There hasn't been enough rain in Spain, and it's causing big problems for olive oil. Spain makes a lot of the world's olive oil, but because it's so dry, they can't make as much as they usually do. This means that the price of olive oil has gone up a lot, by more than 70% this year. A really big olive oil factory in Spain had a very bad year and didn't get many olives.
People in other countries in Europe are also paying more for olive oil, but not as much as in Spain. In places like the UK and Ireland, olive oil is cheaper because they bought it before the price went up. But if people choose other oils that cost less, they won't get the good things that olive oil has for their health. The weather is getting hotter and there's not enough rain, which is making it hard to make enough olive oil.
Some people in Spain are going to Portugal to buy olive oil because it's a little cheaper there. But even in Spain, people are buying less olive oil than before. Spanish farmers are selling less olive oil to other countries too. The Spanish government is trying to save water, but farmers say they need better ways to water their olive trees so they can handle dry times better in the future.
Original news source: Olive oil price skyrockets as Spanish drought bites (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can take turns sharing their summaries with the class.
– Word Association
Instructions: Students will brainstorm words or phrases that come to mind when they think of olive oil. They can share their responses with a partner or in small groups, and then discuss why they made those associations.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a vocabulary word from the article (e.g. rain, olive oil, price, health). Students will draw a picture that represents the word and then try to guess each other's drawings. They can use the article to help explain the word if needed.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups. One group will discuss the pros of using olive oil, while the other group will discuss the cons. After a few minutes, have each group share their arguments with the class and encourage a class discussion on the topic.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of olive oil production in Spain. They can consider factors such as climate change, water scarcity, and consumer demand. Each group will then present their predictions to the class and explain their reasoning.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
There hasn't been enough rain in Spain, which makes it hard to make enough olive oil.
The price of olive oil has gone up a lot, by more than 70% this year.
Olive oil is cheaper in the UK and Ireland because they bought it before the price went up.
Olive oil is good for our health because it has good fats that are good for our heart and it can help lower cholesterol.
Some people in Spain are going to Portugal to buy olive oil because it's a little cheaper there.
Spanish farmers are selling less olive oil to other countries.
Spanish farmers are asking the government for better ways to water their olive trees so they can handle dry times better in the future.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
There hasn't been enough rain in Spain, and it's big problems for oil. Spain makes a lot of the world's olive oil, but because it's so dry, they can't make as much as they usually do. This means that the price of olive oil has gone up a lot, by more than 70% this . A really big olive oil factory in Spain had a very bad year and didn't get many olives. People in other countries in are also paying more for olive oil, but not as much as in Spain. In places like the UK and Ireland, olive oil is because they bought it before the price up. But if people choose other oils that cost less, they won't get the good things that olive oil has for their . The weather is getting and there's not enough , which is making it hard to make enough olive oil. Some people in Spain are going to Portugal to buy olive oil because it's a little cheaper there. But even in Spain, people are buying olive oil than before. Spanish farmers are selling less olive oil to countries too. The Spanish government is trying to save water, but farmers say they need ways to water their olive trees so they can handle dry times better in the future.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is olive oil and why is it important?
2. How do you think the price of olive oil going up affects people who use it?
3. Do you like using olive oil in your cooking? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you couldn't afford to buy olive oil anymore?
5. What are some other types of oil that people can use instead of olive oil?
6. Do you think it's important to buy olive oil even if it's more expensive? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever tried olive oil? What did you think of it?
8. How do you think the weather affects the production of olive oil?
9. Do you think the Spanish government is doing enough to help the farmers? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you were a farmer in Spain and couldn't sell your olive oil?
11. What are some ways that farmers could water their olive trees better?
12. Do you think the problem of not enough rain will get better in the future? Why or why not?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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