Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.

dateline: 13 November 2019

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Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

Image credit: Cambridge Dictionary

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

discarded: thrown away; disposed of
awareness: knowledge or comprehension of a situation
blog: a website written by a person or group that discusses thoughts and experiences
shortlist: a list of people or things to be considered for a job, prize, or other final placement
ecosystem: a group of plants and animals that live together and interact
carbon dioxide: a compound gas that contributes to global warming

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Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

Cambridge Dictionary has declared “upcycling” as the 2019 Word of the Year. The word “upcycling” refers to the act of making new items out of old, discarded materials. “Upcycling” was first added to the in 2011, when the editors noticed an increase in Internet for the word. The number of searches has risen by 181 percent since then. Cambridge Dictionary’s publishers believe that the word’s is caused by people’s growing awareness of climate change and other environmental issues. Many of the words on the shortlist for Word of the Year were also related to change concerns, including “carbon sink” (a type of ecosystem that carbon dioxide) and “preservation” (the act of protecting something from being damaged).

Comprehension Questions

1. The editors of Cambridge Dictionary made "upcycling" an official word because

it was raising awareness about climate change

an environmental activist asked them to

they noticed an increase in Internet searches for it

Correct! Wrong!

The editors of Cambridge Dictionary made "upcycling" an official word because they noticed an increase in Internet searches for it.

2. Most of the words on the Word of the Year shortlist are related to

social justice

climate change

history

Correct! Wrong!

Most of the words on the Word of the Year shortlist are related to climate change.

3. A carbon sink is

a type of ecosystem that absorbs carbon dioxide

an act of making new items out of old ones

a method of protecting something from being damaged

Correct! Wrong!

A carbon sink is a type of ecosystem that absorbs carbon dioxide.

Discussion Question

Upcycling is one action people can take to help prevent climate change. What changes have you made in your life to help protect the environment?

show Answershide Answers

Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

Cambridge Dictionary has declared “upcycling” as the 2019 Word of the Year. The word “upcycling” refers to the act of making new items out of old, discarded materials. “Upcycling” was first added to the dictionary in 2011, when the editors noticed an increase in Internet searches for the word. The number of searches has risen by 181 percent since then. Cambridge Dictionary’s publishers believe that the word’s popularity is caused by people’s growing awareness of climate change and other environmental issues. Many of the words on the shortlist for Word of the Year were also related to climate change concerns, including “carbon sink” (a type of ecosystem that absorbs carbon dioxide) and “preservation” (the act of protecting something from being damaged).

Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub

Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
© EnglishClub.com

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Teacher's Notes

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25 comments

English Club Indonesia says:

I love bringing my own bag every time I go grocery shopping. It’s not much, but it’s an honest effort. Hopefully, it can help the environment a little bit.
ERI OJIMA says:

I learned a lot from this listening lesson about the word of upcycling because I think human efforts meaningful for protection of the environment. Today I often learn to know goods or items that are made environmentally friendly and for recycled purposes in our daily life. In my country power generation from discarded waste is one of them. I hope many companies will advocate such conservational policies to recreate our future good life on earth.
Peter says:

In the present day, it is very important to protest our earth through the influence of discarding thrown-away materials. There are many good products thrown on the planet every day. Why don’t we recycle or upcycle them? For example, we can make public places where we can put what is still useful but not needed for us. There, many people can see and send their things or get something if they are interested in it. It not only protects the environment but also saves money. Beside, upcycling makes us more creative and relaxing. You will be in meaning with the new product from your ideas.
Ahmad says:

thank you- great site
andrea cornejo says:

Great activity!
Abdirahman Hadliye says:

it is an interesting article we got a new word and also it remembers us about climate change issues.
Someone says:

ESSKEETIT
nasiba Qipshaqbaeva says:

thank you for lesson
Rasul.M says:

It was so interesting quizz
Kamila Joldasbaeva says:

Thank you for the strangest quiz.
Daniyarbek.U says:

Thank you for the lesson 🙂
:)(:
Zinxaydarov Allaberdi 7a says:

Thank you for the lesson.
mas'ud koja says:

thank you to study or the study. and I very like to the study. one again thank you.
Bijan says:

Oh!
Tara!
I missed all of you for nearly one week because I didn’t have the Internet in my country.
Now, I’m so happy for being in your class again.

First, thank you for this week’s audio news report.

Second, it’s a bit difficult to me because I feel you have spoken fast. Of course, I could understand the subject without seeing the text, but I couldn’t answer the question one of the Comprehension.

In addition, I couldn’t fill in the blanks the words climate and absorbs.

Second, I had heard about the word “recycling” before, but it’s the first time to hear about the word “Upcycling”, so thank you for sharing this interesting news with us.

Third, I myself love the nature and everything is on it, so I would love to do everything for resolving environmental issues.

Teacher Tara,
I hope not to miss you again.

Best wishes and have a nice week,
Bijan
from the Persian Gulf
Jenny nguyen says:

Save water, turn off enginer machine when stop at traffic light, grow the forest,
huyen says:

the articles are so interesting and helpful for me
Hojin Jeong says:

It is very interesting topic for me.
I am getting know that how “recycling” made by whom.
nyuon koang says:

It’s an interesting new topic today
thank you
Hayder says:

This article is made in an excellent way(we got a good deal)thanks so much .
GLON says:

Good article I learn something new today
thank you
serdar says:

hy gues, i love this site or chanel, something like this, because this is very possible and easy and interesting for me, when you listen this news and answer the questions, you upgrade listenning skill very high etc. thats all, sorry if i wrote it notcorrect (incorrect), because i am just beginner) thanks for this site.
Imtiaz Mehmood Jaam says:

It really upcycled my view of our ecosystem around!
Vandana Vandana says:

It’s a new word added in my vocabulary n will make it practical.
Rosa says:

Thank you for the lesson. =)
Lina says:

It’s an interesting topic we learnt today

Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

Pre-Listening Vocabulary

Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

Comprehension Questions

1. The editors of Cambridge Dictionary made "upcycling" an official word because

2. Most of the words on the Word of the Year shortlist are related to

3. A carbon sink is

Discussion Question

Cambridge Dictionary Announces “Upcycling” as Word of the Year

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