The Reading / Listening - Ocean Currents - Level 6

The system of ocean currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather worldwide is in danger of collapsing. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse within the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean waters to the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing down for the past few decades because of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the only region in the world that has cooled in the past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing the tipping point this century. However, 44 experts publicly stated that is now a 50/50 possibility.

Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead to "devastating and irreversible impacts which will affect the entire world for centuries to come". It would disrupt global weather patterns and adversely affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists predict that winter temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lower. Colder weather could "potentially threaten the viability of agriculture in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift tropical monsoons southwards, causing widespread drought and famine. This will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and escalate geopolitical tensions.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Ocean Currents - Level 4  or  Ocean Currents - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/23/we-dont-know-where-the-tipping-point-is-climate-expert-on-potential-collapse-of-atlantic-circulation
  • https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/rivers-oceans/we-dont-really-consider-it-low-probability-anymore-collapse-of-key-atlantic-current-could-have-catastrophic-impacts-says-oceanographer-stefan-rahmstorf
  • https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/the-gulf-stream-is-on-the-verge-of-collapsing-climate-scientists-warn/ar-AA1sLW3Z


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. WEATHER PATTERNS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about weather patterns. 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?
       system / ocean / weather / danger / Atlantic Ocean / global warming / tipping point /
       meteorologists / impacts / centuries / scientists / agriculture / monsoons / refugees
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. TENSIONS: Students A strongly believe climate change will create huge geopolitical tensions; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. BODIES OF WATER: What do you know about these bodies of water? What do you want to know? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I Want to Know

Atlantic Ocean

 

 

Pacific Ocean

 

 

Indian Ocean

 

 

Arctic Ocean

 

 

Southern Ocean

 

 

Mediterranean Sea

 

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

  • Torrential rain
  • Damaging winds
  • Heavy snow
  • Thick fog
  • Hail
  • Tornados
  • Thunderstorms
  • Heatwaves

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. current a. Not too hot and not too cold.
      2. maintaining b. A time when a small change causes a big effect (and it's too late to go back).
      3. temperate c. The movement or flow of water in the ocean.
      4. collapse d. Keeping something the same or in good condition.
      5. oceanographers e. To fall down, break, or stop working.
      6. tipping point f. Scientists who study the ocean.
      7. expert g. Someone who knows a lot about a subject.

    Paragraph 2

      8. meteorologist h. The ability to keep going or survive.
      9. devastating i. A scientist who studies weather.
      10. disrupt j. In a way that causes harm or is bad.
      11. adversely k. Very heavy rains and strong winds in South and South-East Asia.
      12. viability l. Causing a lot of damage or harm.
      13. monsoon m. A long period with little or no rain.
      14. drought n. To stop something from working or happening normally.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. A system of ocean currents has already collapsed.     T / F
  2. The AMOC system originates in the Caribbean.     T / F
  3. The southern Atlantic is the only region in the world that has cooled.     T / F
  4. Fifty experts say there is a 44/44 chance of reaching a tipping point.     T / F
  5. Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail this year.     T / F
  6. Meteorologists say the collapse of AMOC could affect the whole world.     T / F
  7. The U.K. could be 15ºC cooler if the AMOC collapses.     T / F
  8. The collapse of the AMOC could lead to more famines and droughts.     T / F

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

  1. system
  2. temperate
  3. collapse
  4. once
  5. possibility
  6. devastating
  7. entire
  8. adversely
  9. viability
  10. escalate
  1. previously
  2. likelihood
  3. heighten
  4. catastrophic
  5. pleasant
  6. negatively
  7. structure
  8. feasibility
  9. whole
  10. cave in

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

  1. responsible for maintaining temperate
  2. AMOC has been slowing down for
  3. the only region in the world
  4. a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing
  5. that is now a 50/50
  6. this would lead to devastating and
  7. affect the entire world for centuries
  8. potentially threaten the viability
  9. tropical
  10. escalate geopolitical
  1. the past few decades
  2. possibility
  3. monsoons
  4. irreversible impacts
  5. the tipping point
  6. of agriculture
  7. weather worldwide
  8. tensions
  9. to come
  10. that has cooled

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
waters
cooled
temperate
experts
within
region
past
tipping

The system of ocean currents that is responsible for maintaining  (1) _________________________________ weather in Europe is in danger of collapsing. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse (2) _________________________________ the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean  (3) _________________________________ to the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing down for the  (4) _________________________________ few decades because of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the only               (5) _________________________________ in the world that has  (6) _________________________________ in the past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing the  (7) _________________________________ point this century. However, 44  (8) _________________________________ publicly stated that is now a 50/50 possibility.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
adversely
viability
devastating
escalate
predict
drought
entire
monsoons

Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead to "(9) _________________________________ and irreversible impacts which will affect the (10) _________________________________ world for centuries to come". It would disrupt global weather patterns and (11) _________________________________ affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists (12) _________________________________ that winter temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lower. Colder weather could "potentially threaten the (13) _________________________________ of agriculture in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift tropical (14) _________________________________ southwards, causing widespread (15) _________________________________ and famine. This will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and (16) _________________________________ geopolitical tensions.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The system of ocean currents that is responsible for ______
     a.  maintaining temperature weather
     b.  maintaining temper rate weather
     c.  maintaining temporal weather
     d.  maintaining temperate weather
2)  Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing down for the ______
     a.  past few decades
     b.  pest few decades
     c.  paste few decades
     d.  post few decades
3)  The northern Atlantic is the only region in the world ______
     a.  that has cold
     b.  that has cooed
     c.  that has cooled
     d.  that has scold
4)  Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing ______
     a.  the tipping pint
     b.  the tipping pant
     c.  the tipping paint
     d.  the tipping point
5)  However, 44 experts publicly stated that is now ______
     a.  a 50/40 possibility
     b.  a 40/50 possibility
     c.  a 50/50 possibility
     d.  a 40/40 possibility

6)  this would lead to devastating and irreversible impacts which will affect ______
     a.  the entirety world
     b.  the entire world
     c.  the entirely world
     d.  the entry world
7)  It would disrupt global weather patterns and adversely ______
     a.  effect the lives
     b.  affect their lives
     c.  affect the lives
     d.  afflict the lives
8)  Colder weather could "potentially threaten the ______
     a.  visibility of agriculture
     b.  fallibility of agriculture
     c.  availability of agriculture
     d.  viability of agriculture
9)  AMOC could shift tropical monsoons southwards, causing widespread ______
     a.  draught and famine
     b.  drought and famine
     c.  doubt and famine
     d.  draft and famine
10)  huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and ______
     a.  escalator geopolitical tensions
     b.  escalate neo-political tensions
     c.  escalate geopolitical tensions
     d.  escalates deo-political tensions

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) _______________________________________________ currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather in Europe is in (2) _______________________________________________. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) (3) _______________________________________________ the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean waters to the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing down for the (4) _______________________________________________ because of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the (5) _______________________________________________ the world that has cooled in the past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing the (6) _______________________________________________ century. However, 44 experts publicly stated that is now a 50/50 possibility.

Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead to "(7) _______________________________________________ impacts which will affect the entire world for centuries to come". It would disrupt global weather patterns (8) _______________________________________________ the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists (9) _______________________________________________ temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lower. Colder weather could "potentially threaten the (10) _______________________________________________ in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift tropical monsoons southwards, causing widespread (11) _______________________________________________. This will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and (12) _______________________________________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the AMOC maintain?
  2. Where is the source of the heat from the AMOC?
  3. Where is the only region in the world to have cooled recently?
  4. What do experts say we are close to crossing?
  5. How many experts said there is a 50/50 possibility of AMOC collapse?
  6. For how long would Earth be affected by an AMOC collapse?
  7. How many people would be affected by the AMOC collapsing?
  8. How much colder might the UK become if the AMOC collapses?
  9. What would shift southwards if the AMOC collapses?
  10. What could escalate if the AMOC collapses?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What does the AMOC maintain?
a) rainfall
b) temperate weather worldwide
c) the tropics
d) ocean salinity
2) Where is the source of the heat from the AMOC?
a) the Sun
b) the Gulf
c) the Equator
d) the Caribbean
3) Where is the only region in the world to have cooled recently?
a) Antarctica
b) Mexico
c) the northern Atlantic
d) Siberia
4) What do experts say we are close to crossing?
a) a tipping point
b) time zones
c) the point of no return
d) our fingers
5) How many experts said there is a 50/50 possibility of AMOC collapse?
a) 43
b) 44
c) 45
d) 46

6) For how long would Earth be affected by an AMOC collapse?
a) hundreds of years
b) a millennia
c) millions of years
d) forever
7) How many people would be affected by the AMOC collapsing?
a) millions
b) billions
c) hundreds of millions
d) dozens
8) How much colder might the UK become if the AMOC collapses?
a) 15Cº
b) 16Cº
c) 18Cº
d) 19Cº
9) What would shift southwards if the AMOC collapses?
a) the Indian Ocean
b) India
c) the Maldives
d) tropical monsoons
10) What could escalate if the AMOC collapses?
a) water wars
b) the end of civilization
c) geopolitical tensions
d) global warming

Role play

Role  A – Thick Fog
You think thick fog is the worst weather. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their weather isn't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): heatwaves, heavy snow or torrential rain.

Role  B – Heatwaves
You think heatwaves are the worst weather. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their weather isn't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): thick fog, heavy snow or torrential rain.

Role  C – Heavy Snow
You think heavy snow is the worst weather. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their weather isn't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): heatwaves, thick fog or torrential rain.

Role  D – Torrential Rain
You think torrential rain is the worst weather. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their weather isn't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): heatwaves, heavy snow or thick fog.

After reading / listening

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

'ocean'

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

    • and 'weather'.

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

    • • 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:

    • system
    • within
    • between
    • because
    • 20
    • 44
    • lead
    • entire
    • global
    • winter
    • viability
    • huge

    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 - Ocean Currents

    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 'ocean'?
    3. How worried are you about changing weather patterns?
    4. How has the weather changed in your country?
    5. What do you know about ocean currents?
    6. Do you prefer cooler or warmer weather?
    7. What do you think of global warming?
    8. What do you think an oceanographer does every day?
    9. What might happen if AMOC collapses?
    10. What will the weather be like in 100 years from now?

    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 'weather'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How do oceans affect the weather?
    5. What 'devastating and irreversible impacts' might climate change bring?
    6. How would your life change if weather was 15ºC cooler?
    7. How would you deal with drought and famine?
    8. Where will climate refugees go?
    9. What geopolitical tensions might climate change bring?
    10. What questions would you like to ask oceanographers?

    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)

    The (1) ____ of ocean currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather in Europe is (2) ____ danger of collapsing. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse (3) ____ the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean waters to the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been (4) ____ down for the past few decades because of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the only region in the world that has cooled in the past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of AMOC crossing the (5) ____ point this century. However, 44 experts publicly (6) ____ that is now a 50/50 possibility.

    Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead to "devastating and (7) ____ impacts which will affect the entire world for centuries to (8) ____". It would disrupt global weather patterns and adversely affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists predict that winter temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lower. Colder weather could "potentially threaten the (9) ____ of agriculture in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift (10) ____ monsoons southwards, causing widespread (11) ____ and famine. This will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and (12) ____ geopolitical tensions.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     cistern     (b)     system     (c)     systemic     (d)     sustain    
    2. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     an     (d)     of    
    3. (a)     withstand     (b)     without     (c)     wither     (d)     within    
    4. (a)     thrown     (b)     slowing     (c)     slewing     (d)     slaying    
    5. (a)     tapping     (b)     topping     (c)     taping     (d)     tipping    
    6. (a)     slated     (b)     sated     (c)     stated     (d)     skated    
    7. (a)     irreversible     (b)     irascible     (c)     irritable     (d)     unsociable    
    8. (a)     go     (b)     enter     (c)     come     (d)     arrive    
    9. (a)     vial     (b)     visibility     (c)     fallibility     (d)     viability    
    10. (a)     tropical     (b)     topical     (c)     trope     (d)     tropics    
    11. (a)     draught     (b)     drought     (c)     draft     (d)     doubt    
    12. (a)     escalate     (b)     infiltrate     (c)     inculcate     (d)     eradicate

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. meperttae weather
    2. in danger of lplaosicng
    3. briCbeaan waters
    4. anrcoeapgehors say AMOC has been slowing down
    5. ertspxe once believed there was
    6. crossing the tipping point this rcuneyt

    Paragraph 2

    1. ertieoossoglmt believe AMOC could fail
    2. tdvtsiegnaa and irreversible impacts
    3. affect the etrnei world for centuries
    4. ydravlese affect the lives
    5. threaten the biyaiiltv of agriculture
    6. causing widespread utdgohr and famine

    Put the text back together

    (...)   region in the world that has cooled in the past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent
    (...)   danger of collapsing. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse
    (...)   predict that winter temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lower. Colder weather could "potentially
    (  1  ) The system of ocean currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather in Europe is in
    (...)   chance of AMOC crossing the tipping point this century. However, 44 experts publicly stated that is now a 50/50 possibility.
    (...)   down for the past few decades because of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the only
    (...)   threaten the viability of agriculture in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift
    (...)   tropical monsoons southwards, causing widespread drought and famine. This will create huge
    (...)   and irreversible impacts which will affect the entire world for centuries to come". It would disrupt
    (...)   Meteorologists believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead to "devastating
    (...)   increases in the numbers of climate refugees and escalate geopolitical tensions.
    (...)   Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing
    (...)   global weather patterns and adversely affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists
    (...)   within the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean waters to the northern

    Put the words in the right order

    1. system   of   currents   that   is   ocean   responsible   .   The
    2. slowing   Oceanographers   been   down   .   AMOC   say   has
    3. the   region   that   cooled   .   world   only   The   in
    4. AMOC   the   crossing   chance   of   tipping   A   point   .
    5. stated   that   Experts   now   50/50   possibility   .   is   a
    6. could   fail   in   next   the   decades   .   AMOC   few
    7. world   .   Irreversible   entire   impacts   which   the   affect   will
    8. of   lives   affect   millions   .   hundreds   Adversely   the   of
    9. northwestern   of   the   Threaten   Europe   .   in   viability   agriculture
    10. numbers   the   climate   in   increases   refugees   .   Huge   of

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The system of ocean currants / currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather in Europe is in / on danger of collapsing. Experts say the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse wither / within the next 50 years. AMOC brings heat from Caribbean waters to the northern Atlantic Ocean between / among Greenland and Britain. Oceanographers say AMOC has been slowing down for a / the past few decades because / caused of global warming. The northern Atlantic is the only / once region in the world that has cooled in the passed / past 20 years. Experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of / at AMOC crossing the tipping point this century. However, 44 experts publicity / publicly stated that is now a 50/50 possibility.

    Meteorologists beliefs / believe AMOC could fail in the next few decades. They said this would lead / steel to "devastating and irreversible impacts which will affect / effect the entire world for centuries to come / go". It would disrupt global weather patterns and adverse / adversely affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. The scientists predict that winter temperatures in the U.K. could become 15°C lowly / lower. Colder weather could "potentially threaten the viability of / at agriculture in northwestern Europe". The collapse of AMOC could shift / shaft tropical monsoons southwards, causing widespread draught / drought and famine. This will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and step / escalate geopolitical tensions.

    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)

    Th_  syst_m  _f  _c__n  c_rr_nts  th_t  _s  r_sp_ns_bl_  f_r  m__nt__n_ng  t_mp_r_t_  w__th_r  w_rldw_d_  _s  _n  d_ng_r  _f  c_ll_ps_ng.  _xp_rts  s_y  th_  _tl_nt_c  M_r_d__n_l  _v_rt_rn_ng  C_rc_l_t__n  (_M_C)  c__ld  c_ll_ps_  w_th_n  th_  n_xt  50  y__rs.  _M_C  br_ngs  h__t  fr_m  C_r_bb__n  w_t_rs  t_  th_  n_rth_rn  _tl_nt_c  _c__n  b_tw__n  Gr__nl_nd  _nd  Br_t__n.  _c__n_gr_ph_rs  s_y  _M_C  h_s  b__n  sl_w_ng  d_wn  f_r  th_  p_st  f_w  d_c_d_s  b_c__s_  _f  gl_b_l  w_rm_ng.  Th_  n_rth_rn  _tl_nt_c  _s  th_  _nly  r_g__n  _n  th_  w_rld  th_t  h_s  c__l_d  _n  th_  p_st  20  y__rs.  _xp_rts  _nc_  b_l__v_d  th_r_  w_s  _  10  p_r  c_nt  ch_nc_  _f  _M_C  cr_ss_ng  th_  t_pp_ng  p__nt  th_s  c_nt_ry.  H_w_v_r,  44  _xp_rts  p_bl_cly  st_t_d  th_t  _s  n_w  _  50/50  p_ss_b_l_ty.

    M_t__r_l_g_sts  b_l__v_  _M_C  c__ld  f__l  _n  th_  n_xt  f_w  d_c_d_s.  Th_y  s__d  th_s  w__ld  l__d  t_  "d_v_st_t_ng  _nd  _rr_v_rs_bl_  _mp_cts  wh_ch  w_ll  _ff_ct  th_  _nt_r_  w_rld  f_r  c_nt_r__s  t_  c_m_".  _t  w__ld  d_sr_pt  gl_b_l  w__th_r  p_tt_rns  _nd  _dv_rs_ly  _ff_ct  th_  l_v_s  _f  h_ndr_ds  _f  m_ll__ns  _f  p__pl_.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  pr_d_ct  th_t  w_nt_r  t_mp_r_t_r_s  _n  th_  _.K.  c__ld  b_c_m_  15°C  l_w_r.  C_ld_r  w__th_r  c__ld  "p_t_nt__lly  thr__t_n  th_  v__b_l_ty  _f  _gr_c_lt_r_  _n  n_rthw_st_rn  __r_p_".  Th_  c_ll_ps_  _f  _M_C  c__ld  sh_ft  tr_p_c_l  m_ns__ns  s__thw_rds,  c__s_ng  w_d_spr__d  dr__ght  _nd  f_m_n_.  Th_s  w_ll  cr__t_  h_g_  _ncr__s_s  _n  th_  n_mb_rs  _f  cl_m_t_  r_f_g__s  _nd  _sc_l_t_  g__p_l_t_c_l  t_ns__ns.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the system of ocean currents that is responsible for maintaining temperate weather in europe is in danger of collapsing experts say the atlantic meridional overturning circulation amoc could collapse within the next 50 years amoc brings heat from caribbean waters to the northern atlantic ocean between greenland and britain oceanographers say amoc has been slowing down for the past few decades because of global warming the northern atlantic is the only region in the world that has cooled in the past 20 years experts once believed there was a 10 per cent chance of amoc crossing the tipping point this century however 44 experts publicly stated that is now a 5050 possibility

    meteorologists believe amoc could fail in the next few decades they said this would lead to devastating and irreversible impacts which will affect the entire world for centuries to come it would disrupt global weather patterns and adversely affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people the scientists predict that winter temperatures in the uk could become 15c lower colder weather could potentially threaten the viability of agriculture in northwestern europe the collapse of amoc could shift tropical monsoons southwards causing widespread drought and famine this will create huge increases in the numbers of climate refugees and escalate geopolitical tensions

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Thesystemofoceancurrentsthatisresponsibleformaintainingtemper
    ateweatherworldwideisindangerofcollapsing.ExpertssaytheAtlantic
    MeridionalOverturningCirculation(AMOC)couldcollapsewithinthene
    xt50years.AMOCbringsheatfromCaribbeanwaterstothenorthernAtla
    nticOceanbetweenGreenlandandBritain.OceanographerssayAMOC
    hasbeenslowingdownforthepastfewdecadesbecauseofglobalwarmin
    g.ThenorthernAtlanticistheonlyregionintheworldthathascooledinth
    epast20years.Expertsoncebelievedtherewasa10percentchanceofA
    MOCcrossingthetippingpointthiscentury.However,44expertspublicl
    ystatedthatisnowa50/50possibility.MeteorologistsbelieveAMOCcoul
    dfailinthenextfewdecades.Theysaidthiswouldleadto"devastatingan
    dirreversibleimpactswhichwillaffecttheentireworldforcenturiestoco
    me".Itwoulddisruptglobalweatherpatternsandadverselyaffecttheliv
    esofhundredsofmillionsofpeople.Thescientistspredictthatwintertem
    peraturesintheU.K.couldbecome15°Clower.Colderweathercould"po
    tentiallythreatentheviabilityofagricultureinnorthwesternEurope".Th
    ecollapseofAMOCcouldshifttropicalmonsoonssouthwards,causingwi
    despreaddroughtandfamine.Thiswillcreatehugeincreasesinthenum
    bersofclimaterefugeesandescalategeopoliticaltensions.

    Free writing

    Write about ocean currents for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should start preparing for massive changes in weather patterns. 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. WEATHER PATTERNS: Make a poster about weather patterns. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PREPARATION: Write a magazine article about preparing for changing weather patterns immediately. 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 weather patterns. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how they might affect you. 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

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    Answers

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

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