Dare to Shine

The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup is being held in France between 7 June and 7 July 2019. Alex Scott. is an English former footballer and has played for the English national team 140 times. She has a message for the World Cup players.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• national team - team that represents a country
• football cage - a space surrounded by wire on all sides where you can play football
• escape - something that helps you to forget about your usual life or problems
• to doubt someone - to have a feeling that someone cannot do something well or succeed at something
• to prove someone wrong - to show by your actions that someone's judgment of you was not correct
• determination - the ability to continue trying to do something that is very difficult
• on the cusp of something - at the point when something is about to change to something else
• to shine - to be very good or successful at an activity
• to take the spotlight - to do things that make people pay more attention to you

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Where did Alex start playing football?


2. Did everyone always believe that Alex could be great at football?


3. What was Alex’ determination to keep going and not give up?


4. According to Alex, what is happening with women’s football now?


5. What is Alex’ advice to the girls playing in the World Cup?

Really Ticked

Now that the warmer weather is here, we’re a lot more active outside. We are not the only animals enjoying the outdoors. Meet the tick:


Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• prime time - a good time for doing something or being somewhere
• undergrowth - plants, bushes, and small trees growing under larger trees in a forest
• nasty diseases - bad sicknesses
• insect repellent - something like a lotion or spray that is used to keep insects away
• DEET - a chemical that is used to keep insects away from people and animals
• flu-like symptoms - symptoms that are similar to when you have the flu (like fever, weakness, body aches, and breathing problems)
• rash - a group of red spots on the skin that is caused by an illness or a reaction to something
• GP - family docter (GP is short for general practitioner)

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Where in nature are most ticks found?


2. What do ticks eat?


3. Name three things you can do to fight ticks.


4. What should you do when a tick bites you?

Cruising Away?

Last week, Venice saw an incident with a cruise ship.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• a Hollywood production - a typical Hollywood film
• residents - people who live in a particular place
• storey - a floor level of a building
• quayside - the edge of a quay (kade), near the water
• oblivious to the potential danger - not aware of the possible danger
• dockside - the area along a shore next to a dock (dok)
• tugboat- a small, powerful boat that is used for pulling and pushing ships into harbors or up rivers
• turning point - the time when a situation starts changing in an important way

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. What exactly happened with the cruise ship?
   Tell in your own words. Or write a short report about the incident.


2. How many passengers were there aboard the cruise ship?


3. Did all the people on land immediately realize what was happening?


4. Were any buildings in Venice damaged during the incident?


5. Name two or more reasons why people in Venice are protesting against cruise ships.

Extra speaking assignment
Is a ban on cruise ships in cities like Venice a good idea?
1. Split the class in two.
2. One side thinks of arguments for a ban, the other against a ban.
3. Have a class discussion.

Mount Everest

Mount Everest has been in the news a lot recently.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• to hit headlines - to appear as a big news story
• fierce - very powerful
• lack - the state or condition of not having any or enough of something
• oxygen - zuurstof
• a record number of people - the highest number of people ever
• summit - the top of a mountain
• crowded - filled with too many people or things
• delays - situations in which you have to wait longer than normally or expected
• experience - skill or knowledge that you get by doing something
• requirements - things that are needed or necessary

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Why is Mount Everest in the news?


2. Is Mount Everest the tallest mountain in the world?


3. Name three things that make climbing Mount Everest dangerous.


4. Why is it getting crowded on Mount Everest?


5. What could be done to make climbing Mount Everest safer?

Every Little Thing Counts

From global warming to endangered animals, the future of our planet is at risk. We can all do more to protect our environment. But many of us don't know where to begin. There is a plan for just those people.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• endangered - used to describe a type of animal or plant that has become very rare and that could die out completely
• living legend - a famous or important person who is known for doing something extremely well and is still alive
• cultivated fields - fields that are prepared and used for growing plants
• plight - a very bad or difficult situation
• roots - the parts of plants that grow underground
• shoots - the parts of new plants that are just beginning to grow above the ground
• to make an impact - to have a powerful or big effect

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. What inspired Dr. Jane Goodall to go to Africa?


2. How does Roots & Shoots work?


3. Why did Dr. Jane Goodall found Roots & Shoots?


4. Name the three areas on which Roots & Shoots projects focus.


5. Go to the Roots & Shoots website to find out if the programme is currently active in your area.

Up in the Air

Summer vacation is coming up. Good times for airline companies.
Travelling by plane has never been more popular. But flying contributes to climate change.
Now what?

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• a significant number - very many; so many that it really makes a difference
• carbon footprint - a measurement of the amount of carbon dioxide that your activities produce
• fuel - a material (such as coal, oil, or gas) that is burned to produce heat or power
• via another airport - by departing from another airport
• to offset - to cancel or reduce the effect of something
• online calculators - websites that do the math for you
• to tackle a problem - to deal with a problem
• to reduce the impact of flying - to make the (negative) effect of flying smaller

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. When you think of flying, what is the best thing you can do to help our climate?


2. Laura Foster explains what you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your flight.
   How many things does she name?


3. Name three or more of these things you could do yourself.


4. How does “Offset your flight” work?


5. Do all these things really reduce the impact of flying on climate change?

The Thing About Biodiversity

Hundreds of thousands of different species of animals and plants are facing extinction. The United Nations says that this is all because of human activity: all sorts of things we humans are doing.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• biodiversity - the existence of many different kinds of plants and animals in a particular area or in the world generally
• variety of all life - all the many different sorts of life on earth
• immense - very large
• secure - safe
• towering forests - forest with very tall trees
• pollinator - something, such as an insect, that carries pollen from one plant or part of a plant to another
• to keep in supply - to store something; to make sure there is enough of something
• coral reefs - larger areas of coral that can be found in warmer parts of the ocean
• mangrove swamps - an area of very wet, soft land where mangroves (tropical trees) grow
• to drop - to go down in number, to become less
• catastrophic - as bad as a big catastrophe or disaster

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Complete the statement: The more biodiversity the more .......


2. Why do we humans need forests?


3. Why do we humans need pollinators, soil organisms and plankton?


4. Why do we humans need strange plants deep in jungles?


5. What is happening with biodiversity? It is:
   a. dropping,
   b. increasing,
   c. staying the same everywhere.

The Blue Bandit

Wiebe Wakker went for a ride in his car. His car is called the Blue Bandit. It is a special car and it was a special ride.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• epic journey - very impressive trip
• a bandit - a gangster
• online donations - money people give through a website
• to plot your course - to plan your route or journey in detail
• to prove someone wrong - to do something in order to show that someone had an incorrect idea or opinion
• prejudices - unfair or unreasonable opinion about something or someone
• reliable - good, to be trusted
• insane - very foolish, sort of crazy
• inspire - to make someone want to do something

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.



(B1) Answer the questions.

1. Where did Wiebe’s journey begin and end? 
2. Is Wiebe's Blue Bandit a regular car? Explain your answer. 
3. Where did Wiebe get the money to make his trip?
4. What was Wiebe’s goal with his trip?

(A2) Fill in the numbers:

1. Wiebe Wakker and his Blue Bandit drove ................. days.
2. Wiebe Wakker drove through ................. countries.
3. Wiebe Wakker drove nearly ................. kilometers.
4. Wiebe Wakker’s journey started in March .................
5. The Blue Bandit is one of only ................. of such electric cars ever made.

Dumbo

Have you seen the new Dumbo movie yet? Disney has just released a remake. In the film, Danny DeVito plays Max Medici, the owner of a circus.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• in captivity - not free; kept in a cage or something similar
• to run away - to leave your home suddenly without permission and go somewhere else to live
• doing voice-overs - speaking words in a movie or television programme without being seen
• gruff - rough or rather unfriendly or very serious
• to survive - to continue to exist
• similar to - almost the same as someone or something else
• he has a big heart - he is very generous and kind
• emotions - feelings
• xenophobia - fear of strangers or foreigners
• to embrace - to accept and support someone and believe in them
• confidence - the feeling that you can do something well or succeed at something

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. According to Danny DeVito, where do animals belong?


2. Danny says: “In Dumbo, we have people from all over the world.”
   Name three or more countries where these people come from.


3. In what way is Max Medici different from the characters DeVito usually plays?


4. When people look at Dumbo, what do they feel or do?


5. One of the messages that you get out of the movie is that you have to embrace people for who they are.
   Explain what this means.

Wolves

Wolves were gone from the Netherlands. But they are back. Between November last year and January this year at least four wolves were spotted.
In the United States wolves also almost became extinct (uitgestorven). This has changed.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• predator - an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals
• a howl - a long, sad sound
• northern hemisphere - northern half of the earth
• canines - dogs
• wolf pack - a group of wolves, that live and hunt together
• cohesive units - closely united groups
• hierarchy - system in which all elements (people, animals, or things) are arranged according to their importance
• to show your affection - to show that you like someone or something
• exterminated - killed

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. How many species of wolves are there?


2. Which species of wolves can be found in both the U.S. and the Netherlands?


3. How many wolves generally form a wolf pack?


4. “Each wolves howl is unique.” Explain what this means. Use examples from the video.


5. Name at least 2 reasons why wolves almost became extinct in the U.S.

House on Fire

Last week, world leaders and business chiefs met in Davos to talk about global issues and solutions. 16-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden was there too. She presented her point of view on climate action.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• lack of effective change - not enough action to make real changes
• price tag - the amount of money that something costs
• to acknowledge - to admit; to say that you accept or do not deny the truth or existence of something
• broad public awareness - the situation that many people know that something exists or is happening
• homo sapiens - the human race; all human beings
• to gain notoriety - to become well-known for things you do or say
• mature - having the mental and emotional qualities of an adult and acting like that
• to uphold an agreement - to give support to an agreement and stick to it
• to adhere to environmental regulations - to act in the way that is required by the rules for making and keeping the world healthy
• unspoken sufferings - physical or mental pain which is understood without being directly said aloud

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. What does Greta mean when she suggests that ‘the house is on fire’?


2. What does Greta want of the world leaders?


3. Greta says: ‘Their financial success has come with an unthinkable price tag.’ What is this ‘price tag’ she is talking about?


4. According to Greta, is it too late to do anything? Explain your answer.


5. Does Greta think it will be an easy task to solve the climate crisis? Explain your answer.

- Watch Greta’s full speech here.
- Also listen to Greta’s message to Davos before leaving by train from Stockholm to Switzerland.
- Children all over the world are concerned about climate change. Check out this earlier video with students in Australia.

Extra speaking assignment
Greta Thunberg started the climate strike movement, young people skipping school to draw attention to the issue of climate change.
1. How do you feel about going on a school strike because of climate change?
2. Split the class in two.
3. One side thinks of arguments for striking, the other against striking.
4. Have a class discussion.

Ultima Thule

For space lovers, 2019 started with a bang: NASA’s New Horizons mission arrived at Ultima Thule on 1 January 2019. Ultima Thule is the oldest rock in space ever explored by humans. It is more than 4 billion miles away from earth.

Brian May is best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. He is also an astrophysicist. He spent some time with the science team of the New Horizons mission. Brian released a single to celebrate the New Horizons’ success.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• horizon - the limit of what is possible in a particular field or activity
• limitless - very great or large; without limit
• never-ending - endless; having or seeming to have no end
• it takes your breath away - it is extremely beautiful or exciting
• man - the human race
• to throw light on something - to help to explain something
• point of view - a way of looking at or thinking about something

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.



1. With which number does the countdown begin?

2. While you watch the video again, fill in the missing words of the lyrics:
New horizons ........... ...........
New horizons no one's ever seen before
Limitless wonders in a never-ending sky
We may never, never reach them
That's why we have ........... ...........

New horizons to take our breath away
New horizons getting ........... every day
Somewhere in the distance, ........... ........... will appear
One day New Horizons will be very, very near
That's why we're here

Tonight the hand of man reaches out
To throw light on how ........... came about
Computer is reckoning an all-time high
The future is beckoning onward and onward we ...........

New horizons a dream coming ...........
New horizons that will change our point of view
The fruits of wishful thinking we taste them for real
We're off to new horizons so hold on to the wheel
That's how we ...........

New horizons every day
New horizons
New horizons every day

3. For the more advanced: Explain or discuss the meaning of the underlined phrases.

Real or Fake?

In December, many people put up their Christmas trees.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• artificial - not natural or real
• the real deal - something that is real, not fake
• price-wise - with regard to the price; as far as the price is concerned
• reusable - able to be used again
• assembly - the act of putting the parts of something together
• to chop down - to cut (a tree, bush, etc.) at the bottom so that it falls to the ground
• memorable - very good or special and worth remembering
• environment - the natural world (the air, water, and land in or on which people, animals, and plants live)
• mulch - straw, leaves, or small pieces of wood that are spread over the ground in a garden to protect the plants
• downside - the aspect of something which is not so positive, pleasant, or useful

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Are there more artificial or real Christmas trees in American homes?


2. Which Christmas trees are more expensive: the real ones or the artificial ones?


3. Which Christmas tree is easier to set up?


4. Is cutting down a tree at a farm bad for the planet? Explain your answer.


5. After how many years is using an artifical tree less bad for the environment?

What a Waste!

The holidays are coming up: getting together with family and eating. Lots of eating.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• to get wasted - to get thrown away even when something is still okay to use or consume
• yams - sweet potatoes
• turkey - a large bird grown for its meat on farms
• to discard - to throw away
• to overdo it - to do too much of something or to do it in an extreme way
• leftovers - food that has not been finished at a meal and that is often served at another meal
• inevitably - sure to happen
• landfill - an area where waste is buried under the ground
• shelter - a place that provides food and protection for people that need help, for example homeless people

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. What happens with lots of the food that make up our Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners?


2. What happens when people don’t plan their meals properly?


3. What makes up the largest component in landfills?


4. What can you do with leftovers instead of throwing them in the garbage?


5. What can you do to prevent having (lots of) leftovers?

School Strike

It’s in the news more and more: Kids all over the world going on strike from school.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• to go on strike - to stop work or anything else you should do in order to force a change
• carbon footprint - the amount of greenhouse gases (broeikasgas) someone or something leaves behind
• to head (somewhere) - to go in a specific direction
• obvious - easy to see or understand
• to make a difference - to help change a situation
• to recognize - to accept or be aware that something is true
• to take action - to do something
• bush fire - a fire burning in the bush (= a wild area of land) that is difficult to control and sometimes spreads quickly
• drought - a long period of time when there is very little or no rain
• to have a say - to have the power to help decide something

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. How old are the girls?


2. Why are the girls planning to go on strike?


3. On what date are the girls planning to go on strike?


4. Where will they be going on strike?

Watch the video once more. Answer these more advanced questions:

1. What do the girls want to happen with the carbon footprint?


2. Harriet says that ‘that everyone can make a difference but particularly our politicians’.
   Why particularly the politicians?


3. Milou says that she’s ‘concerned about climate change because ...’.
   Name the reasons she gives.

Gone for the Ultimate Spin

Stan Lee was an American comic book writer. He created many beloved comics characters. One of them is Spider-Man. Stan Lee died 12 November 2018. He was 95 years old.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• fly - a small insect that has two wings
• to crawl - to move on your hands and knees
• dramatic - attracting attention
• impressive - making you admire something or someone
• sidekick - a person who works with someone who is usually more important, powerful, etc.
• relatable - possible to understand because of being like something you have known, experienced, etc.

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. How did Stan Lee get the idea to create Spider-Man?


2. Did he think of Spider-Man as a name straight away?


3. What does he like about the name Spider-Man?


4. Name three or more aspects of Spider-Man which Stan Lee added to the character.


5. Why did Stan Lee give Spider-Man these extra, not very heroic aspects?

A Show of Hands

Scientists have recently found the oldest known example of an animal drawing. Seth Borenstein describes a similar discovery.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• drawings - pictures that are made by making lines on a surface
• hand print - the mark that is made by pressing your hand on a surface
• at a minimum - at least
• ancestors - people in your family who lived before you several generations ago
• a dozen - a group of 12 people or things
• pig -
  
• deer -
  

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. In which country were the cave paintings in the video discovered?


2. How old are the paintings?


3. What does the discovery tell us about humans making paintings and other art?

Headless Chicken

Scientists have made a discovery near Antarctica.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• nickname - a name that is different from your real name but is what your family, friends, etc., call you
• to nickname - to give someone or something a nickname
• to emit light - to send out light
• predator - an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals
• to withstand - to be strong enough to resist something
• to wander around - to move around without any clear purpose or direction
• to rename - to give a new name

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. Where did the scientist spot the “headless chicken monster”?


2. To what group of animals does the “headless chicken monster” belong?


3. Where was “headless chicken monster” only seen before?


4. How was it possible to film the “headless chicken monster”?


5. How do the presenters feel about the name “headless chicken monster”?

      Extra words assignment

1. Find out what the expression “headless chicken” means.
   We actually have a similar expression in Dutch. Do you know it?
2. Think of two or more other names for the special sea cucumber in the video.

The Clock is Ticking

There's been a lot of talk in the news about Brexit recently. What does it all mean?

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• backstop - something that is kept so that it can give good support or protection if it is needed
• to vote in favour - to make an official choice for something
• single market - a group of countries that have an agreement which allows goods to be moved, bought, or sold between them very easily
• checks and regulations - inspections and rules
• to travel freely - to go from one place to another without all sorts of checks (visa) and regulations
• trade rules - rules for buying, selling, or exchanging goods or services
• limited use of the single market - not all, but only some possibilities to use the single market
  to sort something out - to find an answer or solution for (something)
• the Irish border - the border between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and the Republic of Ireland (an independent country and member of the European Union)

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. What does the word “Brexit” mean?


2. What does the single market mean for stuff made in Ireland?


3. Listen closely to the explanation of the EU’s deals with Norway, Switzerland and Canada.
   For each of these deals, explain what Britain likes or doesn’t like about it.


4. What is it presently like when you cross the Irish border?


5. What does the Irish government want regarding the Irish border?

In Deep Water

It’s still September, but the first autumn storms of the season have already rattled our windows. High winds can bring high water. The Weather Channel has made a neat graphic to show what an extreme storm surge looks like.

Read the following words and phrases and their definitions.

• destructive - causing a large amount of damage
• worst-case scenario - a description of what could happen in the worst possible situation
• storm surge - an unusual rise in sea level on a coast because of high winds
• impacts - effects
• high tide - the tide when the water is at its highest level
• shins - the front part of your legs below the knee
• waist - the middle part of your body between the hips and chest
• power lines - electrical wires or cables
• to heed someone’s advice - to listen to and follow up suggestions about what you should do

First read the assignment. Next watch the video. Take notes to help you do the assignment.

1. How high could the storm surge go in the worst case?


2. The weather reporter says: “It's not just going to be a coastal event.” What does this mean?


3. How many high-level scenarios does the weather reporter describe?


4. Name 2 or more things that could happen in each high-level scenario.


5. What final advice does the weather reporter give?