Breaking News English

Home | Help This Site

Lower speed limit for New York City (9th November, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Drivers in New York City will have to drive more slowly from Friday. The city has introduced a new speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph). The old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The new law will apply to about 90 per cent of the city's streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the lower speed limit will make people drive more carefully and reduce traffic accidents and deaths. The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's a real consensus in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection of our kids, our seniors." Other people say the limit will make drivers angry and increase accidents.

Road speed limits are used in most countries to set the maximum speed for cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, etc. They can also set the minimum speed. The first maximum speed limit in the world was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest speed limit in the world is 140 kph (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's roads have no speed limit. Perhaps the most famous of these are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police said the average speed on one part of the Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that around 1.24 million people die each year in traffic accidents. This number could fall if people drove more slowly.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://online.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-lowers-speed-limit-to-25-mph-1415329929
http://7online.com/traffic/25-mile-an-hour-speed-limit-takes-effect-friday-in-nyc/384244/
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/New-25-MPH-Speed-Limit-Goes-Into-Effect-Friday-281872231.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limit

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. SPEED LIMITS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about speed limits. 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?

drive / speed limit / new law / city's streets / traffic safety / consensus / protection / trucks / maximum / minimum / Autobahns / average speed / traffic accidents

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

3. DRIVING: How can we make these things safer? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Dangers now	How to make them better
Speed
Pedestrians
Cars
Roads
Cyclists
Motorbikes

4. SPEEDING: Students A strongly believe people must pay a lot of money if they speed; 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. ACCIDENTS: Rank these with your partner. Put the things that cause most accidents at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• speeding

• mobile phones

• sleepiness

• dark

• tailgating

• fog

• bad road signs

• impatience

6. SPEED: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "speed". 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.	The old speed limit in New York was 48 mph.	T / F
b.	The new speed limit will not be on 10 per cent of the city's roads.	T / F
c.	The Department of Transport said it wanted to cut pollution.	T / F
d.	Some people said the speed limit will mean there are more accidents.	T / F
e.	The article said there are speed limits in most countries in the world.	T / F
f.	The world's first ever speed limit was 16 kph.	T / F
g.	German police said the top speed for cars on its Autobahns is 142 kph.	T / F
h.	The WHO said 12.4 million people a year die in traffic accidents.	T / F

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

1.	introduced	a.	agreement
2.	old	b.	about
3.	reduce	c.	previous
4.	consensus	d.	started
5.	seniors	e.	amount
6.	set	f.	earliest
7.	introduced	g.	decided on
8.	famous	h.	aged
9.	around	i.	decrease
10.	number	j.	well known

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

1.	Drivers in New York City will have to	a.	accidents
2.	The city has introduced a new speed	b.	more slowly
3.	reduce traffic	c.	increase accidents
4.	end pedestrian	d.	in 1861
5.	make drivers angry and	e.	speed for cars
6.	set the maximum	f.	drive more slowly
7.	introduced in the United Kingdom	g.	year in traffic accidents
8.	the most famous of these are the	h.	limit of 25 mph
9.	around 1.24 million people die each	i.	Autobahns in Germany
10.	This number could fall if people drove	j.	deaths

GAP FILL

Drivers in New York City will have to drive more (1) ____________ from Friday. The city has (2) ____________ a new speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph). The old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The new law will (3) ____________ to about 90 per cent of the city's streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the (4) ____________ speed limit will make people drive more carefully and reduce traffic accidents and deaths. The city's (5) ____________, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's a real (6) ____________ in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the (7) ____________ of our kids, our seniors." Other people say the limit will make drivers angry and (8) ____________ accidents.

mayor
consensus
increase
introduced
lower
slowly
protection
apply

Road speed limits are used in most countries to (9) ____________ the maximum speed for cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, etc. They can also set the (10) ____________ speed. The first maximum speed limit in the world was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The (11) ____________ speed limit in the world is 140 kph (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's roads have no speed limit. Perhaps the most (12) ____________ of these are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police said the (13) ____________ speed on one (14) ____________ of the Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that (15) ____________ 1.24 million people die each year in traffic accidents. This number could (16) ____________ if people drove more slowly.

highest
part
around
minimum
fall
famous
set
average

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Drivers in New York City will have to drive more slowly ______
	a. for Friday b. since Friday c. last Friday d. from Friday
2)	The new law will apply to about 90 per cent of ______
	a. the city's street b. the city's streets c. the cites streets d. the cities street
3)	he wanted to improve traffic safety and end ______
	a. pedestrian deaths b. pedestrian death c. pedestrian deaf d. pedestrian deft
4)	drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection of our ______
	a. kids, our senior b. kids, our junior c. kids, our seniors d. kids, our juniors
5)	Other people say the limit will make drivers angry ______
	a. and decrease accidents b. and crease accidents c. and ink crease accidents d. and increase accidents
6)	Road speed limits are used in most countries to set ______
	a. the premium speed b. the optimum speed c. the platinum speed d. the maximum speed
7)	The highest speed limit in the world is ______
	a. 140 kph (78 mph) b. 114 kph (87 mph) c. 140 kph (87 mph) d. 140 kph (78 mph)
8)	German police said the average speed on one part of the Autobahn ______
	a. was 143 kph b. was 142 kph c. was 141 kph d. was 140 kph
9)	around 1.24 million people die each year ______
	a. in traffic accident b. in traffic incidents c. in traffic accidents d. in traffic accidental
10)	This number could fall if people ______
	a. driving more slowly b. drove more slowly c. drives more slowly d. driven more slowly

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Drivers in New York City (1) ___________________ more slowly from Friday. The city has introduced a new speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph). The old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The (2) ___________________ to about 90 per cent of the city's streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the lower speed limit will make people drive more (3) ___________________ traffic accidents and deaths. The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve traffic (4) ___________________ pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's (5) ___________________ this town that we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection of our kids, our seniors." Other people (6) ___________________ drivers angry and increase accidents.

Road speed limits are used in most countries (7) ___________________ speed for cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, etc. They can also set the minimum speed. The first maximum speed (8) ___________________ was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest speed limit (9) ___________________ (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's (10) ___________________ limit. Perhaps the most famous of these are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police said the average speed (11) ___________________ Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that around 1.24 million people (12) ___________________ traffic accidents. This number could fall if people drove more slowly.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What will drivers in New York have to do from Friday?
2.	What was the old speed limit in kilometres per hour?
3.	What does the New York City mayor want to end?
4.	Who did the mayor say needed protection?
5.	How did other people say the speed limit might make people feel?
6.	What can speed limits do besides set the maximum speed?
7.	When was the world's first speed limit introduced?
8.	Which two countries have the world's highest speed limit?
9.	What was the average speed on one part of a German road in 2006?
10.	Who said the number of road deaths per year was 1.24 million?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What will drivers in New York have to do from Friday?	6.	What can speed limits do besides set the maximum speed?
	a) pay a new speeding fine b) drive more slowly c) get a new license d) read the rules of the road again		a) set the minimum speed limit b) make people drive at the same speed c) make car engines smaller d) increase the number of traffic police
2.	What was the old speed limit in kilometres per hour?	7.	When was the world's first speed limit introduced?
	a) 42 kph b) 46 kph c) 48 kph d) 44 kph		a) 1816 b) 1681 c) 1618 d) 1861
3.	What does the New York City mayor want to end?	8.	Which two countries have the world's highest speed limit?
	a) noise pollution b) driving in the city c) speed limits d) pedestrian deaths		a) Ecuador and Argentina b) Germany and Italy c) Poland and Bulgaria d) South Africa and Lesotho
4.	Who did the mayor say needed protection?	9.	What was the average speed on one part of a German road in 2006?
	a) traffic police b) kids and seniors c) cyclists d) drivers		a) 148 kph (82 mph) b) 182 kph (88 mph) c) 188 kph (42 mph) d) 142 kph (88 mph)
5.	How did other people say the speed limit would make people feel?	10.	Who said the number of road deaths per year was 1.24 million?
	a) angry b) good c) confused d) safe		a) German police b) the WHO c) the International Road Safety Centre d) the New York City police

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Mobile phones

You think mobile phones are the most important thing to make new rules for driving safety. Tell the others three reasons why their things do not need many rules. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): sleepiness, tailgating or speeding.

Role B – Sleepiness

You think sleepiness is the most important thing to make new rules for driving safety. Tell the others three reasons why their things do not need many rules. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): mobile phones, tailgating or speeding.

Role C –Tailgating

You think tailgating is the most important thing to make new rules for driving safety. Tell the others three reasons why their things do not need many rules. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): sleepiness, mobile phones or speeding.

Role D – Speeding

You think speeding is the most important thing to make new rules for driving safety. Tell the others three reasons why their things do not need many rules. Also, tell the others which is the least dangerous of these (and why): sleepiness, tailgating or mobile phones.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

speed

limit

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:

new
90
reduce
real
kids
angry

most
first
140
famous
142
1.24

SPEED LIMITS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about speed limits 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.

SPEED LIMITS DISCUSSION

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

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'speed'?
3)	What are speed limits like in your country?
4)	What do you think of a 25 mph (40 kph) speed limit?
5)	What are the good and bad things about speed limits?
6)	How do people drive in your country?
7)	Are you a good, careful and safe driver?
8)	How can cities improve traffic safety?
9)	Should there be fewer roads and more pedestrian areas?
10)	Why might people get angry with the new speed limit?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	Should there be different speed limits for trucks?
13)	What kind of drivers are the most dangerous?
14)	Why are there minimum speed limits
15)	What should happen to people who go over the speed limit?
16)	What would life be like with a speed limit of 10 mph (16 kph)?
17)	Why do you think there's no speed limit on Germany's Autobahns?
18)	What would happen if there were no speed limits?
19)	Why do people like driving fast?
20)	What questions would you like to ask New York's mayor?

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

Drivers in New York City will have to drive (1) ____ slowly from Friday. The city has introduced a new speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph). The (2) ____ limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The new law will (3) ____ to about 90 per cent of the city's streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the lower speed limit will (4) ____ people drive more carefully and reduce traffic accidents and deaths. The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's a real consensus in this town (5) ____ we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection of our kids, our seniors." Other people say the limit will (6) ____ drivers angry and increase accidents.

Road speed limits are (7) ____ in most countries to set the maximum speed for cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, etc. They can also set the minimum speed. The first maximum speed limit (8) ____ the world was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest speed limit in the world is 140 kph (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's roads (9) ____ no speed limit. Perhaps the most famous of (10) ____ are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police said the average speed on one part (11) ____ the Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that around 1.24 million people die each year (12) ____ traffic accidents. This number could fall if people drove more slowly.

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

1.	(a)	mainly	(b)	many	(c)	most	(d)	more
2.	(a)	lasted	(b)	past	(c)	fast	(d)	old
3.	(a)	supply	(b)	apply	(c)	reapply	(d)	reply
4.	(a)	do	(b)	have	(c)	make	(d)	learn
5.	(a)	that	(b)	if	(c)	what	(d)	for
6.	(a)	make	(b)	do	(c)	be	(d)	speed
7.	(a)	users	(b)	using	(c)	uses	(d)	used
8.	(a)	in	(b)	to	(c)	as	(d)	from
9.	(a)	has	(b)	have	(c)	having	(d)	had
10.	(a)	this	(b)	that	(c)	these	(d)	theses
11.	(a)	by	(b)	for	(c)	of	(d)	to
12.	(a)	as	(b)	in	(c)	at	(d)	by

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	The city has tdeinurocd a new speed limit
2.	department of atoisnprrontta
3.	make people drive more falelcuyr
4.	he wanted to improve traffic ftseay
5.	for the crntiepoot of our kids
6.	make drivers gnray
Paragraph 2
7.	set the mmxaimu speed
8.	set the nmimmui speed
9.	the iethhgs speed limit
10.	the most fmsauo of these
11.	the veregaa speed
12.	traffic sictadcen

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( 1 )	Drivers in New York City will have to drive more slowly from Friday. The city has introduced a new speed
( )	famous of these are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police said the average
( )	speed limit will make people drive more carefully and reduce traffic accidents and deaths. The city's
( )	speed on one part of the Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that around
( )	the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest speed limit in the
( )	world is 140 kph (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's roads have no speed limit. Perhaps the most
( )	1.24 million people die each year in traffic accidents. This number could fall if people drove more slowly.
( )	motorbikes, etc. They can also set the minimum speed. The first maximum speed limit in the world was
( )	mayor, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's a real
( )	limit of 25 mph (40 kph). The old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The new law will apply
( )	Road speed limits are used in most countries to set the maximum speed for cars, trucks, buses,
( )	to about 90 per cent of the city's streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the lower
( )	of our kids, our seniors." Other people say the limit will make drivers angry and increase accidents.
( )	consensus in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	drive to have will City York New in Drivers slowly more.
2.	introduced a The new city speed has limit.
3.	speed make carefully lower will drive The limit people.
4.	drive need more to carefully have people We.
5.	say will angry people limit drivers Other the make.
6.	most limits countries are used Road in speed.
7.	the set also can They speed minimum.
8.	the world is 140 The highest speed limit in. kph
9.	the have limit of roads speed Some world's no.
10.	each die people million 1.24 accidents traffic in year.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Drivers in New York City will have / has to drive more slowly from Friday. The city has introduced a new speed limit / limited of 25 mph (40 kph). The old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph). The new law will applies / apply to about 90 per cent of the city's street / streets. The city's Department of Transportation hopes the lower speed / speedy limit will make people drive more carefully and deduce / reduce traffic accidents and deaths. The city's mayor, Bill de Blasio, said he wanted to improve / reprove traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths. He said: "There's a real / reality consensus in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully / careful, more safely and slower for the protection of our kids, our seniors." Other people say the limit will make drivers anger / angry and increase accidents.

Road speed limits are usefully / used in most countries to set the maximum speed for / to cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes, etc. They can also set the minimum speed. The first maximum speed limit in / on the world was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced / introduction in the United Kingdom in 1861. The highest speed limit in the world be / is 140 kph (87 mph) in Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the world's roads have no / not speed limit. Perhaps the most famous of these / theses are the Autobahns in Germany. In 2006, German police say / said the average speed on one part of the Autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph). The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that round / around 1.24 million people die each year in traffic accidents. This number could fall if people drove more slow / slowly.

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)

Dr_v_rs _n N_w Y_rk C_ty w_ll h_v_ t_ dr_v_ m_r_ sl_wly fr_m Fr_d_y. Th_ c_ty h_s _ntr_d_c_d _ n_w sp__d l_m_t _f 25 mph (40 kph). Th_ _ld l_m_t w_s 30 mph (_b__t 48 kph). Th_ n_w l_w w_ll _pply t_ _b__t 90 p_r c_nt _f th_ c_ty's str__ts. Th_ c_ty's D_p_rtm_nt _f Tr_nsp_rt_t__n h_p_s th_ l_w_r sp__d l_m_t w_ll m_k_ p__pl_ dr_v_ m_r_ c_r_f_lly _nd r_d_c_ tr_ff_c _cc_d_nts _nd d__ths. Th_ c_ty's m_y_r, B_ll d_ Bl_s__, s__d h_ w_nt_d t_ _mpr_v_ tr_ff_c s_f_ty _nd _nd p_d_str__n d__ths. H_ s__d: "Th_r_'s _ r__l c_ns_ns_s _n th_s t_wn th_t w_ n__d t_ h_v_ p__pl_ dr_v_ m_r_ c_r_f_lly, m_r_ s_f_ly _nd sl_w_r f_r th_ pr_t_ct__n _f __r k_ds, __r s_n__rs." _th_r p__pl_ s_y th_ l_m_t w_ll m_k_ dr_v_rs _ngry _nd _ncr__s_ _cc_d_nts.

R__d sp__d l_m_ts _r_ _s_d _n m_st c__ntr__s t_ s_t th_ m_x_m_m sp__d f_r c_rs, tr_cks, b_s_s, m_t_rb_k_s, _tc. Th_y c_n _ls_ s_t th_ m_n_m_m sp__d. Th_ f_rst m_x_m_m sp__d l_m_t _n th_ w_rld w_s th_ 10 mph (16 kph) l_m_t _ntr_d_c_d _n th_ _n_t_d K_ngd_m _n 1861. Th_ h_gh_st sp__d l_m_t _n th_ w_rld _s 140 kph (87 mph) _n P_l_nd _nd B_lg_r__. S_m_ _f th_ w_rld's r__ds h_v_ n_ sp__d l_m_t. P_rh_ps th_ m_st f_m__s _f th_s_ _r_ th_ __t_b_hns _n G_rm_ny. _n 2006, G_rm_n p_l_c_ s__d th_ _v_r_g_ sp__d _n _n_ p_rt _f th_ __t_b_hn w_s 142 kph (88 mph). Th_ W_rld H__lth _rg_n_s_t__n (WH_) s__d th_t _r__nd 1.24 m_ll__n p__pl_ d__ __ch y__r _n tr_ff_c _cc_d_nts. Th_s n_mb_r c__ld f_ll _f p__pl_ dr_v_ m_r_ sl_wly.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

drivers in new york city will have to drive more slowly from friday the city has introduced a new speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph) the old limit was 30 mph (about 48 kph) the new law will apply to about 90 per cent of the city's streets the city's department of transportation hopes the lower speed limit will make people drive more carefully and reduce traffic accidents and deaths the city's mayor bill de blasio said he wanted to improve traffic safety and end pedestrian deaths he said "there's a real consensus in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully more safely and slower for the protection of our kids our seniors" other people say the limit will make drivers angry and increase accidents

road speed limits are used in most countries to set the maximum speed for cars trucks buses motorbikes etc they can also set the minimum speed the first maximum speed limit in the world was the 10 mph (16 kph) limit introduced in the united kingdom in 1861 the highest speed limit in the world is 140 kph (87 mph) in poland and bulgaria some of the world's roads have no speed limit perhaps the most famous of these are the autobahns in germany in 2006 german police said the average speed on one part of the autobahn was 142 kph (88 mph) the world health organisation (who) said that around 124 million people die each year in traffic accidents this number could fall if people drove more slowly

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

DriversinNewYorkCitywillhavetodrivemoreslowlyfromFriday.Thecit
yhasintroducedanewspeedlimitof25mph(40kph).Theoldlimitwas30
mph(about48kph).Thenewlawwillapplytoabout90percentofthecity'
sstreets.Thecity'sDepartmentofTransportationhopesthelowerspeed
limitwillmakepeopledrivemorecarefullyandreducetrafficaccidentsan
ddeaths.Thecity'smayor,BilldeBlasio,saidhewantedtoimprovetraffic
safetyandendpedestriandeaths.Hesaid:"There'sarealconsensusinth
istownthatweneedtohavepeopledrivemorecarefully,moresafelyand
slowerfortheprotectionofourkids,ourseniors."Otherpeoplesaythelim
itwillmakedriversangryandincreaseaccidents.Roadspeedlimitsareu
sedinmostcountriestosetthemaximumspeedforcars,trucks,buses,m
otorbikes,etc.Theycanalsosettheminimumspeed.Thefirstmaximum
speedlimitintheworldwasthe10mph(16kph)limitintroducedintheUni
tedKingdomin1861.Thehighestspeedlimitintheworldis140kph(87m
ph)inPolandandBulgaria.Someoftheworld'sroadshavenospeedlimit.
PerhapsthemostfamousofthesearetheAutobahnsinGermany.In200
6,GermanpolicesaidtheaveragespeedononepartoftheAutobahnwas
142kph(88mph).TheWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)saidthataroun
d1.24millionpeopledieeachyearintrafficaccidents.Thisnumbercouldf
allifpeopledrovemoreslowly.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

There should be no speed limits on 3-lane roads. 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 speed limits. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. SPEED LIMITS: Make a poster about speed limits. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. 25 / 40: Write a magazine article about a speed limit on all roads of 25 mph (40 kph). Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

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 road safety. Ask him/her three questions about accidents. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to reduce them. 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

F

d

T

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	introduced	a.	started
2.	old	b.	previous
3.	reduce	c.	decrease
4.	consensus	d.	agreement
5.	seniors	e.	aged
6.	set	f.	decided on
7.	first	g.	earliest
8.	famous	h.	well known
9.	around	i.	about
10.	number	j.	amount

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Drive more slowly
2.	48 kph
3.	Pedestrian deaths
4.	Kids and seniors
5.	Angry
6.	Set the minimum speed
7.	1861
8.	Poland and Bulgaria
9.	142 kph (88 mph)
10.	The WHO (World Health Organisation)

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

a

4.

b

5.

d

6.

b

7.

a

8.

c

9.

d

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

Lower speed limit for New York City (9th November, 2014)

PRINT

LISTEN

READ

GRAMMAR

SPELL

WORDS