A man named Brian who helps run a company where people can find places to stay when they travel talked about some problems. Some people are worried that his company makes it hard for people to find homes in big cities. Brian said his company does not mean to cause these problems. He wants to listen and help fix any troubles that happen because many people use his company.

Brian’s company had to change how it works in a big city called New York. The city made new rules, and now people can’t stay in homes for just a little time. So, the company is now letting people stay for longer times. People are also staying in places near New York, like in New Jersey and Connecticut. Brian is still happy and thinks his company will do well in other places. He says people still want to go to New York and maybe other cities too.

Original news source: Airbnb boss ‘listening’ to cities’ housing concerns (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Prepare cards with words from the article like “travel,” “company,” “homes,” “New York,” etc. Students take turns acting out these words without speaking while others guess. This activity helps with vocabulary recognition and reinforces key terms from the article.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask students to create a catchy newspaper headline that summarizes the main idea of the article. Provide examples of headlines and encourage them to use simple words and phrases such as “Travel Company Changes,” “New Rules in New York,” or “Longer Stays for Travelers.”

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Present a statement related to the article such as “Companies like Brian’s make it difficult for locals to find homes.” Have students walk to different corners of the room based on whether they agree, disagree, or are unsure. This gets them to practice expressing their opinions and using related vocabulary.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and ask them to draw a scene that represents a part of the article. For example, they could draw travelers looking for places to stay, or a map showing New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Afterward, each group explains their drawing to the class, practicing speaking and comprehension.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students discuss or write about what they think will happen with Brian’s company or the city of New York in the future. Encourage them to use simple future tense verbs and vocabulary from the article such as “will continue,” “will change,” “will improve,” etc. This helps them practice constructing future tense statements relevant to the article’s topic.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What does Brian’s company help people do?
2. What are some people worried about Brian’s company?
3. What does Brian want to do about the problems?
4. What city did Brian’s company have to make changes in?
5. What can’t people do in New York now because of new rules?
6. Where are people staying now that they can’t stay in New York for a short time?
7. What does Brian think about his company and other places?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A man named Brian who helps run a company where people can find places to (1)______ when they (2)______ talked about some problems. Some people are worried that his company makes it hard for people to find homes in big (3)______. Brian said his company does not (4)______ to cause these problems. He wants to listen and help fix any troubles that happen because many people use his company.

Brian’s company had to change how it works in a big city (5)______ New York. The city made new rules, and now people can’t stay in homes for just a little time. So, the company is now (6)______ people stay for longer times. People are also staying in (7)______ near New York, like in New Jersey and Connecticut. Brian is still happy and thinks his company will do well in other places. He (8)______ people still want to go to New York and maybe other cities too.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a company?
2. How would you feel if a company made it hard to find a home?
3. Do you like to travel to new places?
4. Do you think it’s good to share your home with travelers? Why or why not?
5. What is a rule?
6. How would you feel if you could not stay in a place for just a little time?
7. Do you like to stay in a place for a long time or just a little time? Why?
8. What is a big city you know?
9. Do you think it’s important to listen to people’s problems? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever stayed in someone else’s home? Did you like it?
11. Do you think it’s good to stay in places near big cities? Why or why not?
12. Do you want to visit New York or another big city? Why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. company
2. travel
3. problems
4. rules
5. places
6. longer
7. happy
8. cities

Meanings:
(a) Things that make you feel sad or worried
(b) More time than before
(c) Feeling good and glad
(d) Things you must follow
(e) Going to different locations for fun
(f) Locations or areas
(g) Big towns with many buildings
(h) A place where people work together
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the man who helps run the company?
(a) Michael
(b) Brian
(c) David
(d) John

2. What is the problem some people are worried about with Brian’s company?
(a) It makes it easy to find homes in big cities
(b) It makes it hard to find homes in small towns
(c) It makes it easy to find homes in small towns
(d) It makes it hard to find homes in big cities

3. What did New York change about the rules for staying in homes?
(a) People can stay for just a little time
(b) People can’t stay for just a little time
(c) People can’t stay for a long time
(d) People can stay for a long time

4. Where are people staying now that they can’t stay for just a little time in New York?
(a) New Jersey and Connecticut
(b) California and Texas
(c) Florida and Illinois
(d) Washington and Oregon

5. What does Brian think about his company in other places?
(a) It will not do well
(b) It will do okay
(c) It will do well
(d) It will do badly

6. What does Brian say people still want to do in New York?
(a) Go
(b) Stay
(c) Leave
(d) Visit

7. What does Brian want to do about the problems people have with his company?
(a) Ignore them
(b) Make them worse
(c) Laugh at them
(d) Listen and help fix them

8. What kind of company does Brian run?
(a) A company that sells cars
(b) A company that makes clothes
(c) A company where people can find places to stay when they travel
(d) A company that builds houses

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The company did not have to change how it works in New York because of new rules.
2. People no longer want to go to New York and maybe other cities too.
3. Brian helps run a company where people can find places to stay when they travel.
4. Some people are worried that Brian’s company makes it hard for people to find homes in big cities.
5. People are not staying in places near New York, like in New Jersey and Connecticut.
6. Brian is no longer happy and thinks his company will not do well in other places.
7. Now people can stay for longer times in New York.
8. Brian said his company does not mean to cause these problems and wants to help fix any troubles.
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 is Brian’s job?
2. What problem do some people think Brian’s company causes?
3. What does Brian want to do about the problems?
4. What did Brian’s company change in New York?
5. Where are people staying now when they go to New York?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What does Brian’s company help people do?
Brian’s company helps people find places to stay when they travel.

2. What are some people worried about Brian’s company?
Some people are worried that Brian’s company makes it hard for people to find homes in big cities.

3. What does Brian want to do about the problems?
Brian wants to listen and help fix the problems that happen because many people use his company.

4. What city did Brian’s company have to make changes in?
Brian’s company had to make changes in a big city called New York.

5. What can’t people do in New York now because of new rules?
People can’t stay in homes for just a little time in New York now because of new rules.

6. Where are people staying now that they can’t stay in New York for a short time?
People are staying in places near New York, like in New Jersey and Connecticut.

7. What does Brian think about his company and other places?
Brian is still happy and thinks his company will do well in other places. He says people still want to go to New York and maybe other cities too.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) stay
(2) travel
(3) cities
(4) mean
(5) called
(6) letting
(7) places
(8) says
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. company
Answer: (h) A place where people work together

2. travel
Answer: (e) Going to different locations for fun

3. problems
Answer: (a) Things that make you feel sad or worried

4. rules
Answer: (d) Things you must follow

5. places
Answer: (f) Locations or areas

6. longer
Answer: (b) More time than before

7. happy
Answer: (c) Feeling good and glad

8. cities
Answer: (g) Big towns with many buildings
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the man who helps run the company?
Answer: (b) Brian

2. What is the problem some people are worried about with Brian’s company?
Answer: (d) It makes it hard to find homes in big cities

3. What did New York change about the rules for staying in homes?
Answer: (b) People can’t stay for just a little time

4. Where are people staying now that they can’t stay for just a little time in New York?
Answer: (a) New Jersey and Connecticut

5. What does Brian think about his company in other places?
Answer: (c) It will do well

6. What does Brian say people still want to do in New York?
Answer: (a) Go

7. What does Brian want to do about the problems people have with his company?
Answer: (d) Listen and help fix them

8. What kind of company does Brian run?
Answer: (c) A company where people can find places to stay when they travel
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The company did not have to change how it works in New York because of new rules. (Answer: False)
2. People no longer want to go to New York and maybe other cities too. (Answer: False)
3. Brian helps run a company where people can find places to stay when they travel. (Answer: True)
4. Some people are worried that Brian’s company makes it hard for people to find homes in big cities. (Answer: True)
5. People are not staying in places near New York, like in New Jersey and Connecticut. (Answer: False)
6. Brian is no longer happy and thinks his company will not do well in other places. (Answer: False)
7. Now people can stay for longer times in New York. (Answer: True)
8. Brian said his company does not mean to cause these problems and wants to help fix any troubles. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧