The Reading / Listening - Mosquitoes - Level 3

Mosquitoes seem to like some people more than others. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university in the USA believe the smell of our body could attract mosquitoes. This includes our natural body odour and smells from soaps and perfumes. Some of these smells could also help to reduce the number of bites we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer soap with a flowery smell. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body come from soap rather than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could change how attractive we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less tasty to the creatures.

The researchers tested the effects on mosquitoes of four popular brands of soap. They analyzed the smell of different people after they used each soap, and when they did not wash themselves. The researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a cage full of mosquitoes. The insects seemed to prefer the flowery smells from the soapy cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted by floral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some advice. He said: "I would choose a coconut-scented soap if I wanted to reduce mosquito attraction." Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The diseases they carry kill about 725,000 people a year.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Mosquitoes - Level 0,  Mosquitoes - Level 1   or  Mosquitoes - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2023/06/07/why-do-mosquito-bites-itch/70268596007/
  • https://www.indiatoday.in/health/story/are-you-a-mosquito-magnet-it-could-be-your-soap-2392070-2023-06-12
  • https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/scented-soaps-can-attract-or-repel-mosquitoes-research-finds/3051062/


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. MOSQUITOES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about mosquitoes. 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?
       mosquitoes / smell / body odour / soap / perfume / summer / bites / attractive / tasty
       popular brands / wash / soapy / cage / fruity smells / coconut / creatures / diseases
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. NATURE: Students A strongly believe nature needs mosquitoes; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. DEADLY CREATURES: What do you know about these deadly creatures? What would you do if one came near you? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

What I (Would) Do

Mosquito

 

 

Poisonous snake

 

 

Tarantula

 

 

Shark

 

 

Bear

 

 

Lion

 

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

  • Soap
  • Perfume
  • Chocolate
  • Grass
  • Banana
  • Coffee
  • Fresh bread
  • BBQs

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. seem a. The result of an animal, insect, snake, shark, etc. attacking you with their teeth or other body part.
      2. attract b. A strong smell, especially a bad one.
      3. odour c. Cause to come to a place or do something by offering something interesting.
      4. perfume d. Having no strong characteristics or features.
      5. bite e. Look like being something.
      6. prefer f. A liquid made from flowers and spices, used to give a nice smell to one's body.
      7. neutral g. Like one thing or person better than another or others.

    Paragraph 2

      8. effects h. A structure of bars or wires in which birds or other animals are kept.
      9. brand i. Help given to someone about the best future action to take.
      10. analyzed j. About flowers.
      11. cage k. A type of product made by a particular company under a particular name.
      12. floral l. An illness in a human, animal, or plant.
      13. advice m. The changes that are because of an action or other cause.
      14. disease n. Examined something to explain and understand it.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says mosquitoes love all people.     T / F
  2. The smell of perfume could attract mosquitoes to you.     T / F
  3. The article says mosquitoes like flowers with a soapy smell.     T / F
  4. Changing our soap could keep mosquitoes away.     T / F
  5. Researchers tested the smell of 40 soaps on mosquitoes.     T / F
  6. Researchers put the smell of unwashed people in a cage of mosquitoes.   T / F
  7. Mosquitoes may like the same smells that humans like.     T / F
  8. The article says mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures.     T / F

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

  1. seem
  2. odour
  3. reduce
  4. attractive
  5. tasty
  6. popular
  7. analyzed
  8. like
  9. advice
  10. deadliest
  1. cut
  2. most lethal
  3. delicious
  4. well-liked
  5. smell
  6. examined
  7. suggestion
  8. appear
  9. similar to
  10. appealing

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

  1. Mosquitoes seem to like some people
  2. the smell of our body
  3. help to reduce the number of
  4. prefer soap with
  5. Soap with a neutral
  6. the effects on mosquitoes of four popular
  7. in a cage
  8. Mosquitoes may
  9. I would choose a coconut-
  10. Mosquitoes are the world's
  1. or no smell
  2. a flowery smell
  3. full of mosquitoes
  4. could attract mosquitoes
  5. be like humans
  6. deadliest creatures
  7. more than others
  8. scented soap
  9. bites we get
  10. brands of soap

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
coming
bites
others
change
attract
prefer
tasty
natural

Mosquitoes seem to like some people more than                         (1) _____________________. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university in the USA believe the smell of our body could               (2) _____________________ mosquitoes. This includes our                   (3) _____________________ body odour and smells from soaps and perfumes. Some of these smells could also help to reduce the number of (4) _____________________ we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to (5) _____________________ soap with a flowery smell. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells (6) _____________________ from our body come from soap rather than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could (7) _____________________ how attractive we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less (8) _____________________ to the creatures.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
wash
soapy
attraction
effects
diseases
cage
brands
advice

The researchers tested the (9) _____________________ on mosquitoes of four popular (10) _____________________ of soap. They analyzed the smell of different people after they used each soap, and when they did not (11) _____________________ themselves. The researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a (12) _____________________ full of mosquitoes. The insects seemed to prefer the flowery smells from the (13) _____________________ cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted by floral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some (14) _____________________. He said: "I would choose a coconut-scented soap if I wanted to reduce mosquito (15) _____________________." Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The (16) _____________________ they carry kill about 725,000 people a year.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Mosquitoes seem to like some people ______
     a.  more than another
     b.  more than others
     c.  more than other
     d.  more than otherly
2)  The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer soap with ______
     a.  a flower rice smell
     b.  a flower rise smell
     c.  a flowery smell
     d.  a flow very smell
3)  smells coming from our body come from soap rather than ______
     a.  natural body odours
     b.  natural body yodels
     c.  natural body others
     d.  natural body udders
4)  He said that changing the soap we use could change how ______
     a.  attractive we aren't
     b.  attractive we're
     c.  attractive weir
     d.  attractive we are
5)  Soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less tasty ______
     a.  to the creatives
     b.  to the creed yours
     c.  to the creatures
     d.  to the craters

6)  The researchers tested the effects on mosquitoes of four popular ______
     a.  braids of soap
     b.  bland of soap
     c.  brand of soap
     d.  brands of soap
7)  the smell of different people after they used each soap, and when they did ______
     a.  not wash themselves
     b.  not wash ourselves
     c.  not wash yourselves
     d.  not wash in selves
8)  put them in two different cups in a cage ______
     a.  full of mosquitoes
     b.  full off mosquitoes
     c.  fill of mosquitoes
     d.  fuller mosquitoes
9)  The insects seemed to prefer the flowery smells from ______
     a.  the soap pee cups
     b.  the soap pea cups
     c.  the so pea cups
     d.  the soapy cups
10)  Mosquitoes are the ______
     a.  world's deadly yeast creatures
     b.  world's dead least creatures
     c.  world's deadliest creatures
     d.  world's dead last creatures

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Mosquitoes seem to like some people (1) ____________________. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university in the USA believe the smell of our body could attract mosquitoes. This includes (2) ____________________ odour and smells from soaps and perfumes. Some of these smells could also help to reduce the number of (3) ____________________ in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes (4) ____________________ soap with a flowery smell. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body come from soap rather than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could (5) ____________________ we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neutral or no smell could make (6) ____________________ to the creatures.

The researchers (7) ____________________ on mosquitoes of four popular brands of soap. They analyzed the smell of different people after they used each soap, and when they (8) ____________________ themselves. The researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in (9) ____________________ of mosquitoes. The insects seemed to prefer the flowery smells from the soapy cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they (10) ____________________ floral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some advice. He said: "I would choose a coconut-scented soap if I (11) ____________________ mosquito attraction." Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The diseases they (12) ____________________ 725,000 people a year.

Comprehension questions

  1. What is the name of the university the research came from?
  2. What smells attract mosquitoes besides body odour and soap?
  3. What could we reduce in summer by using a different soap?
  4. What smells do mosquitoes prefer?
  5. What kind of soap would make us less attractive to mosquitoes?
  6. How many brands of soap were part of the research?
  7. In what did researchers put the smell of unwashed people?
  8. What was a cage full of?
  9. What kind of soap did a researcher recommend we use?
  10. What's the world's deadliest creature?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What is the name of the university the research came from?
a) Mosquito Tech
b) MIT
c) Oxford
d) Virginia Tech
2) What smells attract mosquitoes besides body odour and soap?
a) trash
b) perfume
c) milk
d) food
3) What could we reduce in summer by using a different soap?
a) body odour
b) skin problems
c) mosquito bites
d) body temperature
4) What smells do mosquitoes prefer?
a) a flowery smell
b) string smells
c) natural smells
d) human smells
5) What kind of soap would make us less attractive to mosquitoes?
a) perfumed soap
b) liquid soap
c) scentless soap
d) coal tar soap

6) How many brands of soap were part of the research?
a) three
b) four
c) two
d) five
7) In what did researchers put the smell of unwashed people?
a) a microscope
b) a test tube
c) a mosquito's mouth
d) a cup
8) What was a cage full of?
a) mosquitoes
b) smells
c) insect spray
d) technology
9) What kind of soap did a researcher recommend we use?
a) strawberry-flavoured soap
b) body soap
c) coconut-scented soap
d) cheap soap
10) What's the world's deadliest creature?
a) dogs
b) mosquitoes
c) snakes
d) spiders

Role play

Role  A – Soap
You think the smell of soap is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their smells. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): chocolate, freshly-baked bread or banana.

Role  B – Chocolate
You think the smell of chocolate is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their smells. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): soap, freshly-baked bread or banana.

Role  C – Freshly-baked Bread
You think the smell of freshly-baked bread is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their smells. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): chocolate, soap or banana.

Role  D – Banana
You think the smell of banana is best. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their smells. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): chocolate, freshly-baked bread or soap.

After reading / listening

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

'soap'

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

    • and 'mosquito'.

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

    • • 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:

    • some
    • perfumes
    • bites
    • flowery
    • rather
    • less
    • popular
    • each
    • cage
    • advice
    • reduce
    • kill

    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 - Mosquitoes

    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 'soap'?
    3. What do you think of mosquitoes?
    4. How much do mosquitoes like you?
    5. What are your favourite smells?
    6. What soaps and perfumes or fragrances do you like?
    7. What do you think of body odour?
    8. How often do you get a mosquito bite?
    9. What's the best way to treat a mosquito bite?
    10. Will you now try different soaps?

    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 'mosquito'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about mosquitoes?
    5. What do you do to keep mosquitoes away?
    6. What flowery and fruity smells do you like?
    7. What three adjectives best describe mosquitoes?
    8. What do you think of the mosquito's sound near your ear?
    9. Why are mosquitoes so deadly?
    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)

    Mosquitoes seem to like some people more (1) ____ others. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university in the USA believe the smell of our body could (2) ____ mosquitoes. This includes our natural body odour and smells from soaps and perfumes. Some of these (3) ____ could also help to reduce the number of bites we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer soap with a flowery (4) ____. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body comes from soap (5) ____ than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could change how attractive we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less (6) ____ to the creatures.

    The researchers tested the effects (7) ____ mosquitoes of four popular brands of soap. They analyzed the smell of different people after they used (8) ____ soap, and when they did not wash themselves. The researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a cage full of mosquitoes. The insects (9) ____ to prefer the flowery smells from the soapy cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted (10) ____ floral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some advice. He said: "I would choose a coconut-(11) ____ soap if I wanted to reduce mosquito attraction." Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The diseases they (12) ____ kill about 725,000 people a year.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     than     (b)     that     (c)     these     (d)     them    
    2. (a)     detest     (b)     reject     (c)     attract     (d)     digest    
    3. (a)     pongs     (b)     stinks     (c)     smells     (d)     whiffs    
    4. (a)     stink     (b)     stench     (c)     reek     (d)     smell    
    5. (a)     rather     (b)     prefer     (c)     instead     (d)     over    
    6. (a)     tasteful     (b)     tasty     (c)     tasteless     (d)     taste    
    7. (a)     by     (b)     in     (c)     at     (d)     on    
    8. (a)     all     (b)     each     (c)     whole     (d)     every    
    9. (a)     seen     (b)     rather     (c)     seemed     (d)     lather    
    10. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     on     (d)     by    
    11. (a)     sense     (b)     sender     (c)     sent     (d)     scented    
    12. (a)     send     (b)     carry     (c)     die     (d)     lift

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. insecitsts from the Virginia Tech university
    2. the smell of our body could rctaatt mosquitoes
    3. smells from soaps and esuepmrf
    4. help to uceedr the number of bites
    5. change how aaretvtitc we are
    6. make us less tasty to the eearusrct

    Paragraph 2

    1. researchers tested the cfstefe on mosquitoes
    2. The insects seemed to efrpre the flowery smells
    3. floral and fuitry smells
    4. One researcher gave some ieadvc
    5. choose a coconut-secntde soap
    6. The ssesadei they carry

    Put the text back together

    (  1  ) Mosquitoes seem to like some people more than others. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university
    (...)  people after they used each soap, and when they did not wash themselves. The researchers recreated the soapy
    (...)  a coconut-scented soap if I wanted to reduce mosquito attraction." Mosquitoes are the world's
    (...)  smell. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body come from soap rather
    (...)  by floral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some advice. He said: "I would choose
    (...)  odour and smells from soaps and perfumes. Some of these smells could also help to reduce the number
    (...)  prefer the flowery smells from the soapy cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted
    (...)  The researchers tested the effects on mosquitoes of four popular brands of soap. They analyzed the smell of different
    (...)  of bites we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer soap with a flowery
    (...)  we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less tasty to the creatures.
    (...)  than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could change how attractive
    (...)  and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a cage full of mosquitoes. The insects seemed to
    (...)  deadliest creatures. The diseases they carry kill about 725,000 people a year.
    (...)  in the USA believe the smell of our body could attract mosquitoes. This includes our natural body

    Put the words in the right order

    1. others   .   like   more   Mosquitoes   than   some   people
    2. of   attract   our   smell   body   could   mosquitoes   .   The
    3. bites   we   the   number   of   Reduce   get   .
    4. flowery   to   soap   seemed   prefer   with   smells   .   Mosquitoes
    5. to   attractive   how   mosquitoes   .   are   Change   we
    6. brands   The   four   of   effects   soap   .   popular   of
    7. people   .   different   the   smell   They   of   analyzed
    8. insects   flowery   the   to   seemed   prefer   The   smells   .
    9. choose   wanted   .   soap   a   would   coconut-scented   if   I   I
    10. the   among   deadliest   creatures   .   Mosquitoes   are   world's

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Mosquitoes seem to like some people more / most than others. Scientists from the Virginia Tech university in the USA believe / belief the smell of our body could attractive / attract mosquitoes. This includes our natural body odour and smells / stinks from soaps and perfumes. Some of these smells could also help to reduce the number of bite / bites we get in the summer. The researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer / rather soap with a flowery smell. The lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body come from soap lather / rather than natural body odours. He said that changing the soap we use could change how / what attractive we are to mosquitoes. Soap with a neuter / neutral or no smell could make us less yum / tasty to the creatures.

    The researchers tasted / tested the effects on mosquitoes of four popular brands / bland of soap. They analyzed the smell of difference / different people after they used each soap, and when they did not wash themselves / ourselves. The researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a cage full / on of mosquitoes. The insects seemed to prefer / rather the flowery smells from the soapy cups. Mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted by floral / coral and fruity smells. One researcher gave some advice / advise. He said: "I would choose a coconut-scented soap what / if I wanted to reduce mosquito attraction." Mosquitoes are the world's deadliest creatures. The diseases they carry kill about 725,000 people for / a year.

    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)

    M_sq__t__s  s__m  t_  l_k_  s_m_  p__pl_  m_r_  th_n  _th_rs.  Sc__nt_sts  fr_m  th_  V_rg_n__  T_ch  _n_v_rs_ty  _n  th_  _S_  b_l__v_  th_  sm_ll  _f  __r  b_dy  c__ld  _ttr_ct  m_sq__t__s.  Th_s  _ncl_d_s  __r  n_t_r_l  b_dy  _d__r  _nd  sm_lls  fr_m  s__ps  _nd  p_rf_m_s.  S_m_  _f  th_s_  sm_lls  c__ld  _ls_  h_lp  t_  r_d_c_  th_  n_mb_r  _f  b_t_s  w_  g_t  _n  th_  s_mm_r.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  s__d  m_sq__t__s  s__m_d  t_  pr_f_r  s__p  w_th  _  fl_w_ry  sm_ll.  Th_  l__d  r_s__rch_r  s__d  _v_r  60  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_  sm_lls  c_m_ng  fr_m  __r  b_dy  c_m_  fr_m  s__p  r_th_r  th_n  n_t_r_l  b_dy  _d__rs.  H_  s__d  th_t  ch_ng_ng  th_  s__p  w_  _s_  c__ld  ch_ng_  h_w  _ttr_ct_v_  w_  _r_  t_  m_sq__t__s.  S__p  w_th  _  n__tr_l  _r  n_  sm_ll  c__ld  m_k_  _s  l_ss  t_sty  t_  th_  cr__t_r_s.

    Th_  r_s__rch_rs  t_st_d  th_  _ff_cts  _n  m_sq__t__s  _f  f__r  p_p_l_r  br_nds  _f  s__p.  Th_y  _n_lyz_d  th_  sm_ll  _f  d_ff_r_nt  p__pl_  _ft_r  th_y  _s_d  __ch  s__p,  _nd  wh_n  th_y  d_d  n_t  w_sh  th_ms_lv_s.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  r_cr__t_d  th_  s__py  _nd  _nw_sh_d  sm_lls  _nd  p_t  th_m  _n  tw_  d_ff_r_nt  c_ps  _n  _  c_g_  f_ll  _f  m_sq__t__s.  Th_  _ns_cts  s__m_d  t_  pr_f_r  th_  fl_w_ry  sm_lls  fr_m  th_  s__py  c_ps.  M_sq__t__s  m_y  b_  l_k_  h_m_ns  b_c__s_  th_y  _r_  _ttr_ct_d  by  fl_r_l  _nd  fr__ty  sm_lls.  _n_  r_s__rch_r  g_v_  s_m_  _dv_c_.  H_  s__d:  "_  w__ld  ch__s_  _  c_c_n_t-sc_nt_d  s__p  _f  _  w_nt_d  t_  r_d_c_  m_sq__t_  _ttr_ct__n."  M_sq__t__s  _r_  th_  w_rld's  d__dl__st  cr__t_r_s.  Th_  d_s__s_s  th_y  c_rry  k_ll  _b__t  725,000  p__pl_  _  y__r.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    mosquitoes seem to like some people more than others scientists from the virginia tech university in the usa believe the smell of our body could attract mosquitoes this includes our natural body odour and smells from soaps and perfumes some of these smells could also help to reduce the number of bites we get in the summer the researchers said mosquitoes seemed to prefer soap with a flowery smell the lead researcher said over 60 per cent of the smells coming from our body come from soap rather than natural body odours he said that changing the soap we use could change how attractive we are to mosquitoes soap with a neutral or no smell could make us less tasty to the creatures

    the researchers tested the effects on mosquitoes of four popular brands of soap they analyzed the smell of different people after they used each soap and when they did not wash themselves the researchers recreated the soapy and unwashed smells and put them in two different cups in a cage full of mosquitoes the insects seemed to prefer the flowery smells from the soapy cups mosquitoes may be like humans because they are attracted by floral and fruity smells one researcher gave some advice he said i would choose a coconutscented soap if i wanted to reduce mosquito attraction mosquitoes are the worlds deadliest creatures the diseases they carry kill about 725000 people a year

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Mosquitoesseemtolikesomepeoplemorethanothers.Scientistsfromt
    heVirginiaTechuniversityintheUSAbelievethesmellofourbodycoulda
    ttractmosquitoes.Thisincludesournaturalbodyodourandsmellsfroms
    oapsandperfumes.Someofthesesmellscouldalsohelptoreducethenu
    mberofbiteswegetinthesummer.Theresearcherssaidmosquitoessee
    medtoprefersoapwithaflowerysmell.Theleadresearchersaidover60p
    ercentofthesmellscomingfromourbodycomefromsoapratherthannat
    uralbodyodours.Hesaidthatchangingthesoapweusecouldchangeho
    wattractivewearetomosquitoes.Soapwithaneutralornosmellcouldm
    akeuslesstastytothecreatures.Theresearcherstestedtheeffectsonm
    osquitoesoffourpopularbrandsofsoap.Theyanalyzedthesmellofdiffer
    entpeopleaftertheyusedeachsoap,andwhentheydidnotwashthemsel
    ves.Theresearchersrecreatedthesoapyandunwashedsmellsandputt
    hemintwodifferentcupsinacagefullofmosquitoes.Theinsectsseemed
    toprefertheflowerysmellsfromthesoapycups.Mosquitoesmaybelikeh
    umansbecausetheyareattractedbyfloralandfruitysmells.Oneresearc
    hergavesomeadvice.Hesaid:"Iwouldchooseacoconut-scentedsoapi
    fIwantedtoreducemosquitoattraction."Mosquitoesaretheworld'sdea
    dliestcreatures.Thediseasestheycarrykillabout725,000peopleayear
    .

    Free writing

    Write about soap and mosquitoes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should stop using soaps that smell flowery. 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. MOSQUITOES: Make a poster about mosquitoes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. SOAP: Write a magazine article about changing the smell of all soap to make us less attractive to mosquitoes. 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 mosquitoes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to stop mosquitoes biting us. 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

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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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