The Reading / Listening - Data Centres - Level 6

The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting a strain on the country's water supplies. This is also a concern in many other countries. The group did not indicate to what degree these facilities are contributing to drought conditions in many parts of the UK. It is estimated that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to cool their giant facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 households. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is pushing ahead to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential for economic growth.

The NDG has urged Britons to take measures to cut back on their water consumption. One such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will lessen the demand for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such as tidying up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the collective effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a drop in the ocean.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Data Centres - Level 4  or  Data Centres - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.theverge.com/science/758275/drought-delete-files-email-data-center-water-uk
  • https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-drought-group-meets-to-address-nationally-significant-water-shortfall
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyr9nx0jrzo


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. DATA CENTRES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about data centres. 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?
       drought / environmental / data centres / water supplies / water company / growth /
       measures / water consumption / unwanted emails / inbox / rivers / wildlife / ocean
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. EMAIL LIMIT: Students A strongly believe there should be a limit to our email storage; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. WATER SHORTAGES: To what extent are these things causing water shortages? What are some solutions to these problems? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Extent

Solutions

Data centres

 

 

Gold courses

 

 

Car washing

 

 

Leaky taps

 

 

Watering gardens

 

 

Long showers/baths

 

 
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. DROUGHT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "drought". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. STORAGE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things to store online at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Emails
  • Photos
  • Social media data
  • Backups
  • Documents
  • Music
  • Movies
  • Blogs

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. drought a. Continuing to do something, even if it is difficult.
      2. strain (noun) b. Very important; needed.
      3. indicate (show) c. A long time with no rain.
      4. facility d. Something that puts pressure or stress on someone or something.
      5. pushing ahead e. A special building or place for a purpose.
      6. deputy f. A person who helps a leader or takes their place.
      7. essential g. Point out; show.

    Paragraph 2

      8. urged h. Only; just.
      9. measures (noun) i. Keep something safe and in good condition.
      10. vast j. Done by many people together.
      11. collective k. Strongly asked someone to do something.
      12. preserve l. Something so small it makes no real difference.
      13. merely m. Actions people take to solve a problem.
      14. a drop in the ocean n. Very, very big.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. A U.K. group that studies draughts warned of a strain on water supplies. T / F
  2. Every data centre uses about 10 billion litres of water a year.     T / F
  3. The UK has shelved plans to build more data centres.     T / F
  4. The UK prime minister said the data centres were essential for growth.    T / F
  5. An environmental group suggested people delate mails to save water.     T / F
  6. Data centres need a huge amount of water to keep their windows clean.  T / F
  7. The environmental group said deleting mails could help wildlife.     T / F
  8. The group said deleting mails will be a huge help to save water.     T / F

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

  1. strain
  2. facilities
  3. cool
  4. concerns
  5. essential
  6. measures
  7. lessen
  8. vast
  9. collective
  10. a drop in the ocean
  1. actions
  2. collaborative
  3. worries
  4. enormous
  5. chill
  6. crucial
  7. burden
  8. trivial
  9. reduce
  10. centres

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

  1. The group did not indicate to what
  2. 10 billion litres of water per year to
  3. use as much water as
  4. the UK is pushing ahead to
  5. they were essential
  6. The NDG has urged Britons to take
  7. The group claims this will lessen
  8. data centres require vast
  9. help preserve the
  10. merely a drop
  1. amounts of water
  2. build many more
  3. the demand for water
  4. measures to cut back
  5. 50,000 households
  6. in the ocean
  7. degree
  8. for economic growth
  9. cool their giant facilities
  10. health of our rivers

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
estimated
strain
essential
cool
pushing
conditions
concern
households

The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting a (1) _________________________________ on the country's water supplies. This is also a (2) _________________________________ in many other countries. The group did not indicate to what degree these facilities are contributing to drought (3) _________________________________ in many parts of the UK. It is (4) _________________________________ that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to (5) _________________________________ their giant facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 (6) _________________________________. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is (7) _________________________________ ahead to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were (8) _________________________________ for economic growth.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
lessen
effort
vast
drop
trash
preserve
measures
tidying

The NDG has urged Britons to take (9) _________________________________ to cut back on their water consumption. One such measure is to (10) _________________________________ unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will (11) _________________________________ the demand for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres require (12) _________________________________ amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such as (13) _________________________________ up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the collective (14) _________________________________ to reduce demand and help (15) _________________________________ the health of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a (16) _________________________________ in the ocean.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  data centres are putting a strain on the ______
     a.  country's watery supplies
     b.  country's water supplies
     c.  country's waters supplies
     d.  country's watered supplies
2)  The group did not indicate ______
     a.  to what decree
     b.  to what degree
     c.  to what kedgeree
     d.  to what dig greed
3)  use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to cool ______
     a.  their gaunt facilities
     b.  their giant facilities
     c.  their giants facilities
     d.  their giants' facilities
4)  Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK ______
     a.  is pushing ahead
     b.  is pushing affront
     c.  is pushing ahoy
     d.  is pushing heady
5)  Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential ______
     a.  for economic growths
     b.  for economic growing
     c.  for economic grown
     d.  for economic growth

6)  The NDG has urged Britons to take measures to cut back on ______
     a.  their water consumptive
     b.  their watery consumption
     c.  their waters consumption
     d.  their watered consumption
7)  The group claims this will ______
     a.  lesser the demand
     b.  less on the demand
     c.  lest on the demand
     d.  lessen the demand
8)  data centres require vast amounts of water to ______
     a.  freeze their systems
     b.  cold their systems
     c.  cool their systems
     d.  chill their systems
9)  tidying up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will really help ______
     a.  the corrective effort
     b.  the collective effort
     c.  the collection effort
     d.  the collaborative effort
10)  the water saved from people deleting files stored ______
     a.  in the crowd
     b.  in the cloud
     c.  in the cloudy
     d.  in the clod

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting (1) _______________________________________________ the country's water supplies. This is also a concern in many other countries. The group did (2) _______________________________________________ what degree these facilities are contributing to drought conditions in many parts of the UK. It (3) _______________________________________________ the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to (4) _______________________________________________ facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 households. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK (5) _______________________________________________ to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were (6) _______________________________________________ growth.

The NDG has urged Britons to (7) _______________________________________________ cut back on their water consumption. One such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will (8) _______________________________________________ for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres (9) _______________________________________________ of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such as (10) _______________________________________________ inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the collective effort to reduce demand and help (11) _______________________________________________ of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is (12) _______________________________________________ in the ocean.

Comprehension questions

  1. What is the name of the environmental group mentioned in the article?
  2. Where else are data centres putting a strain on water supplies?
  3. How much water might a large data centre use in a year?
  4. What is the UK pushing ahead with?
  5. Why did the UK's deputy prime minister say data centres were needed?
  6. What does the NDG want people to cut back on?
  7. Why do data centres need enormous amounts of water?
  8. What position does Helen Wakeham hold in the NDG?
  9. What might deleting emails help to preserve?
  10. What did the article suggest deleting files in the cloud might be?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What is the name of the environmental group mentioned in the article?
a) National Draught Group
b) National Drought Group
c) National Draft Group
d) National Draughts Group
2)  Where else are data centres putting a strain on water supplies?
a) in the desert
b) coastal areas
c) in many countries
d) in mountainous areas
3)  How much water might a large data centre use in a year?
a) up to 10 gazillion litres
b) up to 10 million litres
c) up to 10 trillion litres
d) up to 10 billion litres
4)  What is the UK pushing ahead with?
a) creating reservoirs
b) building more data centres
c) deleting government emails
d) cutting data in government departments

5)  Why did the UK's deputy prime minister say data centres were needed?
a) for economic growth
b) for the Internet
c) for cybersecurity
d) for jobs

6)  What does the NDG want people to cut back on?
a) water consumption
b) using the Internet
c) using AI
d) sending emails
7)  Why do data centres need enormous amounts of water?
a) for fire prevention purposes
b) to clean the many huge windows
c) for their staff
d) to cool their systems
8)  What position does Helen Wakeham hold in the NDG?
a) She's the water monitor.
b) She's the IT chief.
c) She's the chairperson.
d) She's the environmental officer.
9)  What might deleting emails help to preserve?
a) people's sanity
b) inboxes
c) the status quo
d) rivers and wildlife
10)  What did the article suggest deleting files in the cloud might be?
a) cathartic
b) a drop in the ocean
c) like a fish out of water
d) a whale of a time

Role play

Role  A – Emails
You think emails are the most important things to store online. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least important of these (and why): photos, songs or documents.

Role  B – Photos
You think photos are the most important things to store online. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least important of these (and why): emails, songs or documents.

Role  C – Songs
You think songs are the most important things to store online. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least important of these (and why): photos, emails or documents.

Role  D – Documents
You think documents are the most important things to store online. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which are the least important of these (and why): photos, songs or emails.

After reading / listening

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

'data'

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

    • and 'water'.

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

    • • 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:

    • environmental
    • concern
    • degree
    • cool
    • 50,000
    • essential
    • such
    • lessen
    • vast
    • action
    • preserve
    • drop

    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 - Data Centres

    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 'data centre'?
    3. What do you know about data centres?
    4. How important are data centres?
    5. What effect will AI have on data centres?
    6. How should data centres be more responsible with water usage?
    7. What would you do if your area experienced a drought?
    8. Should data centres be required to pay more for water?
    9. How essential are data centers for growth?
    10. What will our data needs be like in 20 years from now?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'water'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How bad are data centres for the environment?
    5. What can we do to reduce the amount of data we have in the cloud?
    6. How important is online storage to you?
    7. How important is AI to you?
    8. Would you pay a water fee to help cool data centres?
    9. Should we all greatly reduce the amount of stuff we store online?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a data centre owner?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting a (1) ____ on the country's water supplies. This is also a concern in many other countries. The group did not indicate (2) ____ what degree these facilities are contributing (3) ____ drought conditions in many parts of the UK. It is estimated that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to (4) ____ their giant facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 (5) ____. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is pushing (6) ____ to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential for economic growth.

    The NDG has urged Britons to take measures to cut back (7) ____ their water consumption. One such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will (8) ____ the demand for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres require (9) ____ amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such (10) ____ tidying up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the (11) ____ effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a (12) ____ in the ocean.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     stamp     (b)     slain     (c)     stain     (d)     strain    
    2. (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     for     (d)     to    
    3. (a)     at     (b)     to     (c)     in     (d)     by    
    4. (a)     freeze     (b)     cold     (c)     cool     (d)     damp    
    5. (a)     households     (b)     housing     (c)     housed     (d)     homing    
    6. (a)     ahead     (b)     affront     (c)     heading     (d)     fronting    
    7. (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     in     (d)     on    
    8. (a)     lessen     (b)     lesser     (c)     lest     (d)     loosen    
    9. (a)     waste     (b)     vast     (c)     vessel     (d)     fast    
    10. (a)     has     (b)     is     (c)     as     (d)     was    
    11. (a)     collection     (b)     corrective     (c)     collective     (d)     correction    
    12. (a)     drip     (b)     drop     (c)     drape     (d)     drab

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. putting a astnir on the country's water supplies
    2. indicate to what edreeg
    3. these cfsatiilie are contributing to drought conditions
    4. use as much water as 50,000 eouslhhdso
    5. pdyetu prime minister
    6. they were eelsnasti for economic growth

    Paragraph 2

    1. cut back on their water pcunonitmso
    2. One such uemeasr is to trash unwanted emails
    3. require avts amounts of water
    4. help the eoelctlcvi effort
    5. preevres the health of our rivers and wildlife
    6. eeylrm a drop in the ocean

    Put the text back together

    (    )   action such as tidying up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the collective
    (    )   amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday
    (    )   are putting a strain on the country's water supplies. This is also a concern in many other countries. The group did not
    (    )   consumption. One such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will lessen
    (    )   cool their giant facilities. One water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000
    (    )   effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water
    (    )   households. Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is pushing ahead to build many more data centres. Deputy
    (    )   indicate to what degree these facilities are contributing to drought conditions in many
    (    )   parts of the UK. It is estimated that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to
    (    )   Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential for economic growth.
    (    )   saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a drop in the ocean.
    (    )   the demand for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as data centres require vast
    (  1  )   The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental organization in the UK, has warned that data centres
    (    )   The NDG has urged Britons to take measures to cut back on their water

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Putting   water   the   country's   supplies   strain   a   on   .
    2. This   in   concern   is   countries   also   other   a   .
    3. Indicate   degree   these   facilities   what   are   contributing   to   .
    4. Centres   10   billion   water   of   litres   up   to   use   .
    5. Pushing   centres   build   ahead   more   data   to   many   .
    6. Measures   their   on   cut   back   water   to   consumption   .
    7. One   to   unwanted   emails   trash   such   measure   is   .
    8. Vast   water   cool   amounts   their   to   systems   of   .
    9. Really   collective   demand   the   effort   reduce   help   to   .
    10. The   files   water   deleting   saved   people   from   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The National Drought Group (NDG), an environmental / environment organization in the UK, has warned that data centres are putting a stain / strain on the country's water supplies. This is also a concertina / concern in many other countries. The group did not indicate to what degree / degrees these facilities are contributing to drought / draught conditions in many parts of the UK. It is estimated that / what the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to cool / cooling their giant facilities. One water company reported that the / a large data centre can use as much water as 50,000 households. Spite of / Despite concerns from environmentalists, the UK is pushing ahead to build many more data centres. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said they were essential for / by economic growth.

    The NDG has purged / urged Britons to take measures / measurements to cut back on their water consumption. One such measure is to thrash / trash unwanted emails and large images. The group claims this will lesser / lessen the demand to / for water. A government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures "as / has data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems". NDG chairperson Helen Wakeham said a simple everyday action such as tidying down / up one's inbox and spam and trash folders will "really help the corrective / collective effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health to / of our rivers and wildlife". However, it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely the / a drop in the ocean.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    Th_  N_t__n_l  Dr__ght  Gr__p  (NDG),  _n  _nv_r_nm_nt_l  _rg_n_z_t__n  _n  th_  _K,  h_s  w_rn_d  th_t  d_t_  c_ntr_s  _r_  p_tt_ng  _  str__n  _n  th_  c__ntry's  w_t_r  s_ppl__s.  Th_s  _s  _ls_  _  c_nc_rn  _n  m_ny  _th_r  c__ntr__s.  Th_  gr__p  d_d  n_t  _nd_c_t_  t_  wh_t  d_gr__  th_s_  f_c_l_t__s  _r_  c_ntr_b_t_ng  t_  dr__ght  c_nd_t__ns  _n  m_ny  p_rts  _f  th_  _K.  _t  _s  _st_m_t_d  th_t  th_  c_ntr_s  _s_  _p  t_  10  b_ll__n  l_tr_s  _f  w_t_r  p_r  y__r  t_  c__l  th__r  g__nt  f_c_l_t__s.  _n_  w_t_r  c_mp_ny  r_p_rt_d  th_t  _  l_rg_  d_t_  c_ntr_  c_n  _s_  _s  m_ch  w_t_r  _s  50,000  h__s_h_lds.  D_sp_t_  c_nc_rns  fr_m  _nv_r_nm_nt_l_sts,  th_  _K  _s  p_sh_ng  _h__d  t_  b__ld  m_ny  m_r_  d_t_  c_ntr_s.  D_p_ty  Pr_m_  M_n_st_r  _ng_l_  R_yn_r  s__d  th_y  w_r_  _ss_nt__l  f_r  _c_n_m_c  gr_wth.

    Th_  NDG  h_s  _rg_d  Br_t_ns  t_  t_k_  m__s_r_s  t_  c_t  b_ck  _n  th__r  w_t_r  c_ns_mpt__n.  _n_  s_ch  m__s_r_  _s  t_  tr_sh  _nw_nt_d  _m__ls  _nd  l_rg_  _m_g_s.  Th_  gr__p  cl__ms  th_s  w_ll  l_ss_n  th_  d_m_nd  f_r  w_t_r.  _  g_v_rnm_nt  w_bs_t_  s_gg_st_d  d_l_t_ng  _ld  _m__ls  _nd  p_ct_r_s  "_s  d_t_  c_ntr_s  r_q__r_  v_st  _m__nts  _f  w_t_r  t_  c__l  th__r  syst_ms".  NDG  ch__rp_rs_n  H_l_n  W_k_h_m  s__d  _  s_mpl_  _v_ryd_y  _ct__n  s_ch  _s  t_dy_ng  _p  _n_'s  _nb_x  _nd  sp_m  _nd  tr_sh  f_ld_rs  w_ll  "r__lly  h_lp  th_  c_ll_ct_v_  _ff_rt  t_  r_d_c_  d_m_nd  _nd  h_lp  pr_s_rv_  th_  h__lth  _f  __r  r_v_rs  _nd  w_ldl_f_".  H_w_v_r,  _t  _s  l_k_ly  th_t  th_  w_t_r  s_v_d  fr_m  p__pl_  d_l_t_ng  f_l_s  st_r_d  _n  th_  cl__d  _s  m_r_ly  _  dr_p  _n  th_  _c__n.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the national drought group ndg an environmental organization in the uk has warned that data centres are putting a strain on the countrys water supplies this is also a concern in many other countries the group did not indicate to what degree these facilities are contributing to drought conditions in many parts of the uk it is estimated that the centres use up to 10 billion litres of water per year to cool their giant facilities one water company reported that a large data centre can use as much water as 50000 households despite concerns from environmentalists the uk is pushing ahead to build many more data centres deputy prime minister angela rayner said they were essential for economic growth

    the ndg has urged britons to take measures to cut back on their water consumption one such measure is to trash unwanted emails and large images the group claims this will lessen the demand for water a government website suggested deleting old emails and pictures as data centres require vast amounts of water to cool their systems ndg chairperson helen wakeham said a simple everyday action such as tidying up ones inbox and spam and trash folders will really help the collective effort to reduce demand and help preserve the health of our rivers and wildlife however it is likely that the water saved from people deleting files stored in the cloud is merely a drop in the ocean

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheNationalDroughtGroup(NDG),anenvironmentalorganizationinth
    eUK,haswarnedthatdatacentresareputtingastrainonthecountry'swa
    tersupplies.Thisisalsoaconcerninmanyothercountries.Thegroupdid
    notindicatetowhatdegreethesefacilitiesarecontributingtodroughtco
    nditionsinmanypartsoftheUK.Itisestimatedthatthecentresuseupto1
    0billionlitresofwaterperyeartocooltheirgiantfacilities.Onewatercom
    panyreportedthatalargedatacentrecanuseasmuchwateras50,000ho
    useholds.Despiteconcernsfromenvironmentalists,theUKispushinga
    headtobuildmanymoredatacentres.DeputyPrimeMinisterAngelaRay
    nersaidtheywereessentialforeconomicgrowth.TheNDGhasurgedBrit
    onstotakemeasurestocutbackontheirwaterconsumption.Onesuchm
    easureistotrashunwantedemailsandlargeimages.Thegroupclaimsth
    iswilllessenthedemandforwater.Agovernmentwebsitesuggesteddel
    etingoldemailsandpictures"asdatacentresrequirevastamountsofwat
    ertocooltheirsystems".NDGchairpersonHelenWakehamsaidasimple
    everydayactionsuchastidyingupone'sinboxandspamandtrashfolder
    swill"reallyhelpthecollectiveefforttoreducedemandandhelppreserve
    thehealthofourriversandwildlife".However,itislikelythatthewatersav
    edfrompeopledeletingfilesstoredinthecloudismerelyadropintheocea
    n.

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    Academic writing

    There should be a limit on how long emails can be stored. 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. DATA CENTRES: Make a poster about data centres. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. EMAIL LIMIT: Write a magazine article about there being a limit on how many emails we can keep. 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 data centres. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how data centres can save water. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Also...

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

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

    Buy my book

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    Answers

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

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