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Texting while walking is dangerous (12th March, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Reading or writing text messages while you are walking is dangerous. A new study says it is more dangerous than texting while driving. The study is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found that there are more injuries per kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting motorists. Their report says walking is not as easy as we think it is. We need to focus on many things at the same time to walk safely in a straight line. The research team said that people forget how to walk properly, so dangerous things happen to them. They bump into walls and other people, walk into cars, fall over things in the street, and even fall into holes or down stairs.

A University of Buffalo professor said walking is a complex action. He said there are several reasons why texting stops people from walking properly. One reason is that they cannot see the path ahead of them. Another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet on the street. A final reason is that their minds are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking from A to B safely. The professor said over 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting. He said the worst cases are head injuries. When a pedestrian is tossed into the air after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing to protect the head, and the damage can be serious.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://hothardware.com/News/Texting-And-Walking-Is-Hazardous-To-Your-Health-Too-But-You-Knew-That/
http://wtop.com/256/3574525/Texting-walking-more-risky-than-distracted-driving

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. TEXTING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about texting. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

text messages / dangerous / study / injuries / walking / straight line / research / holes / professor / properly / path / keyboard / final reason / worst cases / hospital / serious

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. WALKING: Is it OK to do these things while walking in public? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Why OK?	Why not OK?
Texting
Singing
Eating
Reading a book
Closing your eyes
Playing a guitar

4. ILLEGAL: Students A strongly believe texting while walking should be illegal; Students B strongly believe not. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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. DANGERS: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest dangers at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• texting while walking

• eating fast food

• not wearing a seatbelt

• skiing

• cycling in a city

• playing soccer

• using earphones at full volume

• stressful jobs

6. DRIVING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "driving". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	It is more dangerous to text while walking than while driving.	T / F
b.	A study says people who text and walk are injured every kilometer.	T / F
c.	Researchers said walking isn't as easy as we think it is.	T / F
d.	The article says people who walk and text often fall up stairs.	T / F
e.	A professor said people do not focus on their feet when they text.	T / F
f.	The professor said people who text are absent-minded.	T / F
g.	60,000 people visited the professor in 2013 because of texting injuries.	T / F
h.	The professor said the worst texting injuries are head injuries.	T / F

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

1.	study	a.	complicated
2.	found	b.	correctly
3.	motorists	c.	thrown
4.	properly	d.	discovered
5.	things	e.	in front
6.	complex	f.	report
7.	ahead	g.	safeguard
8.	injured	h.	drivers
9.	tossed	i.	hurt
10.	protect	j.	stuff

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

1.	writing text messages	a.	line
2.	it is more dangerous	b.	keyboard
3.	walking is not as	c.	over things
4.	in a straight	d.	are head injuries
5.	fall	e.	easy as we think it is
6.	there are several reasons	f.	while you are walking
7.	mobile phone	g.	A to B safely
8.	walking from	h.	be serious
9.	the worst cases	i.	than texting while driving
10.	the damage can	j.	why

GAP FILL

Reading or writing (1) ____________ messages while you are walking is dangerous. A new study says it is more dangerous than texting while driving. The (2) ____________ is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found that there are more (3) ____________ per kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting (4) ____________. Their report says walking is not as easy as we think it is. We need to focus on many things at the same time to walk safely in a (5) ____________ line. The research team said that people forget how to walk properly, so dangerous things (6) ____________ to them. They (7) ____________ into walls and other people, walk into cars, fall over things in the street, and even fall into (8) ____________ or down stairs.

bump
motorists
study
happen
text
holes
injuries
straight

A University of Buffalo professor said walking is a (9) ____________ action. He said there are several reasons why texting stops people from walking (10) ____________. One reason is that they cannot see the path (11) ____________ of them. Another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet on the street. A (12) ____________ reason is that their minds are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking from A to B (13) ____________. The professor said over 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting. He said the worst (14) ____________ are head injuries. When a pedestrian is tossed into the (15) ____________ after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing to protect the head, and the damage can be (16) ____________.

safely
serious
ahead
cases
complex
air
properly
final

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	writing text messages while you are walking ______
	a. is dangers b. is danger-less c. is dangerous d. is dangerously
2)	Researchers found that there are more ______
	a. injuries per kilometer b. injuries par kilometer c. injuries for kilometer d. injuries of kilometer
3)	We need to focus on many things at the same time to walk safely ______
	a. in a straight line b. in a straight lane c. in a straight lean d. in a straight rain
4)	The research team said that people forget how ______
	a. to walk property b. to walk proper c. to walk improperly d. to walk properly
5)	They bump into walls and ______
	a. other people's b. other peoples c. other peopled d. other people
6)	A University of Buffalo professor said walking is ______
	a. a complexity action b. a complexion action c. a complex action d. a complexes action
7)	One reason is that they cannot see the ______
	a. path a head of them b. path a heard of them c. path a hard of them d. path ahead of them
8)	Another is that they are focused ______
	a. on them fingers b. on their fingers c. on they fingers d. on they're fingers
9)	A final reason is that their minds ______
	a. are sometimes else b. are anywhere else c. are something else d. are somewhere else
10)	the damage can ______
	a. be seriously b. be serious c. be seriousness d. be series

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Reading or writing text messages (1) ___________________ is dangerous. A new study says it is more dangerous than texting while driving. The study is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found that there are more (2) ___________________ to texting pedestrians than there are to texting motorists. Their report says walking (3) ___________________ we think it is. We need (4) ___________________ things at the same time to walk safely in a straight line. The research team said that people forget how to walk properly, (5) ___________________ happen to them. They bump into walls and other people, walk into cars, (6) __________________ the street, and even fall into holes or down stairs.

A University of Buffalo professor said walking (7) ___________________. He said there are several reasons why texting stops people from walking properly. One reason is that they cannot (8) ___________________ of them. Another is that they (9) ___________________ their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet on the street. A final reason is that their minds are somewhere (10) ___________________ thinking about walking from A to B safely. The professor said over 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting. He said the worst (11) ___________________. When a pedestrian is tossed into the air after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing (12) ___________________, and the damage can be serious.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What says texting while walking is dangerous?
2.	What is texting while walking more dangerous than?
3.	What do we need to do to walk in in a straight line?
4.	What two things do people bump into while walking and texting?
5.	What do people sometimes fall down while walking and texting?
6.	How many reasons did a professor give for why texting makes walking difficult?
7.	What was the first reason for not walking properly?
8.	Where did the professor say people's minds are while they are texting?
9.	How many people visited the professor's hospital?
10.	What kinds of injuries did the professor say were worst?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What says texting while walking is dangerous?	6.	How many reasons did a professor give for why texting makes walking difficult?
	a) the book on walking safely b) a study c) the International Text-Walkers Organisation (ITWO) d) a "walk safely" app		a) several b) countless c) 17 d) many
2.	What is texting while walking more dangerous than?	7.	What was the first reason for not walking properly?
	a) parachuting b) eating 10 large hamburgers c) texting while driving d) being a soldier		a) holes in the street b) bad-fitting shoes c) very important texts d) people cannot see ahead
3.	What do we need to do to walk in in a straight line?	8.	Where did the professor say people's minds are while they are texting?
	a) decide which way to go b) use a piece of chalk c) not drink alcohol d) focus on many things		a) between their ears b) inside their mobile phones c) somewhere else d) asleep
4.	What two things do people bump into while walking and texting?	9.	How many people visited the professor's hospital?
	a) old friends and people from work b) other people and walls c) ice cream pizza d) telephones and bridges		a) sixty million b) 660 c) over 60 thousand d) over six thousand
5.	What do people sometimes fall down while walking and texting?	10.	What kinds of injuries did the professor say were worst?
	a) stairs b) hills c) wells d) rabbit holes		a) back injuries b) head injuries c) eye injuries d) fingernail injuries

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Fast food

You think fast food is the biggest danger. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): skiing, texting while walking or a stressful job.

Role B – Skiing

You think skiing is the biggest danger. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): fast food, texting while walking or a stressful job.

Role C – Texting while walking

You think texting while walking is the biggest danger. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): skiing, fast food or a stressful job.

Role D – A stressful job

You think a stressful job is the biggest danger. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): skiing, texting while walking or fast food.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

text

message

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:

study
kilometer
focus
line
bump
stairs

complex
path
final
B
worst
serious

TEXTING SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about texting 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

TEXTING DISCUSSION

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

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'texting'?
c)	Do you think texting is useful? Why?
d)	Are you good at texting while you walk?
e)	Do you think texting while walking is dangerous?
f)	Have you ever bumped into someone or fallen over?
g)	Why is texting more dangerous while walking than while driving?
h)	Do we really need to focus a lot on walking in a straight line?
i)	Can you text and do other things properly at the same time?
j)	Some people think texting while walking should be illegal. Do you?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Why is walking complex? What needs to happen for us to walk?
c)	If a car hits a texting pedestrian, whose fault is it?
d)	If a texting pedestrian bumped into you and injured you, what would you do?
e)	Will you stop texting while walking?
f)	Do you check Facebook, Twitter or other things while walking?
g)	Why can't people wait until they stop walking to text?
h)	What do you think of cyclists who text?
i)	Should pedestrians wear a helmet as protection against injury?
j)	What questions would you like to ask the professor?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Reading or writing (1) ____ messages while you are walking is dangerous. A new study says it is more dangerous than texting while driving. The study is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found that there are more injuries (2) ____ kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting (3) ____. Their report says walking is not as easy as we think it is. We need to focus (4) ____ many things at the same time to walk safely in a straight line. The research team said that people forget how to walk (5) ____, so dangerous things happen to them. They bump into walls and other people, walk into cars, fall over things in the street, and (6) ____ fall into holes or down stairs.

A University of Buffalo professor said walking is a complex action. He said there are (7) ____ reasons why texting stops people from walking properly. One reason is that they cannot see the path (8) ____ of them. Another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet on the street. A (9) ____ reason is that their minds are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking from A to B (10) ____. The professor said over 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting. He said the worst (11) ____ are head injuries. When a pedestrian is tossed into the air after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing to protect the head, and the damage can be (12) ____.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	textual	(b)	texted	(c)	text	(d)	texts
2.	(a)	pre	(b)	per	(c)	par	(d)	purr
3.	(a)	motorists	(b)	motors	(c)	motored	(d)	motorist
4.	(a)	on	(b)	an	(c)	in	(d)	of
5.	(a)	property	(b)	prosperously	(c)	pathetically	(d)	properly
6.	(a)	odd	(b)	odds	(c)	evens	(d)	even
7.	(a)	several	(b)	numeral	(c)	numbered	(d)	severe
8.	(a)	head	(b)	front	(c)	fronted	(d)	ahead
9.	(a)	final	(b)	finally	(c)	finals	(d)	finalised
10.	(a)	safety	(b)	safely	(c)	safes	(d)	safe
11.	(a)	boxes	(b)	cases	(c)	cartons	(d)	bags
12.	(a)	serious	(b)	series	(c)	severs	(d)	soars

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	text aseesmgs
2.	Researchers found that there are more eujnrisi
3.	texting iardspseent
4.	texting ismtotsor
5.	walk safely in a rtsghait line
6.	forget how to walk porrlype
Paragraph 2
7.	walking is a lcoxemp action
8.	there are resleav reasons why
9.	on their mobile phone oybrkdea
10.	walking from A to B yslaef
11.	nothing to pcrteot the head
12.	the damage can be sesroiu

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	A University of Buffalo professor said walking is a complex action. He said there are several reasons
( )	dangerous than texting while driving. The study is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found
( )	on the street. A final reason is that their minds are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking
( )	that there are more injuries per kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting
( 1 )	Reading or writing text messages while you are walking is dangerous. A new study says it is more
( )	of them. Another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet
( )	the same time to walk safely in a straight line. The research team said that people forget how to walk
( )	from A to B safely. The professor said over 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were
( )	into cars, fall over things in the street, and even fall into holes or down stairs.
( )	air after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing to protect the head, and the damage can be serious.
( )	motorists. Their report says walking is not as easy as we think it is. We need to focus on many things at
( )	injured while texting. He said the worst cases are head injuries. When a pedestrian is tossed into the
( )	why texting stops people from walking properly. One reason is that they cannot see the path ahead
( )	properly, so dangerous things happen to them. They bump into walls and other people, walk

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	dangerous A says more texting study is than new it.
2.	easy as not is walking says report Their think we as.
3.	need We time same the at things many on focus to.
4.	to properly People how walk forget.
5.	walls into bump They people other and.
6.	there said He why reasons several are.
7.	walking stops from properly Texting people.
8.	reason they the One that see is cannot path.
9.	safely from A Thinking to about B walking.
10.	cases He are said head the injuries worst.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Reading or writing text messages while you are waking / walking is dangerous. A new study says it is more danger / dangerous than texting while driving. The study is from the University of Buffalo in the USA. Researchers found that there are more injury / injuries per kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting motorists / motors. Their report says walking is not as easily / easy as we think it is. We need to focus on / in many things at the same time to walk safety / safely in a straight line. The research team said that people forget / forgetting how to walk properly, so dangerous things happening / happen to them. They bump into walls and other people, walk into cars, fall over things in the street, and even fall into holes or down / up stairs.

A University of Buffalo professor said walking is a complex actions / action. He said there are several reasons / reason why texting stops people from walking properly / property. One reason is that they cannot see the path ahead / head of them. Another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead for / of their feet on the street. A final reason is that their minds / mends are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking from A to B safely. The professor said over / more 6,000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injuries / injured while texting. He said the worst cases are head injuries. When a pedestrian is tossed into the air / oxygen after being hit by a car, he/she has nothing to protect the head, and the damage can be serious / seriously.

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

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

R__d_ng _r wr_t_ng t_xt m_ss_g_s wh_l_ y__ _r_ w_lk_ng _s d_ng_r__s. _ n_w st_dy s_ys _t _s m_r_ d_ng_r__s th_n t_xt_ng wh_l_ dr_v_ng. Th_ st_dy _s fr_m th_ _n_v_rs_ty _f B_ff_l_ _n th_ _S_. R_s__rch_rs f__nd th_t th_r_ _r_ m_r_ _nj_r__s p_r k_l_m_t_r t_ t_xt_ng p_d_str__ns th_n th_r_ _r_ t_ t_xt_ng m_t_r_sts. Th__r r_p_rt s_ys w_lk_ng _s n_t _s __sy _s w_ th_nk _t _s. W_ n__d t_ f_c_s _n m_ny th_ngs _t th_ s_m_ t_m_ t_ w_lk s_f_ly _n _ str__ght l_n_. Th_ r_s__rch t__m s__d th_t p__pl_ f_rg_t h_w t_ w_lk pr_p_rly, s_ d_ng_r__s th_ngs h_pp_n t_ th_m. Th_y b_mp _nt_ w_lls _nd _th_r p__pl_, w_lk _nt_ c_rs, f_ll _v_r th_ngs _n th_ str__t, _nd _v_n f_ll _nt_ h_l_s _r d_wn st__rs.

_ _n_v_rs_ty _f B_ff_l_ pr_f_ss_r s__d w_lk_ng _s _ c_mpl_x _ct__n. H_ s__d th_r_ _r_ s_v_r_l r__s_ns why t_xt_ng st_ps p__pl_ fr_m w_lk_ng pr_p_rly. _n_ r__s_n _s th_t th_y c_nn_t s__ th_ p_th _h__d _f th_m. _n_th_r _s th_t th_y _r_ f_c_s_d _n th__r f_ng_rs _n th__r m_b_l_ ph_n_ k_yb__rd _nst__d _f th__r f__t _n th_ str__t. _ f_n_l r__s_n _s th_t th__r m_nds _r_ s_m_wh_r_ _ls_ _nd n_t _n th_nk_ng _b__t w_lk_ng fr_m _ t_ B s_f_ly. Th_ pr_f_ss_r s__d _v_r 6,000 p__pl_ v_s_t_d h_s h_sp_t_l l_st y__r b_c__s_ th_y w_r_ _nj_r_d wh_l_ t_xt_ng. H_ s__d th_ w_rst c_s_s _r_ h__d _nj_r__s. Wh_n _ p_d_str__n _s t_ss_d _nt_ th_ __r _ft_r b__ng h_t by _ c_r, h_/sh_ h_s n_th_ng t_ pr_t_ct th_ h__d, _nd th_ d_m_g_ c_n b_ s_r___s.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

reading or writing text messages while you are walking is dangerous a new study says it is more dangerous than texting while driving the study is from the university of buffalo in the usa researchers found that there are more injuries per kilometer to texting pedestrians than there are to texting motorists their report says walking is not as easy as we think it is we need to focus on many things at the same time to walk safely in a straight line the research team said that people forget how to walk properly so dangerous things happen to them they bump into walls and other people walk into cars fall over things in the street and even fall into holes or down stairs

a university of buffalo professor said walking is a complex action he said there are several reasons why texting stops people from walking properly one reason is that they cannot see the path ahead of them another is that they are focused on their fingers on their mobile phone keyboard instead of their feet on the street a final reason is that their minds are somewhere else and not on thinking about walking from a to b safely the professor said over 6000 people visited his hospital last year because they were injured while texting he said the worst cases are head injuries when a pedestrian is tossed into the air after being hit by a car he/she has nothing to protect the head and the damage can be serious

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Readingorwritingtextmessageswhileyouarewalkingisdangerous.
Anewstudysaysitismoredangerousthantextingwhiledriving.Thes
tudyisfromtheUniversityofBuffalointheUSA.Researchersfoundth
attherearemoreinjuriesperkilometertotextingpedestriansthanth
erearetotextingmotorists.Theirreportsayswalkingisnotaseasyas
wethinkitis.Weneedtofocusonmanythingsatthesametimetowalk
safelyinastraightline.Theresearchteamsaidthatpeopleforgethow
towalkproperly,sodangerousthingshappentothem.Theybumpint
owallsandotherpeople,walkintocars,falloverthingsinthestreet,an
devenfallintoholesordownstairs.AUniversityofBuffaloprofessorsa
idwalkingisacomplexaction.Hesaidthereareseveralreasonswhyte
xtingstopspeoplefromwalkingproperly.Onereasonisthattheycan
notseethepathaheadofthem.Anotheristhattheyarefocusedonthei
rfingersontheirmobilephonekeyboardinsteadoftheirfeetonthestr
eet.Afinalreasonisthattheirmindsaresomewhereelseandnotonthi
nkingaboutwalkingfromAtoBsafely.Theprofessorsaidover6,000p
eoplevisitedhishospitallastyearbecausetheywereinjuredwhiletex
ting.Hesaidtheworstcasesareheadinjuries.Whenapedestrianisto
ssedintotheairafterbeinghitbyacar,he/shehasnothingtoprotectth
ehead,andthedamagecanbeserious.

FREE WRITING

Write about texting for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Texting while walking is dangerous. It should be illegal. 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 the texting while walking. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. TEXTING: Make a poster about the dangers of texting. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. WALKING: Write a magazine article about the texting while walking. Should it be illegal? Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against making texting while walking illegal.

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 texting. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on it. 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

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

F

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	study	a.	report
2.	found	b.	discovered
3.	motorists	c.	drivers
4.	properly	d.	correctly
5.	things	e.	stuff
6.	complex	f.	complicated
7.	ahead	g.	in front
8.	injured	h.	hurt
9.	tossed	i.	thrown
10.	protect	j.	safeguard

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	A new study
2.	Texting while driving
3.	Focus on many things
4.	Walls and other people
5.	Stairs
6.	Several (three)
7.	People cannot see the path ahead of them
8.	Somewhere else
9.	Over 6,000
10.	Head injuries

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

c

3.

d

4.

b

5.

a

6.

a

7.

d

8.

c

9.

d

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Texting while walking is dangerous (12th March, 2014)

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