The Reading / Listening - Bees and Balls - Level 3

Everyone knows that bees are busy. There is even a saying in English that one can be "as busy as a bee". However, little is known about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one way that bees could relax after a busy day making honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from Queen Mary University of London. They did different tests on bees "playing" with different things. The insects particularly liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees played was a little like how humans play. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, while adult males spent longer playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the first known insects to "play".

The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a specially designed test area. The bees were given two options. The first choice was to fly or walk directly to get a sugary treat. The second choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees decided to play with the balls and then get their treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more thoughtful than people believed. She said: "Bees are a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be." She added that: "This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might imagine."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Bees and Balls - Level 0,  Bees and Balls - Level 1   or  Bees and Balls - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/oct/27/bumblebees-playing-wooden-balls-bees-study
  • https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ball-rolling-bumble-bees-just-wanna-have-fun/
  • https://www.science.org/content/article/are-these-bumble-bees-playing-toys


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. BEES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about bees. 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?
       bees / busy / English / relax / honey / scientists / balls / insects / humans / adults /
       researchers / test / choice / fly / walk / treat / experiments / a million miles / minds
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. LESS BUSY: Students A strongly believe everyone should make their lives less busy; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. SIMILES: What do these similes mean? Does the animal match the meaning? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.


The Simile

Meaning

The Meaning and the Animal

As busy as a bee

 

 

As strong as an ox

 

 

As proud as a peacock

 

 

A quiet as a mouse

 

 

As sick as a parrot

 

 

As slow as a snail

 

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

  • Football
  • Tennis
  • Basketball
  • Basketball
  • Pool
  • Golf
  • Rugby
  • Bowling

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. saying a. Was the first to find a place, thing, or scientific fact.
      2. discovered b. A person who is fully grown - not a child.
      3. particularly c. A person.
      4. human d. Giving special emphasis to a point.
      5. adult e. A short and well known phrase or expression.
      6. male f. A person who is a woman.
      7. female g. A person who is a man.

    Paragraph 2

      8. experimented h. A sign of something.
      9. option i. Did something in a laboratory to find something out.
      10. treat j. An animal (but not a human).
      11. mindless k. Developed to a high degree.
      12. creature l. A sweet, biscuit, or other item of sweet food.
      13. indication m. Not thinking of or concerned about.
      14. sophisticated n. A thing that is or may be chosen.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says an English saying says that one can be as busy as a bee.     T / F
  2. Scientists know a lot about how bees play.     T / F
  3. All bees play with balls after they finish making honey.     T / F
  4. Older bees played with balls more than younger bees did.     T / F
  5. Researchers conducted tests using 45 bumblebees.     T / F
  6. Most bees in the tests played with balls before going to a sugary treat.    T / F
  7. A researcher said bees believed people are very thoughtful.     T / F
  8. A researcher said insects might be more sophisticated than we thought. T / F

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

  1. saying
  2. little
  3. particularly
  4. humans
  5. adult
  6. options
  7. directly
  8. mindless
  9. indication
  10. sophisticated
  1. mature
  2. people
  3. stupid
  4. especially
  5. choices
  6. expression
  7. advanced
  8. straight
  9. not much
  10. sign

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

  1. one can be as busy
  2. little is known about how
  3. relax after a busy
  4. They did different
  5. adult males spent longer
  6. fly or walk directly to get
  7. Most of the bees decided to play
  8. bees are more thoughtful than
  9. a million
  10. insect minds are far more
  1. a sugary treat
  2. tests on bees
  3. miles
  4. day making honey
  5. sophisticated
  6. bees play
  7. people believed
  8. playing with balls
  9. with the balls
  10. as a bee

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
saying
different
humans
known
females
relax
busy
particularly

Everyone knows that bees are (1) _____________________. There is even a (2) _____________________ in English that one can be "as busy as a bee". However, little is known about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one way that bees could (3) _____________________ after a busy day making honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from Queen Mary University of London. They did (4) _____________________ tests on bees "playing" with different things. The insects (5) _____________________ liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees played was a little like how (6) _____________________ play. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, while adult males spent longer playing with balls than adult (7) _____________________. The ball-rolling bees are the first (8) _____________________ insects to "play".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
decided
options
million
sugary
imagine
thoughtful
believed
area

The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a specially designed test (9) _____________________. The bees were given two (10) _____________________. The first choice was to fly or walk directly to get a (11) _____________________ treat. The second choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees (12) _____________________ to play with the balls and then get their treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more (13) _____________________ than people believed. She said: "Bees are a (14) _____________________ miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally (15) _____________________ to be." She added that: "This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might (16) _____________________."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) There is even a saying in English that one can be "as busy ______"
     a.  has a bee
     b.  as a bee
     c.  was a bee
     d.  that's a bee
2)  have discovered one way that bees could relax after a busy ______
     a.  day making money
     b.  day making honey
     c.  day make king honey
     d.  day may kin money
3)  The researchers said the way bees played was a little like ______
     a.  how humans play
     b.  how humane play
     c.  how humanise play
     d.  how few man's play
4) more balls than older bees, while adult males spent longer playing with balls ______
     a.  than adult he-mails
     b.  than adult females
     c.  than adult few males
     d.  than adult fee mails
5)  The ball-rolling bees are the first known ______
     a.  inn sects to "play"
     b.  in sects to "play"
     c.  incest to "play"
     d.  insects to "play"

6)  The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a specially ______
     a.  designed test arena
     b.  designed test aura
     c.  designed test aurora
     d.  designed test area
7)  The first choice was to fly or walk directly to get ______
     a.  a sugary threat
     b.  a sugary teat
     c.  a sugary trait
     d.  a sugary treat
8)  The second choice was to get to the treat by going around different ______
     a.  coloured woody balls
     b.  coloured woo den balls
     c.  coloured wood den balls
     d.  coloured wooden balls
9)  a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally ______
     a.  believed to been
     b.  believed to be
     c.  believed Toby
     d.  believed tube
10)  a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than ______
     a.  we might imagine
     b.  we might imagines
     c.  we might imagined
     d.  we might imaginary

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Everyone knows that (1) ____________________. There is even a saying in English that one can be "as busy as a bee". However, (2) ____________________ about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one way that bees (3) ____________________ a busy day making honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from Queen Mary University of London. They (4) ____________________ on bees "playing" with different things. The insects particularly liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees played was a little like how humans play. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, (5) ____________________ spent longer playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the (6) ____________________ to "play".

The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a (7) ____________________ area. The bees were given two options. The first choice was to fly or walk directly to get (8) ____________________. The second choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees (9) ____________________ with the balls and then get their treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more thoughtful (10) ____________________. She said: "Bees are (11) ____________________ from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be." She added that: "This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than (12) ____________________."

Comprehension questions

  1. Who does the article say knows that bees are busy?
  2. What do bees do that they need to relax?
  3. What London university are the researchers from?
  4. What kind of balls did the bees like playing with?
  5. Who spent longer playing with balls than female bees?
  6. How many bees were in the experiments?
  7. How many choices did the bees have?
  8. What kind of treat could the bees get?
  9. How far did a researcher say bees are from being mindless creatures?
  10. What are insect minds more than we might imagine?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who does the article say knows that bees are busy?
a) beekeepers
b) everyone
c) honey shop owners
d) children
2) What do bees do that they need to relax?
a) buzz
b) play with balls
c) fly all day
d) make honey
3) What London university are the researchers from?
a) Queen Mary University
b) London School of Economics
c) the London Bee University
d) City University
4) What kind of balls did the bees like playing with?
a) bouncing balls
b) rubber balls
c) small, colourful wooden balls
d) soccer balls
5) Who spent longer playing with balls than female bees?
a) female wasps
b) male bees
c) female hornets
d) male wasps

6) How many bees were in the experiments?
a) 45
b) 46
c) 44
d) 47
7) How many choices did the bees have?
a) one
b) three
c) two
d) four
8) What kind of treat could the bees get?
a) a sugary treat
b) a special treat
c) a flowery treat
d) an expensive treat
9) How far did a researcher say bees are from being mindless creatures?
a) a million miles
b) a long way
c) unbelievably far
d) as far as far can be

10) What are insect minds more than we might imagine?
a) mindless
b) busy
c) huge
d) sophisticated

Role play

Role  A – Football
You think football is the best ball game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): golf, pool or bowling.

Role  B – Golf
You think golf is the best ball game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): football, pool or bowling.

Role  C – Pool
You think pool is the best ball game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): golf, football or bowling.

Role  D – Bowling
You think bowling is the best ball game. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their games. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): golf, pool or football.

After reading / listening

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

'bee'

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

    • and 'ball'.

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

    • • 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:

    • everyone
    • discovered
    • particularly
    • humans
    • younger
    • females
    • 45
    • two
    • second
    • coloured
    • million
    • far

    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 - Bees and Balls

    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 'bee'?
    3. What do you know about bees?
    4. How busy are you at the moment?
    5. How do you think bees might play?
    6. Do you think other insects play?
    7. What do you think of honey?
    8. What ball games do you like to play?
    9. What are the benefits of bees?
    10. How do you relax after a busy day?

    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 'ball'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. When are you as busy as a bee?
    5. How do bees make honey?
    6. What kinds of treats do you like?
    7. Would you rather fly or walk?
    8. What might bees think about?
    9. Do you like being busy?
    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)

    Everyone knows that bees are busy. There is even a (1) ____ in English that one can be "as busy as a bee". However, little is (2) ____ about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one way that bees could relax after a busy day (3) ____ honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from Queen Mary University of London. They did different tests on bees "playing" with different things. The insects (4) ____ liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees played was a little (5) ____ how humans play. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, (6) ____ adult males spent longer playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the first known insects to "play".

    The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a (7) ____ designed test area. The bees were given two options. The first choice was to fly or walk directly (8) ____ get a sugary treat. The second choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees decided to play with the balls and then get (9) ____ treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more (10) ____ than people believed. She said: "Bees are a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to (11) ____." She added that: "This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are (12) ____ more sophisticated than we might imagine."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     said     (b)     saying     (c)     says     (d)     say    
    2. (a)     knows     (b)     known     (c)     know     (d)     knowing    
    3. (a)     buzzing     (b)     busying     (c)     spreading     (d)     making    
    4. (a)     particulars     (b)     particularly     (c)     particular     (d)     particle    
    5. (a)     likelihood     (b)     likely     (c)     like     (d)     liked    
    6. (a)     whomsoever     (b)     whatsoever     (c)     while     (d)     when    
    7. (a)     specially     (b)     special     (c)     specials     (d)     species    
    8. (a)     for     (b)     as     (c)     to     (d)     at    
    9. (a)     his     (b)     those     (c)     them     (d)     their    
    10. (a)     thoughtful     (b)     thought     (c)     thoughts     (d)     thinker    
    11. (a)     be     (b)     been     (c)     being     (d)     is    
    12. (a)     far     (b)     fair     (c)     for     (d)     fir

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. There is even a syngia in English
    2. coridesedv one way
    3. relax after a busy day making yoneh
    4. The tenssticsi are from Queen Mary University
    5. The insects aacrrilpytlu liked playing
    6. adult fseamel

    Paragraph 2

    1. a specially iegeddns test area
    2. fly or walk directly to get a sruagy treat
    3. a liomlin miles
    4. mindless, unfeeling ectaeurrs
    5. This research provides a strong nodinaitci
    6. insect minds are far more eosiipdhtastc

    Put the text back together

    (...)  way that bees could relax after a busy day making honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from
    (...)  with the balls and then get their treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more thoughtful than people
    (  1  ) Everyone knows that bees are busy. There is even a saying in English that one can be "as busy
    (...)  males spent longer playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the first known insects to "play".
    (...)  Queen Mary University of London. They did different tests on bees "playing" with different
    (...)  believed. She said: "Bees are a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they
    (...)  as a bee". However, little is known about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one
    (...)  played was a little like how humans play. Younger bees rolled more balls than older bees, while adult
    (...)  choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees decided to play
    (...)  indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might imagine."
    (...)  things. The insects particularly liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees
    (...)  options. The first choice was to fly or walk directly to get a sugary treat. The second
    (...)  are traditionally believed to be." She added that: "This research provides a strong
    (...)  The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a specially designed test area. The bees were given two

    Put the words in the right order

    1. bee   .   a   be   can   One   as   busy   as
    2. bees   play   .   is   little   about   However,   how   known
    3. after   day   a   busy   relax   Bees   honey   .   making
    4. bees   rolled   more   than   older   bees   .   balls   Younger
    5. are   Bees   the   to   first   insects   known   play   .
    6. directly   a   to   or   Fly   treat   .   get   walk
    7. play   decided   balls   .   to   the   with   bees   The
    8. are   showed   experiments   more   The   bees   thoughtful   .   that
    9. be   .   creatures   they   are   believed   The   to   traditionally
    10. we   might   sophisticated   than   Far   imagine   .   more

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Everyone knows that bees are busy. There is even a say / saying in English that one can be "as busy as a bee". However, little is knowing / known about how bees play. Scientists have discovered one way / wait that bees could relax after a busy day making / doing honey - they play with balls. The scientists are from Queen Mary University of London. They did different tests on / in bees "playing" with different things. The insects particular / particularly liked playing with small, wooden balls. The researchers said the way bees played was a little likely / like how humans play. Younger bees rolled more / much balls than older bees, while adult males spent long / longer playing with balls than adult females. The ball-rolling bees are the first / fast known insects to "play".

    The researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a special / specially designed test area. The bees were given two option / options. The first choice was to fly or walk direct / directly to get a sugary treat / threat. The second choice was to get to the treat by going / go around different coloured wooden balls. Most of the bees decided / decision to play with the balls and then get their treat. A researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more thoughtful / thinker than people believed / belief. She said: "Bees are a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be." She added that: "This research provides a strong indicate / indication that insect minds are far / for more sophisticated than we might imagine."

    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)

    _v_ry_n_  kn_ws  th_t  b__s  _r_  b_sy.  Th_r_  _s  _v_n  _  s_y_ng  _n  _ngl_sh  th_t  _n_  c_n  b_  "_s  b_sy  _s  _  b__".  H_w_v_r,  l_ttl_  _s  kn_wn  _b__t  h_w  b__s  pl_y.  Sc__nt_sts  h_v_  d_sc_v_r_d  _n_  w_y  th_t  b__s  c__ld  r_l_x  _ft_r  _  b_sy  d_y  m_k_ng  h_n_y  -  th_y  pl_y  w_th  b_lls.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  _r_  fr_m  Q___n  M_ry  _n_v_rs_ty  _f  L_nd_n.  Th_y  d_d  d_ff_r_nt  t_sts  _n  b__s  "pl_y_ng"  w_th  d_ff_r_nt  th_ngs.  Th_  _ns_cts  p_rt_c_l_rly  l_k_d  pl_y_ng  w_th  sm_ll,  w__d_n  b_lls.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s__d  th_  w_y  b__s  pl_y_d  w_s  _  l_ttl_  l_k_  h_w  h_m_ns  pl_y.  Y__ng_r  b__s  r_ll_d  m_r_  b_lls  th_n  _ld_r  b__s,  wh_l_  _d_lt  m_l_s  sp_nt  l_ng_r  pl_y_ng  w_th  b_lls  th_n  _d_lt  f_m_l_s.  Th_  b_ll-r_ll_ng  b__s  _r_  th_  f_rst  kn_wn  _ns_cts  t_  "pl_y".

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  _xp_r_m_nt_d  _n  45  b_mbl_b__s  _n  _  sp_c__lly  d_s_gn_d  t_st  _r__.  Th_  b__s  w_r_  g_v_n  tw_  _pt__ns.  Th_  f_rst  ch__c_  w_s  t_  fly  _r  w_lk  d_r_ctly  t_  g_t  _  s_g_ry  tr__t.  Th_  s_c_nd  ch__c_  w_s  t_  g_t  t_  th_  tr__t  by  g__ng  _r__nd  d_ff_r_nt  c_l__r_d  w__d_n  b_lls.  M_st  _f  th_  b__s  d_c_d_d  t_  pl_y  w_th  th_  b_lls  _nd  th_n  g_t  th__r  tr__t.  _  r_s__rch_r  s__d  th_  _xp_r_m_nts  sh_w_d  th_t  b__s  _r_  m_r_  th__ghtf_l  th_n  p__pl_  b_l__v_d.  Sh_  s__d:  "B__s  _r_  _  m_ll__n  m_l_s  fr_m  th_  m_ndl_ss,  _nf__l_ng  cr__t_r_s  th_y  _r_  tr_d_t__n_lly  b_l__v_d  t_  b_."  Sh_  _dd_d  th_t:  "Th_s  r_s__rch  pr_v_d_s  _  str_ng  _nd_c_t__n  th_t  _ns_ct  m_nds  _r_  f_r  m_r_  s_ph_st_c_t_d  th_n  w_  m_ght  _m_g_n_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    everyone knows that bees are busy there is even a saying in english that one can be as busy as a bee however little is known about how bees play scientists have discovered one way that bees could relax after a busy day making honey  they play with balls the scientists are from queen mary university of london they did different tests on bees playing with different things the insects particularly liked playing with small wooden balls the researchers said the way bees played was a little like how humans play younger bees rolled more balls than older bees while adult males spent longer playing with balls than adult females the ballrolling bees are the first known insects to play

    the researchers experimented on 45 bumblebees in a specially designed test area the bees were given two options the first choice was to fly or walk directly to get a sugary treat the second choice was to get to the treat by going around different coloured wooden balls most of the bees decided to play with the balls and then get their treat a researcher said the experiments showed that bees are more thoughtful than people believed she said bees are a million miles from the mindless unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be she added that this research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might imagine

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Everyoneknowsthatbeesarebusy.ThereisevenasayinginEnglishthat
    onecanbe"asbusyasabee".However,littleisknownabouthowbeespla
    y.Scientistshavediscoveredonewaythatbeescouldrelaxafterabusyd
    aymakinghoney-theyplaywithballs.ThescientistsarefromQueenM
    aryUniversityofLondon.Theydiddifferenttestsonbees"playing"withdi
    fferentthings.Theinsectsparticularlylikedplayingwithsmall,woodenb
    alls.Theresearcherssaidthewaybeesplayedwasalittlelikehowhuman
    splay.Youngerbeesrolledmoreballsthanolderbees,whileadultmaless
    pentlongerplayingwithballsthanadultfemales.Theball-rollingbeesar
    ethefirstknowninsectsto"play".Theresearchersexperimentedon45b
    umblebeesinaspeciallydesignedtestarea.Thebeesweregiventwoopti
    ons.Thefirstchoicewastoflyorwalkdirectlytogetasugarytreat.Thesec
    ondchoicewastogettothetreatbygoingarounddifferentcolouredwood
    enballs.Mostofthebeesdecidedtoplaywiththeballsandthengettheirtr
    eat.Aresearchersaidtheexperimentsshowedthatbeesaremorethoug
    htfulthanpeoplebelieved.Shesaid:"Beesareamillionmilesfromthemi
    ndless,unfeelingcreaturestheyaretraditionallybelievedtobe."Shead
    dedthat:"Thisresearchprovidesastrongindicationthatinsectmindsar
    efarmoresophisticatedthanwemightimagine."

    Free writing

    Write about bees and balls for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    People are too busy and need to relax more.  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 news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. BEES: Make a poster about bees. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BEING BUSY: Write a magazine article about all of us changing our lives so we are less busy. 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 bees. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on bees. 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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