Radiation Found in Rainwater in the USA -Video News plus True/False Quiz

Watch the video from Newsy and try to get a general idea of what it reports first. Then read the questions in the true/false quiz, select the correct answer if you are positive about your response, or watch the video again for further clues.

Answers: read the video's transcript here

Continue Reading "Radiation Found in Rainwater in the USA -Video News plus True/False Quiz"

Violence Escalates in Syria - Video News + Quiz on Adjectives & Nouns

At least six people were killed yesterday during an attack at a mosque in the southern city of Deraa. It's estimated that  more than 30 people have reported death during confrontations with security forces since Friday. 

This is a video reporting the events that took place yesterday. 

You will find a quiz which focuses on adjectives and nouns as used in the video. You can read the full transcript and check your answers here.

(please wait a few secs until the quiz loads)

Continue Reading "Violence Escalates in Syria - Video News + Quiz on Adjectives & Nouns"

Worksheet: Focus on Prepositions Quiz_Japan Radiation Alert

This free printable worsheet focuses on the use of prepositions in the News Article:

Japan Radiation Alert: Vegetables, Dairy, and Tap Water Contaminated  

(It is for classroom or private use only)

Continue Reading "Worksheet: Focus on Prepositions Quiz_Japan Radiation Alert"

Japan Radiation Alert: Vegetables, Dairy, and Tap Water Contaminated

In this lesson you will find a report on Japan's radiation alert  and a quiz focusing on the use of prepositions.


Japan Radiation Alert: Vegetables, Dairy, and Tap Water Contaminated 

Radioctivity tests were carried out in food yesterday, and some vegetables, milk, and water have been found to be contaminated.

 Japanese authorities declared water supply in Tokyo is also contaminated.  The level of radiation found in water does not affect adults, but  is unfit for babies, who are especially vunerable to radiation.  Officials recommend babies should not drink tap water.

The tests also showed that the radioactivity levels  in green leafy vegetables produced in the Fukishima region has considerably increased.  The authorities have ordered the population not to eat a list of about 11 vegetables.

As a preventive measure, some types of food produced in Japan will no longer be exported abroad.  U.S. officials announced dairy produced in Japan will be blocked.  This will surely hurt Japan’s economy.

"Focus on Prepositions" Quiz:

Select the most appropriate preposition for each blank. (Some might need to be repeated more than once)

 Free Printable Worksheet of this Activity

Sources:

The Independant

BBC

Continue Reading "Japan Radiation Alert: Vegetables, Dairy, and Tap Water Contaminated"

Focus on Phrasal Verbs: Suicide Alert System on Facebook

The focus of this exercise is on "phrasal

verbs" as presented in Newsy's video report

"New Suicide Alert System on Facebook".

 
Here're the phrasal verbs we are going to work on:

set up : to establish a new company, organization, system, way of working, etc.

fill sth out: to write the necessary information on an official document.

reach out: to offer help and support to someone.

team up: to join another person, or form a group with other people, in order to do something together

look after sb/sth: to take care of or be in charge of someone or something

track sth/sb down:    to find something or someone after looking for them in a lot of different places

Now watch the video and fill in the blanks with the corresponding phrasal verb.

Answers:
1) is teaming up 2) reach out 3) look after 4) fill out  5) track it down 6) set up

Newsy Video's Trasncript

Definition from "Cambridge Dictinary Online" 
Photo Source

Continue Reading "Focus on Phrasal Verbs: Suicide Alert System on Facebook"

News Video and Comprehension Quiz on "Danger of Japan's Nuclear Plants"

In this lesson we are going to:

• Learn some vocabulary

• Pratice listening skills by watching a Newsy Video on a debate about the danger of Japan's Nuclear Plants and

• Work on a true/false quiz to check understanding 

 Vocabulary focus

These are some of the phrases you will hear in the video:
(remember you can double-click on any word and a message with its definition will pop up)

nuclear power plant -- cooling system -- declare a nuclear emergency -- evacuate their homes -- operated by Tokyo Electric Power -- nearby turbine building -- radioactive leak -- to cool down the Fukushima reactor-- restore power to the plant -- the possibility of some sort of core meltdown -- a string of volcanic islands -- US Air Force planes brought coolant -- release radioactive vapor to decrease pressure.



According to these phrases what seems to be the key issue with Japan's Nuclear Plants?

Now, let's watch the video:

Answer: 

The cooling systems of some nuclear plants have failed, part of the reactors could consequently  melt down and release radioactive substances. 

Read the transcript here to check your answers.


Photo Credit

Continue Reading "News Video and Comprehension Quiz on "Danger of Japan's Nuclear Plants""

Open Cloze Exercise on Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

 This is an open cloze exercise based on a news article about Japan's Tsunami.

• The words you will need to complete the gaps with are:

aftershocks: small quakes after a main shock

epicenter: the point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake

offshore: away from or at a distance from the coast

shaken : past participle of "shake" => to move backwards and forwards or up and down in quick, short movements, or to make something or someone do this.

slam  to (cause to) move against a hard surface with force and usually a loud noise.

spawn to cause something new, or many new things, to grow or start suddenly.

stretch: to spread over a large area or distance.

sweep away :to remove and/or take in a particular direction, especially in a fast and powerful way.

death toll: the number of people who die because of an event such as a war or an accident.  

tremors : a slight earthquake.

widespread:  existing or happening in many places and/or among many people.

• Now select the most appropriate word for each gap.

Answers:

1. spawned
2. slammed
3. sweeping  away
4. widespread
5. toll
6. fears
7. offshore
8. aftershocks
10. stretch
11. shaken
12. tremors
11. epicenter

Continue Reading "Open Cloze Exercise on Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami 2011"

Japan's Terrible Earthquake and Tsunami March 11th 2011

 Japan has been hit by one of the most devastating earthquakes in history, followed by a Tsunami with about 4-mt high waves.

Continue Reading "Japan's Terrible Earthquake and Tsunami March 11th 2011"

Rent & Watch Warner Bros Movies Directly from Facebook!

Listening Comprehension Quiz: "Rent and Watch WarnerBros Movies Directly from Facebook"

Facebook users can now rent films through the social network site. The first movie for digital rental is "The Dark Knight", not one of my favourite movies, by the way.

A detail: this service is only available in the USA. So, if  you live in the States all you need is 30 Facebook credits or $3.  If you don't, keep practicing your listening skills with English Daily Workout. ;-)

Listening comprehension quiz:

Have a look at these phrases and check whether you know their meaning. You can double-click on any word and a  window from Answers.com will pop up with the corresponding definition.

 $3 dollars         10 facebook credits      48 hour         credible threat         device

integration         equal a dollar        financial expert         game consoles         has the 

upper hand         in credits     make comments   how to add social ‘hooks’ into their experience           leave the competition reeling           make more movies available       media playing devices        on any given day        renting experiment      streaming movies      streaming subscription        the drop        the rental fee        tv-streaming service        were used primarily in games        won’t be free  

Check your answers here

<Photo Credit>

Continue Reading "Rent & Watch Warner Bros Movies Directly from Facebook!"

Apple iPad 2's New Features: Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz

Apple has recently launced its new tablet and the whole world has gone mad about it! So I thought you might be interested in learning a bit about the product and of course "English" vocabulary related to it.

Watch this video about Apple iPad 2's new features by Newsy and do the vocabulary and comprehension quiz that follows.

The first part of the quiz (a matching exercise) deals with vocabulary; the second one is a true/false quiz to check your understanding.

Please wait a few secs until the quiz loads

If you've found this lesson useful, please share it with your friends!

Continue Reading "Apple iPad 2's New Features: Vocabulary and Comprehension Quiz"

Should the USA Intervene in Libya? Vocabulary + Comprehension Quiz

Should the Usa Intervene in Libya?

There's been  a controversy around the globe about whether the USA should or should not intervene in Libya's crisis. So, here's a news report by Newsy on the topic. But before we move on, let's work on some vocabulary. Then watch the video and do the comprehension exercise.

Vocabulary

Step down: to abandon, abdicate, give up power.

Step in: to become involved, interfere

Stand back: to stay away, to keep one's distance

Follow through: to achieve, to reach a goal, to accomplish

Meddle with: to interfere, to intrude into people's lives without being asked.

Grapple with: to struggle, to try to deal with something difficult.







Now do the comprehension quiz,

(Wait a few secs until the quiz loads)

Continue Reading "Should the USA Intervene in Libya? Vocabulary + Comprehension Quiz"

SocialEyes: Video Chat with your Facebook Friends!

Video News plus Listening Quiz


SocialEyes is a great solution for videochatting with  your friends on Facebook. So, if you want to
improve your English, practice speaking with your  world wide friends from Facebook don't hesistate to give
it a try!

In the meantime, learn a bit more about SocialEyes by watching Newsy Video and then do the quiz that follows.


Enjoy and don't forget to share it with your friends! 

Continue Reading "SocialEyes: Video Chat with your Facebook Friends!"

Open Cloze: Rubber Ducks' Amazing Voyage Part Two

On this blog post: news article on how an accident helped researchers learn more about the currents in the Pacific Ocean (Part 2). Reading + CAE Open Cloze


Fill in the blanks with a corresponding linking word,



  Answers here.

Link to this blog
<p>Here's a <a href="http://englishdailyworkout.blogspot.com/2011/03/open-cloze-rubber-ducks-voyage-part-two.html" target="_blank">Nintendo D Sells Out, but Causes Eye Strain: Vocabulary Quiz and Listening Practice</a>.</p>

Continue Reading "Open Cloze: Rubber Ducks' Amazing Voyage Part Two"

Rubber Ducks Help Researches Learn More About Ocean Currents

On this blog post: news article on how an accident helped researchers learn more about the currents in the Pacific Ocean. Reading + FCE Open Cloze


"It's amazing what a duck can teach you."

                                                           -Curt Ebbesmeyer, oceanographer

                                                                

 In 1992 thousands of rubber ducks and other toys went overboard during a storm in the

Pacific Ocean. The toys have since been found all over the world; and scientists around the

world have used the incident to gain a better understanding of ocean currents.

You can find a timeline of their voyage around the globe from 1992 until 2007 here

Watch this video and do the quiz that follows.

 
Open Cloze Task


 Answers here.

Open Cloze Part Two


Link to this blog
<p>Here's a <a href="http://englishdailyworkout.blogspot.com/2011/03/rubber-ducks-ocean-currents.html" target="_blank">Nintendo D Sells Out, but Causes Eye Strain: Vocabulary Quiz and Listening Practice</a>.</p>

 Rubber Ducks Photo Source

 

Continue Reading "Rubber Ducks Help Researches Learn More About Ocean Currents"

2-Minute Update on Libya's Crisis - Video News + Quiz

  
Watch the  video about Libya's Crisis.

Then read the following news  excerpts and decide which of them are dealt with in the video. (The excerpts are not present  in the video. They have been taken from different sources but the information is the same)





(Double-click on any word to get a dictionary definition)

1.  "The current crisis in Libya has two potential outcomes, Clinton told the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, a transition to a peaceful democracy or descent into chaos and civil war." (the Telegraph) 

2. "The UN General Assembly has unanimously suspended Libya's membership in the Human Rights Council because of violence against protesters." (ITN News)

3. "We are moving ships closer to Libya in case they are needed," said Colonel David Lapan, a Pentagon spokesman. He said planes were also being repositioned closer to Libya, where Gaddafi remains defiant in the face of intensifying pressure from the West and from his own people to end his decades-long rule." (Yahoo News)

4. "The recent surge in oil has pushed up gasoline prices in the U.S. by nearly 20 cents per gallon in the past week. That's the sharpest increase since September 2008, when Hurricane Ike shut down Gulf Coast refineries, according to the Oil Price Information Service. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina sent prices soaring about 45 cents per gallon in one week." (CBS News)

5. "Violence and chaos in Libya have triggered an exodus of more than 140,000 refugees to Tunisia and Egypt, a U.N. official said Tuesday, as aid workers warned the situation at the Tunisian border has reached crisis point." (MetroNews)

Link to this blog
<p>Here's a <a href="http://englishdailyworkout.blogspot.com/2011/03/2-minute-update-on-libyas-crisis.html" target="_blank">Nintendo D Sells Out, but Causes Eye Strain: Vocabulary Quiz and Listening Practice</a>.</p>

Continue Reading "2-Minute Update on Libya's Crisis - Video News + Quiz"

Handheld Nintendo 3D Sells Out after Launch, But Causes Eye Strain

 Handheld Nintendo 3D Sells Out  after Launch, But Causes Eye Strain.

Vocabulary Lesson and Quiz + Listening Practice

In this lesson we are going to learn some new vocabulary and practice listening with a news report.

1. Have a look at the following words and see if you already know their meanings:

slated -  handheld -  release -  sold out - loophole  -  blur  -  eye soreness  -  acolytes  - retailers  -  outlets 

2. Do the following quiz matching the words with their corresponding definitions.

3. Watch the news report by Newsy and fill in the blanks with the words from 2.

Link to this blog
<p>Here's a <a href="http://englishdailyworkout.blogspot.com/2011/02/nintendo-3d-sold-out-eye-strain.html" target="_blank">Nintendo D Sells Out, but Causes Eye Strain: Vocabulary Quiz and Listening Practice</a>.</p>





Tech news report by Newsy.

Continue Reading "Handheld Nintendo 3D Sells Out after Launch, But Causes Eye Strain"

Today's News: Paul the Octopus Dies

Apparently he died of natural causes.

Here are some links to newspapers reporting the news.
BBC
Telegraph

Continue Reading "Today's News: Paul the Octopus Dies"