The Reading / Listening - Self-Cleaning Plastic - Level 4

A new plastic could stop bacteria and superbugs spreading diseases. Scientists developed a new, plastic wonder-wrap. They say it will greatly cut bacteria spreading in hospitals, kitchens, bathrooms and other places with bugs. Researchers in Canada created the plastic. They say it repels all forms of bacteria and superbugs. The material is like the plastic wrap we use to cover food. It can protect places that attract bacteria, like worktops, door handles, and hospitals.

The researchers got their idea from the lotus plant. They copied how lotus leaves repelled water. Water either sits on the leaves or bounces off. A researcher hoped plastic could do the same. She said: "This material gives us something that can be applied to all kinds of things." Another researcher said his technology could be used in all kinds of settings. It will offer anti-microbial resistance in any future health crisis.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Self-Cleaning Plastic - Level 5 or  Self-Cleaning Plastic - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/self-cleaning-plastic-bacteria-repellent-mrsa-nhs-a9245811.html
  • https://news.sky.com/story/self-cleaning-surface-that-repels-superbugs-could-be-used-in-kitchens-and-hospitals-11885900
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/13/health/superbug-repelling-surface-intl-scli-scn/index.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. A new plastic could
  2. superbugs spreading
  3. a new, plastic wonder-
  4. They say it will greatly
  5. other places
  6. it repels all
  7. the plastic wrap we use
  8. places that
  1. wrap
  2. attract bacteria
  3. cut bacteria
  4. forms of bacteria
  5. stop bacteria
  6. to cover food
  7. diseases
  8. with bugs

Paragraph 2

  1. researchers got their idea from
  2. They copied how lotus leaves
  3. sits on the leaves or
  4. plastic could
  5. This material gives us
  6. used in all kinds
  7. It will offer anti-microbial
  8. in any future health
  1. bounces off
  2. resistance
  3. something
  4. crisis
  5. of settings
  6. do the same
  7. the lotus plant
  8. repelled water

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new plastic (1) ___________________ and superbugs spreading diseases. Scientists developed a new, (2) ___________________. They say it will greatly cut bacteria (3) ___________________, kitchens, bathrooms and other places with bugs. Researchers in Canada created the plastic. They say it (4) ___________________ of bacteria and superbugs. The material is like the plastic wrap we use to cover food. It can protect (5) ___________________ bacteria, like worktops, (6) __________________ hospitals.

The researchers got their idea from (7) ___________________. They copied how lotus leaves repelled water. Water (8) ___________________ the leaves or bounces off. A researcher hoped plastic could (9) ___________________. She said: "This material gives us something that (10) ___________________ to all kinds of things." Another researcher said his technology could be used in all (11) ___________________. It will offer anti-microbial resistance in any (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewplasticcouldstopbacteriaandsuperbugsspreadingdiseases.Sci
entistsdevelopedanew,plasticwonder-wrap.Theysayitwillgreatlycu
tbacteriaspreadinginhospitals,kitchens,bathroomsandotherplaces
withbugs.ResearchersinCanadacreatedtheplastic.Theysayitrepelsal
lformsofbacteriaandsuperbugs.Thematerialisliketheplasticwrapwe
usetocoverfood.Itcanprotectplacesthatattractbacteria,likeworktops
,doorhandles,andhospitals.Theresearchersgottheirideafromthelotu
splant.Theycopiedhowlotusleavesrepelledwater.Watereithersitsont
heleavesorbouncesoff.Aresearcherhopedplasticcoulddothesame.S
hesaid:"Thismaterialgivesussomethingthatcanbeappliedtoallkindso
fthings."Anotherresearchersaidhistechnologycouldbeusedinallkind
sofsettings.Itwillofferanti-microbialresistanceinanyfuturehealthcr
isis.

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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