A special airplane flew across the ocean from a big city called London. It did not use regular airplane fuel. Instead, it used a special kind of clean fuel that is better for the Earth. People who make airplanes and fly them want to show that they can use this clean fuel. But they need more of this clean fuel to use it all the time.

This big flight across the ocean is important because it helps the Earth. Airplanes usually make a lot of dirty air, but this flight did not. The people who made this flight happen want to use this clean fuel for all airplanes. But they need help to make more of it. They want to work with other people to make flying better for the Earth.

Original news source: Moment transatlantic flight using 100% green fuels takes off from Heathrow (BBC)

Listen

Slow

Normal

Fast

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. One student from each team will come to the front and act out a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. airplane, fuel, Earth). The rest of the class must guess what the word or phrase is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different students from each team.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to draw a picture representing a word or phrase from the article (e.g. airplane, clean fuel, Earth). They should not write any words or letters. Once they have finished, have the students take turns showing their drawings to the class. The rest of the class must guess what word or phrase the drawing represents.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a sheet of paper and ask them to create a catchy headline related to the article. Encourage them to use vocabulary and phrases from the article. After a few minutes, have each group share their headline with the class. Discuss which headlines are the most interesting and why.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually. Then, ask them to think about one thing they learned from the article. Pair up the students and ask them to share what they learned with their partner. After a few minutes, have a few pairs share their findings with the whole class. Encourage students to ask questions or make comments about what they learned.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: After reading the article, ask the students to think about what they think will happen in the future regarding clean fuel for airplanes. Will more airplanes start using clean fuel? Will there be other ways to reduce pollution from airplanes? Have the students write down their predictions individually. Then, have a few students share their predictions with the class and discuss as a group.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of fuel did the special airplane use?
2. Why is it important for airplanes to use clean fuel?
3. Did this flight make dirty air?
4. What do the people who made this flight want to do with the clean fuel?
5. Do they need help to make more of the clean fuel?
6. Who do they want to work with to make flying better for the Earth?
7. Why is this flight across the ocean important?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A special airplane flew across the ocean from a big city called (1)______. It did not use regular airplane (2)______. Instead, it used a special kind of clean fuel that is better for the Earth. (3)______ who make airplanes and fly them want to show that they can use this clean fuel. But they need (4)______ of this clean fuel to use it all the time.

This big flight across the ocean is important because it helps the Earth. Airplanes usually (5)______ a lot of dirty air, but this flight did not. The people who (6)______ this flight happen want to use this clean fuel for all airplanes. But they need (7)______ to make more of it. They want to (8)______ with other people to make flying better for the Earth.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a special airplane?
2. How would you feel if you could fly in a special airplane that used clean fuel?
3. Do you like the idea of using clean fuel for airplanes? Why or why not?
4. What do you think is the importance of using clean fuel for airplanes?
5. How do you think using clean fuel can help the Earth?
6. Do you think it is important to work together with other people to make flying better for the Earth? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever flown in an airplane before? How was the experience?
8. What do you think about the idea of making flying better for the Earth?
9. Do you know any other ways we can help the Earth?
10. How do you think using clean fuel for airplanes can make a difference?
11. What do you think the people who made this special flight want to achieve?
12. Do you think using clean fuel for airplanes is a good idea? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. airplane
2. fuel
3. clean
4. Earth
5. flight
6. dirty
7. air
8. flying

Meanings:
(a) Not clean or tidy
(b) A big machine that flies in the sky
(c) A trip in an airplane
(d) The stuff we breathe in the sky
(e) The planet we live on
(f) Something that makes the airplane go
(g) Not dirty or messy
(h) Moving through the sky like an airplane
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did the special airplane fly from?
(a) Paris
(b) Berlin
(c) London
(d) Tokyo

2. What kind of fuel did the airplane use?
(a) Regular fuel
(b) Dirty fuel
(c) No fuel
(d) Clean fuel

3. Why is this flight important?
(a) It makes a lot of dirty air
(b) It helps the Earth
(c) It uses regular airplane fuel
(d) It doesn’t fly across the ocean

4. What do the people who made this flight want to do with the clean fuel?
(a) Throw it away
(b) Use it for all airplanes
(c) Sell it to other people
(d) Use it for cars

5. What do the people who made this flight need help with?
(a) Flying airplanes
(b) Making dirty air
(c) Making more clean fuel
(d) Using regular fuel

6. Who do the people who made this flight want to work with?
(a) Other people
(b) No one
(c) Animals
(d) Trees

7. What do the people who made this flight want to make better?
(a) Flying
(b) Driving
(c) Swimming
(d) Running

8. What kind of language should the questions and answers use?
(a) Very difficult words
(b) No words
(c) Made-up words
(d) Very easy words

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. They want to work with other people to make flying better for the Earth.
2. Normally, airplanes make clean air, but this flight did.
3. They need help to make more of this clean fuel.
4. This airplane used regular fuel, not a special kind of clean fuel.
5. A helicopter flew from London to another place across the ocean.
6. The people who made this flight do not want to use clean fuel for all airplanes.
7. The people who make and fly airplanes want to use this clean fuel all the time.
8. The flight across the ocean is important because it helps the Earth.
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 kind of fuel did the special airplane use?
2. Why is it important for airplanes to use clean fuel?
3. What did the people who made the flight want to do with the clean fuel?
4. Who do they want to work with to make flying better for the Earth?
5. How can people help the people who made the flight?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What kind of fuel did the special airplane use?
The special airplane used clean fuel.

2. Why is it important for airplanes to use clean fuel?
It is important for airplanes to use clean fuel because it is better for the Earth.

3. Did this flight make dirty air?
No, this flight did not make dirty air.

4. What do the people who made this flight want to do with the clean fuel?
The people who made this flight want to use the clean fuel for all airplanes.

5. Do they need help to make more of the clean fuel?
Yes, they need help to make more of the clean fuel.

6. Who do they want to work with to make flying better for the Earth?
They want to work with other people to make flying better for the Earth.

7. Why is this flight across the ocean important?
This flight across the ocean is important because it helps the Earth.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) London
(2) fuel
(3) People
(4) more
(5) make
(6) made
(7) help
(8) work
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. airplane
Answer: (b) A big machine that flies in the sky

2. fuel
Answer: (f) Something that makes the airplane go

3. clean
Answer: (g) Not dirty or messy

4. Earth
Answer: (e) The planet we live on

5. flight
Answer: (c) A trip in an airplane

6. dirty
Answer: (a) Not clean or tidy

7. air
Answer: (d) The stuff we breathe in the sky

8. flying
Answer: (h) Moving through the sky like an airplane
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did the special airplane fly from?
Answer: (c) London

2. What kind of fuel did the airplane use?
Answer: (d) Clean fuel

3. Why is this flight important?
Answer: (b) It helps the Earth

4. What do the people who made this flight want to do with the clean fuel?
Answer: (b) Use it for all airplanes

5. What do the people who made this flight need help with?
Answer: (c) Making more clean fuel

6. Who do the people who made this flight want to work with?
Answer: (a) Other people

7. What do the people who made this flight want to make better?
Answer: (a) Flying

8. What kind of language should the questions and answers use?
Answer: (d) Very easy words
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. They want to work with other people to make flying better for the Earth. (Answer: True)
2. Normally, airplanes make clean air, but this flight did. (Answer: False)
3. They need help to make more of this clean fuel. (Answer: True)
4. This airplane used regular fuel, not a special kind of clean fuel. (Answer: False)
5. A helicopter flew from London to another place across the ocean. (Answer: False)
6. The people who made this flight do not want to use clean fuel for all airplanes. (Answer: False)
7. The people who make and fly airplanes want to use this clean fuel all the time. (Answer: True)
8. The flight across the ocean is important because it helps the Earth. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧