?
  8. What did the professor say was a challenge?
  9. What kind of blood will the scientists make to begin with?
  10. What did the professor say about rare blood groups?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What is the name of the university that carried out this research?
a) Tokyo
b) New York
c) Bristol
d) Melbourne

2) What was wrong with the old process of making blood?
a) it was slow
b) it made mistakes
c) it didn't work
d) it broke down

3) How much blood can scientists make using the new technique?
a) litres
b) quite a lot
c) not much
d) unlimited amounts

4) Who is Jan Frayne?
a) a BBC journalist
b) a researcher
c) a blood donor
d) a technology company CEO

5) What kind of use will scientists manufacture red cells for?
a) no use
b) laboratory use
c) clinical use
d) good use

6) Which news agency did Professor David Anstee talk to?
a) CBC
b) BBC
c) ABC
d) NBC

7) What does the professor need to make blood on a large scale?
a) blood donors
b) test tubes
c) money
d) technology

8) What did the professor say was a challenge?
a) talking to reporters
b) making a lot of blood
c) donating blood
d) engineering

9) What kind of blood will the scientists make to begin with?
a) rare blood
b) type 0
c) blue blood
d) thick blood

10) What did the professor say about rare blood groups?
a) a lot
b) nothing
c) they are like sauce
d) they are difficult to find

Role play

Role  A – Blood

You think blood is the most important thing for scientists to mass produce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why scientists shouldn't mass produce their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): hair, teeth or eyes.

Role  B – Hair

You think hair is the most important thing for scientists to mass produce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why scientists shouldn't mass produce their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): blood, teeth or eyes.

Role  C – Teeth

You think teeth are the most important things for scientists to mass produce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why scientists shouldn't mass produce their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): hair, blood or eyes.

Role  D – Eyes

You think eyes are the most important things for scientists to mass produce. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why scientists shouldn't mass produce their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):  hair, teeth or blood.

After reading / listening

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

'blood'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'type'.

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

    • team
    • actually
    • quite
    • look
    • begin
    • likely
    • found
    • hospitals
    • slow
    • supply
    • various
    • clinical

    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 - Scientists find way to mass produce blood

    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 'blood'?
    3. What do you know about blood?
    4. What do you think of the idea of scientists making blood?
    5. What does blood do?
    6. What do you think of the sight of blood?
    7. Why do scientists need to make blood?
    8. What is your blood type?
    9. What would it be like to be a scientist on this project?
    10. What do you think of these scientists?

    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 'donation'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How do you think the scientists will find the technology?
    5. What is a 'bioengineering challenge'?
    6. What do you know about different blood types?
    7. Does our blood type tell us about our personality?
    8. Should we all donate blood?
    9. What three adjectives best describe blood?
    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)

    Scientists from Bristol University in the UK say they have (1) ____ a way to mass produce blood that would be (2) ____ for patients who need it in hospitals. For a (3) ____ of years, they have been able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory. However, the process to do that was very slow and they could not produce a lot of blood. The new technique (4) ____ scientists can make an "unlimited supply" of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches (5) ____ producing red blood cells have relied on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities." She added: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical (6) ____."

    Professor David Anstee, (7) ____ of the researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a way to mass produce blood, but they now need the technology to actually do (8) ____ on a large scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering challenge. To produce that much [blood] is (9) ____ a challenge….The next phase of our work is to look at methods of [producing more]." He told reporters that to begin (10) ____, they would produce only rare types of blood, as these can be difficult to find with traditional blood donation sources. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is (11) ____ to be for patients with rare blood groups, because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to (12) ____."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     found     (b)     finding     (c)     fund     (d)     fond    
    2. (a)     suits     (b)     suit     (c)     suitable     (d)     suiting    
    3. (a)     many     (b)     numeral     (c)     number     (d)     numeracy    
    4. (a)     meanies     (b)     meaning     (c)     meanings     (d)     means    
    5. (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     on    
    6. (a)     used     (b)     use     (c)     using     (d)     user    
    7. (a)     others     (b)     another     (c)     the others     (d)     other    
    8. (a)     them     (b)     this     (c)     these     (d)     those    
    9. (a)     quote     (b)     quit     (c)     quite     (d)     quiet    
    10. (a)     by     (b)     for     (c)     of     (d)     with    
    11. (a)     like     (b)     liking     (c)     liken     (d)     likely    
    12. (a)     sass     (b)     sauce     (c)     soars     (d)     source

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. bliaseut for patients
    2. the prsoecs to do that
    3. uopervsi approaches
    4. osriauv sources
    5. produce very iiemdlt quantities
    6. tfcurmaaneu red cells

    Paragraph 2

    1. they now need the yctgeoohnl
    2. on a large lcsea
    3. quite a nllcgheea
    4. look at dtsoehm of producing more
    5. blood aonoitdn
    6. a cultured red cell product is kiyell

    Put the text back together

    (    )     on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities." She added:

    (    )     not produce a lot of blood. The new technique means scientists can make an "unlimited

    (    )     Professor David Anstee, another of the researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a way to mass

    (    )     scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering challenge. To produce that much [blood] is quite a

    (    )     to be for patients with rare blood groups, because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source."

    (    )     challenge….The next phase of our work is to look at methods of [producing more]." He told

    (    )     produce blood, but they now need the technology to actually do this on a large

    (    )     reporters that to begin with, they would produce only rare types of blood, as these can be difficult to

    (    )     supply" of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches to producing red blood cells have relied

    (    )     suitable for patients who need it in hospitals. For a number of years, they have been

    1  )     Scientists from Bristol University in the UK say they have found a way to mass produce blood that would be

    (    )     "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical use."

    (    )     find with traditional blood donation sources. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely

    (    )     able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory. However, the process to do that was very slow and they could

    Put the words in the right order

    1. produce   a   blood   way   They   to   have   mass   found   .
    2. who   patients   for   Suitable   hospitals   in   it   need   .
    3. red   cells   a   Produce   blood   in   laboratory   .
    4. However   process   that   slow   the   do   very   ,   to   was   .
    5. could   They   blood   of   lot   a   produce   not   .
    6. do   the   this   technology   They   to   now   actually   need   .
    7. challenge   blood   To   is   produce   quite   that   a   much   .
    8. produce   would   They   blood   of   types   rare   only   .
    9. with   to   rare   be   blood   for   groups   patients   Likely   .
    10. blood   red   conventional   Suitable   donations   cell   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scientists from Bristol University in / at the UK say they have found a way to mass produce blood that would be suits / suitable for patients who need it in hospitals. For a number / numbers of years, they have been ability / able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory / lavatory. However, the process to do that was very slow / slowed and they could not produce a lot of blood. The new technical / technique means scientists can make an "unlimited demand / supply" of blood. Researcher Dr Jan Frayne said: "Previous approaches to producing / production red blood cells have relied on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities." She added: "We have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical abuse / use."

    Professor David Anstee, other / another of the researchers, told the BBC that his team has found a weigh / way to mass produce blood, but they now need the technology to actually / actual do this on a large scale. He said: "There is a bioengineering challenge. To produce that / those much blood is quite a challenge….The next phrase / phase of our work is to look at methods of producing more." He told reporters that to begin with, they would produce only rare / rarely types of blood, as these can be difficult to find with traditional blood donation sources / sauces. He said: "The first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely / liking to be for patients with rare blood groups, because / so suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult / difficulty to source."

    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 fr_m Br_st_l _n_v_rs_ty _n th_ _K s_y th_y h_v_ f__nd _ w_y t_ m_ss pr_d_c_ bl__d th_t w__ld b_ s__t_bl_ f_r p_t__nts wh_ n__d _t _n h_sp_t_ls. F_r _ n_mb_r _f y__rs, th_y h_v_ b__n _bl_ t_ pr_d_c_ r_d bl__d c_lls _n _ l_b_r_t_ry. H_w_v_r, th_ pr_c_ss t_ d_ th_t w_s v_ry sl_w _nd th_y c__ld n_t pr_d_c_ _ l_t _f bl__d. Th_ n_w t_chn_q__ m__ns sc__nt_sts c_n m_k_ _n "_nl_m_t_d s_pply" _f bl__d. R_s__rch_r Dr J_n Fr_yn_ s__d: "Pr_v___s _ppr__ch_s t_ pr_d_c_ng r_d bl__d c_lls h_v_ r_l__d _n v_r___s s__rc_s _f st_m c_lls wh_ch c_n _nly pr_s_ntly pr_d_c_ v_ry l_m_t_d q__nt_t__s." Sh_ _dd_d: "W_ h_v_ d_m_nstr_t_d _ f__s_bl_ w_y t_ s_st__n_bly m_n_f_ct_r_ r_d c_lls f_r cl_n_c_l _s_."

    Pr_f_ss_r D_v_d _nst__, _n_th_r _f th_ r_s__rch_rs, t_ld th_ BBC th_t h_s t__m h_s f__nd _ w_y t_ m_ss pr_d_c_ bl__d, b_t th_y n_w n__d th_ t_chn_l_gy t_ _ct__lly d_ th_s _n _ l_rg_ sc_l_. H_ s__d: "Th_r_ _s _ b___ng_n__r_ng ch_ll_ng_. T_ pr_d_c_ th_t m_ch [bl__d] _s q__t_ _ ch_ll_ng_….Th_ n_xt ph_s_ _f __r w_rk _s t_ l__k _t m_th_ds _f [pr_d_c_ng m_r_]." H_ t_ld r_p_rt_rs th_t t_ b_g_n w_th, th_y w__ld pr_d_c_ _nly r_r_ typ_s _f bl__d, _s th_s_ c_n b_ d_ff_c_lt t_ f_nd w_th tr_d_t__n_l bl__d d_n_t__n s__rc_s. H_ s__d: "Th_ f_rst th_r_p__t_c _s_ _f _ c_lt_r_d r_d c_ll pr_d_ct _s l_k_ly t_ b_ f_r p_t__nts w_th r_r_ bl__d gr__ps, b_c__s_ s__t_bl_ c_nv_nt__n_l r_d bl__d c_ll d_n_t__ns c_n b_ d_ff_c_lt t_ s__rc_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scientists from bristol university in the uk say they have found a way to mass produce blood that would be suitable for patients who need it in hospitals for a number of years they have been able to produce red blood cells in a laboratory however the process to do that was very slow and they could not produce a lot of blood the new technique means scientists can make an "unlimited supply" of blood researcher dr jan frayne said "previous approaches to producing red blood cells have relied on various sources of stem cells which can only presently produce very limited quantities" she added "we have demonstrated a feasible way to sustainably manufacture red cells for clinical use"

    professor david anstee another of the researchers told the bbc that his team has found a way to mass produce blood but they now need the technology to actually do this on a large scale he said "there is a bioengineering challenge to produce that much [blood] is quite a challenge…the next phase of our work is to look at methods of [producing more]" he told reporters that to begin with they would produce only rare types of blood as these can be difficult to find with traditional blood donation sources he said "the first therapeutic use of a cultured red cell product is likely to be for patients with rare blood groups because suitable conventional red blood cell donations can be difficult to source"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ScientistsfromBristolUniversityintheUKsaytheyhavefoundawaytom
    assproducebloodthatwouldbesuitableforpatientswhoneeditinhospit
    als.Foranumberofyears,theyhavebeenabletoproduceredbloodcellsi
    nalaboratory.However,theprocesstodothatwasveryslowandtheycou
    ldnotproducealotofblood.Thenewtechniquemeansscientistscanmak
    ean"unlimitedsupply"ofblood.ResearcherDrJanFraynesaid:"Previou
    sapproachestoproducingredbloodcellshavereliedonvarioussourceso
    fstemcellswhichcanonlypresentlyproduceverylimitedquantities."Sh
    eadded:"Wehavedemonstratedafeasiblewaytosustainablymanufact
    ureredcellsforclinicaluse."ProfessorDavidAnstee,anotheroftheresea
    rchers,toldtheBBCthathisteamhasfoundawaytomassproduceblood,
    buttheynowneedthetechnologytoactuallydothisonalargescale.Hesai
    d:"Thereisabioengineeringchallenge.Toproducethatmuch[blood]isq
    uiteachallenge….Thenextphaseofourworkistolookatmethodsof[pro
    ducingmore]."Hetoldreportersthattobeginwith,theywouldproduceo
    nlyraretypesofblood,asthesecanbedifficulttofindwithtraditionalbloo
    ddonationsources.Hesaid:"Thefirsttherapeuticuseofaculturedredcel
    lproductislikelytobeforpatientswithrarebloodgroups,becausesuitabl
    econventionalredbloodcelldonationscanbedifficulttosource."

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    Scientists should not be making blood. It's unnatural. 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 story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. MASS PRODUCTION: Write a magazine article about the mass production of blood. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

    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 blood. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on the mass production of blood. 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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