The Royal Mint in the UK is doing something new and exciting. They are taking old electronics, like phones and computers, and getting gold from them. This gold will first be used to make jewelry. Later, they might use it to make special coins.

At their plant in Wales, they have a special way to get the gold. They heat up the old electronics to take them apart. Then, they use a special liquid to get the gold out. This way is better for the environment and uses less energy.

The UK throws away a lot of electronics, and the Royal Mint wants to help. They plan to take 4,000 tonnes of e-waste each year and get a lot of gold from it. They are also looking at using other materials from the electronics, like aluminum and copper, to help the environment even more.

Original news source: Royal Mint starts turning e-waste into gold (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out words or phrases related to the article (e.g., electronics, gold, jewelry, environment, recycling) without speaking. The other groups will guess what they are acting out. This helps increase vocabulary and comprehension of the article’s content.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Have students work in pairs to create an eye-catching headline for the article. They should aim to capture the main idea in a few words. After that, each pair can share their headlines with the class, promoting discussion about the article’s themes.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Ask students how they feel about recycling electronics and extracting gold from them. Create a simple survey with questions like “Is it important to recycle?” or “Do you think it’s good to get gold from old devices?” After collecting responses, discuss the results as a class to practice speaking and listening skills.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Select key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., electronics, gold, recycle, environment). Write these words on slips of paper and put them in a bag. Students will take turns drawing a word and drawing it on the board while their classmates guess the word. This reinforces vocabulary understanding in a fun way.

– THINK-PAIR-SHARE
Instructions: Pose a question related to the article, such as “Why do you think recycling e-waste is important?” Give students a minute to think about their answers individually, then allow them to pair up and discuss their thoughts. Finally, invite pairs to share their ideas with the class, encouraging communication and critical thinking.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the Royal Mint in the UK doing with old electronics?
2. Where is the Royal Mint’s plant located?
3. What will the gold from old electronics be used to make first?
4. How does the Royal Mint get the gold from the old electronics?
5. Why is this method of getting gold better for the environment?
6. How much e-waste does the Royal Mint plan to take each year?
7. What other materials are they looking to use from the old electronics?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The Royal (1)______ in the UK is doing something new and exciting. They are taking old electronics, like (2)______ and computers, and getting (3)______ from them. This gold will first be used to make jewelry. Later, they might use it to make (4)______ coins.

At their (5)______ in (6)______, they have a special way to get the gold. They heat up the old electronics to take them apart. Then, they use a special liquid to get the gold out. This way is better for the (7)______ and uses less energy.

The UK throws away a lot of electronics, and the (8)______ Mint (9)______ to help. They plan to take 4,000 tonnes of e-waste each (10)______ and get a lot of gold from it. They are also looking at using other materials from the (11)______, like aluminum and copper, to (12)______ the environment even more.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite type of jewelry?
2. Do you think it is good to recycle old electronics? Why or why not?
3. How would you feel if you could turn your old phone into something new?
4. Do you like to learn about how things are made? Why?
5. What is a special item you have that is made from recycled materials?
6. How do you think recycling helps the environment?
7. Do you think people throw away too many electronics? Why or why not?
8. What would you do with an old computer instead of throwing it away?
9. Do you like the idea of making coins from old electronics? Why?
10. How would you feel if you found out your old phone was turned into jewelry?
11. What is a way you help the environment at home?
12. Do you think schools should teach more about recycling? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. electronics
2. jewelry
3. plant
4. environment
5. energy
6. e-waste
7. aluminum
8. copper
9. exciting
10. special
11. materials
12. tonnes

Meanings:
(A) Different from usual, unique
(B) A unit to measure weight, like a really heavy object
(C) Something that makes you feel happy and interested
(D) Power that makes things work
(E) A shiny, silver-colored metal
(F) A reddish-brown metal used in wires and coins
(G) A factory or place where things are made
(H) The natural world around us, like air, water, and land
(I) Old electronic items that are thrown away
(J) Devices like phones and computers
(K) Things like rings and necklaces made from precious metals
(L) Things used to make other things
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What does the Royal Mint in the UK want to do with old electronics?
(a) Throw them away
(b) Give them to schools
(c) Get gold from them
(d) Sell them for money

2. Where is the Royal Mint’s plant located?
(a) Wales
(b) Scotland
(c) England
(d) Ireland

3. What is the first thing the Royal Mint will do with the gold they get?
(a) Make coins
(b) Sell it to people
(c) Make jewelry
(d) Give it to charity

4. How does the Royal Mint get the gold from old electronics?
(a) By burying them
(b) By throwing them in water
(c) By mixing them with sand
(d) By heating them up

5. Why is the Royal Mint’s method better for the environment?
(a) It uses less energy
(b) It makes more waste
(c) It costs more money
(d) It takes more time

6. How much e-waste does the Royal Mint plan to take each year?
(a) 1,000 tonnes
(b) 4,000 tonnes
(c) 10,000 tonnes
(d) 500 tonnes

7. Besides gold, what other materials is the Royal Mint looking to use?
(a) Silver and iron
(b) Aluminum and copper
(c) Plastic and glass
(d) Wood and paper

8. What is the main goal of the Royal Mint’s new project?
(a) To make more money
(b) To create new jobs
(c) To build more factories
(d) To help the environment

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They are also looking to recycle other materials like aluminum and copper.
2. The UK throws away a lot of old electronics every year.
3. The Royal Mint has a factory in Wales where they work on this project.
4. They freeze old electronics to take them apart and get the gold.
5. They use the gold to make jewelry first.
6. The Royal Mint in the UK is selling old electronics to get gold.
7. This method is better for the environment and saves energy.
8. The Royal Mint plans to recycle 2,000 tonnes of e-waste each year.
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 the Royal Mint in the UK doing with old electronics?
2. Why is getting gold from old electronics better for the environment?
3. What will the Royal Mint use the gold for first?
4. How much e-waste does the Royal Mint plan to take each year?
5. Besides gold, what other materials does the Royal Mint want to get from old electronics?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the Royal Mint in the UK doing with old electronics?
The Royal Mint is taking old electronics and getting gold from them.

2. Where is the Royal Mint’s plant located?
The Royal Mint’s plant is located in Wales.

3. What will the gold from old electronics be used to make first?
The gold will first be used to make jewelry.

4. How does the Royal Mint get the gold from the old electronics?
They heat up the old electronics to take them apart and then use a special liquid to get the gold out.

5. Why is this method of getting gold better for the environment?
This method is better because it uses less energy and helps recycle old electronics.

6. How much e-waste does the Royal Mint plan to take each year?
The Royal Mint plans to take 4,000 tonnes of e-waste each year.

7. What other materials are they looking to use from the old electronics?
They are looking to use aluminum and copper from the old electronics.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Mint
(2) phones
(3) gold
(4) special
(5) plant
(6) Wales
(7) environment
(8) Royal
(9) wants
(10) year
(11) electronics
(12) help
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. electronics
Answer: (J) Devices like phones and computers

2. jewelry
Answer: (K) Things like rings and necklaces made from precious metals

3. plant
Answer: (G) A factory or place where things are made

4. environment
Answer: (H) The natural world around us, like air, water, and land

5. energy
Answer: (D) Power that makes things work

6. e-waste
Answer: (I) Old electronic items that are thrown away

7. aluminum
Answer: (E) A shiny, silver-colored metal

8. copper
Answer: (F) A reddish-brown metal used in wires and coins

9. exciting
Answer: (C) Something that makes you feel happy and interested

10. special
Answer: (A) Different from usual, unique

11. materials
Answer: (L) Things used to make other things

12. tonnes
Answer: (B) A unit to measure weight, like a really heavy object
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What does the Royal Mint in the UK want to do with old electronics?
Answer: (c) Get gold from them

2. Where is the Royal Mint’s plant located?
Answer: (a) Wales

3. What is the first thing the Royal Mint will do with the gold they get?
Answer: (c) Make jewelry

4. How does the Royal Mint get the gold from old electronics?
Answer: (d) By heating them up

5. Why is the Royal Mint’s method better for the environment?
Answer: (a) It uses less energy

6. How much e-waste does the Royal Mint plan to take each year?
Answer: (b) 4,000 tonnes

7. Besides gold, what other materials is the Royal Mint looking to use?
Answer: (b) Aluminum and copper

8. What is the main goal of the Royal Mint’s new project?
Answer: (d) To help the environment
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They are also looking to recycle other materials like aluminum and copper. (Answer: True)
2. The UK throws away a lot of old electronics every year. (Answer: True)
3. The Royal Mint has a factory in Wales where they work on this project. (Answer: False)
4. They freeze old electronics to take them apart and get the gold. (Answer: False)
5. They use the gold to make jewelry first. (Answer: True)
6. The Royal Mint in the UK is selling old electronics to get gold. (Answer: False)
7. This method is better for the environment and saves energy. (Answer: True)
8. The Royal Mint plans to recycle 2,000 tonnes of e-waste each year. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧