The Reading / Listening - Glitter - Level 6

Scientists are highlighting the damage that glitter does to our seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are calling for a worldwide ban on the sparkly, shiny pieces of plastic that decorate everything from eyelids to greetings cards to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University say glitter is a micro-plastic and should therefore be banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter ends up in the world's oceans. Fish cannot digest it and it does not break down, so it stays in the food chain. Professor Richard Thompson conducted research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of the fish caught.

Micro-plastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long. Most glitter produced around the world falls into the category of micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent" newspaper: "I think all glitter should be banned because it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it. That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment." Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing their use of plastic glitter. The company Lush stated: "We've avoided micro-plastics by switching to synthetic and mineral glitter."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Glitter - Level 4  or  Glitter - Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.smh.com.au/environment/ban-the-glitter-scientists-calling-for-an-end-to-microplastics-20171202-gzxek1.html
  • https://globalcosmeticsnews.com/north-america/5415/environmental-scientists-call-for-glitter-ban-following-new-study
  • https://www.livescience.com/61060-global-glitter-ban.html


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. GLITTER: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about glitter. 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?

       highlighting / oceans / environment / worldwide / sparkly / banned / digest / fish
       pieces / category / newspaper / concerned / daughters / shower gel / cosmetics

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

3. PLASTIC: Students A strongly believe we should stop using all plastic; Students B strongly believe we shouldn't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. OCEANS: How much do these things damage our oceans? How can we stop them damaging the oceans? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How much damage?

What can we do?

Plastic

 

 

Shipping

 

 

Tourism

 

 

Fishing

 

 

Oil pollution

 

 

Climate change

 

 

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

6. PLASTICS: Rank these with your partner. Put the plastics we need least at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • toys
  • food trays
  • coat hangers
  • toothbrushes
  • glitter
  • drinks bottles
  • cups
  • shopping bags

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. highlighting a. Shine brightly with flashes of light.
      2. sparkly b. Notably large in size, amount, or extent.
      3. decorate c. Polite words or signs of welcome or recognition.
      4. greetings d. Make something look more attractive by adding extra (colourful and pretty) things to it.
      5. considerable e. Picking out, focusing and emphasizing something.
      6. digest f. Very, very small bits of physical things.
      7. particles g. Break down food in the stomach into things that can be used by the body.

    Paragraph 2

      8. tiny h. Kept away from or stopped oneself from doing something.
      9. category i. Very, very small.
      10. concerned j. Having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future.
      11. escape k. Made by chemical processes to imitate or copy a natural product.
      12. potentially l. Worried.
      13. avoided m. Break free from being trapped or controlled.
      14. synthetic n. A class or division of people or things regarded as having particular shared characteristics.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Scientists want to ban people from decorating their eyelids with glitter.    T / F
  2. The scientists said it is OK to use glitter for greetings cards.     T / F
  3. The scientists said all glitter ends up in the ocean.     T / F
  4. Research found that a third of fish in seas around the UK contained plastic. T / F
  5. Micro-plastic is less than five millimeters long.     T / F
  6. Glitter does not fall into the micro-plastics category.     T / F
  7. A professor worried about glitter in his daughter's shower gel.     T / F
  8. A cosmetics company uses mineral glitter instead of plastic glitter.     T / F

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

  1. highlighting
  2. ban
  3. decorate
  4. considerable
  5. particles
  6. tiny
  7. produced
  8. discontinuing
  9. switching
  10. synthetic
  1. stopping
  2. adorn
  3. minute
  4. bits
  5. manufactured
  6. focusing on
  7. artificial
  8. changing
  9. prohibition
  10. sizable

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

  1. highlighting the damage that glitter
  2. shiny pieces of plastic that
  3. Fish cannot
  4. it stays in the food
  5. particles were discovered in about one-
  6. tiny
  7. falls into the
  8. shower gel that had glitter
  9. That stuff is going to escape
  10. switching to
  1. synthetic and mineral glitter
  2. third of the fish
  3. pieces of plastic
  4. decorate everything
  5. down the plughole
  6. digest it
  7. particles in it
  8. chain
  9. does to our seas
  10. category of micro-plastics

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
ends
conducted
sparkly
therefore
damage
digest
caught
eyelids

Scientists are highlighting the (1) ____________ that glitter does to our seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are calling for a worldwide ban on the (2) ____________, shiny pieces of plastic that decorate everything from (3) ____________ to greetings cards to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University say glitter is a micro-plastic and should (4) ____________ be banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter (5) ____________ up in the world's oceans. Fish cannot (6) ____________ it and it does not break down, so it stays in the food chain. Professor Richard Thompson (7) ____________ research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of the fish (8) ____________.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
stuff
tiny
use
banned
synthetic
quite
potentially
category

Micro-plastics are (9) ____________ pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long. Most glitter produced around the world falls into the (10) ____________ of micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent" newspaper: "I think all glitter should be (11) ____________ because it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was (12) ____________ concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it. That (13) ____________ is going to escape down the plughole and (14) ____________ enter the environment." Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing their (15) ____________ of plastic glitter. The company Lush stated: "We've avoided micro-plastics by switching to (16) ____________ and mineral glitter."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Scientists are highlighting the damage that glitter does ______
     a.  too our seas
     b.  to ours seas
     c.  to your seas
     d.  to our seas

2)  calling for a worldwide ban on the sparkly, shiny pieces of plastic that ______
     a.  decorate everything
     b.  decorates everything
     c.  decorated everything
     d.  decoration everything

3)  They say a considerable amount of glitter ends up in the ______
     a.  world's oceans
     b.  world oceans
     c.  worlds oceans
     d.  worlds' oceans

4)  Fish cannot digest it and it does not break down, so it stays in ______
     a.  the food grain
     b.  the food brain
     c.  the food train
     d.  the food chain

5)  He found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of ______
     a.  the fish caches
     b.  the fish catching
     c.  the fish caught
     d.  the fish cache

6)  glitter produced around the world falls into the ______ micro-plastics
     a.  categorical of
     b.  categorically of
     c.  category of
     d.  categorize of

7)  somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter ______
     a.  par tickles in it
     b.  part tickles in it
     c.  particles in it
     d.  par tick all sin it

8)  That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and ______ the environment
     a.  potential enter
     b.  potentially entered
     c.  potential entered
     d.  potentially enter

9)  Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing their ______ glitter
     a.  used of plastic
     b.  use of plastic
     c.  use off plastic
     d.  using of plastic

10)  We've avoided micro-plastics by switching to synthetic ______ glitter
     a.  and mineral
     b.  and overall
     c.  and overalls
     d.  and cereal

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists are highlighting the damage that glitter (1) __________________ seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are calling for a worldwide ban on the sparkly, (2) ___________________ plastic that decorate everything from eyelids to greetings cards to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University (3) ___________________ a micro-plastic and should therefore be banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter (4) ___________________ the world's oceans. Fish cannot digest it and it does not break down, so it stays in (5) ___________________. Professor Richard Thompson conducted research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of (6) ___________________.

Micro-plastics are (7) ___________________ plastic that are less than five millimeters long. Most glitter produced around the world falls into (8) ___________________ micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent" newspaper: "I think all glitter should (9) ________________ it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters (10) ___________________ that had glitter particles in it. That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment." Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing (11) ___________________ plastic glitter. The company Lush stated: "We've avoided micro-plastics by (12) ___________________ and mineral glitter."

Comprehension questions

  1. What are scientists highlighting regarding glitter?
  2. What facial feature did the article say glitter is used to decorate?
  3. How much glitter did the article say ends up in the oceans?
  4. What did the article say fish cannot do to glitter?
  5. What fraction of fish were found with plastic inside them?
  6. How long are micro-plastics?
  7. What washing product did a professor find glitter in?
  8. Where did the professor say glitter might escape to?
  9. What kind of companies are discontinuing the use of glitter?
  10. What is a company using instead of micro-plastics?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What are scientists highlighting regarding glitter?
a) how sparkly it is
b) the damage it does to the oceans
c) why children like it
d) how expensive it is

2)  What facial feature did the article say glitter is used to decorate?
a) cheeks
b) the nose
c) lips
d) eyelids

3) How much glitter did the article say ends up in the oceans?
a) a considerable amount
b) not much
c) all of it
d) pretty much most of it

4) What did the article say fish cannot do to glitter?
a) taste it
b) see it
c) digest it
d) avoid it

5) What fraction of fish were found with plastic inside them?
a) a fifth
b) a third
c) a quarter
d) half

6) How long are micro-plastics?
a) less than 5mm
b) less than 4mm
c) less than 3mm
d) less than 2mm

7) What washing product did a professor find glitter in?
a) soap
b) dandruff shampoo
c) shower gel
d) washing detergent

8) Where did the professor say glitter might escape to?
a) down the plughole
b) America
c) children's bedrooms
d) sewers

9) What kind of companies are discontinuing the use of glitter?
a) cosmetics companies
b) sushi companies
c) plastic companies
d) environmental companies

10) What is a company using instead of micro-plastics?
a) rubber
b) macro-plastics
c) wood
d) synthetic and mineral glitter

Role play

Role  A – Glitter

You think glitter is the plastic goods we need least. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them which of their things aren't as bad to make with plastic. Also, tell the others which of these is the most OK to use plastic for (and why): shopping bags, cups or toothbrushes.

Role  B – Shopping Bags

You think shopping bags are the plastic goods we need least. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them which of their things aren't as bad to make with plastic. Also, tell the others which of these is the most OK to use plastic for (and why): glitter, cups or toothbrushes.

Role  C – Cups

You think cups are the plastic goods we need least. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them which of their things aren't as bad to make with plastic. Also, tell the others which of these is the most OK to use plastic for (and why): shopping bags, glitter or toothbrushes.

Role  D – Toothbrushes

You think toothbrushes are the plastic goods we need least. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them which of their things aren't as bad to make with plastic. Also, tell the others which of these is the most OK to use plastic for (and why):  shopping bags, cups or glitter.

After reading / listening

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

'glitter'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'plastic'.

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

    • less
    • falls
    • all
    • shower
    • now
    • mineral
    • damage
    • shiny
    • therefore
    • ends
    • chain
    • caught

    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 - Environmentalists call for worldwide ban on glitter

    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 'glitter'?
    3. What do you think of glitter?
    4. Should we completely stop using glitter?
    5. How can we better protect our seas and oceans?
    6. How can we tell more people about the damage glitter does?
    7. Why do we care more about decoration than the environment?
    8. How polluted do you think our oceans are?
    9. What do you know about the food chain?
    10. What happens to us if we eat fish that have eaten micro-plastics?

    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 'plastic'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do people use glitter for?
    5. How much do we need glitter?
    6. Why do we need glitter in shower gel?
    7. What do you cosmetics that have glitter in them?
    8. What are the good and bad things about glitter?
    9. How possible is it to stop using all plastics?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

    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 are highlighting the (1) ____ that glitter does to our seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are (2) ____ for a worldwide ban on the sparkly, shiny pieces of plastic that decorate (3) ____ from eyelids to greetings cards to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University say glitter is a micro-plastic and should (4) ____ be banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter ends up in the world's oceans. Fish cannot digest it and it does not break (5) ____, so it stays in the food chain. Professor Richard Thompson conducted research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic particles were discovered (6) ____ about one-third of the fish caught.

    Micro-plastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters (7) ____. Most glitter produced around the world (8) ____ into the category of micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent" newspaper: "I think all glitter should be banned because it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was (9) ____ concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it. That (10) ____ is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment." Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing their (11) ____ of plastic glitter. The company Lush stated: "We've avoided micro-plastics by switching to (12) ____ and mineral glitter."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     damage     (b)     damages     (c)     damaged     (d)     damaging    
    2. (a)     called     (b)     calls     (c)     calling     (d)     caller    
    3. (a)     something     (b)     nothing     (c)     everything     (d)     thing    
    4. (a)     addition     (b)     moreover     (c)     however     (d)     therefore    
    5. (a)     down     (b)     in     (c)     over     (d)     along    
    6. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     under     (d)     over    
    7. (a)     longing     (b)     lengthy     (c)     length     (d)     long    
    8. (a)     fails     (b)     falls     (c)     feels     (d)     fells    
    9. (a)     quit     (b)     quiet     (c)     quite     (d)     quilt    
    10. (a)     amount     (b)     things     (c)     thing     (d)     stuff    
    11. (a)     work     (b)     exercise     (c)     spend     (d)     use    
    12. (a)     synthesize     (b)     synthetic     (c)     synthesizer     (d)     synthesis

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. shiny pieces of plastic that toerecda everything
    2. greetings cards to turrenifu
    3. a rilnecdoaseb amount of glitter
    4. Fish cannot egisdt it
    5. Thompson dtonccude research
    6. plastic esptilacr were discovered

    Paragraph 2

    1. the eygoarct of micro-plastics
    2. I was quite eecodncrn
    3. escape down the hlleopgu
    4. oplaenyitlt enter the environment
    5. sescitcmo companies
    6. hsetnytic and mineral glitter

    Put the text back together

    (    )     research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic

    (    )     particles were discovered in about one-third of the fish caught.

    (    )     around the world falls into the category of micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent"

    (    )     banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter ends up in the world's oceans. Fish cannot digest

    (    )     it. That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment." Some cosmetics

    1  )     Scientists are highlighting the damage that glitter does to our seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are

    (    )     calling for a worldwide ban on the sparkly, shiny pieces of plastic that decorate everything from eyelids to greetings

    (    )     cards to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University say glitter is a micro-plastic and should therefore be

    (    )     stated: "We've avoided micro-plastics by switching to synthetic and mineral glitter."

    (    )     Micro-plastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long. Most glitter produced

    (    )     quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in

    (    )     newspaper: "I think all glitter should be banned because it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was

    (    )     it and it does not break down, so it stays in the food chain. Professor Richard Thompson conducted

    (    )     companies are now discontinuing their use of plastic glitter. The company Lush

    Put the words in the right order

    1. seas   damage   The   to   does   glitter   that   our   .
    2. calling   are   scientists   The   ban   worldwide   a   for   .
    3. plastic   ,   that   shiny   decorate   pieces   everything   of   Sparkly   .
    4. be   that   should   Glitter   is   a   microplastic   banned   .
    5. of   caught   about   third   fish   in   -   the   Discovered   one   .
    6. plastic   of   Pieces   long   millimeters   five   are   that   .
    7. glitter   into   around   this   the   category   world   Most   falls   .
    8. in   that   it   had   Some   glitter   shower   particles   gel   .
    9. down   Escape   environment   the   enter   and   plughole   the   .
    10. are   Companies   glitter   plastic   of   use   their   discontinuing   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scientists are highlighting the damaging / damage that glitter does to our seas, oceans and environment. The scientists are calling / called for a worldwide ban on / in the sparkly, shiny pieces of plastic that decoration / decorate everything from eyelids to greetings cards at / to furniture. Scientists from New Zealand's Massey University say glitter is a micro-plastic and should however / therefore be banned. They say a considerable amount of glitter ends up / down in the world's oceans. Fish cannot digest it and it does not break down, so it staying / stays in the food chain. Professor Richard Thompson conducted / conduct research in the seas around the United Kingdom. He found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of the fish catch / caught.

    Micro-plastics are tiny / tinny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long / length. Most glitter produced around the world falls onto / into the category of micro-plastics. Dr Trisia Farrelly told Britain's "Independent" newspaper: "I think all glitter should been / be banned because it's a micro-plastic." Professor Thompson said: "I was quiet / quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particle / particles in it. That stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potential / potentially enter the environment." Some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing / discontinued their use of plastic glitter. The company Lush stated: "We've evaded / avoided micro-plastics by switching to synthetic and mineral / minerals glitter."

    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 _r_ h_ghl_ght_ng th_ d_m_g_ th_t gl_tt_r d__s t_ __r s__s, _c__ns _nd _nv_r_nm_nt. Th_ sc__nt_sts _r_ c_ll_ng f_r _ w_rldw_d_ b_n _n th_ sp_rkly, sh_ny p__c_s _f pl_st_c th_t d_c_r_t_ _v_ryth_ng fr_m _y_l_ds t_ gr__t_ngs c_rds t_ f_rn_t_r_. Sc__nt_sts fr_m N_w Z__l_nd's M_ss_y _n_v_rs_ty s_y gl_tt_r _s _ m_cr_-pl_st_c _nd sh__ld th_r_f_r_ b_ b_nn_d. Th_y s_y _ c_ns_d_r_bl_ _m__nt _f gl_tt_r _nds _p _n th_ w_rld's _c__ns. F_sh c_nn_t d_g_st _t _nd _t d__s n_t br__k d_wn, s_ _t st_ys _n th_ f__d ch__n. Pr_f_ss_r R_ch_rd Th_mps_n c_nd_ct_d r_s__rch _n th_ s__s _r__nd th_ _n_t_d K_ngd_m. H_ f__nd th_t pl_st_c p_rt_cl_s w_r_ d_sc_v_r_d _n _b__t _n_-th_rd _f th_ f_sh c__ght.

    M_cr_-pl_st_cs _r_ t_ny p__c_s _f pl_st_c th_t _r_ l_ss th_n f_v_ m_ll_m_t_rs l_ng. M_st gl_tt_r pr_d_c_d _r__nd th_ w_rld f_lls _nt_ th_ c_t_g_ry _f m_cr_-pl_st_cs. Dr Tr_s__ F_rr_lly t_ld Br_t__n's "_nd_p_nd_nt" n_wsp_p_r: "_ th_nk _ll gl_tt_r sh__ld b_ b_nn_d b_c__s_ _t's _ m_cr_-pl_st_c." Pr_f_ss_r Th_mps_n s__d: "_ w_s q__t_ c_nc_rn_d wh_n s_m_b_dy b__ght my d__ght_rs s_m_ sh_w_r g_l th_t h_d gl_tt_r p_rt_cl_s _n _t. Th_t st_ff _s g__ng t_ _sc_p_ d_wn th_ pl_gh_l_ _nd p_t_nt__lly _nt_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt." S_m_ c_sm_t_cs c_mp_n__s _r_ n_w d_sc_nt_n__ng th__r _s_ _f pl_st_c gl_tt_r. Th_ c_mp_ny L_sh st_t_d: "W_'v_ _v__d_d m_cr_-pl_st_cs by sw_tch_ng t_ synth_t_c _nd m_n_r_l gl_tt_r."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scientists are highlighting the damage that glitter does to our seas oceans and environment the scientists are calling for a worldwide ban on the sparkly shiny pieces of plastic that decorate everything from eyelids to greetings cards to furniture scientists from new zealand's massey university say glitter is a micro-plastic and should therefore be banned they say a considerable amount of glitter ends up in the world's oceans fish cannot digest it and it does not break down so it stays in the food chain professor richard thompson conducted research in the seas around the united kingdom he found that plastic particles were discovered in about one-third of the fish caught

    micro-plastics are tiny pieces of plastic that are less than five millimeters long most glitter produced around the world falls into the category of micro-plastics dr trisia farrelly told britain's "independent" newspaper "i think all glitter should be banned because it's a micro-plastic" professor thompson said "i was quite concerned when somebody bought my daughters some shower gel that had glitter particles in it that stuff is going to escape down the plughole and potentially enter the environment" some cosmetics companies are now discontinuing their use of plastic glitter the company lush stated "we've avoided micro-plastics by switching to synthetic and mineral glitter"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Scientistsarehighlightingthedamagethatglitterdoestoourseas,ocea
    nsandenvironment.Thescientistsarecallingforaworldwidebanonthes
    parkly,shinypiecesofplasticthatdecorateeverythingfromeyelidstogr
    eetingscardstofurniture.ScientistsfromNewZealand'sMasseyUniver
    sitysayglitterisamicro-plasticandshouldthereforebebanned.Theysa
    yaconsiderableamountofglitterendsupintheworld'soceans.Fishcann
    otdigestitanditdoesnotbreakdown,soitstaysinthefoodchain.Profess
    orRichardThompsonconductedresearchintheseasaroundtheUnitedK
    ingdom.Hefoundthatplasticparticleswerediscoveredinaboutone-thi
    rdofthefishcaught.Micro-plasticsaretinypiecesofplasticthatarelesst
    hanfivemillimeterslong.Mostglitterproducedaroundtheworldfallsint
    othecategoryofmicro-plastics.DrTrisiaFarrellytoldBritain's"Indepe
    ndent"newspaper:"Ithinkallglittershouldbebannedbecauseit'samicr
    o-plastic."ProfessorThompsonsaid:"Iwasquiteconcernedwhensom
    ebodyboughtmydaughterssomeshowergelthathadglitterparticlesini
    t.Thatstuffisgoingtoescapedowntheplugholeandpotentiallyenterthe
    environment."Somecosmeticscompaniesarenowdiscontinuingtheir
    useofplasticglitter.ThecompanyLushstated:"We'veavoidedmicro-pl
    asticsbyswitchingtosyntheticandmineralglitter."

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Can we live without plastic? What three things can we use instead of plastic?

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

    4. PLASTICS: Write a magazine article about ending the use of all plastics. 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 glitter. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on what we can use instead of glitter. 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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