RoundTalk

Clocks just fell back again: should we finally scrap the time change?

English · B1 worksheet Based on the RoundTalk episode of

Free for classroom use. Students listen to the first 75 seconds and read the beginning of the debate, then work on the tasks. The answer key is on the last page. The panelists are fictional characters with AI voices.

Episode page
1 · Listen (first 75 seconds)

2 · Read

Host

Welcome to RoundTalk. Clocks fell back Sunday. The House passed permanent daylight saving time, but the Senate blocked it. Should we stop changing our clocks twice a year? Marcus helps companies manage time zones. Elena works with doctors on health. James runs a small business. Let's debate.

Host

James, your shop changes its clocks twice a year. What's the actual pain?

James Hartley

Pick one and stop. Honestly, what drives me crazy is Sunday morning. My till printed the wrong hour. Two staff came in late. A customer argued about closing time. Daylight or standard, I don't care. End the yearly switch.

Host

Marcus, James just described the chaos on his payroll. How bad is this for companies managing remote teams?

Marcus Webb

It's worse than a wrong till. I've seen this play out a hundred times. A team in Arizona, which never changes, suddenly meets at the wrong hour. Two weeks of broken calendars. That's why the yearly switch must end.

Host

Elena, doctors say permanent standard time is better for sleep. But people want evening light. Where's the real trade-off?

Dr. Elena Reeves

The trade-off isn't really evening light versus sleep. It's morning light. Our body clock needs it. Sleep doctors say permanent standard time fits that rhythm, and it lowers stroke and obesity rates.

James Hartley

Sorry, but the stroke spike comes from the switch itself.

Host

Marcus?

Marcus Webb

I'm with James here. The obesity and stroke numbers, that's theory. The damage I see is the switch itself. Two weeks of missed shifts, tired drivers. Fix the switch first. It's not rocket science.

Dr. Elena Reeves

No, theory isn't the word. Doctors see it every day: people with wrong morning light sleep badly all year. The switch hurts for two weeks. Wrong clock hurts forever.

James Hartley

No, wait, Marcus — "fix the switch first" still means choosing wrong.

Key vocabulary

  • daylight — light from the sun during the day
  • yearly — happening once a year or every year
  • preference — a choice or liking for something over another
  • rhythm — a regular pattern of movement or activity
  • obesity — the condition of being very overweight

Comprehension questions

  1. Why does James think the time change is a problem for his business?
  2. What does Marcus say happens to companies with remote teams during the time change?
  3. Why does Elena believe permanent standard time is better?
  4. What does Marcus think is more important to fix than choosing permanent daylight saving time or permanent standard time?
  5. What does Elena say is the real harm of permanent standard time all year?

True or false?

  1. Arizona changes its clocks twice a year like the rest of the country. T / F
  2. Elena says the real trade-off is between evening light and sleep. T / F
  3. Marcus and James disagree about whether the damage comes from the switch or from choosing the wrong permanent time. T / F

Fill the gaps

daylightobesityrhythmyearly
  1. The House passed permanent   saving time, but the Senate blocked it.
  2. End the   switch.
  3. Sleep doctors say permanent standard time fits that  , and it lowers stroke and obesity rates.
  4. The   and stroke numbers, that's theory.

Discuss in pairs

  1. Do you think it's more important to stop changing clocks twice a year, or to choose the 'best' permanent time for your health? Why?
  2. If you had to choose, would you prefer permanent daylight saving time (more evening light) or permanent standard time (more morning light)? What would change in your daily life?
  3. Some people say the problem isn't the time change itself, but that we need to choose one permanent time. Do you agree, or do you think stopping the change is the real solution?

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Answer key

Comprehension
  1. Because his till printed the wrong time, staff came in late, and a customer argued about closing time on Sunday morning.
  2. Teams in different time zones have broken calendars and meet at the wrong hour for two weeks.
  3. Because the body clock needs morning light, and permanent standard time lowers stroke and obesity rates.
  4. He thinks fixing the switch itself is more important, because the damage comes from changing twice a year.
  5. People get wrong morning light and sleep badly all year long.
True or false
  1. False
  2. False
  3. True
Gaps
  1. daylight
  2. yearly
  3. rhythm
  4. obesity

roundtalk · https://www.getroundtalk.com/listen/english/b1/clocks-just-fell-back-again-should-we-finally-scrap-the-time-change/worksheet/