The Reading / Listening - Airports - Level 3

Saudi Arabia has announced a plan to build a huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his country would transform Saudi's current Riyadh airport into a world-beating six-runway hub. He said the airport would be able to accept up to 120 million travellers by 2030. He added that the airport would change travel in the region. It would be the world's fifth largest logistics hub. The new airport would also boost Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious plan is the creation of a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete with regional rivals Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport would stretch over 57 square kilometres. It will include the current King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport project is part of Saudi Arabia's vision to transform Riyadh to be among the top ten city economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population grow to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one of the greenest in the world. It will be built to be totally sustainable. It will be based on cutting-edge, green designs. In addition, it will be powered by renewable energy. A project spokesperson said the hub would be more than an airport; it would be an "aerotropolis".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Airports - Level 0,  Airports - Level 1   or  Airports - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-announces-plans-six-runway-hub-airport-riyadh-2022-11-28/
  • https://www.arabnews.com/node/2207531/business-economy
  • https://simpleflying.com/saudi-arabia-riyadh-mega-airport-plans/


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. AIRPORTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about airports. 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?
       Saudi Arabia / airport / journalists / runway / hub / travel / region / logistics / plan /
       project / transform / economies / population / green / cutting edge / renewable
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. AIR TRAVEL: Students A strongly believe we need to travel by air less to help the planet; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. BETTER AIRPORTS: What do you think of these things in airports? How can we improve them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Think

Improvements

Check-in

 

 

Location

 

 

Shopping

 

 

Parking

 

 

Music

 

 

Staff

 

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

  • Airplane
  • Bus
  • Taxi
  • Bicycle
  • Helicopter
  • Ferry
  • On foot
  • Car

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. announced a. An area, especially part of a country or the world. that has special features.
      2. transform b. A person or thing competing with another for the same thing or to be the winner.
      3. hub c. Said something in public about a fact or happening, so people know about it.
      4. region d. A central airport, train station, bus station, etc. from which many services operate.
      5. boost e. Made a change in the form, nature, or appearance of something or someone.
      6. ambitious f. Help or encourage something to increase or get better.
      7. rival g. Having or showing a strong desire to win or do well.

    Paragraph 2

      8. stretch h. Belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now.
      9. current i. An image of what the future will or could be like.
      10. vision j. Able to stay at a certain rate or level.
      11. economy k. Extend or spread over an area.
      12. population l. The latest or most advanced stage in the development of something.
      13. sustainable m. All of the people who live in a particular place.
      14. cutting-edge n. The system of a country's or region's money and the things it makes, buys and sells.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says Saudi Arabia will build the world's biggest airport.     T / F
  2. The airport will get over 100 million travellers by the end of the decade.  T / F
  3. The article says the airport will boast about the Saudi economy.     T / F
  4. Saudi Arabia's new airline will rival those in Qatar and the UAE.     T / F
  5. The new airport will be 57 km long.     T / F
  6. The airport is part of a vision for Riyadh to be the world's best city.     T / F
  7. The new airport will be the greenest airport in the world.     T / F
  8. Renewable energy will be used for the new airport.     T / F

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

  1. announced
  2. transform
  3. hub
  4. region
  5. rivals
  6. stretch
  7. current
  8. vision
  9. totally
  10. energy
  1. completely
  2. area
  3. extend
  4. change
  5. hopes
  6. competitors
  7. made public
  8. power
  9. centre
  10. present

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

  1. Saudi Arabia has announced a plan
  2. accept up to 120 million travellers
  3. It would be the world's fifth
  4. Another ambitious plan is the creation of
  5. This will compete with regional
  6. stretch over 57
  7. among the top
  8. one of the greenest
  9. It will be based on cutting-edge,
  10. it will be powered
  1. largest logistics hub
  2. by renewable energy
  3. rivals Qatar Airways
  4. square kilometres
  5. green designs
  6. in the world
  7. to build a huge airport
  8. ten city economies
  9. a second national airline
  10. by 2030

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
creation
transform
rivals
accept
announced
boost
hub
region

Saudi Arabia has (1) _____________________ a plan to build a huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his country would (2) _____________________ Saudi's current Riyadh airport into a world-beating six-runway (3) _____________________. He said the airport would be able to (4) _____________________ up to 120 million travellers by 2030. He added that the airport would change travel in the (5) _____________________. It would be the world's fifth largest logistics hub. The new airport would also (6) _____________________ Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious plan is the (7) _____________________ of a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete with regional (8) _____________________ Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
grow
current
powered
vision
more
totally
stretch
greenest

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport would (9) _____________________ over 57 square kilometres. It will include the (10) _____________________ King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport project is part of Saudi Arabia's (11) _____________________ to transform Riyadh to be among the top ten city economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population (12) _____________________ to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one of the (13) _____________________ in the world. It will be built to be (14) _____________________ sustainable. It will be based on cutting-edge, green designs. In addition, it will be (15) _____________________ by renewable energy. A project spokesperson said the hub would be (16) _____________________ than an airport; it would be an "aerotropolis".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists ______
     a.  about the plant
     b.  about the plane
     c.  about the plan
     d.  about the plain
2)  transform Saudi's current Riyadh airport into a world-beating ______
     a.  six-runaway hub
     b.  six-runway hub-bub
     c.  six-runway hub
     d.  six-runway hubby
3)  He said the airport would be able to accept up to 120 million ______
     a.  travellers buy 2030
     b.  travellers at 2030
     c.  travellers by 2030
     d.  travellers but 2030
4)  Another ambitious plan is the creation of a ______
     a.  second nationally airline
     b.  second gnash on all airline
     c.  second nation all airlines
     d.  second national airline
5)  This will compete with regional rivals Qatar Airways and ______
     a.  the UAE carryall
     b.  the UAE carer
     c.  the UAE carry a
     d.  the UAE carrier

6)  King Salman International Airport would stretch over ______
     a.  57 squared kilometres
     b.  57 square kilometres
     c.  57 squares kilometres
     d.  57 squire kilometres
7)  The airport project is part of Saudi Arabia's vision ______
     a.  too transform Riyadh
     b.  two transform Riyadh
     c.  to transform Riyadh
     d.  true transform Riyadh
8)  the new airport would be one of the greenest in the world. It will be built to ______
     a.  beat oat all eat sustainable
     b.  be total sustainable
     c.  beat totally sustainable
     d.  be totally sustainable
9)  It will be based on cutting-______
     a.  edge, glean designs
     b.  edge, green designs
     c.  ledge, green designs
     d.  hedge, green designs
10)  In addition, it will be powered ______
     a.  by renewable energy
     b.  bye renewable energy
     c.  buy renewable energy
     d.  bi-renewable energy

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Saudi Arabia has announced a plan (1) ____________________ huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his (2) ____________________ Saudi's current Riyadh airport into a world-beating six-runway hub. He said the airport would be able (3) ____________________ to 120 million travellers by 2030. He added that the airport would change travel (4) ____________________. It would be the world's fifth largest logistics hub. The new airport (5) ____________________ Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious plan is the creation of a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete (6) ____________________ Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport (7) ____________________ 57 square kilometres. It will include the current King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport (8) ____________________ of Saudi Arabia's vision to transform Riyadh to be among the (9) ____________________ economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population grow to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one of (10) ____________________ the world. It will be built to be totally sustainable. It will be based on cutting-edge, green designs. In addition, it will (11) ____________________ renewable energy. A project spokesperson said (12) ____________________ be more than an airport; it would be an "aerotropolis".

Comprehension questions

  1. On what day of the week was the airport plan announced?
  2. By when will the airport be seeing 120 million travellers?
  3. What did the Crown Prince say the airport would change in the region?
  4. What did the prince say the airport would do to Riyadh's economy?
  5. How many airlines does the article say will RIA compete with?
  6. What will be the size of the new airport?
  7. What does Saudi Arabia want Riyadh to be in the top ten of?
  8. What will Riyadh's population grow to?
  9. What will the airport be powered by?
  10. What more will the hub be than an airport?

Multiple choice quiz

1) On what day of the week was the airport plan announced?
a) a Friday
b) a Monday
c) a Sunday
d) yesterday
2) By when will the airport be seeing 120 million travellers?
a) by 2050
b) by 2055
c) by 2035
d) by 2030
3) What did the Crown Prince say the airport would change in the region?
a) travel
b) the climate
c) prices
d) lifestyles
4) What did the prince say the airport would do to Riyadh's economy?
a) damage it
b) help it
c) boost it
d) double it
5) How many airlines does the article say will RIA compete with?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

6) What will be the size of the new airport?
a) 57 square kilometres
b) 58 square kilometres
c) 56 square kilometres
d) 59 square kilometres
7) What does Saudi Arabia want Riyadh to be in the top ten of?
a) travel destinations
b) airports
c) city economies
d) rich cities
8) What will Riyadh's population grow to?
a) 15–20 million people
b) 15–30 million people
c) 20–30 million people
d) 10–20 million people
9) What will the airport be powered by?
a) renewable energy
b) wind
c) oil
d) gas and solar energy
10) What more will the hub be than an airport?
a) a desert oasis
b) a miracle
c) a landmark
d) an aerotropolis

Role play

Role  A – Airplane
You think an airplane is the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their types of transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): train, walking or car.

Role  B – Train
You think a train is the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their types of transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): airplane, walking or car.

Role  C – Walking
You think walking is the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their types of transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): train, airplane or car.

Role  D – Car
You think a car is the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their types of transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): train, walking or airplane.

After reading / listening

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

'airport'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'runway'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • announced
    • current
    • fifth
    • boost
    • creation
    • rivals
    • stretch
    • part
    • among
    • people
    • green
    • more

    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 - Airports

    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 'runway'?
    3. What do you think of airports?
    4. What are the airports in your country like?
    5. What do you like and dislike about airports?
    6. What do you think of a six-runway airport?
    7. Why is it important for a country to have a big airport?
    8. What do you think of your country's national airline?
    9. How environmentally friendly are airports?
    10. Should we be travelling around the world less?

    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 'airport'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How can we make airports better?
    5. How can we make flying better?
    6. Should cities be decreasing and not increasing their populations?
    7. What would your vision for your city be?
    8. What renewable energies are best?
    9. How can an airport be totally sustainable?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the airport's designers?

    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)

    Saudi Arabia has (1) ____ a plan to build a huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his country would transform Saudi's current Riyadh airport (2) ____ a world-beating six-runway hub. He said the airport would be (3) ____ to accept up to 120 million travellers by 2030. He added that the airport would change travel in the (4) ____. It would be the world's fifth largest logistics hub. The new airport would also boost Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious plan is the creation (5) ____ a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete with regional (6) ____ Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.

    The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport would (7) ____ over 57 square kilometres. It will include the current King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport project is (8) ____ of Saudi Arabia's vision to transform Riyadh to be among the top ten city economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population (9) ____ to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one of the greenest in the world. It will be built to be totally sustainable. It will be based (10) ____ cutting-edge, green designs. In addition, it will be powered (11) ____ renewable energy. A project spokesperson said the hub would be more than an airport; it would (12) ____ an "aerotropolis".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     announced     (b)     announcer     (c)     announcement     (d)     announcing    
    2. (a)     unto     (b)     as to     (c)     into     (d)     over to    
    3. (a)     ability     (b)     abled     (c)     able     (d)     abler    
    4. (a)     legions     (b)     legion     (c)     regional     (d)     region    
    5. (a)     on     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     to    
    6. (a)     libels     (b)     rivals     (c)     rebels     (d)     revels    
    7. (a)     snatch     (b)     stretch     (c)     stitch     (d)     such    
    8. (a)     partner     (b)     part     (c)     party     (d)     parts    
    9. (a)     growth     (b)     grown     (c)     grow     (d)     growing    
    10. (a)     in     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     on    
    11. (a)     up     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     by    
    12. (a)     do     (b)     give     (c)     take     (d)     be

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. enuanocdn a plan
    2. Salman told sarijtsouln about the plan
    3. transform Saudi's eunrrct Riyadh airport
    4. ptccae up to 120 million travellers
    5. change travel in the nogrei
    6. Another tuaboismi plan

    Paragraph 2

    1. ceshrtt over 57 square kilometres
    2. The airport creptjo
    3. help Riyadh's anipoptluo grow
    4. built to be totally bstasanieul
    5. based on titcngu-dgee, green designs
    6. powered by eelebnwra energy

    Put the text back together

    (...)  kilometres. It will include the current King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport project is part
    (...)  journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his country would transform Saudi's current
    (  1  ) Saudi Arabia has announced a plan to build a huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told
    (...)  of Saudi Arabia's vision to transform Riyadh to be among the top ten city economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population
    (...)  the greenest in the world. It will be built to be totally sustainable. It will be based on cutting-
    (...)  edge, green designs. In addition, it will be powered by renewable energy. A project spokesperson
    (...)  grow to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one of
    (...)  largest logistics hub. The new airport would also boost Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious
    (...)  The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport would stretch over 57 square
    (...)  with regional rivals Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.
    (...)  said the hub would be more than an airport; it would be an "aerotropolis".
    (...)  Riyadh airport into a world-beating six-runway hub. He said the airport would be able to accept up to 120 million
    (...)  plan is the creation of a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete
    (...)  travellers by 2030. He added that the airport would change travel in the region. It would be the world's fifth

    Put the words in the right order

    1. airport   .   huge   a   a   to   Announced   plan   build
    2. the   in   airport   travel   change   would   The   region   .
    3. world's   be   It'd   fifth   largest   logistics   the   hub   .
    4. second   a   national   creation   of   The   airline   .
    5. will   compete   rivals   regional   This   Qatar   with   Airways   .
    6. Part   Saudi   to   of   transform   vision   Arabia's   Riyadh   .
    7. The   of   would   greenest   .   one   the   airport   be
    8. will   be   It   cutting-edge,   on   designs   .   green   based
    9. energy   .   renewable   be   it'll   addition,   In   by   powered
    10. more   airport   .   would   be   than   an   The   hub

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Saudi Arabia has announced a plant / plan to build a huge airport. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told journalists about the plan on Monday. He said his country would transformer / transform Saudi's current Riyadh airport into a world-beating six-runway rub / hub. He said the airport would be able / ability to accept up to 120 million travellers / travels by 2030. He added that the airport would charge / change travel in the region. It would be the world's fifth / fifty largest logistics hub. The new airport would also boost / boast Saudi Arabia's economy. Another ambitious plan / plane is the creation of a second national airline Riyadh International Airlines (RIA). This will compete at / with regional rivals Qatar Airways and the UAE carrier Emirates.

    The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said the new King Salman International Airport would stretch above / over 57 square kilometres. It will include the current / currant King Khaled Airport. An SPA official said: "The airport project is partner / part of Saudi Arabia's vision to / for transform Riyadh to be among the top ten / tenth city economies in the world. It will help Riyadh's population grow up / to 15–20 million people by 2030." The SPA also said the new airport would be one / once of the greenest in the world. It will be built to be totally sustain / sustainable. It will be based on cutting-edge, green designs. In addition, it will be powered by / to renewable energy. A project spokesperson said the hub would be more than an airport; it would be / give an "aerotropolis".

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

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

    S__d_ _r_b__ h_s _nn__nc_d _ pl_n t_ b__ld _ h_g_ __rp_rt. Cr_wn Pr_nc_ M_h_mm_d b_n S_lm_n t_ld j__rn_l_sts _b__t th_ pl_n _n M_nd_y. H_ s__d h_s c__ntry w__ld tr_nsf_rm S__d_'s c_rr_nt R_y_dh __rp_rt _nt_ _ w_rld-b__t_ng s_x-r_nw_y h_b. H_ s__d th_ __rp_rt w__ld b_ _bl_ t_ _cc_pt _p t_ 120 m_ll__n tr_v_ll_rs by 2030. H_ _dd_d th_t th_ __rp_rt w__ld ch_ng_ tr_v_l _n th_ r_g__n. _t w__ld b_ th_ w_rld's f_fth l_rg_st l_g_st_cs h_b. Th_ n_w __rp_rt w__ld _ls_ b__st S__d_ _r_b__'s _c_n_my. _n_th_r _mb_t___s pl_n _s th_ cr__t__n _f _ s_c_nd n_t__n_l __rl_n_ R_y_dh _nt_rn_t__n_l __rl_n_s (R__). Th_s w_ll c_mp_t_ w_th r_g__n_l r_v_ls Q_t_r __rw_ys _nd th_ ___ c_rr__r _m_r_t_s.

    Th_ S__d_ Pr_ss _g_ncy (SP_) s__d th_ n_w K_ng S_lm_n _nt_rn_t__n_l __rp_rt w__ld str_tch _v_r 57 sq__r_ k_l_m_tr_s. _t w_ll _ncl_d_ th_ c_rr_nt K_ng Kh_l_d __rp_rt. _n SP_ _ff_c__l s__d: "Th_ __rp_rt pr_j_ct _s p_rt _f S__d_ _r_b__'s v_s__n t_ tr_nsf_rm R_y_dh t_ b_ _m_ng th_ t_p t_n c_ty _c_n_m__s _n th_ w_rld. _t w_ll h_lp R_y_dh's p_p_l_t__n gr_w t_ 15–20 m_ll__n p__pl_ by 2030." Th_ SP_ _ls_ s__d th_ n_w __rp_rt w__ld b_ _n_ _f th_ gr__n_st _n th_ w_rld. _t w_ll b_ b__lt t_ b_ t_t_lly s_st__n_bl_. _t w_ll b_ b_s_d _n c_tt_ng-_dg_, gr__n d_s_gns. _n _dd_t__n, _t w_ll b_ p_w_r_d by r_n_w_bl_ _n_rgy. _ pr_j_ct sp_k_sp_rs_n s__d th_ h_b w__ld b_ m_r_ th_n _n __rp_rt; _t w__ld b_ _n "__r_tr_p_l_s".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    saudi arabia has announced a plan to build a huge airport crown prince mohammed bin salman told journalists about the plan on monday he said his country would transform saudis current riyadh airport into a worldbeating sixrunway hub he said the airport would be able to accept up to 120 million travellers by 2030 he added that the airport would change travel in the region it would be the worlds fifth largest logistics hub the new airport would also boost saudi arabias economy another ambitious plan is the creation of a second national airline riyadh international airlines ria this will compete with regional rivals qatar airways and the uae carrier emirates

    the saudi press agency spa said the new king salman international airport would stretch over 57 square kilometres it will include the current king khaled airport an spa official said the airport project is part of saudi arabias vision to transform riyadh to be among the top ten city economies in the world it will help riyadhs population grow to 1520 million people by 2030 the spa also said the new airport would be one of the greenest in the world it will be built to be totally sustainable it will be based on cuttingedge green designs in addition it will be powered by renewable energy a project spokesperson said the hub would be more than an airport it would be an aerotropolis

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    SaudiArabiahasannouncedaplantobuildahugeairport.CrownPrinceM
    ohammedbinSalmantoldjournalistsabouttheplanonMonday.Hesaid
    hiscountrywouldtransformSaudi'scurrentRiyadhairportintoaworld-
    beatingsix-runwayhub.Hesaidtheairportwouldbeabletoacceptupt
    o120milliontravellersby2030.Headdedthattheairportwouldchanget
    ravelintheregion.Itwouldbetheworld'sfifthlargestlogisticshub.Then
    ewairportwouldalsoboostSaudiArabia'seconomy.Anotherambitious
    planisthecreationofasecondnationalairlineRiyadhInternationalAirlin
    es(RIA).ThiswillcompetewithregionalrivalsQatarAirwaysandtheUAE
    carrierEmirates.TheSaudiPressAgency(SPA)saidthenewKingSalma
    nInternationalAirportwouldstretchover57squarekilometres.Itwillinc
    ludethecurrentKingKhaledAirport.AnSPAofficialsaid:"Theairportpro
    jectispartofSaudiArabia'svisiontotransformRiyadhtobeamongtheto
    ptencityeconomiesintheworld.ItwillhelpRiyadh'spopulationgrowto1
    5–20millionpeopleby2030."TheSPAalsosaidthenewairportwouldbeo
    neofthegreenestintheworld.Itwillbebuilttobetotallysustainable.Itwil
    lbebasedoncutting-edge,greendesigns.Inaddition,itwillbepowered
    byrenewableenergy.Aprojectspokespersonsaidthehubwouldbemor
    ethananairport;itwouldbean"aerotropolis".

    Free writing

    Write about six-runway airport for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should stop building airports because air travel is too polluting.  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. AIR TRAVEL: Make a poster about airports. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. AIRPORTS: Write a magazine article about building fewer airports to help save the planet. 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 airports. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make air travel greener. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

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

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