Breaking News English Lesson: Blinking
We all blink 15–20 times a minute, without thinking. There are several reasons for this. One is so our eyes do not dry out. Another reason is to protect our eyes from dust. Scientists say they have found a further reason. Researchers in Canada say we blink less when we are listening to someone speak, especially when there is background noise. The lead researcher said blinking less gives our brain more energy, so we can focus on listening.
The researchers did two experiments on 49 people. The people listened to many sentences being read. In one experiment, there was no background noise. In the other, there was background noise. The people in the test with background noise blinked a lot less. Another researcher said we blink less "when important information is coming". The lead researcher agreed. She said: "We don't just blink randomly."
Try the same news story at these levels:
- https://www.sciencealert.com/want-to-know-if-somebody-is-truly-listening-count-their-blinks
- https://www.earth.com/news/people-automatically-blink-less-while-listening-carefully/
- https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109190
Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)
Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities, and more.
$US 9.99
News
"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."
The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)
"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."
Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)
"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."
Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.
Phrase Matching Paragraph 1- There are several reasons
- our eyes do not
- protect our eyes
- Scientists say they have found
- when we are listening to
- when there is background
- blinking less gives our
- we can focus
- someone speak
- brain more energy
- for this
- from dust
- on listening
- dry out
- noise
- a further reason
- researchers did two experiments
- listened to many sentences
- there was no background
- people in the test with
- blinked a lot
- Another researcher said we
- important information is
- We don't just blink
- noise
- randomly
- being read
- less
- on 49 people
- coming
- background noise
- blink less
We all blink 15–20 (1) _________________________________________________, without thinking. There are (2) _________________________________________________ this. One is so our eyes do (3) _________________________________________________. Another reason is to protect our eyes from dust. Scientists say they have (4) _________________________________________________ reason. Researchers in Canada say we blink less when we are listening (5) _________________________________________________, especially when there is background noise. The lead researcher said blinking less gives our brain more energy, so we (6) _________________________________________________ listening.
The researchers (7) _________________________________________________ on 49 people. The people listened to many (8) _________________________________________________. In one experiment, there was no background noise. (9) _________________________________________________, there was background noise. The people in the test with background noise blinked a lot less. Another researcher said (10) _________________________________________________ "when important (11) _________________________________________________". The lead researcher agreed. She said: "We don't (12) _________________________________________________."
Put a slash (/) where the spaces areWeallblink15–20timesaminute,withoutthinking.Thereareseveralrea sonsforthis.Oneissooureyesdonotdryout.Anotherreasonistoprotect oureyesfromdust.Scientistssaytheyhavefoundafurtherreason.Rese archersinCanadasayweblinklesswhenwearelisteningtosomeonespe ak,especiallywhenthereisbackgroundnoise.Theleadresearchersaidb linkinglessgivesourbrainmoreenergy,sowecanfocusonlistening.The researchersdidtwoexperimentson49people.Thepeoplelistenedtoma nysentencesbeingread.Inoneexperiment,therewasnobackgroundn oise.Intheother,therewasbackgroundnoise.Thepeopleinthetestwith backgroundnoiseblinkedalotless.Anotherresearchersaidweblinkless "whenimportantinformationiscoming".Theleadresearcheragreed.S hesaid:"Wedon'tjustblinkrandomly."
Student surveyWrite 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 questionsSTUDENT 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 writingWrite about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.
Answers(Please check your answers against the article above.
Help Support This Web Site- Please consider helping Breaking News English.com
- Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".