The Reading / Listening - Level 5

The Internet has come to the rescue of an 80-year-old man who had to sell firewood on the roadside to pay for his wife's medical bills. Kenneth Smith sold kindling every day for $5 a bag. He started last year and was helped by his wife of over 30 years, who was dying of cancer. Tragically, she lost her battle in October and Mr Smith was left with a huge hospital bill, which wiped out his life savings. A local woman saw Mr Smith and posted on Facebook to get people to help him. Her post was shared over 9,000 times. Motorists stopped their car to give Mr Smith some cash.

The woman's kindness encouraged Mr Smith's son to set up an online appeal. He created a web page and donations came flooding in from all over the world. The online campaign raised $20,000. The woman said she had "no clue" her actions would lead to such generosity. She said: "Although it will not lessen the heartache of losing his wife, I am thankful it will at least take a little worry off of his plate and help him make ends meet." Mr Smith said he has been "overwhelmed". He said although his wife wasn't by his side, he feels her presence, "because she's looking down on me," he said.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.sunherald.com/news/state/mississippi/article116633298.html
  • http://www.ksla.com/story/33764148/support-pouring-in-for-widower-selling-firewood
  • http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2016/11/man-sells-firewood-to-pay-dead-wifes-medical-bills/
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38081732


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. come to the
  2. Tragically, she lost
  3. left with a huge
  4. wiped out his life
  5. A local
  6. Her post was shared
  7. Motorists stopped
  8. give Mr Smith some
  1. their car
  2. savings
  3. over 9,000 times
  4. cash
  5. her battle
  6. rescue
  7. hospital bill
  8. woman saw Mr Smith

Paragraph 2

  1. donations came
  2. The online campaign
  3. her actions would lead to such
  4. it will not lessen the heartache
  5. help him make ends
  6. his wife wasn't by
  7. he feels her
  8. she's looking down
  1. on me
  2. flooding in
  3. meet
  4. raised $20,000
  5. presence
  6. generosity
  7. of losing his wife
  8. his side

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Internet has come (1) ___________________ of an 80-year-old man who had to sell firewood on the roadside (2) ___________________ wife's medical bills. Kenneth Smith sold kindling every day for $5 a bag. He started last year and was helped by his (3) ___________________ years, who was dying of cancer. Tragically, she lost her battle in October and Mr Smith was left with a huge hospital bill, (4) ___________________ his life savings. A local woman saw Mr Smith and posted on Facebook (5) ___________________ help him. Her (6) ___________________ over 9,000 times. Motorists stopped their car to give Mr Smith some cash.

The woman's (7) ___________________ Mr Smith's son to set up an online appeal. He created a web page and donations came (8) ___________________ all over the world. The online campaign raised $20,000. The woman said she (9) ___________________ actions would lead to such generosity. She said: "Although it will not lessen the heartache of losing his wife, I am thankful it will at least take (10) ___________________ of his plate and help him (11) ___________________." Mr Smith said he has been "overwhelmed". He said although his wife wasn't by his side, he (12) ___________________, "because she's looking down on me," he said.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheInternethascometotherescueofan80-year-oldmanwhohadtose
llfirewoodontheroadsidetopayforhiswife'smedicalbills.KennethSmit
hsoldkindlingeverydayfor$5abag.Hestartedlastyearandwashelpedb
yhiswifeofover30years,whowasdyingofcancer.Tragically,shelosther
battleinOctoberandMrSmithwasleftwithahugehospitalbill,whichwip
edouthislifesavings.AlocalwomansawMrSmithandpostedonFaceboo
ktogetpeopletohelphim.Herpostwassharedover9,000times.Motoris
tsstoppedtheircartogiveMrSmithsomecash.Thewoman'skindnessen
couragedMrSmith'ssontosetupanonlineappeal.Hecreatedawebpage
anddonationscamefloodinginfromallovertheworld.Theonlinecampai
gnraised$20,000.Thewomansaidshehad"noclue"heractionswouldle
adtosuchgenerosity.Shesaid:"Althoughitwillnotlessentheheartache
oflosinghiswife,Iamthankfulitwillatleasttakealittleworryoffofhisplat
eandhelphimmakeendsmeet."MrSmithsaidhehasbeen"overwhelme
d".Hesaidalthoughhiswifewasn'tbyhisside,hefeelsherpresence,"bec
auseshe'slookingdownonme,"hesaid.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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