The Reading / Listening - Yawning - Level 0

Why do we yawn? A new study researched this. It found that yawning is unstoppable. We yawn when we see others yawn. We yawn more when we try to stop yawning. Some people want to yawn more than other people. Reading about yawning could make us yawn. You might want to yawn right now.

The researchers studied the actions and brain activity of 36 people. They looked at videos of other people yawning. They then had to yawn or stop themselves yawning. The people were videoed doing this. Jackson said understanding more about yawning will help to treat illnesses. He wants to find ways to help the brain.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Yawning - Level 1,  Yawning - Level 2   or  Yawning - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/why-is-yawning-contagious-answer-407557
  • http://metro.co.uk/2017/08/31/why-is-yawning-contagious-6892289/
  • http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319227.php


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. It found that yawning is
  2. We yawn when we see
  3. We yawn more when we try to
  4. Some people want
  5. more than other
  6. Reading about yawning could
  7. You might
  8. yawn right
  1. to yawn
  2. want to
  3. people
  4. now
  5. unstoppable
  6. stop yawning
  7. others yawn
  8. make us yawn

Paragraph 2

  1. The researchers studied the
  2. brain
  3. They looked at videos
  4. stop themselves
  5. The people were
  6. understanding more
  7. help to treat
  8. He wants to find ways
  1. yawning
  2. illnesses
  3. actions
  4. about yawning
  5. to help the brain
  6. activity
  7. of other people
  8. videoed doing this

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Why do we yawn? A new study (1) ___________________. It found that yawning is unstoppable. We yawn (2) ___________________ others yawn. We yawn more when we (3) ___________________ yawning. Some people want to yawn (4) ___________________ people. Reading about yawning could (5) ___________________. You might want to (6) ___________________.

The researchers studied (7) ___________________ brain activity of 36 people. They (8) ___________________ of other people yawning. They then (9) ___________________ or stop themselves yawning. The people (10) ___________________ this. Jackson said understanding (11) ___________________ will help to treat illnesses. He wants to (12) ___________________ help the brain.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Whydoweyawn?Anewstudyresearchedthis.Itfoundthatyawningisun
stoppable.Weyawnwhenweseeothersyawn.Weyawnmorewhenwetr
ytostopyawning.Somepeoplewanttoyawnmorethanotherpeople.Re
adingaboutyawningcouldmakeusyawn.Youmightwanttoyawnrightn
ow.Theresearchersstudiedtheactionsandbrainactivityof36people.T
heylookedatvideosofotherpeopleyawning.Theythenhadtoyawnorst
opthemselvesyawning.Thepeoplewerevideoeddoingthis.Jacksonsai
dunderstandingmoreaboutyawningwillhelptotreatillnesses.Hewant
stofindwaystohelpthebrain.

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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