Uber’s boss, Dara, wants people to wait a little longer for electric car rides. He says it’s better for the planet. Uber wants all their cars to be electric by 2040. Dara thinks the government should help more people buy electric cars. Right now, most Uber cars use gas, but you can ask for an electric one.

In some places like London, many Uber drivers already have electric cars. This means you might not wait long for an electric ride there. But in other places, not many drivers have electric cars yet. Uber is trying to make it easier to pick electric rides. Dara believes electric cars are good for the Earth and for Uber’s future.

Original news source: Be prepared to wait longer for an electric taxi, says Uber boss (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words from the article on small pieces of paper (e.g., Dara, electric cars, Uber, planet). Have students take turns picking a piece of paper and acting out the word without speaking while the others guess what it is.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose key vocabulary words from the article and write them on the board. Have students take turns drawing the word while the rest of the class guesses what it is. This will help reinforce their understanding of the new vocabulary.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask students to discuss and share their opinions on whether they think Uber’s plan to switch to all electric cars by 2040 is a good idea. Have them take a vote within their group and then share their group’s opinion with the class.

– News Summary
Instructions: Ask students to work in pairs and summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Encourage them to focus on the key information such as Uber’s plan for electric cars and Dara’s beliefs about the environment. Have pairs share their summaries with the class.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Write a discussion question related to the article on the board (e.g., “Do you think more companies should switch to electric vehicles? Why or why not?”). Have students think about their answer individually, then pair up with a partner to discuss their thoughts. Finally, open the discussion to the whole class for students to share their opinions.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why does Uber’s boss, Dara, want people to wait a little longer for electric car rides?
2. What does Uber want all their cars to be by the year 2040?
3. What does Dara think the government should do to help more people buy electric cars?
4. In some places like London, do many Uber drivers already have electric cars?
5. Why does Dara believe electric cars are good for the Earth and Uber’s future?
6. Can you ask for an electric Uber car even though most cars use gas?
7. What is Uber trying to do to make it easier for people to choose electric rides?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Uber’s boss, Dara, wants people to wait a little longer for electric car (1)______. He says it’s better for the planet. Uber wants all their (2)______ to be electric by 2040. (3)______ thinks the government should (4)______ more people buy electric cars. Right now, most Uber cars use gas, but you can ask for an electric one.

In some places like London, many (5)______ drivers already have (6)______ cars. This means you might not wait long for an electric ride there. But in other places, not many drivers have electric cars yet. Uber is trying to make it easier to (7)______ electric rides. Dara (8)______ electric cars are good for the Earth and for Uber’s future.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an electric car?
2. Do you think it’s important to protect the planet? Why?
3. How would you feel if you had to wait a little longer for a ride, but it was in an electric car?
4. Do you like the idea of all cars being electric by 2040? Why or why not?
5. What do you think about Uber trying to make it easier to choose electric rides?
6. How do you think electric cars are good for the Earth?
7. Do you think it’s a good idea for the government to help people buy electric cars? Why or why not?
8. What is Uber?
9. Do you know anyone who has an electric car? How do you feel when you ride in it?
10. Why do you think Dara believes electric cars are good for Uber’s future?
11. What would you do if you had to choose between riding in a gas car or an electric car?
12. How can we help more people switch to electric cars?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. electric
2. planet
3. government
4. gas
5. drivers
6. future
7. easier
8. believe
9. Earth
10. wait

Meanings:
(A) To stay until something happens
(B) The world we live on
(C) To think something is true
(D) People who make rules for a country
(E) Using power from batteries, not gas
(F) What will happen later
(G) People who drive cars
(H) A liquid that cars use to go
(I) A big round thing in space, like Earth
(J) Not hard to do
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does Uber’s boss want people to wait for a little longer?
(a) Electric car rides
(b) Bus rides
(c) Train rides
(d) Bike rides

2. By what year does Uber want all their cars to be electric?
(a) 2025
(b) 2040
(c) 2030
(d) 2050

3. What does Dara think the government should help more people buy?
(a) Electric cars
(b) Bicycles
(c) Scooters
(d) Motorcycles

4. What kind of cars does Uber want all their cars to be by 2040?
(a) Gas
(b) Hybrid
(c) Diesel
(d) Electric

5. In which city do many Uber drivers already have electric cars?
(a) New York
(b) Paris
(c) Tokyo
(d) London

6. Why does Dara believe electric cars are good for the Earth?
(a) They are loud
(b) They are better for the planet
(c) They are slow
(d) They use a lot of gas

7. What can you ask for if you want an electric Uber ride?
(a) Gas one
(b) Bike one
(c) Electric one
(d) Train one

8. What is Uber trying to make easier to pick?
(a) Gas rides
(b) Bike rides
(c) Electric rides
(d) Train rides

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Uber hopes all their cars will be electric by the year 2030.
2. Uber is working to make it easier to choose electric rides.
3. Some places have fewer electric cars for Uber rides than others.
4. Dara believes electric cars are good for the Earth and for Uber’s future.
5. The boss of Uber wants fewer people to ride in electric cars.
6. In London, few Uber drivers already have electric cars.
7. Dara thinks the government should help people buy electric cars.
8. Most Uber cars use gas, but you can ask for an electric one.
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 does Uber’s boss, Dara, want people to wait a little longer for?
2. When does Uber want all their cars to be electric by?
3. Where are many Uber drivers already using electric cars?
4. Why does Dara think electric cars are good for the Earth?
5. What is Uber trying to do to make it easier to choose electric rides?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why does Uber’s boss, Dara, want people to wait a little longer for electric car rides?
Dara thinks it’s better for the planet to use electric cars instead of gas cars.

2. What does Uber want all their cars to be by the year 2040?
Uber wants all their cars to be electric by the year 2040.

3. What does Dara think the government should do to help more people buy electric cars?
Dara thinks the government should help more people buy electric cars.

4. In some places like London, do many Uber drivers already have electric cars?
Yes, in places like London, many Uber drivers already have electric cars.

5. Why does Dara believe electric cars are good for the Earth and Uber’s future?
Dara believes electric cars are good for the Earth because they are better for the environment. He also thinks they are good for Uber’s future because they are more sustainable.

6. Can you ask for an electric Uber car even though most cars use gas?
Yes, you can ask for an electric Uber car even though most cars use gas.

7. What is Uber trying to do to make it easier for people to choose electric rides?
Uber is trying to make it easier for people to choose electric rides by encouraging more drivers to use electric cars and by making it possible for customers to request an electric car.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) rides
(2) cars
(3) Dara
(4) help
(5) Uber
(6) electric
(7) pick
(8) believes
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. electric
Answer: (E) Using power from batteries, not gas

2. planet
Answer: (I) A big round thing in space, like Earth

3. government
Answer: (D) People who make rules for a country

4. gas
Answer: (H) A liquid that cars use to go

5. drivers
Answer: (G) People who drive cars

6. future
Answer: (F) What will happen later

7. easier
Answer: (J) Not hard to do

8. believe
Answer: (C) To think something is true

9. Earth
Answer: (B) The world we live on

10. wait
Answer: (A) To stay until something happens
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does Uber’s boss want people to wait for a little longer?
Answer: (a) Electric car rides

2. By what year does Uber want all their cars to be electric?
Answer: (b) 2040

3. What does Dara think the government should help more people buy?
Answer: (a) Electric cars

4. What kind of cars does Uber want all their cars to be by 2040?
Answer: (d) Electric

5. In which city do many Uber drivers already have electric cars?
Answer: (d) London

6. Why does Dara believe electric cars are good for the Earth?
Answer: (b) They are better for the planet

7. What can you ask for if you want an electric Uber ride?
Answer: (c) Electric one

8. What is Uber trying to make easier to pick?
Answer: (c) Electric rides
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Uber hopes all their cars will be electric by the year 2030. (Answer: False)
2. Uber is working to make it easier to choose electric rides. (Answer: True)
3. Some places have fewer electric cars for Uber rides than others. (Answer: False)
4. Dara believes electric cars are good for the Earth and for Uber’s future. (Answer: True)
5. The boss of Uber wants fewer people to ride in electric cars. (Answer: False)
6. In London, few Uber drivers already have electric cars. (Answer: False)
7. Dara thinks the government should help people buy electric cars. (Answer: True)
8. Most Uber cars use gas, but you can ask for an electric one. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧