the ARTICLE (for teachers) By 2020, the US will emit even more greenhouse gases than it does now, a recent report submitted to the UN stated. The United States, one of the world's largest polluters, already releases 25% of all pollutants responsible for global warming. What's worse, more and more scientists are concluding that global warming cannot be stopped. At best, we can limit how much the Earth will warm, as well as for how long. But even if all countries were to stop their greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, temperatures would still rise. The report is overdue, and should have been submitted to the UN much earlier. Some suggest that the report took longer to compile because the US government remains reluctant to tell the truth. In the future, global warming will severely affect the US and its economy. Opponents say that the US needs to do more, as its current policy only slows the growth rate of carbon dioxide and other gases. The administration doesn't have any policies enacted to actually reduce emissions. At present, scientists are working to improve renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar power. They also conduct work to improve power plant efficiency. The US government spends $3 billion annually to research new technology, and $2 billion on climate research. But maybe the answer to global warming is simpler. Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian defense minister from the 1960s, has called on all governments to come clean on UFOs. With the use of alien technology, he has explained, we could eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within a generation. Those spacecrafts have traveled immense distances to visit our planet, and so they must be equipped with advanced engines and energy systems. UFOs have definitely crashed here, Hellyer has repeatedly said, pointing to the 1947 crash at Roswell as an example. Governments have alien technology secreted away. We could save our planet if only governments released the information. Teacher's Notes: * Underlined words in red typeface are the recommended vocabulary for this lesson. Heads Up English - 1
WARM-UPS Select one or all of the following warm-up activities. 1: Define: What does "global warming" mean? Can you use it in a sentence? Can you give examples? 2: Brainstorm: Brainstorm with a partner(s) words and ideas associated with "global warming" for 2 minutes. Spend another 5 minutes or less discussing the words and ideas together. 3: Title: Speculate and/or discuss the contents of today's article from its title: "UFO Science to Combat Global Warming." 4: Speculate: Write in the missing words for today's article title: "UFO ( ) Could Combat ( ) ( )." Why did you choose these words for the blanks? 5: Do you agree or disagree? Why? a. Global warming is a myth. b. I don't care about global warming. It won't affect me or my generation. c. Humankind is doomed. d. The answer to global warming is solar energy, nuclear energy, and other renewable energy sources. e. If aliens are visiting Earth, they should teach us how to stop global warming. Heads Up English - 2
VOCABULARY Select one of the following vocabulary acquisition activities. 1: Vocabulary match: Individually or in pairs/groups, match the words in column A (from the article) with the best choice in column B. a. emit q. waste b. pollutant r. extreme c. overdue s. restore d. reluctant t. give off e. severe u. effective f. enact v. unenthusiastic g. renew w. large h. efficient x. end i. eliminate y. late j. immense z. achieve 2: Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the blank with the correct word. renewable reluctant pollutants immense efficiency overdue enacted eliminate severely emit a. By 2020, the US will ( ) even more greenhouse gases than it does now. b. The United States already releases 25% of all ( ) responsible for global warming. c. The report ( ), and should have been submitted to the UN much earlier d. The US government remains ( ) to tell the truth. e. In the future, global warming will ( ) affect the US and its economy. f. The administration doesn't have any policies ( ) to actually reduce emissions. g. At present, scientists are working to improve ( ) energy resources. h. They also conduct work to improve power plant ( ). i. With the use of alien technology, we could ( ) the burning of fossil fuels within a generation. j. Those spacecrafts have traveled ( ) distances to visit our planet. 3: Define: Define each word, correctly pronounce it, explain the meaning and/or usage, and offer an example sentence to the class. a. emit c. overdue e. severe g. renewable i. eliminate b. pollutant d. reluctant f. enact h. efficient j. immense Heads Up English - 3
WORD RECOGNITION 1: Word Search: Find the target words (in bold). Time yourself, and see how many words you can find in three minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes. renewable reluctant pollutants immense efficiency overdue enacted eliminate severely emit R E S F Z G J K I S R R W I Z I E G E I H S Q T R E E Q N P D K N H V P Q N U P L D Z N D G E L E T E A A O M U N J E H N T T I W T R L F L C U C M T J G F C U A L E I L T R Q S I S J K L A U B M L L A E I E M K A L U T N M L E Y N V N Y E Q O C I W E E X E X T O A D H P O O T N A I C I F F E W C Z Z N O S R P I E B V P Q G C P G P E M I Z B R L M Z R H V Y F E F F I C I E N C Y R A H P E L I M I N A T E O H Z D I E E U D R E V O A F U B T B F Z 2: Target Word Pool: Find the target words (in bold) with their exact match. Time yourself, and see how many words you can find in three minutes. In five minutes. In ten minutes. renewable reluctant pollutants immense efficiency overdue enacted eliminate severely emit emission polluting efficiently ellipsis pollute remit overdo immediate reenacted efficient severe renewal efficiency overdue severely emit reduction electable enacting eliminated immensity rightable elimination renewable enormous severance reluctantly eminence reluctance pollution eliminating enact enacted immense pollutants immensely inefficient polluted severity efficiencies overdone renew overdoing reluctant over and under renewing reenactment eliminate emittance severeness Heads Up English - 4
pre- or post-comprehension 1: Word Association: Brainstorm words associated with today's topic for two minutes. Present to the class. 2: Brainstorm Questions: Brainstorm questions that you would like to ask about today's topic. Answer the questions without looking at the article. 3: True or False?: Guess (before the article) or answer (after the article) whether the sentence is true or false. If false, correct the sentence. a. The US will emit less greenhouse gases in 2020 than now. T / F b. Global warming cannot be stopped. T / F c. Global warming won't affect the US economy in the future. T / F d. Scientists are working with alien technology now to lower greenhouse gases. T / F e. According to the article, governments have UFOs hidden away. T / F 4: Questions: Answer the questions to check comprehension. a. What figure does the article give regarding the US and pollution levels? b. What would happen if all countries no longer emitted greenhouse gases? c. Why do some people think the report was late? d. What does Paul Hellyer suggest? e. Why does he think that alien technology has the answer? 5: Vocabulary: In pairs/groups, remember how the words were used in today's article. a. emit c. overdue e. severely g. renewable i. eliminate b. pollutants d. reluctant f. enacted h. efficiency j. immense 6: Fragments: Remember how the fragments were used, and complete the sentence from today's article. a. What's worse, more and more scientists are... b. Some suggest that the report took longer to compile because... c. Opponents say that the US needs to do more, as its current policy... d. Those spacecrafts have traveled immense distances to visit our planet, and so... e. UFOs have definitely crashed here, Hellyer has said, pointing... Heads Up English - 5
post-comprehension 1: Vocabulary: Circle any additional unknown words/phrases in the article. In pairs/groups, use your dictionaries to understand the meanings. Present to the class. 2: Class Questions: Read through the article once more, and write down any questions that you would like to discuss in pairs/groups or as a class. Discuss. 3: Summarize: Work with a partner to summarize the article in your own words. 4: Discuss (part I): Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers! a. Did you like this article? b. What was your general impression after reading this article? c. What are your opinions about global warming? d. Do you think governments are doing enough to stop global warming? Why/not? e. What do you think the environment will be like in 25 years? 50 years? 100 years? f. What can you do as an individual to reduce global warming? g. Do you think aliens are visiting our planet? If yes, why? h. Do you think governments have alien technology hidden away? Why/not? i. What do you think about Paul Hellyer's comments? j. If aliens are visiting Earth, should they help us solve our many problems? Why/not? 5: Discuss (part II): Discuss the pluses and minuses of the following solutions. Support your answers! (pluses) (minuses) nuclear energy solar & wind power alien technology??? 6: Google Search: Type "global warming" into Google news and read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings. Heads Up English - 6
STUDENT HANDOUT (the article) UFO Science to Combat Global Warming By 2020, the US will emit even more greenhouse gases than it does now, a recent report submitted to the UN stated. The United States, one of the world's largest polluters, already releases 25% of all pollutants responsible for global warming. What's worse, more and more scientists are concluding that global warming cannot be stopped. At best, we can limit how much the Earth will warm, as well as for how long. But even if all countries were to stop their greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, temperatures would still rise. The report is overdue, and should have been submitted to the UN much earlier. Some suggest that the report took longer to compile because the US government remains reluctant to tell the truth. In the future, global warming will severely affect the US and its economy. Opponents say that the US needs to do more, as its current policy only slows the growth rate of carbon dioxide and other gases. The administration doesn't have any policies enacted to actually reduce emissions. At present, scientists are working to improve renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar power. They also conduct work to improve power plant efficiency. The US government spends $3 billion annually to research new technology, and $2 billion on climate research. But maybe the answer to global warming is simpler. Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian defense minister from the 1960s, has called on all governments to come clean on UFOs. With the use of alien technology, he has explained, we could eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within a generation. Those spacecrafts have traveled immense distances to visit our planet, and so they must be equipped with advanced engines and energy systems. UFOs have definitely crashed here, Hellyer has repeatedly said, pointing to the 1947 crash at Roswell as an example. Governments have alien technology secreted away. We could save our planet if only governments released the information. Notes: Heads Up English - 7
STUDENT HANDOUT (fill in the blank) Fill in the blank with the correct word. opponents defense overdue emissions enacted reluctant efficiency renewable conduct worse immense emit eliminate pollutants severely By 2020, the US will (a. ) even more greenhouse gases than it does now, a recent report submitted to the UN stated. The United States, one of the world's largest polluters, already releases 25% of all (b. ) responsible for global warming. What's (c. ), more and more scientists are concluding that global warming cannot be stopped. At best, we can limit how much the Earth will warm, as well as for how long. But even if all countries were to stop their greenhouse gas (d. ) tomorrow, temperatures would still rise. The report is (e. ), and should have been submitted to the UN much earlier. Some suggest that the report took longer to compile because the US government remains (f. ) to tell the truth. In the future, global warming will (g. ) affect the US and its economy. (h. ) say that the US needs to do more, as its current policy only slows the growth rate of carbon dioxide and other gases. The administration doesn't have any policies (i. ) to actually reduce emissions. At present, scientists are working to improve (j. ) energy resources, such as wind and solar power. They also (k. ) work to improve power plant (l. ). The US government spends $3 billion annually to research new technology, and $2 billion on climate research. But maybe the answer to global warming is simpler. Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian (m. ) minister from the 1960s, has called on all governments to come clean on UFOs. With the use of alien technology, he has explained, we could (n. ) the burning of fossil fuels within a generation. Those spacecrafts have traveled (o. ) distances to visit our planet, and so they must be equipped with advanced engines and energy systems. UFOs have definitely crashed here, Hellyer has repeatedly said, pointing to the 1947 crash at Roswell as an example. Governments have alien technology secreted away. We could save our planet if only governments released the information. Heads Up English - 8
STUDENT HANDOUT (extended listening) Listen and fill in the missing sentences. Compare your answers with a partner, and then listen once more. By 2020, a), a recent report submitted to the UN stated. The United States, one of the world's largest polluters, already releases 25% of all pollutants responsible for global warming. What's worse, more and more scientists are concluding that global warming cannot be stopped. At best, we can limit how much the Earth will warm, as well as for how long. But even if all countries were to stop their greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, temperatures would still rise. The report is overdue, b). Some suggest that the report took longer to compile because the US government remains reluctant to tell the truth. In the future, global warming will severely affect the US and its economy. Opponents say that the US needs to do more, as its current policy only slows the growth rate of carbon dioxide and other gases. The administration doesn't have any policies enacted to actually reduce emissions. At present, c), such as wind and solar power. They also conduct work to improve power plant efficiency. The US government spends $3 billion annually to research new technology, and $2 billion on climate research. But maybe the answer to global warming is simpler. Paul Hellyer, a former Canadian defense minister from the 1960s, has called on all governments to come clean on UFOs. With the use of alien technology, he has explained, d). e), and so they must be equipped with advanced engines and energy systems. UFOs have definitely crashed here, Hellyer has repeatedly said, pointing to the 1947 crash at Roswell as an example. Governments have alien technology secreted away. We could save our planet if only governments released the information. Heads Up English - 9
STUDENT HANDOUT (notes) Heads Up English - 10
ANSWER KEY Vocabulary 1. Vocabulary Match: 2. Fill in the Blanks: a. t f. z b. q g. s c. y h. u d. v i. x e. r j. w a. emit f. enacted b. pollutants g. renewable c. overdue h. efficiency d. reluctant i. eliminate e. severely j. immense pre- or post-comprehension 1. True or False: 2. Fragments: a. F b. T c. F d. F e. T a. concluding that global warming cannot be stopped. b. the administration remains reluctant to tell the truth. c. only slows the growth rate of carbon dioxide and other gases. d. they must be equipped with advanced engines and energy systems. e. to the 1947 crash at Roswell as an example. Student Handout 1. Fill in the Blanks a. emit i. enacted b. pollutants j. renewable c. worse k. conduct d. emissions l. efficiency e. overdue m. defense f. reluctant n. eliminate g. severely o. immense h. Opponents 2. Extended Listening a. the US will emit even more greenhouse gases than it does now b. and should have been submitted to the U.N. in January, 2006 c. scientists are working to improve renewable energy resources d. we could eliminate the burning of fossil fuels within a generation e. Those spacecrafts have traveled immense distances to visit our planet Heads Up English - 11