The Reading / Listening - Night Owls - Level 2

People say: "The early bird catches the worm." It means people who wake up early do many things. U.S. President Benjamin Franklin said: "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." These sayings may be true. Scientists in the U.K. found that people who go to bed before 11pm may do better in life. They added that people who sleep and wake up early (early birds) have an advantage over people who sleep and wake up late (night owls). They found differences in the brain function of early birds and night owls.

The scientists tested 38 people. The people answered questionnaires about their sleep and when they felt tired. They were then put into an early bird or night owl group. All of the people had MRI brain scans and did tests throughout the day. The early birds said they felt less sleepy. They did the tests quicker than the night owls. There were big differences between the two groups. The researchers said night owls have to get up early for school and work. They are always fighting against wanting to sleep late and their natural rhythm.

Mistake: Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of the USA, not a President.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Night Owls - Level 0 Night Owls - Level 1   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 the
  2. early
  3. makes a
  4. people who go
  5. do better
  6. have an advantage
  7. wake
  8. differences in the brain
  1. man healthy
  2. in life
  3. up late
  4. to rise
  5. function
  6. worm
  7. over people
  8. to bed before 11pm

Paragraph 2

  1. when they
  2. people answered
  3. they felt less
  4. They did the tests
  5. There were big
  6. get up early for
  7. They are always
  8. their natural
  1. quicker
  2. rhythm
  3. questionnaires
  4. fighting
  5. sleepy
  6. differences
  7. felt tired
  8. school and work

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

People say: "The early (1) ___________________ worm." It means people who wake up early (2) ___________________. U.S. President Benjamin Franklin said: "Early to bed, (3) ___________________ makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." These sayings may be true. Scientists in the U.K. found that people who go to bed before 11pm may (4) ___________________ life. They added that people who sleep and wake up early (early birds) have an advantage over people who (5) ___________________ up late (night owls). They found differences in the brain (6) ___________________ birds and night owls.

The (7) ___________________ people. The people answered questionnaires about their sleep and when (8) ___________________. They were then put into an early bird or night owl group. All of the people had MRI (9) ___________________ did tests throughout the day. The early birds said they felt less sleepy. They did (10) ___________________ than the night owls. There were big differences between the two groups. The researchers said night owls have to (11) ___________________ for school and work. They are always fighting against wanting to sleep late (12) ___________________ rhythm.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Peoplesay:"Theearlybirdcatchestheworm."Itmeanspeoplewhowake
upearlydomanythings.U.S.PresidentBenjaminFranklinsaid:"Earlyto
bed,earlytorisemakesamanhealthy,wealthy,andwise."Thesesaying
smaybetrue.ScientistsintheU.K.foundthatpeoplewhogotobedbefore
11pmmaydobetterinlife.Theyaddedthatpeoplewhosleepandwakeup
early(earlybirds)haveanadvantageoverpeoplewhosleepandwakeup
late(nightowls).Theyfounddifferencesinthebrainfunctionofearlybird
sandnightowls.Thescientiststested38people.Thepeopleansweredqu
estionnairesabouttheirsleepandwhentheyfelttired.Theywerethenpu
tintoanearlybirdornightowlgroup.AllofthepeoplehadMRIbrainscans
anddidteststhroughouttheday.Theearlybirdssaidtheyfeltlesssleepy.
Theydidthetestsquickerthanthenightowls.Therewerebigdifferences
betweenthetwogroups.Theresearcherssaidnightowlshavetogetupe
arlyforschoolandwork.Theyarealwaysfightingagainstwantingtoslee
plateandtheirnaturalrhythm.

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You