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Reading Worksheet

A Year in the Lab

B1 Future Continuous: Scheduled and Ongoing Future Activities Science and Research 25 minutes
Before You Read

Discuss these questions with a partner before you read.

  • Have you ever been to the sea or an ocean? What was it like?
  • What do you know about coral reefs? Why do you think they are important?
  • Look at the title 'A Year in the Lab'. What kind of work do you think the article will describe?
  • What problems do you think rising sea temperatures might cause?
Key Vocabulary
Word Definition Example
marine (adj.) relating to the sea Dr Osei is a marine biologist.
coral reef (n.) a structure built by tiny sea animals, found in warm, shallow water She will be studying the impact of rising temperatures on coral reefs.
sample (n.) a small amount of something taken for testing or analysis She will be collecting water samples twice a week.
analyse (v.) to study something in detail in order to understand it She will be analysing the data in May and June.
sobering (adj.) making you feel serious, especially because of something difficult or worrying The work is both exciting and sobering.
supervise (v.) to watch over and guide someone's work She will be supervising two PhD students throughout the year.
Reading Text
Magazine Article ~285 words

A Year in the Lab — and Under the Sea

Dr Amara Osei is a marine biologist from Ghana. Next year, she will be carrying out one of the most important research projects of her career: studying the impact of rising sea temperatures on coral reefs in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. She will be working alongside a team from the University of Queensland, and the results of her study could influence conservation policy around the world.

From January to April, Dr Osei will be collecting water samples twice a week from twelve different sites along the reef. This is slow, detailed work. 'Every sample tells a story,' she says. 'You have to be very careful not to disturb the ecosystem.' While she will be diving and collecting data, her colleague Dr Leon Park will be operating the laboratory equipment back on shore.

In May and June, Dr Osei will be analysing the data she has gathered. She and her team will be comparing temperature records from the past twenty years with the current readings. In July and August, she will be writing up her findings for publication in an international science journal.

Throughout the entire year, Dr Osei will also be supervising two PhD students, guiding them through their own research projects. In September, she will be presenting her results at an international conference in Tokyo.

When asked how she feels about the year ahead, she is thoughtful. 'This time next year, I will be diving in some of the world's most beautiful — and most threatened — water. It is both exciting and sobering.' In November, she will be returning to Ghana to share her findings with local fishing communities who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

Notice the Grammar

Read the second paragraph. Find three verb phrases that describe what Dr Osei and her colleague will be doing in the future. Write them down. What do you notice about the form? Why do you think the writer uses 'will be + -ing' instead of just 'will + verb'?

1 Reading for Gist

Answer these questions in a few words.

  1. Who is the article about?
  2. Where will Dr Osei be doing her research?
  3. What is the main focus of her research?
2 Reading for Detail

Write short answers based on the article.

  1. What will Dr Osei be doing from January to April?
  2. What will Dr Leon Park be doing while Dr Osei is diving?
  3. What will Dr Osei be doing in July and August?
  4. In September, Dr Osei will be:  a) Collecting water samples at the reef. b) Returning to Ghana to talk to fishing communities. c) Presenting her results at a conference in Tokyo. 
  5. What will Dr Osei be doing in November?
3 True, False, or Not Given

Write T (True), F (False), or NG (Not Given) for each statement.

  1. Dr Osei will be working with a team from the University of Queensland.
  2. Dr Osei will be collecting samples from six different sites.
  3. Dr Osei has visited the Great Barrier Reef before.
  4. Dr Osei will also be supervising PhD students during the year.
  5. Dr Osei will be comparing temperature records from the past five years.
4 Vocabulary in Context

Answer these questions about words from the article.

  1. In paragraph 1, 'conservation policy' most likely means:  a) Rules about how to build new offices. b) Plans and laws to protect the natural environment. c) Research methods used in laboratories. 
  2. Dr Osei says the work is 'both exciting and sobering'. What does 'sobering' suggest about the situation of coral reefs?
  3. Find a word in paragraph 2 that means 'a natural community of living things and their environment'. 
  4. The article says fishing communities 'depend on the sea for their livelihood'. What does 'livelihood' mean in your own words?
5 Grammar in Context

Complete these activities about the future continuous.

  1. Find five future continuous sentences from the article. Write them.
    a)  b)  c)  d)  e) 
  2. Dr Osei says 'This time next year, I will be diving.' What does 'this time next year' tell us about the activity?
  3. We use the future continuous (not 'will + infinitive') when:  a) We decide something at the moment of speaking. b) We describe an activity that will be in progress at a specific future point in time. c) We talk about something that definitely will not happen. 
  4. Use future continuous to rewrite these sentences: (a) 'She collects samples from January to April.' → (b) 'She writes up her findings in July.' → (c) 'She presents at the Tokyo conference in September.' →
  5. Imagine your life in five years. Write four sentences about what you will be doing, using future continuous. Include a time expression in each sentence.
Personal Response — Discuss with a partner

Discuss these questions with a partner. Share one idea with the class.

  1. Dr Osei describes her work as 'both exciting and sobering'. Can you think of another job that might feel this way? Why?
  2. She will be sharing her findings with fishing communities in Ghana. Why do you think this is important?
  3. If you could study any topic for a whole year, what would it be and where would you go? Describe what you would be doing each month.

Answer Key

A Year in the Lab — B1 — Future Continuous: Scheduled and Ongoing Future Activities

Exercise 1 — Reading for Gist

  1. Dr Amara Osei, a marine biologist from Ghana.
  2. At the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
  3. The impact of rising sea temperatures on coral reefs.

Exercise 2 — Reading for Detail

  1. She will be collecting water samples twice a week from twelve different sites along the reef.
  2. He will be operating the laboratory equipment back on shore.
  3. She will be writing up her findings for publication in an international science journal.
  4. c)
  5. She will be returning to Ghana to share her findings with local fishing communities.

Exercise 3 — True, False, or Not Given

  1. T — The article states: 'She will be working alongside a team from the University of Queensland.'
  2. F — The article says twelve different sites, not six.
  3. NG — The article does not mention any previous visits.
  4. T — The article states: 'Dr Osei will also be supervising two PhD students, guiding them through their own research projects.'
  5. F — The article says twenty years, not five.

Exercise 4 — Vocabulary in Context

  1. b)
  2. It suggests the situation is serious or worrying — the reefs are in danger, which makes her feel thoughtful and serious despite the excitement.
  3. ecosystem
  4. The way they earn money and support themselves — their income or means of survival.

Exercise 5 — Grammar in Context

  1. Any five sentences using 'will be + -ing', e.g. 'She will be carrying out one of the most important research projects of her career.' / 'She will be working alongside a team from the University of Queensland.' / 'She will be collecting water samples twice a week.' / 'She will be analysing the data she has gathered.' / 'She will be writing up her findings.' / 'She will be supervising two PhD students.' / 'She will be presenting her results at a conference in Tokyo.' / 'She will be returning to Ghana.'
  2. It tells us the activity will be in progress at that exact moment in the future — she will be in the middle of diving, not starting or finishing it.
  3. b)
  4. (a) She will be collecting samples from January to April. (b) She will be writing up her findings in July. (c) She will be presenting at the Tokyo conference in September.
  5. Answers will vary. Answers will vary. Check: will be + -ing with time expressions (e.g. in five years, by then, at this time in 2031). Acti

Notice the Grammar — suggested answers

Accept any five correct examples from the article that use the target grammar. Students should be able to explain why the grammar is used in each case.

Personal Response

Answers will vary. This section is for spoken discussion or short written response. There are no single correct answers.