. Famous Sights - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Famous Sights - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson
Famous Sights - ESL Lesson Plan - Breaking News English Lesson

Breaking News English Lesson: Famous Sights

Authorities in Rome have decided to charge a fee to get close to the world-famous Trevi Fountain. From February, visitors will have to pay two euros to get close up to it. One reason for the charge is to deal with the growing numbers of sightseers who are flocking to the sight. Like other tourist hotspots, the famous fountain is suffering from the effects of overtourism. There is a lot of congestion in the peak summer months. Large crowds and people taking selfies have damaged the ambiance of the fountain. Visitors have also damaged the stonework surrounding it.

Rome's mayor said the "Trevi levy" could raise 6.5 million euros ($7.6 million) a year. He said that around 30,000 people visited the attraction every day this year. That is over ten million visitors. However, city residents will be exempt from paying the fee. The mayor said: "We believe that culture is a fundamental right of citizenship." He added: "The citizens of Rome can enjoy our museums free of charge." The fountain was completed in 1762. It depicts Oceanus, the god of all water, and symbolizes the untamed force of the world's seas and rivers.

Try the same news story at these levels:

  • https://www.reuters.com/world/rome-charge-tourists-get-close-famed-trevi-fountain-2025-12-19/
  • https://www.dw.com/en/rome-to-introduce-entry-fee-for-historic-trevi-fountain/a-75248561
  • https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/visiting-trevi-fountain-now-cost-coin-toss-2-128563022

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

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News

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools."

The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and. history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it."

Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels. In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills."

Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

Phrase Matching Paragraph 1
  1. Authorities
  2. charge a
  3. deal with the growing
  4. sightseers who are
  5. There is a lot of
  6. Large crowds and people taking
  7. damaged the ambiance of
  8. damaged the stonework
  1. congestion
  2. the fountain
  3. flocking to the sight
  4. in Rome
  5. selfies
  6. surrounding it
  7. numbers
  8. fee
Paragraph 2
  1. the "Trevi levy" could raise
  2. people visited the
  3. That is over ten million
  4. residents will be exempt
  5. a fundamental right
  6. enjoy our museums free
  7. It depicts Oceanus,
  8. the untamed force
  1. the god of all water
  2. visitors
  3. of the world's seas
  4. attraction every day
  5. 6.5 million euros
  6. of citizenship
  7. of charge
  8. from paying the fee
Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Authorities in Rome have decided (1) ________________________________________________ fee to get close to the world-famous Trevi Fountain. From February, visitors will have to pay two euros to get (2) ________________________________________________ it. One reason for the charge is to deal with the growing numbers of sightseers who are (3) ________________________________________________ sight. Like other tourist hotspots, the famous fountain is suffering from the (4) ________________________________________________. There is a lot of congestion in the peak summer months. Large crowds and (5) ________________________________________________ have damaged the ambiance of the fountain. Visitors have also damaged the (6) ________________________________________________.

Rome's mayor said the "Trevi (7) ________________________________________________ 6.5 million euros ($7.6 million) a year. He said that around 30,000 people visited (8) ________________________________________________ day this year. That is over ten million visitors. However, city residents (9) ________________________________________________ from paying the fee. The mayor said: "We believe that culture is a fundamental (10) ________________________________________________." He added: "The citizens of Rome can enjoy our museums (11) ________________________________________________." The fountain was completed in 1762. It depicts Oceanus, the god of all water, and symbolizes the (12) ________________________________________________ the world's seas and rivers.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AuthoritiesinRomehavedecidedtochargeafeetogetclosetotheworld- famousTreviFountain.FromFebruary,visitorswillhavetopaytwoeuros togetcloseuptoit.Onereasonforthechargeistodealwiththegrowingnu mbersofsightseerswhoareflockingtothesight.Likeothertouristhotsp ots,thefamousfountainissufferingfromtheeffectsofovertourism.The reisalotofcongestioninthepeaksummermonths.Largecrowdsandpeo pletakingselfieshavedamagedtheambianceofthefountain.Visitorsha vealsodamagedthestoneworksurroundingit.Rome'smayorsaidthe"T revilevy"couldraise6.5millioneuros($7.6million)ayear.Hesaidthatar ound30,000peoplevisitedtheattractioneverydaythisyear.Thatisover tenmillionvisitors.However,cityresidentswillbeexemptfrompayingth efee.Themayorsaid:"Webelievethatcultureisafundamentalrightofcit izenship."Headded:"ThecitizensofRomecanenjoyourmuseumsfreeo fcharge."Thefountainwascompletedin1762.ItdepictsOceanus,thego dofallwater,andsymbolizestheuntamedforceoftheworld'sseasandriv ers.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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