The Reading / Listening - Neckties - Level 4

Spain's leader has asked people to not wear neckties to save energy and help the planet. Pedro Sanchez addressed journalists tieless at a press conference. He called on Spaniards to follow his lead. He stated: "I have asked all ministers and public decision-makers to [go tieless]. That means we can all save energy." He added that the private sector should also not wear a tie. He said: "In that way, we will all be contributing to the energy savings that are so necessary."

Spain is adopting "urgent" energy-saving measures to tackle the climate crisis. It also wants to cut its reliance on Russian gas because of the Ukraine War. Mr Sanchez's government has already restricted the use of air conditioners and heaters. Spain has introduced a relief package of $9.2 billion to help people with energy bills. More than 500 people have died in Spain in the past two weeks because of ongoing heatwaves.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Neckties - Level 5 or  Neckties - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/07/29/tieless-pedro-sanchez-asks-spaniards-to-ditch-the-tie-to-save-energy
  • https://www.dw.com/en/spain-pm-sanchez-calls-on-office-workers-to-ditch-ties-to-save-on-energy/a-62654234
  • https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/spanish-pm-calls-on-workers-to-stop-wearing-ties/ar-AA106y16


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. save energy and help
  2. at a press
  3. He called on Spaniards to follow
  4. ministers and public decision-
  5. we can all save
  6. the private
  7. In that way, we will all
  8. energy savings that
  1. makers
  2. sector
  3. are so necessary
  4. the planet
  5. conference
  6. be contributing
  7. energy
  8. his lead

Paragraph 2

  1. Spain is adopting "urgent" energy-
  2. tackle the climate
  3. cut its reliance
  4. restricted the use of
  5. Spain has introduced a relief
  6. help people with energy
  7. 500 people have died in Spain in
  8. ongoing
  1. air conditioners
  2. the past two weeks
  3. crisis
  4. heatwaves
  5. bills
  6. saving measures
  7. on Russian gas
  8. package

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Spain's leader has asked people (1) ___________________ neckties to save energy and help the planet. Pedro Sanchez (2) ___________________ at a press conference. He called on Spaniards to (3) ___________________. He stated: "I have asked all ministers and public decision-makers to [go tieless]. That means (4) ___________________ save energy." He added that the private sector should also not wear a tie. He said: "(5) ___________________, we will all be contributing to the (6) ___________________ are so necessary."

Spain (7) ___________________ energy-saving measures to tackle the climate crisis. It also wants to (8) ___________________ on Russian gas because of the Ukraine War. Mr Sanchez's government has already restricted (9) ___________________ air conditioners and heaters. Spain has introduced (10) ___________________ of $9.2 billion to help people (11) ___________________. More than 500 people have died in Spain in the past two weeks (12) ___________________ heatwaves.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Spain'sleaderhasaskedpeopletonotwearnecktiestosaveenergyandh
elptheplanet.PedroSanchezaddressedjournaliststielessatapresscon
ference.HecalledonSpaniardstofollowhislead.Hestated:"Ihaveaske
dallministersandpublicdecision-makersto[gotieless].Thatmeansw
ecanallsaveenergy."Headdedthattheprivatesectorshouldalsonotwe
aratie.Hesaid:"Inthatway,wewillallbecontributingtotheenergysavin
gsthataresonecessary."Spainisadopting"urgent"energy-savingmea
surestotackletheclimatecrisis.ItalsowantstocutitsrelianceonRussian
gasbecauseoftheUkraineWar.MrSanchez'sgovernmenthasalreadyr
estrictedtheuseofairconditionersandheaters.Spainhasintroducedar
eliefpackageof$9.2billiontohelppeoplewithenergybills.Morethan50
0peoplehavediedinSpaininthepasttwoweeksbecauseofongoingheat
waves.

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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