The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Mathematicians are using their analytical skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might seem odd that a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is behind the perfect cup of coffee until you realize that coffee consists of over 1,800 chemical components. If you combine these with the different ways of brewing coffee, it makes sense because there are a lot of numbers involved. Mathematicians from universities in Ireland and England used some complex calculations to determine how to make an ideal cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through a variety of filter coffee machines.

The scientists hope their research will change the way coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our overall idea is to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines, rather like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the near future, coffee lovers might be able to adjust many of the variables that affect the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how hot the water is, how fast the water flows, the size coffee beans are ground into, the length of time it is brewed, and more. The research is published in the journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 4  or  Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37989169
  • http://phys.org/news/2016-11-mathematics-coffee-ideal-brew.html
  • http://dailycoffeenews.com/2016/11/15/extraction-in-drip-filter-machines-science-asks-whats-up-with-that/
  • http://epubs.siam.org /doi/pdf/10.1137/15M1036658


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. COFFEE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about coffee. 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?

       analytical / skills / perfect / chemical / components / sense / complex / calculations /
       research / overall / idea / design / mechanics / lovers / brewed / brewed / published

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

3. THE BEST: Students A strongly believe coffee is the best drink and that tea is horrible; Students B strongly believe tea is the best drink and that coffee is horrible.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. PERFECT: How can these foods and drinks be perfect? Discuss this with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

  • Coffee
  • Yoghurt
  • French fries
  • Cola
  • Pizza
  • Ice cream
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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

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

6. TASTE: Rank these with your partner. Put the things with the best taste at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • chocolate
  • salt
  • chilli
  • banana
  • coffee
  • lemon
  • garlic
  • honey

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says it might seem odd for mathematicians to analyze coffee. T / F
  2. The article says there are over 1,800 types of coffee in the world.     T / F
  3. The article says there are a lot of numbers involved in analyzing coffee.   T / F
  4. The calculations the mathematicians used were fairly straightforward.     T / F
  5. The scientists hope coffee machines will be made differently.     T / F
  6. The scientists want to analyze the perfect racing car next.     T / F
  7. The article says there will be more coffee lovers in the near future.     T / F
  8. The research has been published in a journal.     T / F

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

  1. analytical
  2. odd
  3. establish
  4. combine
  5. variety
  6. change
  7. overall
  8. affect
  9. ground
  10. published
  1. crushed
  2. prove
  3. assortment
  4. general
  5. logical
  6. printed
  7. influence
  8. strange
  9. alter
  10. mix

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

  1. Mathematicians are using their
  2. It might seem
  3. establish what is behind
  4. complex
  5. what happens to coffee as it
  6. change the way coffee machines
  7. have a complete mathematical
  8. coffee
  9. the size coffee beans are
  10. the length of time it is
  1. the perfect cup of coffee
  2. brewed
  3. calculations
  4. are made
  5. odd
  6. lovers
  7. ground into
  8. analytical skills
  9. model
  10. passes through

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
establish
sense
ideal
analytical
combine
variety
consists
involved

Mathematicians are using their (1) ____________ skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might seem odd that a team of mathematicians is trying to (2) ____________ what is behind the perfect cup of coffee until you realize that coffee (3) ____________ of over 1,800 chemical components. If you (4) ____________ these with the different ways of brewing coffee, it makes (5) ____________ because there are a lot of numbers (6) ____________. Mathematicians from universities in Ireland and England used some complex calculations to determine how to make an (7) ____________ cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through a (8) ____________ of filter coffee machines.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
rather
brewed
way
affect
journal
overall
flows
lovers

The scientists hope their research will change the (9) ____________ coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our (10) ____________ idea is to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines, (11) ____________ like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the near future, coffee (12) ____________ might be able to adjust many of the variables that (13) ____________ the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how hot the water is, how fast the water (14) ____________, the size coffee beans are ground into, the length of time it is (15) ____________, and more. The research is published in the (16) ____________ of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Mathematicians are using their ______ understand
     a.  analytical skills too
     b.  analytical skills to
     c.  analytical skills two
     d.  analytical skills thtough

2)  a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is ______ cup
     a.  behind a perfect
     b.  behind then perfect
     c.  behind them perfect
     d.  behind the perfect

3)  until you realize that coffee consists of over 1,800 ______
     a.  chemicals components
     b.  chemical component
     c.  chemical components
     d.  chemicals component

4)  it makes sense because there are a lot of ______
     a.  numbers involve
     b.  numbers involved
     c.  numbers involvement
     d.  numbers involves

5)  some complex calculations to determine how to make ______
     a.  an idea cuppa
     b.  an ideal cuppa
     c.  an ideas cuppa
     d.  an eye deal cuppa

6)  The scientists hope their research will change the way coffee ______
     a.  machines be make
     b.  machines are made
     c.  machines are maid
     d.  machines be made

7)  Our overall idea is to have a complete mathematical model ______
     a.  of coffee blow in
     b.  of coffee brewed
     c.  of coffee blowing
     d.  of coffee brewing

8) coffee lovers might be able to adjust many of the variables that ______
     a.  affect the taste
     b.  affects the taste
     c.  effect the taste
     d.  effects the taste

9)  how hot the water is, how fast the water flows, the size coffee beans ______
     a.  are ground onto
     b.  are grind onto
     c.  are grained into
     d.  are ground into

10) published in the journal of the Society for Industrial and ______
     a.  App Mathematics
     b.  Applied Mathematics
     c.  Supplied Mathematics
     d.  Replied Mathematics

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Mathematicians (1) ___________________ analytical skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might (2) ___________________ a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is behind the perfect cup of coffee until (3) ___________________ coffee consists of over 1,800 chemical components. If you combine these with the different ways of brewing coffee, (4) ___________________ because there are a lot of numbers involved. Mathematicians from universities in Ireland and England used some complex calculations (5) ___________________ to make an ideal cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through (6) ___________________ coffee machines.

The scientists hope their research will (7) ___________________ coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our (8) ___________________ to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines, (9) ___________________ use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the near future, coffee lovers might be (10) ___________________ many of the variables that affect the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how hot the water is, how fast (11) ___________________, the size coffee beans are ground into, the length of time (12) ___________________, and more. The research is published in the journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of skills are mathematicians using?
  2. How many chemical components are in coffee?
  3. Where are the mathematicians from?
  4. What kind of calculations did the mathematicians use?
  5. What did coffee pass through that the mathematicians focused on?
  6. What do the scientists hope will change?
  7. What did a mathematician compare coffee machines with the design of?
  8. When might coffee lovers be able to make their perfect cup of coffee?
  9. What speed was mentioned as part of the brewing process?
  10. What happens to coffee beans to make them smaller?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What kind of skills are mathematicians using?
a) caffeinated skills
b) analytical skills
c) perfect skills
d) barista skills

2) How many chemical components are in coffee?
a) slightly fewer than 1,800
b) exactly 1,800
c) around 1,800
d) more than 1,800

3) Where are the mathematicians from?
a) England and Ireland
b) The United Kingdom
c) Northern Ireland and Scotland
d) England and N. Ireland

4) What kind of calculations did the mathematicians use?
a) algebraic ones
b) ones on calculators
c) complex ones
d) simple ones

5) What did coffee pass through that the mathematicians focused on?
a) hygiene tests
b) filter coffee machines
c) stomachs
d) tubes and pipes

6) What do the scientists hope will change?
a) coffee beans
b) the number of coffee lovers
c) how coffee machines are made
d) tea

7) What did a mathematician compare coffee machines with the design of?
a) perfection
b) tea
c) lovers
d) racing cars

8) When might coffee lovers be able to make their perfect cup of coffee?
a) in the near future
b) 8.50am
c) in the year 2031
d) in a moment or two

9) What speed was mentioned as part of the brewing process?
a) water flow
b) light
c) sound
d) taste

10) What happens to coffee beans to make them smaller?
a) they are sliced
b) they are ground
c) they are chopped up
d) they are smashed

Role play

Role A — Coffee

You think coffee has the best taste. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with the taste of their things. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): lemon, garlic or salt.

Role B — Lemon

You think lemon has the best taste. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with the taste of their things. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): coffee, garlic or salt.

Role C — Garlic

You think garlic has the best taste. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with the taste of their things. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): lemon, coffee or salt.

Role D — Salt

You think salt has the best taste. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with the taste of their things. Also, tell the others which is the least tasty of these (and why): lemon, garlic or coffee.

After reading / listening

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

'perfect'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'cup'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • hope
    • idea
    • rather
    • lovers
    • fast
    • length
    • skills
    • team
    • over
    • ways
    • lot
    • passes

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - Mathematicians work out the perfect cup of coffee

    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 'coffee'?
    3. What is the perfect cup of coffee?
    4. What do you think of coffee?
    5. How important is coffee in your culture?
    6. Is coffee good or bad for you?
    7. What do you think of mathematicians making the perfect cup of coffee?
    8. What do you think of cafes and coffee shops?
    9. What is your country's national drink?
    10. Is filter coffee or instant coffee best?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. How useful are coffee machines?
    3. What other drinks should scientists find the perfect version of?
    4. Will all food and drink taste perfectly in the future?
    5. What would you like to know about coffee?
    6. At what age is it OK to start drinking coffee?
    7. What different types of coffee are there?
    8. What do you think of the price of coffee?
    9. When is the best time to drink coffee?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Mathematicians are using their analytical skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might seem (1) ____ that a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is (2) ____ the perfect cup of coffee until you realize that coffee consists (3) ____ over 1,800 chemical components. If you combine these with the different ways of brewing coffee, it (4) ____ sense because there are a lot of numbers involved. Mathematicians from universities in Ireland and England used some complex calculations to determine how to make an (5) ____ cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through a (6) ____ of filter coffee machines.

    The scientists hope their research will change the way coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our (7) ____ idea is to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines, (8) ____ like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the (9) ____ future, coffee lovers might be able to adjust many of the variables that affect the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how hot the water is, how fast the water (10) ____, the size coffee beans are (11) ____ into, the length of time it is brewed, and more. The research is published (12) ____ the journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     oddly     (b)     odder     (c)     odd     (d)     oddest    
    2. (a)     behind     (b)     beneath     (c)     bemoan     (d)     behest    
    3. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     on     (d)     at    
    4. (a)     makes     (b)     does     (c)     be     (d)     gives    
    5. (a)     ordeal     (b)     ideal     (c)     unideal     (d)     misdeal    
    6. (a)     varies     (b)     varied     (c)     various     (d)     variety    
    7. (a)     overalls     (b)     overt     (c)     overall     (d)     over-do    
    8. (a)     choice     (b)     instead     (c)     prefer     (d)     rather    
    9. (a)     near     (b)     nears     (c)     nearly     (d)     neared    
    10. (a)     flew     (b)     flows     (c)     flue     (d)     flues    
    11. (a)     grand     (b)     ground     (c)     grind     (d)     grunt    
    12. (a)     to     (b)     at     (c)     in     (d)     of

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. using their laytcaalin skills
    2. over 1,800 chemical mosnnteocp
    3. there are a lot of numbers vovneldi
    4. used some pclxmoe calculations
    5. rnideteme how to make an ideal cuppa
    6. a yraitve of filter coffee machines

     

    Paragraph 2

    1. Our oarvlel idea
    2. a eyroht of fluid and solid mechanics
    3. adjust many of the arvlbiase
    4. as it is filtered and rewedb
    5. These uicdeln how hot the water is
    6. The research is published in the njoualr

    Put the text back together

    (    )     published in the journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

    (    )     The scientists hope their research will change the way coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our overall

    (    )     taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how hot the water is, how fast the water

    (    )     ways of brewing coffee, it makes sense because there are a lot of numbers involved. Mathematicians from

    (    )     idea is to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to

    (    )     realize that coffee consists of over 1,800 chemical components. If you combine these with the different

    (    )     design coffee machines, rather like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the near

    (    )     future, coffee lovers might be able to adjust many of the variables that affect the

    (    )     odd that a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is behind the perfect cup of coffee until you

    (    )     flows, the size coffee beans are ground into, the length of time it is brewed, and more. The research is

    (    )     to make an ideal cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what

    (    )     happens to coffee as it passes through a variety of filter coffee machines.

    (  1  )     Mathematicians are using their analytical skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might seem

    (    )     universities in Ireland and England used some complex calculations to determine how

    Put the words in the right order

    1. skills   analytical   their  using   are  Mathematicians   understand   to   .
    2. coffee   the   Establish   perfect   what   cup   is   of   behind   .
    3. different   Combine   ways   these   of   with   brewing   the   coffee   .
    4. because  there  are  a   lot   of   numbers  involved  It   makes  sense   .
    5. it   Focused   happens   as   through   what   coffee   passes   on   to   .
    6. change   are   the   made   way   Research   coffee   will   machines   .
    7. model   mathematical   complete   a   Have   brewing   coffee   of   .
    8. future   ,   coffee   lovers   might   be   able   to   In   the   near   .
    9. taste   of   the   coffee   Many   of   the   variables   that   affect   the   .
    10. the   beans   the   and   coffee   fast   flows   size   How   water   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Mathematicians are using their analytical skillful / skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee. It might seem oddly / odd that a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is behind / beneath the perfect cup of coffee until you realize that coffee contrasts / consists of over 1,800 chemical components. If you combine these to / with the different ways of brewing coffee, it makes sense / sensible because there are a lot of numbers involved / involving. Mathematicians from universities in Ireland and England used some / them complex calculations to determine how to make an idea / ideal cuppa. Researchers Dr William Lee and Dr Kevin Moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through a variety / various of filter coffee machines.

    The scientists hope their research will exchange / change the way coffee machines are made. Dr Lee told the BBC News: "Our overall / overalls idea is to have a complete mathematical model / replica of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines, rather / prefer like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars." In the nearly / near future, coffee lovers might be able to adjustment / adjust many of the variables that affect / effect the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed. These include how / what hot the water is, how fast the water flows, the size coffee beans are ground / earthed into, the length of time it is brewed, and more. The research is published in the journal / journey of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

    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)

    M_th_m_t_c__ns _r_ _s_ng th__r _n_lyt_c_l sk_lls t_ _nd_rst_nd wh_t m_k_s th_ p_rf_ct c_p _f c_ff__. _t m_ght s__m _dd th_t _ t__m _f m_th_m_t_c__ns _s try_ng t_ _st_bl_sh wh_t _s b_h_nd th_ p_rf_ct c_p _f c_ff__ _nt_l y__ r__l_z_ th_t c_ff__ c_ns_sts _f _v_r 1,800 ch_m_c_l c_mp_n_nts. _f y__ c_mb_n_ th_s_ w_th th_ d_ff_r_nt w_ys _f br_w_ng c_ff__, _t m_k_s s_ns_ b_c__s_ th_r_ _r_ _ l_t _f n_mb_rs _nv_lv_d. M_th_m_t_c__ns fr_m _n_v_rs_t__s _n _r_l_nd _nd _ngl_nd _s_d s_m_ c_mpl_x c_lc_l_t__ns t_ d_t_rm_n_ h_w t_ m_k_ _n _d__l c_pp_. R_s__rch_rs Dr W_ll__m L__ _nd Dr K_v_n M_r_n_y f_c_s_d _n wh_t h_pp_ns t_ c_ff__ _s _t p_ss_s thr__gh _ v_r__ty _f f_lt_r c_ff__ m_ch_n_s.

    Th_ sc__nt_sts h_p_ th__r r_s__rch w_ll ch_ng_ th_ w_y c_ff__ m_ch_n_s _r_ m_d_. Dr L__ t_ld th_ BBC N_ws: "__r _v_r_ll _d__ _s t_ h_v_ _ c_mpl_t_ m_th_m_t_c_l m_d_l _f c_ff__ br_w_ng th_t y__ c__ld _s_ t_ d_s_gn c_ff__ m_ch_n_s, r_th_r l_k_ w_ _s_ _ th__ry _f fl__d _nd s_l_d m_ch_n_cs t_ d_s_gn r_c_ng c_rs." _n th_ n__r f_t_r_, c_ff__ l_v_rs m_ght b_ _bl_ t_ _dj_st m_ny _f th_ v_r__bl_s th_t _ff_ct th_ t_st_ _f th_ c_ff__ _s _t _s f_lt_r_d _nd br_w_d. Th_s_ _ncl_d_ h_w h_t th_ w_t_r _s, h_w f_st th_ w_t_r fl_ws, th_ s_z_ c_ff__ b__ns _r_ gr__nd _nt_, th_ l_ngth _f t_m_ _t _s br_w_d, _nd m_r_. Th_ r_s__rch _s p_bl_sh_d _n th_ j__rn_l _f th_ S_c__ty f_r _nd_str__l _nd _ppl__d M_th_m_t_cs.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    mathematicians are using their analytical skills to understand what makes the perfect cup of coffee it might seem odd that a team of mathematicians is trying to establish what is behind the perfect cup of coffee until you realize that coffee consists of over 1800 chemical components if you combine these with the different ways of brewing coffee it makes sense because there are a lot of numbers involved mathematicians from universities in ireland and england used some complex calculations to determine how to make an ideal cuppa researchers dr william lee and dr kevin moroney focused on what happens to coffee as it passes through a variety of filter coffee machines

    the scientists hope their research will change the way coffee machines are made dr lee told the bbc news "our overall idea is to have a complete mathematical model of coffee brewing that you could use to design coffee machines rather like we use a theory of fluid and solid mechanics to design racing cars" in the near future coffee lovers might be able to adjust many of the variables that affect the taste of the coffee as it is filtered and brewed these include how hot the water is how fast the water flows the size coffee beans are ground into the length of time it is brewed and more the research is published in the journal of the society for industrial and applied mathematics

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Mathematiciansareusingtheiranalyticalskillstounderstandwhatmak
    estheperfectcupofcoffee.Itmightseemoddthatateamofmathematici
    ansistryingtoestablishwhatisbehindtheperfectcupofcoffeeuntilyour
    ealizethatcoffeeconsistsofover1,800chemicalcomponents.Ifyouco
    mbinethesewiththedifferentwaysofbrewingcoffee,itmakessensebec
    ausetherearealotofnumbersinvolved.Mathematiciansfromuniversiti
    esinIrelandandEnglandusedsomecomplexcalculationstodetermineh
    owtomakeanidealcuppa.ResearchersDrWilliamLeeandDrKevinMoro
    neyfocusedonwhathappenstocoffeeasitpassesthroughavarietyoffilt
    ercoffeemachines.Thescientistshopetheirresearchwillchangethewa
    ycoffeemachinesaremade.DrLeetoldtheBBCNews:"Ouroverallideais
    tohaveacompletemathematicalmodelofcoffeebrewingthatyoucould
    usetodesigncoffeemachines,ratherlikeweuseatheoryoffluidandsolid
    mechanicstodesignracingcars."Inthenearfuture,coffeeloversmightb
    eabletoadjustmanyofthevariablesthataffectthetasteofthecoffeeasiti
    sfilteredandbrewed.Theseincludehowhotthewateris,howfastthewat
    erflows,thesizecoffeebeansaregroundinto,thelengthoftimeitisbrewe
    d,andmore.TheresearchispublishedinthejournaloftheSocietyforInd
    ustrialandAppliedMathematics.

    Free writing

    Write about coffee for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    There is no such thing as a perfect cup of coffee. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

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    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 this research. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. PERFECT: Write a magazine article about the perfect cup of coffee. Include imaginary interviews with people who think it exists and with people who don't think so.

    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 coffee. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make the perfect cup of coffee. 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

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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