The Reading / Listening - Chicken and Egg - Level 6

One of life's greatest mysteries may finally have been solved. Scientists believe they have unlocked the conundrum of the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has baffled great minds for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe they have cracked this philosophical mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a tiny marine organism called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species dates back over a billion years. The researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are similar to animal embryos. This means there was no need for a prehistoric chicken to lay an egg.

Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 off the coast of Hawaii. She said it has offered many insights into ancient life forms. She said: "It's fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go back in time a billion years." The researcher suggested that the genetics behind egg fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life existed. This means nature could have created eggs long before evolution "invented chickens". A more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came into existence 10,000 years ago, whereas eggs have existed for millions of years.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Chicken and Egg - Level 4  or  Chicken and Egg - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.ladbible.com/news/science/which-came-first-chicken-or-egg-answer-824479-20241109
  • https://metro.co.uk/2024/11/08/scientists-crack-whether-chicken-egg-came-first-21953962/
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14059591/Which-came-chicken-egg-cracked-debate.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. CHICKENS AND EGGS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about chickens and eggs. 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?
       life / mystery / conundrum / age-old questions / chicken / egg / philosophical /species
       coast / insights / ancient life / genetics / embryonic development / animal / evolution
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. THE CHICKEN CAME FIRST: Students A strongly believe the chicken came before the egg; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. LIFE'S MYSTERIES: How important are these mysteries? What are your answers? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Important Is This?

What's Your Answer?

Why do we sleep?

 

 

How did the universe start?

 

 

Is there alien life?

 

 

Why do we lose our keys?

 

 

What is love?

 

 

Where do we go when we die?

 

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

  • Boiled egg
  • Scrambled egg
  • Fried egg
  • Omelette
  • Quiche
  • Souffle
  • Poached egg
  • Pickled eggs

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. solved a. Very, very old; something that has existed for a long time.
      2. conundrum b. Found the answer to a problem or question.
      3. age-old c. Very confused and unable to understand something.
      4. baffled d. Figured out or solved something difficult.
      5. cracked e. A difficult question or puzzle to figure out.
      6. marine f. A tiny, early stage of an animal or human before it is born.
      7. embryo g. Related to the sea or ocean.

    Paragraph 2

      8. insight h. Very old; from a long, long time ago.
      9. ancient i. The process when a sperm joins with an egg to start forming a baby.
      10. species j. A new and deep understanding of something.
      11. genetics k. A group of animals or plants that are similar and can have babies together.
      12. fertilization l. The slow change of living things over a long time.
      13. evolution m. The study of how things like looks and traits are passed from parents to children.
      14. riddle n. A tricky question or puzzle that is fun to solve.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says one of life's mysteries has been solved.     T / F
  2. The chicken and egg riddle has puzzled people for hundreds of years.     T / F
  3. A clue to the chicken and egg riddle was found in a marine organism.     T / F
  4. The marine organism was around over a billion years ago.     T / F
  5. The marine organism was discovered last year.     T / F
  6. Nature was creating eggs before it created chickens.     T / F
  7. Chickens have been around for one hundred thousand years.     T / F
  8. Eggs have been around for one hundred million years.     T / F

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

  1. mysteries
  2. baffled
  3. cracked
  4. organism
  5. prehistoric
  6. discovered
  7. development
  8. invented
  9. straightforward
  10. existence
  1. unearthed
  2. life form
  3. created
  4. puzzled
  5. elementary
  6. growth
  7. puzzles
  8. being
  9. solved
  10. primitive

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

  1. One of life's greatest
  2. the age-
  3. This problem has baffled
  4. a tiny marine
  5. it can form multicellular
  6. discovered in 2017 off the
  7. insights into ancient life
  8. the genetics behind egg
  9. A more
  10. chickens came into
  1. great minds for centuries
  2. forms
  3. old question
  4. structures
  5. coast of Hawaii
  6. straightforward answer
  7. mysteries
  8. existence 10,000 years ago
  9. organism
  10. fertilization

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
philosophical
mysteries
organism
prehistoric
baffled
similar
conundrum
dates

One of life's greatest (1) _________________________________ may finally have been solved. Scientists believe they have unlocked the (2) _________________________________ of the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has (3) _________________________________ great minds for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe they have cracked this (4) _________________________________ mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a tiny marine (5) _________________________________ called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species (6) _________________________________ back over a billion years. The researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are (7) _________________________________ to animal embryos. This means there was no need for a (8) _________________________________ chicken to lay an egg.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
evolution
genetics
insights
existence
discovered
whereas
existed
recently

Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first (9) _________________________________ in 2017 off the coast of Hawaii. She said it has offered many (10) _________________________________ into ancient life forms. She said: "It's fascinating that a species discovered so (11) _________________________________ allows us to go back in time a billion years." The researcher suggested that the (12) _________________________________ behind egg fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life (13) _________________________________. This means nature could have created eggs long before (14) _________________________________ "invented chickens". A more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came into (15) _________________________________ 10,000 years ago, (16) _________________________________ eggs have existed for millions of years.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  One of life's greatest mysteries may finally ______
     a.  have been absolved
     b.  have been unsolved
     c.  have been solved
     d.  have been resolved
2)  Scientists believe they have ______
     a.  unlocked the contraption
     b.  unlocked the conundrum
     c.  unlocked the cunning drum
     d.  unlocked the conned drum
3)  This problem has baffled great ______
     a.  minds afore centuries
     b.  minds fore centuries
     c.  minds four centuries
     d.  minds for centuries
4)  researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are similar ______
     a.  to animal embryo
     b.  to animal embryos
     c.  to animal embryonies
     d.  to animal imbroglios
5)  This means there was no need for a prehistoric chicken to ______
     a.  lie an egg
     b.  lay an egg
     c.  ray an egg
     d.  wry an egg

6)  Chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 off the ______
     a.  coast of Hawaii
     b.  cost of Hawaii
     c.  caste of Hawaii
     d.  cast of Hawaii
7)  She said it has offered many insights into ______
     a.  ancient rife forms
     b.  ancient alive forms
     c.  ancient live forms
     d.  ancient life forms
8)  It's fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go ______
     a.  back on time
     b.  backing time
     c.  back in time
     d.  back in timed
9)  This means nature could have created eggs long before ______
     a.  evolution invent it chickens
     b.  evolution invented chickens
     c.  evolution reinvented chickens
     d.  evolution inverted chickens
10)  straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens ______
     a.  came in two existence
     b.  came onto existence
     c.  came unto existence
     d.  came into existence

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

One of (1) _______________________________________________ may finally have been solved. Scientists believe they have unlocked (2) _______________________________________________ the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has (3) _______________________________________________ for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe they have cracked this philosophical mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a (4) _______________________________________________ called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species dates back over a billion years. The researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are similar (5) _______________________________________________. This means there was no need for (6) _______________________________________________ to lay an egg.

Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 (7) _______________________________________________ of Hawaii. She said it has (8) _______________________________________________ into ancient life forms. She said: "It's fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go (9) _______________________________________________ a billion years." The researcher suggested that the (10) _______________________________________________ fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life existed. This means nature could have created eggs long before evolution "invented chickens". (11) _______________________________________________ answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came into existence 10,000 years ago, whereas eggs have (12) _______________________________________________ of years.

Comprehension questions

  1. What do scientists think they unlocked?
  2. Where are the researchers from?
  3. How long ago was the organism Chromosphaera perkinsii in existence?
  4. What could the organism create that were like animal embryos?
  5. What did the article say did not need to lay an egg?
  6. When was Chromosphaera perkinsii discovered?
  7. What could Chromosphaera perkinsii provide insights into?
  8. What did the researcher think about Chromosphaera perkinsii?
  9. What aspect of genetics was mentioned besides egg fertilization?
  10. For how long have chickens been around?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What do scientists think they unlocked?
a) a door
b) a conundrum
c) the mind
d) the secrets to eternal life
2) Where are the researchers from?
a) the University of Genoa
b) the University of Grenade
c) the University of Germany
d) the University of Geneva
3) How long ago was the organism Chromosphaera perkinsii in existence?
a) around a billion years ago
b) just under a billion years ago
c) over a billion years ago
d) exactly a billion years ago
4) What could the organism create that were like animal embryos?
a) multicellular structures
b) skin
c) hair follicles
d) sweat glands
5) What did the article say did not need to lay an egg?
a) a modern-day chicken
b) a prehistoric chicken
c) any kind of bird
d) a reptile

6) When was Chromosphaera perkinsii discovered?
a) in 2017
b) in 2018
c) in 2019
d) in 2020
7) What could Chromosphaera perkinsii provide insights into?
a) our soul
b) the depths of our mind
c) ancient life forms
d) the ocean floor
8) What did the researcher think about Chromosphaera perkinsii?
a) She thought it was fascinating.
b) She thought it was fascination
c) She thought it was fascinate tin
d) She thought it was fascinate in

9) What aspect of genetics was mentioned besides egg fertilization?
a) behaviour
b) DNA
c) molecular theory
d) embryonic development
10) For how long have chickens been around?
a) 30,000 years
b) 40,000 years
c) 10,000 years
d) 20,000 years

Role play

Role  A – Omelettes
You think omelettes are the best ways to cook eggs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): fried eggs, boiled eggs or scrambled eggs.

Role  B – Fried Eggs
You think fried eggs are the best ways to cook eggs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): omelettes, boiled eggs or scrambled eggs.

Role  C – Boiled Eggs
You think boiled eggs are the best ways to cook eggs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): fried eggs, omelettes or scrambled eggs.

Role  D – Scrambled Eggs
You think scrambled eggs are the best ways to cook eggs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): fried eggs, boiled eggs or omelettes.

After reading / listening

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

'chicken'

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

    • and 'egg'

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

    • • 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:

    • greatest
    • minds
    • cracked
    • tiny
    • form
    • need
    • 2017
    • offered
    • time
    • present
    • long
    • whereas

    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 - Chicken and Egg

    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 'chicken'?
    3. What are the arguments for the chicken coming first?
    4. What other great mysteries are there in life?
    5. What do you think of chickens?
    6. Does it matter if the chicken or egg came first?
    7. What things are you baffled by?
    8. What was animal life like in prehistory?
    9. Why do we never see baby pigeons?
    10. Would you like to see a prehistoric chicken?

    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 'egg'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'egg'?
    5. What do you think of eggs?
    6. Do you think the chicken or the egg came first?
    7. How will evolution change animals in the future?
    8. How will the world change if we know the egg came first?
    9. Why do cows always face north or south when grazing?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    One of life's greatest mysteries may (1) ____ have been solved. Scientists believe they have unlocked the (2) ____ of the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has (3) ____ great minds for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe they have (4) ____ this philosophical mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a tiny marine organism called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species dates (5) ____ over a billion years. The researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are similar to animal embryos. This means there was no (6) ____ for a prehistoric chicken to lay an egg.

    Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 off the coast (7) ____ Hawaii. She said it has offered many insights into ancient life forms. She said: "It's fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go back (8) ____ time a billion years." The researcher suggested that the genetics (9) ____ egg fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life existed. This means nature could have created eggs (10) ____ before evolution "invented chickens". A more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came (11) ____ existence 10,000 years ago, (12) ____ eggs have existed for millions of years.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     final     (b)     finality     (c)     finally     (d)     finals    
    2. (a)     conundrum     (b)     compendium     (c)     companion     (d)     conurbation    
    3. (a)     baffled     (b)     biffed     (c)     waffled     (d)     whiffed    
    4. (a)     cracked     (b)     crooked     (c)     clocked     (d)     creaked    
    5. (a)     aback     (b)     backed     (c)     backer     (d)     back    
    6. (a)     in need     (b)     needy     (c)     necessary     (d)     need    
    7. (a)     off     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     by    
    8. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    9. (a)     behind     (b)     ahead     (c)     fronted     (d)     whereby    
    10. (a)     yonder     (b)     long     (c)     afore     (d)     past    
    11. (a)     onto     (b)     into     (c)     hitherto     (d)     unto    
    12. (a)     whereas     (b)     moreover     (c)     notwithstanding     (d)     so

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Scientists believe they have unlocked the onuruncmd
    2. This problem has lffbade great minds
    3. cracked this looslahcpiiph mystery
    4. it can form ulmcatilurlel structures
    5. similar to animal mobeyrs
    6. no need for a presitoichr chicken to lay an egg

    Paragraph 2

    1. it has offered many sntgisih
    2. entcnai life forms
    3. It's ginniafasct
    4. the ncsigeet behind egg fertilization
    5. bnoremciy development
    6. chickens came into eesxeticn 10,000 years ago

    Put the text back together

    (...)   in time a billion years." The researcher suggested that the genetics behind egg fertilization and embryonic
    (  1  )   One of life's greatest mysteries may finally have been solved. Scientists believe they have unlocked
    (...)   great minds for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe
    (...)   similar to animal embryos. This means there was no need for a prehistoric chicken to lay an egg.
    (...)   they have cracked this philosophical mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a
    (...)   life forms. She said: "It's fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go back
    (...)   the conundrum of the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has baffled
    (...)   discovered in 2017 off the coast of Hawaii. She said it has offered many insights into ancient
    (...)   tiny marine organism called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species dates
    (...)   Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first
    (...)   back over a billion years. The researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are
    (...)   into existence 10,000 years ago, whereas eggs have existed for millions of years.
    (...)   before evolution "invented chickens". A more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came
    (...)   development were present before animal life existed. This means nature could have created eggs long

    Put the words in the right order

    1. have   finally   Life's   mysteries   solved   .   greatest   may   been
    2. the   conundrum   unlocked   the   They've   question   .   of   age-old
    3. minds   baffled   for   great   This   has   centuries   .   problem
    4. are   similar   .   which   multicellular   It   structures   form   can
    5. lay   eggs   .   need   prehistoric   chickens   No   for   to
    6. many   into   forms   .   ancient   life   insights   offered   It
    7. time   It   years   .   goes   a   billion   back   in
    8. nature   could   have   This   means   eggs   .   created
    9. straightforward   answer   more   the   problem   .   egg   A   to
    10. eggs   have   Whereas   of   for   existed   millions   years   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    One of life's greatest mysteries / mysterious may finally have been solved / soluble. Scientists believe they have unlocked the compendium / conundrum of the age-old question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. This problem has baffled / boffin great minds for centuries. However, researchers from the University of Geneva believe they have crackled / cracked this philosophical mystery. They suggest the egg came first. The scientists studied a tiny / tinny marine organism called Chromosphaera perkinsii. This single-celled species rates / dates back over a billion years. The researchers found it can form / farm multicellular structures which are similar to animal embryonic / embryos. This means there was no need for a prehistoric chicken to lie / lay an egg.

    Researcher Marine Olivetta told "Nature Journal" that Chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 off the cast / coast of Hawaii. She said it has offered many insights / sightseers into ancient life forms. She said: "It's fascination / fascinating that a species discovered so recent / recently allows us to go back in time the / a billion years." The researcher suggested that the genetics / genesis behind egg fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life existed / resisted. This means nature could have created eggs long before evolution / revolution "invented chickens". A more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came onto / into existence 10,000 years ago, alias / whereas eggs have existed for millions of years.

    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)

    _n_  _f  l_f_'s  gr__t_st  myst_r__s  m_y  f_n_lly  h_v_  b__n  s_lv_d.  Sc__nt_sts  b_l__v_  th_y  h_v_  _nl_ck_d  th_  c_n_ndr_m  _f  th_  _g_-_ld  q__st__n  _f  wh_th_r  th_  ch_ck_n  _r  th_  _gg  c_m_  f_rst.  Th_s  pr_bl_m  h_s  b_ffl_d  gr__t  m_nds  f_r  c_nt_r__s.  H_w_v_r,  r_s__rch_rs  fr_m  th_  _n_v_rs_ty  _f  G_n_v_  b_l__v_  th_y  h_v_  cr_ck_d  th_s  ph_l_s_ph_c_l  myst_ry.  Th_y  s_gg_st  th_  _gg  c_m_  f_rst.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  st_d__d  _  t_ny  m_r_n_  _rg_n_sm  c_ll_d  Chr_m_sph__r_  p_rk_ns__.  Th_s  s_ngl_-c_ll_d  sp_c__s  d_t_s  b_ck  _v_r  _  b_ll__n  y__rs.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  f__nd  _t  c_n  f_rm  m_lt_c_ll_l_r  str_ct_r_s  wh_ch  _r_  s_m_l_r  t_  _n_m_l  _mbry_s.  Th_s  m__ns  th_r_  w_s  n_  n__d  f_r  _  pr_h_st_r_c  ch_ck_n  t_  l_y  _n  _gg.

    R_s__rch_r  M_r_n_  _l_v_tt_  t_ld  "N_t_r_  J__rn_l"  th_t  Chr_m_sph__r_  p_rk_nsk__  w_s  f_rst  d_sc_v_r_d  _n  2017  _ff  th_  c__st  _f  H_w___.  Sh_  s__d  _t  h_s  _ff_r_d  m_ny  _ns_ghts  _nt_  _nc__nt  l_f_  f_rms.  Sh_  s__d:  "_t's  f_sc_n_t_ng  th_t  _  sp_c__s  d_sc_v_r_d  s_  r_c_ntly  _ll_ws  _s  t_  g_  b_ck  _n  t_m_  _  b_ll__n  y__rs."  Th_  r_s__rch_r  s_gg_st_d  th_t  th_  g_n_t_cs  b_h_nd  _gg  f_rt_l_z_t__n  _nd  _mbry_n_c  d_v_l_pm_nt  w_r_  pr_s_nt  b_f_r_  _n_m_l  l_f_  _x_st_d.  Th_s  m__ns  n_t_r_  c__ld  h_v_  cr__t_d  _ggs  l_ng  b_f_r_  _v_l_t__n  "_nv_nt_d  ch_ck_ns".  _  m_r_  str__ghtf_rw_rd  _nsw_r  t_  th_  ch_ck_n  _nd  _gg  pr_bl_m  _s  th_t  ch_ck_ns  c_m_  _nt_  _x_st_nc_  10,000  y__rs  _g_,  wh_r__s  _ggs  h_v_  _x_st_d  f_r  m_ll__ns  _f  y__rs.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    one of lifes greatest mysteries may finally have been solved scientists believe they have unlocked the conundrum of the ageold question of whether the chicken or the egg came first this problem has baffled great minds for centuries however researchers from the university of geneva believe they have cracked this philosophical mystery they suggest the egg came first the scientists studied a tiny marine organism called chromosphaera perkinsii this singlecelled species dates back over a billion years the researchers found it can form multicellular structures which are similar to animal embryos this means there was no need for a prehistoric chicken to lay an egg

    researcher marine olivetta told nature journal that chromosphaera perkinskii was first discovered in 2017 off the coast of hawaii she said it has offered many insights into ancient life forms she said its fascinating that a species discovered so recently allows us to go back in time a billion years the researcher suggested that the genetics behind egg fertilization and embryonic development were present before animal life existed this means nature could have created eggs long before evolution invented chickens a more straightforward answer to the chicken and egg problem is that chickens came into existence 10000 years ago whereas eggs have existed for millions of years

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Oneoflife'sgreatestmysteriesmayfinallyhavebeensolved.Scientistsb
    elievetheyhaveunlockedtheconundrumoftheage-oldquestionofwhe
    therthechickenortheeggcamefirst.Thisproblemhasbaffledgreatmin
    dsforcenturies.However,researchersfromtheUniversityofGenevabel
    ievetheyhavecrackedthisphilosophicalmystery.Theysuggesttheegg
    camefirst.ThescientistsstudiedatinymarineorganismcalledChromos
    phaeraperkinsii.Thissingle-celledspeciesdatesbackoverabillionyear
    s.Theresearchersfounditcanformmulticellularstructureswhicharesi
    milartoanimalembryos.Thismeanstherewasnoneedforaprehistoricc
    hickentolayanegg.ResearcherMarineOlivettatold"NatureJournal"th
    atChromosphaeraperkinskiiwasfirstdiscoveredin2017offthecoastof
    Hawaii.Shesaidithasofferedmanyinsightsintoancientlifeforms.Shes
    aid:"It'sfascinatingthataspeciesdiscoveredsorecentlyallowsustogob
    ackintimeabillionyears."Theresearchersuggestedthatthegeneticsbe
    hindeggfertilizationandembryonicdevelopmentwerepresentbeforea
    nimallifeexisted.Thismeansnaturecouldhavecreatedeggslongbefore
    evolution"inventedchickens".Amorestraightforwardanswertothechi
    ckenandeggproblemisthatchickenscameintoexistence10,000years
    ago,whereaseggshaveexistedformillionsofyears.

    Free writing

    Write about the chicken or the egg for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    The chicken came before the egg. 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. CHICKENS AND EGGS: Make a poster about chickens and eggs. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. CHICKEN FIRST: Write a magazine article about chickens coming before eggs. Include imaginary interviews with people who believe this and with those who don't.
    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 chickens and eggs. Ask him/her three questions about chickens and eggs. Give him/her three of your ideas on which came first. 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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