People make paper from trees and use a lot of water to do it. Some people are worried because making paper can take water away from other things, like drinking. A big place that makes paper in a country called Uruguay is using lots of water from a river. Some people there don’t have enough water to drink and are upset. The company that makes the paper says it is trying to use less water and keep the river clean.

Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown for paper, but they can also make it hard for other plants and animals to live. When there are too many of these trees, the land can get hurt and there might not be enough water for everything. People in Uruguay are talking about this problem. They want the paper makers to be more careful with water and the land. The paper makers need to find ways to not hurt the place where they work.

Original news source: Does the paper industry need to cut its water usage? (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary from the article on slips of paper (e.g., paper, trees, water, drink, river, clean, land, plants, animals). Divide the class into two teams. Students take turns drawing the vocabulary words for their team to guess within a time limit.

– Charades
Instructions: Create cards with actions related to the article (e.g., drinking water, making paper, trees growing). Students take turns acting out the actions without speaking, while the rest of the class guesses the action. This will help them remember the verbs and nouns associated with the topic.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write statements on the board related to the article’s content (e.g., “We should use less paper to save water,” “Companies should find ways to use less water”). Students walk around the room and mark whether they agree or disagree. Afterward, discuss the results as a class and practice using phrases like “I think” or “In my opinion.”

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Pose a question about the article (e.g., “What can companies do to use less water?”). Students first think about their answer individually, then pair up to discuss their thoughts, and finally share their ideas with the class. Encourage them to use vocabulary from the article in their discussions.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine what will happen in the future if companies do not use less water for paper making. Students can draw or write their predictions. Then, have them share with a partner and discuss using future tense (e.g., “There will be less water for people to drink,” “Animals may not have a place to live”).

Comprehension Questions:

1. What do people make from trees?
2. What do people use a lot of when they make paper?
3. Where is the big place that makes paper taking water from?
4. Why are some people in Uruguay upset?
5. What kind of trees are grown for paper?
6. What happens when there are too many eucalyptus and pine trees?
7. What do people in Uruguay want the paper makers to do?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

People make paper from trees and use a lot of water to do it. Some (1)______ are worried because making paper can take water away from other things, like drinking. A big place that makes paper in a (2)______ called Uruguay is using lots of water from a river. Some people there don’t have enough water to drink and are upset. The company that makes the paper says it is trying to use less water and (3)______ the river (4)______.

Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown for (5)______, but they can also make it hard for other plants and animals to live. When there are too many of these trees, the (6)______ can get hurt and there might not be enough water for everything. (7)______ in Uruguay are (8)______ about this problem. They want the paper makers to be more careful with water and the land. The paper makers need to find ways to not hurt the place where they work.
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Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is paper?
2. Do you like drawing on paper? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you had no water to drink?
4. What is a tree?
5. Do you think trees are important? Why?
6. Have you ever seen a river? What was it like?
7. Why do you think we need to keep rivers clean?
8. Do you think it’s good to use a lot of water to make things? Why or why not?
9. Can you name some animals that live in the forest?
10. How would you feel if your favorite plant or animal had no home?
11. What can people do to use less water?
12. Do you think it’s important for companies to be careful with nature? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. paper
2. water
3. Uruguay
4. trees
5. eucalyptus
6. animals
7. land
8. river

Meanings:
(a) A country in South America
(b) A long, flowing stream of water
(c) The ground and soil where plants grow
(d) Something you drink and swim in
(e) Something you write and draw on
(f) Creatures like cats, dogs, and birds
(g) A type of tree that koalas like to eat
(h) Tall plants with leaves and branches
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What do people use to make paper?
(a) Rocks
(b) Water
(c) Trees
(d) Sand

2. Where is a big place that makes paper using lots of water?
(a) Brazil
(b) Argentina
(c) Uruguay
(d) Chile

3. What kind of trees are grown for paper?
(a) Oak and maple
(b) Eucalyptus and pine
(c) Palm and coconut
(d) Willow and birch

4. What happens when there are too many eucalyptus and pine trees?
(a) The land becomes healthier
(b) More water is available
(c) More plants and animals can live there
(d) The land can get hurt

5. What are people in Uruguay talking about?
(a) The weather
(b) Their favorite foods
(c) Their favorite TV shows
(d) The paper makers being more careful with water and the land

6. What do the paper makers need to find ways to do?
(a) Not hurt the place where they work
(b) Use more water
(c) Cut down all the trees
(d) Make the river dirty

7. What are some people worried about when making paper?
(a) Taking water away from other things, like drinking
(b) Having too much water
(c) Making the river cleaner
(d) Having too many trees

8. What is the company that makes the paper trying to do?
(a) Use more water and make the river dirty
(b) Use less water and keep the river clean
(c) Cut down all the trees
(d) Hurt the place where they work

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. People in Uruguay do not want the paper makers to be more careful with water and the land.
2. Some people in Uruguay don’t have enough water to drink.
3. A small paper-making place in Uruguay is using a little water from a river.
4. The company making paper is not trying to use less water and keep the river clean.
5. People use trees to make paper.
6. Eucalyptus and pine trees are not grown for paper, but they can harm other plants and animals.
7. Some people worry that making paper takes water from things like drinking.
8. Making paper uses a lot of water.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What do people use to make paper?
2. Why are some people worried about making paper?
3. Where is the big place that makes paper?
4. What kind of trees are grown for paper?
5. What do people in Uruguay want from the paper makers?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What do people make from trees?
People make paper from trees.

2. What do people use a lot of when they make paper?
People use a lot of water to make paper.

3. Where is the big place that makes paper taking water from?
The big place that makes paper is taking water from a river.

4. Why are some people in Uruguay upset?
Some people in Uruguay are upset because they do not have enough water to drink.

5. What kind of trees are grown for paper?
Trees like eucalyptus and pine are grown for paper.

6. What happens when there are too many eucalyptus and pine trees?
When there are too many eucalyptus and pine trees, it can hurt the land and there might not be enough water for everything.

7. What do people in Uruguay want the paper makers to do?
People in Uruguay want the paper makers to be more careful with water and the land.
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) people
(2) country
(3) keep
(4) clean
(5) paper
(6) land
(7) People
(8) talking
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. paper
Answer: (e) Something you write and draw on

2. water
Answer: (d) Something you drink and swim in

3. Uruguay
Answer: (a) A country in South America

4. trees
Answer: (h) Tall plants with leaves and branches

5. eucalyptus
Answer: (g) A type of tree that koalas like to eat

6. animals
Answer: (f) Creatures like cats, dogs, and birds

7. land
Answer: (c) The ground and soil where plants grow

8. river
Answer: (b) A long, flowing stream of water
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What do people use to make paper?
Answer: (c) Trees

2. Where is a big place that makes paper using lots of water?
Answer: (c) Uruguay

3. What kind of trees are grown for paper?
Answer: (b) Eucalyptus and pine

4. What happens when there are too many eucalyptus and pine trees?
Answer: (d) The land can get hurt

5. What are people in Uruguay talking about?
Answer: (d) The paper makers being more careful with water and the land

6. What do the paper makers need to find ways to do?
Answer: (a) Not hurt the place where they work

7. What are some people worried about when making paper?
Answer: (a) Taking water away from other things, like drinking

8. What is the company that makes the paper trying to do?
Answer: (b) Use less water and keep the river clean
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. People in Uruguay do not want the paper makers to be more careful with water and the land. (Answer: False)
2. Some people in Uruguay don’t have enough water to drink. (Answer: True)
3. A small paper-making place in Uruguay is using a little water from a river. (Answer: False)
4. The company making paper is not trying to use less water and keep the river clean. (Answer: False)
5. People use trees to make paper. (Answer: True)
6. Eucalyptus and pine trees are not grown for paper, but they can harm other plants and animals. (Answer: False)
7. Some people worry that making paper takes water from things like drinking. (Answer: True)
8. Making paper uses a lot of water. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧