The Reading / Listening - Panic Buying - Level 6

Shoppers around the world are embarking on panic buying sprees because of fears over the coronavirus. People in countries as far afield as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been emptying supermarket shelves of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried and canned food. Governments have advised their citizens that there is no need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only reduce the supply of products needed by medical staff and carers, which could exacerbate the problems the COVID-19 virus is causing. Footage of shoppers in Australia brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone viral across social media.

Psychologists say panic buying is an "irrational" behaviour that is part of a condition called FOMO - the fear of missing out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd mentality sets in during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others. People watch the news of items being bought in bulk and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the risks of dying from the coronavirus. She said: "Far more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't panic about these things in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that: "We have ample supplies. There's no need to stock up."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Panic Buying - Level 4  or  Panic Buying - Level 5

Sources
  • https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-why-are-people-panic-buying-and-why-toilet-paper-11952397
  • https://www.snopes.com/news/2020/03/06/coronavirus-why-people-are-panic-buying-toilet-paper/
  • https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/australians-scrap-toilet-rolls-coronavirus-panic-buying-200308014116516.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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. PANIC BUYING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about panic buying. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       shopper / spree / supermarket / virus / sanitiser / panic buy / brawling / toilet paper /
       irrational / fear / disaster / news / buy in bulk / risk / car accident / supplies / stock up
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. RATIONING: Students A strongly believe stores should ration goods to stop panic buying; Students B strongly believe this should not happen.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SUPPLIES: How important are these things during the coronavirus outbreak? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Important?

Why?

Face masks

 

 

Hand sanitiser

 

 

Soap

 

 

Toilet paper

 

 

Pot noodles

 

 

Bottled water

 

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. SUPERMARKET: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "supermarket". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. SOLD OUT: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst things for stores to sell out of at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • toilet paper
  • chocolate
  • bottled water
  • hand sanitiser
  • face masks
  • canned fish
  • baked beans
  • dried fruit

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. embarking a. A time or  period of activity of a particular kind.
      2. spree b. Made a problem or bad situation worse.
      3. sanitiser c. Beginning a course of action.
      4. exacerbate d. Fighting or arguing in a rough or noisy way.
      5. footage e. A length of film made for movies or television.
      6. brawling f. Spreading very, very quickly over the Internet.
      7. go viral g. A liquid that makes things clean and hygienic.

    Paragraph 2

      8. psychologist h. Buy many things and keep them for later use (especially in an emergency).
      9. irrational i. Very large quantities.
      10. herd mentality j. Said or did something to remove the doubts and fears of someone.
      11. in bulk k. An expert on the human mind and human behaviour.
      12. reassured l. Not logical or reasonable.
      13. ample m. Enough or more than enough; plentiful.
      14. stock up n. A behavior in which many, many people follow the actions of the group to which they belong.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Shoppers in every world country are panic buying.     T / F
  2. People are panic buying canned food but not dried food.     T / F
  3. Governments said there is no need to panic buy.     T / F
  4. Video of people fighting in an Australian supermarket is on social media.  T / F
  5. FOMO means fear of missing out.     T / F
  6. A psychologist said people follow each other like a fish mentality.     T / F
  7. The psychologist said people are underestimating the risk of COVID-19.   T / F
  8. Singapore's leader said the country has plenty of supplies.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. embarking
  2. emptying
  3. reduce
  4. exacerbate
  5. brawling
  6. irrational
  7. mentality
  8. copy
  9. risks
  10. ample
  1. cut
  2. imitate
  3. fighting
  4. way of thinking
  5. sufficient
  6. starting
  7. worsen
  8. chances
  9. clearing
  10. illogical

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. panic buying
  2. reduce the supply of products needed
  3. exacerbate the
  4. brawling over the
  5. gone viral
  6. irrational
  7. a herd
  8. items being bought in
  9. overestimating the risks
  10. We have ample
  1. last pack of toilet roll
  2. supplies
  3. behaviour
  4. sprees
  5. bulk
  6. problems
  7. of dying
  8. across social media
  9. mentality
  10. by medical staff

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
reduce
fears
brawling
embarking
canned
viral
exacerbate
shelves

Shoppers around the world are (1) ________ on panic buying sprees because of (2) ________ over the coronavirus. People in countries as far afield as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been emptying supermarket (3) ________ of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried and (4) ________ food. Governments have advised their citizens that there is no need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only (5) ________ the supply of products needed by medical staff and carers, which could (6) ________ the problems the COVID-19 virus is causing. Footage of shoppers in Australia (7) ________ over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone (8) ________ across social media.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
sets
risks
behaviour
ample
bulk
stock
missing
panic

Psychologists say panic buying is an "irrational" (9) ________ that is part of a condition called FOMO - the fear of (10) ________ out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd mentality (11) ________ in during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others. People watch the news of items being bought in (12) ________ and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the (13) ________ of dying from the coronavirus. She said: "Far more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't (14) ________ about these things in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that: "We have (15) ________ supplies. There's no need to (16) ________ up."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  embarking on panic buying sprees because of ______ coronavirus
     a.  fears hover the
     b.  fears other the
     c.  fears outer the
     d.  fears over the
2)  toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried ______
     a.  and can food
     b.  and can't food
     c.  and caned food
     d.  and canned food
3)  They added that panic buying would only ______
     a.  deduce the supply
     b.  induce the supply
     c.  seduce the supply
     d.  reduce the supply
4)  which could exacerbate the problems the COVID-19 ______
     a.  virus is causing
     b.  viruses is causing
     c.  viruses causing
     d.  vials is causing
5)  brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket ______
     a.  has gone rival
     b.  has gone viral
     c.  has gone libel
     d.  has gone rebel

6)  panic buying is an "irrational" behaviour that is part of ______ FOMO
     a.  a conditional called
     b.  a conditioned called
     c.  a condition called
     d.  a conditions called
7)  Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd ______
     a.  meant tally sets in
     b.  meant totality sets in
     c.  men tally sets in
     d.  mentality sets in
8)  People watch the news of items being ______
     a.  bough in bulk
     b.  bough tin bulk
     c.  bought in bulk
     d.  baulking bulk
9)  She said people were overestimating the ______
     a.  risks of dye in
     b.  risks of die in
     c.  risks of drying
     d.  risks of dying
10)  Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that we have ______
     a.  sample supplies
     b.  amp pile replies
     c.  ample supplies
     d.  amp pull supplies

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Shoppers around the world (1) ___________________ panic buying sprees because of fears over the coronavirus. People in countries (2) ___________________ as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been emptying supermarket shelves of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and (3) ___________________ food. Governments have advised their citizens that there is no need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only (4) ___________________ of products needed by medical staff and carers, which could exacerbate the problems the COVID-19 virus is causing. (5) ___________________ in Australia brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has (6) ___________________ social media.

Psychologists say panic buying (7) ___________________ behaviour that is part of a condition called FOMO - the fear of missing out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd (8) ___________________ during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others. People watch the (9) ___________________ being bought in bulk and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the (10) ___________________ from the coronavirus. She said: "Far more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't panic (11) ___________________ in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that: "We have ample supplies. There's no need (12) ___________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. How many countries were mentioned where people are panic buying?
  2. What kind of food are people panic buying?
  3. Who said there was no need to panic buy?
  4. Who did governments say needed supplies being panic bought?
  5. In what country were people fighting over toilet paper?
  6. Who said panic buying was an "irrational behaviour"?
  7. What kind of mentality did a psychologist say people were exhibiting?
  8. What did a psychologist say people were overestimating the risks of?
  9. What did a psychologist say we do not think about the risks of?
  10. Who said his country had ample supplies?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  How many countries were mentioned where people are panic buying?
a) five
b) four
c) two
d) seven
2)  What kind of food are people panic buying?
a) nuts and noodles
b) banes and lentils
c) soups
d) canned and dried food
3) Who said there was no need to panic buy?
a) governments
b) hospitals
c) supermarkets
d) suppliers
4) Who did governments say needed supplies being panic bought?
a) children
b) sick people
c) medical staff
d) old people
5) In what country were people fighting over toilet paper?
a) Italy
b) Australia
c) Brazil
d) China

6) Who said panic buying was an "irrational behaviour"?
a) a psychologist
b) a shopper
c) a supermarket owner
d) a doctor
7) What kind of mentality did a psychologist say people were exhibiting?
a) a tough mentality
b) a healthy mentality
c) a herd mentality
d) a confused mentality
8) What did a psychologist say people were overestimating the risks of?
a) dying from coronavirus
b) the kindness of others
c) getting toilet paper
d) the future
9) What did a psychologist say we do not think about the risks of?
a) car accidents
b) viruses
c) everyday life
d) touching hands
10) Who said his country had ample supplies?
a) Iran's leader
b) Italy's leader
c) China's leader
d) Singapore's leader

Role play

Role  A – Toilet Paper
You think toilet paper is the worst thing for stores to sell out of. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): bottled water, chocolate or face masks.

Role  B – Bottled Water
You think bottled water is the worst thing for stores to sell out of. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): toilet paper, chocolate or face masks.

Role  C – Chocolate
You think chocolate is the worst thing for stores to sell out of. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): bottled water, toilet paper or face masks.

Role  D – Face Masks
You think face masks are the worst things for stores to sell out of. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): bottled water, chocolate or toilet paper.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'panic'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'toilet paper'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • sprees
    • emptying
    • citizens
    • supply
    • staff
    • viral
    • condition
    • disasters
    • bulk
    • risks
    • morning
    • stock

    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 - Panic Buying

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'panic'?
    3. What do you think of the panic buying?
    4. Why are people panic-buying toilet paper?
    5. Is there any need to panic buy?
    6. What are the most important things to buy at the moment?
    7. What are the most important things to do at the moment?
    8. Are you worried about not having masks, sanitiser, food, etc.?
    9. What is the worst thing to run out of for you?
    10. How is your country handling the coronavirus situation?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'buy'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Should stores limit the amount of things shoppers can buy?
    5. What do you think of the FOMO condition?
    6. Do you ever worry about missing out on things?
    7. Why do we worry about coronavirus but not car accidents?
    8. Do you follow the herd?
    9. What advice do you have for people who are stockpiling things?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the psychologist?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Shoppers around the world are embarking (1) ____ panic buying sprees because of fears over the coronavirus. People in countries as far (2) ____ as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been emptying supermarket (3) ____ of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried and canned food. Governments have advised their citizens that there is (4) ____ need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only reduce the supply of products needed by medical staff and carers, which could (5) ____ the problems the COVID-19 virus is causing. Footage of shoppers in Australia brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone (6) ____ across social media.

    Psychologists say panic buying is an "irrational" behaviour that is part of a condition called FOMO - the (7) ____ of missing out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd mentality sets (8) ____ during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others. People watch the news of items being bought (9) ____ bulk and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the risks of dying from the coronavirus. She said: "(10) ____ more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't panic about (11) ____ things in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that: "We have (12) ____ supplies. There's no need to stock up."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     at     (b)     of     (c)     on     (d)     to    
    2. (a)     afield     (b)     abreast     (c)     aghast     (d)     abut    
    3. (a)     shelves     (b)     sheaves     (c)     shafts     (d)     sheets    
    4. (a)     no     (b)     known     (c)     now     (d)     not    
    5. (a)     reverberate     (b)     exacerbate     (c)     reprobate     (d)     rebate    
    6. (a)     rebel     (b)     revel     (c)     libel     (d)     viral    
    7. (a)     frightened     (b)     phobia     (c)     fear     (d)     fright    
    8. (a)     at     (b)     up     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    9. (a)     in     (b)     on     (c)     up     (d)     to    
    10. (a)     Afar     (b)     Far     (c)     For     (d)     Fore    
    11. (a)     they     (b)     these     (c)     them     (d)     that    
    12. (a)     sample     (b)     rumple     (c)     ample     (d)     amble

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. rmgbeaink on panic buying
    2. panic buying pssere
    3. eetrabceax the problems
    4. fotogea of shoppers in Australia
    5. nrgbilwa over the last pack
    6. gone ilavr across social media

    Paragraph 2

    1. panic buying is an iaranrtlio behaviour
    2. a herd nittalyme sets in
    3. emyamiitedl rush out
    4. itestngremioav the risks of dying
    5. Singapore's prime minister rsdueraes Singaporeans
    6. We have mapel supplies

    Put the text back together

    (...)  of products needed by medical staff and carers, which could exacerbate the problems the
    (...)  more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't panic
    (...)  Psychologists say panic buying is an "irrational" behaviour that is part of a condition called FOMO - the fear of missing
    (...)  their citizens that there is no need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only reduce the supply
    (...)  out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the risks of dying from the coronavirus. She said: "Far
    1  ) Shoppers around the world are embarking on panic buying sprees because of fears
    (...)  COVID-19 virus is causing. Footage of shoppers in Australia brawling over the last pack
    (...)  of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone viral across social media.
    (...)  actions of others. People watch the news of items being bought in bulk and immediately rush
    (...)  Singaporeans that: "We have ample supplies. There's no need to stock up."
    (...)  about these things in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured
    (...)  out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd mentality sets in during disasters that causes people to copy the
    (...)  emptying supermarket shelves of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried and canned food. Governments have advised
    (...)  over the coronavirus. People in countries as far afield as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been

    Put the words in the right order

    1. coronavirus   .   the   fears   because   buying   Panic   over   of
    2. in   far   People   countries   as   afield   as   England   .
    3. would   Panic   buying   of   the   supply   products   .   reduce
    4. the   the   causing   .   Exacerbate   COVID-19   virus   problems   is
    5. Australia   over   in   brawling   Shoppers   pack   .   last   the
    6. say   is   irrational   Psychologists   an   panic   buying   behaviour   .
    7. mentality   herd   A   disasters   .   sets   in   during
    8. overestimating   of   dying   .   were   the   risks   People
    9. people   die   in   more   said   far   She   accidents   .
    10. the   don't   in   We   these   morning   .   panic   about

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Shoppers around the world are embarking / embarkation on panic buying sprees because of fears under / over the coronavirus. People in countries as far afield / field as England, Japan, Singapore and Australia have been emptied / emptying supermarket shelves of toilet paper, face masks, hand sanitiser and dried and canning / canned food. Governments have advised / advice their citizens that there is no need to "panic buy". They added that panic buying would only deduce / reduce the supply of products needed by / at medical staff and carers, which could exacerbate the problems the COVID-19 virus is causing / caused. Footage of shoppers in Australia brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone rival / viral across social media.

    Psychologists say panic buying is an "irrational" / "rational" behaviour that is part of a conditional / condition called FOMO - the fear of missing on / out. Dr Katharina Wittgens said a herd / heard mentality sets in during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others. People watch the news of items being bought on / in bulk and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same. She said people were overestimating the risks to / of dying from the coronavirus. She said: "Far / For more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we don't panic about these / them things in the morning before we go to work." Singapore's prime minister reassured Singaporeans that: "We have sample / ample supplies. There's no need to stock up / down."

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    S h_p p_r s _r__ n d t h_ w_r l d _r_ _m b_r k_n g _n p_n_c b_y_n g s p r__ s b_c__ s_ _f f__ r s _v_r t h_ c_r_n_v_r_s . P__ p l_ _n c__ n t r__ s _s f_r _f__ l d _s E n g l_n d , J_p_n , S_n g_p_r_ _n d A_s t r_l__ h_v_ b__ n _m p t y_n g s_p_r m_r k_t s h_l v_s _f t__ l_t p_p_r , f_c_ m_s k s , h_n d s_n_t_s_r _n d d r__ d _n d c_n n_d f__ d . G_v_r n m_n t s h_v_ _d v_s_d t h__ r c_t_z_n s t h_t t h_r_ _s n_ n__ d t_ " p_n_c b_y " . T h_y _d d_d t h_t p_n_c b_y_n g w__ l d _n l y r_d_c_ t h_ s_p p l y _f p r_d_c t s n__ d_d b y m_d_c_l s t_f f _n d c_r_r s , w h_c h c__ l d _x_c_r b_t_ t h_ p r_b l_m s t h_ C O V I D - 1 9 v_r_s _s c__ s_n g . F__ t_g_ _f s h_p p_r s _n A_s t r_l__ b r_w l_n g _v_r t h_ l_s t p_c k _f t__ l_t r_l l _n _ s_p_r m_r k_t h_s g_n_ v_r_l _c r_s s s_c__ l m_d__ .

    P s y c h_l_g_s t s s_y p_n_c b_y_n g _s _n "_r r_t__ n_l " b_h_v___r t h_t _s p_r t _f _ c_n d_t__ n c_l l_d F O M O - t h_ f__ r _f m_s s_n g __ t . D r K_t h_r_n_ W_t t g_n s s__ d _ h_r d m_n t_l_t y s_t s _n d_r_n g d_s_s t_r s t h_t c__ s_s p__ p l_ t_ c_p y t h_ _c t__ n s _f _t h_r s . P__ p l_ w_t c h t h_ n_w s _f _t_m s b__ n g b__ g h t _n b_l k _n d _m m_d__ t_l y r_s h __ t t_ t h_ s t_r_s t_ d_ t h_ s_m_. S h_ s__ d p__ p l_ w_r_ _v_r_s t_m_t_n g t h_ r_s k s _f d y_n g f r_m t h_ c_r_n_v_r_s . S h_ s__ d : " F_r m_r_ p__ p l_ d__ _n c_r _c c_d_n t s _r h__ s_h_l d _c c_d_n t s p_r y__ r b_t w_ d_n ' t p_n_c _b__ t t h_s_ t h_n g s _n t h_ m_r n_n g b_f_r_ w_ g_ t_ w_r k . " S_n g_p_r_' s p r_m_ m_n_s t_r r__ s s_r_d S_n g_p_r__ n s t h_t : " W_ h_v_ _m p l_ s_p p l__ s . T h_r_' s n_ n__ d t_ s t_c k _p . "

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    shoppers around the world are embarking on panic buying sprees because of fears over the coronavirus people in countries as far afield as england japan singapore and australia have been emptying supermarket shelves of toilet paper face masks hand sanitiser and dried and canned food governments have advised their citizens that there is no need to panic buy they added that panic buying would only reduce the supply of products needed by medical staff and carers which could exacerbate the problems the covid19 virus is causing footage of shoppers in australia brawling over the last pack of toilet roll in a supermarket has gone viral across social media

    psychologists say panic buying is an irrational behaviour that is part of a condition called fomo  the fear of missing out dr katharina wittgens said a herd mentality sets in during disasters that causes people to copy the actions of others people watch the news of items being bought in bulk and immediately rush out to the stores to do the same she said people were overestimating the risks of dying from the coronavirus she said far more people die in car accidents or household accidents per year but we dont panic about these things in the morning before we go to work singapores prime minister reassured singaporeans that we have ample supplies theres no need to stock up

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Shoppersaroundtheworldareembarkingonpanicbuyingspreesbecau
    seoffearsoverthecoronavirus.PeopleincountriesasfarafieldasEnglan
    d,Japan,SingaporeandAustraliahavebeenemptyingsupermarketshe
    lvesoftoiletpaper,facemasks,handsanitiseranddriedandcannedfood
    .Governmentshaveadvisedtheircitizensthatthereisnoneedto"panicb
    uy".Theyaddedthatpanicbuyingwouldonlyreducethesupplyofproduc
    tsneededbymedicalstaffandcarers,whichcouldexacerbatetheproble
    mstheCOVID-19virusiscausing.FootageofshoppersinAustraliabraw
    lingoverthelastpackoftoiletrollinasupermarkethasgoneviralacrosss
    ocialmedia.Psychologistssaypanicbuyingisan"irrational"behaviourt
    hatispartofaconditioncalledFOMO-thefearofmissingout.DrKathar
    inaWittgenssaidaherdmentalitysetsinduringdisastersthatcausespe
    opletocopytheactionsofothers.Peoplewatchthenewsofitemsbeingbo
    ughtinbulkandimmediatelyrushouttothestorestodothesame.Shesai
    dpeoplewereoverestimatingtherisksofdyingfromthecoronavirus.Sh
    esaid:"Farmorepeopledieincaraccidentsorhouseholdaccidentsperye
    arbutwedon'tpanicaboutthesethingsinthemorningbeforewegotowor
    k."Singapore'sprimeministerreassuredSingaporeansthat:"Wehave
    amplesupplies.There'snoneedtostockup."

    Free writing

    Write about panic buying for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    There is no need for panic buying during the coronavirus outbreak. Discuss.

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    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. PANIC BUYING: Make a poster about panic buying. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. RATIONING: Write a magazine article about governments rationing things like face masks, toilet paper and pot noodles during the coronavirus crisis. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on panic buying. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on the coronavirus panic buying. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

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    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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