Breaking News English Lesson: Working Week

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Venezuela introduces 2-day working week (29th April, 2016)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

The government in Venezuela has taken a drastic step to try and deal with the country's growing energy problems. It has initiated a two-day working week for all state employees. Public workers had already been working four days a week after officials made Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million public workers will now have five days off a week. President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in a televised statement, saying: "From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public sector." Employees were told they would still be paid in full, despite the greatly reduced working week.

The government is blaming the current energy crisis on droughts and El Nino weather patterns. Water levels in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low. Mr Maduro likened the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say ineffective management, inadequate investment and corruption are behind the current mess. The country's 30 million people are facing daily disruptions to their lives. Women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to rely on their own electricity generators. Electricity is being rationed in most of the country. The president even turned the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://time.com/4308909/venezuela-two-day-work-week-energy-crisis/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/27/pic--pub-venezuela-introduces-two-day-week-to-save-energy/
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-36145184

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. THE WORKING WEEK: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the working week. 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?

government / drastic / energy / employees / statement / public sector / working week / blaming / crisis / weather patterns / dams / management / corruption / rationed

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

3. SAVINGS: What is the best way to save energy? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What we can do	How useful this would be
Hair dryers
Shopping malls
School
Solar cells
Cars
Night time

4. 2 DAYS: Students A strongly believe it is best to work for two days a week ; Students B strongly believe five days is better. 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. ENERGY: Rank these with your partner. Put the best energy forms at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• coal

• hydroelectricity

• solar power

• wind power

• bio fuels

• wave power

• nuclear power

• hydrogen

6. CRISIS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "crisis". 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.	An energy crisis has prompted a two-day working week in Venezuela.	T / F
b.	All workers have been told they will now only work for two days.	T / F
c.	There are over three million public sector workers in Venezuela.	T / F
d.	Public employees will have to take a 20 per cent pay cut.	T / F
e.	Venezuela's government is blaming El Nino for the energy crisis.	T / F
f.	Venezuela's largest dam is now a desert.	T / F
g.	The government has asked women to use hair dryers less.	T / F
h.	Venezuela's government has turned the clocks back to save energy.	T / F

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

1.	step	a.	in spite of
2.	initiated	b.	compared
3.	addressed	c.	shortened
4.	despite	d.	depend
5.	reduced	e.	started
6.	current	f.	insufficient
7.	likened	g.	measure
8.	inadequate	h.	additional
9.	rely	i.	spoke to
10.	extra	j.	present

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

1.	taken a drastic	a.	a televised statement
2.	state	b.	in full
3.	addressed the nation in	c.	disruptions to their lives
4.	the public	d.	step
5.	be paid	e.	dangerously low
6.	blaming the current energy crisis	f.	management
7.	Water levels in hydroelectric dams are	g.	employees
8.	ineffective	h.	clocks back
9.	facing daily	i.	sector
10.	turned the	j.	on droughts

GAP FILL

The government in Venezuela has taken a (1) ____________ step to try and deal with the country's growing energy problems. It has initiated a two-day working week for all (2) ____________ employees. Public workers had already been working four days a week after (3) ____________ made Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million (4) ____________ workers will now have five days off a week. President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in a (5) ____________ statement, saying: "From tomorrow, for at (6) ____________ two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public (7) ____________." Employees were told they would still be paid in full, despite the (8) ____________ reduced working week.

officials
drastic
sector
state
televised
greatly
least
public

The government is (9) ____________ the current energy crisis on droughts and El Nino weather patterns. Water (10) ____________ in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low. Mr Maduro (11) ____________ the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say (12) ____________ management, inadequate investment and corruption are behind the current (13) ____________. The country's 30 million people are facing daily disruptions to their lives. Women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to (14) ____________ on their own electricity generators. Electricity is being (15) ____________ in most of the country. The president even turned the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening (16) ____________.

sunlight
likened
mess
blaming
rationed
levels
rely
ineffective

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	It has initiated a two-day working week for ______
	a. all stated employees b. all states employees c. all state employees d. all straight employees
2)	working four days a week after officials made Fridays a no-work day ______
	a. two months past b. two months hence c. two months ago d. two months before
3)	President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in ______
	a. a televised statements b. the televised statement c. the televised statements d. a televised statement
4)	we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for ______
	a. the publicly sector b. the publicity sector c. the public's sector d. the public sector
5)	Employees were told they would still ______
	a. be paid in fully b. be paid on full c. be paid in full d. be pay in full
6)	The government is blaming the current energy ______
	a. crisis on droughts b. crisis on draughts c. crisis on drifts d. crisis on drafts
7)	Water levels in hydroelectric dams are ______
	a. dangerously low b. dangerously lowly c. dangerously lows d. dangerously lows
8)	inadequate investment and corruption are behind ______
	a. the currently mess b. the current mess c. the currency mess d. the current messy
9)	shopping malls have to ______ own
	a. relay on their b. really on their c. rely on their d. rally on their
10)	turned the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of ______
	a. extras evening sunlight b. extra even in sunlight c. extras even in sunlight d. extra evening sunlight

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

The government in Venezuela has taken (1) ___________________ to try and deal with the country's growing energy problems. It has initiated a two-day working week (2) ___________________ employees. Public workers had already been working four days a week (3) ___________________ Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million public workers will now have five days off a week. President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in a (4) ___________________, saying: "From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for (5) __________________." Employees were told they would still be paid in full, (6) ________________ reduced working week.

The government is (7) ___________________ energy crisis on droughts and El Nino weather patterns. Water levels in hydroelectric dams are (8) ___________________. Mr Maduro likened the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say ineffective management, (9) ___________________ and corruption are behind the current mess. The country's 30 million people are facing daily disruptions to their lives. Women have (10) ___________________ hair dryers less and shopping malls have to rely on their own (11) ___________________. Electricity is being rationed in most of the country. The president even (12) ___________________ back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	Who has taken a drastic step?
2.	Who will now be working two days a week in Venezuela?
3.	When did workers start having Fridays off in Venezuela?
4.	How did Venezuela's president tell the nation?
5.	What will happen to the pay of employees working two days a week?
6.	What is the government blaming the energy crisis on besides El Nino?
7.	What is in the region of Guri?
8.	How many people are facing daily disruptions?
9.	What are women being asked to use less?
10.	What will turning the clocks back provide?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	Who has taken a drastic step?	6.	What is the government blaming the energy crisis on besides El Nino?
	a) hydroelectric power workers b) critics c) dam workers d) Venezuela's government		a) drafts b) drifts c) droughts d) draughts
2.	Who will now be working two days a week in Venezuela?	7.	What is in the region of Guri?
	a) Venezuela's president b) public employees c) everyone d) weather forecasters		a) Venezuela's largest dam b) the parliament building c) a weather forecasting company d) an energy company
3.	When did workers start having Fridays off in Venezuela?	8.	How many people are facing daily disruptions?
	a) last week b) they haven't yet c) last year d) two months ago		a) 13,000,000 b) 3,000,000 c) 30,000,000 d) 33,000,000
4.	How did Venezuela's president tell the nation?	9.	What are women being asked to use less?
	a) in a newspaper b) on the Internet c) on TV d) on radio		a) trains b) hair dryers c) the telephone d) microwave ovens
5.	What will happen to the pay of employees working two days a week?	10.	What will turning the clocks back provide?
	a) it will be reduced by 10 per cent b) it will be cut in half c) they will be paid for two days d) they'll be paid in full		a) more sunlight b) more time c) more money d) more energy

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Solar

You think solar is the best form of power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): nuclear, biofuels or wind.

Role B – Nuclear

You think nuclear is the best form of power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): solar, biofuels or wind.

Role C – Biofuel

You think biofuel is the best form of power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): nuclear, solar or wind.

Role D – Wind

You think wind is the best form of power. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their forms aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): nuclear, biofuels or solar.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

work

week

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:

taken
already
2.8
televised
tomorrow
greatly

blaming
region
home
mess
own
half

THE WORKING WEEK SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the working week 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.

THE WORKING WEEK 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 'crisis'?
3)	What do you think about what you read?
4)	What is the best number of days to work?
5)	What energy problems does your country have?
6)	Is a two-day working week a good idea?
7)	Do you think the two-day week will help solve the energy crisis?
8)	How can a country operate if the public sector is on two days a week?
9)	What advice do you have for Venezuela's president?
10)	Why do you think Venezuela decided on two days and not three?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What problems will there be with a two-day working week?
13)	If El Nino is to blame, why aren't neighbouring countries affected?
14)	What problems does an energy crisis create?
15)	What would you do if there was no power in your town?
16)	What do you think of asking women to reduce hair dryer use?
17)	What can Venezuela do to solve its crisis?
18)	Is turning the clock back 30 minutes a good idea?
19)	Should other countries follow Venezuela's example?
20)	What questions would you like to ask Venezuela's president?

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

The government in Venezuela has taken a (1) ____ step to try and deal with the country's growing energy problems. It has (2) ____ a two-day working week for all state employees. Public workers had (3) ____ been working four days a week after officials made Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million public workers will now have five days off a week. President Nicolas Maduro (4) ____ the nation in a televised statement, saying: "From tomorrow, for (5) ____ least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public sector." Employees were told they would still be paid (6) ____ full, despite the greatly reduced working week.

The government is (7) ____ the current energy crisis on droughts and El Nino weather patterns. Water levels in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low. Mr Maduro (8) ____ the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say ineffective management, inadequate investment and corruption are (9) ____ the current mess. The country's 30 million people are (10) ____ daily disruptions to their lives. Women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to (11) ____ on their own electricity generators. Electricity is being rationed in most of the country. The president even (12) ____ the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight.

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

1.	(a)	mastic	(b)	drastic	(c)	caustic	(d)	majestic
2.	(a)	intimated	(b)	initiated	(c)	initialed	(d)	intimidated
3.	(a)	ever	(b)	yet	(c)	still	(d)	already
4.	(a)	mailed	(b)	addressed	(c)	stamped	(d)	phoned
5.	(a)	a	(b)	most	(c)	the	(d)	at
6.	(a)	on	(b)	to	(c)	in	(d)	to
7.	(a)	blaming	(b)	blooming	(c)	beaming	(d)	bemoaning
8.	(a)	comparative	(b)	disliked	(c)	likened	(d)	loved
9.	(a)	fronted	(b)	sided	(c)	ahead	(d)	behind
10.	(a)	facing	(b)	heading	(c)	nosing	(d)	necking
11.	(a)	rely	(b)	really	(c)	rally	(d)	relay
12.	(a)	turned	(b)	switched	(c)	levered	(d)	twisted

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	taken a saditrc step
2.	It has ttdaeinii a two-day working week
3.	all state epmleyose
4.	clfisaifo made Fridays a no-work day
5.	a televised ttmsntaee
6.	the public rsocte
Paragraph 2
7.	blaming the current energy crisis on uhtrodsg
8.	the Guri enigor
9.	aqdiuatnee investment
10.	people are facing daily iupsrtsdnoi
11.	their own electricity sgreanotre
12.	Electricity is being rnaodtie

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	working four days a week after officials made Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million public
( )	the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight.
( )	The government is blaming the current energy crisis on droughts and El Nino weather patterns. Water
( )	as non-working days for the public sector." Employees were told they would still
( )	workers will now have five days off a week. President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in a televised
( )	levels in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low. Mr Maduro likened the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest
( 1 )	The government in Venezuela has taken a drastic step to try and deal with the country's growing energy
( )	corruption are behind the current mess. The country's 30 million people are facing daily disruptions to their
( )	dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say ineffective management, inadequate investment and
( )	generators. Electricity is being rationed in most of the country. The president even turned
( )	lives. Women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to rely on their own electricity
( )	be paid in full, despite the greatly reduced working week.
( )	statement, saying: "From tomorrow, for at least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
( )	problems. It has initiated a two-day working week for all state employees. Public workers had already been

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	in taken step government has drastic The Venezuela a .
2.	with growing deal country's problems and the energy Try .
3.	a week Public workers had already been working four days .
4.	have five days off a week Public workers will now .
5.	would still be paid in full Employees were told they .
6.	on droughts and El Nino Blaming the current energy crisis .
7.	levels are Water dams hydroelectric low in dangerously .
8.	are their facing lives daily disruptions People to .
9.	been use less have to dryers Women asked hair .
10.	minutes president the thirty The turned back even clocks .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

The government in Venezuela has taken a drastically / drastic step to try and deal with the country's growing energetic / energy problems. It has initiated / inundated a two-day working week for all static / state employees. Public workers had already been working four days a week after officials / officially made Fridays a no-work day two months ago. The country's 2.8 million public workers will now have five days off a / the week. President Nicolas Maduro addressed the nation in a televised stated / statement, saying: "From tomorrow, for at last / least two weeks, we are going to have Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as non-working days for the public / publicly sector." Employees were told they would still be paid in full, despite the great / greatly reduced working week.

The government is blaming the current energy crisis in / on droughts and El Nino weather patterns / patterned. Water levels in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low. Mr Maduro likening / likened the Guri region, home to the nation's biggest dam, to a desert. Critics of the president say / says ineffective management, inadequate investment and corrupt / corruption are behind the current messy / mess. The country's 30 million people are facing daily / day disruptions to their lives. Women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to relay / rely on their own electricity generators. Electricity is being rationed in / on most of the country. The president even turned the clocks / watches back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight.

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)

Th_ g_v_rnm_nt _n V_n_z__l_ h_s t_k_n _ dr_st_c st_p t_ try _nd d__l w_th th_ c__ntry's gr_w_ng _n_rgy pr_bl_ms. _t h_s _n_t__t_d _ tw_-d_y w_rk_ng w__k f_r _ll st_t_ _mpl_y__s. P_bl_c w_rk_rs h_d _lr__dy b__n w_rk_ng f__r d_ys _ w__k _ft_r _ff_c__ls m_d_ Fr_d_ys _ n_-w_rk d_y tw_ m_nths _g_. Th_ c__ntry's 2.8 m_ll__n p_bl_c w_rk_rs w_ll n_w h_v_ f_v_ d_ys _ff _ w__k. Pr_s_d_nt N_c_l_s M_d_r_ _ddr_ss_d th_ n_t__n _n _ t_l_v_s_d st_t_m_nt, s_y_ng: "Fr_m t_m_rr_w, f_r _t l__st tw_ w__ks, w_ _r_ g__ng t_ h_v_ W_dn_sd_ys, Th_rsd_ys _nd Fr_d_ys _s n_n-w_rk_ng d_ys f_r th_ p_bl_c s_ct_r." _mpl_y__s w_r_ t_ld th_y w__ld st_ll b_ p__d _n f_ll, d_sp_t_ th_ gr__tly r_d_c_d w_rk_ng w__k.

Th_ g_v_rnm_nt _s bl_m_ng th_ c_rr_nt _n_rgy cr_s_s _n dr__ghts _nd _l N_n_ w__th_r p_tt_rns. W_t_r l_v_ls _n hydr__l_ctr_c d_ms _r_ d_ng_r__sly l_w. Mr M_d_r_ l_k_n_d th_ G_r_ r_g__n, h_m_ t_ th_ n_t__n's b_gg_st d_m, t_ _ d_s_rt. Cr_t_cs _f th_ pr_s_d_nt s_y _n_ff_ct_v_ m_n_g_m_nt, _n_d_q__t_ _nv_stm_nt _nd c_rr_pt__n _r_ b_h_nd th_ c_rr_nt m_ss. Th_ c__ntry's 30 m_ll__n p__pl_ _r_ f_c_ng d__ly d_sr_pt__ns t_ th__r l_v_s. W_m_n h_v_ b__n _sk_d t_ _s_ h__r dry_rs l_ss _nd sh_pp_ng m_lls h_v_ t_ r_ly _n th__r _wn _l_ctr_c_ty g_n_r_t_rs. _l_ctr_c_ty _s b__ng r_t__n_d _n m_st _f th_ c__ntry. Th_ pr_s_d_nt _v_n t_rn_d th_ cl_cks b_ck th_rty m_n_t_s t_ pr_v_d_ h_lf-_n-h__r _f _xtr_ _v_n_ng s_nl_ght.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the government in venezuela has taken a drastic step to try and deal with the country's growing energy problems it has initiated a two-day working week for all state employees public workers had already been working four days a week after officials made fridays a no-work day two months ago the country's 28 million public workers will now have five days off a week president nicolas maduro addressed the nation in a televised statement saying "from tomorrow for at least two weeks we are going to have wednesdays thursdays and fridays as non-working days for the public sector" employees were told they would still be paid in full despite the greatly reduced working week

the government is blaming the current energy crisis on droughts and el nino weather patterns water levels in hydroelectric dams are dangerously low mr maduro likened the guri region home to the nation's biggest dam to a desert critics of the president say ineffective management inadequate investment and corruption are behind the current mess the country's 30 million people are facing daily disruptions to their lives women have been asked to use hair dryers less and shopping malls have to rely on their own electricity generators electricity is being rationed in most of the country the president even turned the clocks back thirty minutes to provide half-an-hour of extra evening sunlight

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ThegovernmentinVenezuelahastakenadrasticsteptotryanddealwith
thecountry'sgrowingenergyproblems.Ithasinitiatedatwo-daywor
kingweekforallstateemployees.Publicworkershadalreadybeenworki
ngfourdaysaweekafterofficialsmadeFridaysano-workdaytwomo
nthsago.Thecountry's2.8millionpublicworkerswillnowhavefivedays
offaweek.PresidentNicolasMaduroaddressedthenationinateleviseds
tatement,saying:"Fromtomorrow,foratleasttwoweeks,wearegoingt
ohaveWednesdays,ThursdaysandFridaysasnon-workingdaysf
orthepublicsector."Employeesweretoldtheywouldstillbepaidinfull,d
espitethegreatlyreducedworkingweek.Thegovernmentisblamingthe
currentenergycrisisondroughtsandElNinoweatherpatterns.Waterle
velsinhydroelectricdamsaredangerouslylow.MrMadurolikenedtheG
uriregion,hometothenation'sbiggestdam,toadesert.Criticsofthepres
identsayineffectivemanagement,inadequateinvestmentandcorrupti
onarebehindthecurrentmess.Thecountry's30millionpeoplearefacin
gdailydisruptionstotheirlives.Womenhavebeenaskedtousehairdryer
slessandshoppingmallshavetorelyontheirownelectricitygenerators.
Electricityisbeingrationedinmostofthecountry.Thepresidenteventur
nedtheclocksbackthirtyminutestoprovidehalf-an-hourofextraev
eningsunlight.

FREE WRITING

Write about the working week for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

A five-day working week is too long. 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 Venezuela's two-day working week. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. THE WORKING WEEK: Make a poster about the working week. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. ENERGY CRISES: Write a magazine article about dealing with energy crises by shortening the working week. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on the working week. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on the best number of days to work in a week. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

T

b

F

c

F

d

F

e

T

f

F

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	step	a.	measure
2.	initiated	b.	started
3.	addressed	c.	spoke to
4.	despite	d.	in spite of
5.	reduced	e.	shortened
6.	current	f.	present
7.	likened	g.	compared
8.	inadequate	h.	insufficient
9.	rely	i.	depend
10.	extra	j.	additional

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Venezuela's government
2.	Public employees
3.	Two months ago
4.	In a televised statement
5.	They will be paid in full
6.	Droughts
7.	Venezuela's biggest dam
8.	30 million people
9.	Hair dryers
10.	Extra sunlight

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 ;-)

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Breaking News English Lesson: Working Week

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Venezuela introduces 2-day working week (29th April, 2016)

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