The Reading / Listening - Immune System - Level 6

Scientists have discovered a previously unknown part of our immune system. They say their discovery could be important in helping our body fight diseases. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's finding "could provide an untapped source of natural antibiotics". The team wrote in the journal "Nature": "These findings pave the way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight against infectious diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily function that recycles proteins. The scientists say it is capable of producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses.

The researchers focused on peptides in their study. These are compounds that consist of two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune system strong. The scientists wrote that peptides could provide "biotechnological applications and therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases and immunocompromised conditions". Peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to halt their growth. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence against bacterial infection." She added: "It's happening throughout our body, in all the cells, and generates a whole new class of potential natural antibiotics."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Immune System - Level 4  or  Immune System - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.the-independent.com/news/health/immune-system-antibiotics-discovery-b2709988.html
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpv4jww3r4eo
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08615-w


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. OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about our immune system. 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?
       scientists / immune system / diseases / antibiotics / journal / therapeutic strategies /
       acids / applications / defences / bacteria / growth / mechanism / infection / cells
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. STRONG BODIES: Students A strongly believe our bodies and immune systems will become stronger in the future; Students B strongly believe otherwise. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. FIGHTING DISEASES: What do you know about these diseases? How can we fight them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

How We Can Fight Them?

Malaria

 

 

Cholera

 

 

Influenza

 

 

Heart disease

 

 

Cancer

 

 

Diabetes

 

 
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. IMMUNE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "immune". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. IMMUNITY HELP: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to help our immunity at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Sleep and rest
  • Vitamin D
  • Vaccines
  • Exercise
  • Food
  • Oxygen
  • Stress management
  • No smoking

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. institute a. Not used yet, but available to use.
      2. untapped b. Helping to find out what is wrong with someone or something.
      3. pave the way c. A place where people study or do research, like a school or university.
      4. diagnostic d. Helping to make someone feel better or healthier.
      5. journal e. A book where people write about their thoughts or studies.
      6. therapeutic f. A very large number of people or things.
      7. multitude g. To make something easier for the future.

    Paragraph 2

      8. compounds h. Medicines that kill bacteria and help people get better from infections.
      9. amino acids i. Can spread from one person to another, like a cold or virus.
      10. applications j. To stop something from continuing.
      11. infectious k. Things made by mixing two or more different things together.
      12. halt l. Small parts that join together to make proteins in the body.
      13. novel m. New and different from what was before.
      14. antibiotics n. Ways something is used to help in healthcare or treatment.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Scientists say a new part of our immune system will not fight disease.    T / F
  2. The new part of our immune system will fight antibiotics.     T / F
  3. The research has been published in a journal called "Nature".     T / F
  4. The new part of the immune system centres around proteins.     T / F
  5. Peptides in our body are formed from amino acids.     T / F
  6. Peptides can help to stop the growth of bacteria.     T / F
  7. A professor will write about the immunity mechanism in a novel.     T / F
  8. A new mechanism of immunity happens throughout our cells.     T / F

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

  1. discovered
  2. fight
  3. pave the way
  4. therapeutic
  5. multitude
  6. consist
  7. applications
  8. halt
  9. novel
  10. potential
  1. stop
  2. healing
  3. be made up
  4. combat
  5. uses
  6. new
  7. found
  8. possible
  9. get ready for
  10. large quantity

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

  1. important in helping our
  2. provide an untapped source
  3. pave the
  4. diagnostic and therapeutic
  5. producing a multitude
  6. compounds that consist
  7. help to keep our immune
  8. help to halt
  9. defence against
  10. It's happening throughout our body,
  1. of two or more amino acids
  2. way for
  3. of chemicals
  4. bacterial infection
  5. body fight diseases
  6. their growth
  7. strategies
  8. in all the cells
  9. of natural antibiotics
  10. system strong

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
journal
bodily
antibiotics
discovery
multitude
strategies
previously
finding

Scientists have discovered a (1) _________________________________ unknown part of our immune system. They say their (2) _________________________________ could be important in helping our body fight diseases. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's (3) _________________________________ "could provide an untapped source of natural (4) _________________________________". The team wrote in the (5) _________________________________ "Nature": "These findings pave the way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic (6) _________________________________ in the fight against infectious diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a (7) _________________________________ function that recycles proteins. The scientists say it is capable of producing a (8) _________________________________ of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
applications
novel
focused
potential
halt
cells
strong
infection

The researchers (9) _________________________________ on peptides in their study. These are compounds that consist of two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune system (10) _________________________________. The scientists wrote that peptides could provide "biotechnological (11) _________________________________ and therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases and immunocompromised conditions". Peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to (12) _________________________________ their growth. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a (13) _________________________________ mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence against bacterial (14) _________________________________." She added: "It's happening throughout our body, in all the (15) _________________________________, and generates a whole new class of (16) _________________________________ natural antibiotics."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  They say their discovery could be important in helping our ______
     a.  bodily fight diseases
     b.  bodied fight diseases
     c.  embody fight diseases
     d.  body fight diseases
2)  Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's finding could provide ______
     a.  an untapped sauce
     b.  an untapped source
     c.  an untapped sores
     d.  an untapped saws
3)  undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight ______
     a.  against infectious diseases
     b.  against infectious diseased
     c.  against infectious disease
     d.  against infectious desist
4)  The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily function ______
     a.  what recycles proteins
     b.  these recycles proteins
     c.  that recycles proteins
     d.  that're cycles proteins
5)  The scientists say it is capable of producing a ______
     a.  rectitude of chemicals
     b.  multitude of chemicals
     c.  yuletide of chemicals
     d.  amplitude of chemicals

6)  The scientists wrote that peptides could ______
     a.  divide biotechnological applications
     b.  provision biotechnological applications
     c.  prove ad biotechnological applications
     d.  provide biotechnological applications
7)  therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases ______
     a.  end immunocompromised conditions
     b.  sand immunocompromised conditions
     c.  send immunocompromised conditions
     d.  and immunocompromised conditions
8)  the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to ______
     a.  halt their grow
     b.  halt their growth
     c.  halt their grown
     d.  halt their glows
9)  a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence ______
     a.  against bacterial infection
     b.  for bacterial infection
     c.  again bacterial infection
     d.  aghast bacterial infection
10)  and generates a whole new class of ______
     a.  potential natural ant biotics
     b.  potential natural antibiotics
     c.  potent shall natural antibiotics
     d.  potential nature all antibiotics

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists have discovered (1) _______________________________________________ part of our immune system. They say their discovery could be important in helping our (2) _______________________________________________. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's finding "could provide an (3) _______________________________________________ natural antibiotics". The team wrote in the journal "Nature": "These findings pave the way for previously undescribed (4) _______________________________________________ strategies in the fight against infectious diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily (5) _______________________________________________ proteins. The scientists say it is capable of producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill (6) _______________________________________________.

The researchers focused on peptides in their study. These are (7) _______________________________________________ of two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune system strong. The scientists wrote that peptides could provide "biotechnological applications and therapeutic (8) _______________________________________________ diseases and immunocompromised conditions". Peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to (9) _______________________________________________. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a novel (10) _______________________________________________ that is allowing us to have a defence (11) _______________________________________________." She added: "It's happening throughout our body, in all the cells, and generates a whole new (12) _______________________________________________ natural antibiotics."

Comprehension questions

  1. What could the new discovery help to fight?
  2. What kind of source might "natural antibiotics" come from?
  3. What is the name of the journal the research is in?
  4. What does the newly-found part of the immune system recycle?
  5. How many chemicals can the new part of the immune system produce?
  6. What kinds of acids do peptides consist of?
  7. What kinds of applications could peptides provide?
  8. What could peptides halt the growth of?
  9. Where in the body is the newly-found form of immunity happening?
  10. What might the newly-found form of immunity generate a new class of?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What could the new discovery help to fight?
a) baldness
b) dementia
c) obesity
d) diseases
2) What kind of source might "natural antibiotics" come from?
a) a surprising source
b) an untapped source
c) an original source
d) a source of all knowledge
3) What is the name of the journal the research is in?
a) Amino Times
b) Immunity
c) Nature
d) Weizmann
4) What does the newly-found part of the immune system recycle?
a) proteins
b) carbohydrates
c) vitamins
d) nutrients
5) How many chemicals can the new part of the immune system produce?
a) billions
b) gazillions
c) a multitude
d) bazillions

6) What kind of acid do peptides consist of?
a) citric acid
b) amino acid
c) nitric acid
d) sulfuric acid
7) What kinds of applications could peptides provide?
a) immunocompromised applications
b) computer applications
c) real-life applications
d) biotechnological applications
8) What could peptides halt the growth of?
a) bacteria
b) bones
c) hair
d) chemicals
9) Where in the body is the newly-found form of immunity happening?
a) largely in the organs
b) in the brain
c) throughout the body
d) the cardiovascular system
10) What might the newly-found form of immunity generate a new class of?
a) diseases
b) potential natural antibiotics
c) viruses
d) possible new senses

Role play

Role  A – Vaccines
You think vaccines are the best way of boosting the immune system. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): exercise, good food or stress management.

Role  B – Exercise
You think exercise is the best way of boosting the immune system. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): vaccines, good food or stress management.

Role  C – Good Food
You think good food is the best way of boosting the immune system. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): exercise, vaccines or stress management.

Role  D – Stress Management
You think stress management is the best way of boosting the immune system. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): exercise, good food or vaccines.

After reading / listening

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

'immune'

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

    • and 'virus'.

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

    • • 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:

    • unknown
    • important
    • finding
    • journal
    • pave
    • capable
    • focused
    • consist
    • provide
    • halt
    • novel
    • whole

    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 - Immune System

    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 'immunity'?
    3. What do you know about our immune system?
    4. How strong is your immune system?
    5. How interested are you in scientific discoveries?
    6. What do you think of medicine?
    7. How interested are you in reading scientific magazines?
    8. What do you know about infectious diseases?
    9. What are the differences between bacteria and viruses?
    10. What medical breakthrough would you like to see?

    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 'virus'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What can you do to boost your immune system?
    5. How often do you take medicine?
    6. What biotechnological applications should scientists research?
    7. What three adjectives best describe this article?
    8. What do you do to keep infections away?
    9. How healthy will we be in the future?
    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)

    Scientists have discovered a (1) ____ unknown part of our immune system. They say their discovery could be important (2) ____ helping our body fight diseases. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's (3) ____ "could provide an untapped source of natural antibiotics". The team wrote in the (4) ____ "Nature": "These findings pave the way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight against (5) ____ diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily function that recycles proteins. The scientists say it is capable (6) ____ producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses.

    The researchers focused on peptides in their study. These are compounds that consist (7) ____ two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune system strong. The scientists wrote that peptides could provide "biotechnological applications and (8) ____ interventions in infectious diseases and immunocompromised conditions". Peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to (9) ____ their growth. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a (10) ____ mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence against bacterial infection." She added: "It's happening (11) ____ our body, in all the cells, and generates a whole new (12) ____ of potential natural antibiotics."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     previous     (b)     previously     (c)     impervious     (d)     imperviously    
    2. (a)     on     (b)     in     (c)     of     (d)     at    
    3. (a)     fondling     (b)     funding     (c)     fending     (d)     finding    
    4. (a)     diary     (b)     journal     (c)     note     (d)     notebook    
    5. (a)     infection     (b)     infectious     (c)     infect     (d)     infectiously    
    6. (a)     at     (b)     in     (c)     of     (d)     to    
    7. (a)     at     (b)     in     (c)     of     (d)     to    
    8. (a)     therapy     (b)     therapies     (c)     therapeutic     (d)     therapist    
    9. (a)     shalt     (b)     holt     (c)     hilt     (d)     halt    
    10. (a)     novel     (b)     novelty     (c)     novella     (d)     novelly    
    11. (a)     throughout     (b)     thoroughly     (c)     though     (d)     thorough    
    12. (a)     cohort     (b)     division     (c)     class     (d)     column

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. a  lveiprousy unknown part of our immune system
    2. an untapped source of natural tbicsoianti
    3. in the ruonalj "Nature"
    4. uaphtteicre strategies
    5. a bodily function that recycles rsteopni
    6. producing a dutemulti of chemicals

    Paragraph 2

    1. These are nsmcduopo
    2. biotechnological cplaitiponas
    3. tsfiecinou diseases
    4. We discovered a novel mnsceiham
    5. a defence against rlaeiatcb infection
    6. aesgteenr a whole new class

    Put the text back together

    (    )    The researchers focused on peptides in their study. These are compounds that consist of two or
    (    )           more amino acids that help to keep our immune system strong. The scientists wrote that peptides could
    (    )           provide "biotechnological applications and therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases and
    (    )           immunocompromised conditions". Peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to halt
    (    )    their growth. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing
    (    )           us to have a defence against bacterial infection." She added: "It's happening throughout
    (    )           our body, in all the cells, and generates a whole new class of potential natural antibiotics."
    (  1  )         Scientists have discovered a previously unknown part of our immune system. They say their
    (    )    discovery could be important in helping our body fight diseases. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute
    (    )    of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's finding "could provide an untapped
    (    )           source of natural antibiotics". The team wrote in the journal "Nature": "These findings pave the
    (    )           way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight against infectious
    (    )           diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily function that recycles proteins. The scientists say it is
    (    )    capable of producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses.

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Scientists   part   unknown   a   discovered   have   previously   .  
    2. It's   diseases   fight   body   our   helping   in   important   .  
    3. It   source   an   antibiotics   natural   untapped   provides   of   .  
    4. Therapeutic   diseases   infectious  against   fight   the   in   strategies  .
    5. A   bacteria   kill   can   that   chemicals   of   multitude   .  
    6. Acids   strong   system   immune   our   keep   to   help   .  
    7. Peptides   defences   create   to   system   immune   the   help   .  
    8. We   immunity   of   mechanism   novel   a   discovered   .  
    9. Allowing   infection   bacterial   against   defences   have   to   us   .  
    10. Generates   antibiotics   natural   of   class   new   whole   a   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scientists have discovered a previously / previous unknown part of our immune system / systemic. They say their discovery could be important in / of helping our body fight diseases. The researchers are from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Professor Yifat Merbl told the BBC that her team's funding / finding "could provide an untapped sauce / source of natural antibiotics". The team wrote in the journal / diary "Nature": "These findings pave / tarmac the way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight against / for infectious diseases." The "new" part of the immune system is from a bodily friction / function that recycles proteins. The scientists say it is capable of producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses / virus.

    The researchers focused in / on peptides in their study. These are compounds that consist / consists of two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune systems / system strong. The scientists wrote that peptides could provide "biotechnological supplications / applications and therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases and immunocompromised conditions / conditionals". Peptides help the immune system to create defences / offences against bacteria and help to halt / hilt their growth. Professor Merbl said: "We discovered a novelty / novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing them / us to have a defence against bacterial infection." She added: "It's happening throughout our body, in all the cells, and generates a whole new class / cohort of potential natural antibiotics."

    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)

    Sc__nt_sts  h_v_  d_sc_v_r_d  _  pr_v___sly  _nkn_wn  p_rt  _f  __r  _mm_n_  syst_m.  Th_y  s_y  th__r  d_sc_v_ry  c__ld  b_  _mp_rt_nt  _n  h_lp_ng  __r  b_dy  f_ght  d_s__s_s.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  _r_  fr_m  th_  W__zm_nn  _nst_t_t_  _f  Sc__nc_  _n  _sr__l.  Pr_f_ss_r  Y_f_t  M_rbl  t_ld  th_  BBC  th_t  h_r  t__m's  f_nd_ng  "c__ld  pr_v_d_  _n  _nt_pp_d  s__rc_  _f  n_t_r_l  _nt_b__t_cs".  Th_  t__m  wr_t_  _n  th_  j__rn_l  "N_t_r_":  "Th_s_  f_nd_ngs  p_v_  th_  w_y  f_r  pr_v___sly  _nd_scr_b_d  d__gn_st_c  _nd  th_r_p__t_c  str_t_g__s  _n  th_  f_ght  _g__nst  _nf_ct___s  d_s__s_s."  Th_  "n_w"  p_rt  _f  th_  _mm_n_  syst_m  _s  fr_m  _  b_d_ly  f_nct__n  th_t  r_cycl_s  pr_t__ns.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  s_y  _t  _s  c_p_bl_  _f  pr_d_c_ng  _  m_lt_t_d_  _f  ch_m_c_ls  th_t  c_n  k_ll  b_ct_r__  _nd  v_r_s_s.

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  f_c_s_d  _n  p_pt_d_s  _n  th__r  st_dy.  Th_s_  _r_  c_mp__nds  th_t  c_ns_st  _f  tw_  _r  m_r_  _m_n_  _c_ds  th_t  h_lp  t_  k__p  __r  _mm_n_  syst_m  str_ng.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  wr_t_  th_t  p_pt_d_s  c__ld  pr_v_d_  "b__t_chn_l_g_c_l  _ppl_c_t__ns  _nd  th_r_p__t_c  _nt_rv_nt__ns  _n  _nf_ct___s  d_s__s_s  _nd  _mm_n_c_mpr_m_s_d  c_nd_t__ns".  P_pt_d_s  h_lp  th_  _mm_n_  syst_m  t_  cr__t_  d_f_nc_s  _g__nst  b_ct_r__  _nd  h_lp  t_  h_lt  th__r  gr_wth.  Pr_f_ss_r  M_rbl  s__d:  "W_  d_sc_v_r_d  _  n_v_l  m_ch_n_sm  _f  _mm_n_ty  th_t  _s  _ll_w_ng  _s  t_  h_v_  _  d_f_nc_  _g__nst  b_ct_r__l  _nf_ct__n."  Sh_  _dd_d:  "_t's  h_pp_n_ng  thr__gh__t  __r  b_dy,  _n  _ll  th_  c_lls,  _nd  g_n_r_t_s  _  wh_l_  n_w  cl_ss  _f  p_t_nt__l  n_t_r_l  _nt_b__t_cs."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scientists have discovered a previously unknown part of our immune system they say their discovery could be important in helping our body fight diseases the researchers are from the weizmann institute of science in israel professor yifat merbl told the bbc that her teams finding could provide an untapped source of natural antibiotics the team wrote in the journal nature these findings pave the way for previously undescribed diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the fight against infectious diseases the new part of the immune system is from a bodily function that recycles proteins the scientists say it is capable of producing a multitude of chemicals that can kill bacteria and viruses

    the researchers focused on peptides in their study these are compounds that consist of two or more amino acids that help to keep our immune system strong the scientists wrote that peptides could provide biotechnological applications and therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases and immunocompromised conditions peptides help the immune system to create defences against bacteria and help to halt their growth professor merbl said we discovered a novel mechanism of immunity that is allowing us to have a defence against bacterial infection she added its happening throughout our body in all the cells and generates a whole new class of potential natural antibiotics

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Scientistshavediscoveredapreviouslyunknownpartofourimmunesys
    tem.Theysaytheirdiscoverycouldbeimportantinhelpingourbodyfight
    diseases.TheresearchersarefromtheWeizmannInstituteofSciencein
    Israel.ProfessorYifatMerbltoldtheBBCthatherteam'sfinding"couldpr
    ovideanuntappedsourceofnaturalantibiotics".Theteamwroteinthejo
    urnal"Nature":"Thesefindingspavethewayforpreviouslyundescribed
    diagnosticandtherapeuticstrategiesinthefightagainstinfectiousdise
    ases."The"new"partoftheimmunesystemisfromabodilyfunctionthatr
    ecyclesproteins.Thescientistssayitiscapableofproducingamultitude
    ofchemicalsthatcankillbacteriaandviruses.Theresearchersfocusedo
    npeptidesintheirstudy.Thesearecompoundsthatconsistoftwoormor
    eaminoacidsthathelptokeepourimmunesystemstrong.Thescientists
    wrotethatpeptidescouldprovide"biotechnologicalapplicationsandth
    erapeuticinterventionsininfectiousdiseasesandimmunocompromise
    dconditions".Peptideshelptheimmunesystemtocreatedefencesagai
    nstbacteriaandhelptohalttheirgrowth.ProfessorMerblsaid:"Wedisco
    veredanovelmechanismofimmunitythatisallowingustohaveadefenc
    eagainstbacterialinfection."Sheadded:"It'shappeningthroughoutou
    rbody,inallthecells,andgeneratesawholenewclassofpotentialnatural
    antibiotics."

    Free writing

    Write about our immune system for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    We should fight disease instead of fighting each other.  Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM: Make a poster about our immune system. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. FIGHTING DISEASE: Write a magazine article about requiring all governments to spend more money on fighting diseases than on weapons and arms. 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 our immune system. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to boost our immune system. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

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

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You