In 2023, there were a lot of reports about potholes in the UK. This was the highest number in five years and it cost drivers around £500 million to fix their cars because of the damage caused by the potholes. Scientists say that climate change will make the problem worse because extreme weather will make the roads even more damaged. From January to November 2023, almost 630,000 potholes were reported to local councils in England, Scotland, and Wales. But there were probably even more potholes that weren't reported because not all the councils gave their data.

Potholes are dangerous for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. The problem is getting worse because there isn't enough money to fix all the potholes. The councils know about this and are trying to fix the £14 billion worth of road repairs that are needed. The Department for Transport is also going to spend £8.3 billion to improve local roads and fix over 5,000 miles of them.

Potholes aren't just a problem for drivers, they're also dangerous for cyclists. Scientists in the UK are trying to find new ways to fix the potholes. At the University of Cambridge, they're working on projects like using digital maps to find potholes, making roads that can fix themselves, and using strong materials that can last a long time. They're also looking into using robots to fix the potholes and making materials that can heal themselves.

Scientists are also trying out new ideas to fix the potholes and help with climate change. They're testing out using certain plastics that can be used again and using geothermal energy to keep the roads at a good temperature. This will stop the roads from getting damaged when it freezes and thaws.

It's clear that climate change is making the roads worse, so we need to do something about it. We need to improve how we take care of the roads, find new ways to fix them, and come up with plans to fight climate change. It's important to invest in new and sustainable ways to make sure our roads are safe and last a long time.

Original news source: Pothole reports hit a five-year high in 2023 (BBC)

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article individually and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can then share their summaries with a partner or in small groups. Encourage them to use vocabulary and expressions from the article in their summaries.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a statement related to the article, such as "Investing in new technology is the best way to fix potholes." Have students discuss the statement and share their opinions within their group. Then, conduct a class poll by asking each group to share their position and reasoning.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board. Divide the class into teams. One student from each team will come to the front of the class and choose a word. They must then draw a picture representing the word, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Continue until all the words have been guessed, or set a time limit.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask students to work in pairs or small groups. Give each group a headline related to the article, such as "Pothole Problem: A Costly Challenge for UK Drivers." Students must then create a news article or story based on the headline. Encourage them to use their imagination and incorporate information from the article as well.
– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have students individually read the article and then think about the following question: "What can be done to address the issue of potholes and their impact on climate change?" After a few minutes, pair students up and have them discuss their ideas. Finally, bring the class back together and have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole group.

In 2023, there were a lot of reports about potholes in the UK. This was the highest number in five years and it cost ? around £500 million to fix their cars because of the damage caused by the potholes. Scientists say that climate ? will make the problem worse because extreme weather will make the roads even more damaged. From January to ? 2023, almost 630,000 potholes were reported to local ? in England, Scotland, and Wales. But there were probably even more potholes that weren't reported because not all the councils gave their data. Potholes are dangerous for drivers, ?, and pedestrians. The problem is getting worse because there isn't enough money to fix all the ?. The councils know about this and are trying to fix the £14 billion worth of road repairs that are ?. The Department for Transport is also going to ? £8.3 billion to improve local roads and fix over 5,000 miles of them. Potholes aren't just a problem for drivers, they're also dangerous for cyclists. ? in the UK are trying to find new ways to fix the potholes. At the University of Cambridge, they're working on projects like using digital maps to find potholes, ? roads that can fix themselves, and using strong ? that can last a long time. They're also looking into using ? to fix the potholes and making materials that can heal themselves. Scientists are also trying out new ideas to fix the potholes and help with climate change. They're testing out using certain plastics that can be used again and using geothermal ? to keep the ? at a good ?. This will stop the roads from getting damaged when it ? and thaws. It's clear that climate change is making the roads worse, so we need to do something about it. We need to improve how we take care of the roads, find new ways to fix them, and come up with plans to fight climate change. It's important to invest in new and sustainable ways to make sure our roads are safe and last a long time.

1. What are potholes and why are they dangerous?
2. Have you ever experienced driving or cycling on a road with potholes? How did it make you feel?
3. How do you think climate change can make the problem of potholes worse?
4. Do you think it's fair for drivers to have to pay to fix their cars because of potholes? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the government should do to fix the problem of potholes?
6. How do you think using digital maps to find potholes can help solve the problem?
7. Do you think roads that can fix themselves are a good idea? Why or why not?
8. How do you feel about the idea of using robots to fix potholes? Do you think it would be effective?
9. What do you think about the idea of using materials that can heal themselves to fix potholes?
10. How do you think using certain plastics and geothermal energy can help with fixing potholes and fighting climate change?
11. Do you think it's important to invest in new and sustainable ways to take care of roads? Why or why not?
12. How would you feel if the roads in your city were always in good condition and didn't have any potholes?
13. Do you like the idea of using technology to improve the condition of roads? Why or why not?
14. What are some other ways you can think of to fix potholes and prevent damage to roads caused by climate change?
15. How important do you think it is to prioritize road repairs and find solutions to the problem of potholes? Why or why not?

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