The EFL SMARTblog: 2nd Conditional

Monday, 29 September 2014

What should you do in a lightning storm?

You are going to

listen to a short radio interview about lightning
look at vocabulary connected with storms, thunder and lightning and extreme weather
do a comprehension exercise

1) Discuss

Public domain

What kinds of extreme weather do you have in your country?
What are the most dangerous kinds of weather?
What is lightning?
Are you afraid of it?
Have you ever been struck by lightning?
Do you know anyone who has been struck by lightning?
What should you do in a lightning storm?
Should you swim in the sea?
Are you safe in a car?
What are "wellies" and is it OK to wear them in a thunderstorm?
What happens when lightning strikes a plane?
Can lightning strike twice in the same place?

What's a myth? Can you think of any examples?

Suggested examples of extreme / dangerous weather (students may have more).
Highlight below
tornado hurricane blizzard thunderstorm flood hurricane drought lightning ice fog heatwave gales / high winds monsoon

2) Listen
Listen to lightning engineer Rhys Phillips on BBC Radio 4's PM program talking about lightning.
How many of the questions above do you hear the answers to?

listen to ‘Thunderbolts of lightning, very very frightening’ on Audioboo

Listen again.
A) Do the vocabulary match and listen again.
Then do the comprehension exercise below.

B) Now fill in the gaps in the summary.

Download exercises here

3) Discuss

What other dangerous kinds of weather are there? Think of some examples.
What should you do to avoid being hurt?

4) Write
Turn the information about lightning into an advice leaflet.
or
Make an advice or information leaflet about weather in your country.

5) Check Vocabulary
Can you explain the meaning of these words?

More
Weather forecast Elementary, Intermediate, Listening, Upper Intermediate, Weather

The Truth About British Rain - The Great British W...Advanced, Describing a cycle, IELTS, Life in the UK, Listening, Upper Intermediate, Weather, Writing

Suggestions and Advice (Why don't you...? / Have you tried?) Advice, Intermediate, Modal Verbs, Suggestions

Giving Advice - should / ought to / had better / must / have to / can't. Advice, Intermediate, Modal Verbs, Pre-Intermediate

More on lightning

What is lightning? https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-%E2%80%93-electricity-lightning-workshop-what-lightning

Lightning protection of aircraft https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-%E2%80%93-electricity-lightning-workshop-aircraft-design

Making a news report https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-electricity-lightning-workshop-making-a-news-report

Monday, 10 December 2012

The very honest Austrian bus driver

You are going to

listen to the story of a man who found a lot of money in a bag
do a listening comprehension activity
practise the 2nd conditional

1) Discuss

What would you do if you stumbled across a bag containing just over half a million dollars?
Would you take it and say nothing or would you do the right thing and hand it in to the police?

2) Listen
Listen to the radio clip.
You are going to hear about a bus driver who found a lot of money in a bag.