The Reading / Listening - Public Transport - Level 1

The UK is thinking about banning food and drink on public transport. This is not popular with people. They say governments should not control what people can eat and drink on trains and buses. Many people said it is an example of the UK wanting to control everyone's life. The UK's Chief Medical Officer said the plan was necessary to halve obesity in children by 2030. It is also to help people live healthier lives.

The medical officer said there are two times more overweight schoolchildren today than in 1990. She said: "Today's children are drowning in a flood of unhealthy food and drink options." This is made worse because children do not exercise enough. She also wants a ban on fast food at soccer games. Many travelers are angry about the plan. A busy nurse said it would make her life worse. She said: "I need a sandwich on the train on my way home from work."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Public Transport - Level 0 Public Transport - Level 2   or  Public Transport - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10103210/match-pies-eating-on-buses-ban/
  • https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/10/eating-on-public-transport-should-be-banned-says-chief-medical-officer-10892079/
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-drink-public-transport-child-obesity-calorie-soft-tax-vat-train-bus-a9149431.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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. thinking about banning food
  2. This is not popular with
  3. eat and drink on
  4. Many people said it is an
  5. control everyone's
  6. the plan was
  7. halve obesity
  8. help people live
  1. example
  2. in children by 2030
  3. people
  4. healthier lives
  5. trains and buses
  6. life
  7. and drink
  8. necessary

Paragraph 2

  1. overweight
  2. children are drowning in a flood
  3. children do not exercise
  4. a ban on fast food at
  5. travelers are angry about
  6. it would make her
  7. I need a sandwich
  8. on my way
  1. soccer games
  2. on the train
  3. the plan
  4. of unhealthy food
  5. home from work
  6. enough
  7. schoolchildren
  8. life worse

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The UK (1) ___________________ banning food and drink on public transport. This (2) ___________________ with people. They say governments should (3) ___________________ people can eat and drink on trains and buses. Many people said it (4) ___________________ of the UK wanting to control everyone's life. The UK's Chief Medical Officer said (5) ___________________ necessary to halve obesity in children by 2030. It is also to help people (6) ___________________.

The medical officer said there (7) ___________________ more overweight schoolchildren (8) ___________________ 1990. She said: "Today's children are drowning (9) ___________________ of unhealthy food and drink options." This is made worse because children do (10) ___________________. She also wants a ban on fast food at soccer games. Many travelers are angry about the plan. A busy nurse said it would make (11) ___________________. She said: "I need a sandwich on the train on (12) ___________________ from work."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUKisthinkingaboutbanningfoodanddrinkonpublictransport.Thisi
snotpopularwithpeople.Theysaygovernmentsshouldnotcontrolwhat
peoplecaneatanddrinkontrainsandbuses.Manypeoplesaiditisanexa
mpleoftheUKwantingtocontroleveryone'slife.TheUK'sChiefMedicalO
fficersaidtheplanwasnecessarytohalveobesityinchildrenby2030.Itis
alsotohelppeoplelivehealthierlives.Themedicalofficersaidtherearet
wotimesmoreoverweightschoolchildrentodaythanin1990.Shesaid:"
Today'schildrenaredrowninginafloodofunhealthyfoodanddrinkoptio
ns."Thisismadeworsebecausechildrendonotexerciseenough.Sheals
owantsabanonfastfoodatsoccergames.Manytravelersareangryabou
ttheplan.Abusynursesaiditwouldmakeherlifeworse.Shesaid:"Ineed
asandwichonthetrainonmywayhomefromwork."

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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