The Reading / Listening - Green Energy - Level 3

The United Kingdom is doing a lot to increase its use of renewable energy. It is moving away from fossil fuels and making more use of green energies, such as wind power, nuclear power and solar energy. New figures from the UK's electricity provider show that the UK had its greenest year ever in 2017 for electricity production. It even had its first coal-free day for over 150 years. The UK broke 13 clean energy records in 2017. In June, wind, nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than gas and coal combined. It was the first time this has ever happened. The UK's power system is now the fourth cleanest in Europe and the seventh cleanest in the world.

The United Kingdom has been trying to reduce the amount of coal it uses. Coal now supplies less than 7 per cent of the UK's electricity. A spokesman said it must now try to use less gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse gas emissions. The UK currently uses too much gas. The conservation charity World Wildlife Fund said it was pleased that the UK is moving towards greener energy. It said: "We have never been cleaner or greener, and we are on [target] for an even better year in 2018." It added: "Climate change is wreaking havoc on our nature and wildlife, but we are at last facing up to the challenge. We are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean future."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Green Energy - Level 0,  Green Energy - Level 1   or  Green Energy - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-42495883
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/uk-clean-energy-records-green-britain-2017-climate-change-global-warming-a8130151.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/12/28/record-year-renewable-energy-low-carbon-sources-top-52pc/


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. GREEN ENERGY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about green energy. 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?

       increase / renewable / energy / fossil fuels / solar energy / coal / electricity / power /
       reduce / greenhouse gas / conservation / target / havoc / nature / wildlife / challenge

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

3. FOSSIL FUELS: Students A strongly believe we should stop using fossil fuels within five years; Students B strongly believe we should not do this.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. RENEWABLES: What do you know about these renewables? What are the good and bad things about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Renewable

What I know

Good things

Bad things

Solar

 

 

 

Nuclear

 

 

 

Wind

 

 

 

Tide power

 

 

 

Bio-fuels

 

 

 

Hydro-electricity

 

 

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

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

  • use stairs, not elevators
  • buy solar panels
  • recycle paper
  • buy from charity shops
  • take shorter showers
  • wash clothes less often
  • be a vegetarian
  • cycle more

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. renewable a. A black or dark brown rock found underground deposits and burnt for heating or power.
      2. fossil fuels b. Something that creates and gives something to people.
      3. provider c. A natural source of power that comes from under the ground or under the sea, such as coal and gas.
      4. solar d. A set of connected things or parts forming a bigger whole.
      5. coal e. A type of energy that is not gone forever when it is used.
      6. combined f. About the sun.
      7. system g. United or joined.

    Paragraph 2

      8. reduce h. Gives or provides someone with something needed or wanted.
      9. supplies i. Now; at the present time.
      10. target j. Making the air, rivers, seas or other things dirtier because of dangerous things going into them.
      11. emissions k. A goal, objective or result which people try to reach or get to.
      12. currently l. Lots and lots of damage and destruction.
      13. havoc m. The production and sending out of something, especially gas or radiation.
      14. polluting n. Make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article said the UK is having problems moving away from fossil fuels.  T / F
  2. The UK is making less use of wind power.     T / F
  3. In 2017, the UK had its first coal-free day for over 150 years.     T / F
  4. The UK has the fourth cleanest energy system in the world.     T / F
  5. Less than 7% of the UK's electricity comes from coal.     T / F
  6. The article says the UK doesn't use enough gas.     T / F
  7. A wildlife charity wasn't happy about the UK's efforts to be greener.     T / F
  8. The charity said the UK was turning its back on greener energy.     T / F

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

  1. increase
  2. green energies
  3. figures
  4. combined
  5. happened
  6. reduce
  7. supplies
  8. pleased
  9. havoc
  10. embracing
  1. numbers
  2. joined
  3. destruction
  4. cut
  5. renewables
  6. welcoming
  7. occurred
  8. raise
  9. happy
  10. provides

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

  1. increase its use of
  2. It is moving away
  3. solar
  4. more electricity than gas and
  5. the seventh
  6. trying to reduce the amount
  7. make sure it meets
  8. greenhouse gas
  9. Climate change is wreaking
  10. facing up
  1. cleanest in the world
  2. coal combined
  3. havoc on our nature
  4. from fossil fuels
  5. its target
  6. renewable energy
  7. to the challenge
  8. of coal it uses
  9. emissions
  10. energy

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
solar
combined
increase
free
seventh
fossil
broke
greenest

The United Kingdom is doing a lot to (1) ____________ its use of renewable energy. It is moving away from (2) ____________ fuels and making more use of green energies, such as wind power, nuclear power and (3) ____________ energy. New figures from the UK's electricity provider show that the UK had its (4) ____________ year ever in 2017 for electricity production. It even had its first coal-(5) ____________ day for over 150 years. The UK (6) ____________ 13 clean energy records in 2017. In June, wind, nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than gas and coal (7) ____________. It was the first time this has ever happened. The UK's power system is now the fourth cleanest in Europe and the (8) ____________ cleanest in the world.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
less
pleased
emissions
future
charity
amount
target
nature

The United Kingdom has been trying to reduce the (9) ____________ of coal it uses. Coal now supplies (10) ____________ than 7 per cent of the UK's electricity. A spokesman said it must now try to use less gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse gas (11) ____________. The UK currently uses too much gas. The conservation (12) ____________ World Wildlife Fund said it was (13) ____________ that the UK is moving towards greener energy. It said: "We have never been cleaner or greener, and we are on (14) ____________ for an even better year in 2018." It added: "Climate change is wreaking havoc on our (15) ____________ and wildlife, but we are at last facing up to the challenge. We are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean (16) ____________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The United Kingdom is doing a lot to increase its ______ energy
     a.  used of renewable
     b.  user off renewable
     c.  use of renewable
     d.  use off renewable

2)  It is moving away from fossil fuels and making more use of ______
     a.  greenish energies
     b.  greened energies
     c.  greens energies
     d.  green energies

3) figures from the UK's electricity provider show that the UK had its greenest year ______
     a.  never in 2017
     b.  even in 2017
     c.  ever in 2017
     d.  every in 2017

4)  wind, nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than gas ______
     a.  end coal combine
     b.  and coal combined
     c.  and coals combined
     d.  and coal combine

5)  The UK's power system is now the ______ Europe
     a.  fourth cleanest on
     b.  fourth cleanest in
     c.  fourth clean nest in
     d.  fourth clean nest on

6)  The United Kingdom has been trying to reduce ______ coal it uses
     a.  the a mountain of
     b.  the a mount of
     c.  the all mount of
     d.  the amount of

7)  A spokesman said it must now try to use less gas to make sure it ______
     a.  meets its target
     b.  meet its target
     c.  meets it target
     d.  meet it target

8)  World Wildlife Fund said it was pleased that the UK is moving ______ energy
     a.  two wards greener
     b.  too wards greener
     c.  towards greener
     d.  tow wards greener

9)  It added: "Climate change is wreaking ______ nature"
     a.  havoc on hour
     b.  havoc on your
     c.  havoc in our
     d.  havoc on our

10)  We are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing ______ future
     a.  a new, clean
     b.  anew, cleaned
     c.  a news, clean
     d.  a new, cleaned

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The United Kingdom is doing a lot (1) ___________________ use of renewable energy. It is moving away from fossil fuels and making more use of green energies, (2) ___________________ power, nuclear power and solar energy. New figures from the UK's electricity provider show that the UK had its greenest (3) ___________________ 2017 for electricity production. It even had its first coal-free day for over 150 years. The UK (4) ___________________ energy records in 2017. In June, wind, nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than (5) ___________________ combined. It was the first time this has ever happened. The UK's power (6) ___________________ the fourth cleanest in Europe and the seventh cleanest in the world.

The United Kingdom has been trying to reduce (7) ___________________ coal it uses. Coal now supplies less than 7 per cent of the UK's electricity. A spokesman said it must now try (8) ___________________ gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse (9) ___________________. The UK currently uses too much gas. The conservation charity World Wildlife Fund said it (10) ___________________ the UK is moving towards greener energy. It said: "We have never been cleaner or greener, and we (11) ___________________ for an even better year in 2018." It added: "Climate change is wreaking havoc on our nature and wildlife, but we are at (12) ___________________ to the challenge. We are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean future."

Comprehension questions

  1. What is the UK doing a lot to increase its use of?
  2. In how long did the UK have its first coal-free day?
  3. How many clean energy records did the UK break in 2017?
  4. What did green energies produce more electricity than in June 2017?
  5. What position is the UK in the world's cleanest power systems?
  6. How much of the UK electricity supply comes from coal?
  7. What target does the UK want to meet?
  8. What charity was pleased with the UK's move towards green energy?
  9. What year did the charity say would be better?
  10. What did the charity say the UK is turning its back on?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What is the UK doing a lot to increase its use of?
a) gas
b) fossil fuels
c) renewable energy
d) coal

2) In how long did the UK have its first coal-free day?
a) over 150 years
b) exactly 150 years
c) around 150 years
d) just under 150 years

3) How many clean energy records did the UK break in 2017?
a) 12
b) 13
c) 14
d) 15

4) What did green energies produce more electricity than in June 2017?
a) biodiesel
b) petrol
c) oil
d) coal and gas

5) What position is the UK in the world's cleanest power systems?
a) second
b) fourth
c) seventh
d) tenth

6) How much of the UK electricity supply comes from coal?
a) more than 7%
b) less than 7%
c) exactly 7%
d) around 7%

7) What target does the UK want to meet?
a) a blue one
b) yearly target
c) a big target
d) greenhouse gas emissions

8) What charity was pleased with the UK's move towards green energy?
a) Conservation Fund
b) World Wildlife Fund
c) Greenpeace
d) Earth Justice

9) What year did the charity say would be better?
a) 2020
b) 2018
c) 2019
d) 2050

10) What did the charity say the UK is turning its back on?
a) fossil fuels
b) Europe
c) renewables
d) a clean future

Role play

Role  A – Buying From Charity Shops

You think buying from charity shops is the best way to conserve energy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): taking shorter showers, becoming a vegetarian or cycling more often.

Role  B – Taking Shorter Showers

You think taking shorter showers is the best way to conserve energy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): buying from charity shops, becoming a vegetarian or cycling more often.

Role  C – Becoming A Vegetarian

You think becoming a vegetarian is the best way to conserve energy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): taking shorter showers, buying from charity shops or cycling more often.

Role  D – Cycling More Often

You think cycling more often is the best way to conserve energy. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): taking shorter showers, becoming a vegetarian or buying from charity shops.

After reading / listening

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

'green'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'energy'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • supplies
    • must
    • currently
    • pleased
    • havoc
    • future
    • increase
    • figures
    • free
    • combined
    • ever
    • world

    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 - 2017 was UK's greenest energy year ever

    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 'green'?
    3. What renewables does your country use?
    4. Why do we need to use more renewable energy?
    5. How green is your lifestyle?
    6. What do you know about solar power?
    7. What do you think about nuclear power?
    8. How important is electricity?
    9. How much do you worry about pollution?
    10. What things are adding to climate change?

    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 'energy'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What is wrong with fossil fuels?
    5. What do you know about wind power?
    6. What do you know about the World Wildlife Fund?
    7. What do you do to conserve energy and water?
    8. What is climate change doing to our nature and wildlife?
    9. When will we be using only renewable energy?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the WWF?

    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)

    WordCode1

    WordCode2

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     doing     (b)     done     (c)     do     (d)     does    
    2. (a)     used     (b)     users     (c)     uses     (d)     used to    
    3. (a)     number     (b)     numeral     (c)     figures     (d)     statistic    
    4. (a)     freedom     (b)     freed     (c)     freeze     (d)     free    
    5. (a)     combined     (b)     combines     (c)     combining     (d)     combination    
    6. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     to     (d)     at    
    7. (a)     height     (b)     worth     (c)     series     (d)     amount    
    8. (a)     greets     (b)     meets     (c)     eats     (d)     seats    
    9. (a)     pleasure     (b)     pleases     (c)     pleased     (d)     please    
    10. (a)     in     (b)     on     (c)     at     (d)     of    
    11. (a)     mazy     (b)     wavy     (c)     brevity     (d)     havoc    
    12. (a)     embarrassing     (b)     embracing     (c)     embassy     (d)     embosses

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. resnaice its use of renewable energy
    2. moving away from isfsol fuels
    3. lurance power
    4. eirtyticlce production
    5. lroas power
    6. The UK's power sytsme

    Paragraph 2

    1. reduce the atmnuo of coal it uses
    2. greenhouse gas nseosmisi
    3. The conservation htircay World Wildlife Fund
    4. wreaking vcoah on our nature
    5. facing up to the clalenghe
    6. embracing a new, clean rfueut

    Put the text back together

    (    )     2017. In June, wind, nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than gas and coal

    (    )     combined. It was the first time this has ever happened. The UK's power system

    (    )     gas emissions. The UK currently uses too much gas. The conservation charity World Wildlife Fund said it was

    (    )     of the UK's electricity. A spokesman said it must now try to use less gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse

    (    )     our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean future."

    (    )     production. It even had its first coal-free day for over 150 years. The UK broke 13 clean energy records in

    (    )     pleased that the UK is moving towards greener energy. It said: "We have never been cleaner or

    (    )     figures from the UK's electricity provider show that the UK had its greenest year ever in 2017 for electricity

    (    )     greener, and we are on [target] for an even better year in 2018." It added: "Climate change is wreaking

    (    )     havoc on our nature and wildlife, but we are at last facing up to the challenge. We are turning

    (    )     is now the fourth cleanest in Europe and the seventh cleanest in the world.

    (    )     The United Kingdom has been trying to reduce the amount of coal it uses. Coal now supplies less than 7 per cent

    (  1  )     The United Kingdom is doing a lot to increase its use of renewable energy. It is moving away from fossil

    (    )     fuels and making more use of green energies, such as wind power, nuclear power and solar energy. New

    Put the words in the right order

    1. moving   from   fuels   is   away   fossil   It   .
    2. New   from   UK's   provider   figures   the   electricity   .
    3. power   more   than   Solar   produced   electricity   gas   .
    4. was   has   the   ever   first   happened   time   It   this   .
    5. the   power   fourth   system   cleanest   is   The   now   UK's   .
    6. Trying   of   to   coal   reduce   it   the   uses   amount   .
    7. try   now   must   It   gas   less   use   to   .
    8. The   is   towards   energy   UK   moving   greener   .
    9. Climate   nature   our   on   havoc   wreaking   is   change   .
    10. fossil   on   backs   our   turning   are   We   fuels   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The United Kingdom is doing a lot to increase its used / use of renewable energy. It is moving away / about from fossil fuels and making more use of green energies, such was / as wind power, nuclear power and solar energy. New figures from the UK's electricity provider shows / show that the UK had its greenest year ever / even in 2017 for electricity production. It even had its first coal-free day for above / over 150 years. The UK broke 13 clean energy records in 2017. In June, wind, nuclear and solar power produce / produced more electricity than gas and coal combined / combed. It was the first time this has never / ever happened. The UK's power system is now the fourth cleanest in Europe and the seventh cleanest in a / the world.

    The United Kingdom has been tried / trying to reduce the amount of coal it uses. Coal now supplies / supply less than 7 per cent of the UK's electrical / electricity. A spokesman said it must now try to use fewer / less gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse gas emissions / remissions. The UK currently uses too much gas. The conversation / conservation charity World Wildlife Fund said it was pleased that the UK is moving forwards / towards greener energy. It said: "We have never been cleaner or greener, and we are on [target] for an even better year in 2018." It added: "Climate change is weakening / wreaking havoc on our nature and wildlife, but we are at last / lost facing up to the challenge. We are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new, clean / cleanse future."

    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)

    Th_ _n_t_d K_ngd_m _s d__ng _ l_t t_ _ncr__s_ _ts _s_ _f r_n_w_bl_ _n_rgy. _t _s m_v_ng _w_y fr_m f_ss_l f__ls _nd m_k_ng m_r_ _s_ _f gr__n _n_rg__s, s_ch _s w_nd p_w_r, n_cl__r p_w_r _nd s_l_r _n_rgy. N_w f_g_r_s fr_m th_ _K's _l_ctr_c_ty pr_v_d_r sh_w th_t th_ _K h_d _ts gr__n_st y__r _v_r _n 2017 f_r _l_ctr_c_ty pr_d_ct__n. _t _v_n h_d _ts f_rst c__l-fr__ d_y f_r _v_r 150 y__rs. Th_ _K br_k_ 13 cl__n _n_rgy r_c_rds _n 2017. _n J_n_, w_nd, n_cl__r _nd s_l_r p_w_r pr_d_c_d m_r_ _l_ctr_c_ty th_n g_s _nd c__l c_mb_n_d. _t w_s th_ f_rst t_m_ th_s h_s _v_r h_pp_n_d. Th_ _K's p_w_r syst_m _s n_w th_ f__rth cl__n_st _n __r_p_ _nd th_ s_v_nth cl__n_st _n th_ w_rld.

    Th_ _n_t_d K_ngd_m h_s b__n try_ng t_ r_d_c_ th_ _m__nt _f c__l _t _s_s. C__l n_w s_ppl__s l_ss th_n 7 p_r c_nt _f th_ _K's _l_ctr_c_ty. _ sp_k_sm_n s__d _t m_st n_w try t_ _s_ l_ss g_s t_ m_k_ s_r_ _t m__ts _ts t_rg_t f_r gr__nh__s_ g_s _m_ss__ns. Th_ _K c_rr_ntly _s_s t__ m_ch g_s. Th_ c_ns_rv_t__n ch_r_ty W_rld W_ldl_f_ F_nd s__d _t w_s pl__s_d th_t th_ _K _s m_v_ng t_w_rds gr__n_r _n_rgy. _t s__d: "W_ h_v_ n_v_r b__n cl__n_r _r gr__n_r, _nd w_ _r_ _n [t_rg_t] f_r _n _v_n b_tt_r y__r _n 2018." _t _dd_d: "Cl_m_t_ ch_ng_ _s wr__k_ng h_v_c _n __r n_t_r_ _nd w_ldl_f_, b_t w_ _r_ _t l_st f_c_ng _p t_ th_ ch_ll_ng_. W_ _r_ t_rn_ng __r b_cks _n p_ll_t_ng f_ss_l f__ls _nd _mbr_c_ng _ n_w, cl__n f_t_r_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the united kingdom is doing a lot to increase its use of renewable energy it is moving away from fossil fuels and making more use of green energies such as wind power nuclear power and solar energy new figures from the uk's electricity provider show that the uk had its greenest year ever in 2017 for electricity production it even had its first coal-free day for over 150 years the uk broke 13 clean energy records in 2017 in june wind nuclear and solar power produced more electricity than gas and coal combined it was the first time this has ever happened the uk's power system is now the fourth cleanest in europe and the seventh cleanest in the world

    the united kingdom has been trying to reduce the amount of coal it uses coal now supplies less than 7 per cent of the uk's electricity a spokesman said it must now try to use less gas to make sure it meets its target for greenhouse gas emissions the uk currently uses too much gas the conservation charity world wildlife fund said it was pleased that the uk is moving towards greener energy it said "we have never been cleaner or greener and we are on [target] for an even better year in 2018" it added "climate change is wreaking havoc on our nature and wildlife but we are at last facing up to the challenge we are turning our backs on polluting fossil fuels and embracing a new clean future"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheUnitedKingdomisdoingalottoincreaseitsuseofrenewableenergy.
    Itismovingawayfromfossilfuelsandmakingmoreuseofgreenenergies
    ,suchaswindpower,nuclearpowerandsolarenergy.Newfiguresfromth
    eUK'selectricityprovidershowthattheUKhaditsgreenestyeareverin2
    017forelectricityproduction.Itevenhaditsfirstcoal-freedayforove
    r150years.TheUKbroke13cleanenergyrecordsin2017.InJune,wind,
    nuclearandsolarpowerproducedmoreelectricitythangasandcoalcom
    bined.Itwasthefirsttimethishaseverhappened.TheUK'spowersyste
    misnowthefourthcleanestinEuropeandtheseventhcleanestintheworl
    d.TheUnitedKingdomhasbeentryingtoreducetheamountofcoalituses
    .Coalnowsupplieslessthan7percentoftheUK'selectricity.Aspokesma
    nsaiditmustnowtrytouselessgastomakesureitmeetsitstargetforgree
    nhousegasemissions.TheUKcurrentlyusestoomuchgas.Theconserv
    ationcharityWorldWildlifeFundsaiditwaspleasedthattheUKismovingt
    owardsgreenerenergy.Itsaid:"Wehaveneverbeencleanerorgreener,
    andweareon[target]foranevenbetteryearin2018."Itadded:"Climate
    changeiswreakinghavoconournatureandwildlife,butweareatlastfaci
    nguptothechallenge.Weareturningourbacksonpollutingfossilfuelsan
    dembracinganew,cleanfuture."

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Fossil fuels are very bad for 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 story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. GREEN ENERGY: Make a poster about green energy. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. FOSSIL FUELS: Write a magazine article about ending the use of all fossil fuels in the next five years. 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 green energy. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to save more energy. 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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