Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Britons most afraid of heights and snakes (28th March, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A new survey from an internet-based market research company shows the things British people are most afraid of. Top of the list is heights. Over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the medical name for the fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of the slippery creatures. The third biggest fear was public speaking, with 20 per cent being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of speaking in public. Other things that frighten people most include spiders, mice, needles and injections, the sight of blood, flying, and being in small spaces. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.

The market research company asked over 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They had to rate 13 common phobias from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers found that there were big differences between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened old and young people. The researchers said: "All are not created equal when it comes to fears." The survey showed that more women than men were afraid of things, especially spiders. These scare a third of men and about half of women. Age differences showed young people were more likely to be afraid of public speaking. Those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people to be afraid of heights.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/musophobia-coulrophobia-pteromerhanophobia-what-are-britons-most-afraid-1441650
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/25/what-top-five-fears-phobias-yougov
http://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/03/20/afraid-heights-not-alone/

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. FEAR: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about fear. 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.

survey / research / afraid / heights / snakes / public speaking / the sight of blood / list / phobias / differences / young people / equal / a third / age differences / older

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

3. PHOBIAS: How can we help people over come these phobias? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Phobia	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
Public speaking
Heights
Flying
Spiders
The sight of blood
Injections

4. SNAKES: Students A strongly believe snakes are scary; Students B strongly believe they aren't. 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. SCARY THINGS: Rank these with your partner. Put the scariest at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• horror movies

• the dark

• cyber-stalkers

• ghosts

• rollercoasters

• exams

• public speaking in English

• health checks

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

From http://www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com/1403/140328-phobias.html

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

a.	The British government conducted a survey on people's fears.	T / F
b.	British people are most afraid of heights.	T / F
c.	The medical name for the fear of heights is acrophobia.	T / F
d.	The tenth biggest fear was crowns.	T / F
e.	More than 20,000 people answered questions about their fears.	T / F
f.	There were big differences between the fears of women and men.	T / F
g.	Women are less afraid of spiders than men are.	T / F
h.	Older people are less afraid of public speaking than young people are.	T / F

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

1.	survey	a.	the same
2.	afraid	b.	position
3.	place	c.	areas
4.	creatures	d.	assess
5.	spaces	e.	scared
6.	rate	f.	probable
7.	big	g.	particularly
8.	equal	h.	animals
9.	especially	i.	large
10.	likely	j.	study

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

1.	market	a.	rate 13 common phobias
2.	the things British people are	b.	all afraid
3.	Over half of the people who	c.	on the list
4.	slippery	d.	took the survey
5.	Number 10	e.	equal
6.	They had to	f.	research
7.	not at	g.	speaking
8.	created	h.	of men
9.	These scare a third	i.	most afraid of
10.	afraid of public	j.	creatures

GAP FILL

A new (1) ____________ from an internet-based market research company shows the things British people are most (2) ____________ of. Top of the list is heights. Over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the (3) ____________ name for the fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of the slippery (4) ____________. The third biggest (5) ____________ was public speaking, with 20 per cent being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of (6) ____________ in public. Other things that frighten people most include spiders, mice, needles and (7) ____________, the sight of blood, flying, and being in small (8) ____________. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.

speaking
creatures
afraid
injections
survey
spaces
fear
medical

The (9) ____________ research company asked over 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They had to rate 13 common (10) ____________ from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers found that there were big (11) ____________ between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened old and young people. The researchers said: "All are not created (12) ____________ when it comes to fears." The survey (13) ____________ that more women than men were afraid of things, especially spiders. These scare a (14) ____________ of men and about half of women. Age differences showed young people were more (15) ____________ to be afraid of public speaking. Those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people to be afraid of (16) ____________.

differences
likely
heights
phobias
showed
market
third
equal

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	A new survey from an internet-based ______
	a. market researchers company b. marketing research company c. market research company d. market research companies
2)	21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of ______
	a. the slipper eel creatures b. the slippery creatures c. the slippery creature d. the slipper eel creature
3)	36 per cent being "a little afraid" of ______
	a. speaking in public b. speaking on public c. speak in inn public d. speak king in public
4)	Other things that frighten people most include spiders, mice, ______
	a. needless and injections b. need less and injections c. needles and injections d. need dolls and injections
5)	Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the ______
	a. fear of crowns b. fear of clouds c. fear of clams d. fear of clowns
6)	They had to rate 13 common phobias from "not at all afraid" _______
	a. too "very afraid" b. to "very afraid" c. two "very afraid" d. toe "very afraid"
7)	The researchers found that there ______
	a. were big difference is b. were bigger differences c. were big differences d. were big different sis
8)	All are not created equal when it ______
	a. comes to fears b. goes to fears c. takes to fears d. cones to fears
9)	more women than men were afraid of things, ______
	a. especially spider b. a specially spider c. especially spiders d. a specially spiders
10)	Those in the older age groups were more likely ______
	a. than youngish people b. than young are people c. than young all people d. than younger people

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) ___________________ an internet-based market research company shows the things British (2) ___________________ afraid of. Top of the list is heights. Over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the (3) ___________________ the fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very (4) ___________________ creatures. The third biggest fear was public speaking, with 20 per cent being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of (5) ___________________. Other things that frighten people most include spiders, mice, needles and injections, (6) ___________________, flying, and being in small spaces. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.

The market research company asked over 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They (7) ___________________ common phobias from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers (8) ___________________ were big differences between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened old and young people. The researchers said: "All are not created equal (9) ___________________." The survey showed that more women than men were afraid of (10) ___________________. These scare a third of men and about half of women. Age differences showed young people were more (11) ___________________ of public speaking. Those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people (12) ___________________.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What kind of company made this survey?
2.	What are people afraid of if they have acrophobia?
3.	What was number three on the list of fears?
4.	What are people afraid of the sight of?
5.	Where on the list was the fear of clowns?
6.	How many people took the survey?
7.	How many phobias did people have to rate?
8.	What groups of people were frightened of different things?
9.	How many men were afraid of spiders?
10.	Who was more likely to be afraid of heights?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What kind of company made this survey?	6.	How many people took the survey?
	a) a medicine company b) a horror movie company c) a newspaper company d) a market research company		a) 12,000 b) 20,000 c) more than 2,000 d) just less than 2,000
2.	What are people afraid of if they have acrophobia?	7.	How many phobias did people have to rate?
	a) spiders b) heights c) public speaking d) blood		a) 13 b) 12 c) 11 d) 10
3.	What was number three on the list of fears?	8.	What groups of people were frightened of different things?
	a) injections b) snakes c) spiders d) public speaking		a) rich / poor; healthy / unhealthy b) strong / weak; fat / thin c) men / women; old / young d) big / small; fit / unfit
4.	What are people afraid of the sight of?	9.	How many men were afraid of spiders?
	a) themselves b) their own shadow c) blood d) speaking		a) four-fifths b) a third c) three-quarters d) half
5.	Where on the list was the fear of clowns?	10.	Who was more likely to be afraid of heights?
	a) 7 b) 8 c) 9 d) 10		a) older people b) pilots c) miners d) sick people

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Horror movies

You think horror movies are the scariest things. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that aren't so scary about their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): rollercoasters, public speaking or ghosts.

Role B – Rollercoasters

You think rollercoasters is the scariest thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that aren't so scary about their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): horror movies, public speaking or ghosts.

Role C – Public speaking

You think public speaking is the scariest thing. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that aren't so scary about their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): rollercoasters, horror movies or ghosts.

Role D – Ghosts

You think ghosts the scariest things. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that aren't so scary about their things. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these (and why): rollercoasters, public speaking or horror movies.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

afraid

fear

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:

research
took
second
third
sight
10

13
big
equal
especially
showed
groups

FEAR SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about fear 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.

FEAR 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 'fear'?
c)	What are you most afraid of and why?
d)	Why are we afraid of things that are not dangerous?
e)	What was your biggest fear when you were a child?
f)	Have you ever overcome a fear?
g)	Are people in different countries afraid of different things?
h)	What do you do when you are really scared?
i)	How could you get over one of your fears?
j)	Is fear healthy?

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

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

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Do you know anyone who is afraid of many things?
c)	What different things are men and women afraid of?
d)	How could someone get over his or her fear of spiders?
e)	Some people are afraid of cheese. Why?
f)	What do people do who are afraid of technology?
g)	Are you afraid of public speaking?
h)	Are you afraid of making mistakes in English?
i)	Do you know anyone who is not scared of anything?
j)	What questions would you like to ask a phobia expert?

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

A new survey from an internet-based market research company (1) ____ the things British people are most afraid of. Top of the (2) ____ is heights. Over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the (3) ____ name for the fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of the (4) ____ creatures. The third biggest fear was public speaking, with 20 per cent being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of speaking in public. Other things that (5) ____ people most include spiders, mice, needles and injections, the (6) ____ of blood, flying, and being in small spaces. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.

The market research company asked over 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They had to (7) ____ 13 common phobias from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers found that there were big (8) ____ between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened old and young people. The researchers said: "All are not created equal when it (9) ____ to fears." The survey showed that more women than men were afraid of things, especially spiders. These scare a (10) ____ of men and about half of women. Age differences showed young people were more (11) ____ to be afraid of public speaking. Those in the older age (12) ____ were more likely than younger people to be afraid of heights.

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

1.	(a)	showing	(b)	shower	(c)	shows	(d)	show
2.	(a)	list	(b)	league	(c)	table	(d)	items
3.	(a)	medical	(b)	medicine	(c)	medic	(d)	medically
4.	(a)	slippery	(b)	slipped	(c)	slip-on	(d)	slips
5.	(a)	afraid	(b)	frighten	(c)	scary	(d)	terror
6.	(a)	view	(b)	appearance	(c)	look	(d)	sight
7.	(a)	bate	(b)	gate	(c)	rate	(d)	late
8.	(a)	similarity	(b)	sameness	(c)	equals	(d)	differences
9.	(a)	comes	(b)	goes	(c)	needs	(d)	has
10.	(a)	three-quarters	(b)	third	(c)	whole	(d)	two-thirds
11.	(a)	liked	(b)	likely	(c)	likeliness	(d)	liking
12.	(a)	sections	(b)	departments	(c)	groups	(d)	gangs

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	A new vsryue
2.	the emdacli name for the fear of heights
3.	afraid of the slippery urstacree
4.	Other things that ngerithf people
5.	needles and tcniiojens
6.	the sight of lodob
Paragraph 2
7.	The market ahrsrcee company
8.	rate 13 common phsabio
9.	there were big fcinesdeerf
10.	men were afraid of things, ceelpasily spiders
11.	more lkilye to be afraid of public speaking
12.	the older age rupogs

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( 1 )	A new survey from an internet-based market research company shows the things British people are most
( )	people. The researchers said: "All are not created equal when it comes to fears." The survey showed
( )	speaking. Those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people to be afraid of heights.
( )	differences between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened old and young
( )	being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of speaking in public. Other things that frighten
( )	people most include spiders, mice, needles and injections, the sight of blood, flying, and being
( )	name for the fear of heights. In second place was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very
( )	afraid" of the slippery creatures. The third biggest fear was public speaking, with 20 per cent
( )	phobias from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers found that there were big
( )	in small spaces. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.
( )	of women. Age differences showed young people were more likely to be afraid of public
( )	afraid of. Top of the list is heights. Over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the medical
( )	that more women than men were afraid of things, especially spiders. These scare a third of men and about half
( )	The market research company asked over 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They had to rate 13 common

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	From an internet-based market research company.
2.	The things British people are most afraid of.
3.	Half of the people who took the survey.
4.	The third biggest fear was public speaking.
5.	Other things that frighten people most include spiders.
6.	They had to rate 13 common phobias.
7.	Differences between what men and women were afraid of.
8.	All are not created equal when it comes to fears.
9.	These scare a third of men and about half of women.
10.	More likely than younger people to be afraid of heights.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A new survey / question from an internet-based market research company shows the things British people are most fear / afraid of. Top of the list is heights. Over half for / of the people who took / taken the survey said they had acrophobia – the medicine / medical name for the fear of heights. In second place / location was a fear of snakes, with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of the slippery / slipping creatures. The third biggest fear was public speaking, with 20 per cent being / was "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of speaking in public. Other things that frighten people most exclude / include spiders, mice, needles and injections, the sight of blood, flying, and being in small spaces / space. Number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns.

The market research company asked over / more 2,000 people what they were afraid of. They had to grate / rate 13 common phobias from "not at every / all afraid" to "very afraid". The researchers found that there were big differences / different between what men and women were afraid of, and what frightened / afraid old and young people. The researchers said: "All are not created equals / equal when it comes to fears." The survey showed that more women than men were afraid of things, special / especially spiders. These scare a third / thirdly of men and about half of women. Age differences showed young people were more likely / liked to be afraid of public speaking. Those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people to be afraid of heights / hates.

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)

_ n_w s_rv_y fr_m _n _nt_rn_t-b_s_d m_rk_t r_s__rch c_mp_ny sh_ws th_ th_ngs Br_t_sh p__pl_ _r_ m_st _fr__d _f. T_p _f th_ l_st _s h__ghts. _v_r h_lf _f th_ p__pl_ wh_ t__k th_ s_rv_y s__d th_y h_d _cr_ph_b__ – th_ m_d_c_l n_m_ f_r th_ f__r _f h__ghts. _n s_c_nd pl_c_ w_s _ f__r _f sn_k_s, w_th 21 p_r c_nt _f p__pl_ s_y_ng th_y w_r_ "v_ry _fr__d" _f th_ sl_pp_ry cr__t_r_s. Th_ th_rd b_gg_st f__r w_s p_bl_c sp__k_ng, w_th 20 p_r c_nt b__ng "v_ry _fr__d" _nd 36 p_r c_nt b__ng "_ l_ttl_ _fr__d" _f sp__k_ng _n p_bl_c. _th_r th_ngs th_t fr_ght_n p__pl_ m_st _ncl_d_ sp_d_rs, m_c_, n__dl_s _nd _nj_ct__ns, th_ s_ght _f bl__d, fly_ng, _nd b__ng _n sm_ll sp_c_s. N_mb_r 10 _n th_ l_st w_s c__lr_ph_b__ – th_ f__r _f cl_wns.

Th_ m_rk_t r_s__rch c_mp_ny _sk_d _v_r 2,000 p__pl_ wh_t th_y w_r_ _fr__d _f. Th_y h_d t_ r_t_ 13 c_mm_n ph_b__s fr_m "n_t _t _ll _fr__d" t_ "v_ry _fr__d". Th_ r_s__rch_rs f__nd th_t th_r_ w_r_ b_g d_ff_r_nc_s b_tw__n wh_t m_n _nd w_m_n w_r_ _fr__d _f, _nd wh_t fr_ght_n_d _ld _nd y__ng p__pl_. Th_ r_s__rch_rs s__d: "_ll _r_ n_t cr__t_d _q__l wh_n _t c_m_s t_ f__rs." Th_ s_rv_y sh_w_d th_t m_r_ w_m_n th_n m_n w_r_ _fr__d _f th_ngs, _sp_c__lly sp_d_rs. Th_s_ sc_r_ _ th_rd _f m_n _nd _b__t h_lf _f w_m_n. _g_ d_ff_r_nc_s sh_w_d y__ng p__pl_ w_r_ m_r_ l_k_ly t_ b_ _fr__d _f p_bl_c sp__k_ng. Th_s_ _n th_ _ld_r _g_ gr__ps w_r_ m_r_ l_k_ly th_n y__ng_r p__pl_ t_ b_ _fr__d _f h__ghts.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a new survey from an internet-based market research company shows the things british people are most afraid of top of the list is heights over half of the people who took the survey said they had acrophobia – the medical name for the fear of heights in second place was a fear of snakes with 21 per cent of people saying they were "very afraid" of the slippery creatures the third biggest fear was public speaking with 20 per cent being "very afraid" and 36 per cent being "a little afraid" of speaking in public other things that frighten people most include spiders mice needles and injections the sight of blood flying and being in small spaces number 10 on the list was coulrophobia – the fear of clowns

the market research company asked over 2000 people what they were afraid of they had to rate 13 common phobias from "not at all afraid" to "very afraid" the researchers found that there were big differences between what men and women were afraid of and what frightened old and young people the researchers said "all are not created equal when it comes to fears" the survey showed that more women than men were afraid of things especially spiders these scare a third of men and about half of women age differences showed young people were more likely to be afraid of public speaking those in the older age groups were more likely than younger people to be afraid of heights

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Anewsurveyfromaninternet-basedmarketresearchcompanyshow
sthethingsBritishpeoplearemostafraidof.Topofthelistisheights.Ov
erhalfofthepeoplewhotookthesurveysaidtheyhadacrophobia–
themedicalnameforthefearofheights.Insecondplacewasafearofsn
akes,with21percentofpeoplesayingtheywere"veryafraid"oftheslip
perycreatures.Thethirdbiggestfearwaspublicspeaking,with20per
centbeing"veryafraid"and36percentbeing"alittleafraid"ofspeakin
ginpublic.Otherthingsthatfrightenpeoplemostincludespiders,mice
,needlesandinjections,thesightofblood,flying,andbeinginsmallspa
ces.Number10onthelistwascoulrophobia–thefearofclowns.Them
arketresearchcompanyaskedover2,000peoplewhattheywereafrai
dof.Theyhadtorate13commonphobiasfrom"notatallafraid"to"very
afraid".Theresearchersfoundthattherewerebigdifferencesbetwee
nwhatmenandwomenwereafraidof,andwhatfrightenedoldandyou
ngpeople.Theresearcherssaid:"Allarenotcreatedequalwhenitcom
estofears."Thesurveyshowedthatmorewomenthanmenwereafrai
dofthings,especiallyspiders.Thesescareathirdofmenandabouthalf
ofwomen.Agedifferencesshowedyoungpeopleweremorelikelytob
eafraidofpublicspeaking.Thoseintheolderagegroupsweremorelike
lythanyoungerpeopletobeafraidofheights.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Snakes are scarier than spiders. 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 fear and phobias. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. FEAR: Make a poster about fear. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. PHOBIAS: Write a magazine article about phobias. Include imaginary interviews with someone who is afraid of spiders and a doctor who can help.

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 fear. Ask him/her three questions about fear. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to overcome fear. 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

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	survey	a.	study
2.	afraid	b.	scared
3.	place	c.	position
4.	creatures	d.	animals
5.	spaces	e.	areas
6.	rate	f.	assess
7.	big	g.	large
8.	equal	h.	the same
9.	especially	i.	particularly
10.	likely	j.	probable

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	A market research company
2.	Heights
3.	Public speaking
4.	Blood
5.	Number 10
6.	Over 2,000
7.	13
8.	Men and women, and young and old
9.	A third
10.	Older people

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

d

4.

c

5.

d

6.

c

7.

a

8.

c

9.

b

10.

a

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

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

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Britons most afraid of heights and snakes (28th March, 2014)

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS