Breaking News English Lesson: Holiday Waste
There are many holidays at the end of the year. People have parties and get-togethers. However, Christmas and the New Year can create lots of trash. An environmental agency said that household waste goes up by 25 per cent over the holidays. A recycling company said we needed to separate what we throw away. It said it really makes a difference to recycle boxes, bottles and cans correctly. A professor said we should avoid producing waste.
Many experts gave advice on how to deal with waste. We should be aware of recycling rules. Different places have different rules. One expert said we should be careful when we throw away electronics. Another expert said we should think ahead to cut waste. She said people could buy a concert ticket as a present instead of a gift that comes in lots of packaging. She also recommended giving digital cards and gift cards.
Try the same news story at these levels:
- https://www.npr.org/2025/12/26/nx-s1-5649424/holiday-waste-recycling-tips-mistakes
- https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/dec/26/five-things-to-do-with-holiday-waste
- https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/christmas-tree-holiday-garbage-disposal-tips/
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- There are many holidays at the
- People have parties and get-
- create lots
- an environmental
- we needed to separate what
- it really makes a
- recycle boxes, bottles
- we should avoid producing
- waste
- we throw away
- togethers
- and cans correctly
- of trash
- end of the year
- agency
- difference
- many experts gave
- how to deal
- we should be aware
- different places have
- we should
- when we throw away
- we should think
- a gift that comes in
- different rules
- lots of packaging
- with waste
- be careful
- advice
- ahead to cut waste
- of recycling rules
- electronics
There are many holidays at (1) _________________________________________________ the year. People have (2) _________________________________________________-togethers. However, Christmas and the New Year (3) _________________________________________________ of trash. An environmental agency said that household waste (4) _________________________________________________ 25 per cent over the holidays. A recycling company said we needed to (5) _________________________________________________ throw away. It said it really makes a difference to recycle boxes, bottles and cans correctly. A professor said (6) _________________________________________________ producing waste.
Many experts gave (7) _________________________________________________ to deal with waste. We should (8) _________________________________________________ recycling rules. Different places have different rules. One expert said we should be careful when (9) _________________________________________________ electronics. Another expert said we should (10) _________________________________________________ cut waste. She said people could buy a concert ticket (11) ________________________________________________ instead of a gift that comes in lots of packaging. She also recommended (12) _______________________________________________ and gift cards.
Put a slash (/) where the spaces areTherearemanyholidaysattheendoftheyear.Peoplehavepartiesandge t-togethers.However,ChristmasandtheNewYearcancreatelotsoftras h.Anenvironmentalagencysaidthathouseholdwastegoesupby25per centovertheholidays.Arecyclingcompanysaidweneededtoseparate whatwethrowaway.Itsaiditreallymakesadifferencetorecycleboxes,b ottlesandcanscorrectly.Aprofessorsaidweshouldavoidproducingwas te.Manyexpertsgaveadviceonhowtodealwithwaste.Weshouldbeawa reofrecyclingrules.Differentplaceshavedifferentrules.Oneexpertsai dweshouldbecarefulwhenwethrowawayelectronics.Anotherexperts aidweshouldthinkaheadtocutwaste.Shesaidpeoplecouldbuyaconcer tticketasapresentinsteadofagiftthatcomesinlotsofpackaging.Sheals orecommendedgivingdigitalcardsandgiftcards.
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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