CLASS 24TH MARCH 2020 - ENVIRONMENT

Hi there! Here you are some activities on the environment to finish with unit 11. 

First of all, READING: read this brief text and do tasks 1 and 2.  

China has big plans to reduce single-use plastics by 2025. It is fast-tracking measures to cut the production and use of plastics in the next five years. By the end of 2020, non-biodegradable plastic bags will be banned in major cities. Food delivery and takeaway services, which use a lot of plastic, will stop using single-use plastic straws and cutlery. These will be banned nationwide. They will use alternative things, like biodegradable shopping bags.

Single-use plastics are a big source of pollution. They are a part of our daily life and throwaway culture. China wants to reduce overconsumption to reverse our use of plastics. Previous regulations on plastic use, in 2008, cut the production of 67 billion bags. The United Nations said all countries needed similar policies. It said the world cannot cope with the amount of plastic waste we generate, We must rethink how we manufacture, use and manage plastics.

TASK 1. Read the text and then go to the following link to do the online reading activity. 

Reading activity 1 (click here)

TASK 2. Read the previous text again and then match the halves:

Paragraph 1:

1. China has big plans to reduce
2. It is fast-
3. non-
4. banned in
5. Food delivery and
6. single-use plastic straws and
7. These will be banned
8. biodegradable shopping

• takeaway services
• bags
• cutlery
• nationwide
• single-use plastics
• major cities
• tracking measures
• biodegradable

Paragraph 2:

1. Single-use plastics are a big
2. throwaway
3. reverse our use
4. Previous regulations
5. the world
6. the amount of plastic waste we
7. We must rethink how
8. use and manage

• we manufacture
• on plastic use
• plastics
• cannot cope
• culture
• of plastics
• source of pollution
• generate

Check your answers on the text and study all this interesting vocabulary. 

Secondly, LISTENING 1: Green tourism in London. Go to the following webpage where you can continue practising with a nice video. There are 4 activities related to the video.

1. Predict information.
2. Watch the video.
3. Multiple choice exercise.
4. Revise the vocabulary.

Click on this link to start.

LISTENING 2: London's air pollution. Here's another website to practise on this topic.

1. Check you know the voculary.
2. Watch the video and answer the questions.
3. Practise the vocabulary.

Click on this link to go and start.

I hope you'll enjoy it!

By the way, I almost forgot! Homework for Thursday: do the grammar activities section 10A on your books on reported speech. I’ll give you the answers on the next post. 

Spooky Halloween

Do you like to get scared sometimes? Do you enjoy watching terror films?

If you do, have a look at the following links where you can find plenty of scary stories, videos and podcasts.

Scary Ghost Stories 

Spooky Videos and Podcasts

And if you're going to a Halloween party, perhaps you can use this idea for your nails.

Bikes, Beers & Bananas

Here you are an interesting article on environmental issues from Hot English Magazine. You can read it or listen to it. It goes with some exercises, so I also include the key for you to check them.  

Bikes, Beers & Bananas 

 Audio File            Key

Environment News

Our next discussion topic is going to be the environment. So, I recommend you start reading pieces of news or listening to some podcasts on this topic in order for you to get informed and learn some vocabulary on it. 

On the website Breaking News English you have many articles on this topic. You can read or listen to them. They even include exercises for you to practise your comprehension.

You can find another environmental post published on this blog here.

Computer and internet texts

On the same topic of computers and internet, we're going to have a look now at a reading comprehension text, which also includes a video, and some comprehension questions for you to practise. 

Steve Jobs

Another very interesting text is this one on computer addiction, something very common nowadays. It also goes with activities. 

Computer addiction

We'll discuss this last text in class next day, so make sure you read it. 

See you soon! 

Keep calm and read a book

Many students didn't do very well in the reading comprehension part of the exam. 

The solution is very simple:

Source: booksandwriters.tumblr.com via Adriana on Pinterest

Now that we're on holiday, enjoy and read a book!

Snow, snow, snow!

Just a few weeks ago it snowed a lot in several parts of Spain, including our region. Being from the south of Spain it's very rare for me to see snow, and I must confess I smile like a child when I see it. However, it can be dangerous when you need to travel.

Now it seems to be snowing again! Not only in our region but all over Europe. Read the following article to see how snow is affecting countries around the world. 

Europe faces more travel chaos as snow turns into ice

Do you like it when it snows?

Podcast: Youth unemployment crisis

Today's podcast is about jobs and crisis and how this economic crisis especially affects young people. This is a very recurrent topic for exams, so if I were you, I would listen to it carefully.

Youth Unemployment Crisis

After listening to it, remember to have a look at new vocabulary and the transcript to check for understanding.

And if you want to do some research on this topic, read the following article.

The Star-Up of You

Enjoy!

Multitasking: saving or wasting time?

Today I want to share with you a very interesting article I've found on multitasking, since we've been discussing this in class. All of us are nowadays good at multitasking, or that's what we believe. I must confess I'm uploading a photo on my mobile while writing this post. In fact, I recall I've been multitasking all my life. I used to do my homework while watching TV when I was little. But is it really a good idea to do this? It seems research wants to show us that we're wasting our time more than saving it. Have a look at the following article on this topic and decide for yourself.

Why multitasking doesn't work

So, what do you think? Share your opinion in a comment! 

Stepfamilies

In our society it's so common nowadays to have half-brothers and half-sisters, stepbrothers and stepsisters, single-parent families, two fathers or two mothers, etc., so we can say that the traditional concept of family has changed completely. We've already discussed this topic in class. Now, have a look at this article. 

When Branches Tangle in a Stepfamily Tree

What's your opinion? Share with us in a comment!

Job Interview

Hey students! Do you want to practise a reading about a job interview? You can read the text and do the quiz to practise reading comprehension.

Job Interview


You can also read the following article which includes the top ten interview tips.

Have a good practice!

Environment Presentation

Did you miss Kara's presentation 

on the environment? 

Do you want to check any facts?

Here you can have a look at the presentation.

Environment Presentation

If you have any doubts, just ask in a comment!

Things killed by the Internet

Here you can find the whole version of the article from The Telegraph that I adapted for our class project. 

50 Things are are being killed by the Internet

Enjoy the reading!

Happy Earth Day!

Hey students! Today is Earth Day, a day celebrated worldwide to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth's natural environment. 

Do you want to know a bit more about this day? Read the following article to discover how it all began.

How the First Earth Day Came About

Over-protective Parents

As you know we talked in class about protective parents. Have a look at the following article published on the Daily Mail Online on this subject. 

Over-protective parents robbing children of their childhood

If you want to read more on this subject, here you have another article published by MxAbout Tips & Advice.

               Over-protective parents

Leave your opinion in a comment. 

Have a nice weekend!

Hey everyone!! 

The weekend is here! Remember to practise your English!

Read a magazine or a newspaper article! There are many interesting pieces of news!

Or even better, listen to something! You can check out the latest podcasts or watch a film or a TV show in English! You can change the language of your TDT.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today we celebrate Valentine's Day in many places around the world. But do people really believe in this celebration?

Here you can find an opinion essay and a vocabulary exercise on Valentine's Day for you to practise.

Saint Valentine's Day Essay

Vocabulary Exercise

And if you want to surprise your partner, use these free printables.

Now, tell us your opinion!

Do you belileve in Valentine's Day? 

Or is it just a commercialized holiday?

BBC World News

There's no doubt about how important is it reading when you're learning a language. That's why from today on we have a new section on our blog the "BBC World News" which you can find on the right column. 

In this way you can get the latest headlines as soon as they're published by the BBC. You'll be not only informed but also learning English at the same time! 

Remember to check out the breaking news everyday!

Home Spa

We talked in class about natural medicine and we all know there are many natural or alternative remedies. Obviously they aren't a solution for everything. In my opinion traditional and natural medicine can complement each other. Moreover, the remedy or treatment we use would depend on the illness we want to treat.

If we think about stress and our stressful society, natural remedies can help us fight against it. Have you ever tried aromatherapy, for example? Would you like to create a home spa?

Then, have a look at the following article.

Pieces of News

Newspapers can keep you informed of all the news that happened in your country or all over the world. Nowadays thanks to the Internet we don't need to go to the newsagent's and buy a paper newspaper. We can check the news online.

On this blog you have a list of newspapers from different countries in a column on the right. Therefore, you can practise your English while reading the news. You also have a Spanish newspaper with an English version.

Have a look at it!