Breaking News English Lesson: Germany Ticket

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Germany issues cheap public transport ticket (4th May 2023)

The Reading / Listening - Germany Ticket - Level 3

Public transport is an important part of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit family and friends, go sightseeing and go about our daily business. However, in many countries, trains, buses and subways are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been launched to make getting around easier. Transport companies have got together to create the Germany Ticket. This allows people who buy it to use all local and regional transportation across the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is valid for all forms of public transport in Germany except for long-distance intercity trains. More than three million tickets were sold on the day of the launch.

Transportation bosses hope the new Germany Ticket will be good for the environment. They want more people to leave their cars at home and use more environmentally friendly forms of transportation. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, welcomed the new ticket. He said it is "an easy and cheap offer that will make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve our climate goals". Germany aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. A transportation analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution" for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme that puts rail before road and get passengers onto trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start a similar ticket.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Germany Ticket - Level 0, Germany Ticket - Level 1 or Germany Ticket - Level 2

Sources

https://apnews.com/article/germany-public-transit-cheap-ticket-trains-metro-3d83f1a35ab8e3945b8034b9bd511c29
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-29/germany-sets-the-new-standard-for-cheap-national-mass-transit
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/germany-public-transit-ticket_n_644f94c9e4b0408f3e5a76a5

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. TRANSPORTATION: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about transportation. 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?
public transport / visit family / sightseeing / expensive / scheme / local / ticket / day /
boss / environmentally friendly / attractive / revolution / road / rail / bus / passenger
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. TRAINS: Students A strongly believe trains are better than buses; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. IMPROVEMENTS: What is wrong with these forms of transport? How can we bake them better? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	What's Wrong?	Improvements
Trains
Buses
Subways
Ferries
Taxis
Planes

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. BUS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "bus". 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 at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

Trains
Airplanes
Bicycles
Taxis
Motorbikes
Ferries
Buses
E-scooters

Vocabulary

Paragraph 1

1.	sightseeing	a.	Done, made, or happening every day or every weekday.
2.	daily	b.	About the area near or around where someone lives.
3.	scheme	c.	Introduced a new product to the public for the first time.
4.	launched	d.	A big plan or arrangement for putting an idea into action.
5.	local	e.	The activity of visiting interesting and famous places in a town or city.
6.	regional	f.	A type or kind of something.
7.	form	g.	About an area of a country or the world.

Paragraph 2

8.	boss	h.	A big and wide-reaching change in something, or in how something works.
9.	attractive	i.	A person who is in charge of a worker, group, business, company or organization.
10.	achieve	j.	A person who studies something in detail.
11.	carbon neutral	k.	A traveller on a public or private bus,, train, taxi, airplane, etc. other than the driver, pilot, or crew
12.	analyst	l.	Successfully bring about or get a or result.
13.	revolution	m.	Making or resulting in no extra CO2.
14.	passenger	n.	Being interesting enough for people to want.

Before reading / listening

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

The article says we use public transport for our daily business. T / F
The government created the Germany Ticket. T / F
The Germany Tickets covers all buses and trains in Germany. T / F
People bought more than three million Germany Tickets in one hour. T / F
The Germany Ticket will be better for the environment. T / F
Germany's chancellor was happy with the Germany Ticket. T / F
Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2030. T / F
An analyst hopes other countries will introduce similar tickets. T / F

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

important
scheme
allows
valid
except for
bosses
forms
attractive
revolution
similar

big change
not including
chiefs
system
lets
major
appealing
comparable
acceptable
kinds

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

Public transport is an important part
go about our daily
trains, buses and
use all local and
The ticket is valid for all forms
the new Germany Ticket will be good
use more environmentally
help us to achieve our climate
Germany aims to become carbon
get passengers

onto trains
subways
of public transport
friendly forms
of many peoples' lives
neutral by 2050
for the environment
business
goals
regional transportation

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

regional
sightseeing
launched
day
part
valid
create
subways

Public transport is an important (1) _____________________ of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit family and friends, go (2) _____________________ and go about our daily business. However, in many countries, trains, buses and (3) _____________________ are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been (4) _____________________ to make getting around easier. Transport companies have got together to (5) _____________________ the Germany Ticket. This allows people who buy it to use all local and (6) _____________________ transportation across the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is (7) _____________________ for all forms of public transport in Germany except for long-distance intercity trains. More than three million tickets were sold on the (8) _____________________ of the launch.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.

neutral
welcomed
similar
bosses
easy
passengers
friendly
goals

Transportation (9) _____________________ hope the new Germany Ticket will be good for the environment. They want more people to leave their cars at home and use more environmentally (10) _____________________ forms of transportation. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, (11) _____________________ the new ticket. He said it is "an (12) _____________________ and cheap offer that will make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve our climate (13) _____________________ ". Germany aims to become carbon (14) _____________________ by 2050. A transportation analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution" for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme that puts rail before road and get (15) _____________________ onto trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start a (16) _____________________ ticket.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Public transport is an important part of ______
     a. many peoples' live
     b. many peoples' rivals
     c. many peoples' libels
     d. many peoples' lives
2) go to work, visit family and friends, go sightseeing and go about ______
     a. our daily businesses
     b. our day business
     c. our daily business
     d. dour daily business
3) This allows people who buy it to use all local ______
     a. and regional transportation
     b. and region all transportation
     c. and legion all transportation
     d. and lesion all transportation
4) valid for all forms of public transport in Germany except for long-______
     a. distances intercity trains
     b. distanced intercity trains
     c. distance intercity trains
     d. distancing intercity trains
5) More than three million tickets were sold on the day ______
     a. of the lunch
     b. of the launch
     c. of a launch
     d. off the launch

6) leave their cars at home and use more environmentally friendly ______
     a. firms of transportation
     b. forms of transportation
     c. farms of transportation
     d. ferns of transportation
7) He said it is an easy and cheap offer that will make public ______
     a. transit more attract tiff
     b. transit more at traction
     c. transit more at active
     d. transit more attractive
8) Germany aims to become carbon ______
     a. neutral by 2050
     b. neuter by 2050
     c. new trawl by 2050
     d. newt trawl by 2050
9) We need a scheme that puts rail before road and get ______
     a. passengers onto trains
     b. passing jazz onto trains
     c. pass in jazz onto trains
     d. pass singes onto trains
10) Another analyst hopes other countries will start ______
     a. as similar ticket
     b. a similarity ticket
   c. ace similar ticket
     d. a similar ticket

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Public transport is (1) ____________________ of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit family and friends, go sightseeing and (2) __________________ daily business. However, in many countries, trains, buses and subways are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been launched to make (3) ____________________. Transport companies have got together to create the Germany Ticket. This allows people who buy it to use all (4) ____________________ transportation across the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is valid (5) ____________________ of public transport in Germany except for long-distance intercity trains. More than three million tickets were sold on the (6) ____________________ launch.

Transportation (7) ____________________ new Germany Ticket will be good for the environment. They want more people to leave their cars at home and use more environmentally (8) ____________________ transportation. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, welcomed the new ticket. He said it is "(9) ____________________ cheap offer that will make public transit (10) ____________________ help us to achieve our climate goals". Germany aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. A transportation analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution" for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme that puts rail before road and (11) ____________________ trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

What does the article say is expensive in many countries?
Who got together to create the Germany Ticket?
How much does the monthly Germany Ticket cost?
What is the Germany Ticket not valid for?
How many Germany Tickets were sold on the day of its launch?
What do transport bosses want people to leave at home?
What did Germany's chancellor say the ticket could help to achieve?
By when does Germany want to be carbon neutral?
What does an analyst say we need to put before road?
What does an analyst hope will create a similar ticket?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say is expensive in many countries?
a) energy
b) air fares
c) trains, buses and subways
d) steel to make trains
2) Who got together to create the Germany Ticket?
a) transport companies
b) passenger groups
c) the government
d) airline bosses
3) How much does the monthly Germany Ticket cost?
a) 49 euros ($59.30)
b) 43 euros ($59.90)
c) 49 euros ($53.30)
d) 49 euros ($53.90) 4) What is the Germany Ticket not valid for?
a) taxis
b) long-distance intercity trains
c) international trains
d) e-scooters
5) How many Germany Tickets were sold on the day of its launch?
a) around three million
b) exactly three million
c) more than three million
d) just fewer than three million

6) What do transport bosses want people to leave at home?
a) their keys
b) their travel passes
c) their children
d) their cars
7) What did Germany's chancellor say the ticket could help to achieve?
a) equality
b) climate goals
c) more savings
d) quicker journeys
8) By when does Germany want to be carbon neutral?
a) 2030
b) 2040
c) 2060
d) 2050
9) What does an analyst say we need to put before road?
a) rail
b) buses
c) airplanes
d) bicycles
10) What does an analyst hope will create a similar ticket?
a) e-scooter companies
b) airplanes
c) the government
d) other countries

Role play

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

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

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

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

After reading / listening

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

'transport'

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

and 'ticket'.
________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

________________

• 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:

important

daily

getting

together

valid

except

hope

home

easy

aims

analyst

road

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 - Germany Ticket

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 'transport'?
How important is public transport?
What's public transportation like where you live?
Do you prefer buses or trains?
Do you think public transportation is expensive?
Should we use bicycles instead of public transportation?
What do you think of the Germany Ticket?
Where would you go if public transportation was free?
How can we make public transportation better?

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 'ticket'?
What do you think about what you read?
Will the Germany Ticket be good for the environment?
Are trains and buses good for the environment?
What do you think of countries becoming carbon neutral?
What are the bad things about public transport?
How often do you use the public transport system in your country?
What do you dislike about public transportation?
What questions would you like to ask transportation bosses?

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)

Public transport is an important (1) ____ of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit family and friends, go sightseeing and go about our (2) ____ business. However, in (3) ____ countries, trains, buses and subways are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been launched to make getting around (4) ____. Transport companies have got together to create the Germany Ticket. This allows people who buy it to use all local and regional transportation across the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is (5) ____ for all forms of public transport in Germany except for (6) ____-distance intercity trains. More than three million tickets were sold on the day of the launch.

Transportation bosses hope the new Germany Ticket will be good (7) ____ the environment. They want more people to leave their cars (8) ____ home and use more environmentally friendly forms of transportation. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, welcomed the new ticket. He said it is "an easy and cheap (9) ____ that will make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve our climate goals". Germany aims to become carbon (10) ____ by 2050. A transportation analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution" for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme that puts rail (11) ____ road and get passengers onto trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start a (12) ____ ticket.

Which of these words go in the above text?

(a) partner (b) part (c) party (d) parts
(a) days (b) daily (c) day (d) day job
(a) any (b) much (c) more (d) many
(a) ease (b) easier (c) easy (d) easily
(a) veiled (b) valid (c) validity (d) vole
(a) length (b) longing (c) long (d) longs
(a) by (b) at (c) for (d) on
(a) by (b) on (c) at (d) to
(a) request (b) order (c) plea (d) offer
(a) negative (b) normal (c) positive (d) neutral
(a) before (b) ahead (c) advanced (d) past
(a) same (b) similarity (c) similar (d) simile

Spelling

Paragraph 1

go hetgnesgsii
A new cmehes in Germany
all local and airgloen transportation
ialdv for all forms of public transport
except for long-antcdise intercity trains
tickets were sold on the day of the naulch

Paragraph 2

good for the mevtnernoni
make public transit more etaatritcv
Germany aims to become carbon elunart by 2050
the Germany Ticket was a vioeltunro
get paerngssse onto trains
other countries will start a amirsil ticket

Put the text back together

(...) to leave their cars at home and use more environmentally friendly forms of transportation. Germany's
(...) launched to make getting around easier. Transport companies have got together to
(...) across the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is valid for all forms of public transport in Germany except
(...) onto trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start a similar ticket.
(...) for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme that puts rail before road and get passengers
(...) family and friends, go sightseeing and go about our daily business. However, in many
(...) for long-distance intercity trains. More than three million tickets were sold on the day of the launch.
(...) neutral by 2050. A transportation analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution"
(...) Transportation bosses hope the new Germany Ticket will be good for the environment. They want more people
(...) create the Germany Ticket. This allows people who buy it to use all local and regional transportation
(...) countries, trains, buses and subways are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been
(...) Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, welcomed the new ticket. He said it is "an easy and cheap offer that will
( 1 ) Public transport is an important part of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit
(...) make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve our climate goals". Germany aims to become carbon

Put the words in the right order

part Transport an important is peoples' lives . of
Germany been in has new scheme launched . A
have the Companies got create ticket . to together
of for public forms It's all transport . valid
the million day . tickets on were Three sold
more want leave people to They their cars .
achieve our to climate It'll help us goals .
carbon aims become 2050 . neutral to by Germany
a "revolution" . A the ticket analyst called transportation
a similar ticket . Other start countries will

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

Public transport is an important / importance part of many peoples' lives. We need it to go to work, visit family and friends, go sightseeing and go about / around our daily business. However, in much / many countries, trains, buses and subways / subway are very expensive. A new scheme in Germany has been launched to / for make getting around easier. Transport companies have got together to create the Germany Ticket. This allowing / allows people who buy them / it to use all local and regional transportation across a / the country for just 49 euros ($53.90) a month. The ticket is valid for all forms of / off public transport in Germany except for long-distance intercity trains. More than / Moreover three million tickets were sold on the day of the launch.

Transportation bosses hoping / hope the new Germany Ticket will be good at / for the environment. They want more people to leave their cars in / at home and use more environmentally friendly forms of transportation. Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, pleased / welcomed the new ticket. He said it is "an easy and cheap / cheaply offer that will make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve your / our climate goals". Germany aims to become carbon neutral by / on 2050. A transportation analyze / analyst said the Germany Ticket was a "revolution" for Germany. He said: "We need a scheme what / that puts rail before road and get passengers onto trains and buses". Another analyst hopes other countries will start a similarity / similar ticket.

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)

P_bl_c tr_nsp_rt _s _n _mp_rt_nt p_rt _f m_ny p__pl_s' l_v_s. W_ n__d _t t_ g_ t_ w_rk, v_s_t f_m_ly _nd fr__nds, g_ s_ghts___ng _nd g_ _b__t __r d__ly b_s_n_ss. H_w_v_r, _n m_ny c__ntr__s, tr__ns, b_s_s _nd s_bw_ys _r_ v_ry _xp_ns_v_. _ n_w sch_m_ _n G_rm_ny h_s b__n l__nch_d t_ m_k_ g_tt_ng _r__nd __s__r. Tr_nsp_rt c_mp_n__s h_v_ g_t t_g_th_r t_ cr__t_ th_ G_rm_ny T_ck_t. Th_s _ll_ws p__pl_ wh_ b_y _t t_ _s_ _ll l_c_l _nd r_g__n_l tr_nsp_rt_t__n _cr_ss th_ c__ntry f_r j_st 49 __r_s ($53.90) _ m_nth. Th_ t_ck_t _s v_l_d f_r _ll f_rms _f p_bl_c tr_nsp_rt _n G_rm_ny _xc_pt f_r l_ng-d_st_nc_ _nt_rc_ty tr__ns. M_r_ th_n thr__ m_ll__n t_ck_ts w_r_ s_ld _n th_ d_y _f th_ l__nch.

Tr_nsp_rt_t__n b_ss_s h_p_ th_ n_w G_rm_ny T_ck_t w_ll b_ g__d f_r th_ _nv_r_nm_nt. Th_y w_nt m_r_ p__pl_ t_ l__v_ th__r c_rs _t h_m_ _nd _s_ m_r_ _nv_r_nm_nt_lly fr__ndly f_rms _f tr_nsp_rt_t__n. G_rm_ny's Ch_nc_ll_r, _l_f Sch_lz, w_lc_m_d th_ n_w t_ck_t. H_ s__d _t _s "_n __sy _nd ch__p _ff_r th_t w_ll m_k_ p_bl_c tr_ns_t m_r_ _ttr_ct_v_ _nd h_lp _s t_ _ch__v_ __r cl_m_t_ g__ls". G_rm_ny __ms t_ b_c_m_ c_rb_n n__tr_l by 2050. _ tr_nsp_rt_t__n _n_lyst s__d th_ G_rm_ny T_ck_t w_s _ "r_v_l_t__n" f_r G_rm_ny. H_ s__d: "W_ n__d _ sch_m_ th_t p_ts r__l b_f_r_ r__d _nd g_t p_ss_ng_rs _nt_ tr__ns _nd b_s_s". _n_th_r _n_lyst h_p_s _th_r c__ntr__s w_ll st_rt _ s_m_l_r t_ck_t.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

public transport is an important part of many peoples lives we need it to go to work visit family and friends go sightseeing and go about our daily business however in many countries trains buses and subways are very expensive a new scheme in germany has been launched to make getting around easier transport companies have got together to create the germany ticket this allows people who buy it to use all local and regional transportation across the country for just 49 euros 5390 a month the ticket is valid for all forms of public transport in germany except for longdistance intercity trains more than three million tickets were sold on the day of the launch

transportation bosses hope the new germany ticket will be good for the environment they want more people to leave their cars at home and use more environmentally friendly forms of transportation germanys chancellor olaf scholz welcomed the new ticket he said it is an easy and cheap offer that will make public transit more attractive and help us to achieve our climate goals germany aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 a transportation analyst said the germany ticket was a revolution for germany he said we need a scheme that puts rail before road and get passengers onto trains and buses another analyst hopes other countries will start a similar ticket

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Publictransportisanimportantpartofmanypeoples'lives.Weneedittog
otowork,visitfamilyandfriends,gosightseeingandgoaboutourdailybu
siness.However,inmanycountries,trains,busesandsubwaysarevery
expensive.AnewschemeinGermanyhasbeenlaunchedtomakegettin
garoundeasier.TransportcompanieshavegottogethertocreatetheGe
rmanyTicket.Thisallowspeoplewhobuyittousealllocalandregionaltra
nsportationacrossthecountryforjust49euros($53.90)amonth.Thetic
ketisvalidforallformsofpublictransportinGermanyexceptforlong-dis
tanceintercitytrains.Morethanthreemillionticketsweresoldontheday
ofthelaunch.TransportationbosseshopethenewGermanyTicketwillb
egoodfortheenvironment.Theywantmorepeopletoleavetheircarsath
omeandusemoreenvironmentallyfriendlyformsoftransportation.Ger
many'sChancellor,OlafScholz,welcomedthenewticket.Hesaiditis"an
easyandcheapofferthatwillmakepublictransitmoreattractiveandhel
pustoachieveourclimategoals".Germanyaimstobecomecarbonneutr
alby2050.AtransportationanalystsaidtheGermanyTicketwasa"revol
ution"forGermany.Hesaid:"Weneedaschemethatputsrailbeforeroad
andgetpassengersontotrainsandbuses".Anotheranalysthopesother
countrieswillstartasimilarticket.

Free writing

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

All public transport should be free. 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. TRANSPORTATION: Make a poster about transportation. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. FREE TRAVEL: Write a magazine article about public transport being free. 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 transportation. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make it better. 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

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Answers

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

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