The Reading / Listening - Health Warnings - Level 6

Canada's government has announced stronger measures to discourage people from smoking. From August the 1st, every individual cigarette sold in the country will have a warning label put on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce such messages. The warnings will include messages like "Cigarettes cause cancer," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison in every puff." The government said: "This bold step will make health warning messages virtually unavoidable." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society hailed the action taken by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world precedent-setting measure."

Canada announced its new anti-tobacco strategy on World No Tobacco Day. The government has unveiled other measures to encourage smokers to quit, or to deter people from taking up the habit. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health consequences of smoking, as well as the harm cigarettes cause to the body's organs. These will appear over the next two years. In addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display area of the pack. Health Canada said the bold steps would increase the likelihood of getting its message across. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Health Warnings - Level 4  or  Health Warnings - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/canada-cigarette-warning-labels-1.6860301
  • https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-just-say-no-to-ottawas-nanny-state-rules-for-smokers/
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/31/health/canada-first-country-cigarette-individual-warnings/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. CIGARETTES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about cigarettes. 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?
       Canada / government / smoking / cigarette / cancer / poison / warnings / health /
       strategy / smokers / habit / graphic pictures / the body's organs / disease / death
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BAN: Students A strongly believe cigarettes should be banned; Students B strongly believe they shouldn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. BAD HABITS: How bad are these bad habits? What advice do you have for people to stop these habits? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Bad?

Advice

Smoking

 

 

Biting one's nails

 

 

Tardiness

 

 

Too much screen time

 

 

Overspending

 

 

Procrastination

 

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

  • Cigarettes
  • Smartphones
  • Chocolate
  • TV
  • Shopping
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee
  • Working

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. measure a. A plan or course of action taken to achieve a particular purpose.
      2. poison b. Praised someone or something enthusiastically.
      3. puff c. A substance that can cause illness or death when eaten or taken into the body.
      4. bold d. Nearly; almost.
      5. virtually e. The action of inhaling quickly on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
      6. hailed f. Of a person, action, or idea showing a willingness to take risks.
      7. precedent g. An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.

    Paragraph 2

      8. strategy h. A result or effect, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.
      9. unveiled i. A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.
      10. deter j. A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
      11. habit k. A body part which is self-contained and has a specific vital function (like the heart, liver, skin...).
      12. consequence l. Showed or announced publicly for the first time.
      13. organ m. The state or fact of something probably happening.
      14. likelihood n. Discourage someone from doing something by talking about doubt or fear of the consequences.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Canada's anti-smoking measures will be introduced in 2030.     T / F
  2. Different messages will be put on individual cigarettes.     T / F
  3. A cancer society thought the measures were not strong enough.     T / F
  4. Other countries have warnings on individual cigarettes.     T / F
  5. Canada announced its measures on World No Tobacco Day.     T / F
  6. There will be 28 photos on cigarette packs this year.     T / F
  7. Warnings will take up 75% of display space on Canadian cigarette packs. T / F
  8. Smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in Canada.     T / F

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

  1. measures
  2. discourage
  3. poison
  4. virtually
  5. hailed
  6. unveiled
  7. highlighting
  8. consequences
  9. appear
  10. likelihood
  1. probability
  2. praised
  3. deter
  4. revealed
  5. effectively
  6. be seen
  7. actions
  8. outcomes
  9. toxin
  10. focusing on

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

  1. stronger measures to discourage
  2. the first country to introduce
  3. Poison in every
  4. make health warning messages
  5. a world precedent-
  6. The government has unveiled
  7. deter people from taking up
  8. the harm cigarettes cause to the
  9. bold
  10. the leading cause of preventable
  1. virtually unavoidable
  2. steps
  3. setting measure
  4. the habit
  5. puff
  6. disease and death
  7. body's organs
  8. people from smoking
  9. other measures
  10. such messages

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
include
bold
stronger
hailed
cancer
precedent
individual
virtually

Canada's government has announced (1) _____________________ measures to discourage people from smoking. From August the 1st, every (2) _____________________ cigarette sold in the country will have a warning label put on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce such messages. The warnings will (3) _____________________ messages like "Cigarettes cause (4) _____________________," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison in every puff." The government said: "This (5) _____________________ step will make health warning messages (6) _____________________ unavoidable." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society (7) _____________________ the action taken by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world (8) _____________________-setting measure."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
consequences
unveiled
leading
minimum
bold
strategy
deter
organs

Canada announced its new anti-tobacco (9) _____________________ on World No Tobacco Day. The government has (10) _____________________ other measures to encourage smokers to quit, or to (11) _____________________ people from taking up the habit. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health (12) _____________________ of smoking, as well as the harm cigarettes cause to the body's (13) _____________________. These will appear over the next two years. In addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a (14) _____________________ of 75 per cent of the main display area of the pack. Health Canada said the (15) _____________________ steps would increase the likelihood of getting its message across. Smoking is the (16) _____________________ cause of preventable disease and death in Canada.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Canada's government has announced stronger measures ______
     a.  to encourage people
     b.  to disparage people
     c.  to disgorge people
     d.  to discourage people
2)  every individual cigarette sold in the country will have ______
     a.  a warning ladle
     b.  a warning libel
     c.  a warning rival
     d.  a warning label
3)  "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison _______."
     a.  in every puff
     b.  in every huff
     c.  in every snuff
     d.  in every whiff
4)  This bold step will make health warning ______
     a.  messages virtual unavoidable
     b.  message is virtually unavoidable
     c.  messages virtually unavoidable
     d.  message virtual unavoidable
5)  a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world ______
     a.  precedence-setting measured
     b.  precedent-set in measure
     c.  precedent-setting measure
     d.  precedent-setting measured

6)  unveiled other measures to encourage smokers to quit, or ______
     a.  to defer people
     b.  to deter people
     c.  to ditto people
     d.  to de-tar people
7)  as well as the harm cigarettes cause to ______
     a.  the body's organs
     b.  the bodies organs
     c.  the bodice organs
     d.  the baddy's organs
8)  take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display area ______
     a.  of the back
     b.  off the pack
     c.  of the pack
     d.  of the plaque
9)  Health Canada said the bold steps would ______
     a.  increase the likelihood
     b.  increased the likelihood
     c.  increases the likelihood
     d.  decrease the likelihood
10)  Smoking is the leading cause ______
     a.  off preventable disease
     b.  oft preventable disease
     c.  of preventative disease
     d.  of preventable disease

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Canada's government has announced (1) ____________________ discourage people from smoking. From August the 1st, every individual cigarette sold in the country will have a (2) ____________________ on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce such messages. The warnings will include messages like "Cigarettes cause cancer," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison (3) ____________________." The government said: "This bold step will make health warning (4) ____________________." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society (5) ____________________ taken by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world (6) ____________________."

Canada announced its new (7) ____________________ on World No Tobacco Day. The government has (8) ____________________ to encourage smokers to quit, or to deter people from taking (9) ____________________. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health consequences of smoking, as well as the harm cigarettes cause to (10) ____________________. These will appear over the next two years. In addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display area of the pack. Health Canada said the bold steps would (11) ____________________ of getting its message across. Smoking is the (12) ____________________ preventable disease and death in Canada.

Comprehension questions

  1. When will Canada's new anti-smoking measures come into effect?
  2. How many other countries put warnings on individual cigarettes?
  3. What does one warning say is in every puff?
  4. What did the government say its actions will make virtually unavoidable?
  5. How did Canada's Cancer Society feel about the government's actions?
  6. When were the anti-smoking measures announced?
  7. When will people see all 28 images that will be put on cigarette packs?
  8. How much of the display area of cigarette packs contain warnings?
  9. What does Health Canada hope to get across?
  10. What is smoking the leading cause of in Canada?

Multiple choice quiz

1) When will Canada's new anti-smoking measures come into effect?
a) August the 4th
b) August the 3rd
c) August the 2nd
d) August the 1st
2) How many other countries put warnings on individual cigarettes?
a) one
b) none
c) three
d) two
3) What does one warning say is in every puff?
a) carcinogens
b) nicotine
c) carbon monoxide
d) poison
4) What did the government say its actions will make virtually unavoidable?
a) vaping
b) smoking in public
c) health warning messages
d) quitting smoking
5) How did Canada's Cancer Society feel about the government's actions?
a) It's undecided.
b) It said they were insufficient.
c) sad
d) It hailed them

6) When were the anti-smoking measures announced?
a) August the 1st
b) on World Health Day
c) on World No Tobacco Day
d) after a no-smoking convention
7) When will people see all 28 images that will be put on cigarette packs?
a) over the next two years
b) over the next two months
c) over the next two decades
d) over the next two weeks
8) How much of the display area of cigarette packs contain warnings?
a) a minimum of 65%
b) a minimum of 55%
c) a minimum of 75%
d) a minimum of 25%
9) What does Health Canada hope to get across?
a) the issues
b) its message
c) the finish line
d) health
10) What is smoking the leading cause of in Canada?
a) preventable disease and death
b) marital breakups
c) poverty
d) arguments

Role play

Role  A – Cigarettes
You think cigarettes are the worst addiction. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their addictions aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): smartphones, shopping or working.

Role  B – Smartphones
You think smartphones are the worst addiction. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their addictions aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): working, shopping or cigarettes.

Role  C – Shopping
You think shopping is the worst addiction. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their addictions aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): smartphones, working or cigarettes.

Role  D – Working
You think working is the worst addiction: Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their addictions aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): smartphones, shopping or cigarettes.

After reading / listening

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

'cigarette'

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

    • and 'smoking'.

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

    • • 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:

    • stronger
    • August
    • include
    • poison
    • virtually
    • hailed
    • strategy
    • quit
    • 28
    • organs
    • minimum
    • across

    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 - Health Warnings

    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 'cigarette'?
    3. What do you think of cigarettes?
    4. What do you think of putting warnings on individual cigarettes?
    5. How can governments stop people smoking?
    6. What do you think of the warning messages in the article?
    7. What damage does smoking do?
    8. What do you think of second-hand smoke?
    9. Do you think Canada's anti-smoking measures will work?
    10. What advice do you have for smokers?

    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 'smoking'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why do so many people smoke?
    5. Should smoking and vaping be banned?
    6. What should happen on World No Tobacco Day?
    7. Should there be higher taxes on cigarettes?
    8. What three adjectives best describe cigarettes, and why?
    9. Will the world ever be cigarette free?
    10. What questions would you like to ask cigarette companies?

    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)

    Canada's government has announced stronger (1) ____ to discourage people from smoking. From August the 1st, (2) ____ individual cigarette sold in the country will have a warning label put on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce (3) ____ messages. The warnings will include messages like "Cigarettes cause cancer," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison in every (4) ____." The government said: "This (5) ____ step will make health warning messages virtually unavoidable." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society (6) ____ the action taken by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world precedent-setting measure."

    Canada announced its new anti-tobacco strategy on World No Tobacco Day. The government has unveiled (7) ____ measures to encourage smokers to quit, or to deter people from taking (8) ____ the habit. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health consequences of smoking, as well as the harm cigarettes cause (9) ____ the body's organs. These will appear over the next two years. In addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum (10) ____ 75 per cent of the main display area of the pack. Health Canada said the bold (11) ____ would increase the likelihood of getting its message across. Smoking is the leading cause (12) ____ preventable disease and death in Canada.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     measures     (b)     majors     (c)     majorities     (d)     measles    
    2. (a)     all     (b)     whole     (c)     every     (d)     entire    
    3. (a)     whole     (b)     much     (c)     such     (d)     every    
    4. (a)     quaff     (b)     huff     (c)     whiff     (d)     puff    
    5. (a)     bold     (b)     cold     (c)     bald     (d)     ribald    
    6. (a)     foiled     (b)     hailed     (c)     failed     (d)     boiled    
    7. (a)     otherly     (b)     another     (c)     others     (d)     other    
    8. (a)     out     (b)     up     (c)     in     (d)     down    
    9. (a)     as     (b)     up     (c)     to     (d)     over    
    10. (a)     on     (b)     of     (c)     up     (d)     down    
    11. (a)     pace     (b)     wrung     (c)     stair     (d)     step    
    12. (a)     by     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     as

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. eudcoiasgr people from smoking
    2. Cigarettes cause cnarec
    3. Poison in every fpfu
    4. make health warning messages virtually boualevadin
    5. leihda the action
    6. a world rdenpceet-setting measure

    Paragraph 2

    1. its new anti-tobacco rstagety
    2. The government has uleedivn other measures
    3. tedre people from taking up the habit
    4. damaging health cqsoscenenue of smoking
    5. the bold steps would increase the ldkelhiooi
    6. the leading cause of elnebtvpera disease

    Put the text back together

    (...)  messages like "Cigarettes cause cancer," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison in every
    (...)  Canada announced its new anti-tobacco strategy on World No Tobacco Day. The government has
    (...)  by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold in Canada is a world precedent-setting measure."
    (...)  of getting its message across. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Canada.
    (...)  unveiled other measures to encourage smokers to quit, or to deter people from taking up the
    (  1  ) Canada's government has announced stronger measures to discourage people
    (...)  puff." The government said: "This bold step will make health warning messages virtually
    (...)  habit. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health consequences of smoking, as well as the harm
    (...)  from smoking. From August the 1st, every individual cigarette sold in the country will have a warning
    (...)  label put on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce such messages. The warnings will include
    (...)  addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display
    (...)  unavoidable." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society hailed the action taken
    (...)  area of the pack. Health Canada said the bold steps would increase the likelihood
    (...)  cigarettes cause to the body's organs. These will appear over the next two years. In

    Put the words in the right order

    1. stronger  smoking . to  Announced   discourage  from  measures  people
    2. in   individual   Every   the   cigarette   country   .   sold
    3. first   messages   .   It's   introduce   the   such   to   country
    4. messages   warning   It   unavoidable   .   virtually   health   make   will
    5. government   .   the   by   action   He   taken   the   hailed
    6. smokers   measures   encourage   quit   .   Unveiled   other   to   to
    7. up   from   deter   the   people   habit   .   taking   It'll
    8. body's   cause   The   organs   .   the   to   cigarettes   harm
    9. over   will   These   years   .   next   appear   two   the
    10. of   preventable   disease   .   Smoking   cause   leading   the   is

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Canada's government has announced stranger / stronger measures to discourage people to / from smoking. From August the 1st, every / all individual cigarette sold in the country will have a warning labelling / label put on it. Canada will be the first country to introduce such / much messages. The warnings will include messages like "Cigarettes cause cancer," "Tobacco smoke harms children" and "Poison in every buff / puff." The government said: "This bold stair / step will make health warning messages virtually / virtual unavoidable." A spokesperson at the Canadian Cancer Society foiled / hailed the action taken by the government. He said: "Having a warning on every cigarette sold / sales in Canada is a world precedent-setting measure."

    Canada announced its new anti-tobacco strategy / strategic on World No Tobacco Day. The government has veiled / unveiled other measures to encourage smokers to quite / quit, or to deter / defer people from taking up the habit. There will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaged / damaging health consequences of smoking, as good / well as the harm cigarettes cause to the body's organs. These will disappear / appear over the next two years. In addition, all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display arena / area of the pack. Health Canada said the bald / bold steps would increase the likelihood of getting its message across. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable / preventive disease and death in Canada.

    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)

    C_n_d_'s  g_v_rnm_nt  h_s  _nn__nc_d  str_ng_r  m__s_r_s  t_  d_sc__r_g_  p__pl_  fr_m  sm_k_ng.  Fr_m  __g_st  th_  1st,  _v_ry  _nd_v_d__l  c_g_r_tt_  s_ld  _n  th_  c__ntry  w_ll  h_v_  _  w_rn_ng  l_b_l  p_t  _n  _t.  C_n_d_  w_ll  b_  th_  f_rst  c__ntry  t_  _ntr_d_c_  s_ch  m_ss_g_s.  Th_  w_rn_ngs  w_ll  _ncl_d_  m_ss_g_s  l_k_  "C_g_r_tt_s  c__s_  c_nc_r,"  "T_b_cc_  sm_k_  h_rms  ch_ldr_n"  _nd  "P__s_n  _n  _v_ry  p_ff."  Th_  g_v_rnm_nt  s__d:  "Th_s  b_ld  st_p  w_ll  m_k_  h__lth  w_rn_ng  m_ss_g_s  v_rt__lly  _n_v__d_bl_."  _  sp_k_sp_rs_n  _t  th_  C_n_d__n  C_nc_r  S_c__ty  h__l_d  th_  _ct__n  t_k_n  by  th_  g_v_rnm_nt.  H_  s__d:  "H_v_ng  _  w_rn_ng  _n  _v_ry  c_g_r_tt_  s_ld  _n  C_n_d_  _s  _  w_rld  pr_c_d_nt-s_tt_ng  m__s_r_."

    C_n_d_  _nn__nc_d  _ts  n_w  _nt_-t_b_cc_  str_t_gy  _n  W_rld  N_  T_b_cc_  D_y.  Th_  g_v_rnm_nt  h_s  _nv__l_d  _th_r  m__s_r_s  t_  _nc__r_g_  sm_k_rs  t_  q__t,  _r  t_  d_t_r  p__pl_  fr_m  t_k_ng  _p  th_  h_b_t.  Th_r_  w_ll  b_  28  gr_ph_c  p_ct_r_s  h_ghl_ght_ng  th_  d_m_g_ng  h__lth  c_ns_q__nc_s  _f  sm_k_ng,  _s  w_ll  _s  th_  h_rm  c_g_r_tt_s  c__s_  t_  th_  b_dy's  _rg_ns.  Th_s_  w_ll  _pp__r  _v_r  th_  n_xt  tw_  y__rs.  _n  _dd_t__n,  _ll  w_rn_ng  l_b_ls  _n  c_g_r_tt_  p_ck_ts  w_ll  t_k_  _p  _  m_n_m_m  _f  75  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_  m__n  d_spl_y  _r__  _f  th_  p_ck.  H__lth  C_n_d_  s__d  th_  b_ld  st_ps  w__ld  _ncr__s_  th_  l_k_l_h__d  _f  g_tt_ng  _ts  m_ss_g_  _cr_ss.  Sm_k_ng  _s  th_  l__d_ng  c__s_  _f  pr_v_nt_bl_  d_s__s_  _nd  d__th  _n  C_n_d_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    canadas government has announced stronger measures to discourage people from smoking from august the 1st every individual cigarette sold in the country will have a warning label put on it canada will be the first country to introduce such messages the warnings will include messages like cigarettes cause cancer tobacco smoke harms children and poison in every puff the government said this bold step will make health warning messages virtually unavoidable a spokesperson at the canadian cancer society hailed the action taken by the government he said having a warning on every cigarette sold in canada is a world precedentsetting measure

    canada announced its new antitobacco strategy on world no tobacco day the government has unveiled other measures to encourage smokers to quit or to deter people from taking up the habit there will be 28 graphic pictures highlighting the damaging health consequences of smoking as well as the harm cigarettes cause to the bodys organs these will appear over the next two years in addition all warning labels on cigarette packets will take up a minimum of 75 per cent of the main display area of the pack health canada said the bold steps would increase the likelihood of getting its message across smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in canada

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Canada'sgovernmenthasannouncedstrongermeasurestodiscourage
    peoplefromsmoking.FromAugustthe1st,everyindividualcigarettesol
    dinthecountrywillhaveawarninglabelputonit.Canadawillbethefirstco
    untrytointroducesuchmessages.Thewarningswillincludemessagesli
    ke"Cigarettescausecancer,""Tobaccosmokeharmschildren"and"Poi
    sonineverypuff."Thegovernmentsaid:"Thisboldstepwillmakehealth
    warningmessagesvirtuallyunavoidable."AspokespersonattheCanad
    ianCancerSocietyhailedtheactiontakenbythegovernment.Hesaid:"H
    avingawarningoneverycigarettesoldinCanadaisaworldprecedent-se
    ttingmeasure."Canadaannounceditsnewanti-tobaccostrategyonW
    orldNoTobaccoDay.Thegovernmenthasunveiledothermeasurestoen
    couragesmokerstoquit,ortodeterpeoplefromtakingupthehabit.Ther
    ewillbe28graphicpictureshighlightingthedamaginghealthconsequen
    cesofsmoking,aswellastheharmcigarettescausetothebody'sorgans.
    Thesewillappearoverthenexttwoyears.Inaddition,allwarninglabelso
    ncigarettepacketswilltakeupaminimumof75percentofthemaindispla
    yareaofthepack.HealthCanadasaidtheboldstepswouldincreasethelik
    elihoodofgettingitsmessageacross.Smokingistheleadingcauseofpre
    ventablediseaseanddeathinCanada.

    Free writing

    Write about the lesson page for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Cigarettes and vapes should be banned worldwide. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    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. CIGARETTES: Make a poster about cigarettes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BAN: Write a magazine article about banning cigarettes. 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 cigarettes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on smoking. 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.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You