ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
superbugs: fighting back
WORLDleadersareworkingtogethertofight
deadlysuperbugs.
Expertssaythatsomemedicinesthatusedtomakeus
be5erarenolongerworking.It’sknownasan<microbial
resistance.
Inotherwords,an<bio<cmedicinecannotdoitsjob
ofkillingbacteria.Thebacteriaininfec<onsare
becomingresistanttothedrugs,sotheydon’twork
anymore.Peoplearecallingthem‘superbugs’.
Thisisalreadyhappening,whichiswhygloballeaders
metattheUnitedNa<onslastweektotalkaboutthe
problem.
Withoutac<onnow,it’sthoughtthatby2050,
an<microbialresistancewillmeantenmillionpeople
willdieeveryyear.
Scien<stssaypartoftheproblemisthatan<bio<cs
aregivenouttopeopletoooKenbydoctors.Farm
animalsarealsogivenan<bio<csintheirfoodtostop
themgeMngill–sothemedicinespassintothefoodwe
eat.
Everywhereintheworld,commoninfec<onsare
becomingresistanttothean<microbialdrugsusedto
treatthem.Thismeanslongerillnessesandmore
deaths.But,atlastweek’smee<ng,worldleaders
agreedanac<onplantodealwiththeproblem.
big news
Thereisno<metowait–an<bio<cresistanceisareal
threatandisfastreachingthepointofnoreturn.Itis
nowornever.
Theac<onplanisalsolookingatwater.AKerwetake
anan<bio<ctotreatbacterialinfec<ons,theresistant
bacterialeavesourbodiesinweeandpoo.Eventually,
thisreachesawastewatertreatmentplant.Withtreated
wastewaterbeingusedinfarming,resistantbacteria
mayfinditswayintoourfoodaswell.Soscien<stsare
urgentlylookingatthis
problem,too.
Inthemean<me,wecanallhelpbyonlytaking
an<bio<cswhenwereallyneedthem.
fears for penguins
animal news
ANEWstrainofbirdfluhasbeendiscoveredinAntarcPcpenguins,
leadingtoconcernsthatthevirusisreachingtheareamoreoRen
thanthoughtbefore.
TheviruswasdetectedfirstinAntarc<cain2013,butAustralianresearchers
helpedtouncoveranewstrain(variety)ofbirdfluinachinstrappenguinin
2015.Thenewstrainshowedstrikingsimilari<estoaNorthAmericanstrain,
whichmeansithadbeenintroducedtotheareaonlyrecently.Before,
scien<ststhoughtvirusesrarelyreachedAntarc<ca,butitisnowthoughtthat
migra<ngbirdsaretakingthevirustheremorefrequently.
Whilethebirdfluhasn'tmadethepenguinsill,thefactthatthevirushas
arrivedinAntarcticaworriesscientists.Theyfeelthatfindingouthowbirdflu
reachedAntarcticawillhelpthemunderstandhowthevirusmovesaround.
Glossary: Bacteria–microscopiclivingorganismsthatcanbefoundeverywhere.Theycanbedangerous,suchaswhen
theycauseinfecPon.
Virus–aninfecPveagentthatisabletomulPplyonlywithinthelivingcellsofahost.Virusesareeven smallerthanbacteria.
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
Carefullyreadthisweek’s‘SUPERBUGS:FIGHTINGBACK’and‘FEARSFORPENGUINS’
ar<clesandthenanswerthefollowingques<ons.
Questions on ‘’ SUPERBUGS : FIGHTING BACK”
PartA:Findandexplainthefacts
A1.Whatisan<microbialresistance?
A2. Whatare‘superbugs’?
PartB:DeduceandinferinformaPon
B1. Ifac<onisn’ttaken,whataretheconsequencesofan<microbialresistancelikelytobe?
B2.Whatdoscien<stsbelievehascausedtheproblem?
B3.Whatisbeingdonetoaddressan<microbialresistance?
PartC:AnalysethewriPngandpresentaPon
C1. Analysethepicturethataccompaniesthisar<cle.
C2. Pickoutasentencethatisusedtoconveytheseriousnessofthesitua<onandexplaintheeffectthatithasonthe
reader.
Questions on ‘’ FEARS FOR PENGUINS”
PartA:Findandexplainthefacts
A1.WhathasbeendiscoveredinAntarc<cpenguins?
A2. Completethetabletoshowwhatwasdiscoveredin2013andwhatwasdiscoveredin2015:
A3.Whatisthenewstrainlike?
2013
2015
PartB:DeduceandinferinformaPon
B1.Thepenguinshaven’tbecomeillsowhyarescien<stsworried?
B2.Whyarescien<stssoconcernedwithfindingouthowbirdflureachedAntarc<ca?
PartC:AnalysethewriPngandpresentaPon
C1.Thinkofadifferentheadlineforthisar<cleandexplainyourchoice.
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
Carefullyreadthisweek’s‘SUPERBUGS:FIGHTINGBACK’and‘FEARSFORPENGUINS’
ar<clesandthenanswerthefollowingques<ons.
Questions on ‘’ SUPERBUGS : FIGHTING BACK”
PartA:Findandexplainthefacts
A1.Whatisan<microbialresistance?
A2. Whatare‘superbugs’?
PartB:DeduceandinferinformaPon
B1. Ifac<onisn’ttaken,whataretheconsequencesofan<microbialresistancelikelytobe?
B2.Whatdoscien<stsbelievehascausedtheproblem?
B3.Whatisbeingdonetoaddressan<microbialresistance?
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
PartC:AnalysethewriPngandpresentaPon
C1. Analysethepicturethataccompaniesthisar<cle.
C2. Pickoutasentencethatisusedtoconveytheseriousnessofthesitua<onandexplaintheeffectthatithasonthe
reader.
Questions on ‘’ FEARS FOR PENGUINS”
PartA:Findandexplainthefacts
A1.WhathasbeendiscoveredinAntarc<cpenguins?
A2. Completethetabletoshowwhatwasdiscoveredin2013andwhatwasdiscoveredin2015:
2013
2015
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
A3.Whatisthenewstrainlike?
PartB:DeduceandinferinformaPon
B1.Thepenguinshaven’tbecomeillsowhyarescien<stsworried?
B2.Whyarescien<stssoconcernedwithfindingouthowbirdflureachedAntarc<ca?
PartC:AnalysethewriPngandpresentaPon
C1.Thinkofadifferentheadlineforthisar<cleandexplainyourchoice.
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
AIMOFTHENEWSCOMPREHENSIONS
Newsreportsareuniquenon-fictiontexts.Beingreal,theynaturallyengagestudents,andwiththerangeoftopicsthatarecovered,helpto
developpupils’knowledgeandunderstandingofthewiderworldoutsidetheclassroom.
Thereportsareidealforshort,focusedcomprehensionordiscussionactivities.Alongwiththeopportunitytofindfascinatingfactsandappreciate
theopinionsofthoseinvolved,thereisplentytobeinferredanddeducedtounderstandinmoredepthwhatisbeingreported.Likeauthors,
journalistsplaywithlanguage,sonews‘stories’arerichnuggetsoftexttoinvestigateandprovidetheopportunityforliteracyprogrammes.
TEACHERANSWERGUIDE
Theteacheranswersareintendedtoprovideaguidetothereadingskilleachquestionispractising.Suggestionsaregivenforastartingpointfor
responsesthatstudentswouldbeexpectedtogiveatthestartofKS3.Furthersuggestionsthengivefuller,moredevelopedresponsesthat
studentswillworktowardsbytheendofKS3,inpreparationforthenon-fictionelementsofGCSEEnglishLanguage.
TEACHERANSWERS
QuesPonson‘’SUPERBUGS:FIGHTINGBACK”
PartA
A1.Whatisan<microbialresistance?
READINGSKILL-Findandexplaininforma<on
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• An<microbialresistanceiswhenmedicinesusedtomakeusbe5erarenolongerworking.
Development
• Itiswhenan<bio<cmedicinecannotdoitsjobofkillingbacteria.
A2.Whatare‘superbugs’?
READINGSKILL-Findandexplaininforma<on
Expectedresponse
• Thebacteriaininfec<onsthatarebecomingresistanttodrugsarebeingcalled‘superbugs’.
PartB
B1.Ifac<onisn’ttaken,whataretheconsequencesofan<microbialresistancelikelytobe?
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onandjus<fywithevidencefromthetext
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Itislikelythattherewillbelongerillnessesanddeathsbecauseglobally,commoninfec<onsarebecoming
resistanttothean<microbialdrugsusedtotreatthem.Indeed,it’sthoughtthatby2050,an<microbial
resistancewillmeantenmillionpeoplewilldieeveryyear.
Development
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onbasedonownknowledge
• An<microbialresistancethreatensmedicalproceduressuchasorgantransplanta<on,cancerchemotherapyand
majorsurgerysuchascaesareansec<ons.Thisisbecausewithouteffec<vean<microbialsforthepreven<onof
infec<ons,suchproceduresbecomeveryhighrisk.
• An<microbialresistanceislikelytodrainhealthcareresourcesandincreasethecostofhealthcarebecause
peoplewillneedtostayinhospitalforlongeranditislikelythatmorepeoplewillrequireintensivecare.
B2.Whatdoscien<stsbelievehascausedtheproblem?
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onandjus<fywithevidencefromthetext
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Scien<stsbelievethatpartoftheproblemisthatan<bio<csaregivenouttopeopletoooKenbydoctors.For
example,whentheyaregiventopeoplewithviralinfec<onslikecoldsandflu.
Development
• Furthermore,some<mesfarmanimalsaregivenan<bio<csintheirfoodtostopthemgeMngillandthis
medicinethenpassesintothefoodthatweeat.
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue53730September–6October2016
big news & ANIMAL NEWS
Resistantbacteriamayalsofinditswayintoourfoodbecausetreatedwastewaterisusedinfarming.AKerwe
takeanan<bio<ctotreatbacterialinfec<ons,theresistantbacterialeavesourbodiesinourweeandpooand
goestoawastewatertreatmentplant.Thatwatermaythenbeusedbyfarmerstoirrigatefieldsoffoodcrops.
B3.Whatisbeingdonetoaddressan<microbialresistance?
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onandjus<fywithevidencefromthetext
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• GloballeadersmetattheUnitedNa<onslastweektotalkabouttheproblem.Theyagreedanac<onplan.
Development
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onbasedonownknowledge
• ThisisimportantbecauseaccordingtotheWorldHealthOrganiza<on,“singleisolatedinterven<onshavelimited
impact.”Therefore,countriesneedtoworktogethertoconductfurtherresearchintotheproblemandto
developnewresponses.
• Whilstthisworkisbeingdone,wecanallhelptoaddresstheproblembyonlytakingan<bio<cswhenwereally
needthem.
PartC
C1.Analysethepicturethataccompaniesthisar<cle.
READINGSKILL-Iden<fybenefitsoftextorganisa<onandpresenta<on
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Themainpictureisofalargespoonfulloftablets.Thetabletsarearangeofshapes,sizesandcoloursandthey
arerecognisableasmedicine.
Development
• Showingallthedifferentcolouredtabletstogethermakestheimagestandoutonthepage.Furthermore,the
imageisunusualasyoudon’tnormallyseesomanydifferenttabletsgroupedtogether.Thishelpstohighlight
theconcernthattoomanymedicinesandan<bio<csarebeinggivenout.
• Theuseofthespoonisalsoeffec<vebecauseweusespoonstoeatourfood.Therefore,havingallofthetablets
onaspoonhelpstohammerhomethemessageabouthowan<bio<csaregeMngintoourfoodchain.Thisis
shockingbecausepeopledon’tliketothinkoftheirfoodbeingcontaminatedbydrugs.
•
C2.Pickoutasentencethatisusedtoconveytheseriousnessofthesitua<onandexplaintheeffectthatithasonthe
reader.
READINGSKILL-Recogniseeffectoflanguagechoices
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint-anappropriatesentenceischosen/simplecommentoneffect.
Developedresponse-anappropriatesentenceischosen/clearanddetailedexplana<onofeffect.
(Studentsonlyneedtochooseandanalyseonesentence.Awardotherselec<onsifaconvincingexplana<onis
provided.)
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue51927thMay-2ndJune2016
Animal news
Sentence
Effect
“Withoutac<onnow,it’sthoughtthatby2050,
an<microbialresistancewillmeantenmillion
peoplewilldieeveryyear.”
Theuseofthesta<s<c“tenmillion”conveysto
thereaderhowseriousthesitua<onisbecause
thatisalotoflostlives.Itmayonlybea
predic<onbutwithsomanylivesatstakethere
willbeanunwillingnesstotaketheriskthatit
won’tbecomeareality.Thereforethesentence
servesasawarningandtheimplica<onthat
somethingcans<llbedoneaboutthesitua<on
makesitseemmoreurgent.
“Thereisno<metowait—an<bio<cresistance Theemphasisontherebeing“no<metowait”
isarealthreatandisfastreachingthepointofno andthatthepointofnoreturnis“fast”being
return.”
reachedshowshowseriousthesitua<onis
becauseitintroducesthepossibilitythatwemay
notbeabletoresolvetheproblem.Thereference
toan<bio<cresistancebeinga“realthreat”is
alsousedtohookscep<cs.Peopleare
bombardedwithbadnewsstoriesallofthe<me
andoKensuchstoriesareexaggerated.Therefore
theuseofthephrase“realthreat”makesthe
readerviewthedangersassociatedwith
an<microbialresistanceasgenuine.
“Itisnowornever.”
Thisisashort,bluntsentence.Itmakesthe
situa<onseemseriousbecauseitisacallfor
ac<onbeforeitistoolate.Italsoreinforcesthe
previousreferencetotherebeing“no<meto
wait”andthusithammersthepointhome.
QuesPonson‘’FEARSFORPENGUINS”
PartA
A1.WhathasbeendiscoveredinAntarc<cpenguins?
READINGSKILL-Findandexplaininforma<on
Expectedresponse
• AnewstrainofbirdfluhasbeendiscoveredinAntarc<cpenguins.
A2.Completethetabletoshowwhatwasdiscoveredin2013andwhatwasdiscoveredin2015:
READINGSKILL-Findandexplaininforma<on
Possibleanswer
2013
2015
Expectedresponse
Star<ngpoint
• Whenthebirdfluviruswasfirstdetected
• Whenanewstrainofbirdfluwas
inAntarc<ca.
uncovered.
Development
• Itwasdiscoveredinachinstrappenguin
byAustralianresearchers
ARTICLEANALYSIS
Issue51927thMay-2ndJune2016
Animal news
A3.Whatisthenewstrainlike?
READINGSKILL-Findandexplaininforma<on
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Thenewstrainshowedstrikingsimilari<estoaNorthAmericanstrain.
Development
• Thismeansthatithadbeenintroducedonlyrecentlytothearea.
PartB
B1.Thepenguinshaven’tbeenmadeillsowhyarescien<stsworried?
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onandjus<fywithevidencefromthetext
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Eventhoughthebirdfluhasn’tmadethepenguinsill,scien<stareworriedthatthevirushasarrivedin
Antarc<ca.
Development
• Scien<stshadthoughtthatvirusesrarelyreachedAntarc<caandsothisisaworryingdevelopment.
B2.Whyarescien<stssoconcernedwithfindingouthowbirdflureachedAntarc<ca?
READINGSKILL-Inferinforma<onandjus<fywithevidencefromthetext
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint
• Scien<stsareconcernedwithfindingouthowbirdflureachedAntarc<cabecausetheyhopethatitwillhelp
themtounderstandhowthevirusmovesaround.
Development
• Itisthoughtthatmigra<ngbirdsmightbetakingthevirustheremorefrequently.
PartC
C1.Thinkofadifferentheadlineforthisar<cleandexplainyourchoice.
READINGSKILL-Considercontextualfactors
Possibleanswer
Star<ngpoint-anappropriateheadlineissuggested/simplecommentoneffect.
Developedresponse-anappropriateheadlineissuggested/clearanddetailedexplana<onofeffect.
Headline
Fiendishflufollowsfeatheredfriends
(Awardallappropriatesugges<ons)
Explana<on
•
•
•
Theuseofallitera<onhelpstheheadline
toflowsinceitisquitelong.
Furthermore,thelengthoftheheadline
isappropriatebecauseitisn’tforafront
pagear<cle.
Thereferencetothefluvirusas
“fiendish”makesitsoundthreatening
andcomplexwhichpreparesthereader
forthefactthattherearedifferentstrains
andthatithasreachedAntarc<ca.
Themen<onofhowtheflu“follows
featheredfriends”supportstheasser<on
inthemainbodytextthatmigra<ngbirds
maybethereasonthatthevirusisbeing
detectedmorefrequentlyinAntarc<ca.