The Reading / Listening - Level 5

New research says working at night can damage one's health. It increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, mental illnesses, and heart diseases. Researchers from the U.K.'s Sleep Research Centre discovered that many genes in the body needed to follow a regular 24-hour cycle, which includes sleeping at night. If this cycle is broken, up to 1,500 genes could get damaged. This could lead to life-threatening diseases. Professor Derk-Jan Dijk said: "The study has important implications because we now need to discover why these rhythms exist" and what the consequences are.

The human body has around 24,000 genes. Many switch off if the body does not sleep properly. This can make the immune system less efficient, which means we get ill more often. Dr Simon Archer said: "Over 97 per cent of rhythmic genes become out-of-sync with mistimed sleep." He said this explained why we feel so bad with jet lag or after night shifts." Despite the results of the research, it is difficult for people to change their lifestyles. It is difficult for society to function without people working night shifts. People need to understand the dangers of night shifts and reduce the bad effects.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2542780/Working-shifts-damage-1-500-genes-New-finding-explain-shift-work-associated-health-problems.html
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10584723/Why-night-shift-and-jet-lag-make-you-feel-so-bad.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

It increases the risk

a.

implications

2.

mental

b.

24-hour cycle

3.

follow a regular

c.

could get damaged

4.

up to 1,500 genes

d.

of cancer

5.

life-

e.

illnesses

6.

The study has important

f.

are

7.

we now need to discover

g.

threatening diseases

8.

what the consequences

h.

why



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

The human body has around

a.

working night shifts

2.

make the immune

b.

lag

3.

we get

c.

effects

4.

become out-of-sync

d.

24,000 genes

5.

jet

e.

with mistimed sleep

6.

function without people

f.

the dangers

7.

People need to understand

g.

ill more often

8.

reduce the bad

h.

system less efficient

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

New research says working at night (1) ___________________ health. It increases the risk (2) ___________________, mental illnesses, and heart diseases. Researchers from the U.K.'s Sleep Research Centre discovered that many genes in the body needed (3) ___________________ 24-hour cycle, which includes sleeping at night. If (4) ___________________, up to 1,500 genes could get damaged. This could lead (5) ___________________ diseases. Professor Derk-Jan Dijk said: "The study has important implications because we now need to discover why these rhythms exist" and what (6) ___________________.

The human body has around 24,000 genes. (7) ___________________ the body does not sleep properly. This can (8) ___________________ less efficient, which means we get ill more often. Dr Simon Archer said: "Over 97 per cent of rhythmic genes (9) ___________________ with mistimed sleep." He said this explained why we feel so (10) ___________________ or after night shifts." Despite the results of the research, it is difficult for people to change their lifestyles. It is difficult (11) ___________________ without people working night shifts. People need to understand the dangers of night shifts and (12) ___________________.

NIGHT WORK SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about working at night 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.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about working at night for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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