Breaking News English Lesson: Flying Taxis

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Flying taxis could be here in next three years (17th February, 2022)

The Reading / Listening - Flying Taxis - Level 3

A new form of transport will be with us in the next few years – flying taxis. Many of us grew up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science fiction is now becoming science fact. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed up with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies aim to start operating air taxis at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are currently working together on building the flying vehicle. They also need to work out what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow, and what kind of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and land vertically. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top speed of 321kph.

Joby's CEO said the taxis would be good for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living in urban areas, and Tokyo being one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited about the project. He said: "ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the world.…Being able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly, and sustainably, from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Flying Taxis - Level 0, Flying Taxis - Level 1 or Flying Taxis - Level 2

Sources

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220215/p2g/00m/0bu/026000c
https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/14/joby-aviation-partners-with-japanese-airline-to-launch-air-taxi-service/
https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/joby-and-ana-team-up-to-bring-aerial-ridesharing-to-japan/147513.article

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. FLYING TAXIS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about flying taxis. 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?
form / next few years / flying taxis / sci-fi / movies / World Expo / traffic rules / speed
environment / carbon / footprint / opportunity / population / cities / project / airport
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. AIR TAXIS: Students A strongly believe air taxis are a great thing; Students B strongly believe they are not. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SCIENCE FICTION: What will these things be like in the future? What examples of this have you seen in science fiction? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	The Future	Science Fiction
Cars
Food
Education
Health
Internet
Money

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. FLYING: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "flying". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. TRANSPORT: Rank these with your partner. Put the best transport at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Flying taxi
Bus
Train
Subway
Motorbike
Ship
Helicopter
Bicycle

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	form	a.	The movement of ships, trains, aircraft, or people on the streets.
2.	science fiction	b.	The action or process of flying through the air.
3.	start-up	c.	A type or kind of something.
4.	aim	d.	Stories based on life in space, the future or amazing technology.
5.	traffic	e.	The thing you want to achieve.
6.	vertically	f.	Up and down.
7.	flight	g.	A very new business.

Paragraph 2

8.	exist	h.	Always good in quality or performance; able to be trusted.
9.	reducing	i.	Of a road or place that is very crowded with cars, buses, etc. or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement.
10.	spectacular	j.	In, relating to, or characteristic of a town or city.
11.	urban	k.	Be or live.
12.	congested	l.	Attractive or interesting.
13.	reliable	m.	Making smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.
14.	appealing	n.	Amazingly large.

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

We will be using the same flying taxis from sci-fi movies. T / F
An American airline teamed up with a Japanese tech start-up. T / F
The taxis will first be used in Tokyo in 2025. T / F
The taxi will be able to fly at over 300kph. T / F
The new flying taxis will be environmentally friendly. T / F
Over ninety per cent of people in Japan live in towns and cities. T / F
Tokyo is the most congested city in the world. T / F
The CEO of ANA said sustainable travel was appealing. T / F

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

form
teamed up
operating
training
range
reducing
opportunity
urban
reliable
appealing

chance
span
attractive
running
lowering
kind
built-up
dependable
collaborated
instruction

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

A new form of transport will be with us in
Many of us grew up
ANA has teamed up
what traffic rules the taxis
It will have a flight
taxis would be good
while reducing their carbon
one of the top 20 most
safe and reliable
a downtown

congested cities
range of 241 kilometers
will need to follow
location
with a U.S. tech start-up
footprint
the next few years
flights
for the environment
watching sci-fi movies

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

fiction
speed
aim
vertically
teamed
rules
form
currently

A new (1) _____________________ of transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us grew up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science (2) _____________________ is now becoming science fact. The Japanese airline ANA has (3) _____________________ up with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies (4) _____________________ to start operating air taxis at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are (5) _____________________ working together on building the flying vehicle. They also need to work out what traffic (6) _____________________ the taxis will need to follow, and what kind of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and land (7) _____________________. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top (8) _____________________ of 321kph.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

reliable
good
urban
project
option
cities
downtown
reducing

Joby's CEO said the taxis would be (9) _____________________ for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save time while (10) _____________________ their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living in (11) _____________________ areas, and Tokyo being one of the top 20 most congested (12) _____________________ in the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited about the (13) _____________________. He said: "ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and (14) _____________________ flights to customers across the world....Being able to provide them with the (15) _____________________ to travel rapidly, and sustainably, from an international airport to a (16) _____________________ location is very appealing."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A new form of transport will be with us in the ______
     a. next flew years
     b. next phew years
     c. next few years
     d. next furor years
2) Many of us grew up watching ______
     a. syphon movies
     b. safe-eye movies
     c. say hi movies
     d. sci-fi movies
3) They are currently working together on building ______
     a. the flying vehicle
     b. the fly in vehicle
     c. the frying vehicle
     d. the flaying vehicle
4) The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off ______
     a. and land vertically
     b. and laud vertically
     c. and rand vertically
     d. England vertically
5) It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top ______
     a. speed off 321kph
     b. speed of 321kph
     c. speed oft 321kph
     d. speed doff 321kph

6) Joby's CEO said the taxis would be good ______
     a. further environment
     b. fore the environment
     c. four the environment
     d. for the environment
7) Joby exists to help people save time while reducing ______
     a. their car bon footprint
     b. their carbon footprint
     c. their carbine footprint
     d. their carb on footprint
8) opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living ______
     a. in urban areas
     b. inner ban areas
     c. inner van areas
     d. in a ban areas
9) Being able to provide them with the option to travel ______
     a. rapid, and sustainably
     b. rapidly, and sustainable
     c. rapidly, and sustainably
     d. rap piddling, and sustainably
10) from an international airport to a downtown location _______
     a. is very appearing
     b. is very apple ring
     c. is very a peel ring
     d. is very appealing

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A (1) ____________________ transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us grew up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science fiction is now (2) ____________________. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed up with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies (3) ____________________ operating air taxis at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are currently working together on building the flying vehicle. They also need to work out (4) ____________________ the taxis will need to follow, and what kind of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off (5) ____________________. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and (6) ____________________ of 321kph.

Joby's CEO said the taxis would be good for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save (7) ____________________ their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living (8) ____________________, and Tokyo being one of the top 20 most (9) ____________________ the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited about the project. He said: "ANA has 70 years of experience (10) ____________________ reliable flights to customers across the world....Being able (11) ____________________ with the option to travel rapidly, and sustainably, from an international airport to a downtown location (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

What does the article say many people watched when they grew up?
What does the article say science fiction is becoming?
What is the name of the tech start-up helping to develop the taxis?
Where will the flying taxis be used for the first time?
How fast will the taxis be able to fly?
What did a CEO say people could reduce by using the taxis?
What percentage of people in Japan live in the countryside?
What does the article say is one of the world's top 20 congested cities?
How long has the airline been operating safe flights?
What did ANA's CEO say rapid and sustainable travel was?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say many people watched when they grew up?
a) science fiction movies
b) the stars
c) taxis
d) airplanes taking off
2) What does the article say science fiction is becoming?
a) interesting
b) worrying
c) science fact
d) a science class
3) What is the name of the tech start-up helping to develop the taxis?
a) Bojy Aviation
b) Joby Aviation
c) Jooby Aviation
d) Boggle Aviation
4) Where will the flying taxis be used for the first time?
a) the 2026 World Taxi Forum
b) the 2024 Paris Olympics
c) at the opening of a taxi theme park
d) the World Expo 2025
5) How fast will the taxis be able to fly?
a) 321kph
b) 312kph
c) 231kph
d) 213kph

6) What did a CEO say people could reduce by using the taxis?
a) car repair costs
b) fares
c) injuries in traffic accidents
d) their carbon footprint
7) What percentage of people in Japan live in the countryside?
a) 92%
b) 8%
c) 82%
d) 68%
8) What does the article say is one of the world's top 20 congested cities?
a) Osaka
b) New York
c) London
d) Tokyo
9) How long has the airline been operating safe flights?
a) 60 years
b) 80 years
c) 70 years
d) 50 years
10) What did ANA's CEO say rapid and sustainable travel was?
a) unreachable
b) appealing
c) a miracle
d) about time

Role play

Role A – Flying Taxi
You think flying taxis are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): buses, subways or bicycles.

Role B – Bus
You think buses are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): flying taxis, subways or bicycles.

Role C – Subway
You think subways are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): buses, flying taxis or bicycles.

Role D – Bicycle
You think bicycles are the best form of transport. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their transport. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): buses, subways or flying taxis.

After reading / listening

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

'flying'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'taxi'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

form

fact

aim

currently

pilot

top

good

time

20

safe

provide

location

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 - Flying Taxis

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

What did you think when you read the headline?
What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'taxi'?
What do you think of taxis?
What do you think of flying taxis?
What other new forms of transport do we need?
What problems might there be with flying taxis?
What are the advantages of flying taxis?
Would you like your town to have flying taxis?
How much do you think a flying taxi ride might cost?
What traffic rules would flying taxis need to follow?

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

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
What do you think of when you hear the word 'science fiction'?
What do you think about what you read?
Would you like to ride in a flying taxi?
Why would the taxis be good for the environment?
What kind of size is your carbon footprint?
How can we reduce congestion in big cities?
Would you like your own flying car?
How good would it be to fly downtown from an airport?
What questions would you like to ask the company CEOs?

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)

A new (1) ____ of transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us (2) ____ up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science fiction is now becoming science fact. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed (3) ____ with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies aim to start operating air taxis at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are (4) ____ working together on building the flying vehicle. They also need to work out what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow, and what (5) ____ of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and land vertically. It will have a (6) ____ range of 241 kilometers and a top speed of 321kph.

Joby's CEO said the taxis would be (7) ____ for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save time (8) ____ reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living in (9) ____ areas, and Tokyo being one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited about the project. He said: "ANA has 70 years (10) ____ experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the world....Being able to provide them with the option (11) ____ travel rapidly, and sustainably, from an international airport to a downtown location is very (12) ____."

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) farm (b) frame (c) form (d) firm
(a) grew (b) grown (c) growth (d) grows
(a) up (b) on (c) down (d) off
(a) currently (b) currant (c) currency (d) current
(a) that (b) kind (c) which (d) then
(a) flew (b) flown (c) fly (d) flight
(a) well (b) goodly (c) good (d) goods
(a) what (b) that (c) for (d) while
(a) urban (b) wooded (c) jilted (d) frame
(a) of (b) as (c) for (d) by
(a) on (b) to (c) at (d) as
(a) appearing (b) appalling (c) appealing (d) approving

Spelling

Paragraph 1

A new form of arnprttso
Science tfcoini
start areoptnig air taxis
the flying hvelice
take off and land etlaicvryl
a flight ngera of 241 kilometers

Paragraph 2

good for the oveeintnnmr
gducneir their carbon footprint
a sletucpaacr opportunity
living in arnub areas
delivering safe and ebiallre flights
travel rapidly and tulsnisyaba

Put the text back together

(...) about the project. He said: "ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to
(...) up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science fiction is now becoming science fact. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed
(...) Joby's CEO said the taxis would be good for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help
(...) customers across the world....Being able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly,
(...) of the top 20 most congested cities in the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited
(...) up with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies aim to start operating air taxis
(...) of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and land
(...) vertically. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top speed of 321kph.
(...) people save time while reducing their carbon footprint. Japan offers us a spectacular
(...) vehicle. They also need to work out what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow, and what kind
(...) A new form of transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us grew
(...) at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are currently working together on building the flying
(...) opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living in urban areas, and Tokyo being one
(...) and sustainably, from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing."

Put the words in the right order

with A new transport be us . will
taxis . start to operating aim companies Two air
flying building the together on vehicle . Working
rules the to need will taxis follow . Traffic
of range kilometers . 241 It have a will
carbon footprint . save People reducing while time their
to spectacular that . do just opportunity A
of the most top cities . 20 One congested
world . safe the Delivering flights across to customers
provide the able them option . to with Being

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

A new firm / form of transport will be with us in the next few years - flying taxis. Many of us grew / grown up watching sci-fi movies with airborne taxis. Science fiction is now become / becoming science fact. The Japanese airline ANA has teamed up / down with a U.S. tech start-up called Joby Aviation. The two companies aim to start operating air taxis to / at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. They are currently / current working together on building the flying / fly vehicle. They also need to work out / up what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow, and what kind of training flying taxi pilots will need. The five-seat, all-electric taxi will be able to take off and earth / land vertically. It will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top speedy / speed of 321kph.

Joby's CEO said the taxis would be well / good for the environment. He told reporters: "Joby exists to help people save time / times while reducing their carbon footprint / imprint. Japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just those / that with 92 per cent of the population living in urban / after areas, and Tokyo being one of the top 20 most digested / congested cities in the world." The president of ANA, Koji Shibata, was also excited / excite about the project. He said: "ANA has 70 years of experience delivering safe and rely / reliable flights to customers across the world....Being able to provide them with the option for / to travel rapidly, and sustainably, from an international airport to a downtown / uptown location is very appealing."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

_ n_w f_rm _f tr_nsp_rt w_ll b_ w_th _s _n th_ n_xt f_w y__rs - fly_ng t_x_s. M_ny _f _s gr_w _p w_tch_ng sc_-f_ m_v__s w_th __rb_rn_ t_x_s. Sc__nc_ f_ct__n _s n_w b_c_m_ng sc__nc_ f_ct. Th_ J_p_n_s_ __rl_n_ _N_ h_s t__m_d _p w_th _ _.S. t_ch st_rt-_p c_ll_d J_by _v__t__n. Th_ tw_ c_mp_n__s __m t_ st_rt _p_r_t_ng __r t_x_s _t th_ 2025 W_rld _xp_ _n _s_k_. Th_y _r_ c_rr_ntly w_rk_ng t_g_th_r _n b__ld_ng th_ fly_ng v_h_cl_. Th_y _ls_ n__d t_ w_rk __t wh_t tr_ff_c r_l_s th_ t_x_s w_ll n__d t_ f_ll_w, _nd wh_t k_nd _f tr__n_ng fly_ng t_x_ p_l_t_ w_ll n__d. Th_ f_v_-s__t, _ll-_l_ctr_c t_x_ w_ll b_ _bl_ t_ t_k_ _ff _nd l_nd v_rt_c_lly. _t w_ll h_v_ _ fl_ght r_ng_ _f 241 k_l_m_t_rs _nd _ t_p sp__d _f 321kph.

J_by's C__ s__d th_ t_x_s w__ld b_ g__d f_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt. H_ t_ld r_p_rt_rs: "J_by _x_sts t_ h_lp p__pl_ s_v_ t_m_ wh_l_ r_d_c_ng th__r c_rb_n f__tpr_nt. J_p_n _ff_rs _s _ sp_ct_c_l_r _pp_rt_n_ty t_ d_ j_st th_t w_th 92 p_r c_nt _f th_ p_p_l_t__n l_v_ng _n _rb_n _r__s, _nd T_ky_ b__ng _n_ _f th_ t_p 20 m_st c_ng_st_d c_t__s _n th_ w_rld." Th_ pr_s_d_nt _f _N_, K_j_ Sh_b_t_, w_s _ls_ _xc_t_d _b__t th_ pr_j_ct. H_ s__d: "_N_ h_s 70 y__rs _f _xp_r__nc_ d_l_v_r_ng s_f_ _nd r_l__bl_ fl_ghts t_ c_st_m_rs _cr_ss th_ w_rld....B__ng _bl_ t_ pr_v_d_ th_m w_th th_ _pt__n t_ tr_v_l r_p_dly, _nd s_st__n_bly, fr_m _n _nt_rn_t__n_l __rp_rt t_ _ d_wnt_wn l_c_t__n _s v_ry _pp__l_ng."

Punctuate the text and add capitals

a new form of transport will be with us in the next few years flying taxis many of us grew up watching scifi movies with airborne taxis science fiction is now becoming science fact the japanese airline ana has teamed up with a us tech startup called joby aviation the two companies aim to start operating air taxis at the 2025 world expo in osaka they are currently working together on building the flying vehicle they also need to work out what traffic rules the taxis will need to follow and what kind of training flying taxi pilots will need the fiveseat allelectric taxi will be able to take off and land vertically it will have a flight range of 241 kilometers and a top speed of 321kph

jobys ceo said the taxis would be good for the environment he told reporters joby exists to help people save time while reducing their carbon footprint japan offers us a spectacular opportunity to do just that with 92 per cent of the population living in urban areas and tokyo being one of the top 20 most congested cities in the world the president of ana koji shibata was also excited about the project he said ana has 70 years of experience delivering safe and reliable flights to customers across the worldbeing able to provide them with the option to travel rapidly and sustainably from an international airport to a downtown location is very appealing

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anewformoftransportwillbewithusinthenextfewyears-flyingtaxis.
Manyofusgrewupwatchingsci-fimovieswithairbornetaxis.Sciencefi
ctionisnowbecomingsciencefact.TheJapaneseairlineANAhasteamed
upwithaU.S.techstart-upcalledJobyAviation.Thetwocompaniesai
mtostartoperatingairtaxisatthe2025WorldExpoinOsaka.Theyarecur
rentlyworkingtogetheronbuildingtheflyingvehicle.Theyalsoneedtow
orkoutwhattrafficrulesthetaxiswillneedtofollow,andwhatkindoftrain
ingflyingtaxipilotswillneed.Thefive-seat,all-electrictaxiwillbeablet
otakeoffandlandvertically.Itwillhaveaflightrangeof241kilometersan
datopspeedof321kph.Joby'sCEOsaidthetaxiswouldbegoodfortheen
vironment.Hetoldreporters:"Jobyexiststohelppeoplesavetimewhile
reducingtheircarbonfootprint.Japanoffersusaspectacularopportunit
ytodojustthatwith92percentofthepopulationlivinginurbanareas,and
Tokyobeingoneofthetop20mostcongestedcitiesintheworld."Thepres
identofANA,KojiShibata,wasalsoexcitedabouttheproject.Hesaid:"A
NAhas70yearsofexperiencedeliveringsafeandreliableflightstocusto
mersacrosstheworld....Beingabletoprovidethemwiththeoptiontotra
velrapidly,andsustainably,fromaninternationalairporttoadowntownl
ocationisveryappealing."

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

Flying taxis will help us a lot. 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 this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. FLYING TAXIS: Make a poster about flying taxis. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. ELECTRIC: Write a magazine article about making all transport electric. 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 flying taxis. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

$US 9.99

Answers

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

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Breaking News English Lesson: Flying Taxis

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