The Reading / Listening - Google Maps - Level 5

Google Maps has a wealth of useful features. Besides showing our location, it plans routes and provides real-time directions. It also gives traffic information, restaurant reviews, and lots more. Google has just unveiled its latest tool. Users can now click on its Air Quality Index (AQI) before going on a picnic, camping trip or hike. Google's blog stated: "When you're visiting a new place or planning outdoor activities, it can be helpful to know the air quality conditions – like whether it's unusually smoggy." It added that its new AQI is, "a measure of how healthy (or unhealthy) the air is."

The new feature is a "layer" on Google Maps. Users tap on the same Layers icon as they do to select the satellite or street view modes. There will be an option to see air quality information. Google said: "We collaborate closely with partners in the weather and air quality space to [provide] helpful and authoritative information.…We hope these tools help you feel safe and informed." The AQI will also provide updated information on the health impact of air quality. In addition, there is a "wildfires near me" feature to alert and advise people on the status of fires.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Google Maps - Level 4 or  Google Maps - Level 6

Sources
  • https://blog.google/products/search/get-some-fresh-air-outdoors-with-google/
  • https://9to5google.com/2022/06/08/google-maps-air-quality/
  • https://www.popsci.com/technology/google-maps-air-quality/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. a wealth of useful
  2. it plans
  3. real-
  4. restaurant
  5. Google has just
  6. before going
  7. planning outdoor
  8. unusually
  1. activities
  2. reviews
  3. unveiled its latest tool
  4. routes
  5. smoggy
  6. features
  7. on a picnic
  8. time directions

Paragraph 2

  1. The new feature is a "layer"
  2. select the satellite or
  3. We collaborate closely
  4. these tools help you feel
  5. The AQI will also provide updated
  6. the health impact
  7. a "wildfires near me"
  8. advise people on
  1. safe and informed
  2. feature
  3. information
  4. on Google Maps
  5. the status of fires
  6. with partners
  7. street view modes
  8. of air quality

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Google Maps has a (1) ___________________ features. Besides showing our location, it plans (2) ___________________ real-time directions. It also gives traffic information, restaurant reviews, and lots more. Google has just (3) ___________________ tool. Users can now click on its Air Quality Index (AQI) before going on a picnic, camping (4) ___________________. Google's blog stated: "When you're visiting a new place or planning outdoor activities, it can be helpful to know the (5) ___________________ - like whether it's unusually smoggy." It added that its new AQI is, "a measure of how (6) ___________________ the air is."

The new feature is a "layer" on Google Maps. (7) ___________________ the same Layers icon as they do to select the satellite or street view modes. There will (8) ___________________ to see air quality information. Google said: "(9) ___________________ with partners in the weather and air quality space to (10) ___________________ authoritative information....We hope these tools help you feel safe and informed." The AQI will also provide updated information on the (11) ___________________ air quality. In addition, there is a "wildfires near me" feature to alert and advise people on the (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

GoogleMapshasawealthofusefulfeatures.Besidesshowingourlocatio
n,itplansroutesandprovidesreal-timedirections.Italsogivestrafficinf
ormation,restaurantreviews,andlotsmore.Googlehasjustunveiledit
slatesttool.UserscannowclickonitsAirQualityIndex(AQI)beforegoing
onapicnic,campingtriporhike.Google'sblogstated:"Whenyou'revisiti
nganewplaceorplanningoutdooractivities,itcanbehelpfultoknowthe
airqualityconditions-likewhetherit'sunusuallysmoggy."Itaddedth
atitsnewAQIis,"ameasureofhowhealthy(orunhealthy)theairis."Then
ewfeatureisa"layer"onGoogleMaps.UserstaponthesameLayersicona
stheydotoselectthesatelliteorstreetviewmodes.Therewillbeanoptio
ntoseeairqualityinformation.Googlesaid:"Wecollaboratecloselywith
partnersintheweatherandairqualityspaceto[provide]helpfulandauth
oritativeinformation....Wehopethesetoolshelpyoufeelsafeandinfor
med."TheAQIwillalsoprovideupdatedinformationonthehealthimpact
ofairquality.Inaddition,thereisa"wildfiresnearme"featuretoalertand
advisepeopleonthestatusoffires.

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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