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Future rats could be the size of sheep (6th February, 2014)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good horror movie story. However, scientists from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, there could really be giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh up to 80kg. Rats are spreading all over the Earth. They are now the strongest animals on many small islands. One of the reasons for this is that they travel on ships and relocate to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming extinct, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest rodent."

Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have spread around the world, and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and ferocious rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on." After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct. This will have a big impact on food chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running around everywhere.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/457757/Super-sized-rodents-Rats-could-grow-bigger-than-sheep-and-weigh-same-as-average-Briton
http://www.skynews.com.au/eco/article.aspx?id=947282
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5868/20140203/rats-will-adapt-replace-extinct-animals-become-enormous-expert.htm

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. RATS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about rats. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words from the article are most interesting and which are most boring.

sheep / horror movie / giant rats / strongest animals / small islands / relocate / extinct / examples / species / adapted / environments / dinosaurs / hunt / food chains

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. GIANT: What would life be like with these giant things? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

Sheep-sized…	Good things	Bad things
elephants
ice cream
mobile phones
footballs
flowers
cars

4. EXTINCT: Students A strongly believe humans will be extinct one day; Students B strongly believe we will never be extinct. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

5. HORROR MOVIES: Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best stories at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• giant rats

• killer worms

• deadly mobile phones

• zombie children

• Facebook shares your secrets

• revenge of your enemies

• insects attack

• invasion of monster puppies

6. SHEEP: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "sheep". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	The article is about a future horror movie.	T / F
b.	Scientists say rats in the future could weigh as much as 80kg.	T / F
c.	Rats become stronger as larger animals become extinct.	T / F
d.	Rats are already the world's largest rodents.	T / F
e.	Humans have helped spread rats around the world.	T / F
f.	A researcher said there could be slow rats in the future.	T / F
g.	After the death of the dinosaurs, most animals became smaller.	T / F
h.	The researcher said humans would invent special guns to kill giant rats.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	movie	a.	as much as
2.	up to	b.	effect
3.	strongest	c.	all over
4.	relocate	d.	adjusted
5.	reason	e.	most powerful
6.	around	f.	mention
7.	adapted	g.	cause
8.	goes on	h.	film
9.	impact	i.	continues
10.	say	j.	move

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	Rats that are the size of sheep might be	a.	the new environments
2.	weigh up to	b.	largest rodent
3.	relocate to areas that	c.	becoming extinct
4.	many larger animals are	d.	hunt and kill them
5.	grow to be the world's	e.	80kg
6.	a species that we have spread	f.	goes on
7.	adapted to many of	g.	around the world
8.	the list	h.	a good horror movie
9.	no animals left that	i.	chains
10.	This will have a big impact on food	j.	never had rats before

GAP FILL

Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good (1) ___________ movie story. However, (2) ____________ from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, there could really be giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and (3) ____________ up to 80kg. Rats are (4) ____________ all over the Earth. They are now the strongest animals on many small islands. One of the reasons for this is that they travel on ships and (5) ____________ to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming (6) ____________, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given (7) ____________ time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest (8) ____________."

extinct
weigh
enough
horror
relocate
scientists
rodent
spreading

Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best (9) ____________ of a species that we have spread around the world, and have successfully (10) ____________ to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and (11) ____________ rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on." After the (12) ____________ died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that (13) ____________ and kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other (14) ____________ to make them extinct. This will have a big impact on (15) ____________ chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running (16) ____________ everywhere.

species
around
adapted
dinosaurs
examples
food
ferocious
hunt

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good ______
	a. horror movies story b. horrors movie story c. horror movie story d. horrors movies story
2)	Rats are spreading ______
	a. all over the Earth b. moreover the Earth c. or over the Earth d. awe over the Earth
3)	______ that never had rats before
	a. relocated to areas b. relocate to areas c. relocates to areas d. relocating to areas
4)	Another reason is that many larger animals are ______
	a. become in extinct b. be coming extinct c. becoming extinct d. bee come in extinct
5)	Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the ______
	a. world's largest row dent b. world's largest re-dent c. world's largest low dent d. world's largest rodent
6)	______ we have spread around the world
	a. as pea she's that b. a specials that c. a species that d. a spree she's that
7)	successfully adapted to many of the ______
	a. news environments b. newly environments c. newer environments d. new environments
8)	heavy rats, fast and ferocious rats, probably ______
	a. future aquatic rats b. future acrobatic rats c. future aqua tick rats d. future a quack tick rats
9)	The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that ______
	a. hunts and kills them b. hunt and kill them c. hunts and kill them d. hunt and kills them
10)	This will have a big impact on ______
	a. food chairs b. food chain c. food chained d. food chains

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Rats that are the size of sheep might be a (1) ___________________ story. However, scientists from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, (2) ___________________ giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh up to 80kg. Rats are (3) ___________________ the Earth. They are now the strongest animals on many small islands. One of the reasons for this is that they travel on ships (4) ___________________ that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are (5) ___________________, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the (6) ___________________."

Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best (7) ___________________ that we have spread around the world, and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast (8) ___________________, probably future aquatic rats - (9) ___________________." After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals (10) ___________________ kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct. This will have a (11) ___________________ chains. He did not say what humans (12) ___________________ giant rats running around everywhere.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What kind of movie could this story be good for?
2.	How much could rats weigh in the future?
3.	Where are rats spreading?
4.	What is happening to many larger animals?
5.	What did a doctor say could happen to rats, given enough time?
6.	Who spread rats around the world?
7.	What have rats successfully adapted to?
8.	What happened to animals after the dinosaurs died out?
9.	What happens if "super-rats" start killing other species?
10.	What did the doctor say humans would do about giant rats?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What kind of movies could this story be good for?	6.	Who spread rats around the world?
	a) horror movies b) action c) love romances d) mysteries		a) pet lovers b) zoo keepers c) 19th-century explorers d) we did
2.	How much could rats weigh in the future?	7.	What have rats successfully adapted to?
	a) 8kg b) 18kg c) 80kg d) 8 million kg		a) organic food b) new environments c) new technology d) life in the fast lane
3.	Where are rats spreading?	8.	What happened to animals after the dinosaurs died out?
	a) underground b) all over the Earth c) London d) in cyberspace		a) they got smaller b) they died out too c) they became less ferocious d) they got bigger
4.	What is happening to many larger animals?	9.	What happens if "super-rats" start killing other species?
	a) they are getting smaller b) they are getting larger c) they are starting to eat rats d) they are becoming extinct		a) the other species will fight back b) humans will kill the rats c) the species will become extinct d) all animals will die out
5.	What did a doctor say could happen to rats, given enough time?	10.	What did the doctor say humans would do about giant rats?
	a) they could be the largest rodents b) they could fly c) they'll all die out d) they'll be the only animals left		a) he said humans would hunt them b) he didn't say c) they'd live inside giant walls d) they'd live on rat-free islands

ROLE PLAY ABOUT NEW HORROR MOVIES

Role A – The Giant Rats

You think "The Giant Rats" would be the best movie. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their movies. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): "Deadly Mobile Phones", "Revenge Of Your Enemies" or "Facebook Shares Secrets ".

Role B – Deadly Mobile Phones

You think "Deadly Mobile Phones" would be the best movie. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their movies. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): "The Giant Rats", "Revenge Of Your Enemies" or "Facebook Shares Secrets ".

Role C – Revenge Of Your Enemies

You think "Revenge Of Your Enemies" would be the best movie. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their movies. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): "Deadly Mobile Phones", "The Giant Rats" or "Facebook Shares Secrets ".

Role D – Facebook Shares Secrets

You think "Facebook Shares Secrets" would be the best movie. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them things that are wrong with their movies. Also, tell the others which is the worst of these (and why): "Deadly Mobile Phones", "Revenge Of Your Enemies" or "The Giant Rats".

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'giant' and 'rat'.

giant

rat

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

size
really
80
ships
reason
enough

best
thin
dinosaurs
hunt
super
running

RATS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about rats in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

RATS DISCUSSION

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

a)	What did you think when you read the headline?
b)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'rat'?
c)	What experiences have you had with rats?
d)	What do you think of the idea of rats the size of sheep?
e)	How possible is it for rats to become as large as sheep?
f)	How would nature change if rats were as large as sheep?
g)	Are rats useful?
h)	Why do some people keep rats as pets? Would you like one?
i)	Why are rats so successful?
j)	What would you really like to know about rats?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

a)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
b)	Have humans caused damage by spreading rats around the world?
c)	What do you do when you see a rat?
d)	Why are so many people afraid of rats?
e)	Are rats necessary?
f)	What do you think of the idea of "super-rats"?
g)	What will happen to the Earth if super-rats make other species extinct?
h)	How many rodents can you name? What's your favourite?
i)	What will humans do if giant rats are running around everywhere?
j)	What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good (1) ____ movie story. However, scientists from the University of Leicester in England say that (2) ____ the future, there could really be giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh (3) ____ to 80kg. Rats are spreading all over the Earth. They are now the strongest animals on many small islands. One of the (4) ____ for this is that they travel on ships and relocate to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming (5) ____, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest (6) ____."

Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have (7) ____ around the world, and have successfully (8) ____ to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and (9) ____ rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on." After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and (10) ____. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct. This will have a big impact on (11) ____ chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running (12) ____ everywhere.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	horrifying	(b)	horrific	(c)	horrible	(d)	horror
2.	(a)	to	(b)	by	(c)	at	(d)	in
3.	(a)	increase	(b)	up	(c)	heavy	(d)	level
4.	(a)	cause	(b)	whys	(c)	reasons	(d)	answers
5.	(a)	exact	(b)	exported	(c)	extinct	(d)	exist
6.	(a)	rodent	(b)	radiant	(c)	render	(d)	recant
7.	(a)	smothered	(b)	spread	(c)	scattered	(d)	scared
8.	(a)	adapted	(b)	adept	(c)	adopted	(d)	added up
9.	(a)	ferrous	(b)	ferocious	(c)	furious	(d)	feathered
10.	(a)	biggest	(b)	bigly	(c)	bigger	(d)	bigoted
11.	(a)	garden	(b)	key	(c)	food	(d)	heavy
12.	(a)	across	(b)	up	(c)	fast	(d)	around

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	hrrroo movie
2.	scinsitest from the University of Leicester
3.	agpenirsd all over the Earth
4.	tereocla to areas that never had rats before
5.	animals are becoming ttcxien
6.	guoneh time
Paragraph 2
7.	one of the best epmxseal
8.	a ceepssi that we have spread around the world
9.	adapted to many of the new nnetivrsmoen
10.	future qatiauc rats
11.	After the raissondu died out
12.	have a big ciatpm on food chains

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, there could really be giant rats
( )	and bigger. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and
( )	Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have spread
( )	strongest animals on many small islands. One of the reasons for this is that they travel
( )	extinct. This will have a big impact on food chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running around everywhere.
( )	around the world, and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future thin rats,
( 1 )	Rats that are the size of sheep might be a good horror movie story. However, scientists
( )	on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh up to 80kg. Rats are spreading all over the Earth. They are now the
( )	time, rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest rodent."
( )	on." After the dinosaurs died out, many small animals slowly grew bigger
( )	future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and ferocious rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes
( )	on ships and relocate to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming
( )	kill them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them
( )	extinct, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	might sheep of size the Rats movie horror good a be.
2.	small islands They are now the strongest animals on many.
3.	never Relocate had to rats areas before that.
4.	kill fewer rats animals that There might are.
5.	world's grow the rodent could be largest Rats to.
6.	species have the A we around that spread world.
7.	Many bigger small and animals bigger slowly grew.
8.	with happen could thing same The rats.
9.	- other rats species will start Super killing.
10.	humans what say not did He rats giant about do would.

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Rats that are the size / sizes of sheep might be a good horror movie story. However, scientists / scientist from the University of Leicester in England say that in the future, there could really / reality be giant rats on the Earth. They could be as big as sheep and weigh / weight up to 80kg. Rats are sprawling / spreading all over the Earth. They are now the strongest / strangest animals on many small islands. One of the reason / reasons for this is that they travel on ships and locate / relocate to areas that never had rats before. Another reason is that many larger animals are becoming exact / extinct, so there are fewer animals that might kill rats. Researcher Dr Jan Zalasiewicz said: "Given enough time, rats could probably growth / grow to be…the world's largest rodent."

Dr Zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a spaces / species that we have spread around the world, and have successful / successfully adapted / adopted to many of the new environments. He said: "There will be future think / thin rats, future fat rats, slow and heavy rats, fast and ferocious / ferociously rats, probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on." After the dinosaurs died in / out, many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger / biggest. The same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and kill it / them. Dr Zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct. This will have a big compact / impact on food chains. He did not say what humans would do about giant rats running around anywhere / everywhere.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

R_ts th_t _r_ th_ s_z_ _f sh__p m_ght b_ _ g__d h_rr_r m_v__ st_ry. H_w_v_r, sc__nt_sts fr_m th_ _n_v_rs_ty _f L__c_st_r _n _ngl_nd s_y th_t _n th_ f_t_r_, th_r_ c__ld r__lly b_ g__nt r_ts _n th_ __rth. Th_y c__ld b_ _s b_g _s sh__p _nd w__gh _p t_ 80kg. R_ts _r_ spr__d_ng _ll _v_r th_ __rth. Th_y _r_ n_w th_ str_ng_st _n_m_ls _n m_ny sm_ll _sl_nds. _n_ _f th_ r__s_ns f_r th_s _s th_t th_y tr_v_l _n sh_ps _nd r_l_c_t_ t_ _r__s th_t n_v_r h_d r_ts b_f_r_. _n_th_r r__s_n _s th_t m_ny l_rg_r _n_m_ls _r_ b_c_m_ng _xt_nct, s_ th_r_ _r_ f_w_r _n_m_ls th_t m_ght k_ll r_ts. R_s__rch_r Dr J_n Z_l_s__w_cz s__d: "G_v_n _n__gh t_m_, r_ts c__ld pr_b_bly gr_w t_ b_…th_ w_rld's l_rg_st r_d_nt."

Dr Z_l_s__w_cz s__d r_ts _r_ _n_ _f th_ b_st _x_mpl_s _f _ sp_c__s th_t w_ h_v_ spr__d _r__nd th_ w_rld, _nd h_v_ s_cc_ssf_lly _d_pt_d t_ m_ny _f th_ n_w _nv_r_nm_nts. H_ s__d: "Th_r_ w_ll b_ f_t_r_ th_n r_ts, f_t_r_ f_t r_ts, sl_w _nd h__vy r_ts, f_st _nd f_r_c___s r_ts, pr_b_bly f_t_r_ _q__t_c r_ts - th_ l_st g__s _n." _ft_r th_ d_n_s__rs d__d __t, m_ny sm_ll _n_m_ls sl_wly gr_w b_gg_r _nd b_gg_r. Th_ s_m_ th_ng c__ld h_pp_n w_th r_ts _f th_r_ _r_ n_ _n_m_ls l_ft th_t h_nt _nd k_ll th_m. Dr Z_l_s__w_cz _ls_ b_l__v_s th_t "s_p_r-r_ts" w_ll st_rt k_ll_ng _th_r sp_c__s t_ m_k_ th_m _xt_nct. Th_s w_ll h_v_ _ b_g _mp_ct _n f__d ch__ns. H_ d_d n_t s_y wh_t h_m_ns w__ld d_ _b__t g__nt r_ts r_nn_ng _r__nd _v_rywh_r_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

rats that are the size of sheep might be a good horror movie story however scientists from the university of leicester in england say that in the future there could really be giant rats on the earth they could be as big as sheep and weigh up to 80kg rats are spreading all over the earth they are now the strongest animals on many small islands one of the reasons for this is that they travel on ships and relocate to areas that never had rats before another reason is that many larger animals are becoming extinct so there are fewer animals that might kill rats researcher dr jan zalasiewicz said "given enough time rats could probably grow to be…the world's largest rodent"

dr zalasiewicz said rats are one of the best examples of a species that we have spread around the world and have successfully adapted to many of the new environments he said "there will be future thin rats future fat rats slow and heavy rats fast and ferocious rats probably future aquatic rats - the list goes on" after the dinosaurs died out many small animals slowly grew bigger and bigger the same thing could happen with rats if there are no animals left that hunt and kill them dr zalasiewicz also believes that "super-rats" will start killing other species to make them extinct this will have a big impact on food chains he did not say what humans would do about giant rats running around everywhere

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Ratsthatarethesizeofsheepmightbeagoodhorrormoviestory.How
ever,scientistsfromtheUniversityofLeicesterinEnglandsaythatint
hefuture,therecouldreallybegiantratsontheEarth.Theycouldbeas
bigassheepandweighupto80kg.RatsarespreadingallovertheEart
h.Theyarenowthestrongestanimalsonmanysmallislands.Oneofth
ereasonsforthisisthattheytravelonshipsandrelocatetoareasthatn
everhadratsbefore.Anotherreasonisthatmanylargeranimalsareb
ecomingextinct,sotherearefeweranimalsthatmightkillrats.Resea
rcherDrJanZalasiewiczsaid:"Givenenoughtime,ratscouldprobabl
ygrowtobe…theworld'slargestrodent."DrZalasiewiczsaidratsareo
neofthebestexamplesofaspeciesthatwehavespreadaroundthewo
rld,andhavesuccessfullyadaptedtomanyofthenewenvironments.
Hesaid:"Therewillbefuturethinrats,futurefatrats,slowandheavyr
ats,fastandferociousrats,probablyfutureaquaticrats-thelist
goeson."Afterthedinosaursdiedout,manysmallanimalsslowlygre
wbiggerandbigger.Thesamethingcouldhappenwithratsifthereare
noanimalsleftthathuntandkillthem.DrZalasiewiczalsobelievestha
t"super-rats"willstartkillingotherspeciestomakethemextinct.T
hiswillhaveabigimpactonfoodchains.Hedidnotsaywhathumansw
oulddoaboutgiantratsrunningaroundeverywhere.

FREE WRITING

Write about rats for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

We should spend a lot more money to stop animals becoming extinct. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about rats. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. RATS: Make a poster about rats. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. GIANT RATS: Write a magazine article about giant rats. Include imaginary interviews with people who think they would make life dangerous for humans and people who think they would not make life dangerous for humans.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to a rat expert. Ask him/her three questions about giant rats. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

News
Warm ups
Pre-reading / Post-reading
Using headlines
Working with words
While-reading / While-listening
Moving from text to speech
Post-reading / Post-listening
Discussions
Using opinions
Plans
Language
Using lists
Using quotes
Task-based activities
Role plays
Using the central characters in the article
Using themes from the news
Homework

Buy my book

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

T

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	movie	a.	film
2.	up to	b.	as much as
3.	strongest	c.	most powerful
4.	relocate	d.	move
5.	reason	e.	cause
6.	around	f.	all over
7.	adapted	g.	adjusted
8.	goes on	h.	continues
9.	impact	i.	effect
10.	say	j.	mention

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Horror movies
2.	80kg
3.	All over the Earth
4.	They are becoming extinct
5.	The could become the world's largest rodents
6.	We (humans) did
7.	Their new environments
8.	They got bigger
9.	They'll become extinct
10.	He didn't say what humans would do

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

a

2.

c

3.

b

4.

d

5.

a

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Future rats could be the size of sheep (6th February, 2014)

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