What's the news?

Today we’re going to talk about news.

Where do you usually get your news – the TV, the radio, newspapers or the Internet?

Do you watch or listen to the news every day? If yes, at what time of day?

What was in the news yesterday?

Let’s read the words that will be helpful to you at the lesson today:

a plane crash

missing (on Mount Everest)

rain

the lottery

choose (past: chose)

climb

a flood

a helicopter

lucky

Look at the photos of some TV news stories. Which words are in each story, do you think?

A) the lottery, choose, lucky

B) rain, a flood

C) a plane crash

D) missing (on Mount Everest), climb, a helicopter

Listen to the news and put the photos in order.

Newsreader: Over a hundred people died in a plane crash in China last night. The plane was on its way to Thailand but crashed only minutes after it left the airport.

Simon and Monica Brown, who want to become the first British husband and wife to climb Mount Everest, are missing, only three days after they started their climb. Helicopters are now looking for the two climbers.

In India there are floods in many parts of the country, after five days of heavy rain. Yesterday twenty-seven people died in floods near Calcutta.

And finally, a couple who work together at McDonalds won over one million pounds on the lottery – thanks to their dog! They told reporters today that their dog, Cooper, chose the numbers!

That’s the news this Friday lunchtime.

The photos were mentioned in the following order: C), D), B), A)

Listen to the news again and choose the correct answers.

1. a) Over 100/200 people died in the plane crash.

b) The plane crashed in China / Thailand.

2. a) Simon and Monica Brown are brother and sister / married.

b) They are now in a helicopter / missing.

3. a) There are floods in one place / lots of places in India.

b) 70/27 people died in Calcutta.

4. a) A couple who work together at McDonalds won over one / two million pounds on the lottery.

b) Their dog / cat chose the lottery numbers.

Look at the headlines of news reports 1 and 2 from the next day. Which TV news stories are they about, do you think?

Listen to four conversations about the news. Which news story is each conversation about?

1.

Did you read about the couple who won this week’s lottery?

No. How much did they win?

Over one million pounds.

Really?

Yeah, but that’s not the best bit. Their dog chose the numbers for them!

You’re joking!

2.

Have you got family in India?

Yes, why?

Did you hear about the floods?

Yes, isn’t it awful? I saw it on the news last night.

Is your family all right?

Yes, they’re fine. They don’t live in that part of India.

3.

Did you hear about that plane crash?

No, where was it?

Somewhere in China. Over a hundred people died.

Oh, no. That’s terrible.

Yes, I know.

4.

Did you read about the couple on Everest?

No, what happened?

One of them fell and they lost their radio.

Oh dear. Are they OK?

Yes, a helicopter found them yesterday.

Oh, that’s good.

The first conversation is about the couple who won the lottery.

The second conversation is about the flood in India.

The third conversation is about the plane crash.

The fourth conversation is about the missing couple.

Listen to the conversations again and match the sentences 1-6 to responses a)-f).

Check yourselves.

1. Over one million pounds.                                        b) Really?

2. Their dog chose the numbers for them.                    f) You’re joking!

3. Did you hear about the floods?                                a) Yes, isn’t it awful?

4. Over a hundred people died.                                             e) Oh, no. That’s terrible.

5. One of them fell and they lost their radio.                         d) Oh dear. Are they OK?

6. Yes, a helicopter found them yesterday.                           c) Oh, that’s good.

Fill in the gaps in the questions and responses with these words:

was / happened / about / hear.

Let’s check.

To start a conversation about the news, we can say:

1. Did you hear about that plane crash?             No, where was it?

2. Did you read about the couple on Everest?     No, what happened?

Fill in the table with responses.

good news / bad news / surprising news

Check yourselves.

To respond to good, bad and surprising news, we can say:

Remember!

News is a singular noun. We say: The news is terrible, not The news are terrible.

Here is the final task for you.

Read about the news stories. Check you understand all the words.

Work with your partner. Take turns to tell your partner about the news stories. Respond with the following phrases.

Well, that’s all for today.

Now you know how to talk about the news. Join us at videouroki.net and you’ll get the latest news about our projects.