40+ activities
* &&&&(40 exercises)
* &&&&&&&&(PDF)
(USA male)
(20 questions)
* &&&&(10 sentences)
&&&&(200 - 500 wpm)
City living makes it harder to concentrate (21st February, 2013)
A new report says living in a city makes it harder for people to concentrate. The research found that people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas. The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is part of the University of London. Head researcher Dr Karina Linnell and her team studied how two groups of people did the same &thinking tasks&. The team went to a remote part of Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very basic life in the desert, doing traditional farming. The team also studied members of the same tribe who had moved to the nearest town. Dr Linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much better on the tests than those in the town.
Dr Linnell's research may change the way companies operate. In the future, workers may relocate from cities to live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too many things around us in the city that stop us from thinking about one thing for a long time. This means we do not work at our best. She asked: &What if, for example, companies realised certain tasks would be better carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment where their concentration ability is better?& The past century has seen billions of people move from the countryside to big cities. If Dr Linnell's research is true, this century might see many of those people return to the great outdoors.
Sources:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-
/news/2013-02-urban-environment-ability-tasks.html
SHARE THIS LESSON:
1. THINKING: Walk around the class and talk to other students about thinking. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.
rural areas / urban areas / thinking tasks / remote / very basic life / tribe
/ operate / relocate / in the city / employees / concentration / billions /
this century
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CONCENTRATE: How can you concentrate better when doing these things? Complete the table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.
How are you now?
How could you be better?
Studying English
Computer games
Playing sport
Reading instructions
Doing your job
4. MIND POWER: Students A strongly believe everyone can greatly increase their pow Students B strongly believe people are too lazy to do this.& Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
5. CAN'T CONCENTRATE: Which of these stop you from concentrating? Rank them and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.
other people
thinking about someone
traffic sounds
music / TV
6. CITY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word 'city'. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
BEFORE READING / LISTENING
1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if& a-h& below are true (T) or false (F).
A new report says it's difficult for people to study
People who live in the countryside can focus better
than city people.
The research team studied a tribe in South Africa.
The team studied two different tribes
from the town and country.
The research might change how companies work in the
The researcher said many things around us help us
think better.
Billions have relocated to urban areas in the past
100 years.
Many people originally
from the countryside might return.
2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.
out of the way
concentrate
carried out
more difficult
understood
3. PHRASE MATCH: &(Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)
living in a city makes it harder
remote part
of Namibia
two groups of
people did
at our best
The team went
who lived in
the desert
Himba people
environment
&thinking tasks&
workers may relocate
we do not work
for people to concentrate
employees based outside of
from cities
very basic
return to the great
A new report says living in a city makes it (1)
____________ for people to concentrate. The research found that people who
live in rural areas can (2) ____________ better than people in urban areas.
The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is (3) ____________ of the
University of London. Head researcher Dr Karina Linnell and her team studied
how two groups of people did the same &thinking (4) ____________ &.
The team went to a (5) ____________ part of Namibia, southwest Africa, to
study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very (6) ____________ life in the
desert, doing (7) ____________ farming. The team also studied members of the
same tribe who had moved to the (8) ____________ town. Dr Linnell
said the tribe who lived in the desert did much better on the tests than
those in the town.
traditional
Dr Linnell's research may change the way
companies (9)
____________. In the future, workers may (10) ____________ from
cities to live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too many
things around us in the city that (11) ____________ us from thinking about
one thing for a long time. This means we do not work at our (12) ____________. She
asked: &What if, for example, companies realised (13) ____________ tasks
would be better carried out by employees (14) ____________ outside of the
urban environment where their concentration ability is better?& The past
century has seen (15) ____________ of people move from the countryside to big
cities. If Dr Linnell's research is true, this (16) ____________ might see
many of those people return to the great outdoors.
LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.
new report says living in a city makes it harder ______
a.& four people to concentrate
b.& for people two concentrate
c.& for people to concentrate
d.& for people too concentrate
people who live in rural areas
can focus better than ______
a.& people in urban airs
b.& people in urban areas
c.& people in urban arrears
d.& people in urban eerie ears
her team studied how two groups
of people did ______
a.& the same &thinking tasks&
b.& this same &thinking
c.& that same &thinking
d.& these same &thinking
The team also studied members of
the same tribe who had moved ______
a.& to the nearer town
b.& to the nearby town
c.& to the near rest town
d.& to the nearest town
the tribe who lived in the desert
did much better on the tests ______
a.& than whose in the town
b.& than them in the town
c.& than though sin in the town
d.& than those in the town
Dr Linnell's research may change
the ______
a.& way companies operated
b.& way companies operate
c.& way companies operates
d.& way companies operator
In the future, workers may
relocate from cities to live and work ______
a.& in the countryside
b.& in the countryside
c.& in the countryside
d.& in the countryside
there are too many things around
us in the city that ______
a.& stop us from thin king
b.& stoppers from thinking
c.& stops us from thinking
d.& stop us from thinking
certain tasks would be better
carried out by employees based outside of ______
a.& the urban environmental
b.& the urban environment
c.& the urban environments
d.& the urban environmentalism
this century might see many of
those people return to ______
a.& the grey tout doors
b.& the great indoors
c.& the great out of doors
d.& the great outdoors
LISTENING & Listen and fill in the gaps
A new report says living in a city (1) ___________________ people to concentrate. The research found that people who live in rural areas can focus better than (2) ___________________. The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is part of the University of London. Head researcher Dr Karina Linnell and her team studied how (3) ___________________ did the same &thinking tasks&. The team went (4) ___________________ Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very basic life in the desert, (5) ___________________. The team also studied members of the same tribe who had moved to the nearest town. Dr Linnell said (6) ___________________ in the desert did much better on the tests than those in the town.
Dr Linnell's research (7) ___________________ companies operate. In the future, workers may relocate from cities (8) ___________________ the countryside. Linnell said there are too many things around us in the city that stop us from thinking (9) ___________________ long time. This means we do not work at our best. She asked: &What if, for example, companies realised certain tasks would be (10) ___________________ employees based outside of the urban environment where (11) ___________________ is better?& The past century has seen billions of people move from the countryside to big cities. If Dr Linnell's research is true, this century might see many of those people (12) ___________________ outdoors.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
What is harder for people to do if they live in a
focuses better than people in urban areas?
groups of people did the research team study?
kind of area did the team go to in Namibia?
did some members of the Himba tribe move to?
might companies change in the future?
things are around us to stop us focusing on one thing?
might do tasks better outside of cities?
people moved to cities in the last century?
might people return to the countryside?
MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ
Where can people focus better
than cities?
What might the research change?
a) the countryside
c) Goldsmiths College
b) where the Himba people live
c) research
d) how companies work
Who is Karina Linnell?
How many things in the city make it difficult to think?
a) a member of the Himba tribe
b) a Namibian
c) a researcher
d) someone who loves rural areas
a) 236 things
b) too many things
c) just a few things
d) everything
What did two groups of people do?
Where could workers do their tasks better?
a) go to Namibia
b) identical thinking exercises
c) live in rural and urban areas
d) research
a) at home
b) in urban areas
c) in their companies
d) outside cities
What kind of life do the Himba people live?
How many people moved to cities last century?
a) a comfortable one
b) an exciting one
c) a dangerous one
d) a simple one
a) hundreds of thousands
b) millions
c) billions
d) trillions
Which tribe member did best on the tests?
Where might people return to this century?
the ones who lived in the desert
b) the ones who studied members of
&&& the same tribe
c) the ones who moved
d) they did the same
the past century
b) the countryside
d) Namibia
Role& A & City
You think living in the city is
much better than living in the countryside. Tell the other three reasons why.
Tell the people who live in rural areas to move to the city. Tell them the
city makes them think about more things.
Role& B & Countryside
You think living in the
countryside is much better than living in the city. Tell the other three
reasons why. Tell the people who live in the city to move to the countryside.
Tell them the countryside makes them think better.
Role& C & Thinking
You think it's not important
where you live. Everyone can concentrate at the same level in the city or
countryside. Tell the other three reasons why. The most important thing is
being alone in a room that is quiet.
Role& D & Student
You are studying English but are
having big problems concentrating. You cannot study in the countryside or
city. Tell the other three reasons why. Ask the others for advice on how and
where to study.
AFTER READING / LISTENING
1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms & for the words 'city' and 'countryside'.
countryside
Share your findings with your
Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your
questions.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.
Share your questions with other classmates /
Ask your partner / group your
questions.
3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning&?
4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.
5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:
THINKING SURVEY
Write five GOOD questions about thinking 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.
_____________
_____________
_____________
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.
THINKING DISCUSSION
STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
did you think when you read the headline?
springs to mind when you hear the word 'concentrate'?
you good at focusing on one thing for a long time?
can people do to increase their concentration?
your room a good place to concentrate?
good are libraries to think and get lots of work done?
you think rural areas are better for people who want to concentrate?
are cities better than the countryside?
you good at thinking tasks?
Why do you think the people who
lived in the desert did better on the tests?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
you like reading this article? Why/not?
you think this research will change the way companies operate?
you prefer to work in the city or countryside?
are the pros and cons of working in the countryside?
things in the city can stop us concentrating?
does your mobile phone or computer stop you concentrating?
people meditate to help them concentrate?
you like to take a &how to concentrate better& course?
it a good idea for millions of people to move back to rural areas?
What questions would you like to
ask Dr Karina Linnell?
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to
student B)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to
student A)
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
MULTIPLE CHOICE - LANGUAGE
A new report says living in a city makes it harder (1) ____ people to concentrate. The research found that people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas. The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is (2) ____ of the University of London. Head researcher Dr Karina Linnell and her team studied how two groups of people (3) ____ the same &thinking tasks&. The team went to a (4) ____ part of Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very (5) ____ life in the desert, doing traditional farming. The team also studied members of the same tribe who had moved to the nearest town. Dr Linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much (6) ____ on the tests than those in the town.
Dr Linnell's research may change the way companies (7) ____. In the future, workers may (8) ____ from cities to live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too many things around us in the city that stop us (9) ____ thinking about one thing for a long time. This means we do not work at our best. She asked: &What if, for example, companies realised (10) ____ tasks would be better carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment where their concentration ability is better?& The past century has seen (11) ____ of people move from the countryside to big cities. If Dr Linnell's research is true, this century might see many of those people return to the (12) ____ outdoors.
Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.
billionaires
Paragraph 1
harder for people to oanrtecctne
live in raulr areas
people in anrbu areas
a mteero part of Namibia
liairntdtoa farming
the tribe who lived in the rseetd
Paragraph 2
change the way companies roeaetp
workers may eecaoltr from cities
iectnar tasks
onlbiisl of people
this crtuyen
trruen to the great outdoors
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
moved to the
nearest town. Dr Linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much
better on the tests than those in the town.
many things
around us in the city that stop us from thinking about one thing for a long
found that
people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas.
The study is
remote part of
Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribe. Himba people live a very
big cities. If
Dr Linnell's research is true, this century might see many of those people
return to the great outdoors.
A new report
says living in a city makes it harder for people to concentrate. The research
tasks would be
better carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment where
their concentration
Linnell and her team studied how two groups of people did the same
&thinking tasks&. The team went to a
from Goldsmiths
College, which is part of the University of London. Head researcher
ability is
better?& The past century has seen billions of people move from the
countryside to
basic life in
the desert, doing traditional farming. The team also studied members of the
same tribe who had
relocate from
cities to live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too
time. This
means we do not work at our best. She asked: &What if, for example,
companies realised certain
Dr Linnell's research may change the
way companies operate. In the future, workers may
PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER
for&&&& concentrate&&&& city&&&&
harder&&&& to&&&& A&&&&
it&&&& people.&&&&
focus&&&& people&&&& in&&&&
can&&&& live&&&& areas&&&&
better&&&& who&&&& rural.&&&&
groups&&&& did&&&&
thinking&&&& Two&&&& people&&&& same&&&
of&&&& the&&&& tasks.&&&&
very&&&& basic&&&&
life&&&& in&&&& the&&&&
desert&&&& Himba&&& people&&&
live&&&& a.& &&&
the&&&& much&&&&
tribe&&&& in&&&& did&&&&
The&&& lived&&& desert&&&
better&&& who.&&&&
may&&&& Research&&&& operate&&&& companies&&&& way&&&&
the&&&& change.&&&&
live&&& in&&
Relocate&&& to&& work&&
countryside&& cities&& and&&&
the&&&& from.&&&&
city&&& the&&&
in&&& us&&& around&&&
things&&& many&& Too&&&
us&&&& stop&&& that.&&&&
about&&&& long&&&&
one&&&& time&&&& thing&&&&
for&&&& Thinking&&&& a.&&&&
might&&&& of&&&&
return&&&& century&&& many&&&
people&&& This&&& see&&
&&those.&&&&
CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)
A new report says living in a city make / makes it harder for people to concentrate. The research found / finding that people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas. The study is from Goldsmiths College, which is partner / part of the University of London. Head researcher / researches Dr Karina Linnell and her team study / studied how two groups of people did the same &thinking tasks&. The team went to a remotely / remote part of Namibia, southwest Africa, to study the Himba tribal / tribe. Himba people live a very basic / basically life in the desert, doing traditional farming. The team also studied members of the same tribe who had / did moved to the nearest town. Dr Linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much / more better on the tests than those in the town.
Dr Linnell's research may chance / change the way companies operate. In the future, workers may relocate from cities to lively / live and work in the countryside. Linnell said there are too much / many things around us in the city that stop us for / from thinking about one thing for a long / longest time. This means we do not work at your / our best. She asked: &What if / when, for example, companies realised certain tasks would be better carved / carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment where their concentration / concentrate ability is better?& The past century has seen billions of people move from the countryside to big cities. If Dr Linnell's research is true, this century might see / look many of those people return to the great outdoors.
Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.
INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)
_ n_w r_p_rt s_ys l_v_ng _n _ c_ty m_k_s _t h_rd_r f_r p__pl_ t_ c_nc_ntr_t_. Th_ r_s__rch f__nd th_t p__pl_ wh_ l_v_ _n r_r_l _r__s c_n f_c_s b_tt_r th_n p__pl_ _n _rb_n _r__s. Th_ st_dy _s fr_m G_ldsm_ths C_ll_g_, wh_ch _s p_rt _f th_ _n_v_rs_ty _f L_nd_n. H__d r_s__rch_r Dr K_r_n_ L_nn_ll _nd h_r t__m st_d__d h_w tw_ gr__ps _f p__pl_ d_d th_ s_m_ &th_nk_ng t_sks&. Th_ t__m w_nt t_ _ r_m_t_ p_rt _f N_m_b__, s__thw_st _fr_c_, t_ st_dy th_ H_mb_ tr_b_. H_mb_ p__pl_ l_v_ _ v_ry b_s_c l_f_ _n th_ d_s_rt, d__ng tr_d_t__n_l f_rm_ng. Th_ t__m _ls_ st_d__d m_mb_rs _f th_ s_m_ tr_b_ wh_ h_d m_v_d t_ th_ n__r_st t_wn. Dr L_nn_ll s__d th_ tr_b_ wh_ l_v_d _n th_ d_s_rt d_d m_ch b_tt_r _n th_ t_sts th_n th_s_ _n th_ t_wn.
Dr L_nn_ll's r_s__rch m_y ch_ng_ th_ w_y c_mp_n__s _p_r_t_. _n th_ f_t_r_, w_rk_rs m_y r_l_c_t_ fr_m c_t__s t_ l_v_ _nd w_rk _n th_ c__ntrys_d_. L_nn_ll s__d th_r_ _r_ t__ m_ny th_ngs _r__nd _s _n th_ c_ty th_t st_p _s fr_m th_nk_ng _b__t _n_ th_ng f_r _ l_ng t_m_. Th_s m__ns w_ d_ n_t w_rk _t __r b_st. Sh_ _sk_d: &Wh_t _f, f_r _x_mpl_, c_mp_n__s r__l_s_d c_rt__n t_sks w__ld b_ b_tt_r c_rr__d __t by _mpl_y__s b_s_d __ts_d_ _f th_ _rb_n _nv_r_nm_nt wh_r_ th__r c_nc_ntr_t__n _b_l_ty _s b_tt_r?& Th_ p_st c_nt_ry h_s s__n b_ll__ns _f p__pl_ m_v_ fr_m th_ c__ntrys_d_ t_ b_g c_t__s. _f Dr L_nn_ll's r_s__rch _s tr__, th_s c_nt_ry m_ght s__ m_ny _f th_s_ p__pl_ r_t_rn t_ th_ gr__t __td__rs.
PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS
a new report says living in a city makes it harder for people to concentrate the research found that people who live in rural areas can focus better than people in urban areas the study is from goldsmiths college which is part of the university of london head researcher dr karina linnell and her team studied how two groups of people did the same &thinking tasks& the team went to a remote part of namibia southwest africa to study the himba tribe himba people live a very basic life in the desert doing traditional farming the team also studied members of the same tribe who had moved to the nearest town dr linnell said the tribe who lived in the desert did much better on the tests than those in the town
dr linnell's research may change the way companies operate in the future workers may relocate from cities to live and work in the countryside linnell said there are too many things around us in the city that stop us from thinking about one thing for a long time this means we do not work at our best she asked &what if for example companies realised certain tasks would be better carried out by employees based outside of the urban environment where their concentration ability is better& the past century has seen billions of people move from the countryside to big cities if dr linnell's research is true this century might see many of those people return to the great outdoors
PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE
Anewreportsayslivinginacitymakesitharderforpeopletoconcentrate.Theresearch
foundthatpeoplewholiveinruralareascanfocusbetterthanpeopleinurbanareas.The
studyisfromGoldsmithsCollege,whichispartoftheUniversityofLondon.Head
researcherDrKarinaLinnellandherteamstudiedhowtwogroupsofpeopledidthesame
&thinkingtasks&.TheteamwenttoaremotepartofNamibia,southwestAfrica,tostudy
theHimbatribe.Himbapeopleliveaverybasiclifeinthedesert,doingtraditionalfarming.
Theteamalsostudiedmembersofthesametribewhohadmovedtothenearesttown.Dr
Linnellsaidthetribewholivedinthedesertdidmuchbetterontheteststhanthoseinthe
town.DrLinnell'sresearchmaychangethewaycompaniesoperate.Inthefuture,
workersmayrelocatefromcitiestoliveandworkinthecountryside.Linnellsaidthereare
toomanythingsaroundusinthecitythatstopusfromthinkingaboutonethingforalong
time.Thismeanswedonotworkatourbest.Sheasked:&Whatif,forexample,companies
realisedcertaintaskswouldbebettercarriedoutbyemployeesbasedoutsideoftheurban
environmentwheretheirconcentrationabilityisbetter?&Thepastcenturyhasseen
billionsofpeoplemovefromthecountrysidetobigcities.IfDrLinnell'sresearchistrue,
thiscenturymightseemanyofthosepeoplereturntothegreatoutdoors.
FREE WRITING
Write about thinking for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.
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ACADEMIC WRITING
Living in the city is better than living in the countryside.&& Discuss.
_____________________________________________________________________________
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1. 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.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about concentration. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. THINKING: Make a poster about thinking. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
4. RURAL/URBAN: Write a magazine article about this study. Include imaginary interviews with city people and countryside people.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
6. LETTER: Write a letter to a concentration expert. Ask him/her three questions about thinking. Give him/her three of your tips on how to focus better. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.
TRUE / FALSE (p.4)
SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)
concentrate
understood
carried out
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)
Concentrate
in rural areas
remote part
nearest town
way they operate
many things
MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)
ALL OTHER EXERCISES
Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your E-)
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