The Reading / Listening - Level 1

British people will soon vote on 'Brexit' - whether or not to stay in the European Union (EU). It is a big issue for Europe. People have strong feelings about leaving and staying. A group of Nobel scientists supports staying. It says leaving the EU would be a "key risk" to British science. A spokesman said it was important for science that Britain stayed. He said: "Inside the EU, Britain helps [guide] the biggest scientific powerhouse in the world."

Top British scientist Stephen Hawking said Brexit would be, "a disaster for UK science". He said Britain would get less money from the EU for research and British scientists would not work as often with European colleagues. He said young European scientists come to Britain to work, but this could slow down after a Brexit. However, the campaign group Scientists For Britain says Brexit would be better for British science and not harm the UK.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36505736
  • http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/10/13-nobel-laureates-urge-britain-to-stay-in-european-union/
  • http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-science-idUKKCN0YX05C


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. British people will soon
  2. whether or
  3. It is a big
  4. People have strong
  5. leaving the EU would
  6. important
  7. Inside
  8. the biggest scientific
  1. not to stay
  2. the EU
  3. feelings
  4. powerhouse
  5. for science
  6. be a "key risk"
  7. vote on 'Brexit'
  8. issue for Europe

Paragraph 2

  1. Top British scientist
  2. Brexit would be a disaster
  3. Britain would get
  4. money from
  5. scientists would not work as
  6. scientists come to Britain
  7. slow
  8. campaign
  1. the EU for research
  2. less
  3. often
  4. down
  5. for UK science
  6. group
  7. to work
  8. Stephen Hawking

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

British people (1) __________________ 'Brexit' - whether or not to stay in the European Union (EU). (2) ___________________ for Europe. People have (3) ___________________ about leaving and staying. A group of Nobel scientists supports staying. It says leaving the EU would (4) ___________________ to British science. A spokesman said it was important for science that Britain stayed. He said: "(5) ___________________, Britain helps [guide] the biggest (6) ___________________  in the world."

(7) ___________________ scientist Stephen Hawking said Brexit would be, "(8) _________________ UK science". He said Britain would (9) _________________ from the EU for research and British scientists would not (10) ___________________ with European colleagues. He said young European scientists come to Britain to work, but this (11) ___________________ after a Brexit. However, the campaign group Scientists For Britain says Brexit would be better for British science (12) _______________ the UK.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Britishpeoplewillsoonvoteon'Brexit'-whetherornottostayintheEu
ropeanUnion(EU).ItisabigissueforEurope.Peoplehavestrongfeelings
aboutleavingandstaying.AgroupofNobelscientistssupportsstaying.I
tsaysleavingtheEUwouldbea"keyrisk"toBritishscience.Aspokesman
saiditwasimportantforsciencethatBritainstayed.Hesaid:"Insideth
eEU,Britainhelps[guide]thebiggestscientificpowerhouseintheworld.
"TopBritishscientistStephenHawkingsaidBrexitwouldbe,"adisasterf
orUKscience".HesaidBritainwouldgetlessmoneyfromtheEUforresear
chandBritishscientistswouldnotworkasoftenwithEuropeancolleague
s.HesaidyoungEuropeanscientistscometoBritaintowork,butthiscoul
dslowdownafteraBrexit.However,thecampaigngroupScientistsForri
tainsaysBrexitwouldbebetterforBritishscienceandnotharmtheUK.

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 — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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