The Reading / Listening - Zero Waste - Level 3

Have you ever been angry because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent ages trying to scrape the last bits of jam from the sides of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy to know that a solution to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just slide out, like water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container totally empty, and making you happier and richer.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to create something that would reduce waste and save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, millions of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown away. He said: "The technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste and be a big part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What the wheel was to transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save lives and improve the world."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Zero Waste - Level 0 Zero Waste - Level 1   or  Zero Waste - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39030055
  • http://indianewengland.com/2017/01/kripa-varanasi-co-founded-liquiglide-closes-16-million-venture-funding/
  • http://liquiglide.com/about-us/


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. ZERO WASTE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about zero waste. 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?

       angry / tomato ketchup / squeezed / ages / jar / solution / surface / containers / glue
       scientists / waste / inventor / potential / wheel / transportation / efficiencies / improve

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

3. SAVE MONEY: Students A strongly believe the slippery surface will save us a lot of money; Students B strongly believe it won't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. INVENTIONS: How have they changed our life? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good things

Bad things

The wheel

 

 

Electricity

 

 

Mobile phones

 

 

Airplanes

 

 

Medicine

 

 

Slippery bottles

 

 

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

6. SLIPPERY: Rank these with your partner. Put the things you are happiest at slipping out of containers at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • peanut butter
  • toothpaste
  • hair gel
  • honey
  • ketchup
  • glue
  • paint
  • cosmetics

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article opens with three questions for the reader.     T / F
  2. The article says there is no solution to their problems coming.     T / F
  3. A new surface means things slide out of containers like water.     T / F
  4. The article says the surface will leave people richer and happier.     T / F
  5. The research is from the California Institute of Technology.     T / F
  6. A co-inventor said billions of litres of things are wasted every day.     T / F
  7. A company compared the slippery surface to the invention of the wheel.  T / F
  8. The company said it didn't want to save people's lives.     T / F

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

  1. angry
  2. ages
  3. happy
  4. just
  5. totally
  6. create
  7. reduce
  8. potential
  9. packaging
  10. improve
  1. produce
  2. simply
  3. wrapping
  4. a long time
  5. cut
  6. completely
  7. possibility
  8. irritated
  9. help
  10. pleased

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

  1. the tomato ketchup wouldn't
  2. squeezed and squeezed
  3. spent ages
  4. anything will just slide out,
  5. Every last
  6. create something that would reduce
  7. millions
  8. the potential to significantly
  9. it changes the
  10. save
  1. lives
  2. trying
  3. drop
  4. of litres of ketchup
  5. the toothpaste tube
  6. reduce waste
  7. come out the bottle
  8. way liquids move
  9. like water
  10. waste

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
scrape
slide
angry
empty
surface
squeezed
glue
solution

Have you ever been (1) ____________ because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and (2) ____________ the toothpaste tube but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent ages trying to (3) ____________ the last bits of jam from the sides of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy to know that a (4) ____________ to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery (5) ____________ that can be put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just (6) ____________ out, like water. Every last drop of things like (7) ____________, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container totally (8) ____________, and making you happier and richer.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
sides
improve
waste
packaging
millions
liquids
create
reduce

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to (9) ____________ something that would reduce (10) ____________ and save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, (11) ____________ of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams get stuck to the (12) ____________ of containers and are thrown away. He said: "The technology has the potential to significantly (13) ____________ waste and be a big part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What the wheel was to transportation, LiquiGlide is to (14) ____________ - it changes the way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer (15) ____________, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save lives and (16) ____________ the world."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  angry because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come ______
     a.  out a bottle
     b.  out the bottle
     c.  out that bottle
     d.  out this bottle

2)  squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube but the ______ come
     a.  lasting bite wouldn’t
     b.  last bit wouldn’t
     c.  last bitten wouldn’t
     d.  lasting bit wouldn’t

3)  you may be happy to know that a solution to your ______
     a.  problems is coming
     b.  problem is coming
     c.  problems is come in
     d.  problems is coming in

4)  put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and ______
     a.  other container
     b.  other containers
     c.  another containers
     d.  the other containers

5)  leaving the container totally empty, and making you happier ______
     a.  and riches
     b.  and richest
     c.  and enrich
     d.  and richer

6)  LiquiGlide wanted to create something that would reduce waste and ______
     a.  save we money
     b.  save us money
     c.  save they money
     d.  save them money

7)  millions of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams ______ the sides
     a.  get struck to
     b.  get stuck two
     c.  get stuck to
     d.  got stuck to

8)  LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the ______
     a.  way liquids moves
     b.  way liquid move
     c.  way liquid moves
     d.  way liquidity move

9)  We want to revolutionize consumer packaging, reduce waste, and ______
     a.  create efficiencies
     b.  create inefficiencies
     c.  creating efficiencies
     d.  create in efficiencies

10)  We are motivated to save lives and ______
     a.  improve a world
     b.  improve the world
     c.  improved the world
     d.  improve the worlds

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Have you ever (1) ___________________ the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube (2) ___________________ wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent ages trying to scrape the last bits of jam (3) ___________________ of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy to know that a solution (4) ___________________ is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything (5) ___________________ out, like water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container (6) ___________________, and making you happier and richer.

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to create something that would reduce (7) ___________________ money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, millions of litres of ketchup, (8) ___________________, gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown away. He said: "The technology (9) ___________________ to significantly reduce waste and be a big part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What (10) ___________________ to transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move….We want (11) ___________________ consumer packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save lives and (12) ___________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. What did the article ask if you had "squeezed and squeezed"?
  2. What did the article ask if you had scraped from the sides of a jar?
  3. What did the article say was coming?
  4. What did the article say things slid out of containers like?
  5. How will the new slippery surface make people feel?
  6. What did the scientists want people to save by using the new surface?
  7. Who is David Smith?
  8. What did the company LiquiGlide say was important to transportation?
  9. What did LiquiGlide want to change about liquids?
  10. What did LiquiGlide say it wanted to improve?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article ask if you had "squeezed and squeezed"?
a) a toothpaste tube
b) a lemon
c) your finances
d) a baby's cheek

2) What did the article ask if you had scraped from the sides of a jar?
a) peanut butter
b) honey
c) jam
d) mayonnaise

3) What did the article say was coming?
a) the inside
b) a solution
c) a new kind of ketchup
d) waterproof toothpaste

4) What did the article say things slid out of containers like?
a) honey
b) juice
c) oil
d) water

5) How will the new slippery surface make people feel?
a) happier
b) excited
c) relieved
d) angry

6) What did the scientists want people to save by using the new surface?
a) time
b) honey
c) containers
d) money

7) Who is David Smith?
a) a toothpaste tube squeezer
b) an inventor
c) a ketchup expert
d) a bottle maker

8) What did the company LiquiGlide say was important to transportation?
a) the Internet
b) tunnels
c) oil
d) the wheel

9) What did LiquiGlide want to change about liquids?
a) how thick they are
b) their boiling point
c) the way they move
d) their colour

10) What did LiquiGlide say it wanted to improve?
a) the taste of ketchup
b) the world
c) transportation
d) the wheel

Role play

Role A — The Wheel

You think the wheel is the world's best invention. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their inventions are not so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the slippery bottle surface, the computer or chocolate.

Role B — The Slippery Bottle Surface

You think the slippery bottle surface is the world's best invention. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their inventions are not so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the wheel, the computer or chocolate.

Role C — The Computer

You think the computer is the world's best invention. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their inventions are not so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the slippery bottle surface, the wheel or chocolate.

Role D — Chocolate

You think chocolate is the world's best invention. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their inventions are not so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the slippery bottle surface, the computer or the wheel.

After reading / listening

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

'zero'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'waste'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • create
    • money
    • stuck
    • big
    • move
    • world
    • angry
    • bit
    • sides
    • yes
    • just
    • empty

    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 - Slippery ketchup bottle helps zero-waste economy

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'zero'?
    3. What things do you waste every day?
    4. Do you get angry at ketchup bottles?
    5. How do you squeeze the last bit of toothpaste from the tube?
    6. How do you get the jam off the side of a jar?
    7. How happy are you that slippery containers are coming?
    8. How much money do you think we will save by using this technology?
    9. What other things can you not get out of tubes, cans, tins and jars?
    10. What would be a good name for this technology?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'waste'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What could you do to reduce waste?
    5. What is the zero waste economy?
    6. What can you do every day to reduce waste?
    7. Should we wear clothes until they fall apart?
    8. Should we use electrical goods until they break?
    9. How will this technology improve the world?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the inventors?

    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)

    Have you ever been (1) ____ because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste (2) ____ but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent (3) ____ trying to scrape the last bits of jam from the sides of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy (4) ____ know that a solution to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the (5) ____ of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just slide out, like water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, (6) ____ the container totally empty, and making you happier and richer.

    Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to create something that would (7) ____ waste and save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, millions of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams (8) ____ stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown away. He said: "The technology has the potential to (9) ____ reduce waste and be a big (10) ____ of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "(11) ____ the wheel was to transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to (12) ____ lives and improve the world."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     anger     (b)     angry     (c)     angrily     (d)     angers    
    2. (a)     tub     (b)     tube     (c)     tubing     (d)     tuber    
    3. (a)     ageing     (b)     aged     (c)     age     (d)     ages    
    4. (a)     for     (b)     to     (c)     by     (d)     at    
    5. (a)     indent     (b)     inside     (c)     intern     (d)     internal    
    6. (a)     leaver     (b)     leaves     (c)     leaving     (d)     left    
    7. (a)     reduction     (b)     reducing     (c)     reduce     (d)     reduces    
    8. (a)     do     (b)     be     (c)     get     (d)     glue    
    9. (a)     signified     (b)     significance     (c)     significant     (d)     significantly    
    10. (a)     portion     (b)     slice     (c)     segment     (d)     part    
    11. (a)     What     (b)     That     (c)     Which     (d)     How    
    12. (a)     spend     (b)     deposit     (c)     save     (d)     invest    

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. zueedseq the toothpaste tube
    2. apesrc the last bits of jam
    3. a ouilnost to your problems
    4. a super-repslypi surface
    5. tubes, jars, tins and other rtsniecaon
    6. paint and tocmiscse will come out

    Paragraph 2

    1. reeucd waste
    2. llsmnioi of litres
    3. hortwn away
    4. The technology has the ptliontae
    5. it changes the way iiulsqd move
    6. save lives and ovmepir the world

    Put the text back together

    (    )     inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just slide

    (    )     out, like water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container totally

    (    )     Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted to create

    (    )     day, millions of litres of ketchup, sauces, paint, gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers

    (    )     part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What the wheel was to

    (    )     packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save lives and improve the world."

    (    )     transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer

    (    )     squeezed the toothpaste tube but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent ages trying to scrape the last

    (    )     solution to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the

    (    )     bits of jam from the sides of the jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happy to know that a

    (    )     empty, and making you happier and richer.

    1  )     Have you ever been angry because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and

    (    )     and are thrown away. He said: "The technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste and be a big

    (    )     something that would reduce waste and save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every

    Put the words in the right order

    1. the  because  ketchup  out  Angry  tomato  come  bottle  the  wouldn't  .
    2. the  last  bit  wouldn’t  come  out  Squeezed  the  toothpaste  tube but .
    3. sides   the   from   jam   of   bits   last   the   Scrape   jar   the   of   .
    4. out   anything   The   will   slippery   just   inside   slide   means   .
    5. the  empty  come  leaving   totally  will   ,   container  Cosmetics  out   .
    6. create  waste  something  LiquiGlide  that  wanted  would  to  reduce   .
    7. the  to  stuck  get  Creams  away  thrown  are  and  containers  of  sides  .
    8. the   waste   potential  The   to  technology  significantly  has  reduce   .
    9. want   We   packaging   consumer   revolutionize   to   .
    10. world   motivated   lives   the   are   save   improve   We   to   and   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Have you ever been angrily / angry because the tomato ketchup wouldn't come out the bottle? Have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube / tub but the last bit wouldn’t come out? Have you ever spent age / ages trying to scrape the last bits of jam from the sides of the ajar / jar? If the answer to these questions is 'yes,' you may be happily / happy to know that a solve / solution to your problems is coming. Scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be / being put on the inside of bottles, tubes, jars, tins and another / other containers. The slippery inside means anything will just slide out, like / alike water. Every last drop of things like glue, paint and cosmetics will come out, leaving the container totally empty, and making / marking you happier and richer.

    Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the company LiquiGlide wanted / wanting to create something that would reduce / reduction waste and saving / save us money. The technology's co-inventor, Dr David Smith, said every day, millions of litres of ketchup, sources / sauces, paint, gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown / throwing away. He said: "The technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste and be / do a big part of the zero-waste economy." The LiquiGlide website says: "What / That the wheel was to transportation, LiquiGlide is to liquids - it changes the weight / way liquids move….We want to revolutionize consumer backpacks / packaging, reduce waste, and create efficiencies. We are motivated to save / spend lives and improve the world."

    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)

    H_v_ y__ _v_r b__n _ngry b_c__s_ th_ t_m_t_ k_tch_p w__ldn't c_m_ __t th_ b_ttl_? H_v_ y__ _v_r sq___z_d _nd sq___z_d th_ t__thp_st_ t_b_ b_t th_ l_st b_t w__ldn’t c_m_ __t? H_v_ y__ _v_r sp_nt _g_s try_ng t_ scr_p_ th_ l_st b_ts _f j_m fr_m th_ s_d_s _f th_ j_r? _f th_ _nsw_r t_ th_s_ q__st__ns _s 'y_s,' y__ m_y b_ h_ppy t_ kn_w th_t _ s_l_t__n t_ y__r pr_bl_ms _s c_m_ng. Sc__nt_sts h_v_ _nv_nt_d _ s_p_r-sl_pp_ry s_rf_c_ th_t c_n b_ p_t _n th_ _ns_d_ _f b_ttl_s, t_b_s, j_rs, t_ns _nd _th_r c_nt__n_rs. Th_ sl_pp_ry _ns_d_ m__ns _nyth_ng w_ll j_st sl_d_ __t, l_k_ w_t_r. _v_ry l_st dr_p _f th_ngs l_k_ gl__, p__nt _nd c_sm_t_cs w_ll c_m_ __t, l__v_ng th_ c_nt__n_r t_t_lly _mpty, _nd m_k_ng y__ h_pp__r _nd r_ch_r.

    Sc__nt_sts fr_m th_ M_ss_ch_s_tts _nst_t_t_ _f T_chn_l_gy _nd th_ c_mp_ny L_q__Gl_d_ w_nt_d t_ cr__t_ s_m_th_ng th_t w__ld r_d_c_ w_st_ _nd s_v_ _s m_n_y. Th_ t_chn_l_gy's c_-_nv_nt_r, Dr D_v_d Sm_th, s__d _v_ry d_y, m_ll__ns _f l_tr_s _f k_tch_p, s__c_s, p__nt, g_ls _nd cr__ms g_t st_ck t_ th_ s_d_s _f c_nt__n_rs _nd _r_ thr_wn _w_y. H_ s__d: "Th_ t_chn_l_gy h_s th_ p_t_nt__l t_ s_gn_f_c_ntly r_d_c_ w_st_ _nd b_ _ b_g p_rt _f th_ z_r_-w_st_ _c_n_my." Th_ L_q__Gl_d_ w_bs_t_ s_ys: "Wh_t th_ wh__l w_s t_ tr_nsp_rt_t__n, L_q__Gl_d_ _s t_ l_q__ds - _t ch_ng_s th_ w_y l_q__ds m_v_….W_ w_nt t_ r_v_l_t__n_z_ c_ns_m_r p_ck_g_ng, r_d_c_ w_st_, _nd cr__t_ _ff_c__nc__s. W_ _r_ m_t_v_t_d t_ s_v_ l_v_s _nd _mpr_v_ th_ w_rld."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    have you ever been angry because the tomato ketchup wouldnt come out the bottle have you ever squeezed and squeezed the toothpaste tube but the last bit wouldnt come out have you ever spent ages trying to scrape the last bits of jam from the sides of the jar if the answer to these questions is yes you may be happy to know that a solution to your problems is coming scientists have invented a super-slippery surface that can be put on the inside of bottles tubes jars tins and other containers the slippery inside means anything will just slide out like water every last drop of things like glue paint and cosmetics will come out leaving the container totally empty and making you happier and richer

    scientists from the massachusetts institute of technology and the company liquiglide wanted to create something that would reduce waste and save us money the technologys co-inventor dr david smith said every day millions of litres of ketchup sauces paint gels and creams get stuck to the sides of containers and are thrown away he said "the technology has the potential to significantly reduce waste and be a big part of the zero-waste economy" the liquiglide website says "what the wheel was to transportation liquiglide is to liquids - it changes the way liquids move…we want to revolutionize consumer packaging reduce waste and create efficiencies we are motivated to save lives and improve the world"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Haveyoueverbeenangrybecausethetomatoketchupwouldn'tcomeou
    tthebottle?Haveyoueversqueezedandsqueezedthetoothpastetubeb
    utthelastbitwouldn’tcomeout?Haveyoueverspentagestryingtoscrap
    ethelastbitsofjamfromthesidesofthejar?Iftheanswertothesequestio
    nsis'yes,'youmaybehappytoknowthatasolutiontoyourproblemsisco
    ming.Scientistshaveinventedasuper-slipperysurfacethatcanbepu
    tontheinsideofbottles,tubes,jars,tinsandothercontainers.Theslipper
    yinsidemeansanythingwilljustslideout,likewater.Everylastdropofthi
    ngslikeglue,paintandcosmeticswillcomeout,leavingthecontainertot
    allyempty,andmakingyouhappierandricher.ScientistsfromtheMassa
    chusettsInstituteofTechnologyandthecompanyLiquiGlidewantedtoc
    reatesomethingthatwouldreducewasteandsaveusmoney.Thetechn
    ology'sco-inventor,DrDavidSmith,saideveryday,millionsoflitresofke
    tchup,sauces,paint,gelsandcreamsgetstucktothesidesofcontainers
    andarethrownaway.Hesaid:"Thetechnologyhasthepotentialtosignifi
    cantlyreducewasteandbeabigpartofthezero-wasteeconomy."TheLi
    quiGlidewebsitesays:"Whatthewheelwastotransportation,LiquiGlid
    eistoliquids-itchangesthewayliquidsmove….Wewanttorevolutioniz
    econsumerpackaging,reducewaste,andcreateefficiencies.Wearemo
    tivatedtosavelivesandimprovetheworld."

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    Everyone can reduce their waste by half. How can we do this? Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the company LiquiGlide. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. ZERO WASTE: Write a magazine article about zero waste in our life. 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 waste. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can reach zero waste. 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.)

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You