The Reading / Listening - Human Teeth - Level 3

Researchers say they have discovered how humans got teeth. The researchers are from Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human teeth "first evolved 400 million years ago". They believe our teeth came from an ancient fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied a fossil of the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased in rock. The researchers had to use the strongest X-ray machine in the world to analyse it. They used the X-ray machine to "digitally dissect" the fish. The researchers discovered that the fish's teeth were amazingly similar to human teeth. The researchers also said humans and 60,000 species of jawed vertebrates living on Earth today come from this fish.

The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth ever to live. They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were to ours. A co-author of the study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These findings change our whole understanding of the origin of teeth." He commented on the similarity to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones resemble those of bony fish and seem to be directly ancestral to our own. When you grin at the bathroom mirror in the morning, the teeth that grin back at you can trace their origins right back to the first jawed vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary tree."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Human Teeth - Level 0 Human Teeth - Level 1   or  Human Teeth - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8506673/Human-teeth-evolved-400-million-years-ago-strange-armoured-fish.html
  • https://www.inverse.com/science/miniature-ancient-reptile-discovery
  • https://www.earth.com/news/the-origin-of-human-teeth-dates-back-400-million-years/


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. TEETH: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about teeth. 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?
       researchers / humans / teeth / ancient / fish / fossil / rock / X-ray / machine / Earth /
       vertebrates / jaw / study / understanding / similarity / bathroom / mirror / origins
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. FOSSILS: Students A strongly believe we need to spend more money on looking for and analysing fossils; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. VERTEBRATES: What do you know about these vertebrates? What would you like to know? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Want To Know

Fish

 

 

Amphibians

 

 

Reptiles

 

 

Birds

 

 

Mammals

 

 

Humans

 

 

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. ANCIENT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "ancient". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. FISH: Rank these with your partner. Put the best fish at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Goldfish
  • Clownfish
  • Carp
  • Salmon
  • Piranha
  • Swordfish
  • Shark
  • Eel

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. discovered a. Very, very, very old.
      2. evolved b. Find something or someone.
      3. ancient c. A prehistoric insect or animal (or its shape) in a rock or stone.
      4. fossil d. Covered in something.
      5. encased e. Changed and develop gradually, especially from a something simple to something more complex.
      6. rock f. Examine something by looking at it very closely and very carefully.
      7. analyse g. The solid material forming part of the surface of the earth.

    Paragraph 2

      8. jaw h. An animal with a backbone, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
      9. vertebrate i. Look or seem like.
      10. similar j. The upper and lower bones around the mouth that contain the teeth.
      11. origin k. Looking like something without being the same as it.
      12. resemble l. Smile widely.
      13. origins m. The point or place where something begins or starts.
      14. evolutionary n. Relating to the gradual development of something.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Researchers from a university in Norway researched teeth.     T / F
  2. Our teeth came from an ancient fish.     T / F
  3. The researchers used the world's strongest X-ray machine.     T / F
  4. The article said there are 60,000 species of fish living on Earth.     T / F
  5. A fish called an acanthothoracid is the oldest fish ever to live.     T / F
  6. Researchers were excited about the findings of their research.     T / F
  7. Researchers recommended looking in the mirror at your teeth.     T / F
  8. A researcher said they found a tree with teeth.     T / F

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

  1. discovered
  2. evolved
  3. ancient
  4. analyse
  5. species
  6. excited
  7. findings
  8. origin
  9. grin
  10. expected
  1. examine
  2. beginning
  3. developed
  4. thrilled
  5. thought
  6. found
  7. smile
  8. type
  9. of long ago
  10. conclusion

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

  1. they have discovered how
  2. teeth first evolved
  3. the strongest X-ray
  4. amazingly similar
  5. 60,000 species
  6. one of the earliest jawed vertebrates
  7. A co-author
  8. When you grin
  9. you can trace
  10. so deep on the evolutionary
  1. of the study
  2. machine in the world
  3. tree
  4. humans got teeth
  5. their origins
  6. to human teeth
  7. with teeth
  8. of jawed vertebrates
  9. at the bathroom mirror
  10. 400 million years ago

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
evolved
similar
rock
discovered
living
fossil
ancient
machine

Researchers say they have (1) _____________________ how humans got teeth. The researchers are from Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human teeth "first (2) _____________________ 400 million years ago". They believe our teeth came from an (3) _____________________ fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied a (4) _____________________ of the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased in (5) _____________________. The researchers had to use the strongest X-ray machine in the world to analyse it. They used the X-ray (6) _____________________ to "digitally dissect" the fish. The researchers discovered that the fish's teeth were amazingly (7) _____________________ to human teeth. The researchers also said humans and 60,000 species of jawed vertebrates (8) _____________________ on Earth today come from this fish.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
findings
earliest
tree
directly
origins
ever
similarity
mirror

The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of the (9) _____________________ jawed vertebrates with teeth (10) _____________________ to live. They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were to ours. A co-author of the study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These (11) _____________________ change our whole understanding of the origin of teeth." He commented on the (12) _____________________ to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones resemble those of bony fish and seem to be (13) _____________________ ancestral to our own. When you grin at the bathroom (14) _____________________ in the morning, the teeth that grin back at you can trace their (15) _____________________ right back to the first jawed vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Researchers say they have discovered how ______
     a.  humans get teeth
     b.  humans got tooth
     c.  humans got teeth
     d.  humans get tooth
2)  They say that human teeth first evolved 400 ______
     a.  millions years ago
     b.  million years ago
     c.  million year ago
     d.  millions yearly ago
3)  It was difficult to study because the fish is ______
     a.  in case in rock
     b.  and cased in rock
     c.  in cased in rock
     d.  encased in rock
4)  The researchers had to use the strongest X-ray machine in the world ______
     a.  to analyse sit
     b.  to analyse zit
     c.  to analysis it
     d.  to analyse it
5)  The researchers also said humans and 60,000 ______ vertebrates
     a.  specials of jawed
     b.  species of jawed
     c.  specimens of jawed
     d.  speeches of jawed

6)  one of the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth ______
     a.  ever to live
     b.  even to live
     c.  never to live
     d.  every to live
7)  They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth ______
     a.  wart ours
     b.  wart too ours
     c.  were to ours
     d.  were two ours
8)  When you grin at the ______
     a.  bathroom mirrored
     b.  bathroom mirror
     c.  bathroom mirrors
     d.  bathroom mirroring
9)  the teeth that grin back at you can ______
     a.  trace them origins
     b.  trace them origins
     c.  trace they origins
     d.  trace their origins
10)  Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on ______
     a.  the evolution re-tree
     b.  the evolutionary tree
     c.  the evolve stationary
     d.  thee voluntary tree

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Researchers say they (1) ____________________ humans got teeth. The researchers are from Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human teeth "(2) ____________________ million years ago". They believe our teeth came from an ancient fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied (3) ____________________ the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased in rock. The researchers had to use (4) ____________________ machine in the world to analyse it. They used the X-ray machine (5) ____________________ the fish. The researchers discovered that the fish's teeth were amazingly similar to human teeth. The researchers also said humans and 60,000 (6) ____________________ vertebrates living on Earth today come from this fish.

The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one (7) ____________________ jawed vertebrates with teeth ever to live. They were very excited at seeing how (8) ____________________ were to ours. A co-author of the study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These findings change (9) ____________________ of the origin of teeth." He commented on the similarity to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones (10) ____________________ bony fish and seem to be directly ancestral to our own. When you grin at the bathroom mirror in the morning, the teeth (11) ____________________ at you can trace their origins right back to the first jawed vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth (12) ____________________ the evolutionary tree."

Comprehension questions

  1. In which country is the university that conducted this study?
  2. When did researchers say human teeth first evolved?
  3. What was the fish encased in?
  4. What did researchers use the X-ray machine to do?
  5. How many species of jawed vertebrates on Earth come from this fish?
  6. How did the researchers feel about their research?
  7. Who is Professor Per Ahlberg?
  8. What did a professor say the research changed their understanding of?
  9. What did a researcher say you might grin in front of in the morning?
  10. On what did a researcher not expect to find teeth so deep?

Multiple choice quiz

1) In which country is the university that conducted this study?
a) Norway
b) Sweden
c) Finland
d) Denmark
2) When did researchers say human teeth first evolved?
a) 400,000 years ago
b) 4 million years ago
c) 40 million years ago
d) 400 million years ago
3) What was the fish encased in?
a) diamond
b) concrete
c) rock
d) mud
4) What did researchers use the X-ray machine to do?
a) dissect the fish
b) find the fish
c) draw the fish
d) age the fish

5) How many species of jawed vertebrates on Earth come from this fish?
a) six thousand
b) sixty thousand
c) sixteen thousand
d) sixty-six thousand

6) How did the researchers feel about their research?
a) excited
b) relieved
c) tired
d) depressed
7) Who is Professor Per Ahlberg?
a) a journalist
b) a fish expert
c) a co-author of the study
d) a dentist
8) What did a professor say the research changed their understanding of?
a) the origin of teeth
b) fish
c) X-ray machines
d) humans
9) What did a researcher say you might grin in front of in the morning?
a) the bus stop
b) a newspaper
c) the kitchen
d) the bathroom mirror

10) On what did a researcher not expect to find teeth so deep?
a) the past
b) in our mouth
c) the evolutionary tree
d) a fish

Role play

Role  A – Goldfish
You think goldfish are the best fish. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their fish. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): salmon, piranha or sharks.

Role  B – Salmon
You think salmon are the best fish. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their fish. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): goldfish, piranha or sharks.

Role  C – Piranha
You think piranha are the best fish. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their fish. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): salmon, goldfish or sharks.

Role  D – Shark
You think sharks are the best fish. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their fish. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): salmon, piranha or goldfish.

After reading / listening

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

'human'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'teeth'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • how
    • 400
    • studied
    • strongest
    • amazingly
    • today
    • earliest
    • excited
    • findings
    • seem
    • trace
    • tree

    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 - Human Teeth

    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 'human'?
    3. What do you think of teeth?
    4. What are the functions of teeth?
    5. What do you think of your teeth?
    6. What do you do to look after your teeth?
    7. How did our teeth come from an ancient fish?
    8. How would you like to improve your teeth?
    9. Why do people study fossils
    10. Would you like to study fossils?

    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 'teeth'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How important are teeth?
    5. What would you like to know about teeth?
    6. What problems do people have with their teeth?
    7. How often do you grin in front of the mirror?
    8. Do you think our teeth should be sharper?
    9. What do you think of false teeth?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    Researchers say they have discovered (1) ____ humans got teeth. The researchers are from Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human teeth "(2) ____ evolved 400 million years ago". They believe our teeth came from an ancient fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied a (3) ____ of the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased in rock. The researchers had to use the (4) ____ X-ray machine in the world to analyse it. They used the X-ray machine to "digitally dissect" the fish. The researchers discovered that the fish's teeth were (5) ____ similar to human teeth. The researchers also said humans and 60,000 species of jawed vertebrates living on Earth today (6) ____ from this fish.

    The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth (7) ____ to live. They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were (8) ____ ours. A co-author of the study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These findings change our whole understanding of the origin of teeth." He commented on the (9) ____ to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones resemble those of bony fish and seem to be (10) ____ ancestral to our own. When you grin at the bathroom mirror in the morning, the teeth that grin back at you can (11) ____ their origins right back to the first jawed vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary (12) ____."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     how     (b)     now     (c)     know     (d)     who    
    2. (a)     fast     (b)     last     (c)     first     (d)     lastly    
    3. (a)     docile     (b)     fissure     (c)     pasture     (d)     fossil    
    4. (a)     strangest     (b)     strongest     (c)     stingiest     (d)     stringent     
    5. (a)     amazement     (b)     amazed     (c)     amazing     (d)     amazingly    
    6. (a)     have     (b)     do     (c)     come     (d)     go    
    7. (a)     even     (b)     never     (c)     ever     (d)     every    
    8. (a)     for     (b)     by     (c)     to     (d)     as    
    9. (a)     likelihood     (b)     akin     (c)     differential     (d)     similarity    
    10. (a)     cavity     (b)     enamel     (c)     toothy     (d)     directly    
    11. (a)     trace     (b)     sketch     (c)     draw     (d)     hunt    
    12. (a)     bush     (b)     shrub     (c)     tree     (d)     twig

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. they have ecordveids how humans got teeth
    2. first dlevveo 400 million years ago
    3. our teeth came from an ceiatnn fish
    4. researchers studied a fslosi of the fish
    5. used the X-ray machine to altiidlyg dissect the fish
    6. 60,000 species of jawed rttbvareese

    Paragraph 2

    1. They were very dicxete
    2. the nrioig of teeth
    3. commented on the imslayiirt to the fish
    4. Their jawbones smeeblre those of bony fish
    5. you can trace their iogirsn
    6. deep on the yevolouairtn tree

    Put the text back together

    (...)  machine in the world to analyse it. They used the X-ray machine to "digitally dissect" the fish. The researchers discovered
    (...)  The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth ever to
    (...)  of the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased in rock. The researchers had to use the strongest X-ray
    (...)  of teeth." He commented on the similarity to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones resemble those of bony fish and seem
    1  ) Researchers say they have discovered how humans got teeth. The researchers are from
    (...)  live. They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were to ours. A co-author of the
    (...)  morning, the teeth that grin back at you can trace their origins right back to the first jawed
    (...)  that the fish's teeth were amazingly similar to human teeth. The researchers also
    (...)  study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These findings change our whole understanding of the origin
    (...)  vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary tree."
    (...)  ago". They believe our teeth came from an ancient fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied a fossil
    (...)  to be directly ancestral to our own. When you grin at the bathroom mirror in the
    (...)  said humans and 60,000 species of jawed vertebrates living on Earth today come from this fish.
    (...)  Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human teeth "first evolved 400 million years

    Put the words in the right order

    1. discovered   how   teeth   .   got   have   Researchers   humans
    2. first   Human   400   evolved   ago   .   teeth   years   million
    3. a   studied   fossil   the   fish   .   researchers   of   The
    4. had   use   strongest   machine   .   Researchers   X-ray   the   to
    5. species   Humans   of   and   jawed   vertebrates   .   60,000
    6. of   the   teeth   .   with   One   jawed   earliest   vertebrates
    7. similar   its   were   .   how   teeth   seeing   Excited   at
    8. whole   Our   of   understanding   teeth   .   origin   the   of
    9. the   the   bathroom   mirror   Grin   in   at   morning   .
    10. find   Nobody   expected   so   to   deep   .   teeth

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Researchers say they have discovery / discovered how humans got teeth. The researchers are from Uppsala University in Sweden. They say that human tooth / teeth "first evolved 400 million years ago". They believe / belief our teeth came from an ancient / anchor fish called an acanthothoracid. The researchers studied a fossil off / of the fish. It was difficult to study because the fish is encased on / in rock. The researchers had to use the strongest X-ray machine in the world to analyse / realise it. They used the X-ray machine to "digitally dissect / insect" the fish. The researchers discovered that the fish's teeth were amazed / amazingly similar to human teeth. The researchers also said humans and 60,000 specials / species of jawed vertebrates living on Earth today come from this fish.

    The researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of an / the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth ever to lively / live. They were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were to hours / ours. A co-author of the study, Professor Per Ahlberg, said: "These findings change / charge our whole understanding of the origin / original of teeth." He commented on the similarity to the fish, saying: "Their jawbones resemble / tumble those of bony fish and seem to be directly ancestral to our down / own. When you grin at the bathroom mirror in / on the morning, the teeth that grin back at you can brace / trace their origins right back to the first jawed vertebrates." Another researcher said: "Nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary tree / shrub."

    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)

    R_s__ r c h_r s s_y t h_y h_v_ d_s c_v_r_d h_w h_m_n s g_t t__ t h . T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s _r_ f r_m U p p s_l_ U n_v_r s_t y _n S w_d_n . T h_y s_y t h_t h_m_n t__ t h " f_r s t _v_l v_d 4 0 0 m_l l__ n y__ r s _g_" . T h_y b_l__ v_ __ r t__ t h c_m_ f r_m _n _n c__ n t f_s h c_l l_d _n _c_n t h_t h_r_c_d . T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s s t_d__ d _ f_s s_l _f t h_ f_s h . I t w_s d_f f_c_l t t_ s t_d y b_c__ s_ t h_ f_s h _s _n c_s_d _n r_c k . T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s h_d t_ _s_ t h_ s t r_n g_s t X - r_y m_c h_n_ _n t h_ w_r l d t_ _n_l y s_ _t . T h_y _s_d t h_ X - r_y m_c h_n_ t_ " d_g_t_l l y d_s s_c t " t h_ f_s h . T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s d_s c_v_r_d t h_t t h_ f_s h ' s t__ t h w_r_ _m_z_n g l y s_m_l_r t_ h_m_n t__ t h . T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s _l s_ s__ d h_m_n s _n d 6 0 , 0 0 0 s p_c__ s _f j_w_d v_r t_b r_t_s l_v_n g _n E_r t h t_d_y c_m_ f r_m t h_s f_s h .

    T h_ r_s__ r c h_r s s_y t h_ _c_n t h_t h_r_c_d w_s _n_ _f t h_ __ r l__ s t j_w_d v_r t_b r_t_s w_t h t__ t h _v_r t_ l_v_. T h_y w_r_ v_r y _x c_t_d _t s___n g h_w s_m_l_r _t s t__ t h w_r_ t_ __ r s . A c_-__ t h_r _f t h_ s t_d y , P r_f_s s_r P_r A h l b_r g , s__ d : " T h_s_ f_n d_n g s c h_n g_ __ r w h_l_ _n d_r s t_n d_n g _f t h_ _r_g_n _f t__ t h . " H_ c_m m_n t_d _n t h_ s_m_l_r_t y t_ t h_ f_s h , s_y_n g : " T h__ r j_w b_n_s r_s_m b l_ t h_s_ _f b_n y f_s h _n d s__ m t_ b_ d_r_c t l y _n c_s t r_l t_ __ r _w n . W h_n y__ g r_n _t t h_ b_t h r__ m m_r r_r _n t h_ m_r n_n g , t h_ t__ t h t h_t g r_n b_c k _t y__ c_n t r_c_ t h__ r _r_g_n s r_g h t b_c k t_ t h_ f_r s t j_w_d v_r t_b r_t_s . " A n_t h_r r_s__ r c h_r s__ d : " N_b_d y _x p_c t_d t_ f_n d t__ t h s_ d__ p _n t h_ _v_l_t__ n_r y t r__ . "

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    researchers say they have discovered how humans got teeth the researchers are from uppsala university in sweden they say that human teeth first evolved 400 million years ago they believe our teeth came from an ancient fish called an acanthothoracid the researchers studied a fossil of the fish it was difficult to study because the fish is encased in rock the researchers had to use the strongest xray machine in the world to analyse it they used the xray machine to digitally dissect the fish the researchers discovered that the fishs teeth were amazingly similar to human teeth the researchers also said humans and 60000 species of jawed vertebrates living on earth today come from this fish

    the researchers say the acanthothoracid was one of the earliest jawed vertebrates with teeth ever to live they were very excited at seeing how similar its teeth were to ours a coauthor of the study professor per ahlberg said these findings change our whole understanding of the origin of teeth he commented on the similarity to the fish saying their jawbones resemble those of bony fish and seem to be directly ancestral to our own when you grin at the bathroom mirror in the morning the teeth that grin back at you can trace their origins right back to the first jawed vertebrates another researcher said nobody expected to find teeth so deep on the evolutionary tree

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Researcherssaytheyhavediscoveredhowhumansgotteeth.Theresea
    rchersarefromUppsalaUniversityinSweden.Theysaythathumanteet
    h"firstevolved400millionyearsago".Theybelieveourteethcamefrom
    anancientfishcalledanacanthothoracid.Theresearchersstudiedafoss
    ilofthefish.Itwasdifficulttostudybecausethefishisencasedinrock.The
    researchershadtousethestrongestX-raymachineintheworldtoanalys
    eit.TheyusedtheX-raymachineto"digitallydissect"thefish.Theresea
    rchersdiscoveredthatthefish'steethwereamazinglysimilartohumant
    eeth.Theresearchersalsosaidhumansand60,000speciesofjawedvert
    ebrateslivingonEarthtodaycomefromthisfish.Theresearcherssaythe
    acanthothoracidwasoneoftheearliestjawedvertebrateswithteetheve
    rtolive.Theywereveryexcitedatseeinghowsimilaritsteethweretoours
    .Aco-authorofthestudy,ProfessorPerAhlberg,said:"Thesefindingsch
    angeourwholeunderstandingoftheoriginofteeth."Hecommentedont
    hesimilaritytothefish,saying:"Theirjawbonesresemblethoseofbonyf
    ishandseemtobedirectlyancestraltoourown.Whenyougrinatthebath
    roommirrorinthemorning,theteeththatgrinbackatyoucantracetheiro
    riginsrightbacktothefirstjawedvertebrates."Anotherresearchersaid:
    "Nobodyexpectedtofindteethsodeepontheevolutionarytree."

    Free writing

    Write about human teeth for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    It is important to have shiny, white, straight teeth. 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. TEETH: Make a poster about teeth. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PERFECT: Write a magazine article about the government paying for us all to have perfect teeth. 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 teeth. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to look after your teeth. 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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