The Reading / Listening - Level 2

Scientists have good news - numbers of blue whales in the eastern Pacific Ocean are the highest they have been in over a century. The University of Washington reports that there are over 2,200 blue whales between Mexico and Alaska. Hunters killed nearly all of them close to extinction in that area. Whaling became illegal in 1971. Numbers of the world's largest mammal started increasing. It has taken 40 years for the blue whale to recover. Lead researcher Dr Cole Monnahan was very happy at this good news. He said: "For us, this is a great conservation success story."

Dr Monnahan said the number of blue whales might not rise above 2,200. He said: "Some people thought that number should be going up, but if there were about 2,200 whales to begin with, then that is what the environment can support." He warned that the creature still needs protection and only survived because people took action to stop catches and start monitoring. He said without this, the whales could be extinct. He added that the rise in numbers shows, "the ability of blue whale populations to rebuild under careful management and conservation measures".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.foxnews.com/science/2014/09/08/study-california-blue-whale-population-rebounds-from-whaling/
  • http://www.calacademy.org/sciencetoday/californias-blue-whale-population-rebounding/5516878/
  • http://time.com/3297045/california-blue-whales/


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 Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Scientists have

a.

mammal

2.

in the eastern

b.

over a century

3.

the highest they have been in

c.

success story.

4.

close to

d.

the blue whale to recover

5.

Whaling became

e.

good news

6.

the world's largest

f.

extinction

7.

It has taken 40 years for

g.

illegal in 1971

8.

a great conservation

h.

Pacific Ocean



MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

the number of blue whales might not

a.

should be going up

2.

Some people thought that number

b.

extinct

3.

there were about 2,200 whales

c.

can support

4.

that is what the environment

d.

populations to rebuild

5.

the creature still needs

e.

rise above 2,200

6.

the whales could be

f.

to begin with

7.

the ability of blue whale

g.

measures

8.

conservation

h.

protection

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Scientists (1) ___________________ - numbers of blue whales in the eastern Pacific Ocean are the highest (2) ___________________ over a century. The University of Washington reports that there are over 2,200 blue whales between Mexico and Alaska. Hunters killed nearly all of them (3) ___________________ in that area. Whaling became illegal in 1971. Numbers of the (4) ___________________ started increasing. It has taken (5) ___________________ blue whale to recover. Lead researcher Dr Cole Monnahan was very happy at this good news. He said: "For us, this is a great (6) ________________________."

Dr Monnahan said the number of blue whales (7) ___________________ 2,200. He said: "Some people thought that number (8) ___________________, but if there were about 2,200 whales (9) ___________________, then that is what the environment can support." He warned that (10) ___________________ protection and only survived because people took action to stop catches and start monitoring. He said without this, the whales (11) ___________________. He added that the rise in numbers shows, "the ability of blue whale populations to rebuild under careful management (12) ___________________".

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Scientistshavegoodnews-numbersofbluewhalesintheeasternPa
cificOceanarethehighesttheyhavebeeninoveracentury.TheUnive
rsityofWashingtonreportsthatthereareover2,200bluewhalesbet
weenMexicoandAlaska.Hunterskillednearlyallofthemclosetoexti
nctioninthatarea.Whalingbecameillegalin1971.Numbersofthewo
rld'slargestmammalstartedincreasing.Ithastaken40yearsforthe
bluewhaletorecover.LeadresearcherDrColeMonnahanwasveryha
ppyatthisgoodnews.Hesaid:"Forus,thisisagreatconservationsuc
cessstory."DrMonnahansaidthenumberofbluewhalesmightnotris
eabove2,200.Hesaid:"Somepeoplethoughtthatnumbershouldbe
goingup,butiftherewereabout2,200whalestobeginwith,thenthati
swhattheenvironmentcansupport."Hewarnedthatthecreaturestil
lneedsprotectionandonlysurvivedbecausepeopletookactiontosto
pcatchesandstartmonitoring.Hesaidwithoutthis,thewhalescould
beextinct.Headdedthattheriseinnumbersshows,"theabilityofblue
whalepopulationstorebuildundercarefulmanagementandconserv
ationmeasures".

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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