Breaking News English Lesson: Superbugs
The WHO warned about an increase in superbugs that drugs cannot kill. One in six of bugs tested by researchers was drug-resistant. Many of the drugs have been saving lives for many years. Cuts and infections could kill us in the future because drugs will not kill the bacteria. The WHO said our lives are "at risk".
The WHO looked at data from 100 countries. Drug resistance is highest in Southeast Asia. There, 1 in 3 infections was resistant. Bugs are becoming drug-resistant faster than we can make new drugs. Drug resistance has increased a lot since 2018. Not enough testing is being done to create better drugs.
Try the same news story at these levels:
- https://www.who.int/news/item/13-10-2025-who-warns-of-widespread-resistance-to-common-antibiotics-worldwide
- https://www.cbsnews.com/news/superbugs-drug-resistant-spread-surging-who/
- https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-warns-surging-levels-antibiotic-resistance-2025-10-13/
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- The WHO warned about
- superbugs that drugs
- One in
- tested by
- drugs have been
- Cuts and
- in the
- The WHO said our lives
- researchers
- future
- cannot kill
- saving lives
- are "at risk"
- an increase
- infections
- six bugs
- The WHO looked at data
- Drug resistance is highest in
- 1 in 3 infections
- Bugs are becoming drug-resistant
- make
- increased a lot
- Not enough testing is
- create better
- was resistant
- since 2018
- new drugs
- drugs
- from 100 countries
- being done
- faster
- Southeast Asia
The WHO (1) _________________________________________________ increase in superbugs that (2) _________________________________________________. One in six bugs tested by researchers was drug-resistant. (3) _________________________________________________ drugs have been (4) _________________________________________________ many years. Cuts and infections could (5) _________________________________________________ the future because drugs will not kill the bacteria. The WHO said our lives (6) _________________________________________________.
The WHO (7) _________________________________________________ from 100 countries. Drug resistance (8) _________________________________________________ Southeast Asia. There, 1 in 3 infections was resistant. (9) ______________________________________________ drug-resistant (10) _______________________________________________ can make new drugs. Drug resistance has (11) _________________________________________________ since 2018. Not enough testing is being (12) _________________________________________________ better drugs.
Put a slash (/) where the spaces areTheWHOwarnedaboutanincreaseinsuperbugsthatdrugscannotkill.O neinsixbugstestedbyresearcherswasdrug-resistant.Manyofthed rugshavebeensavinglivesformanyyears.Cutsandinfectionscouldkill usinthefuturebecausedrugswillnotkillthebacteria.TheWHOsaidourli vesare"atrisk".TheWHOlookedatdatafrom100countries.Drugresista nceishighestinSoutheastAsia.There,1in3infectionswasresistant.Bu gsarebecomingdrug-resistantfasterthanwecanmakenewdrugs.Dr ugresistancehasincreasedalotsince2018.Notenoughtestingisbeingd onetocreatebetterdrugs.
Student surveyWrite 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 questionsSTUDENT 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 writingWrite 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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