Some doctors found out that not being able to burp can make people feel very bad. It can make their tummies hurt, make funny noises, and make them pass gas. People with this problem can feel very shy, worried, and sad. The doctors say not many people know about this problem, even other doctors. They want more people to learn about it so they can help.

One doctor, Dr. Karagama, helps people burp by giving them a special medicine called Botox. This medicine makes their throat muscles relax so they can burp and feel better. He says this helps a lot, but it’s hard to get because not many doctors know about it. Dr. Karagama wants more money for research so more people can get help. The study done by some Texas school teachers showed that doctors need to learn more about this burping problem to help people feel happy again.

Original news source: Non-burping can damage quality of life, researchers say (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of cards with different actions written on them (e.g. burping, feeling shy, passing gas). One person from each group will act out the action without speaking, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different actions.

– News Summary
Instructions: Read the article aloud to the class. Then, ask the students to work in pairs and summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Each pair will take turns sharing their summary with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down key vocabulary words from the article (e.g. burp, tummy, shy) on separate slips of paper and put them in a hat. Divide the class into two teams. One person from each team will pick a word from the hat and draw a picture to represent that word on the board. The rest of their team must guess the word within a time limit. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write down important keywords from the article (e.g. burp, Botox, research) on the board, leaving out the vowels. Have the students take turns guessing letters to try and figure out the keywords. If a letter is correct, write it in the appropriate blank space. If a letter is incorrect, draw a body part of a hangman on the board. The students must guess the keywords before the hangman is completed.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Ask the students to think individually about their opinion on whether doctors should learn more about the burping problem. Then, pair up the students and have them discuss their opinions with each other. Finally, ask a few pairs to share their opinions with the whole class and facilitate a short discussion on the topic.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why do some people feel bad when they can’t burp?
2. What are some things that can happen when someone can’t burp?
3. How do people with this problem feel?
4. What does Dr. Karagama give to people to help them burp?
5. What does the special medicine do to their throat muscles?
6. Why is it hard for people to get the special medicine?
7. What did the study by Texas school teachers show about doctors and this burping problem?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Some doctors found out that not being able to burp can (1)______ people feel very bad. It can make their tummies hurt, make funny noises, and make them pass gas. People with this (2)______ can feel very shy, worried, and sad. The (3)______s say not many people know about this problem, even other doctors. They want (4)______ people to learn about it so they can help.

One doctor, Dr. Karagama, helps people burp by giving them a special medicine called (5)______. This medicine makes their throat muscles relax so they can burp and (6)______ better. He says this helps a lot, but it’s hard to get because not many doctors know about it. Dr. Karagama wants more (7)______ for research so more people can get help. The study done by some Texas school (8)______ showed that doctors need to learn more about this burping problem to help people feel happy again.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is burping?
2. How would you feel if you couldn’t burp?
3. Do you think it’s important for doctors to know about the burping problem? Why or why not?
4. Do you like going to the doctor? Why or why not?
5. What do you think about the special medicine called Botox?
6. How do you feel when your tummy hurts?
7. Do you think it’s good that the doctors want more people to learn about the burping problem? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever felt shy, worried, or sad? Why?
9. Do you think it’s important for doctors to do research? Why or why not?
10. How do you feel when you pass gas?
11. Do you think it’s hard for people with the burping problem to find help? Why or why not?
12. Have you ever had a problem with your tummy? How did it make you feel?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. doctors
2. burp
3. medicine
4. muscles
5. relax
6. research
7. special
8. problem
9. study
10. happy

Meanings:
(A) When air comes up from your tummy and out of your mouth
(B) Feeling good and smiling
(C) To try to learn something by looking at it very carefully
(D) People who help you when you are sick
(E) Looking for answers about something by learning more
(F) The parts of your body that let you move and do things
(G) Something that is not right or is causing trouble
(H) Not like other things, very different or not usual
(I) Something you take to feel better when you’re sick
(J) To calm down and not be tight or stiff
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What can happen if you can’t burp?
(a) Your tummy can hurt and make funny noises.
(b) Your hair can turn green.
(c) You can fly like a bird.
(d) You can become a superhero.

2. How do doctors help people burp?
(a) They give them a special medicine called Botox.
(b) They teach them how to dance.
(c) They give them a magic wand.
(d) They tell them to eat lots of candy.

3. Why do some people with this problem feel shy and sad?
(a) Because they have too many friends.
(b) Because they can’t stop laughing.
(c) Because they can’t burp and it makes them feel bad.
(d) Because they can’t speak any language.

4. What did the study done by Texas school teachers show?
(a) Teachers need to learn how to burp.
(b) Texas is the best state in the world.
(c) People should eat more pizza.
(d) Doctors need to learn more about the burping problem.

5. What does Botox do to the throat muscles?
(a) It makes them stronger so people can sing better.
(b) It makes them disappear.
(c) It makes them relax so people can burp.
(d) It turns them into rubber bands.

6. Why is it hard to get the special medicine?
(a) Because it’s too expensive.
(b) Because it tastes like broccoli.
(c) Because it’s only sold in outer space.
(d) Because not many doctors know about it.

7. What do the doctors want more money for?
(a) To buy lots of toys.
(b) Research to help more people.
(c) To go on vacation.
(d) To buy a big house.

8. Why do the doctors want more people to learn about this problem?
(a) So they can have more friends.
(b) So they can help more people feel better.
(c) So they can become famous.
(d) So they can eat more ice cream.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Dr. Karagama wants more money for research so more people can get help.
2. The study done by some Texas school teachers showed that doctors don’t need to learn more about this burping problem to help people feel happy again.
3. People with this problem can feel shy, worried, and sad.
4. This medicine tightens their throat muscles so they can’t burp and feel worse.
5. The doctors say not many people know about this problem, even other doctors.
6. Some doctors found out that not being able to burp can make people feel bad.
7. It can make their tummies feel comfortable and make serious noises.
8. Dr. Karagama hinders people from burping by giving them a special medicine called Botox.
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 happens to people who can’t burp?
2. How do people with this problem feel?
3. What does Dr. Karagama do to help people burp?
4. Why is it hard for people to get the special medicine?
5. Why do doctors need to learn more about this problem?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why do some people feel bad when they can’t burp?
Some people feel bad when they can’t burp because it can make their tummies hurt and make funny noises.

2. What are some things that can happen when someone can’t burp?
When someone can’t burp, their tummies can hurt, they can make funny noises, and they can pass gas.

3. How do people with this problem feel?
People with this problem can feel shy, worried, and sad.

4. What does Dr. Karagama give to people to help them burp?
Dr. Karagama gives people a special medicine called Botox to help them burp.

5. What does the special medicine do to their throat muscles?
The special medicine called Botox makes their throat muscles relax so they can burp and feel better.

6. Why is it hard for people to get the special medicine?
It is hard for people to get the special medicine because not many doctors know about it.

7. What did the study by Texas school teachers show about doctors and this burping problem?
The study showed that doctors need to learn more about this burping problem to help people feel happy again.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) make
(2) problem
(3) doctor
(4) more
(5) Botox
(6) feel
(7) money
(8) teachers
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. doctors
Answer: (D) People who help you when you are sick

2. burp
Answer: (A) When air comes up from your tummy and out of your mouth

3. medicine
Answer: (I) Something you take to feel better when you’re sick

4. muscles
Answer: (F) The parts of your body that let you move and do things

5. relax
Answer: (J) To calm down and not be tight or stiff

6. research
Answer: (E) Looking for answers about something by learning more

7. special
Answer: (H) Not like other things, very different or not usual

8. problem
Answer: (G) Something that is not right or is causing trouble

9. study
Answer: (C) To try to learn something by looking at it very carefully

10. happy
Answer: (B) Feeling good and smiling
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What can happen if you can’t burp?
Answer: (a) Your tummy can hurt and make funny noises.

2. How do doctors help people burp?
Answer: (a) They give them a special medicine called Botox.

3. Why do some people with this problem feel shy and sad?
Answer: (c) Because they can’t burp and it makes them feel bad.

4. What did the study done by Texas school teachers show?
Answer: (d) Doctors need to learn more about the burping problem.

5. What does Botox do to the throat muscles?
Answer: (c) It makes them relax so people can burp.

6. Why is it hard to get the special medicine?
Answer: (d) Because not many doctors know about it.

7. What do the doctors want more money for?
Answer: (b) Research to help more people.

8. Why do the doctors want more people to learn about this problem?
Answer: (b) So they can help more people feel better.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Dr. Karagama wants more money for research so more people can get help. (Answer: True)
2. The study done by some Texas school teachers showed that doctors don’t need to learn more about this burping problem to help people feel happy again. (Answer: False)
3. People with this problem can feel shy, worried, and sad. (Answer: True)
4. This medicine tightens their throat muscles so they can’t burp and feel worse. (Answer: False)
5. The doctors say not many people know about this problem, even other doctors. (Answer: True)
6. Some doctors found out that not being able to burp can make people feel bad. (Answer: True)
7. It can make their tummies feel comfortable and make serious noises. (Answer: False)
8. Dr. Karagama hinders people from burping by giving them a special medicine called Botox. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧