Category Archives: Medical

Warning: COVID-19 Is Not Over Yet

“In a now-viral video, hundreds of students and teachers gathered to welcome two Ukrainian children, refugees of war, on their first day of school in Naples, Italy…But there was also this sign that their well-being will be paramount in their new school — every student, teacher, and staff member wore a face mask. So did the two children.” R. Graham, The Boston Globe, March 19, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Omicron BA.2 Variant Represents Rising Share of U.S. Covid-19 Cases -WSJ-MARCH 22, 2022

Excerpt: No, COVID Isn’t Over, By Renee Graham, The Boston Globe, March 19, 2022

“This was an unintentional but pointed reminder: The COVID-19 pandemic is not over…Businesses nationwide have dropped proof-of-vaccination requirements for customers. Those home COVID tests that were impossible to find in December (and were exorbitantly expensivewhen available) are plentiful again on drugstore shelves.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser, hasn’t been a regular on TV in weeks. And with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vicious invasion of Ukraine dominating headlines, cable news stations’ once-daily parade of medical professionals has been supplanted by retired generals and foreign policy experts…Americans moving on from COVID doesn’t mean COVID has moved on from us… Waning vaccine immunity remains a concern. Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for a second booster shot for those 65 and older…What other countries are enduring will find its way here. We’ve seen this pattern before, and the CDC is already reporting an uptick of COVID-19 in wastewater samples nationwide.

‘Everybody wants to return to normal, everybody wants to put the virus behind us in the rearview mirror, which is, I think, what we should aspire to,’ Fauci said recently. Even if the virus seems to be subsiding here, he warned, ‘we have gone in the right direction in four other variants’ only to have COVID come roaring back again with horrific results.’

COVID is still here, but what seems to be all but gone is the leadership on every level to do everything possible to eradicate it.”

RELATED ARTICLE:

The BA.2 subvariant of Omicron accounts for over half of new U.S. coronavirus cases, the C.D.C. estimates. By Adeel Hassan, The New York Times, March 30, 2022

“The highly contagious Omicron subvariant known as BA.2, which led to a surge of coronavirus cases in Europe, is now the dominant version of the virus in new U.S. cases, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.


Time: Approximately 60 minutes.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the titles of the post and of the actual article.  Examine any photos, then create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article. 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. Hundreds of students and teachers gathered to welcome two Ukrainian children, refugees of war.
  2. It was a stirring moment to watch this brother and sister, who had lost so much in their homeland, being embraced in a new country.
  3. But there was also this sign that their well-being will be paramount in their new school as every person present  wore a face mask. So did the two children.
  4. This was an unintentional but pointed reminder: The COVID-19 pandemic is not over.
  5. When Hawaii ends its indoor mask mandate on March 26, it will be the last state to do so.
  6. Those home COVID tests that were impossible to find in December (and were exorbitantly expensive  when available) are plentiful again.
  7. With the invasion of the Ukraine the daily  feedback by medical professionals has been supplanted by retired generals and foreign policy experts.
  8. At his recent State of the Union speech where most in attendance were unmasked, President Biden took a cautious victory lap. 
  9. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 66 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated.
  10. Vaccination rates have flatlined.

Vocabulary Cluster By Learnnc.org

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

Yet what we keeping/keep hearing is/are that we’re/were getting back to normally/normal. And this is what ‘normal’ looks like — at less/least 1,000 people a day/days perishing from COVID; American vaccine/vaccinated interest that has/have fallen off a cliff; and persistent vaccine inequality/equality and lack of access around the world.

Reading Comprehension Fill-ins

Directions: Place students in groups and after they have read the entire article, have them complete the following sentences  taken from the article. They can use the words and terms from the list provided, or provide their own terms. They are to find the meanings of any new vocabulary.

Waning___ immunity remains a___. Pfizer and ___are seeking emergency___ from the ___Administration for a second___ shot for those ___and older. That recommendation will probably extend to ___people as well, because existing ___protection was not as___ when ___became the dominant___.

WORD LIST: Omicron, robust, vaccine, younger, 65, Food and Drug, authorization, booster, vaccine, concern, BioNTech,  variant

III. Post Reading Activities

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. Were you or someone you know affected by COVID-19?
  2. Do you believe that COVID-19 and the variants are gone and we can now get back to a normal life?
  3. What does  a “normal” life means to you?
  4. In Naples, Italy how did everyone know that COVID-19 was still present?
  5. According to the article which state will be the last to  end its indoor mask mandate?
  6. What other signs are there that people feel that the COVID-19  pandemic is over?
  7. Who is Dr. Anthony Fauci? Why is he important to the U.S.?
  8. Who made the following statement and why? “Thanks to the progress we’ve made in the past year, COVID-19 no longer need control our lives,.”
  9. Approximately how many people have died from the virus world wide? According to the article, how many Americans will have died by the end of April 2022?
  10. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approximately what percentage of Americans have been vaccinated?
  11. What is the name of the newest subvariant? Why is the variant considered more dangerous than the others?
  12. After reading this article, have any of your views about COVID-19 changed? Have your ideas about what is “normal” changed? Why or why not?
  13. List three new ideas  that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention.  Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Education, Health Issues, Medical, Science | Tags:

Returning to Work: Some are Happy Others Not So Much

“In Boston, as across the nation, a ‘back-to-work March’ has begun. With the omicron variant now on the wane, companies from American Express to Meta and Citigroup – are officially calling on employees to return to the office this month, while also trying to stay flexible enough so as not to lose those who prefer to work from home.”  T. Smith, NPR, March 8, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, got up extra early to dress for work before his first days back at the office in Boston. He’s among those happy to still be able to work two days from home, as the company’s new hybrid policy allows. Tovia Smith/NPR

EXCERPT: Returning to the office, a moment of joy for some. Others, would rather stay home, Tovia Smith, NPR, March 8, 2022

“Steve Tordone has been waiting for this moment for two years. Sure, he’s got a great set up for working at home, and it was nice to be around the family and the dogs. But he prefers working at his office in a downtown Boston high-rise where he works as a financial advisor. ‘I’m an outdoor cat and I just want I want to see people,’ he says, ‘I can’t wait for it to get crowded.’ Many firms are starting with ‘soft openings,’ but already, offices, streets and garages are filling back up.

‘It makes you so happy,’ says Samrawit Embaye, an attendant at one garage that put out its ‘Full’ sign. ‘If you see people coming, you feel like you are living real life.’

Duolingo threw a “homecoming” ice-cream party at its Pittsburgh headquarters to welcome workers back to the office beginning March 1st, one of many efforts to sweeten the deal for workers coming back to work on site. Ingeborg Spadafore

‘Definitely, it’s been an ordeal,’ moans Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, who’s somewhat less sanguine about the trade-offs…Waking up at the crack of dawn to go back to the office is almost impossible and not fun…He also laments giving up the fresh, healthy meals he was cooking for himself at home, having to get on increasingly crowded subway cars where he worries about catching COVID-19, and he’s mourning the loss of the flexibility he had at home to do his creative best, whenever inspiration strikes…Bosses are allowing flexibility because ‘there’s a danger in being too hardline,’  says Luis von Ahn, co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, a language-learning platform… More than 80% of the staff came back on March 1, he says. But just to be sure, he’s doubling down on office culture hoping to make it even more enticing.

Andy Waugh , a managing director at a large insurance broker in Boston, heads out to catch his train home after a day in the office. He’s encouraging more workers to return, saying it’s important for training, employee advancement, and company culture. Tovia Smith/NPR

For example, ‘homecoming week’ included an ice-cream social and happy hour…Firms around the nation are all too aware that requiring workers to come in every day, may actually end up pushing them out the door…Some workers want less human interaction, while some want boundaries between work and life. Attorney Brian Palmucci, can relate. On his way to a court hearing in Boston, he says he’s more than happy to just keep meeting with people on Zoom, instead of in person. Especially, he says, as long as COVID-19 is still a concern.

‘I have two young kids, and I think the long-term health ramifications of COVID are unknown. And so it’s a risk I’m not willing to take.’

But as case numbers have declined, Sameul Gebru is among those who believe what’s more unhealthy is “being under house arrest,” as he called it, where there are no “boundaries between work and life.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.


Time: Approximately 60 minutes.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

Pre-Reading Activity

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the titles of the post and of the actual article.  Examine any photos, then create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article. 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. Steve Tordone has got a great set up for working at home.
  2. He prefers working at his office in a downtown Boston high-rise.
  3. With the omicron variant now on the wane, companies  are officially calling on employees to return to the office this month.
  4. Some companies are trying to stay flexible enough so as not to lose those who prefer to work from home.
  5. Many workers prefer to be at work and not  being cooped up.
  6. Being back in the office is ‘a blessing’ for some who missed their colleagues.
  7. Pragadish Kalaivanan, a marketing analyst, feels that it’s been an ordeal.
  8. He’s somewhat less sanguine about the trade-offs at work.
  9. He also laments giving up the fresh, healthy meals he was cooking for himself at home.
  10. some employees feel that  being back in the office can often be a distraction from their other interests.

 Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical  error.  Identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

I

  1. Being back in the office is great for some who missed their colleagues.
  2. To McLallen, the upsides far outweigh even her hour-long commute.
  3. Waking up at the crack of dawn too go back to the office is almost impossible.

II

  1. Wednesdays are mandatory  on this firm.
  2. It’s especially critical for young workers to be at the office.
  3. Some companies are making in-person work optional.

III

  1. Some employees worry about riding  on crowded subway cars.
  2. Happy hour and a movie night were some of the manyperks Duolingo offered employees.
  3. Bosses is allowing flexibility because there’s a danger in being too hardline.

 

Reading Comprehension: Identify The  Speakers

image- cosmopolitan.com

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

  1. “I’m an outdoor cat and I just want I want to see people, I can’t wait for it to get crowded.”
  2. “It makes you so happy…If you see people coming, you feel like you are living real life.”
  3. “I love being around people, and not being cooped up in my bedroom.”
  4. “Waking up at the crack of dawn to go back to the office is almost impossible and not fun.”
  5. “Top talent wants some amount of flexibility.”
  6.   “How we operate, what our ethos is, how to do their jobs, how to treat clients – they’ve got to learn all that, and they won’t see it from their kitchen.”

 

III. Post Reading Activities

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. If you have a job, have you returned to your office? If yes, what kind of work schedule do you have? Do you have to come in every day or do you work some days in the office and some days from home? 
  2. Has your boss added any perks for the employees?  If so what are they?
  3. Which do you prefer, working from home or going to the office? Why?
  4. Why does Steve Tordone want to work from his office and not from home?
  5. Explain how some companies are approaching their employees about returning to work.
  6. Maureen McLallen was happy to be back at work. What were some of her reasons?
  7. Why was Pragadish Kalaivanan so unhappy about returning to work?
  8. Why are bosses afraid of  requiring employees come to work every day?
  9. To entice their employees back to work what are some of the perks Duolingo is offering?
  10. Why was attorney Brian Palmucci concerned about returning to his job?
  11. List three new ideas  that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention.  Share your responses with your class.

ANSWER KEY

 

Category: Business, Culture, Economy, Medical | Tags:

“The First Successful Transplant of a Pig’s Heart into a Human Being”

“The groundbreaking procedure offers hope to hundreds of thousands of other patients with failing organs.” R. C. Rabin, The New York Times, Jan 10, 2022

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into David Bennett Sr. last weekNYT

 

Excerpt: In Medical First, Man Receives a Genetically Modified Pig Heart, By Roni Caryn Rabin, January 10, 2022 

“A 57-year-old man with life-threatening heart disease has received a heart from a genetically modified pig, a groundbreaking procedure that offers hope to hundreds of thousands of patients with failing organs…The eight-hour operation took place in Baltimore on Friday, and the patient, David Bennett Sr. of Maryland, was doing well on Monday, according to surgeons at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

‘It creates the pulse, it creates the pressure, it is his heart,’ said Dr. Bartley Griffith, the director of the cardiac transplant program at the medical center, who performed the operation.’It’s working and it looks normal. We are thrilled, but we don’t know what tomorrow will bring us. This has never been done before.’

Scientists have worked feverishly to develop pigs whose organs would not be rejected by the human body, research accelerated in the past decade by new gene editing and cloning technologies. The heart transplant comes just months after surgeons in New York successfully attached the kidney of a genetically engineered pig to a brain-dead person. Researchers hope procedures like this will usher in a new era in medicine in the future when replacement organs are no longer in short supply for the more than half a million Americans who are waiting for kidneys and other organs.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.


Time: Approximately 60 minutes.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

 Predictions: Using a Pre-reading Organizer

Directions: Examine the title of the post and of the actual article. Next examine  any photos. Write a paragraph describing what you think this article will discuss. A pre-reading organizer may be used.

Pre-reading chart by J. Swann

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. My dad’s prognosis early on was very, very, bad.
  2. A 57-year-old man with life-threatening heart disease has received a heart from a genetically modified pig.
  3. It is the first successful transplant of a pig’s heart into a human being.
  4. Surgeons in New York successfully attached the kidney of a genetically engineered pig to a brain-dead person.
  5. “This is a watershed event,” said Dr. David Klassen.
  6. But he added that there were many hurdles to overcome before such a procedure could be broadly applied.
  7. Mr. Bennett is being closely monitored for signs that his body is rejecting the new organ.
  8. Dr. Griffith said he first broached the experimental treatment in mid-December.
  9. Pigs offer advantages over primates for organ procurements, because they are easier to raise.
  10. When Mr. Bennett first told his son, David Bennett Jr., about the upcoming transplant, he was flummoxed.

Grammar Focus: Word -Recognition

Directions: Students choose the correct word to complete the sentences taken from the article. They are to choose from the options presented.

Mr. Bennett decided/decide too/to gamble on/in the experimental treatments/treatment because he wouldn’t/would have died/dead without/with a new heart, had exhausted other treatment/treatments and was too/to sick to qualify for a/an human donor heart, family members and doctors said.

Reading Comprehension: Identify The  Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from the speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

  1. “It creates the pulse, it creates the pressure, it is his heart.”
  2. This is a watershed event.”
  3. “It was either die or do this transplant.”
  4. This doctor has successfully transplanted pig hearts into baboons in the past.

 

III. Post Reading Activities

WH-How Questions

Directions: Have students use the  WH-question format to discuss or to write the main points from the article.

Who or What is the article about?

Where does the action/event take place?

When does the action/event take place?

Why did the action/event occur?

How did the action/event occur?

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. Last year how many Americans received transplants?
  2. Which organ was transplanted the most last?
  3. Why can’t more Americans receive the transplants they need?
  4. Why is this procedure so important to for millions of Americans waiting for transplants?
  5. According to Dr. David Klassen, what is one of the major hurdles to overcome in these types of transplants?
  6. Why did Mr. Bennett, the heart recipient, go through with the transplant?
  7. Why is Mr. Bennett still connected to a heart-lung bypass machine?
  8. What does the process of xenotransplantation entail?
  9. What transplant was performed in the 1960s? Did it succeed?
  10. What is the advantage of using pigs over other primates for transplants?
  11. Why did the pig have to be genetically altered before the transplant?
  12. *Mr. Bennet  has a criminal record for a serious  assault 35 years ago, in which a young man was left paralyzed (read article below). In your opinion, should he have been saved by this transplant? Why or why not?
  13. Should there be guidelines for who should receive transplants? List the guidelines that you think would be necessary.
  14. List three new ideas  that you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention.  Share your responses with your class.

 

*Patient in Groundbreaking Heart Transplant Has a Violent Criminal Record By Roni C. Rabin, The New York Times, Jan 10, 2022

ANSWER KEY

Category: Education, Medical | Tags:

Everyone Should Be Wearing Masks!

“Something that’s supposed to cover our mouths speaks volumes about how crazy some people have gotten. When people ask me about my mood these days, I tell them that I feel like I’m a reporter for The Pompeii Daily News in A.D. 79…” T. L. Friedman, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

Credit- Brittainy Newman:The New York Times

Excerpt: If Our Masks Could Speak, By Thomas L. Friedman

“The summer of 2020 could be remembered as one of those truly important dates in American history. Everywhere you turn you see parents who don’t know where or if their kids will go to school this fall, renters who don’t know when or if they will be evicted, unemployed who don’t know what if any safety net Congress will put under them, businesses that don’t know how or if they can hold on another day — and none of us who know whether we’ll be able to vote in November…How did we get so inept?

If, God forbid, America were buried under lava the way Pompeii was and future archaeologists were to come along and dig it out, I have no doubt that the artifact they’d dust off and hold up first to answer that huge question would be a simple item that costs pennies to make and is so easy to wear: the face mask. For something that’s supposed to cover our mouths it speaks volumes about how crazy some have gotten.

Specifically, that face mask tells how the world’s richest and most scientifically advanced country generated a cadre of leaders and citizens who made wearing a covering over their nose and mouth to prevent the spread of a contagion into a freedom-of-speech issue and cultural marker — something no other country in the world did…And that’s where we are now. When you compare the sacrifices — including the ultimate sacrifice — that the Greatest Generation of Americans made to defend their fellow citizens from the scourge of Nazism with how little some members of today’s generations will sacrifice to defend their fellow Americans from the scourge of Covid-19 — by just wearing a face mask — it leaves you speechless.

It’s inexcusable. Resisting wearing a mask in a pandemic is nothing more than selfish, libertarian nonsense masquerading as a comic-book defense of freedom: ‘Don’t tread on me, but I can breathe on you.’  Trump’s resistance to masks actually had nothing to do with ideology. It was just his primitive opposition to anything that would highlight the true health crisis we were in and that therefore might hurt his re-election… As John Finn, professor emeritus of government at Wesleyan University, writing on The Conversation.com, noted, ‘There are two reasons why mask mandates don’t violate the First Amendment. First, a mask doesn’t keep you from expressing yourself. … Additionally, the First Amendment, like all liberties ensured by the Constitution, is not absolute. All constitutional rights are subject to the government’s authority to protect the health, safety and welfare of the community.’

We have a way to go…Wearing a mask in this pandemic is a sign of respect for your fellow citizens and neighbors — no matter what their race, creed or political affiliation. Wearing a mask says: ‘I’m not just concerned about myself. I’m concerned about you, too. We are all part of the same community, the same country and the same struggle to stay healthy.’  A different president would have been urging every American, from the start of this pandemic, to don a red, white and blue mask. He would have used such a mask to do double duty — crush Covid-19 and bring us together for the long march needed to do so.

As I said, a different president.”

 

“The right to vote is the most sacred American right there is — exercise it. Make your voice heard this November.”

~Democratic Presidential Leader Joe Biden ~

~Vice-Presidential Leader Kamala Harris~

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.


Time: Approximately 2 hours.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Using a Pre-reading Organizer

Directions: Examine the title of the post and of the actual article. Next examine any photos. Write a paragraph describing what you think this article will discuss. A pre-reading organizer may be used.

Pre-reading chart by J. Swann

 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. The author feels like a reporter for The Pompeii Daily News in A.D. 79.
  2. Many people don’t know if they will be evicted.
  3. Some people are already unemployed.
  4. Anxiety is building up beneath our society.
  5. How did we get so inept?
  6. The artifact they’d dust off and hold up first would be  the face mask.
  7. This country had generated a a cadre of leaders and citizens who selfishly refuse to wear a face mask.
  8. Wearing a mask is the cheapest way to prevent the spread of a contagion.
  9. Years ago Americans made the ultimate sacrifice.
  10. Resisting wearing a mask in a pandemic is inexcusable.

 

Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical  error.  Identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

I

  1. The summer of 2020 could be remembered as a important date in American history.
  2. That is a lot of anxiety building up beneath our  society.
  3. For something that’s supposed to cover our mouths it speaks volumes about how crazy some have gotten.

 

II

  1. Resisting wearing a mask in a pandemic is nothing more than selfish.
  2. Mike Pence is always happy to put lipstick on Trump’s piggishness.
  3. There are two reason why mask mandates don’t violate the First Amendment.

 

III

  1. Our future archaeologists would also be right to focus on face masks.
  2. We have a way too go.
  3. Wearing a mask in this pandemic is a sign of respect for your fellow citizens and neighbors.

Reading Comprehension Fill-ins

Directions: Place students in groups and after they have read the entire article, have them complete the following sentences  taken from the article. They can use the words and terms from the list provided, or provide their own terms. They are to find the meanings of any new vocabulary.

“But Mike Pence — always happy to put___on Trump’s ___— dressed up his ___mask-resistance in constitutional garb.

When asked by a___ at Trump’s Tulsa___a few weeks ago why the president appeared___about the absence of masks and social___ at his event, Pence solemnly intoned: ‘I want to remind you again, freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble is in the ___ Even in a health crisis, the American people don’t___ our constitutional rights.’  What a fraud.

WORD LIST: forfeit, Constitution of the U.S., distancing, unconcerned, reporter,  elegant,  crude, rally, lipstick, piggishness,

III. Post Reading Activities

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. According to the author why is there a building up of anxiety in this country?
  2. The author provides one main reason for our ineptness at handling the coronavirus. What is it?
  3. In your opinion, who is to blame for people not wearing face masks?
  4. The author states, “A society that can politicize something as simple as a face mask in a pandemic can politicize anything, can make anything a wedge issue…” What does he mean?
  5. What does the author  say is the ultimate sacrifice that Americans can do (and have done in the past) for  their fellow citizens?
  6. What does the author call refusing to wear a face mask in a pandemic? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
  7. The author refers to Trump as being  ‘primitive’ in handling our country especially during Covid-19. Do you agree/disagree?  Provide reasons for your opinion.
  8. What reason does the author give for Trump’s resistance to masks?

3-2-1-Writing

Directions: In 5 minutes to write down three new ideas  you’ve learned about the topic from the reading,  two things  that  you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you  would like to know that the article did not mention. Review the responses as a class.

ANSWER KEY

Category: Education, Health Issues, Medical, People, Political Issues, Social Issues | Tags:

Would You Volunteer for the Covid-19 Vaccine Trial Tests?

“How do you sign up for a trial? Who is eligible? Will you be paid? Could an experimental shot protect you? Could you get sick? Who covers the costs if you do? Here’s what you need to know.” H. Murphy, The New York Times

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post with Answer Key

A volunteer gets his injection in the first-phase trial of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Moderna, a company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ceredit- Ted S Warren:AP

 

Excerpt: Do You Want to Be a Vaccine Volunteer? By Heather Murphy, The New York Times  [Note: read this article in its entirety]

“Maybe you are an altruist looking for a way to help fight the coronavirus. Maybe you are hoping to be among the first to try an experimental vaccine. Or maybe you are just bored or could use a few hundred dollars.

Whatever your reasons, scientists, bioethicists and current volunteers say participating in a vaccine trial can be meaningful. And without hundreds of thousands of volunteers, there will be no vaccine for anyone.

But you may be surprised by the commitment and risks that a trial entails. Here’s what you need to know.”

How do I find a trial?

Dr. Avo Avworo in San Antonio, Texas injects volunteer in latest phase of Covid-19 trials. Credit San Antonio Express News

“A number of sites maintain lists of coronavirus vaccine trials. The Covid-19 Prevention Network site, created by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, helps connect volunteers to Phase 3 studies.”

How do I increase my chance of early access to an experimental vaccine?

lA clinical trial participant in England is injected with either an experimental COVID-19 vaccine or a placebo shot. Trials like this are underway around the world. (Oxford University)

“There’s no guarantee that you’ll actually be protected from the coronavirus at any phase of a vaccine trial, no matter how hyped the product has been… you might not get the vaccine at all. It might be an inactive placebo or an alternative intervention. Researchers have to give these to some subjects to create a control group, said Nir Eyal, the director of the Center for Population-Level Bioethics at the Rutgers School of Public Health.”

How much will I get paid?

“It could be a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. It varies by the trial… Organizers try to avoid creating a financial incentive.”

I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

A volunteer taking part in a human trial of a potential vaccine for the coronavirus. Credit- Oxford University, via Associated Press

“People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months.”

What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

“Employers have to provide a safe workplace with policies that protect everyone equally. And if one of your co-workers tests positive for the coronavirus, the C.D.C. has said that employers should tell their employees — without giving you the sick employee’s name — that they may have been exposed to the virus.”

What if I’m willing to be infected with the coronavirus to speed up the science?

“Across the world, a lively debate is underway about that. This type of vaccine research is called a ‘challenge trial,’ which entails giving volunteers a vaccine then deliberately exposing them to the virus to see if they end up infected.

The approach is controversial because Covid-19 has no cure and can be fatal. But it is also tantalizing because it promises to dramatically speed up research.”

Dr. Eyal believes that “he most ethical way to conduct these trials is to focus on young, healthy volunteers who meet criteria that suggest they’d be unlikely to develop a severe case of Covid-19. There are no guarantees, however, which is why some experts are adamantly opposed to challenge trials… But if you are not deterred, and want to help advance the science, the site 1 Day Sooner invites people to sign up for future challenge trials.”

 

2020 Election Live Updates: Biden Visits Kenosha and Meets With Jacob Blake’s Family

Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his wife, Jill Biden, arrived in Milwaukee on Thursday, where they met with the parents of Jacob Blake, who was shot and paralyzed by a Kenosha police officer. Credit: Kriston Jae Bethel for The New York Times

“Mr. Biden met privately with several of Mr. Blake’s closest relatives for an hour as soon as his plane landed in Milwaukee. He then convened a community meeting at Grace Lutheran Church in Kenosha, which is still reeling after the shooting of Mr. Blake and subsequent protests that saw sporadic outbreaks of violence and looting.

“Hate only hides,” Mr. Biden said, as he described the ways, in his view,  Trump has emboldened bigots. But he predicted that the country had reached an “inflection point.”

“Get off Twitter,” Mr. Biden scolded Trump in a speech on Wednesday, urging him to engage with congressional leaders to help support schools and pass an economic aid package.”

ESL Voices Lesson Plan for this post

NOTE: Lessons can also be used with native English speakers.

Level: Intermediate – Advanced


Language Skills: Reading, writing, and speaking. Vocabulary and grammar activities are included.


Time: Approximately 2 hours.


Materials: Student handout (from this lesson) and access to news article.


Objective: Students will read and discuss the article with a focus on improving reading comprehension and improving oral skills. At the end of the lesson students will express their personal views on the topic through group work and writing.

I. Pre-Reading Activities

 Predictions: Analyzing headings and photos

Directions: Examine the title of the article. Examine any photos, then create a list of  words and  ideas  that you  and your group members think might be related to this article. 

II. While Reading Activities

Word Inference

Directions: Try to infer the meanings of the words in bold taken from the article. You use a dictionary, thesaurus, and Word Chart for assistance.

  1. Maybe you are an altruist looking for a way to help fight the coronavirus.
  2. Some people are hoping to be among the first to try an experimental vaccine.
  3. Without hundreds of thousands of volunteers, there will be no vaccine for anyone.
  4. You may be surprised by the commitment and risks that a trial entails.
  5. Typically they will monitor you and a few dozen other subjects closely after each dose.
  6. There are three phases for a trial.
  7. Some volunteers will receive  the experimental vaccine.
  8. Sometimes a vaccine will  generate an immune response.
  9. An immune response does not mean the vaccine was sufficient to protect anyone.
  10. Non of the volunteers will know if they are receiving the vaccine or a placebo.

 Grammar Focus: Structure and Usage

Directions: The following groups of sentences are from the article. One of the sentences in each group contains a grammatical  error.  Identify the sentence (1, 2, or 3 ) from each group that contains the grammatical error.

I

  1. A number of site maintain lists of coronavirus vaccine trials.
  2. There are three primary phases of a vaccine trial.
  3. At the time you receive the vaccine, the developer won’t know if it prevents Covid-19.

II

  1. Phase 1 trials are appealing to some volunteers.
  2. Phase 2 is bigger and typically involves a few hundred people.
  3. Only a Phase three trials allows researchers to study if their vaccine works.

III

  1. There’s no guarantee that you’ll actually be protected from the coronavirus at any phase.
  2. The approach is controversial because Covid-19 has no cure and can be fatal.
  3. The  approach also promises to dramatically speed up research.

 

Reading Comprehension

Identify The  Speakers

Directions: Read the following quotes from speakers in the article. Then identify the speakers.

  1. “There’s no guarantee that you’ll actually be protected from the coronavirus at any phase of a vaccine trial, no matter how hyped the product has been.”
  2. “Organizers try to avoid creating a financial incentive. So even if they could pay much more, they don’t.”
  3. “It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.”
  4. “If the money seems extraordinarily attractive to you, think again… You don’t want to let compensation blind you to the need to pay attention to the risks.”

Discussion Questions for Comprehension /Writing

Directions: Have  students discuss the following questions/statements. Afterwards,  students share their thoughts as a class. To reinforce the ideas, students can write an essay on one of the topics mentioned.

  1. What are some reasons a person might want to volunteer for the Covid-19 tests?
  2. According to the article what happens if there are too few or no volunteers for these tests?
  3. How many volunteers is the company Moderna looking for?
  4. How many phases are there for a vaccine trial?
  5. Why is Phase 1 trial the most popular among volunteers?
  6. How much money will a volunteer make?
  7. Will volunteers who were injected become immune to Covid-19?
  8. According to the article what is this kind of research called? Why?
  9. After reading the entire article, would you  volunteer for the Covid-19 trials? Explain why or why not.
  10. With your group members discus how Covid-19 has affected your daily activites (e.g., home, school, family or friends).

3-2-1-Writing

Directions: In 5 minutes to write down three new ideasyou’ve learned about the topic from the reading, two things that you did not understand in the reading, and one thing you would like to know that the article did not mention. Review the responses as a class.

Additional Exercises for Group Discussion

Main Idea / Debate

Directions: Divide students into two teams for this debate. Both teams can use information from the article and sources from the Web to support their arguments.

Team A will list five reasons that support arguments for volunteering for the Covid-19 trials.

Team B will list  five reasons that support arguments against volunteering for the Covid-19 trials.

Allow each team time to state their points of view. The teacher decides which team made their points.  

Pros and Cons Scale

Pros and Cons Scale organizer  from Freeology

ANSWER KEY

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