The Reading / Listening - Night Owls - Level 0

The early bird catches the worm. This means people who wake up early do many things. This may be true. Scientists found that people who sleep early do better in tests. People who sleep and wake up early (early birds) do better than people who sleep and wake up late (night owls). Their brains are different.

The scientists tested 38 people. They answered questions about sleep and tiredness. They had brain scans and did tests. The early birds were less sleepy. They did the tests quicker than the night owls. The scientists said night owls have to get up early for school and work. They always want to sleep late.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Night Owls - Level 1,  Night Owls - Level 2   or  Night Owls - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.medicaldaily.com/brain-functions-differently-if-you-are-night-person-429837
  • https://www.livescience.com/64779-night-owls-brain-connectivity.html
  • https://www.newsweek.com/night-owls-work-mornings-brains-wired-differently-science-1332931


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. The early bird catches
  2. wake up early
  3. This may
  4. do better
  5. early
  6. do better than people
  7. wake
  8. Their brains are
  1. who sleep
  2. be true
  3. different
  4. do many things
  5. in tests
  6. up late
  7. birds
  8. the worm

Paragraph 2

  1. The scientists tested
  2. They answered
  3. sleep and
  4. They had brain
  5. The early birds were less
  6. They did the tests quicker
  7. night owls have to get
  8. sleep
  1. tiredness
  2. up early
  3. questions
  4. late
  5. than the night owls
  6. 38 people
  7. sleepy
  8. scans

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) ___________________ the worm. This means people who wake up early (2) ___________________. This may be true. Scientists found that people who sleep early (3) ___________________ tests. People who sleep and (4) ___________________ (early birds) do better than (5) ___________________ and wake up late (night owls). (6) ___________________ different.

The scientists (7) ___________________. They answered questions about (8) ___________________. They had brain scans (9) ___________________. The early birds were less sleepy. They did (10) ___________________ than the night owls. The scientists said night owls (11) ___________________ up early for school and work. They (12) ___________________ sleep late.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Theearlybirdcatchestheworm.Thismeanspeoplewhowakeupearlydo
manythings.Thismaybetrue.Scientistsfoundthatpeoplewhosleepear
lydobetterintests.Peoplewhosleepandwakeupearly(earlybirds)dobe
tterthanpeoplewhosleepandwakeuplate(nightowls).Theirbrainsare
different.Thescientiststested38people.Theyansweredquestionsabo
utsleepandtiredness.Theyhadbrainscansanddidtests.Theearlybirds
werelesssleepy.Theydidthetestsquickerthanthenightowls.Thescient
istssaidnightowlshavetogetupearlyforschoolandwork.Theyalwaysw
anttosleeplate.

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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