The Reading / Listening - Plastic Pollution - Level 3

Countries worldwide could soon sign a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we create. Representatives from 175 nations have been meeting in South Korea to talk about the problem of plastic waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is necessary to help protect the future of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about how serious the problem is. He said: "Our world is drowning in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of which is quickly thrown away." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it".

Antonio Guterres gave a warning of what might happen in the future if we do not act now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Microplastics in our bloodstreams are creating health problems that we're only just beginning to understand." The president of South Korea echoed Mr Guterres' comments. He asked governments to agree on a path to zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too much on plastic because it is so convenient. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future generations." He asked governments, "to open a new historic chapter by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Plastic Pollution - Level 0,  Plastic Pollution - Level 1   or  Plastic Pollution - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.dw.com/en/environmental-plastic-waste-pollution-oil-fossil-fuel-production-climate-change/a-70835827
  • https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157426
  • https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/5002803-plastic-waste-oil-industry-crisis/


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. PLASTIC: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about plastic. 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?
       countries / treaty / plastic / pollution / the future / the planet / insurance / doomed /
       warning / fish / ocean / bloodstream / president / convenient / rivers / historic
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ZERO PLASTIC: Students A strongly believe we need to end plastic use by 2030; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. POLLUTION: What do you think of these types of pollution? How can we reduce them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Think

Reducing It

Plastic

 

 

River

 

 

Noise

 

 

Light

 

 

Ocean

 

 

Air

 

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

  • Bottles
  • Shopping bags
  • Toothbrushes
  • Cups
  • Forks
  • Food cartons
  • Buckets
  • Toys

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. treaty a. People chosen to speak or act for others.
      2. limit b. A plan that gives money or help if something bad happens.
      3. representatives c. A formal agreement between two or more countries.
      4. waste  (noun) d. To stop something from being too much.
      5. drowning e. Things we throw away because we don't need them anymore.
      6. insurance f. Not being able to work or manage because there is too much of something.
      7. doomed g. Sure or certain to have something bad happen, like failure or trouble.

    Paragraph 2

      8. warning h. To depend on something or someone.
      9. act i. Something that tells you to be careful about danger.
      10. bloodstream j. To repeat or say something again; to repeat and agree with the words of another person.
      11. echoed k. To put something in danger.
      12. relied l. To do something.
      13. jeopardize m. A group of people born around the same time.
      14.

generation

 n.

The blood that flows inside your body.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Many countries have signed a treaty to reduce plastic.     T / F
  2. The UN said the treaty is important to save the future of the U.N.     T / F
  3. We throw away 460 million tons of plastic every year.     T / F
  4. The UN likened the treaty to an insurance policy for our future.     T / F
  5. The UN said there could be more fish than plastic in the oceans by 2050. T / F
  6. Microplastics are causing health problems we never knew about before.   T / F
  7. The article says we depend on plastic too much because it is convenient.   T / F
  8. The UN asked governments to write a chapter in a book on pollution.     T / F

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

  1. worldwide
  2. waste
  3. necessary
  4. serious
  5. thrown away
  6. warning
  7. problems
  8. path
  9. convenient
  10. jeopardizes
  1. caution
  2. trashed
  3. road
  4. garbage
  5. useful
  6. globally
  7. risks
  8. essential
  9. important
  10. issues

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

  1. Countries worldwide could soon sign
  2. talk about the problem
  3. Our world is drowning
  4. an insurance
  5. they may live with plastic and not be
  6. a warning of what might
  7. there could be more plastic than fish
  8. we have relied
  9. the lives of future
  10. open a new historic
  1. of plastic waste
  2. too much on plastic
  3. policy
  4. happen in the future
  5. generations
  6. a treaty
  7. in plastic pollution
  8. chapter
  9. doomed by it
  10. in the ocean

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
necessary
sign
serious
policy
drowning
doomed
meeting
tons

Countries worldwide could soon (1) _____________________________________________ a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we create. Representatives from 175 nations have been (2) ______________________________________________ in South Korea to talk about the problem of plastic waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is (3) ______________________________________________ to help protect the future of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about how (4) ______________________________________________ the problem is. He said: "Our world is (5) ______________________________________________ in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million (6) ______________________________________________ of plastic, much of which is quickly thrown away." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insurance (7) ______________________________________________ for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be (8) ______________________________________________ by it".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
path
ocean
comments
chapter
convenient
warning
just
lives

Antonio Guterres gave a (9) ______________________________________________ of what might happen in the future if we do not act now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the (10) ______________________________________________. Microplastics in our bloodstreams are creating health problems that we're only (11) ______________________________________________ beginning to understand." The president of South Korea echoed Mr Guterres' (12) ______________________________________________. He asked governments to agree on a (13) ______________________________________________ to zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too much on plastic because it is so (14) ______________________________________________. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the (15) ______________________________________________ of future generations." He asked governments, "to open a new historic (16) ______________________________________________ by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Representatives from 175 nations ______
     a.  have been meet in
     b.  have been meet tin
     c.  have been meeting
     d.  have been meetings
2) South Korea to talk about the problem ______
     a.  of plastics waste
     b.  of plasticity waste
     c.  off plastic waste
     d.  of plastic waste
3)  we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of which is ______
     a.  quickly thrown up
     b.  quickly thrown away
     c.  quickly thrown in
     d.  quickly thrown on
4)  The U.N. said a treaty is ______
     a.  an insurance policy
     b.  an insurance policies
     c.  the insurance policy
     d.  an insure ants policy
5)  this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be ______
     a.  boomed by it
     b.  doomed by it
     c.  doomed buy it
     d.  domed buy it

6)  a warning of what might happen in the future if we do ______
     a.  not tact now
     b.  not tacked now
     c.  not act now
     d.  knot act now
7)  By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish ______
     a.  in an ocean
     b.  in the ocean
     c.  in our ocean
     d.  inner ocean
8)  He asked governments to agree on a path to ______
     a.  zero plastic pollutant
     b.  zero plastic pollutants
     c.  zero plastic polluting
     d.  zero plastic pollution
9)  accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives ______
     a.  of future generation
     b.  of future generations
     c.  of future generational
     d.  of future generates
10)  He asked governments to open a new historic chapter by ______
     a.  finalizing a treat
     b.  finalizing a treaty
     c.  finalize inner treaty
     d.  finalize in a treaty

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Countries worldwide could soon (1) __________________________________________________ to limit how much plastic pollution we create. Representatives from 175 nations (2) __________________________________________________ in South Korea to talk about the problem of plastic waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is necessary to help (3) __________________________________________________ of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about how serious the problem is. He said: "Our world (4) __________________________________________________ plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of which is (5) __________________________________________________." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not (6) __________________________________________________ it".

Antonio Guterres gave a warning of (7) __________________________________________________ in the future if we do not act now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish (8) __________________________________________________. Microplastics in our bloodstreams are creating health problems that we're only just beginning to understand." The president of South Korea echoed Mr Guterres' comments. He asked governments to agree on (9) __________________________________________________ zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too much on plastic because it (10) __________________________________________________. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives (11) __________________________________________________." He asked governments, "to open a (12) __________________________________________________ by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution".

Comprehension questions

  1. How many countries attended a pollution meeting in South Korea?
  2. What did the United Nations Environment Program say we must protect?
  3. What is the job of Antonio Guterres?
  4. How much plastic do we produce every year?
  5. What did Antonio Guterres say was an insurance policy?
  6. When might there be more plastic than fish in the oceans?
  7. What is creating health problems?
  8. Who asked governments to follow a path to zero plastic pollution?
  9. What does the waste in our oceans and rivers jeopardize?
  10. What did South Korea's president ask governments to open?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many countries attended a pollution meeting in South Korea?
a) 172
b) 173
c) 174
d) 175
2) What did the United Nations Environment Program say we must protect?
a) rainforests
b) the future of the planet
c) fossil fuels
d) people
3) What is the job of Antonio Guterres?
a) an oil company boss
b) the head of the WHO
c) the U.N. Secretary-General
d) a plastic bottle company CEO
4) How much plastic do we produce every year?
a) 460 million tons
b) 440 million tons
c) 640 million tons
d) 560 million tons
5) What did Antonio Guterres say was an insurance policy?
a) plastic
b) car accident cover
c) a treaty
d) a document

6) When might there be more plastic than fish in the oceans?
a) in 2050
b) before 2050
c) around 2050
d) after 2050
7) What is creating health problems?
a) fossil fuels
b) polluted water
c) plastic forks
d) microplastics
8) Who asked governments to follow a path to zero plastic pollution?
a) the president of South Korea
b) a plastic bottle company CEO
c) the head of the WHO
d) the U.N. Secretary-General
9) What does the waste in our oceans and rivers jeopardize?
a) plastic production
b) fossil fuels
c) the lives of future generations
d) the job of the U.N. Secretary-General
10) What did South Korea's president ask governments to open?
a) a zero-emissions factory
b) a new historic chapter
c) their minds
d) their doors

Role play

Role  A – Food Cartons
You think food cartons are the best things made from plastic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): shopping bags, bottles or cups.

Role  B – Shopping Bags
You think shopping bags are the best things made from plastic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): food cartons, bottles or cups.

Role  C – Bottles
You think bottles are the best things made from plastic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): shopping bags, food cartons or cups.

Role  D – Cups
You think cups are the best things made from plastic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): shopping bags, bottles or food cartons.

After reading / listening

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

'plastic'

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

    • and 'polliution'.

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

    • • 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:

    • sign
    • 175
    • necessary
    • serious
    • 460
    • live
    • warning
    • health
    • echoed
    • zero
    • waste
    • chapter

    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 - Plastic Pollution

    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 'plastic'?
    3. How worried are you about plastic pollution?
    4. What problems does plastic pollution cause?
    5. How will the treaty change the plastic pollution problem?
    6. What other kinds of pollution do you worry about?
    7. How much plastic do you throw away?
    8. What can we use instead of plastic?
    9. Why does the world produce so much plastic?
    10. Should we live with plastic?

    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 'pollution'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What happens if there is more plastic in the ocean than fish?
    5. What do you know about microplastics?
    6. How would you feel about a zero-plastic world?
    7. How convenient is plastic?
    8. Why might plastic risk the lives of future generations?
    9. What things do we really need plastic for?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the UN?

    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)

    Countries worldwide could soon (1) ____ a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we create. Representatives from 175 nations have been (2) ____ in South Korea to talk about the problem of plastic waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is necessary (3) ____ help protect the future of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about (4) ____ serious the problem is. He said: "Our world is drowning in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of (5) ____ is quickly thrown away." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be (6) ____ by it".

    Antonio Guterres gave a warning of what might happen in the future if we do not (7) ____ now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Microplastics in our bloodstreams are (8) ____ health problems that we're only just beginning to understand." The president of South Korea echoed Mr Guterres' comments. He asked governments to agree (9) ____ a path to zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too (10) ____ on plastic because it is so convenient. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future (11) ____." He asked governments, "to open a new historic (12) ____ by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     sign     (b)     singe     (c)     sing     (d)     sine    
    (a)     met     (b)     meets     (c)     meeting     (d)     meetings    
    (a)     for     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     of    
    (a)     what     (b)     that     (c)     which     (d)     how    
    (a)     what     (b)     many     (c)     which     (d)     most    
    (a)     boomed     (b)     doomed     (c)     groomed     (d)     roomed    
    (a)     perform     (b)     act     (c)     play     (d)     do    
    (a)     create     (b)     creating     (c)     creates     (d)     creation    
    (a)     by     (b)     in     (c)     on     (d)     under    
    (a)     time     (b)     many     (c)     some     (d)     much    
    (a)     generate     (b)     generation     (c)     generational     (d)     generations    
    (a)     verse     (b)     paragraph     (c)     sentence     (d)     chapter

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. rravsepeetnetsi from 175 nations
    2. necessary to help ctpoter the future
    3. Our world is gnnirwdo in plastic
    4. a treaty is an rnuacsnie policy
    5. for this nngareteoi
    6. not be medodo by it

    Paragraph 2

    1. sctlrpsmaioic in our bloodstreams
    2. ecehdo Mr Guterres' comments
    3. we have dreile too much on plastic
    4. because it is so neincetvno
    5. in our enocas and rivers
    6. open a new iocthris chapter

    Put the text back together

    (  1  )  Countries worldwide could soon sign a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we
    (...)  and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future generations." He asked
    (...)  away." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insurance policy for this generation and future
    (...)  waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is necessary to help protect the future
    (...)  Antonio Guterres gave a warning of what might happen in the future if we do not act
    (...)  now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Microplastics in our bloodstreams are creating health
    (...)  much on plastic because it is so convenient. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans
    (...)  Mr Guterres' comments. He asked governments to agree on a path to zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too
    (...)  problems that we're only just beginning to understand." The president of South Korea echoed
    (...)  create. Representatives from 175 nations have been meeting in South Korea to talk about the problem of plastic
    (...)  of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about how serious the problem is. He said: "Our world is
    (...)  ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it".
    (...)  drowning in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of which is quickly thrown
    (...)  governments, "to open a new historic chapter by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution".

    Put the words in the right order

    1. soon   Countries   could   sign   worldwide   a   treaty   .
    2. to   necessary   future   .   protect   treaty   The   is   the
    3. drowning   plastic   Our   in   is   world   pollution   .
    4. this   treaty   is   A   for   generation   .   insurance
    5. plastic,   Live   doomed   not   by   be   it   .   with
    6. what   might   warning   a   gave   He   of   happen   .
    7. could   than   be   fish   .   more   plastic   There
    8. creating   Microplastics   health  our   problems  .  are   bloodstreams  in
    9. a   to   on   zero   pollution   .   Agree   plastic   path
    10. chapter   a   finalizing   historic   by   a   Open   treaty   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Countries worldwide could soon singe / sign a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we create. Representatives from 175 nations have been meeting / met in South Korea to talk about the problem off / of plastic waste. The United Nations Environment Program said the treaty is necessary to help / helping protect the future of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke about how seriously / serious the problem is. He said: "Our world is drown / drowning in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much / many of which is quickly thrown away." The U.N. said a treaty is, "an insure / insurance policy for this generation and future one / ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed / boomed by it".

    Antonio Guterres gave a warn / warning of what might happen in the future if we do not act / action now. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fishy / fish in the ocean. Microplastics in our bloody / bloodstreams are creating health problems that we're only just / right beginning to understand." The president of South Korea whispered / echoed Mr Guterres' comments. He asked governments to agree on a walkway / path to zero plastic pollution. He said we have relied too much on plastic because it is so convenience / convenient. He added: "The waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future generation / generations." He asked governments, "to open a new historic chapter / verse by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution".

    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__ntr__s  w_rldw_d_  c__ld  s__n  s_gn  _  tr__ty  t_  l_m_t  h_w  m_ch  pl_st_c  p_ll_t__n  w_  cr__t_.  R_pr_s_nt_t_v_s  fr_m  175  n_t__ns  h_v_  b__n  m__t_ng  _n  S__th  K_r__  t_  t_lk  _b__t  th_  pr_bl_m  _f  pl_st_c  w_st_.  Th_  _n_t_d  N_t__ns  _nv_r_nm_nt  Pr_gr_m  s__d  th_  tr__ty  _s  n_c_ss_ry  t_  h_lp  pr_t_ct  th_  f_t_r_  _f  th_  pl_n_t.  _.N.  S_cr_t_ry-G_n_r_l  _nt_n__  G_t_rr_s  sp_k_  _b__t  h_w  s_r___s  th_  pr_bl_m  _s.  H_  s__d:  "__r  w_rld  _s  dr_wn_ng  _n  pl_st_c  p_ll_t__n.  _v_ry  y__r,  w_  pr_d_c_  460  m_ll__n  t_ns  _f  pl_st_c,  m_ch  _f  wh_ch  _s  q__ckly  thr_wn  _w_y."  Th_  _.N.  s__d  _  tr__ty  _s,  "_n  _ns_r_nc_  p_l_cy  f_r  th_s  g_n_r_t__n  _nd  f_t_r_  _n_s,  s_  th_y  m_y  l_v_  w_th  pl_st_c  _nd  n_t  b_  d__m_d  by  _t".

    _nt_n__  G_t_rr_s  g_v_  _  w_rn_ng  _f  wh_t  m_ght  h_pp_n  _n  th_  f_t_r_  _f  w_  d_  n_t  _ct  n_w.  H_  s__d:  "By  2050,  th_r_  c__ld  b_  m_r_  pl_st_c  th_n  f_sh  _n  th_  _c__n.  M_cr_pl_st_cs  _n  __r  bl__dstr__ms  _r_  cr__t_ng  h__lth  pr_bl_ms  th_t  w_'r_  _nly  j_st  b_g_nn_ng  t_  _nd_rst_nd."  Th_  pr_s_d_nt  _f  S__th  K_r__  _ch__d  Mr  G_t_rr_s'  c_mm_nts.  H_  _sk_d  g_v_rnm_nts  t_  _gr__  _n  _  p_th  t_  z_r_  pl_st_c  p_ll_t__n.  H_  s__d  w_  h_v_  r_l__d  t__  m_ch  _n  pl_st_c  b_c__s_  _t  _s  s_  c_nv_n__nt.  H_  _dd_d:  "Th_  w_st_  _cc_m_l_t_d  _n  __r  _c__ns  _nd  r_v_rs  n_w  j__p_rd_z_s  th_  l_v_s  _f  f_t_r_  g_n_r_t__ns."  H_  _sk_d  g_v_rnm_nts,  "t_  _p_n  _  n_w  h_st_r_c  ch_pt_r  by  f_n_l_z_ng  _  tr__ty  _n  pl_st_c  p_ll_t__n".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    countries worldwide could soon sign a treaty to limit how much plastic pollution we create representatives from 175 nations have been meeting in south korea to talk about the problem of plastic waste the united nations environment program said the treaty is necessary to help protect the future of the planet un secretarygeneral antonio guterres spoke about how serious the problem is he said our world is drowning in plastic pollution every year we produce 460 million tons of plastic much of which is quickly thrown away the un said a treaty is an insurance policy for this generation and future ones so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it

    antonio guterres gave a warning of what might happen in the future if we do not act now he said by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean microplastics in our bloodstreams are creating health problems that were only just beginning to understand the president of south korea echoed mr guterres comments he asked governments to agree on a path to zero plastic pollution he said we have relied too much on plastic because it is so convenient he added the waste accumulated in our oceans and rivers now jeopardizes the lives of future generations he asked governments to open a new historic chapter by finalizing a treaty on plastic pollution

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Countriesworldwidecouldsoonsignatreatytolimithowmuchplasticpol
    lutionwecreate.Representativesfrom175nationshavebeenmeetingi
    nSouthKoreatotalkabouttheproblemofplasticwaste.TheUnitedNatio
    nsEnvironmentProgramsaidthetreatyisnecessarytohelpprotectthef
    utureoftheplanet.U.N.Secretary-GeneralAntonioGuterresspokeab
    outhowserioustheproblemis.Hesaid:"Ourworldisdrowninginplasticp
    ollution.Everyyear,weproduce460milliontonsofplastic,muchofwhich
    isquicklythrownaway."TheU.N.saidatreatyis,"aninsurancepolicyfort
    hisgenerationandfutureones,sotheymaylivewithplasticandnotbedo
    omedbyit".AntonioGuterresgaveawarningofwhatmighthappeninthe
    futureifwedonotactnow.Hesaid:"By2050,therecouldbemoreplastict
    hanfishintheocean.Microplasticsinourbloodstreamsarecreatinghealt
    hproblemsthatwe'reonlyjustbeginningtounderstand."Thepresident
    ofSouthKoreaechoedMrGuterres'comments.Heaskedgovernmentst
    oagreeonapathtozeroplasticpollution.Hesaidwehavereliedtoomuch
    onplasticbecauseitissoconvenient.Headded:"Thewasteaccumulate
    dinouroceansandriversnowjeopardizesthelivesoffuturegenerations.
    "Heaskedgovernments,"toopenanewhistoricchapterbyfinalizingatre
    atyonplasticpollution".

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    We do not need plastic. 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. PLASTIC: Make a poster about plastic. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. ZERO PLASTIC: Write a magazine article about ending the use of plastic within this decade. 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 plastic. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to end our use of plastics. 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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