The Reading / Listening - New York City - Level 6

Scientists say New York City is sinking by up to four millimetres a year under the weight of all its skyscrapers. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey calculated that there are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include fixtures and fittings in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million inhabitants. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the gradual subsidence, coupled with rising sea levels, could make New York prone to natural disasters. He warned that "every additional high-rise building could contribute to future flood risk," especially along coastal and riverfront areas.

The researchers compared what is happening to New York to the problems Venice and Jakarta are having. Venice is experiencing more floods despite the construction of a $5.3 billion system of sea walls. Indonesia is building a new capital city from scratch because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will inhabit cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build a city and it gets full of people, you end up with subsidence." He warned that New York City was "emblematic of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a high concentration of construction." Increasing urbanisation will exacerbate problems for cities.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    New York City - Level 4  or  New York City - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/nyregion/nyc-sinking.html
  • https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230523-new-yorks-skyscrapers-are-causing-it-to-sink-what-can-be-done-about-it
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/23/world/nyc-sinking-sea-level-climate-scn/index.html


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. NEW YORK CITY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about New York City. 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?
       scientists / New York City / sinking / weight / skyscrapers / buildings / disasters / risk
       Venice / floods / construction / capital city / population / migrate / urbanization / city
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. COUNTRYSIDE: Students A strongly believe people should be moving out of cities to live in the countryside; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CITY PROBLEMS: How big are these city problems? How can we deal with them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Big?

Solutions

Subsidence

 

 

Overpopulation

 

 

Homelessness

 

 

High rents

 

 

Traffic jams

 

 

Pollution

 

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

  • New York
  • Paris
  • Tokyo
  • Sydney
  • Cairo
  • Bangkok
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • London

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. skyscraper a. The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for a town, city or country.
      2. geophysicist b. Relating to the study of the earth's physical structure and substance.
      3. geological c. Someone who studies the physics of the earth.
      4. fixtures and fittings d. Likely or liable to suffer from, do, or experience something unpleasant or regrettable.
      5. infrastructure e. A very tall building of many storeys.
      6. subsidence f. Things that are attached to a house and equipment needed to make a house a home.
      7. prone g. The gradual sinking of an area of land.

    Paragraph 2

      8. floods h. From the very beginning.
      9. from scratch i. Of a person moving to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.
      10. inhabit j. The process of making an area into a town or city.
      11. emblematic k. Of a person, animal, or group living in a place or environment.
      12. migrate l. The relative amount of a particular substance contained within a solution or mixture or in a particular volume of space.
      13. concentration m. Serving as a symbol of a particular quality or concept; symbolic.
      14. urbanisation n. Overflows of large amounts of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. New York City's buildings are causing the city to sink.     T / F
  2. New York City has over one million buildings.     T / F
  3. New York City's weight of 764 billion kilograms includes its inhabitants.   T / F
  4. A scientist said every new building increases the risk of floods.     T / F
  5. The cities of Venice and Jakarta are also sinking.     T / F
  6. Jakarta is being replaced by a new city that is being built.     T / F
  7. Half of the world's population will live in the countryside by 2050.     T / F
  8. Increased migration to the countryside will bring problems for cities.     T / F

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

  1. weight
  2. fittings
  3. inhabitants
  4. gradual
  5. contribute
  6. from scratch
  7. forecast
  8. emblematic
  9. migrate
  10. exacerbate
  1. residents
  2. from the beginning
  3. slow
  4. relocate
  5. mass
  6. worsen
  7. typical
  8. furnishings
  9. play a part in
  10. predict

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

  1. under the weight of
  2. weighing around
  3. fixtures and
  4. make New York prone
  5. especially along coastal
  6. a $5.3 billion system
  7. building a new capital city
  8. a place that people
  9. a high concentration
  10. urbanisation will exacerbate
  1. to natural disasters
  2. and riverfront areas
  3. from scratch
  4. problems for cities
  5. fittings
  6. all its skyscrapers
  7. migrate to
  8. of sea walls
  9. 764 billion kilograms
  10. of construction

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
calculated
gradual
coastal
under
inhabitants
future
fixtures
prone

Scientists say New York City is sinking by up to four millimetres a year (1) _____________________ the weight of all its skyscrapers. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey (2) _____________________ that there are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include (3) _____________________ and fittings in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million (4) _____________________. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the (5) _____________________ subsidence, coupled with rising sea levels, could make New York (6) _____________________ to natural disasters. He warned that "every additional high-rise building could contribute to (7) _____________________ flood risk," especially along (8) _____________________ and riverfront areas.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
emblematic
scratch
high
compared
exacerbate
floods
subsidence
inhabit

The researchers (9) _____________________ what is happening to New York to the problems Venice and Jakarta are having. Venice is experiencing more (10) _____________________ despite the construction of a $5.3 billion system of sea walls. Indonesia is building a new capital city from (11) _____________________ because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will (12) _____________________ cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build a city and it gets full of people, you end up with (13) _____________________." He warned that New York City was "(14) _____________________ of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a (15) _____________________ concentration of construction." Increasing urbanisation will (16) _____________________ problems for cities.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  sinking by up to four millimetres a year under the weight of ______
     a.  all its scraped skies
     b.  all its skies scrapers
     c.  all its skies capers
     d.  all its skyscrapers
2)  A team of geophysicists from the United ______
     a.  States Geological Scurvy
     b.  States Geological Surveille
     c.  States Geological Survey
     d.  States Geological Sir Bay
3)  This weight does not include fixtures and ______
     a.  fitting sine buildings
     b.  fitting sin buildings
     c.  fittings sin buildings
     d.  fittings in buildings
4)  the gradual subsidence, coupled with ______
     a.  arising sea levels
     b.  rising sea levels
     c.  arisen sea levels
     d.  raising sea levels
5)  every additional high-rise building could contribute to ______
     a.  future blood risk
     b.  future brood risk
     c.  future flood risk
     d.  future bloat risk

6)  what is happening to New York to the problems Venice and ______
     a.  Jakarta are having
     b.  Jakarta is having
     c.  Jakarta has having
     d.  Jakarta been having
7)  Venice is experiencing more floods despite the construction of a $5.3 billion system ____
     a.  off sea walls
     b.  oft sea walls
     c.  of sea walls
     d.  move sea walls
8)  Indonesia is building a new capital ______
     a.  city from starch
     b.  city from sacks
     c.  city from such
     d.  city from scratch
9)  The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population ______
     a.  will cohabit cities
     b.  will exhibit cities
     c.  will inhabit cities
     d.  will inhibit cities
10)  He warned that New York City was emblematic of a place that ______
     a.  people migrate too
     b.  people migrate to
     c.  people migrate two
     d.  people migrate thru

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists say New York City is sinking by up to four millimetres a year under the weight of (1) ____________________. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey (2) ____________________ are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include (3) ____________________ in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million inhabitants. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the gradual subsidence, (4) ____________________ sea levels, could make New York (5) ____________________ disasters. He warned that "every additional high-rise building could contribute to future flood risk," (6) ____________________ and riverfront areas.

The researchers (7) ____________________ happening to New York to the problems Venice and Jakarta are having. Venice is experiencing more floods (8) ____________________ of a $5.3 billion system of sea walls. Indonesia is building a new capital (9) ____________________ because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will inhabit cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build a city and it gets full of people, you end (10) ____________________." He warned that New York City was "emblematic of a place that people (11) ____________________ that obviously has a high concentration of construction." Increasing urbanisation will (12) ___________________ cities.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of scientists conducted this study?
  2. How much do all the buildings in New York City weigh?
  3. How many people live in New York City?
  4. What did a scientist say could contribute to the flood risk?
  5. Where is the risk of floods greatest in New York City?
  6. What other cities does the article say are sinking?
  7. What cost Venice $5.3 billion?
  8. How much of the world's population will live in cities by 2050?
  9. What did a scientist say you end up with if you fill a city with people?
  10. What will exacerbate problems for cities?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What kind of scientists conducted this study?
a) clever ones
b) geophysicists
c) town planners
d) seismologists
2) How much do all the buildings in New York City weigh?
a) 674 billion kilograms
b) 746 billion kilograms
c) 467 billion kilograms
d) 764 billion kilograms
3) How many people live in New York City?
a) 8.3 million people
b) 8.4 million people
c) 8.5 million people
d) 8.6 million people
4) What did a scientist say could contribute to the flood risk?
a) additional high-rise buildings
b) climate change
c) dams
d) disasters
5) Where is the risk of floods greatest in New York City?
a) Fifth Avenue
b) along coastal and riverfront areas
c) Lower Manhattan
d) the Bronx

6) What other cities does the article say are sinking?
a) Venice and Jakarta
b) London and New Orleans
c) Cairo and Dhaka
d) Lagos and Amsterdam
7) What cost Venice $5.3 billion?
a) a network of highways
b) tourism
c) a system of sea walls
d) church restorations
8) How much of the world's population will live in cities by 2050?
a) 70%
b) 60%
c) 50%
d) 40%
9) What did a scientist say you end up with if you fill a city with people?
a) pollution
b) traffic jams
c) homelessness
d) subsidence
10) What will exacerbate problems for cities?
a) increasing tourism
b) climate change
c) increasing urbanisation
d) emblems

Role play

Role  A – New York
You think New York is the world's best city. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cities. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Tokyo, Cairo or Sydney.

Role  B – Tokyo
You think Tokyo is the world's best city. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cities. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): New York, Cairo or Sydney.

Role  C – Cairo
You think Cairo is the world's best city. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cities. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Tokyo, New York or Sydney.

Role  D – Sydney
You think Sydney is the world's best city. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their cities. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): Tokyo, Cairo or New York.

After reading / listening

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

'city'

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

    • and 'sink'.

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

    • • 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:

    • under
    • calculated
    • include
    • lead
    • prone
    • contribute
    • compared
    • despite
    • new
    • build
    • place
    • high

    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 - New York City

    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 'city'?
    3. What do you know about New York City?
    4. What problems might a sinking city experience?
    5. What do you think of the New York City skyline?
    6. What are the good and bad things about skyscrapers?
    7. Are cities becoming too big?
    8. Why do you think New York is nicknamed 'the Big Apple"?
    9. Is New York the world's greatest city?
    10. What makes cities in your country prone to natural disasters?

    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 'sink'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Should New Yorkers be worried about their city sinking?
    5. How do you feel about Venice sinking?
    6. Should people move from cities into the countryside?
    7. Why are cities so attractive for people from the countryside?
    8. Would you like to live in New York City?
    9. How can city planners and engineers stop New York sinking?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the geophysicists?

    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)

    Scientists say New York City is sinking (1) ____ up to four millimetres a year under the weight of all its (2) ____. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey calculated that there are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include fixtures and (3) ____ in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million (4) ____. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the gradual subsidence, coupled with (5) ____ sea levels, could make New York (6) ____ to natural disasters. He warned that "every additional high-rise building could contribute to future flood risk," especially along coastal and riverfront areas.

    The researchers compared what is happening to New York to the problems Venice and Jakarta are (7) ____. Venice is experiencing more floods despite the construction of a $5.3 billion (8) ____ of sea walls. Indonesia is building a new capital city from (9) ____ because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will (10) ____ cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build a city and it gets full of people, you end up with subsidence." He warned that New York City was "(11) ____ of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a high concentration of construction." Increasing urbanisation will (12) ____ problems for cities.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     by     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     as    
    2. (a)     skywalks     (b)     skylights     (c)     skyscrapers     (d)     skylines    
    3. (a)     footings     (b)     fattens     (c)     fittings     (d)     fastens    
    4. (a)     inhibitors     (b)     inhibitions     (c)     inheritances     (d)     inhabitants    
    5. (a)     rising     (b)     arising     (c)     raising     (d)     arisen    
    6. (a)     prune     (b)     prone     (c)     prime     (d)     prong    
    7. (a)     doing     (b)     experiencing     (c)     being     (d)     having    
    8. (a)     cistern     (b)     system     (c)     citing     (d)     concrete    
    9. (a)     splash     (b)     stash     (c)     scratch     (d)     smash    
    10. (a)     inhibit     (b)     cohabit     (c)     habitual     (d)     inhabit    
    11. (a)     symbol     (b)     represent     (c)     model     (d)     emblematic    
    12. (a)     excavate     (b)     exacerbate     (c)     exaggerate     (d)     exact

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. A team of sypeighsicsot
    2. the United States oglilecGao Survey
    3. This weight does not include irfxuets and fittings
    4. the transport natirrursctufe
    5. the city's 8.5 million inahbnttisa
    6. especially along acoltas and riverfront areas

    Paragraph 2

    1. Venice is experiencing more flosod
    2. The United Nations has artefsoc that 70 per cent
    3. you end up with sbncuiseed
    4. alebtiemmc of a place that people migrate to
    5. a high tearicocnntno of construction
    6. Increasing urbanisation will aetxbaceer problems

    Put the text back together

    (...)  its skyscrapers. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey calculated that there
    (...)  of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a high concentration
    (  1  ) Scientists say New York City is sinking by up to four millimetres a year under the weight of all
    (...)  and fittings in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million
    (...)  walls. Indonesia is building a new capital city from scratch because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has
    (...)  and Jakarta are having. Venice is experiencing more floods despite the construction of a $5.3 billion system of sea
    (...)  of construction." Increasing urbanisation will exacerbate problems for cities.
    (...)  are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include fixtures
    (...)  a city and it gets full of people, you end up with subsidence." He warned that New York City was "emblematic
    (...)  forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will inhabit cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build
    (...)  levels, could make New York prone to natural disasters. He warned that "every additional high-
    (...)  inhabitants. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the gradual subsidence, coupled with rising sea
    (...)  The researchers compared what is happening to New York to the problems Venice
    (...)  rise building could contribute to future flood risk," especially along coastal and riverfront areas.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. under   of   the   Sinking   skyscrapers   .   all   its   weight
    2. does   include   and   not   This   fittings   .   weight   fixtures
    3. 8.5   million   The   the   inhabitants   .   weight   city's   of
    4. natural   disasters   .   to   prone   It   could   New York   make
    5. future   building   risk   .   to   could   contribute   High-rise   flood
    6. experiencing   the   more   construction   .   Venice   is   despite   floods
    7. new   from   It's   a   city   scratch   .   capital   building
    8. gets   and   a   build   full   .   You   city   it
    9. people   Emblematic   migrate   to   .   of   that   a   place
    10. for   cities   .   urbanisation   problems   Increasing   will   exacerbate

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scientists say New York City is sinking by up / down to four millimetres a year under the weights / weight of all its skyscrapers. A team of geophysicists from the United States Geological Survey calculations / calculated that there are 1,084,954 buildings in the city, weighing abound / around 764 billion kilograms. This weight does not include fixtures and fittings / footings in buildings, the transport infrastructure, or the weight of the city's 8.5 million inhibitors / inhabitants. Lead researcher Dr Tom Parsons said the gradual / gradually subsidence, coupled / tripled with rising sea levels, could make New York prone / prune to natural disasters. He warned that "every additional high-rise building could contribute to future flood risk," especially along / under coastal and riverfront areas.

    The researchers compared what is happening / experiencing to New York to the problems Venice and Jakarta are having. Venice is experienced / experiencing more floods despite / in spite the construction of a $5.3 billion system of sea walls. Indonesia is building a new capital city from snatch / scratch because Jakarta is sinking. The United Nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the world's population will inhabit / inhibit cities by 2050. Parsons said: "When you build a city and it gets filled / full of people, you end up with subsidence / subsistence." He warned that New York City was "emblematic / emphatic of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a high / height concentration of construction." Increasing urbanisation will exacerbate / exterminate problems for cities.

    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)

    Sc__nt_sts  s_y  N_w  Y_rk  C_ty  _s  s_nk_ng  by  _p  t_  f__r  m_ll_m_tr_s  _  y__r  _nd_r  th_  w__ght  _f  _ll  _ts  skyscr_p_rs.  _  t__m  _f  g__phys_c_sts  fr_m  th_  _n_t_d  St_t_s  G__l_g_c_l  S_rv_y  c_lc_l_t_d  th_t  th_r_  _r_  1,084,954  b__ld_ngs  _n  th_  c_ty,  w__gh_ng  _r__nd  764  b_ll__n  k_l_gr_ms.  Th_s  w__ght  d__s  n_t  _ncl_d_  f_xt_r_s  _nd  f_tt_ngs  _n  b__ld_ngs,  th_  tr_nsp_rt  _nfr_str_ct_r_,  _r  th_  w__ght  _f  th_  c_ty's  8.5  m_ll__n  _nh_b_t_nts.  L__d  r_s__rch_r  Dr  T_m  P_rs_ns  s__d  th_  gr_d__l  s_bs_d_nc_,  c__pl_d  w_th  r_s_ng  s__  l_v_ls,  c__ld  m_k_  N_w  Y_rk  pr_n_  t_  n_t_r_l  d_s_st_rs.  H_  w_rn_d  th_t  "_v_ry  _dd_t__n_l  h_gh-r_s_  b__ld_ng  c__ld  c_ntr_b_t_  t_  f_t_r_  fl__d  r_sk,"  _sp_c__lly  _l_ng  c__st_l  _nd  r_v_rfr_nt  _r__s. 

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  c_mp_r_d  wh_t  _s  h_pp_n_ng  t_  N_w  Y_rk  t_  th_  pr_bl_ms  V_n_c_  _nd  J_k_rt_  _r_  h_v_ng.  V_n_c_  _s  _xp_r__nc_ng  m_r_  fl__ds  d_sp_t_  th_  c_nstr_ct__n  _f  _  $5.3  b_ll__n  syst_m  _f  s__  w_lls.  _nd_n_s__  _s  b__ld_ng  _  n_w  c_p_t_l  c_ty  fr_m  scr_tch  b_c__s_  J_k_rt_  _s  s_nk_ng.  Th_  _n_t_d  N_t__ns  h_s  f_r_c_st  th_t  70  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_  w_rld's  p_p_l_t__n  w_ll  _nh_b_t  c_t__s  by  2050.  P_rs_ns  s__d:  "Wh_n  y__  b__ld  _  c_ty  _nd  _t  g_ts  f_ll  _f  p__pl_,  y__  _nd  _p  w_th  s_bs_d_nc_."  H_  w_rn_d  th_t  N_w  Y_rk  C_ty  w_s  "_mbl_m_t_c  _f  _  pl_c_  th_t  p__pl_  m_gr_t_  t_  _nd  th_t  _bv___sly  h_s  _  h_gh  c_nc_ntr_t__n  _f  c_nstr_ct__n."  _ncr__s_ng  _rb_n_s_t__n  w_ll  _x_c_rb_t_  pr_bl_ms  f_r  c_t__s.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scientists say new york city is sinking by up to four millimetres a year under the weight of all its skyscrapers a team of geophysicists from the united states geological survey calculated that there are 1084954 buildings in the city weighing around 764 billion kilograms this weight does not include fixtures and fittings in buildings the transport infrastructure or the weight of the citys 85 million inhabitants lead researcher dr tom parsons said the gradual subsidence coupled with rising sea levels could make new york prone to natural disasters he warned that every additional highrise building could contribute to future flood risk especially along coastal and riverfront areas

    the researchers compared what is happening to new york to the problems venice and jakarta are having venice is experiencing more floods despite the construction of a 53 billion system of sea walls indonesia is building a new capital city from scratch because jakarta is sinking the united nations has forecast that 70 per cent of the worlds population will inhabit cities by 2050 parsons said when you build a city and it gets full of people you end up with subsidence he warned that new york city was emblematic of a place that people migrate to and that obviously has a high concentration of construction increasing urbanisation will exacerbate problems for cities

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ScientistssayNewYorkCityissinkingbyuptofourmillimetresayearund
    ertheweightofallitsskyscrapers.AteamofgeophysicistsfromtheUnite
    dStatesGeologicalSurveycalculatedthatthereare1,084,954building
    sinthecity,weighingaround764billionkilograms.Thisweightdoesnoti
    ncludefixturesandfittingsinbuildings,thetransportinfrastructure,ort
    heweightofthecity's8.5millioninhabitants.LeadresearcherDrTomPar
    sonssaidthegradualsubsidence,coupledwithrisingsealevels,couldm
    akeNewYorkpronetonaturaldisasters.Hewarnedthat"everyaddition
    alhigh-risebuildingcouldcontributetofuturefloodrisk,"especiallyalo
    ngcoastalandriverfrontareas.Theresearcherscomparedwhatishapp
    eningtoNewYorktotheproblemsVeniceandJakartaarehaving.Venicei
    sexperiencingmorefloodsdespitetheconstructionofa$5.3billionsyste
    mofseawalls.Indonesiaisbuildinganewcapitalcityfromscratchbecaus
    eJakartaissinking.TheUnitedNationshasforecastthat70percentofthe
    world'spopulationwillinhabitcitiesby2050.Parsonssaid:"Whenyoubu
    ildacityanditgetsfullofpeople,youendupwithsubsidence."Hewarnedt
    hatNewYorkCitywas"emblematicofaplacethatpeoplemigratetoandt
    hatobviouslyhasahighconcentrationofconstruction."Increasingurba
    nisationwillexacerbateproblemsforcities.

    Free writing

    Write about New York is sinking for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    People should move out of cities and into the countryside. 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. NEW YORK CITY: Make a poster about New York City. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. CITIES: Write a magazine article about encouraging people to move out of cities. 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 New York City. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on New York. 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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