A company in Cambridge is studying bed bugs. They have made a smart trap that can tell if there are bed bugs around. It sends a message to the hotel or travel company to let them know. This can help stop bed bugs from spreading.
The smart trap acts like a place bed bugs like to go. It uses heat and a special smell to bring the bugs in. When the bugs are in the trap, it sends a message to the hotel or travel company. This lets them get rid of the bugs quickly.
This smart trap is a big step in fighting bed bugs. It helps find and get rid of bed bugs faster. It also makes things better for guests and travelers. With this technology, hotels and travel companies can make sure their customers have a bug-free stay.
Original news source: Inside the lab building bedbug detectors (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a slip of paper with a word related to the article (e.g. bed bug, trap, hotel, travel). One student from each group will act out the word without speaking, while the other students guess what word it is. The first group to guess correctly gets a point. Rotate the roles and continue with new words.
– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. After they have finished, have them write a summary of the article in 5-7 sentences. Encourage them to include the main points and key details. Then, have them share their summaries with a partner or in small groups and discuss any similarities or differences.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students discuss their opinions on the smart trap for bed bugs. Do they think it is a good idea? Why or why not? Have them come up with at least three reasons to support their opinions. Then, have each group present their opinions to the class and facilitate a class discussion.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. smart trap, bed bugs, spreading, technology) on the board. Divide the students into pairs or small groups. One student from each group will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other students guess what word it is. Encourage the students to use English to describe the picture or ask for clues if they are struggling to guess the word.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the students into small groups. Give each group a few minutes to come up with a catchy headline for the article. The headline should summarize the main idea of the article and be attention-grabbing. Each group will share their headline with the class and explain why they chose it. Have a class vote to determine the most creative headline.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the company in Cambridge studying?
2. How does the smart trap know if there are bed bugs around?
3. What does the smart trap use to attract the bed bugs?
4. What happens when the bed bugs are in the trap?
5. Why is the smart trap a big step in fighting bed bugs?
6. Who does the smart trap help?
7. What can hotels and travel companies do with this technology?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
A company in Cambridge is studying bed (1)______. They have made a smart trap that can tell if there are bed bugs around. It (2)______ a (3)______ to the hotel or travel company to let them know. This can (4)______ stop bed bugs from spreading.
The smart trap acts like a (5)______ bed bugs like to go. It (6)______ heat and a special smell to bring the bugs in. When the bugs are in the (7)______, it sends a message to the hotel or (8)______ company. This (9)______ them get rid of the bugs quickly.
This smart trap is a big step in fighting bed bugs. It helps find and get rid of bed bugs faster. It also (10)______s things better for guests and travelers. With this technology, hotels and travel (11)______ can make sure their customers (12)______ a bug-free stay.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a smart trap?
2. How do you think the smart trap works to catch bed bugs?
3. Do you think it’s important for hotels and travel companies to know if there are bed bugs? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you found out there were bed bugs in your hotel room?
5. Have you ever seen a bed bug before? What did it look like?
6. Do you think it’s a good idea to use technology to help get rid of bed bugs? Why or why not?
7. What other bugs do you know that can be found in hotels or travel places?
8. Do you like staying in hotels? Why or why not?
9. How would you feel if you saw a bed bug in your home?
10. Do you think the smart trap will be effective in stopping bed bugs from spreading? Why or why not?
11. Why do you think it’s important for hotels and travel companies to make sure their customers have a bug-free stay?
12. Have you ever had an experience with bed bugs? If so, how did you handle it?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. company
2. smart
3. trap
4. bugs
5. message
6. hotel
7. travel
8. technology
Meanings:
(a) A communication sent from one person to another
(b) Something used to catch or capture something
(c) A group of people who work together
(d) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems
(e) Clever or intelligent
(f) Small insects that can cause problems
(g) Going from one place to another
(h) A place where people stay when they are away from home
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What is the purpose of the smart trap?
(a) To attract and trap mosquitoes
(b) To detect and notify if there are bed bugs around
(c) To monitor the temperature in hotel rooms
(d) To provide a special smell in hotel rooms
2. How does the smart trap attract bed bugs?
(a) By using heat and a special smell
(b) By using bright lights and loud noises
(c) By using cold temperature and a loud alarm
(d) By using bright colors and a strong scent
3. What happens when the bed bugs are in the trap?
(a) The trap releases a special spray to kill the bugs
(b) The trap starts making a loud noise to scare the bugs away
(c) The trap automatically cleans itself to remove the bugs
(d) A message is sent to the hotel or travel company
4. What is the benefit of the smart trap?
(a) It provides a comfortable sleeping environment for guests
(b) It helps find and get rid of bed bugs faster
(c) It offers a variety of entertainment options for travelers
(d) It prevents guests from bringing bed bugs into the hotel
5. Who receives the message from the smart trap?
(a) The guests staying in the hotel
(b) The local pest control company
(c) The hotel or travel company
(d) The manufacturer of the smart trap
6. What does the smart trap help hotels and travel companies ensure?
(a) That their customers have access to free Wi-Fi
(b) That their customers receive a complimentary breakfast
(c) That their customers have a bug-free stay
(d) That their customers have a comfortable bed to sleep in
7. What is the main focus of the company in Cambridge?
(a) Studying bed bugs
(b) Developing smart traps for various pests
(c) Designing new technologies for hotels and travel companies
(d) Conducting research on insect behavior
8. How does the smart trap contribute to stopping the spread of bed bugs?
(a) By killing the bed bugs instantly
(b) By repelling the bed bugs from the area
(c) By trapping the bed bugs and releasing them far away
(d) By notifying the hotel or travel company to take action
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. The trap can send a message to hotels or travel companies when it catches bed bugs.
2. This new trap does not help hotels and travel companies get rid of bed bugs quickly.
3. The trap is a big improvement in the fight against bed bugs.
4. The smart trap helps prevent the spread of bed bugs.
5. A company in Cambridge has created a special trap to catch bed bugs.
6. Once the bed bugs are caught in the trap, no message is sent to the hotel or travel company.
7. Guests and travelers will not benefit from this technology because it does not ensure a bug-free stay.
8. The trap does not use heat and a special smell to attract the bed bugs.
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 smart trap designed to do?
2. How does the smart trap let the hotel or travel company know if there are bed bugs?
3. Why is the smart trap important in fighting bed bugs?
4. How does the smart trap help hotels and travel companies make sure their customers have a bug-free stay?
5. What are some ways the smart trap attracts bed bugs?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What is the company in Cambridge studying?
The company in Cambridge is studying bed bugs.
2. How does the smart trap know if there are bed bugs around?
The smart trap knows if there are bed bugs around because it sends a message to the hotel or travel company.
3. What does the smart trap use to attract the bed bugs?
The smart trap uses heat and a special smell to attract the bed bugs.
4. What happens when the bed bugs are in the trap?
When the bed bugs are in the trap, it sends a message to the hotel or travel company.
5. Why is the smart trap a big step in fighting bed bugs?
The smart trap is a big step in fighting bed bugs because it helps find and get rid of them faster.
6. Who does the smart trap help?
The smart trap helps hotels and travel companies.
7. What can hotels and travel companies do with this technology?
With this technology, hotels and travel companies can make sure their customers have a bug-free stay.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) bugs
(2) sends
(3) message
(4) help
(5) place
(6) uses
(7) trap
(8) travel
(9) lets
(10) make
(11) companies
(12) have
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. company
Answer: (c) A group of people who work together
2. smart
Answer: (e) Clever or intelligent
3. trap
Answer: (b) Something used to catch or capture something
4. bugs
Answer: (f) Small insects that can cause problems
5. message
Answer: (a) A communication sent from one person to another
6. hotel
Answer: (h) A place where people stay when they are away from home
7. travel
Answer: (g) Going from one place to another
8. technology
Answer: (d) The use of scientific knowledge to solve problems
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What is the purpose of the smart trap?
Answer: (b) To detect and notify if there are bed bugs around
2. How does the smart trap attract bed bugs?
Answer: (a) By using heat and a special smell
3. What happens when the bed bugs are in the trap?
Answer: (d) A message is sent to the hotel or travel company
4. What is the benefit of the smart trap?
Answer: (b) It helps find and get rid of bed bugs faster
5. Who receives the message from the smart trap?
Answer: (c) The hotel or travel company
6. What does the smart trap help hotels and travel companies ensure?
Answer: (c) That their customers have a bug-free stay
7. What is the main focus of the company in Cambridge?
Answer: (a) Studying bed bugs
8. How does the smart trap contribute to stopping the spread of bed bugs?
Answer: (d) By notifying the hotel or travel company to take action
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. The trap can send a message to hotels or travel companies when it catches bed bugs. (Answer: True)
2. This new trap does not help hotels and travel companies get rid of bed bugs quickly. (Answer: False)
3. The trap is a big improvement in the fight against bed bugs. (Answer: True)
4. The smart trap helps prevent the spread of bed bugs. (Answer: True)
5. A company in Cambridge has created a special trap to catch bed bugs. (Answer: True)
6. Once the bed bugs are caught in the trap, no message is sent to the hotel or travel company. (Answer: False)
7. Guests and travelers will not benefit from this technology because it does not ensure a bug-free stay. (Answer: False)
8. The trap does not use heat and a special smell to attract the bed bugs. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
