The e-Book
 
 

1,000 IDEAS & ACTIVITIES FOR
LANGUAGE
TEACHERS

See Sample


Home
Donate
E-mail this lesson to
a student /colleague


COPYRIGHT:
Please write to
me for permission.

 

Scientists Make Schizophrenia Breakthrough (7th August, 2011)

Scientists in America say they have greatly changed our understanding of the illness schizophrenia. In particular, they say that our genes play a big role in passing the disorder on from parent to child. Researchers have found that we can get schizophrenia even when there is no history of it in our family. They analyzed the DNA of over 200 people and found changes in 40 different genes. Researcher professor Bin Xu said this has “fundamentally transformed our understanding of the genetic basis of schizophrenia”. His research could help millions of schizophrenia sufferers.

Advertisements
 
 

Schizophrenia is quite common but not vey well understood. It affects one in every 100 people. Around ten percent of those with schizophrenia have a parent with the disorder. Symptoms of the condition include seeing things that are not there, feeling as though someone else is controlling your body, and losing interest in everything. Paul Jenkins from the charity Rethink Mental Illness said: "We welcome any research which helps develop a better insight of the causes of schizophrenia and [that] brings us closer to finding new ways of preventing or treating the condition."

Advertisements
 
 

PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1


1.

greatly changed our

a.

to child

2

our genes play a

b.

genes

3.

passing the disorder on from parent

c.

big role

4.

no history of it in

d.

of schizophrenia

5.

40 different

e.

understanding

6.

the genetic basis

f.

our family

Paragraph 2


1.

Schizophrenia is quite

a.

of the condition

2

It affects one in every

b.

the condition

3.

Symptoms

c.

common

4.

someone else is controlling

d.

research

5.

We welcome any

e.

100 people

6.

preventing or treating

f.

your body


LISTENING GAP FILL


Scientists in America say they _____________________ our understanding of the illness schizophrenia. In particular, they say that our genes _____________________ passing the disorder on from parent to child. Researchers have found that we can get schizophrenia even when there is _____________________ in our family. They analyzed the DNA of over 200 people and found changes in 40 _____________________. Researcher professor Bin Xu said this has “fundamentally transformed our understanding of the _____________________ schizophrenia”. His research _____________________ of schizophrenia sufferers.
Schizophrenia is quite common but not _____________________. It affects one in every 100 people. Around ten percent of those with schizophrenia have a parent _____________________. Symptoms of the condition include seeing things that are not there, feeling _____________________ else is controlling your body, and losing interest in everything. Paul Jenkins from the charity Rethink Mental Illness said: "We _____________________ which helps develop a better _____________________ causes of schizophrenia and [that] brings us closer to _____________________ of preventing or treating the condition."


MULTIPLE CHOICE


Scientists in America say they have (1) ____ changed our understanding of the illness schizophrenia. In particular, they say that our (2) ____ play a big role in passing the disorder (3) ____ from parent to child. Researchers have found that we can get schizophrenia even when there is no (4) ____ of it in our family. They analyzed the (5) ____ of over 200 people and found changes in 40 different genes. Researcher professor Bin Xu said this has “fundamentally transformed our understanding of the genetic basis of schizophrenia”. His research could help millions of schizophrenia (6) ____.
Schizophrenia is quite common but not very (7) ____ understood. It affects one in every 100 people. Around ten percent of (8) ____ with schizophrenia have a parent with the disorder. Symptoms of the condition include seeing things that are not (9) ____, feeling as though someone else is controlling your body, and losing interest (10) ____ everything. Paul Jenkins from the charity Rethink Mental Illness said: "We welcome any research which helps develop a (11) ____ insight of the causes of schizophrenia and [that] brings us closer to finding new ways of preventing or (12) ____ the condition."
Put the correct words from this table into the article.


1.

(a)

greats

(b)

great

(c)

greatly

2.

(a)

jeans

(b)

genes

(c)

gems

3.

(a)

on

(b)

so

(c)

for

4.

(a)

history

(b)

historical

(c)

historian

5.

(a)

ABC

(b)

DNA

(c)

LED

6.

(a)

surfers

(b)

sufferer

(c)

sufferers

7.

(a)

well

(b)

good

(c)

nice

8.

(a)

those

(b)

them

(c)

they

9.

(a)

their

(b)

they’re

(c)

there

10.

(a)

on

(b)

in

(c)

at

11.

(a)

best

(b)

better

(c)

well

12

(a)

treat

(b)

treats

(c)

treating


SPELLING


Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.


Paragraph 1

1.

iesisstcnt in America

2.

the senlisl schizophrenia

3.

from parent to dhcli

4.

no ysthori of it in our family

5.

40 different eengs

6.

His research could help iimolnsl

 

Paragraph 2

7.

quite momcno

8.

It tefcfsa one in every 100

9.

have a parent with the deiorsrd

10.

losing tertisne in everything

11.

oleedvp a better insight

12.

preventing or tgairetn the condition


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER


Number these lines in the correct order.


(    )

body, and losing interest in everything. Paul Jenkins from the charity Rethink Mental Illness said: "We

(    )

brings us closer to finding new ways of preventing or treating the condition."

(    )

illness schizophrenia. In particular, they say that our genes play a big role in passing the disorder

(    )

100 people. Around ten percent of those with schizophrenia have a parent with the disorder. Symptoms

(    )

family. They analyzed the DNA of over 200 people and found changes in 40 different genes. Researcher

(    )

of the condition include seeing things that are not there, feeling as though someone else is controlling your

(    )

on from parent to child. Researchers have found that we can get schizophrenia even when there is no history of it in our

(    )

Schizophrenia is quite common but not vey well understood. It affects one in every

1  )

Scientists in America say they have greatly changed our understanding of the

(    )

welcome any research which helps develop a better insight of the causes of schizophrenia and [that]

(    )

basis of schizophrenia”. His research could help millions of schizophrenia sufferers.

(    )

professor Bin Xu said this has “fundamentally transformed our understanding of the genetic


WORD JUMBLE


With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.


1.

changed Greatly illness the of understanding our.

2.

Passing parent the to disorder child on from.

3.

it family is of our There history in no.

4.

200 the people DNA of They over analyzed.

5.

Help sufferers schizophrenia of millions.

6.

not but common Quite understood well vey.

7.

in one affects It people 100 every.

8.

not things are there Seeing that.

9.

of of Develop insight causes better the schizophrenia a.

10.

or New treating ways the of condition preventing.


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING


Write about schizophrenia for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. SCHIZOPHRENIA: Search the Internet and find more information about schizophrenia. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about schizophrenia. Include imaginary interviews with sufferers. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
5. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on schizophrenia. Ask him/her three questions about schizophrenia. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

Back to the top
 


 
 
 
 


Copyright © 2020 by Sean Banville | Privacy Policy | | Donate | Links