9. Answer the questions.
1. What did you think when you read the headline?
2. Do you want to live to be really old?
3. What does your walking speed tell you after reading this article?
4. How important is going for a walk to you?
5. Do you think there is a connection between walking speed and longevity?
6. Why would the speed at which you walk determine how long you live?
7. Do you think walking is a good form of exercise?
8. Could you walk more instead of using elevators, escalators, cars…?
9. What other things could determine longevity on over-65s?
10. Where is the best place to go for a walk?
11. Do kids walk enough these days?
12. Is walking enjoyable?
13. What questions would you like to ask Dr. Stephanie Studenski?
10. Sum up what you have learned from the article.
11.
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.
12.
INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about walking and
longevity. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next
lesson.
13. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on walking. Ask her/him three questions about walking. Tell him/her three things you could do to walk more and use transport less. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.
writing
Read an article for a student magazine about the advantages and disadvantages of living without TV. The computer has found ten mistakes (grammar, punctuation, or spelling). Can you correct them?
Living without a tv
Almost every family today have1 a TV, in fact probably more than one, and people everywhere spend hours watching it. But a few families choose to live without a TV because they think there are advantages.
The first advantage is that families spend more time talk2 to each other. Secondly, they spend more time doing more creative things like reading or painting. Thirdly, they spend more time outdoors, and are usually more fit3.
On the other hand, there are also disadvantages. For example, children who don’t have a TV may feel differents4 from there5 school friends, and often won’t know what they are talking about. Also it is not true that all TV programes6 are bad. There are also good ones, like documentarys7, and people who live without a TV may know less about whats8 happening in the world.
In conclusion, althought9 living without a TV has some advantages, I think today it’s unrealistic and that we should just try to turn the TV out10 when there’s nothing good on it.
Read the article again. Then cover it and in pairs answer the questions from memory.
What are the three advantages of life without a TV?
What are the two disadvantages?
Is the writer for or against having a TV?
3. You are going to write a similar article about mobile phones. First, with a partner, make a list of advantages and disadvantages.
4. Now decide which are the three biggest advantages and number them 1-3 (1=the biggest). Do the same with disadvantages.
5. Write an article called “Mobile Phones – a great invention?”
Begin the article with introduction:
Almost everyone has a mobile phone. But is it a great invention? I think there are both advantages and disadvantages.
Write three more paragraphs.
Plan what you are going to write. Use the paragraph summaries below and the Useful language box to help you.
Paragraph 2 Write two or three advantages.
Paragraph 3 Write two or three disadvantages.
Paragraph 4 Conclusion – decide if you think mobiles are a great invention or not.
Check the article for mistakes (grammar, punctuation, spelling).
Useful language: writing about advantages and disadvantages |
Listing advantages First, /Firstly, … Secondly, … Thirdly, … Listing disadvantages On the other hand, there are also (some) disadvantages. For instance, … /For example, … Also, … Conclusion In conclusion / To sum up, I think … |