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Lesson Info

Post Type
Article
Level
Level 2 / A2
Published
Title
Hershey's Real Chocolate Plan
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-04-22-hersheys-real-chocolate-plan/

In this lesson:

  • Warm-up Prediction task and general discussion questions.
  • Vocab List Useful words and meanings.
  • Reading Read the main text.
  • Listen and Fill Gaps Listen for missing words.
  • Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
  • True or False Check understanding.
  • Multiple Choice Check understanding.
  • Vocab Match Connect words to meanings.
  • Discussion Builder Think about how ideas relate to each other to choose connecting expressions.
  • Sentence Unscramble Reorder mixed phrases into correct sentences.
  • Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
  • Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.

Think Ahead: Look at the headline. Which detail do you think is in the story?

a) The company will remove artificial colors.

b) The company will start making chocolate.

c) The company stopped making Peanut Butter Cups.

Illustrated landscape image of two Reese’s peanut butter cups on a bright orange background, with one cup bitten open to show the peanut butter filling and small chocolate crumbs below.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Ask: (1) Do you like chocolate? Why or why not? (2) How do you feel when a food product changes?

VOCAB LIST

product (n.) — Something a company makes to sell.
coating (n.) — A thin layer on the outside of something.
artificial (adj.) — made by people, not natural
classic (adj.) — Old and well known in its original form.
remove (v.) — To take something away.
attention (n.) — notice or interest from people
speak out (v. phrase) — To say what you think in public.
push (v.) — To try to make something happen.

Reading

Hershey says it is going to use real chocolate again in some products. This came after Brad Reese spoke out in public. He is the grandson of the man who first made Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

The company says some Reese's and Hershey's products are changing. They are going back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027. A company leader says this plan started before Brad Reese spoke out. The company also says it is going to remove artificial colors. Less than 3% of Reese's products are part of this change. Hershey says the classic Peanut Butter Cups did not change.

Brad Reese spoke out in February. After eating Reese's Mini Hearts, he got angry. He said some products, like holiday shapes, used a chocolate coating, not real milk chocolate. His letter online got a lot of attention. He says fans helped push the company to act.

But Brad Reese is still not sure. He says he will check again next year. He wants to taste the holiday candy himself. If it still does not taste like real milk chocolate, he says the company is lying.

Hershey's Real Chocolate Plan

Level 2 Source: nbcnews.com

Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

Illustrated landscape image of two Reese’s peanut butter cups on a bright orange background, with one cup bitten open to show the peanut butter filling and small chocolate crumbs below.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Hershey says it is going to use real chocolate again in some products. This came after Brad Reese spoke out in public. He is the grandson of the man who first made Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

The company says some Reese's and Hershey's products are changing. They are going back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027. A company leader says this plan started before Brad Reese spoke out. The company also says it is going to remove artificial colors. Less than 3% of Reese's products are part of this change. Hershey says the classic Peanut Butter Cups did not change.

Brad Reese spoke out in February. After eating Reese's Mini Hearts, he got angry. He said some products, like holiday shapes, used a chocolate coating, not real milk chocolate. His letter online got a lot of attention. He says fans helped push the company to act.

But Brad Reese is still not sure. He says he will check again next year. He wants to taste the holiday candy himself. If it still does not taste like real milk chocolate, he says the company is lying.

Speaker: American Male  Duration: 1:31  Watch on YouTube

Two ways to use this audio:

  • Method 1: Listen for the main idea: what is the article about in one sentence? Listen a second time for more details, then try the Understanding activities below.
  • Method 2: Read the article first to learn the vocabulary and ideas. Then look at the gap-fill sentences to see what to listen for, and listen to fill them in.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

Hershey says it is going to use (1) chocolate again in some products. This came after Brad Reese spoke out in public. He is the grandson of the man who first made Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

The company says some Reese's and Hershey's products are changing. They are going back to real (2) and dark chocolate by 2027. A company leader says this plan started before Brad Reese spoke out. The company also says it is going to remove artificial (3) . Less than 3% of Reese's products are part of this change. Hershey says the classic Peanut Butter Cups did not change.

Brad Reese spoke out in (4) . After eating Reese's Mini Hearts, he got angry. He said some products, like holiday shapes, used a chocolate coating, not real milk chocolate. His letter online got a lot of attention. He says fans helped push the company to act.

But Brad Reese is still not sure. He says he will check again next year. He wants to (5) the holiday candy himself. If it still does not taste like real milk chocolate, he says the company is lying.

Main Idea

Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.

Main Idea

Choose one:

  • Hershey says some products will use real chocolate again after Brad Reese spoke out. Correct answer
  • Brad Reese wrote online because he did not like one holiday product.
  • Hershey says the classic Peanut Butter Cups did not change.
True or False

Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.

  • Hershey says some products will go back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027.
    The story says some Reese's and Hershey's products are going back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027.
  • Brad Reese spoke out after he ate classic Peanut Butter Cups.
    The story says he spoke out after eating Reese's Mini Hearts, not the classic Peanut Butter Cups.
  • Brad Reese says he wants to taste the holiday candy himself next year.
    The story says he will check again next year and wants to taste the holiday candy himself.

True or False

1. Hershey says some products will go back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027. TRUEFALSE True

2. Brad Reese spoke out after he ate classic Peanut Butter Cups. TRUEFALSE False

3. Brad Reese says he wants to taste the holiday candy himself next year. TRUEFALSE True

Multiple Choice

1. Who is Brad Reese?

   a) A company leader

   b) The grandson of the man who first made Reese's Peanut Butter CupsCorrect

   c) A fan who helped push the company to act

   d) The man who first made Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

2. What is Hershey going to remove?

   a) Artificial colorsCorrect

   b) Real milk

   c) Dark chocolate

   d) Peanut Butter Cups

3. What does Brad Reese want to do next year?

   a) Speak out in public

   b) Remove artificial colors

   c) Make Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

   d) Taste the holiday candy himselfCorrect

Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.

1. Product (n)e) Something a company makes to sell.

2. Remove (v)d) To take something away.

3. Speak out (v. phrase)c) To say what you think in public.

4. Coating (n)b) A thin layer on the outside of something.

5. Attention (n)a) Notice or interest from people.

a) Notice or interest from people.

b) A thin layer on the outside of something.

c) To say what you think in public.

d) To take something away.

e) Something a company makes to sell.

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Brad Reese spoke out he wanted the company to change.

    so / because / but

    Brad Reese spoke out because he wanted the company to change.

  2. I like sweet snacks, I still want companies to remove artificial colors.

    and / so / but

    I like sweet snacks, but I still want companies to remove artificial colors.

  3. Some people trust big food companies. I still do not trust them very much.

    But, / Also, / For example,

    Some people trust big food companies. But, I still do not trust them very much.

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. fans can help B. to fans C. because D. them improve. E. companies should listen F. I think

    I think companies should listen to fans because fans can help them improve.

  2. A. For example, B. before I buy C. a new D. I read E. product. F. online comments

    For example, I read online comments before I buy a new product.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why do you think Brad Reese spoke out in public?
  2. Do companies need to listen to fans? Why or why not?
  3. Is real chocolate important to you? Why or why not?
  4. Why do you think some holiday candy used a coating?
  5. Should companies remove artificial colors from food?
  6. Do you read online comments or letters about products?
  7. What snacks are popular in your country?
  8. Do you trust big food companies? Why or why not?

Answers Hershey's Real Chocolate Plan / Level 2

Think Ahead: a

Listening: (1) real, (2) milk, (3) colors, (4) February, (5) taste

Main Idea: Hershey says some products will use real chocolate again after Brad Reese spoke out.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says some Reese's and Hershey's products are going back to real milk and dark chocolate by 2027.
  2. False. The story says he spoke out after eating Reese's Mini Hearts, not the classic Peanut Butter Cups.
  3. True. The story says he will check again next year and wants to taste the holiday candy himself.

Multiple Choice: b, a, d

Vocabulary:

  1. Product (n): Something a company makes to sell.
  2. Remove (v): To take something away.
  3. Speak out (v. phrase): To say what you think in public.
  1. Coating (n): A thin layer on the outside of something.
  2. Attention (n): Notice or interest from people.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast. 3) Contrast.

  1. because
  2. but
  3. But,

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. I think companies should listen to fans because fans can help them improve.
  2. For example, I read online comments before I buy a new product.

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