A big train station in London called Liverpool Street is now the place where the most people come and go in all of Britain. It got really busy because a new train line called the Elizabeth line opened and lots of people use it. In one year, 80.4 million people used Liverpool Street station. That’s 50 million more than before! Another station called Paddington is also busier now because of the new train line.

In other big cities, there are stations with lots of people too. In Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester, the stations are busy. The busiest station in Scotland is in Glasgow, and in Wales, it’s in Cardiff. Trains are important because they help people go to different places. But some people say the new train line needs to be better, even though it helps a lot of people travel.

Original news source: Liverpool Street becomes Britain’s busiest station (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate slips of paper or index cards. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a slip of paper. Without speaking, they must act out the word or phrase on the card for their team to guess. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been acted out, and then switch teams.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write four statements related to the article on the board, such as “The new train line is good for the city” or “The train stations are too crowded.” Have the class stand up and move to one side of the room if they agree with the statement, and to the other side if they disagree. Give students a chance to explain their opinions if they want to.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words related to the article. One student from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture of it on the board, while their partner tries to guess what the word is. Set a time limit for each round, and give points to the pairs that guess correctly.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Write a summary of the article on the board, leaving out some key information. Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will have 30 seconds to read the summary and remember as much as they can. Then, they will turn to their partner and try to summarize the article using their own words. After 1 minute, switch roles and repeat.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Have each student write down two true statements and one false statement related to the article. Collect the papers and read them out loud to the class. The rest of the class must guess which statement is the lie. This activity can also be done in pairs or small groups.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where is the busiest train station in all of Britain?
2. Why did Liverpool Street station get really busy?
3. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
4. Which other station is also busier now because of the new train line?
5. Are there other big cities with busy train stations?
6. Which station is the busiest in Scotland?
7. Why are trains important?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big train station in (1)______ called Liverpool Street is now the place where the most people come and go in all of (2)______. It got really busy because a new train line called the Elizabeth line opened and lots of people use it. In one year, 80.4 million people used Liverpool Street station. That’s 50 million more than before! Another station called (3)______ is also (4)______ now because of the new train line.

In other big cities, there are stations with lots of (5)______ too. In (6)______, Leeds, and Manchester, the stations are busy. The busiest station in Scotland is in Glasgow, and in Wales, it’s in Cardiff. Trains are important because they (7)______ people go to different (8)______. But some people say the new train line needs to be better, even though it helps a lot of people travel.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a train station?
2. How would you feel if you saw lots of people at a train station?
3. Do you like taking trains? Why or why not?
4. What is the busiest train station in London?
5. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
6. What other cities in the UK have busy train stations?
7. Do you think trains are important for traveling? Why or why not?
8. How would you feel if you had to wait a long time for a train?
9. What do some people say about the new train line?
10. Why do you think the new train line needs to be better?
11. Have you ever been to a train station? What was it like?
12. How do you think trains help people go to different places?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Liverpool
2. Elizabeth
3. Paddington
4. Birmingham
5. Leeds
6. Manchester
7. Glasgow
8. Cardiff
9. stations
10. trains

Meanings:
(A) A place with a name that sounds like a bear’s name.
(B) Choo-choos that run on tracks and take you places.
(C) Places where you wait for the choo-choo to come.
(D) A city that sounds like a man’s name.
(E) A city that’s not too hot and not too cold.
(F) A city that sounds like a place with a castle.
(G) A place with a big name where the trains come and go.
(H) A city that sounds like someone’s name.
(I) A city that sounds like a fancy glass.
(J) A special name for a girl or a queen.
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the train station in London that is now the busiest in all of Britain?
(a) Paddington
(b) Liverpool Street
(c) Birmingham
(d) Leeds

2. Why did Liverpool Street station get really busy?
(a) A new train line called the Paddington line opened
(b) A new train line called the Elizabeth line opened
(c) A new train line called the Birmingham line opened
(d) A new train line called the Leeds line opened

3. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
(a) 30 million
(b) 100 million
(c) 10 million
(d) 80.4 million

4. How many more people used Liverpool Street station after the new train line opened?
(a) 50 million more
(b) 20 million more
(c) 100 million more
(d) 10 million more

5. Which station in Scotland is the busiest?
(a) Liverpool Street
(b) Paddington
(c) Glasgow
(d) Birmingham

6. Which station in Wales is the busiest?
(a) Cardiff
(b) Glasgow
(c) Leeds
(d) Manchester

7. Why are trains important?
(a) They help people buy groceries
(b) They help people play sports
(c) They help people watch movies
(d) They help people go to different places

8. What do some people say about the new train line?
(a) It is perfect
(b) It is too expensive
(c) It needs to be better
(d) It is too slow

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. In one year, 80.4 million people didn’t use Liverpool Street station.
2. Liverpool Street is a train station in London that many people use.
3. Another train station called Paddington is also busier because of the new train line.
4. Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester are other cities with busy train stations.
5. The train station got busier because a new train line called the Elizabeth line opened.
6. This is 50 million less people than before.
7. Trains are unimportant because they hinder people from going to different places.
8. The quietest train station in Scotland is in Glasgow.
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. Where is the busiest train station in all of Britain?
2. Why did the train station get really busy?
3. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
4. What is another train station that is busier now because of the new train line?
5. Why are trains important?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where is the busiest train station in all of Britain?
The busiest train station in all of Britain is Liverpool Street station in London.

2. Why did Liverpool Street station get really busy?
Liverpool Street station got really busy because a new train line called the Elizabeth line opened and lots of people use it.

3. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
In one year, 80.4 million people used Liverpool Street station.

4. Which other station is also busier now because of the new train line?
Another station called Paddington is also busier now because of the new train line.

5. Are there other big cities with busy train stations?
Yes, there are other big cities with busy train stations like Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester.

6. Which station is the busiest in Scotland?
The busiest station in Scotland is in Glasgow.

7. Why are trains important?
Trains are important because they help people go to different places.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) London
(2) Britain
(3) Paddington
(4) busier
(5) people
(6) Birmingham
(7) help
(8) places
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Liverpool
Answer: (G) A place with a big name where the trains come and go.

2. Elizabeth
Answer: (J) A special name for a girl or a queen.

3. Paddington
Answer: (A) A place with a name that sounds like a bear’s name.

4. Birmingham
Answer: (E) A city that’s not too hot and not too cold.

5. Leeds
Answer: (H) A city that sounds like someone’s name.

6. Manchester
Answer: (D) A city that sounds like a man’s name.

7. Glasgow
Answer: (I) A city that sounds like a fancy glass.

8. Cardiff
Answer: (F) A city that sounds like a place with a castle.

9. stations
Answer: (C) Places where you wait for the choo-choo to come.

10. trains
Answer: (B) Choo-choos that run on tracks and take you places.
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the train station in London that is now the busiest in all of Britain?
Answer: (b) Liverpool Street

2. Why did Liverpool Street station get really busy?
Answer: (b) A new train line called the Elizabeth line opened

3. How many people used Liverpool Street station in one year?
Answer: (d) 80.4 million

4. How many more people used Liverpool Street station after the new train line opened?
Answer: (a) 50 million more

5. Which station in Scotland is the busiest?
Answer: (c) Glasgow

6. Which station in Wales is the busiest?
Answer: (a) Cardiff

7. Why are trains important?
Answer: (d) They help people go to different places

8. What do some people say about the new train line?
Answer: (c) It needs to be better
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. In one year, 80.4 million people didn’t use Liverpool Street station. (Answer: False)
2. Liverpool Street is a train station in London that many people use. (Answer: True)
3. Another train station called Paddington is also busier because of the new train line. (Answer: True)
4. Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester are other cities with busy train stations. (Answer: True)
5. The train station got busier because a new train line called the Elizabeth line opened. (Answer: True)
6. This is 50 million less people than before. (Answer: False)
7. Trains are unimportant because they hinder people from going to different places. (Answer: False)
8. The quietest train station in Scotland is in Glasgow. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧