Breaking News English Lesson: Advertisements

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Amsterdam bans public ads for meat and fossil fuels (7th May 2026)

The Reading / Listening - Advertisements - Level 3

Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products. This means there will be no ads for burgers, chicken nuggets, petrol cars, and airlines in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and other public places. The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its target of being carbon neutral by 2050. One aim is for local residents to halve how much meat they eat. The city is the world's first capital to take such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising is similar to the one on cigarette products. The number of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was "weird" that people were once allowed to smoke in public.

Two groups in Holland are unhappy that they can no longer advertise their products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "an undesirable way to influence consumer behaviour". It added that meat "delivers essential nutrients and should remain visible and accessible to consumers". Similarly, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban was too strict and unfairly limited their ability to do business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels being used damages the environment. He said: "By becoming the first capital to legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is… setting a global standard."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Advertisements - Level 0, Advertisements - Level 1 or Advertisements - Level 2

Sources

https://earth.org/amsterdams-ban-on-meat-and-fossil-fuel-advertising-comes-into-effect/
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wejdekpwyo
https://plantbasednews.org/news/environment/amsterdam-meat-fossil-fuels-ban-public/

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. ADVERTISEMENTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about advertisements. 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?
Amsterdam / ban / advertisements / meat / fossil fuels / burgers / cars / airlines / city
unhappy / consumer / behaviour / travel agent / climate / environment / global
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BAN: Students A strongly believe ads for meat products and petrol cars should be banned in public; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ADVERTISING BAN: Should we ban adverts for these things? Why/Why not? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Ban / No Ban	Why / Why Not?
Junk food
Petrol cars
Airlines
Alcohol
Gambling
Guns

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. BURGERS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "burgers". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CARBON NEUTRAL: Rank these with your partner. Put the best ways to be carbon neutral at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Eat less meat
Fly less
No petrol cars
Plant trees
Cycle or walk
Buy local produce
Avoid fast fashion
Recycle more

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	banned	a.	Strange or not usual.
2.	fossil fuel	b.	Short messages or pictures that try to sell something.
3.	ads	c.	People who live in a place.
4.	carbon neutral	d.	Not allowed by rules or law.
5.	residents	e.	The main city of a country where the government is.
6.	capital	f.	Energy from old plants and animals under the ground, like oil or coal.
7.	weird	g.	Causing no extra carbon dioxide (CO2) to go into the air.

Paragraph 2

8.	no longer	h.	Things in food that help living things grow and stay healthy.
9.	undesirable	i.	People who buy and use goods or services.
10.	influence (verb)	j.	The usual or normal way of doing something well.
11.	nutrients	k.	Not wanted or not liked.
12.	consumers	l.	In a way that follows the law.
13.	legally	m.	Try to change how someone thinks or acts.
14.	standard	n.	Not anymore.

Before reading / listening

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

The city of Amsterdam has banned all meat and fossil fuel products. T / F
Amsterdam wants to be a carbon neutral city by 2050. T / F
The city of Amsterdam wants residents to have their meat consumption. T / F
An environmentalist said it was weird that people once smoked in public. T / F
The Dutch Meat Association is happy with the advertising ban. T / F
A Dutch travel agent association thinks the advertising ban is too strict. T / F
A climate activist said ads for meat damage the environment. T / F
The climate activist said Amsterdam is setting a national standard. T / F

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

banned
target
residents
similar
weird
undesirable
essential
strict
activist
legally

strange
citizens
campaigner
important
comparable
tough
prohibited
nasty
lawfully
aim

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

This means there will be no
its target of being carbon
the world's first capital to
The number of smokers
it was "weird" that people were once
they can no longer advertise
influence consumer
meat delivers essential
the first capital to legally
setting a global

behaviour
standard
allowed to smoke
their products
neutral by 2050
nutrients
went down
ads for burgers
take such action
ban fossil fuels

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

halve
airlines
similar
products
capital
weird
target
number

Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel (1) ______________________________________________. This means there will be no ads for burgers, chicken nuggets, petrol cars, and (2) ______________________________________________ in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and other public places. The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its (3) ______________________________________________ of being carbon neutral by 2050. One aim is for local residents to (4) ______________________________________________ how much meat they eat. The city is the world's first (5) ______________________________________________ to take such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising is (6) ______________________________________________ to the one on cigarette products. The (7) ______________________________________________ of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was "(8) ______________________________________________ " that people were once allowed to smoke in public.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

strict
way
setting
do
legally
unhappy
essential
damages

Two groups in Holland are (9) ______________________________________________ that they can no longer advertise their products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "an undesirable (10) ______________________________________________ to influence consumer behaviour". It added that meat "delivers (11) ______________________________________________ nutrients and should remain visible and accessible to consumers". Similarly, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban was too (12) ______________________________________________ and unfairly limited their ability to (13) ______________________________________________ business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels being used (14) ______________________________________________ the environment. He said: "By becoming the first capital to (15) ______________________________________________ ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is... (16) ______________________________________________ a global standard."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and ______
     a. fossil fuel produce
     b. fossil fuels products
     c. fossil fuel products
     d. fossils fuel produce
2) This means there will be no ads for burgers, chicken nuggets, petrol ______
     a. cars, end airlines
     b. cars, and air line
     c. cars, and hairlines
     d. cars, and airlines
3) The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its target of ______
     a. been carbon natural
     b. being carbon neutral
     c. being carbon natural
     d. being carb on neutral
4) The number of smokers went down ______
     a. because of that
     b. because of what
     c. because of that's
     d. because of what's
5) it was "weird" that people were once allowed to ______
     a. smokes in public
     b. smoking public
     c. smoke on public
     d. smoke in public

6) Two groups in Holland are unhappy that they can ______
     a. not longer advertise
     b. now longer advertise
     c. no longer advertise
     d. non longer advertise
7) It added that meat delivers essential nutrients and ______
     a. should remains visible
     b. should remain visibility
     c. should remain visible
     d. should remain invisible
8) the ban was too strict and unfairly limited their ability ______
     a. to be business
     b. to ban businesses
     c. to go business
     d. to do business
9) He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels being used ______
     a. damages the environment
     b. damage the environment
     c. damaged the environment
     d. dam ages the environment
10) legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is setting ______
     a. a globally standard
     b. a global standard
     c. a global standards
     d. a global stand dead

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products. This means there (1) __________________________________________________ ads for burgers, chicken nuggets, (2) __________________________________________________ airlines in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and (3) __________________________________________________. The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its target of being carbon neutral by 2050. One aim is for local residents to (4) __________________________________________________ meat they eat. The city is the world's first capital to take such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising (5) __________________________________________________ the one on cigarette products. The number of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was "weird" that people (6) __________________________________________________ to smoke in public.

Two groups in Holland are unhappy that they (7) __________________________________________________ advertise their products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "(8) __________________________________________________ to influence consumer behaviour". It added that meat "delivers (9) __________________________________________________ should remain visible and accessible to consumers". Similarly, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban (10) __________________________________________________ and unfairly limited their ability to do business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels (11) __________________________________________________ the environment. He said: "By becoming the first capital to legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is... (12) __________________________________________________ standard."

Comprehension questions

What food will not be advertised in public besides meat and burgers?
What does Amsterdam want to be by 2050?
What does Amsterdam want people to halve?
What did an environmentalist liken the advertising ban to?
What did the environmentalist say was weird?
How many groups does the article say are unhappy about the ban?
What did a meat association say meat delivers?
What did a tour guide association say the ban limited the ability of?
How many capital cities around the world have banned ads for meat?
What did a climate activist say Amsterdam was setting?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What food will not be advertised in public besides meat and burgers?
a) beef steaks
b) chicken nuggets
c) lamb kebabs
d) pork sausages
2) What does Amsterdam want to be by 2050?
a) car-free
b) a world leader
c) meat-free
d) carbon neutral
3) What does Amsterdam want people to halve?
a) How many fossil fuels they use.
b) How much they weigh.
c) How much meat they eat.
d) How often they drive.
4) What did an environmentalist liken the advertising ban to?
a) a ban on cigarette ads
b) my no-car day
c) a weight-loss campaign
d) healthy eating
5) What did the environmentalist say was weird?
a) eating meat and fish
b) being able to smoke in public
c) flying
d) driving instead of cycling

6) How many groups does the article say are unhappy about the ban?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
7) What did a meat association say meat delivers?
a) a great taste
b) burgers
c) essential nutrients
d) calories
8) What did a tour guide association say the ban limited the ability of?
a) doing business
b) making pizza
c) getting taxis
d) losing weight
9) How many capital cities around the world have banned ads for meat?
a) eight
b) five
c) two
d) one
10) What did a climate activist say Amsterdam was setting?
a) a world record
b) a great example
c) a global standard
d) a bad example

Role play

Role A – Eating less meat
You think eating less meat is the best way to reach carbon neutral. 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): cycling everywhere, planting trees or avoiding fast fashion.

Role B – Cycling Everywhere
You think cycling everywhere is the best way to reach carbon neutral. 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): eating less meat, planting trees or avoiding fast fashion.

Role C – Planting Trees
You think planting trees is the best way to reach carbon neutral. 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): cycling everywhere, eating less meat or avoiding fast fashion.

Role D – Avoiding Fast Fashion
You think avoiding fast fashion is the best way to reach carbon neutral. 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): cycling everywhere, planting trees or eating less meat.

After reading / listening

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

'fossil fuels'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'meat'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

burgers

stations

target

local

action

weird

unhappy

influence

nutrients

strict

damages

global

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 - Advertisements

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 'fossil fuels'?
What do you think of ads for burgers and chicken nuggets?
What do you think of ads for petrol cars and airlines?
What is your town doing to be carbon neutral?
What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint?
Should people reduce the amount of meat they eat?
What do you think of a ban on advertising cigarettes?
Is a ban on ads for meat the same as a ban on ads for cigarettes?
How successful do you think the advertising ban will be?

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 'meat'?
What do you think about what you read?
What do you think of ads for fast food?
Do you agree with the Dutch Meat Association?
How important is meat to us?
Should we all fly less?
What do you think of advertising?
Should all cities ban ads for meat and fossil fuel products?
What questions would you like to ask Amsterdam residents?

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)

Amsterdam has banned public advertisements (1) ____ meat and fossil fuel products. This (2) ____ there will be no ads for burgers, chicken nuggets, petrol cars, and airlines in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and (3) ____ public places. The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its target of being carbon neutral by 2050. One aim is for local residents to (4) ____ how much meat they eat. The city is the world's first capital to take such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising is (5) ____ to the one on cigarette products. The number of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was "weird" that people were once (6) ____ to smoke in public.

Two groups in Holland are unhappy that they can (7) ____ longer advertise their products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "an undesirable way (8) ____ influence consumer behaviour". It added that meat "delivers essential nutrients and should remain visible and accessible to consumers". (9) ____, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban was too strict and unfairly limited their (10) ____ to do business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels (11) ____ used damages the environment. SShe said: "By becoming the first capital to (12) ____ ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is... setting a global standard."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) to (b) on (c) at (d) for
(a) meaning (b) meant (c) mean (d) means
(a) others (b) other (c) othered (d) another
(a) half (b) have (c) halve (d) heave
(a) similar (b) similarity (c) similarities (d) simile
(a) allowed (b) allows (c) allowable (d) allowing
(a) not (b) non (c) now (d) no
(a) to (b) at (c) for (d) as
(a) Differently (b) Similarly (c) Opposite (d) Disagree
(a) can (b) capable (c) ability (d) able
(a) be (b) ban (c) being (d) been
(a) legalise (b) legally (c) legal (d) legality

Spelling

Paragraph 1

chicken nsgutge
local edtssienr
avelh how much meat they eat
similar to the one on itagetecr products
Ms Prins said it was rediw
once loedawl to smoke in public

Paragraph 2

leifcnnue consumer behaviour
meat delivers lsesteina nutrients
remain ilivbes and accessible to consumers
Climate stcvitia Andrea Mancuso disagreed
the first capital to llelayg ban fossil fuels
Amsterdam is setting a global rdnaastd

Put the text back together

(    )   "weird" that people were once allowed to smoke in public.
(    )   2050. One aim is for local residents to halve how much meat they eat. The city is the world's first
( 1 )   Amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products. This means there will be no ads for
(    )   behaviour". It added that meat "delivers essential nutrients and should remain visible and accessible to
(    )   burgers, chicken nuggets, petrol cars, and airlines in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and other public
(    )   capital to take such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising is similar to the one
(    )   consumers". Similarly, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban was too
(    )   disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossil fuels being used damages the environment. He said: "By becoming
(    )   on cigarette products. The number of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was
(    )   places. The ban is to help move Amsterdam towards its target of being carbon neutral by
(    )   products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "an undesirable way to influence consumer
(    )   strict and unfairly limited their ability to do business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso
(    )   the first capital to legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is... setting a global standard."
(    )   Two groups in Holland are unhappy that they can no longer advertise their

Put the words in the right order

advertisements Amsterdam banned for has meat public .
ads be burgers for no There will .
2050 being by carbon Its neutral of target .
action capital first such take The to world's .
allowed in once People public smoke to were .
advertise can longer no products their They .
An behaviour consumer influence to undesirable way .
ads fossil fuels lead more said She to .
ban capital first fossil fuels legally The to .
a Amsterdam global is said setting He standard .

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Amsterdam has banned public advertises / advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products. This means there will be no fads / ads for burgers, chicken nuggets / nugget, petrol cars, and airlines in Amsterdam's streets, train stations, and another / other public places. The ban is for / to help move Amsterdam towards its target of being / been carbon neutral by 2050. One aim is for local residents to halve how much / many meat they eat. The city is the world's first capital to take so / such action. Environmentalist Hannah Prins said the ban on meat advertising is similar to the one / once on cigarette products. The number of smokers went down because of that. Ms Prins said it was "weird" that people were once allows / allowed to smoke in public.

Two groups in Holland are unhappily / unhappy that they can no longer / lengthen advertise their products. The Dutch Meat Association called the ban "an undesirable way to influence / influential consumer behaviour". It added that meat "delivers / transports essential nutrients and should remain looked / visible and accessible to consumers". Differently / Similarly, the Dutch Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators said the ban was too strict and unfairly limited their able / ability to do business. Climate activist Andrea Mancuso disagreed. He said ads that lead to more fossils / fossil fuels being used damages the environment. He said: "By becoming the first initial / capital to legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising, Amsterdam is... setting / betting a global standard."

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)

_mst_rd_m h_s b_nn_d p_bl_c _dv_rt_s_m_nts f_r m__t _nd f_ss_l f__l pr_d_cts. Th_s m__ns th_r_ w_ll b_ n_ _ds f_r b_rg_rs, ch_ck_n n_gg_ts, p_tr_l c_rs, _nd __rl_n_s _n _mst_rd_m's str__ts, tr__n st_t__ns, _nd _th_r p_bl_c pl_c_s. Th_ b_n _s t_ h_lp m_v_ _mst_rd_m t_w_rds _ts t_rg_t _f b__ng c_rb_n n__tr_l by 2050. _n_ __m _s f_r l_c_l r_s_d_nts t_ h_lv_ h_w m_ch m__t th_y __t. Th_ c_ty _s th_ w_rld's f_rst c_p_t_l t_ t_k_ s_ch _ct__n. _nv_r_nm_nt_l_st H_nn_h Pr_ns s__d th_ b_n _n m__t _dv_rt_s_ng _s s_m_l_r t_ th_ _n_ _n c_g_r_tt_ pr_d_cts. Th_ n_mb_r _f sm_k_rs w_nt d_wn b_c__s_ _f th_t. Ms Pr_ns s__d _t w_s "w__rd" th_t p__pl_ w_r_ _nc_ _ll_w_d t_ sm_k_ _n p_bl_c.

Tw_ gr__ps _n H_ll_nd _r_ _nh_ppy th_t th_y c_n n_ l_ng_r _dv_rt_s_ th__r pr_d_cts. Th_ D_tch M__t _ss_c__t__n c_ll_d th_ b_n "_n _nd_s_r_bl_ w_y t_ _nfl__nc_ c_ns_m_r b_h_v___r". _t _dd_d th_t m__t "d_l_v_rs _ss_nt__l n_tr__nts _nd sh__ld r_m__n v_s_bl_ _nd _cc_ss_bl_ t_ c_ns_m_rs". S_m_l_rly, th_ D_tch _ss_c__t__n _f Tr_v_l _g_nts _nd T__r _p_r_t_rs s__d th_ b_n w_s t__ str_ct _nd _nf__rly l_m_t_d th__r _b_l_ty t_ d_ b_s_n_ss. Cl_m_t_ _ct_v_st _ndr__ M_nc_s_ d_s_gr__d. H_ s__d _ds th_t l__d t_ m_r_ f_ss_l f__ls b__ng _s_d d_m_g_s th_ _nv_r_nm_nt. H_ s__d: "By b_c_m_ng th_ f_rst c_p_t_l t_ l_g_lly b_n f_ss_l f__ls _nd m__t _dv_rt_s_ng, _mst_rd_m _s... s_tt_ng _ gl_b_l st_nd_rd."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

amsterdam has banned public advertisements for meat and fossil fuel products this means there will be no ads for burgers chicken nuggets petrol cars and airlines in amsterdams streets train stations and other public places the ban is to help move amsterdam towards its target of being carbon neutral by 2050 one aim is for local residents to halve how much meat they eat the city is the worlds first capital to take such action environmentalist hannah prins said the ban on meat advertising is similar to the one on cigarette products the number of smokers went down because of that ms prins said it was weird that people were once allowed to smoke in public

two groups in holland are unhappy that they can no longer advertise their products the dutch meat association called the ban an undesirable way to influence consumer behaviour it added that meat delivers essential nutrients and should remain visible and accessible to consumers similarly the dutch association of travel agents and tour operators said the ban was too strict and unfairly limited their ability to do business climate activist andrea mancuso disagreed he said ads that lead to more fossil fuels being used damages the environment he said by becoming the first capital to legally ban fossil fuels and meat advertising amsterdam is setting a global standard

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Amsterdamhasbannedpublicadvertisementsformeatandfossilfuelpr
oducts.Thismeanstherewillbenoadsforburgers,chickennuggets,petr
olcars,andairlinesinAmsterdam'sstreets,trainstations,andotherpubl
icplaces.ThebanistohelpmoveAmsterdamtowardsitstargetofbeingc
arbonneutralby2050.Oneaimisforlocalresidentstohalvehowmuchm
eattheyeat.Thecityistheworld'sfirstcapitaltotakesuchaction.Environ
mentalistHannahPrinssaidthebanonmeatadvertisingissimilartotheo
neoncigaretteproducts.Thenumberofsmokerswentdownbecauseoft
hat.MsPrinssaiditwas"weird"thatpeoplewereonceallowedtosmokein
public.TwogroupsinHollandareunhappythattheycannolongeradverti
setheirproducts.TheDutchMeatAssociationcalledtheban"anundesira
blewaytoinfluenceconsumerbehaviour".Itaddedthatmeat"deliverse
ssentialnutrientsandshouldremainvisibleandaccessibletoconsumer
s".Similarly,theDutchAssociationofTravelAgentsandTourOperators
saidthebanwastoostrictandunfairlylimitedtheirabilitytodobusiness.
ClimateactivistAndreaMancusodisagreed.Hesaidadsthatleadtomore
fossilfuelsbeinguseddamagestheenvironment.Hesaid:"Bybecoming
thefirstcapitaltolegallybanfossilfuelsandmeatadvertising,Amsterda
mis...settingaglobalstandard."

Free writing

Write about public advertisement ban for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

It is a good idea to ban ads for meat and fossil-fuel-related products. 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. ADVERTISEMENTS: Make a poster about advertisements. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. CARBON NEUTRAL: Write a magazine article about all cities taking measures to be carbon neutral by 2050. 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 advertisements. Ask him/her three questions about advertisements. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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