The Reading / Listening - Cold Cure - Level 0

There may soon be a drug for the common cold. Scientists have looked for one for many years. The problem is there are hundreds of cold viruses. They change very quickly. They fight against new drugs. This means we all get colds. Scientists have made something that blocks cold viruses.

Most of us catch a cold every year. We take medicine for sore throats, fevers or a runny nose. Different viruses cause different things. The researchers' discovery could stop these things. It could also help people with bigger problems. The discovery could help people who have breathing problems.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Cold Cure - Level 1,  Cold Cure - Level 2   or  Cold Cure - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20180515/scientists-are-targeting-the-common-cold
  • https://www.medicaldaily.com/new-cure-common-cold-targets-human-protein-instead-virus-424150
  • https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/38879/20180515/common-cold-cure-new-molecule-that-doesnt-even-attack-the-virus-could-hold-the-key.htm


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. There may soon
  2. Scientists have looked
  3. for many
  4. The problem is there
  5. cold
  6. They change very
  7. This means we all
  8. something that
  1. blocks cold viruses
  2. years
  3. viruses
  4. get colds
  5. be a drug
  6. are hundreds
  7. for one
  8. quickly

Paragraph 2

  1. Most of us catch
  2. every
  3. We take medicine
  4. a runny
  5. Different viruses cause
  6. stop these
  7. help people with bigger
  8. people who have breathing
  1. problems
  2. for sore throats
  3. different things
  4. problems
  5. a cold
  6. nose
  7. year
  8. things

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

There (1) ___________________ a drug for the common cold. Scientists (2) ___________________ one for many years. The problem (3) ___________________ hundreds of cold viruses. They (4) ___________________. They fight against new drugs. This means (5) ___________________ colds. Scientists have made something (6) ___________________ viruses.

Most of us (7) ___________________ every year. We take medicine (8) ___________________, fevers or a runny nose. Different (9) ___________________ things. The researchers' discovery could (10) ___________________. It could also help people (11) ___________________. The discovery could help people who (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Theremaysoonbeadrugforthecommoncold.Scientistshavelookedfor
oneformanyyears.Theproblemistherearehundredsofcoldviruses.Th
eychangeveryquickly.Theyfightagainstnewdrugs.Thismeansweallg
etcolds.Scientistshavemadesomethingthatblockscoldviruses.Mosto
fuscatchacoldeveryyear.Wetakemedicineforsorethroats,feversorar
unnynose.Differentvirusescausedifferentthings.Theresearchers'dis
coverycouldstopthesethings.Itcouldalsohelppeoplewithbiggerprobl
ems.Thediscoverycouldhelppeoplewhohavebreathingproblems.

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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