Breaking News English Lesson: Carspreading

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Campaigners want to stop 'carspreading' in cities (4th September 2025)

The Reading / Listening - Carspreading - Level 3

The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) group in the UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get too wide for urban spaces, causing congestion, increased risk of accidents, and more fuel consumption." The CCC is targeting large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are increasing in number. The Sky News website says there are 10 times more large cars in the UK now than 20 years ago. The CCC wants higher parking fees for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take up a lot more space, but the cost of parking has stayed the same." The group wants to follow Paris, which tripled parking costs for SUVs, from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) an hour. This has reduced the number of SUVs in Paris.

The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers to pay more for parking, saying: "Drivers are struggling to park because of 'carspreading', while people walking and cycling are more at risk." The CCC said: "More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide for urban parking spaces, leaving our cities crowded and congested. As cars get bigger, so do the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less likely to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more fuel...and require more...battery minerals. Not everyone agrees with the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair "to make life more expensive and unpleasant for people" who drive SUVs.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Carspreading - Level 0, Carspreading - Level 1 or Carspreading - Level 2

Sources

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. CARS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about cars. 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?
cities / campaign / carspreading / urban spaces / fuel consumption / SUVs / Paris /
SUV drivers / parking / cycling / congestion / survive / battery / minerals / unpleasant
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CITY BAN: Students A strongly believe SUVs should be banned in cities; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. CAR TYPES: What are the good and bad thigs about these car types? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Good Things	Bad Things
SUVs
Sports cars
Convertibles
Pickup trucks
Sedans
Hatchbacks

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

Fuel consumption
Danger to pedestrians
Pollution
Rollover risk
Parking space
Higher insurance
Just a status symbol
Price

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	campaign	a.	About a city or town.
2.	urban	b.	Money you pay for a service.
3.	congestion	c.	How much petrol, gas, coal, etc. is used.
4.	fuel consumption	d.	Too many people or cars in one place, making it hard to move.
5.	fees	e.	A plan of actions to reach a goal, often used in politics or advertising.
6.	tripled	f.	Made smaller or less.
7.	reduced	g.	Became three times as much.

Paragraph 2

8.	struggling	h.	Need something.
9.	at risk	i.	Having a hard/difficult time doing something.
10.	crowded	j.	Stay alive.
11.	likely	k.	Not nice, not enjoyable.
12.	survive	l.	Full of too many people.
13.	require	m.	Something that will probably happen.
14.	unpleasant	n.	In danger of something bad happening.

Before reading / listening

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

The Clean Cities Campaign wants to stop all cars from spreading. T / F
There is an increased risk of accidents with SUVs. T / F
The number of large cars is 10 times greater now than 20 years ago. T / F
Paris doubled parking fees for SUVs. T / F
Cyclists are more at danger from smaller cars than from SUVs. T / F
More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide parking spaces. T / F
SUVs use up to 50% more fuel than other cars. T / F
The Alliance of British Drivers said banning SUVs was fair. T / F

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

caused
targeting
fees
urban
reduced
struggling
likely
require
unfair
unpleasant

fighting
built-up
unjust
cut
probable
horrible
charges
created
need
picking out

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

increased risk
fuel
there are 10 times
Bigger cars take
This has reduced the number
Drivers are struggling
people walking and cycling are more
As cars get bigger,
Not everyone agrees
make life more expensive and unpleasant

to park
up a lot more space
with the CCC
at risk
more large cars in the UK
so do the risks
of accidents
of SUVs in Paris
for people who drive
consumption

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

times
congestion
same
wide
reduced
higher
targeting
tripled

The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) group in the UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get too (1) ______________________________________________ for urban spaces, causing (2) ______________________________________________, increased risk of accidents, and more fuel consumption." The CCC is (3) ______________________________________________ large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are increasing in number. The Sky News website says there are 10 (4) ______________________________________________ more large cars in the UK now than 20 years ago. The CCC wants (5) ______________________________________________ parking fees for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take up a lot more space, but the cost of parking has stayed the (6) ______________________________________________." The group wants to follow Paris, which (7) ______________________________________________ parking costs for SUVs, from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) an hour. This has (8) ______________________________________________ the number of SUVs in Paris.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

fuel
risk
drivers
unpleasant
likely
struggling
agrees
urban

The CCC explained why it wants SUV (9) ______________________________________________ to pay more for parking, saying: "Drivers are (10) ______________________________________________ to park because of 'carspreading', while people walking and cycling are more at (11) ______________________________________________." The CCC said: "More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide for (12) ______________________________________________ parking spaces, leaving our cities crowded and congested. As cars get bigger, so do the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less (13) ______________________________________________ to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more (14) ______________________________________________...and require more...battery minerals. Not everyone (15) ______________________________________________ with the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair "to make life more expensive and (16) ______________________________________________ for people" who drive SUVs.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) cars get too wide for urban spaces, causing congestion, increased ______
     a. risk off accidents
     b. risk of accidents
     c. risk oft accidents
     d. risky accidents
2) large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are ______
     a. increasing on number
     b. increase sin number
     c. increase sing in number
     d. increasing in number
3) Bigger cars take up a lot more space, but the cost of parking has ______
     a. stays the same
     b. stay the same
     c. stayed the same
     d. stayed the shame
4) The group wants to follow Paris, which ______
     a. tripped parking costs
     b. tripled parking costs
     c. tripled park in costs
     d. tripled park kin costs
5) This has reduced the ______
     a. numbered of SUVs
     b. number of SUVs
     c. numbering of SUVs
     d. renumber of SUVs

6) The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers to pay ______
     a. more for parking
     b. mere for parking
     c. mare for parking
     d. mire for parking
7) As cars get bigger, so ______
     a. have the risks
     b. do the risks
     c. be the risks
     d. at the risks
8) People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less ______
     a. likely for survive
     b. likely too survive
     c. likely at survive
     d. likely to survive
9) Not everyone agrees ______
     a. wither CCC
     b. with a CCC
     c. with the CCC
     d. within CCC
10) The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair to make ______
     a. live more expensive
     b. life more expensive
     c. life mere expensive
     d. life more expensively

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) (1) __________________________________________________ UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get too wide (2) __________________________________________________, causing congestion, increased risk of accidents, and more fuel consumption." The CCC is targeting large cars like SUVs - (3) __________________________________________________ - which are increasing in number. The Sky News website says there are 10 times more large cars in the UK now than 20 years ago. The CCC wants (4) __________________________________________________ for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take up a lot more space, but (5) __________________________________________________ parking has stayed the same." The group wants to follow Paris, which tripled parking costs for SUVs, from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) an hour. This has (6) __________________________________________________ of SUVs in Paris.

The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers (7) __________________________________________________ for parking, saying: "Drivers are struggling to park because of 'carspreading', while people walking and cycling are (8) __________________________________________________." The CCC said: "More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide for urban parking spaces, leaving (9) __________________________________________________ and congested. As cars get bigger, so do the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are (10) __________________________________________________ to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more fuel...and require more...battery minerals. Not (11) __________________________________________________ the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair "to make life more expensive (12) __________________________________________________ people" who drive SUVs.

Comprehension questions

What does the abbreviation CCC mean?
What is there an increased risk of with SUVs on the road?
How many more SUVs are on UK roads than there were 20 years ago?
By how much did Paris put up the parking fees for SUVs?
What happened after Paris put up the parking charges for SUVs?
What are drivers struggling to do because of the number of SUVs?
Who are more at risk because of SUVs?
How much more fuel do SUVs consume?
Why do SUVs require more minerals than other cars?
What did the Alliance of British Drivers think of higher SUV parking fees?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the abbreviation CCC mean?
a) Carless Cities Campaign
b) Clean Cities Campaign
c) Carbon Cutting Collective
d) Cycling Centred Communities
2) What is there an increased risk of with SUVs on the road?
a) car thefts
b) races
c) fights between drives
d) accidents
3) How many more SUVs are on UK roads than there were 20 years ago?
a) two times
b) five times
c) ten times
d) 100 times
4) By how much did Paris put up the parking fees for SUVs?
a) three times
b) two times
c) 50%
d) 10%
5) What happened after Paris put up the parking charges for SUVs?
a) Nothing
b) The number of SUVs went down.
c) The number of SUVs went up.
d) Sales of SUVs doubled.

6) What are drivers struggling to do because of the number of SUVs?
a) park
b) drive
c) pay the parking charges
d) drive along narrow roads
7) Who are more at risk because of SUVs?
a) drivers and passengers
b) truck drivers
c) pedestrians and cyclists
d) police officers
8) How much more fuel do SUVs consume?
a) around 20% more
b) exactly 20% more
c) over 20% more
d) just less than 20% more
9) Why do SUVs require more minerals than other cars?
a) so they are environmentally friendly
b) for speed
c) to make them look nice
d) for batteries
10) What did the Alliance of British Drivers think of higher SUV parking fees?
a) They were a necessary evil.
b) They were good
c) They were unfair.
d) They were discriminatory.

Role play

Role A – Fuel Consumption
You think fuel consumption is the worst thing about SUVs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least bad of these (and why): danger to pedestrians, parking or rollover risk.

Role B – Danger to Pedestrians
You think the danger to pedestrians is the worst thing about SUVs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least bad of these (and why): fuel consumption, parking or rollover risk.

Role C – Parking
You think parking is the worst thing about SUVs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least bad of these (and why): danger to pedestrians, fuel consumption or rollover risk.

Role D – Rollover Risk
You think the rollover risk is the worst thing about SUVs. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least bad of these (and why): danger to pedestrians, parking or fuel consumption.

After reading / listening

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

'SUV'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'car'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

causing

increased

targeting

fees

follow

reduced

pay

walking

half

fuel

agrees

life

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 - Carspreading

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'car'?
What do you think of carspreading?
What is parking like in your town?
What do you think of SUVs?
Why do people need an SUV in a city?
Should we all be driving smaller cars?
Should larger cars pay more for parking?
Should people who are single not be allowed to buy an SUV?
What advice do you have for an SUV owner?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'SUV'?
What do you think about what you read?
What are the benefits of SUVs in a city?
What do you think of parking fees?
What can cities do about solving parking problems?
Should people be able to drive whatever they want?
What did you read that you disagree with?
What's your favourite car?
What questions would you like to ask the CCC?

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 Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) (1) ____ in the UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get too (2) ____ for urban spaces, causing congestion, increased risk of accidents, and more fuel consumption." The CCC is targeting large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are increasing in (3) ____. The Sky News website says there are 10 times more large cars in the UK now than 20 years ago. The CCC wants higher parking (4) ____ for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take (5) ____ a lot more space, but the cost of parking has stayed the same." The group wants to follow Paris, which (6) ____ parking costs for SUVs, from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) an hour. This has reduced the number of SUVs in Paris.

The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers to (7) ____ more for parking, saying: "Drivers are struggling to park because of 'carspreading', while people walking and cycling are more (8) ____ risk." The CCC said: "More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide for urban parking spaces, leaving our cities crowded and congested. As cars get bigger, so (9) ____ the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less (10) ____ to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more fuel...and require more...battery minerals. Not everyone agrees (11) ____ the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair "to make life more expensive and unpleasant (12) ____ people" who drive SUVs.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) grouped (b) groups (c) grouping (d) group
(a) widen (b) widely (c) width (d) wide
(a) count (b) number (c) letter (d) numeral
(a) tees (b) lees (c) fees (d) zees
(a) along (b) by (c) up (d) down
(a) trebled (b) troubled (c) trampled (d) trifled
(a) cost (b) price (c) pay (d) settle
(a) at (b) by (c) of (d) as
(a) be (b) do (c) to (d) up
(a) likelihood (b) liking (c) likely (d) liked
(a) as (b) to (c) with (d) for
(a) that (b) like (c) as (d) for

Spelling

Paragraph 1

too wide for rnuab spaces
causing oseinotncg
increased risk of nctsecaid
SUVs - sport utility ecelsivh
itdlerp parking costs for SUVs
This has ercuedd the number

Paragraph 2

Drivers are nsirtggulg to park
As cars get bigger, so do the sikrs
far less likely to vseiruv
iurqere more battery minerals
Not everyone eeargs with the CCC
expensive and ueasnatpln

Put the text back together

(    )   ago. The CCC wants higher parking fees for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take up a lot more space, but the cost
(    )   consumption." The CCC is targeting large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are increasing in
(    )   crowded and congested. As cars get bigger, so do the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or
(    )   cycling are far less likely to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more
(    )   from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) an hour. This has reduced the number of SUVs in Paris.
(    )   fuel...and require more...battery minerals. Not everyone agrees with the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers
(    )   number. The Sky News website says there are 10 times more large cars in the UK now than 20 years
(    )   of parking has stayed the same." The group wants to follow Paris, which tripled parking costs for SUVs,
(    )   risk." The CCC said: "More than half of new cars in the UK are too wide for urban parking spaces, leaving our cities
(    )   said it was unfair "to make life more expensive and unpleasant for people" who drive SUVs.
(    )   struggling to park because of 'carspreading', while people walking and cycling are more at
(    )   The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers to pay more for parking, saying: "Drivers are
( 1 )   The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) group in the UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get
(    )   too wide for urban spaces, causing congestion, increased risk of accidents, and more fuel

Put the words in the right order

Carspreading get cars when wide . too is
The parking for SUVs . wants fees CCC higher
Bigger lot space . up a cars more take
Follow tripled SUVs . for Paris, costs which parking
This in number of has Paris . SUVs the reduced
It drivers for more parking . to wants pay
Drivers because carspreading . are to park of struggling
Over new wide . half too cars are of
People walking . when by larger cars hit
It to life was expensive . unfair make more

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) group in the UK wants to stop "carspreading". It says: "Carspreading is when cars get too width / wide for urban spaces, causing congestion, increased risk / risky of accidents, and more fuel consumption." The CCC is targeted / targeting large cars like SUVs - sport utility vehicles - which are increasing on / in number. The Sky News website says there are 10 times / timed more large cars in the UK now than 20 years ago. The CCC wants heighten / higher parking fees for SUVs. It wrote: "Bigger cars take up a lot / lots more space, but the cost of parking has / have stayed the same." The group wants to follow Paris, which tripped / tripled parking costs for SUVs, from €6 ($7) to €18 ($21) a / an hour. This has reduced the number of SUVs in Paris.

The CCC explained why it wants SUV drivers to pay much / more for parking, saying: "Drivers are struggling for / to park because of 'carspreading', while / which people walking and cycling are more at / to risk." The CCC said: "More than halve / half of new cars in the UK are too wide for urban parking spaces, leaving our cities crowded and congested. As cars get bigger, so to / do the risks. People hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less likely / liked to survive." It added: "SUVs burn around 20 per cent more fuel...and require more...battery / battered minerals. Not everyone agrees with the CCC. The Alliance of British Drivers said it was unfair / fair "to make life more expensive and unpleasant for people" who driving / drive SUVs.

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_ Cl__n C_t__s C_mp__gn (CCC) gr__p _n th_ _K w_nts t_ st_p "c_rspr__d_ng". _t s_ys: "C_rspr__d_ng _s wh_n c_rs g_t t__ w_d_ f_r _rb_n sp_c_s, c__s_ng c_ng_st__n, _ncr__s_d r_sk _f _cc_d_nts, _nd m_r_ f__l c_ns_mpt__n." Th_ CCC _s t_rg_t_ng l_rg_ c_rs l_k_ S_Vs - sp_rt _t_l_ty v_h_cl_s - wh_ch _r_ _ncr__s_ng _n n_mb_r. Th_ Sky N_ws w_bs_t_ s_ys th_r_ _r_ 10 t_m_s m_r_ l_rg_ c_rs _n th_ _K n_w th_n 20 y__rs _g_. Th_ CCC w_nts h_gh_r p_rk_ng f__s f_r S_Vs. _t wr_t_: "B_gg_r c_rs t_k_ _p _ l_t m_r_ sp_c_, b_t th_ c_st _f p_rk_ng h_s st_y_d th_ s_m_." Th_ gr__p w_nts t_ f_ll_w P_r_s, wh_ch tr_pl_d p_rk_ng c_sts f_r S_Vs, fr_m €6 ($7) t_ €18 ($21) _n h__r. Th_s h_s r_d_c_d th_ n_mb_r _f S_Vs _n P_r_s.

Th_ CCC _xpl__n_d why _t w_nts S_V dr_v_rs t_ p_y m_r_ f_r p_rk_ng, s_y_ng: "Dr_v_rs _r_ str_ggl_ng t_ p_rk b_c__s_ _f 'c_rspr__d_ng', wh_l_ p__pl_ w_lk_ng _nd cycl_ng _r_ m_r_ _t r_sk." Th_ CCC s__d: "M_r_ th_n h_lf _f n_w c_rs _n th_ _K _r_ t__ w_d_ f_r _rb_n p_rk_ng sp_c_s, l__v_ng __r c_t__s cr_wd_d _nd c_ng_st_d. _s c_rs g_t b_gg_r, s_ d_ th_ r_sks. P__pl_ h_t by l_rg_r c_rs wh_n w_lk_ng _r cycl_ng _r_ f_r l_ss l_k_ly t_ s_rv_v_." _t _dd_d: "S_Vs b_rn _r__nd 20 p_r c_nt m_r_ f__l..._nd r_q__r_ m_r_...b_tt_ry m_n_r_ls. N_t _v_ry_n_ _gr__s w_th th_ CCC. Th_ _ll__nc_ _f Br_t_sh Dr_v_rs s__d _t w_s _nf__r "t_ m_k_ l_f_ m_r_ _xp_ns_v_ _nd _npl__s_nt f_r p__pl_" wh_ dr_v_ S_Vs.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the clean cities campaign ccc group in the uk wants to stop carspreading it says carspreading is when cars get too wide for urban spaces causing congestion increased risk of accidents and more fuel consumption the ccc is targeting large cars like suvs sport utility vehicles which are increasing in number the sky news website says there are 10 times more large cars in the uk now than 20 years ago the ccc wants higher parking fees for suvs it wrote bigger cars take up a lot more space but the cost of parking has stayed the same the group wants to follow paris which tripled parking costs for suvs from 6 7 to 18 21 an hour this has reduced the number of suvs in paris

the ccc explained why it wants suv drivers to pay more for parking saying drivers are struggling to park because of carspreading while people walking and cycling are more at risk the ccc said more than half of new cars in the uk are too wide for urban parking spaces leaving our cities crowded and congested as cars get bigger so do the risks people hit by larger cars when walking or cycling are far less likely to survive it added suvs burn around 20 per cent more fuel and require more battery minerals not everyone agrees with the ccc the alliance of british drivers said it was unfair to make life more expensive and unpleasant for people who drive suvs

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheCleanCitiesCampaign(CCC)groupintheUKwantstostop"carsprea
ding".Itsays:"Carspreadingiswhencarsgettoowideforurbanspaces,c
ausingcongestion,increasedriskofaccidents,andmorefuelconsumpti
on."TheCCCistargetinglargecarslikeSUVs-sportutilityvehicles-whic
hareincreasinginnumber.TheSkyNewswebsitesaysthereare10times
morelargecarsintheUKnowthan20yearsago.TheCCCwantshigherpar
kingfeesforSUVs.Itwrote:"Biggercarstakeupalotmorespace,butthec
ostofparkinghasstayedthesame."ThegroupwantstofollowParis,whic
htripledparkingcostsforSUVs,from€6($7)to€18($21)anhour.Thisha
sreducedthenumberofSUVsinParis.TheCCCexplainedwhyitwantsSU
Vdriverstopaymoreforparking,saying:"Driversarestrugglingtoparkb
ecauseof'carspreading',whilepeoplewalkingandcyclingaremoreatris
k."TheCCCsaid:"MorethanhalfofnewcarsintheUKaretoowideforurba
nparkingspaces,leavingourcitiescrowdedandcongested.Ascarsgetbi
gger,sodotherisks.Peoplehitbylargercarswhenwalkingorcyclingaref
arlesslikelytosurvive."Itadded:"SUVsburnaround20percentmorefu
el...andrequiremore...batteryminerals.Noteveryoneagreeswiththe
CCC.TheAllianceofBritishDriverssaiditwasunfair"tomakelifemoreex
pensiveandunpleasantforpeople"whodriveSUVs.

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

No one needs to buy an SUV. 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. CARS: Make a poster about cars. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. SUVs: Write a magazine article about banning SUVs. 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 carspreading. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to reduce the problem of carspreading. 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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Breaking News English Lesson: Carspreading

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