The Reading / Listening - Eco-anxiety - Level 6

Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issues'."

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Eco-anxiety - Level 4  or  Eco-anxiety - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13637313/Now-doctors-told-lecture-climate-change-Health-leaders-tell-medics-look-eco-distress-promote-remote-appointments-cut-emissions.html
  • https://phys.org/news/2024-07-trillions-lost-worker-productivity-due.html
  • https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/eus-carbon-border-tax-mechanism-unfair-to-developing-countries-cse


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. ECO-ANXIETY: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about eco-anxiety. 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?
       eco-anxiety / medical / worldwide / climate change / medical diagnosis / patients /
       crisis / stress / environment / extreme weather / droughts / food shortages / anxious
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. HELP: Students A strongly believe help should be given to all children from elementary school for eco-anxiety; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ANXIETY: Do you get anxious about these things? How can we help people with these anxieties? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

My Anxiety

How We Can Help

The environment

 

 

Money

 

 

Family

 

 

Studying

 

 

Looks and appearance

 

 

Relationships

 

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

  • wildfires
  • heatwaves
  • droughts
  • storms
  • blizzards
  • hurricanes
  • floods
  • sandstorms

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. condition a. A person who judges or gives opinions about something, like a movie or book.
      2. raise b. Cause to occur or to be talked about or considered.
      3. consultation c. Finding out what is wrong with someone or something.
      4. diagnosis d. An illness or other medical condition.
      5. cited e. Not doing the right thing.
      6. critic f. A meeting to talk about something and get advice.
      7. unethical g. To say where you got information from.

    Paragraph 2

      8. constant h. When people have to move from their home to another place.
      9. severely i. A long time with no rain.
      10. drought j. Very upsetting and causing emotional pain.
      11. displacement k. Something that doesn't change.
      12. psychological l. Very badly or seriously.
      13. traumatic m. Feeling bad because you think you did something wrong.
      14. guilty n. About the mind and how it works.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Eco-anxiety has started to affect the aged all over the world.     T / F
  2. UK doctors will advise patients on how to reduce their carbon footprint.   T / F
  3. Critics said it was unethical to ask doctors to talk about the climate.     T / F
  4. Critics said doctors should start lecturing people on politics.     T / F
  5. The UN said eco-anxiety was a hidden crisis in plain sight.     T / F
  6. The UN said eco-anxiety would severely affect young people.     T / F
  7. Website says extreme weather can cause post-traumatic stress.     T / F
  8. Many youngsters are starting to feel empowered.     T / F

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

  1. condition
  2. raise
  3. consultations
  4. diagnosis
  5. unethical
  6. crisis
  7. constant
  8. psychological
  9. distressed
  10. guilty
  1. catastrophe
  2. opinion
  3. immoral
  4. ashamed
  5. bring up
  6. continual
  7. anguished
  8. illness
  9. mental
  10. meetings

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

  1. Eco-anxiety is a medical
  2. during consultations
  3. advice on how to reduce
  4. critics of the guidelines who called them
  5. spend their precious time treating
  6. an emergency crisis hidden
  7. floods lead to
  8. food
  9. post-
  10. distressed
  1. carbon footprints
  2. shortages
  3. patients
  4. about the climate
  5. with patients
  6. traumatic stress
  7. condition
  8. in plain sight
  9. "seriously unethical"
  10. displacement

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
raise
medical
cited
treating
consultation
issues'
condition
footprints

Eco-anxiety is a medical (1) _____________________ affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) _____________________ the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health (3) _____________________ might now consist of a (4) _____________________ diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon (5) _____________________. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (6) _____________________ critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time (7) _____________________ patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised (8) _____________________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
severely
psychological
guilty
plain
distressed
droughts
constant
depression

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in (9) _____________________ sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the (10) _____________________ worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will (11) _____________________ affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, (12) _____________________, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing (13) _____________________ harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, (14) _____________________ and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were (15) _____________________ about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and (16) _____________________".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an ______
     a.  increasingly largest number
     b.  increasingly larger numbers
     c.  increasingly larger number
     d.  increasing larger number
2)  consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to ______
     a.  reduce carbon footprint
     b.  reduce carbon feet prints
     c.  reduce carbon feet print
     d.  reduce carbon footprints
3)  It might also include help on how to ______
     a.  deal to eco-anxiety
     b.  deal with eco-anxiety
     c.  deal of eco-anxiety
     d.  deal up eco-anxiety
4)  The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called ______
     a.  them seriously ethical
     b.  them seriously unethical
     c.  them serious unethical
     d.  then seriously unethical
5)  spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them ______
     a.  on 'politicised issue'
     b.  at 'politicised issues'
     c.  on 'politicised issues'
     d.  of 'politicise issues'

6)  described eco-anxiety as an emergency crisis hidden ______
     a.  in plane site
     b.  in plane sight
     c.  in plain site
     d.  in plain sight
7)  Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, ______
     a.  storm, end floods
     b.  storm sand floods
     c.  storms, and floods
     d.  storms, and flood
8)  They lead to anxiety, depression and ______
     a.  post-traumatic stress
     b.  post-traumatic stressed
     c.  past-traumatic stress
     d.  post-trauma tic stress
9)  A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a ______
     a.  study were distrusted
     b.  study were digressed
     c.  study were distressed
     d.  study were digested
10)  The youngsters felt sad, anxious, angry, powerless, ______
     a.  hapless, and guilty
     b.  hopeless, and guilty
     c.  helpless, and guilty
     d.  helpless, and guilt

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Eco-anxiety is (1) ____________________ affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) ____________________ of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to (3) ____________________ of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to (4) ____________________. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (5) ____________________ the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than (6) ____________________ 'politicised issues'."

The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis (7) ____________________ sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition (8) ____________________ the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, (9) ____________________ lead to displacement and food shortages, causing (10) ____________________ humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and (11) ____________________." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "(12) ____________________, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

Comprehension questions

  1. Who is eco-anxiety affecting?
  2. What might doctors have to discuss the dangers of?
  3. What might doctors give advice on cutting?
  4. What did the Daily Mail newspaper call new guidelines for doctors?
  5. What did critics say doctors should not give lectures on?
  6. Where did the UN say the eco-anxiety was hidden?
  7. How did the UN say eco-anxiety would affect children?
  8. What will extreme weather lead to besides food shortages?
  9. What does extreme weather lead to besides anxiety and depression?
  10. What percentage of people in a study were distressed about the climate?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who is eco-anxiety affecting?
a) world leaders
b) old people
c) young people
d) people near Antarctica
2) What might doctors have to discuss the dangers of?
a) global warming
b) obesity
c) sugar
d) not exercising
3) What might doctors give advice on cutting?
a) cholesterol
b) calories
c) waistlines
d) carbon footprints
4) What did the Daily Mail newspaper call new guidelines for doctors?
a) brilliant
b) seriously unethical
c) much called for
d) inspiring
5) What did critics say doctors should not give lectures on?
a) weather
b) bones
c) politicised issues
d) death

6) Where did the UN say the eco-anxiety was hidden?
a) in journals
b) in plain sight
c) in the Internet
d) in the clouds
7) How did the UN say eco-anxiety would affect children?
a) considerably
b) badly
c) largely
d) severely
8) What will extreme weather lead to besides food shortages?
a) injuries
b) displacement
c) riots
d) higher insurance costs
9) What does extreme weather lead to besides anxiety and depression?
a) post-traumatic stress
b) wet feet
c) cancelled sports events
d) damage
10) What percentage of people in a study were distressed about the climate?
a) 56%
b) 57%
c) 58%
d) 59%

Role play

Role  A – Heatwaves
You think heatwaves are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, floods or blizzards.

Role  B – Hurricanes
You think hurricanes are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): heatwaves, floods or blizzards.

Role  C – Floods
You think floods are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, heatwaves or blizzards.

Role  D – Blizzards
You think blizzards are the worst weather events. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their events aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hurricanes, floods or heatwaves.

After reading / listening

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

'anxiety'

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

    • and 'crisis'.

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

    • • 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:

    • medical
    • topic
    • consist
    • deal
    • cited
    • time
    • sight
    • constant
    • affect
    • food
    • stress
    • felt

    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 - Eco-anxiety

    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 'eco-anxiety'?
    3. How bad is a condition like eco-anxiety?
    4. What do you think doctors know about eco-anxiety?
    5. How anxious are you about the environment?
    6. How does concern about the environment change how you live?
    7. Has the climate crisis affected what you want to do in the future?
    8. Is it unethical to ask doctors to advise patients about climate change?
    9. Should doctors be more political?
    10. What advice do you have for people with eco-anxiety?

    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 'crisis'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Why is eco-anxiety "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight"?
    5. What might trigger someone with eco-anxiety?
    6. How can we help children with eco-anxiety?
    7. Does extreme weather make you worry more about the future?
    8. Does the climate crisis make you think about not having children?
    9. How can we help children who feel helpless?
    10. What would you like to ask a young person with eco-anxiety?

    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)

    Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger (1) ____ of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to (2) ____ the topic of climate change during consultations with patients. New guidelines (3) ____ doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, (4) ____ with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper (5) ____ critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than (6) ____ them on 'politicised issues'."

    The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis (7) ____ in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely (8) ____ the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, (9) ____, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They (10) ____ to anxiety, depression and post-(11) ____ stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed (12) ____ the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     numbering     (b)     numbers     (c)     numeral     (d)     number    
    2. (a)     rise     (b)     arise     (c)     arouse     (d)     raise    
    3. (a)     entourage     (b)     encourage     (c)     discourage     (d)     courageous    
    4. (a)     longing     (b)     longs     (c)     along     (d)     alongside    
    5. (a)     sighted     (b)     slighted     (c)     cited     (d)     sated    
    6. (a)     lecturing     (b)     teaching     (c)     scolding     (d)     discoursing    
    7. (a)     ridden     (b)     hidden     (c)     bidden     (d)     beholden    
    8. (a)     affect     (b)     confect     (c)     infect     (d)     effect    
    9. (a)     drafts     (b)     droughts     (c)     draughts     (d)     doubts    
    10. (a)     cause     (b)     head     (c)     lead     (d)     arrive    
    11. (a)     aromatic     (b)     dramatic     (c)     traumatic     (d)     enigmatic    
    12. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     about

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. New giieluedsn
    2. A health iotounlnscat
    3. a medical isgiosnda
    4. called them seriously ciuhlntae
    5. spend their peucrois time treating patients
    6. lecturing them on doliieispct issues

    Paragraph 2

    1. hortdgsu, storms, and floods
    2. causing locsoilgphcay harm to humans
    3. post-iaucmtrat stress
    4. idsresetds about the climate
    5. youngsters felt, "sad, uasinox …
    6. helpless, and giluyt

    Put the text back together

    (...)  consultations with patients. New guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers
    (...)  The United Nations has described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain
    (...)  crisis. The UN said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme
    (...)  stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed
    (...)  sight". Eco-anxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate
    (...)  said: "Doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issues'."
    (...)  with eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They
    (...)  on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal
    (...)  weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and food
    (...)  people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during
    (...)  about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilty".
    (...)  of global warming. A health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice
    (...)  shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic
    (  1  )  Eco-anxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young

    Put the words in the right order

    1. an   medical   increasingly   affecting   A   condition   larger   number   .
    2. to   advice   carbon   With   how   footprints   .   reduce   on
    3. Include   with   on   deal   help   to   eco-anxiety   .   how
    4. the   Critics   guidelines   called   unethical   .   of   seriously   them
    5. time   treating   their   patients   .   precious   should   Doctors   spend
    6. An   sight   .   in   plain   crisis   emergency   hidden
    7. caused   Stress   the   about   worries   environment   .   by   constant
    8. health   severely   of   the   children   .   It'll   affect   mental
    9. and   floods   and   Storms   shortages   .   lead   to   displacement
    10. study   were   distressed   .   a   Young   people   in   UN

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Eco-anxiety is a medical / medicine condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide. Doctors in the UK have been advising / advised to raise the topic of climate change during contractions / consultations with patients. New guidelines discourage / encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming. A health / healthy consultation might now consent / consist of a medical diagnosis, along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints. It might also include help on how to deal with / to eco-anxiety. The Daily Mail newspaper cited critics of / at the guidelines who called them "seriously unethical". They said: "Doctors should spend their precious / precocious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on 'politicised issue / issues'."

    The United Nations has proscribed / described eco-anxiety as "an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight". Eco-anxiety is defined / definition as stress caused by the constant / constantly worry about the environment and the climate crisis. The UN said the condition will severely / severe affect the mental health of children. Downtoearth.com wrote: "Extreme / Extremely weather events like wildfires, heatwaves, draughts / droughts, storms, and floods lead to displacement and meal / food shortages, causing psychological harm to humans. They lead to anxious / anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress." A UN survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were digressed / distressed about the climate. The youngsters felt, "sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, and guilt / guilty".

    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_-_nx__ty  _s  _  m_d_c_l  c_nd_t__n  _ff_ct_ng  _n  _ncr__s_ngly  l_rg_r  n_mb_r  _f  y__ng  p__pl_  w_rldw_d_.  D_ct_rs  _n  th_  _K  h_v_  b__n  _dv_s_d  t_  r__s_  th_  t_p_c  _f  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_  d_r_ng  c_ns_lt_t__ns  w_th  p_t__nts.  N_w  g__d_l_n_s  _nc__r_g_  d_ct_rs  t_  d_sc_ss  th_  d_ng_rs  _f  gl_b_l  w_rm_ng.  _  h__lth  c_ns_lt_t__n  m_ght  n_w  c_ns_st  _f  _  m_d_c_l  d__gn_s_s,  _l_ng  w_th  _dv_c_  _n  h_w  t_  r_d_c_  c_rb_n  f__tpr_nts.  _t  m_ght  _ls_  _ncl_d_  h_lp  _n  h_w  t_  d__l  w_th  _c_-_nx__ty.  Th_  D__ly  M__l  n_wsp_p_r  c_t_d  cr_t_cs  _f  th_  g__d_l_n_s  wh_  c_ll_d  th_m  "s_r___sly  _n_th_c_l".  Th_y  s__d:  "D_ct_rs  sh__ld  sp_nd  th__r  pr_c___s  t_m_  tr__t_ng  p_t__nts  r_th_r  th_n  l_ct_r_ng  th_m  _n  'p_l_t_c_s_d  _ss__s'."

    Th_  _n_t_d  N_t__ns  h_s  d_scr_b_d  _c_-_nx__ty  _s  "_n  _m_rg_ncy  cr_s_s  h_dd_n  _n  pl__n  s_ght".  _c_-_nx__ty  _s  d_f_n_d  _s  str_ss  c__s_d  by  th_  c_nst_nt  w_rry  _b__t  th_  _nv_r_nm_nt  _nd  th_  cl_m_t_  cr_s_s.  Th_  _N  s__d  th_  c_nd_t__n  w_ll  s_v_r_ly  _ff_ct  th_  m_nt_l  h__lth  _f  ch_ldr_n.  D_wnt___rth.c_m  wr_t_:  "_xtr_m_  w__th_r  _v_nts  l_k_  w_ldf_r_s,  h__tw_v_s,  dr__ghts,  st_rms,  _nd  fl__ds  l__d  t_  d_spl_c_m_nt  _nd  f__d  sh_rt_g_s,  c__s_ng  psych_l_g_c_l  h_rm  t_  h_m_ns.  Th_y  l__d  t_  _nx__ty,  d_pr_ss__n  _nd  p_st-tr__m_t_c  str_ss."  _  _N  s_rv_y  f__nd  th_t  59  p_r  c_nt  _f  y__ng  p__pl_  _n  _  st_dy  w_r_  d_str_ss_d  _b__t  th_  cl_m_t_.  Th_  y__ngst_rs  f_lt,  "s_d,  _nx___s,  _ngry,  p_w_rl_ss,  h_lpl_ss,  _nd  g__lty".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    ecoanxiety is a medical condition affecting an increasingly larger number of young people worldwide doctors in the uk have been advised to raise the topic of climate change during consultations with patients new guidelines encourage doctors to discuss the dangers of global warming a health consultation might now consist of a medical diagnosis along with advice on how to reduce carbon footprints it might also include help on how to deal with ecoanxiety the daily mail newspaper cited critics of the guidelines who called them seriously unethical they said doctors should spend their precious time treating patients rather than lecturing them on politicised issues

    the united nations has described ecoanxiety as an emergency crisis hidden in plain sight ecoanxiety is defined as stress caused by the constant worry about the environment and the climate crisis the un said the condition will severely affect the mental health of children downtoearthcom wrote extreme weather events like wildfires heatwaves droughts storms and floods lead to displacement and food shortages causing psychological harm to humans they lead to anxiety depression and posttraumatic stress a un survey found that 59 per cent of young people in a study were distressed about the climate the youngsters felt sad anxious angry powerless helpless and guilty

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Eco-anxietyisamedicalconditionaffectinganincreasinglylargernum
    berofyoungpeopleworldwide.DoctorsintheUKhavebeenadvisedtorai
    sethetopicofclimatechangeduringconsultationswithpatients.Newgui
    delinesencouragedoctorstodiscussthedangersofglobalwarming.Ahe
    althconsultationmightnowconsistofamedicaldiagnosis,alongwithad
    viceonhowtoreducecarbonfootprints.Itmightalsoincludehelponhowt
    odealwitheco-anxiety.TheDailyMailnewspapercitedcriticsoftheguid
    elineswhocalledthem"seriouslyunethical".Theysaid:"Doctorsshould
    spendtheirprecioustimetreatingpatientsratherthanlecturingthemon
    'politicisedissues'."TheUnitedNationshasdescribedeco-anxietyas"a
    nemergencycrisishiddeninplainsight".Eco-anxietyisdefinedasstres
    scausedbytheconstantworryabouttheenvironmentandtheclimatecri
    sis.TheUNsaidtheconditionwillseverelyaffectthementalhealthofchild
    ren.Downtoearth.comwrote:"Extremeweathereventslikewildfires,h
    eatwaves,droughts,storms,andfloodsleadtodisplacementandfoods
    hortages,causingpsychologicalharmtohumans.Theyleadtoanxiety,
    depressionandpost-traumaticstress."AUNsurveyfoundthat59perc
    entofyoungpeopleinastudyweredistressedabouttheclimate.Theyou
    ngstersfelt,"sad,anxious,angry,powerless,helpless,andguilty".

    Free writing

    Write about eco-anxiety for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Eco-anxiety will become an unstoppable pandemic that we must stop now. 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. ECO-ANXIETY: Make a poster about eco-anxiety. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. DOCTORS: Write a magazine article about doctors advising all patients on eco-anxiety. 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 eco-anxiety. Ask him/her three questions about eco-anxiety. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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