The Reading / Listening - Doomsday Clock - Level 0

Scientists said the world is now more dangerous. The scientists study nuclear weapons, climate change and technology. They set the Doomsday Clock. This shows how close the world is to great danger. The clock now says two-and-a-half minutes to midnight. This is the closest it has been to midnight since 1953.

The scientists said President Trump's views on climate change, nuclear weapons, immigration and terrorism added to global risk. They said we need action "very soon" to keep disaster away. They hoped the clock's new time would help people around the world to get their leaders to keep the planet safe and healthy.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Doomsday Clock - Level 1,  Doomsday Clock - Level 2   or  Doomsday Clock - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-38760792
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/26/the-doomsday-clock-just-moved-again-its-now-two-and-a-half-minutes-to-midnight/
  • http://thebulletin.org/sites/default/files/Final%202017%20Clock%20Statement.pdf


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

  1. the world is now
  2. nuclear
  3. They set
  4. This shows how close the
  5. great
  6. The clock now says two-and-a-half
  7. This is the closest it has been
  8. since
  1. 1953
  2. world is
  3. danger
  4. to midnight
  5. weapons
  6. more dangerous
  7. minutes to midnight
  8. the Doomsday Clock

Paragraph 2

  1. views
  2. immigration and
  3. added to global
  4. It said we need action
  5. keep disaster
  6. the clock's new
  7. help people
  8. keep the planet
  1. time
  2. risk
  3. "very soon"
  4. safe and healthy
  5. on climate change
  6. around the world
  7. terrorism
  8. away

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ is now more dangerous. The (2) ___________________ nuclear weapons, climate change and technology. They (3) ___________________ Doomsday Clock. (4) ___________________ close the world is to great danger. The clock (5) ___________________ -and-a-half minutes to midnight. This is the closest it has (6) ___________________ since 1953.

The scientists said President Trump's (7) ___________________ climate change, (8) ___________________, immigration and terrorism added to global risk. They said (9) ___________________ "very soon" to keep (10) ___________________. They hoped the (11) ___________________ would help people around the world to get their leaders to keep the planet (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientistssaidtheworldisnowmoredangerous.Thescientistsstudynuc
learweapons,climatechangeandtechnology.TheysettheDoomsdayC
lock.Thisshowshowclosetheworldistogreatdanger.Theclocknowsa
ystwo-and-a-halfminutestomidnight.Thisistheclosestithasbeentom
idnightsince1953.ThescientistssaidPresidentTrump'sviewsonclimatecha
nge,nuclearweapons,immigrationandterrorismaddedtoglobalrisk.They
saidweneedaction"verysoon"tokeepdisasteraway.Theyhopedthe
clock'snewtimewouldhelppeoplearoundtheworldtogettheirleaderst
okeeptheplanetsafeandhealthy.

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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