The Reading / Listening - Global Temperatures - Level 3

The world has experienced its hottest year since records began. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service said every month in the past 12 months broke temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial averages. The industrial period started in the mid-nineteenth century. This is when we started to burn fossil fuels on a large scale. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a "large and continuing shift" in climate change. He warned: "We are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."

Extreme heat has hit countries across the planet this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning of an era that will see more heat-related disasters. In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than in pre-industrial times. Extreme temperatures are being seen all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the mercury hit 53.9º Celsius earlier this week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat record. The temperature there reached a scorching 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat across all continents. This has caused wildfires, drought and death. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed and died on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth is in crisis.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Global Temperatures - Level 0,  Global Temperatures - Level 1   or  Global Temperatures - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/08/temperatures-1-point-5c-above-pre-industrial-era-average-for-12-months-data-shows
  • https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/the-last-12-months-have-broken-records-like-never-before-earth-exceeds-15-c-warming-every-month-for-entire-year
  • https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-waves-broiling-the-planet-in-2024-arent-normal-how-climate-change-is-heating-up-weather-around-the-world-234249


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. GLOBAL TEMPERATURES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about global temperatures. 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?
       hottest year / temperature / industrial period / fossil fuels / climate change / oceans /
       planet / disasters / mercury / extreme heat / wildfires / drought / pilgrimage / crisis
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. FOSSIL FUELS: Students A strongly believe we should end the use of all fossil fuels within the next 10 years; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. RECORDS: How serious would the breaking of these records be? How would it affect people's lives? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Records Broken

Impact

Heat

 

 

Cold

 

 

Rain

 

 

Wind

 

 

Snow

 

 

Glacier melting

 

 
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. FOSSIL FUELS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "fossil fuels". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CLIMATE CHANGE: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst effects of climate change at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Hotter weather
  • Stronger hurricanes
  • More droughts
  • Rising oceans
  • Loss of species
  • Not enough food
  • Migration
  • Disease

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. records a. The normal amount or number, found by adding some amounts or numbers together and then dividing by how many there are.
      2. temperature b. Information about something that has happened, written down or saved in some way.
      3. average c. About making things in factories.
      4. industrial d. Natural things we burn to give us heat and power, like coal, oil, or gas, made from the remains of very old plants and animals.
      5. fossil fuel e. How hot or cold something is.
      6. shift f. Something that will definitely happen and cannot be stopped.
      7. inevitable g. A change from one thing to another.

    Paragraph 2

      8. planet h. A long period of time in history that has important events or changes.
      9. era i. Very, very, very, very, very, very hot.
      10. disaster j. A large round ball of rock or gas in space that moves around a star, like Earth.
      11. mercury k. A very bad event that causes a lot of death, harm or damage.
      12. scorching l. One of the seven large land areas on Earth, like Africa, Europe, South America, Asia…
      13. continent m. A silver-colored metal that is liquid at room temperature. It is used in thermometres.
      14.

pilgrimage

 n. A (long) journey made to a special place for religious reasons.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The world had its hottest year since 1836.     T / F
  2. Every month last year was 1.5 degrees higher than the year before.     T / F
  3. The industrial period started around 1850.     T / F
  4. A researcher said more climate records will be broken.     T / F
  5. The article says we are starting an age of heat-related disasters.     T / F
  6. The temperature last week in Death Valley, California was 53.9ºC.     T / F
  7. Nearly 10,000 people died on a pilgrimage.     T / F
  8. A climate scientist said Earth is no longer in crisis.     T / F

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

  1. began
  2. period
  3. shift
  4. inevitable
  5. oceans
  6. planet
  7. disasters
  8. scorching
  9. caused
  10. pilgrimage
  1. seas
  2. unavoidable
  3. globe
  4. age
  5. red-hot
  6. brought about
  7. started
  8. catastrophes
  9. religious journey
  10. change

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

  1. The world has experienced its hottest
  2. 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than
  3. we started to burn fossil
  4. We are bound to see new records
  5. putting greenhouse gases
  6. Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than
  7. The temperature there reached
  8. This has caused wildfires, drought
  9. on a pilgrimage
  10. this showed Earth is
  1. being broken
  2. to Mecca
  3. year since records began
  4. a scorching 48.9ºC
  5. in crisis
  6. fuels on a large scale
  7. into the atmosphere
  8. pre-industrial averages
  9. and death
  10. in pre-industrial times

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
bound
averages
warm
since
oceans
past
results
burn

The world has experienced its hottest year (1) _____________________ records began. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service said every month in the (2) _____________________ 12 months broke temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial (3) _____________________. The industrial period started in the mid-nineteenth century. This is when we started to (4) _____________________ fossil fuels on a large scale. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, said the (5) _____________________ of the report show a "large and continuing shift" in climate change. He warned: "We are (6) _____________________ to see new records being broken as the climate continues to (7) _____________________. This is inevitable, unless we stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the (8) _____________________."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
times
scorching
hit
mercury
crisis
drought
era
pilgrimage

Extreme heat has (9) _____________________ countries across the planet this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning of an (10) _____________________ that will see more heat-related disasters. In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than in pre-industrial (11) _____________________. Extreme temperatures are being seen all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the (12) _____________________ hit 53.9º Celsius earlier this week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat record. The temperature there reached a (13) _____________________ 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat across all continents. This has caused wildfires, (14) _____________________ and death. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed and died on a (15) _____________________ to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth is in (16) _____________________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The world has experienced its hottest year ______
     a.  since records begun
     b.  since records begin
     c.  since records began
     d.  since records begging
2)  The industrial period started in the ______
     a.  mid-nineteen century
     b.  mid-nineteenth centuries
     c.  mid-nineteenth century
     d.  middle-nineteenth century
3)  director of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a large ______
     a.  end continuing shift
     b.  and continuing shift
     c.  and continue in shift
     d.  and continuing shaft
4)  We are bound to see new records being broken as the climate ______
     a.  continues to warm
     b.  continues to warmth
     c.  continues to swarm
     d.  continues to worm
5)  This is inevitable, unless we stop putting greenhouse gases ______
     a.  unto the atmosphere
     b.  into the atmosphere
     c.  onto the atmosphere
     d.  up to the atmosphere

6)  Scientists say we are at the beginning ______
     a.  of arena
     b.  of an era
     c.  of an ear
     d.  of an airy
7)  In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than ______
     a.  in pre-industrial time
     b.  imp pre-industrial times
     c.  imp-industrial times
     d.  in pre-industrial times
8)  In Death Valley, the mercury hit 53.9º Celsius ______
     a.  earlier those week
     b.  earlier these week
     c.  earlier that week
     d.  earlier this week
9)  In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat ______
     a.  across all continence
     b.  across all containers
     c.  across all continents
     d.  across all contents
10)  Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth ______
     a.  is in crisis
     b.  is ink crisis
     c.  is in cry sis
     d.  is in cries

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The world has experienced its hottest (1) ____________________ began. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service said every month in the (2) ____________________ broke temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial averages. (3) ____________________ started in the mid-nineteenth century. This is when we started to (4) ____________________ on a large scale. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a "(5) ____________________ shift" in climate change. He warned: "We are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This (6) ____________________ we stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."

Extreme (7) ____________________ countries across the planet this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning (8) ____________________ that will see more heat-related disasters. In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than (9) ____________________. Extreme temperatures are being seen all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the mercury hit 53.9º Celsius earlier this week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat record. The temperature there (10) ____________________ 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat across all continents. This has caused wildfires, drought and death. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed and died (11) ____________________ to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. What has experienced its hottest year since records began?
  2. How much warmer were months last year than in the mid-19th century?
  3. What did we start to burn in the mid-nineteenth century?
  4. What did a researcher say we will continue to see being broken?
  5. What should we stop putting greenhouses gases into besides oceans?
  6. What will we see more of in a new era?
  7. When was Earth 1.64ºC cooler than it is today?
  8. Where was the temperature 48.9ºC?
  9. What has climate change brought besides wildfires and death?
  10. What did Aditi Mukherji say the world is in?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What has experienced its hottest year since records began?
a) the Gobi Desert
b) Europe
c) Antarctica
d) the world
2) How much warmer were months last year than in the mid-19th century?
a) exactly 1.5 degrees
b) more than 1.5 degrees
c) around 1.5 degrees
d) less than 1.5 degrees
3) What did we start to burn in the mid-nineteenth century?
a) the midnight oil
b) newspapers
c) garbage
d) fossil fuels
4) What did a researcher say we will continue to see being broken?
a) air conditioners
b) electric cars
c) records
d) hearts
5) What should we stop putting greenhouses gases into besides oceans?
a) cities
b) bottles
c) rivers
d) the atmosphere

6) What will we see more of in a new era?
a) car-free zones
b) electric cars
c) heat-related disasters
d) climate scientists
7) When was Earth 1.64ºC cooler than it is today?
a) in pre-industrial times
b) in the Stone Age
c) in the Middle Ages
d) last century
8) Where was the temperature 48.9ºC?
a) Los Alamo
b) London
c) Las Vegas
d) Le Havre
9) What has climate change brought besides wildfires and death?
a) landslides
b) drought
c) desertification
d) homelessness
10) What did Aditi Mukherji say the world is in?
a) crisis
b) a fix
c) difficulty
d) a state of emergency

Role play

Role  A – Hotter Weather
You think hotter weather is the worst effect of climate change. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): stronger hurricanes, loss of species or not enough food.

Role  B – Stronger Hurricanes
You think stronger hurricanes is the worst effect of climate change. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): hotter weather, loss of species or not enough food.

Role  C – Loss of Species
You think loss of species is the worst effect of climate change. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): stronger hurricanes, hotter weather or not enough food.

Role  D – Not Enough Food
You think not enough food is the worst effect of climate change. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): stronger hurricanes, loss of species or hotter weather.

After reading / listening

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

'extreme'

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

    • and 'heat'.

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

    • • 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:

    • hottest
    • every
    • period
    • burn
    • director
    • unless
    • era
    • times
    • seen
    • reached
    • 1,000
    • crisis

    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 - Global Temperatures

    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 'heat'?
    3. What do you think of today's weather?
    4. What do you think of the heat?
    5. What do you think of the record extreme temperatures?
    6. How serious is a 1.5-degree rise in global temperatures?
    7. What do you think of fossil fuels?
    8. How has climate change affected you?
    9. How can we reduce the volume of greenhouse gas we create?
    10. What does a warmer climate do to the oceans?

    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 'temperature'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. Has the weather changed a lot in your country?
    5. What heat-related disasters do you know of?
    6. What would life be like if it was 53.9º Celsius every day?
    7. Do you prefer scorching hot or freezing cold weather?
    8. What do you think Earth will be like in 2124?
    9. How much of a crisis is Earth in?
    10. What questions would you like to ask climate scientists?

    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)

    The world has experienced its hottest year since records (1) ____. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service said every month in the past 12 months broke temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2) ____ than pre-industrial averages. The industrial period started in the mid-nineteenth century. This is when we started to burn fossil fuels on a large (3) ____. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a "large and continuing shift" in climate change. He (4) ____: "We are (5) ____ to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, (6) ____ we stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."

    Extreme heat has hit countries across the (7) ____ this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning of an era that will see more heat-related disasters. In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than in pre-industrial (8) ____. Extreme temperatures are being seen all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the (9) ____ hit 53.9º Celsius earlier this week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat record. The temperature there reached a (10) ____ 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat across all (11) ____. This has caused wildfires, drought and death. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed and died on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth is (12) ____ crisis.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     beginner     (b)     beginning     (c)     begins     (d)     began    
    (a)     warms     (b)     warmth     (c)     warming     (d)     warmer    
    (a)     stale     (b)     scale     (c)     shale     (d)     snail    
    (a)     waned     (b)     warmed     (c)     warned     (d)     warred    
    (a)     around     (b)     sound     (c)     bound     (d)     found    
    (a)     unless     (b)     whereas     (c)     so     (d)     but    
    (a)     planet     (b)     planned     (c)     plan it     (d)     plant    
    (a)     timers     (b)     times     (c)     timings     (d)     time    
    (a)     gold     (b)     copper     (c)     mercury     (d)     aluminium    
    (a)     searching     (b)     starching     (c)     scorching     (d)     soothing    
    (a)     continentals     (b)     continence     (c)     continents     (d)     countenance    
    (a)     by     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     in

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. broke tpremtaereu records
    2. warmer than pre-industrial eeargasv
    3. The industrial eodipr
    4. in the mid-nineteenth yentucr
    5. This is vibnileaet
    6. the atmosphere and the oensac

    Paragraph 2

    1. see more heat-related ssrtsidea
    2. the ryuemrc hit 53.9º
    3. extreme heat across all nnntcosite
    4. This has caused wildfires, rtuodhg and death
    5. on a aimlgerpgi to Mecca
    6. this showed Earth is in rcssii

    Put the text back together

    (...)  and died on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth is in crisis.
    (...)  times. Extreme temperatures are being seen all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the mercury hit
    (...)  continents. This has caused wildfires, drought and death. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed
    (...)  said every month in the past 12 months broke temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degrees
    (  1  ) The world has experienced its hottest year since records began. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service
    (...)  53.9º Celsius earlier this week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat record. The temperature there
    (...)  of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a "large and continuing shift" in climate change. He warned: "We are
    (...)  century. This is when we started to burn fossil fuels on a large scale. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, director
    (...)  Celsius warmer than pre-industrial averages. The industrial period started in the mid-nineteenth
    (...)  of an era that will see more heat-related disasters. In the past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than in pre-industrial
    (...)  putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."
    (...)  bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable, unless we stop
    (...)  Extreme heat has hit countries across the planet this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning
    (...)  reached a scorching 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extreme heat across all

    Put the words in the right order

    1. started   century   .   mid-nineteenth   in   The   the   period   industrial
    2. We   burning   on   started   fuels   fossil   a   scale   .   large
    3. report   a   the   Results   of   show   continuing   shift   .
    4. are   to   records   broken   .   We   bound   being   see
    5. gases   into   putting   the   greenhouse   atmosphere   .   Stop
    6. countries   has   the   Extreme   heat   across   hit   planet   .
    7. era   An   more   that   disasters   .   heat-related   will   see
    8. The   a   reached   48.9ºC   scorching   there   .   temperature
    9. have   extreme   recorded   across   all   Countries   heat   continents   .
    10. died   a   on   pilgrimage   .   and   People   collapsed

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The world has experienced / experiencing its hottest year since records begin / began. A report from the Copernicus Climate Change Service said every month in the past 12 months broke / braked temperature records. Every month was more than 1.5 degree / degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial averages. The industrial period started in / on the mid-nineteenth century. This is when we started to burn fossil fuels on a large shale / scale. Researcher Carlo Buontempo, direction / director of Copernicus, said the results of the report show a "large and continuing shift" in climate change. He warmed / warned: "We are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm. This is inevitable / enviable, unless we stop putting greenhouse / glasshouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans."

    Extreme heat has hit countries across the plant / planet this year. Scientists say we are at the beginning / begins of an era that will see more heat-related disasters. In the passed / past year, Earth was 1.64ºC hotter than in pre-industrial times / hours. Extreme temperatures are being seen / see all across California in the USA. In Death Valley, the mercury hit 53.9º Celsius earlier this / that week. Meanwhile, Las Vegas broke its all-time heat / hot record. The temperature there reached a scorching 48.9ºC. In the past year, countries have recorded extremely / extreme heat across all continents. This has caused wildfires, drought and death / dead. In Saudi Arabia last month, over 1,000 people collapsed and died on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Climate scientist Aditi Mukherji said this showed Earth is in crisis / critics.

    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)

    Th_  w_rld  h_s  _xp_r__nc_d  _ts  h_tt_st  y__r  s_nc_  r_c_rds  b_g_n.  _  r_p_rt  fr_m  th_  C_p_rn_c_s  Cl_m_t_  Ch_ng_  S_rv_c_  s__d  _v_ry  m_nth  _n  th_  p_st  12  m_nths  br_k_  t_mp_r_t_r_  r_c_rds.  _v_ry  m_nth  w_s  m_r_  th_n  1.5  d_gr__s  C_ls__s  w_rm_r  th_n  pr_-_nd_str__l  _v_r_g_s.  Th_  _nd_str__l  p_r__d  st_rt_d  _n  th_  m_d-n_n_t__nth  c_nt_ry.  Th_s  _s  wh_n  w_  st_rt_d  t_  b_rn  f_ss_l  f__ls  _n  _  l_rg_  sc_l_.  R_s__rch_r  C_rl_  B__nt_mp_,  d_r_ct_r  _f  C_p_rn_c_s,  s__d  th_  r_s_lts  _f  th_  r_p_rt  sh_w  _  "l_rg_  _nd  c_nt_n__ng  sh_ft"  _n  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_.  H_  w_rn_d:  "W_  _r_  b__nd  t_  s__  n_w  r_c_rds  b__ng  br_k_n  _s  th_  cl_m_t_  c_nt_n__s  t_  w_rm.  Th_s  _s  _n_v_t_bl_,  _nl_ss  w_  st_p  p_tt_ng  gr__nh__s_  g_s_s  _nt_  th_  _tm_sph_r_  _nd  th_  _c__ns."

    _xtr_m_  h__t  h_s  h_t  c__ntr__s  _cr_ss  th_  pl_n_t  th_s  y__r.  Sc__nt_sts  s_y  w_  _r_  _t  th_  b_g_nn_ng  _f  _n  _r_  th_t  w_ll  s__  m_r_  h__t-r_l_t_d  d_s_st_rs.  _n  th_  p_st  y__r,  __rth  w_s  1.64ºC  h_tt_r  th_n  _n  pr_-_nd_str__l  t_m_s.  _xtr_m_  t_mp_r_t_r_s  _r_  b__ng  s__n  _ll  _cr_ss  C_l_f_rn__  _n  th_  _S_.  _n  D__th  V_ll_y,  th_  m_rc_ry  h_t  53.9º  C_ls__s  __rl__r  th_s  w__k.  M__nwh_l_,  L_s  V_g_s  br_k_  _ts  _ll-t_m_  h__t  r_c_rd.  Th_  t_mp_r_t_r_  th_r_  r__ch_d  _  sc_rch_ng  48.9ºC.  _n  th_  p_st  y__r,  c__ntr__s  h_v_  r_c_rd_d  _xtr_m_  h__t  _cr_ss  _ll  c_nt_n_nts.  Th_s  h_s  c__s_d  w_ldf_r_s,  dr__ght  _nd  d__th.  _n  S__d_  _r_b__  l_st  m_nth,  _v_r  1,000  p__pl_  c_ll_ps_d  _nd  d__d  _n  _  p_lgr_m_g_  t_  M_cc_.  Cl_m_t_  sc__nt_st  _d_t_  M_kh_rj_  s__d  th_s  sh_w_d  __rth  _s  _n  cr_s_s.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the world has experienced its hottest year since records began a report from the copernicus climate change service said every month in the past 12 months broke temperature records every month was more than 15 degrees celsius warmer than preindustrial averages the industrial period started in the midnineteenth century this is when we started to burn fossil fuels on a large scale researcher carlo buontempo director of copernicus said the results of the report show a large and continuing shift in climate change he warned we are bound to see new records being broken as the climate continues to warm this is inevitable unless we stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the oceans

    extreme heat has hit countries across the planet this year scientists say we are at the beginning of an era that will see more heatrelated disasters in the past year earth was 164c hotter than in preindustrial times extreme temperatures are being seen all across california in the usa in death valley the mercury hit 539 celsius earlier this week meanwhile las vegas broke its alltime heat record the temperature there reached a scorching 489c in the past year countries have recorded extreme heat across all continents this has caused wildfires drought and death in saudi arabia last month over 1000 people collapsed and died on a pilgrimage to mecca climate scientist aditi mukherji said this showed earth is in crisis

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Theworldhasexperienceditshottestyearsincerecordsbegan.Areportf
    romtheCopernicusClimateChangeServicesaideverymonthinthepast
    12monthsbroketemperaturerecords.Everymonthwasmorethan1.5d
    egreesCelsiuswarmerthanpre-industrialaverages.Theindustrialper
    iodstartedinthemid-nineteenthcentury.Thisiswhenwestartedtobur
    nfossilfuelsonalargescale.ResearcherCarloBuontempo,directorofCo
    pernicus,saidtheresultsofthereportshowa"largeandcontinuingshift"i
    nclimatechange.Hewarned:"Weareboundtoseenewrecordsbeingbro
    kenastheclimatecontinuestowarm.Thisisinevitable,unlesswestoppu
    ttinggreenhousegasesintotheatmosphereandtheoceans."Extremeh
    eathashitcountriesacrosstheplanetthisyear.Scientistssayweareatth
    ebeginningofanerathatwillseemoreheat-relateddisasters.Inthepas
    tyear,Earthwas1.64ºChotterthaninpre-industrialtimes.Extremete
    mperaturesarebeingseenallacrossCaliforniaintheUSA.InDeathValle
    y,themercuryhit53.9ºCelsiusearlierthisweek.Meanwhile,LasVegasb
    rokeitsall-timeheatrecord.Thetemperaturetherereachedascorching
    48.9ºC.Inthepastyear,countrieshaverecordedextremeheatacrossal
    lcontinents.Thishascausedwildfires,droughtanddeath.InSaudiArabi
    alastmonth,over1,000peoplecollapsedanddiedonapilgrimagetoMec
    ca.ClimatescientistAditiMukherjisaidthisshowedEarthisincrisis.

    Free writing

    Write about global temperatures for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    It is too late to control climate change. 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. GLOBAL TEMPERATURES: Make a poster about global temperatures. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. EMERGENCY LIFESTYLE CHANGE: Write a magazine article about all of us having to make emergency lifestyle changes. 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 global temperatures. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how we can reverse global warming. 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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