The Reading / Listening - Level 3

For the first time, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and unique, but least understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have worked out the genetic code of the Southeast Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now have the genetic map of all of its DNA. This means scientists can find out a lot more about this sea creature than before. They can now start to figure out why seahorses are so different to other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no teeth. Another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and give birth to them instead of females. In addition, seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they swim vertically (up and down).

Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others from China and Singapore helped to sequence the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome is a map of all the genes and genetic information in a cell or organism. Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years ago. They began to take on their unusual shape, which resembles a horse. There is a total of 54 species of seahorse. Its scientific name is Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be written as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a dash between the two words (sea-horse).

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/1215/What-makes-the-seahorse-so-unusual
  • http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113416837/sequence-seahorse-genome-121516/
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seahorse


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 :-)

Warm-ups

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

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       the first time / secrets / unique / seahorse / map / DNA / teeth / babies / swim /
       scientists / cell / organism / unusual shape / species / monster / separate / dash

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

3. HUMAN GENOME: Students A strongly believe that unlocking the human genome will answer all our health problems; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. SEA CREATURES: What do you know and what do you want to know about these sea creatures? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What you know

What you want to know

Seahorses

 

 

Starfish

 

 

Dolphins

 

 

Jelly fish

 

 

Tuna

 

 

Clown fish

 

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

6. SECRETS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important secrets to unlock at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • a happy life
  • success
  • the universe
  • my best friend's secrets
  • the human genome
  • how to get rich
  • UFOs
  • how to stay young

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The seahorse is a fish.     T / F
  2. Scientists unlocked the code to the lion tail seahorse.     T / F
  3. Male seahorses give birth to baby seahorses.     T / F
  4. Seahorses do not swim horizontally.     T / F
  5. Scientists from three countries unlocked the seahorse's genome.     T / F
  6. Seahorses started to get their shape a million years ago.     T / F
  7. There are over 154 different types of seahorse.     T / F
  8. The word seahorse comes from Latin.     T / F

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

  1. unlocked
  2. secrets
  3. figure out
  4. creature
  5. In addition
  6. sequence
  7. information
  8. unusual
  9. resembles
  10. separate
  1. odd
  2. understand
  3. also
  4. different
  5. mysteries
  6. animal
  7. looks like
  8. data
  9. order
  10. opened

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

  1. For the first
  2. worked out the genetic
  3. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no
  4. male seahorses carry babies and give
  5. seahorses do not swim horizontally
  6. take on their unusual shape, which
  7. There is a total of 54
  8. The word 'Hippocampus' comes from
  9. can also be written as
  10. hyphenated with a dash
  1. teeth
  2. the Ancient Greek
  3. like other fish
  4. resembles a horse
  5. two separate words
  6. time
  7. between the two words
  8. code
  9. birth
  10. species of seahorse

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
code
figure
birth
unique
vertically
time
teeth
creature

For the first (1) ____________, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and (2) ____________, but least understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have worked out the genetic (3) ____________ of the Southeast Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now have the genetic map of all of its DNA. This means scientists can find out a lot more about this sea (4) ____________ than before. They can now start to (5) ____________ out why seahorses are so different to other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no (6) ____________. Another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and give (7) ____________ to them instead of females. In addition, seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they swim (8) ____________ (up and down).

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
cell
comes
sequence
dash
resembles
written
ago
species

Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others from China and Singapore helped to (9) ____________ the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome is a map of all the genes and genetic information in a (10) ____________ or organism. Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years (11) ____________. They began to take on their unusual shape, which (12) ____________ a horse. There is a total of 54 (13) ____________ of seahorse. Its scientific name is Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' (14) ____________ from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be (15) ____________ as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a (16) ____________ between the two words (sea-horse).

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  the world's most recognizable and unique, but least ______
     a.  understanding fish
     b.  understandable fish
     c.  understands fish
     d.  understood fish

2)  This means scientists can find out a lot more about ______
     a.  this sea creative
     b.  this sea creature
     c.  this sea creeper
     d.  this sea created

3)  Another difference is the male brooding ______
     a.  off their young
     b.  of them young
     c.  of their youngish
     d.  of their young

4)  male seahorses carry babies and give birth to them ______
     a.  instead of females
     b.  instead of he-males
     c.  instead of the males
     d.  instead of free males

5)  seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they ______ (up and down)
     a.  swim vertically
     b.  swim vertical
     c.  swim virtually
     d.  swim burr tickling

6)  others from China and Singapore helped to ______ genome
     a.  sequence though
     b.  sequence then
     c.  sequence them
     d.  sequence the

7)  a map of all the genes and genetic information in a ______
     a.  cell or organization
     b.  cell or organ is an
     c.  cell or organism
     d.  cell or auger knees

8)  Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 ______ ago
     a.  billion years
     b.  million years
     c.  trillion years
     d.  quadrillion years

9)  There is a total of 54 ______ seahorse
     a.  specials of
     b.  spaces of
     c.  species of
     d.  specifics of

10)  can also be written as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated ______
     a.  with a bash
     b.  with a dash
     c.  with a cash
     d.  with a lash

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) ___________________, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and unique, but least understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have (2) ___________________ genetic code of the Southeast Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now have the genetic map of all of its DNA. This means scientists (3) ___________________ a lot more about this sea creature than before. They can now start to figure out why seahorses (4) ___________________ to other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no teeth. Another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and (5) ___________________ them instead of females. In addition, seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they (6) ___________________ (up and down).

Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others from China and Singapore helped (7) ___________________ the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome (8) ___________________ all the genes and genetic information in a cell or organism. Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years ago. They (9) ___________________ their unusual shape, which resembles a horse. There is a total of 54 species of seahorse. Its (10) ___________________ Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' comes (11) ___________________ Greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be written as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a (12) ___________________ two words (sea-horse).

Comprehension questions

  1. What did the article say the seahorse was besides being recognizable?
  2. What seahorse did scientists unlock the genetic code of?
  3. What did the article say seahorses do not have?
  4. What do male seahorses carry?
  5. How do seahorses swim?
  6. How many countries did the scientists come from?
  7. When did seahorses begin to take their unusual shape?
  8. How many different species of seahorse are there?
  9. What does the Ancient Greet word kampos mean?
  10. What can be put between the words sea and horse?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What did the article say the seahorse was besides being recognizable?
a) most
b) unique
c) naughty
d) least

2) What seahorse did scientists unlock the genetic code of?
a) the elephant toe
b) the horse neck
c) the lion nose
d) the tiger tail

3) What did the article say seahorses do not have?
a) teeth
b) eyes
c) a snout
d) scales

4) What do male seahorses carry?
a) fish
b) oxygen
c) babies
d) females

5) How do seahorses swim?
a) slowly
b) vertically
c) beautifully
d) horizontally

6) How many countries did the scientists come from?
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

7) When did seahorses begin to take their unusual shape?
a) 100 billion years ago
b) a billion years ago
c) 10 million years ago
d) 100 million years ago

8) How many different species of seahorse are there?
a) 54
b) 52
c) 45
d) 25

9) What does the Ancient Greet word kampos mean?
a) sea monster
b) cutie fish
c) horse
d) strange fish

10) What can be put between the words sea and horse?
a) a comma
b) a dash
c) an exclamation mark
d) a semi-colon

Role play

Role A — A Happy Life

You think a happy life is the most important secret to unlock. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their secrets aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the universe, how to get rich or how to stay young looking.

Role B — The Universe

You think the universe is the most important secret to unlock. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their secrets aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a happy life, how to get rich or how to stay young looking.

Role C — How to Get Rich

You think how to get rich is the most important secret to unlock. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their secrets aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): the universe, a happy life or how to stay young looking.

Role D — How to Stay Young Looking

You think how to stay young looking is the most important secret to unlock. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their secrets aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):  the universe, how to get rich or a happy life.

After reading / listening

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

'sea'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'horse'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • others
    • cell
    • 100
    • 54
    • comes
    • dash
    • first
    • least
    • lot
    • teeth
    • difference
    • swim

    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 - Scientists unlock secrets to seahorses

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What springs to mind when you hear the word 'seahorse'?
    3. What do you know about seahorses?
    4. What did you think about what you read?
    5. How will knowing the seahorse genome help the world?
    6. How are seahorses different from other fish?
    7. How do seahorses eat if they have no teeth?
    8. Why do you think male seahorses give birth?
    9. Is it better to swim horizontally or vertically?
    10. What would you like to know about seahorses?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you know about genes and genetics?
    3. What things interested you about the text?
    4. What can we learn from seahorses?
    5. What would a day in the life of a seahorse researcher be like?
    6. How important are seahorses?
    7. Where does the word seahorse come from?
    8. What books and movies are seahorses in?
    9. Why are there different spellings of the word seahorse?
    10. 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)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    For the (1) ____ time, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and unique, but (2) ____ understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have worked (3) ____ the genetic code of the Southeast Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now have the genetic map of all of its DNA. This means scientists can (4) ____ out a lot more about this sea creature than before. They can now start to figure out why seahorses are (5) ____ different to other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no teeth. Another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and (6) ____ birth to them instead of females. In addition, seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they swim vertically (up and down).

    Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others from China and Singapore helped to (7) ____ the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome is a map of all the genes and genetic information in a cell (8) ____ organism. Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years (9) ____. They began to take on their unusual shape, which resembles a horse. There is a total of 54 (10) ____ of seahorse. Its scientific name is Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be (11) ____ as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a (12) ____ between the two words (sea-horse).

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     thirst     (b)     first     (c)     firstly     (d)     firsts    
    2. (a)     lest     (b)     least     (c)     last     (d)     latte    
    3. (a)     to     (b)     over     (c)     up     (d)     out    
    4. (a)     fund     (b)     find     (c)     search     (d)     look    
    5. (a)     sow     (b)     as     (c)     such     (d)     so    
    6. (a)     take     (b)     have     (c)     give     (d)     do     
    7. (a)     sequence     (b)     stance     (c)     secretes     (d)     sequins    
    8. (a)     nor     (b)     of     (c)     or     (d)     at    
    9. (a)     aging     (b)     again     (c)     age     (d)     ago    
    10. (a)     species     (b)     specials     (c)     specifies     (d)     spaces    
    11. (a)     written     (b)     wrote     (c)     writing     (d)     writes    
    12. (a)     dash     (b)     clash     (c)     bash     (d)     lash

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. eiqunu, but least understood fish
    2. worked out the etingce code
    3. sea autrerec
    4. tendisa of females
    5. seahorses do not swim rotoyahzliln
    6. they swim iyletlravc

    Paragraph 2

    1. helped to eueeqscn the genome
    2. in a cell or srigonma
    3. ermelsbse a horse
    4. the etncinA Greek word
    5. written as two steapear words
    6. phyndhtaee with a dash

    Put the text back together

    (    )     sequence the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome is a map of all the genes and genetic information

    (    )     Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now have the genetic map of all of its DNA. This means scientists can find

    (    )     addition, seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish; they swim vertically (up and down).

    (    )     take on their unusual shape, which resembles a horse. There is a total of 54 species

    (    )     as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a dash between the two words (sea-horse).

    (  1  )     For the first time, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and unique, but least

    (    )     Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others from China and Singapore helped to

    (    )     of seahorse. Its scientific name is Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' comes from the Ancient

    (    )     out a lot more about this sea creature than before. They can now start to figure out why seahorses are so different to

    (    )     young - male seahorses carry babies and give birth to them instead of females. In

    (    )     understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have worked out the genetic code of the Southeast

    (    )     in a cell or organism. Seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years ago. They began to

    (    )     Greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be written

    (    )     other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no teeth. Another difference is the male brooding of their

    Put the words in the right order

    1. ,   unlocked   For   time   have   secrets   first   scientists   the   the   .
    2. have   out   genetic   Researchers   worked   the   code   .
    3. this   sea   creature  Scientists   can   find   out   a   lot   more  about   .
    4. and   Male   give   seahorses   birth   carry   to   babies   them   .
    5. not   do   Seahorses   fish   other   like   horizontally   swim   .
    6. to   genome   tiger   Helped   the   the  seahorse   sequence   of   tail   .
    7. genes   map   A   of   genome   all   is   the   a   .
    8. of   total   seahorse   of   There   54   is   species   a   .
    9. words   written   'Seahorse'   as   can   two   also   separate   be   .
    10. with   Hyphenated   words   two   the   between   dash   a   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    For the first time / timely, scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and uniquely / unique, but least understood fish – the seahorse. Researchers have worked out / up the genetic code of the Southeast Asian tiger tail seahorse. They now had / have the genetic map of all of its DNA / NDA. This means scientists can find out a lot more about this sea creature / creative than before. They can now start to figure / number out why seahorses are so different to another / other fish. Unlike other fish, seahorses have no teeth. Another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and give birth / born to them instead of females. In addition, seahorses do not swim / swum horizontally like other fish; they swim vertically (up and down).

    Scientists from Germany’s University of Konstanz and others for / from China and Singapore helped to sequence the genome of the tiger tail seahorse. A genome is a map of all / any the genes and genetic information in a cell nor / or organism. Seahorses started to change / charge from other fish about 100 million years age / ago. They began to take on their unusual shape, which resembles / assembles a horse. There is a total of 54 species of seahorse. Its scientific / scientifically name is Hippocampus. The word 'Hippocampus' comes from the Ancient Greek word hippos mean / meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster'. The word 'seahorse' can also be written / wrote as two separate words (sea horse), or hyphenated with a dash between / among the two words (sea-horse).

    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)

    F_r th_ f_rst t_m_, sc__nt_sts h_v_ _nl_ck_d th_ s_cr_ts t_ _n_ _f th_ w_rld's m_st r_c_gn_z_bl_ _nd _n_q__, b_t l__st _nd_rst__d f_sh – th_ s__h_rs_. R_s__rch_rs h_v_ w_rk_d __t th_ g_n_t_c c_d_ _f th_ S__th__st _s__n t_g_r t__l s__h_rs_. Th_y n_w h_v_ th_ g_n_t_c m_p _f _ll _f _ts DN_. Th_s m__ns sc__nt_sts c_n f_nd __t _ l_t m_r_ _b__t th_s s__ cr__t_r_ th_n b_f_r_. Th_y c_n n_w st_rt t_ f_g_r_ __t why s__h_rs_s _r_ s_ d_ff_r_nt t_ _th_r f_sh. _nl_k_ _th_r f_sh, s__h_rs_s h_v_ n_ t__th. _n_th_r d_ff_r_nc_ _s th_ m_l_ br__d_ng _f th__r y__ng - m_l_ s__h_rs_s c_rry b_b__s _nd g_v_ b_rth t_ th_m _nst__d _f f_m_l_s. _n _dd_t__n, s__h_rs_s d_ n_t sw_m h_r_z_nt_lly l_k_ _th_r f_sh; th_y sw_m v_rt_c_lly (_p _nd d_wn).

    Sc__nt_sts fr_m G_rm_ny’s _n_v_rs_ty _f K_nst_nz _nd _th_rs fr_m Ch_n_ _nd S_ng_p_r_ h_lp_d t_ s_q__nc_ th_ g_n_m_ _f th_ t_g_r t__l s__h_rs_. _ g_n_m_ _s _ m_p _f _ll th_ g_n_s _nd g_n_t_c _nf_rm_t__n _n _ c_ll _r _rg_n_sm. S__h_rs_s st_rt_d t_ ch_ng_ fr_m _th_r f_sh _b__t 100 m_ll__n y__rs _g_. Th_y b_g_n t_ t_k_ _n th__r _n_s__l sh_p_, wh_ch r_s_mbl_s _ h_rs_. Th_r_ _s _ t_t_l _f 54 sp_c__s _f s__h_rs_. _ts sc__nt_f_c n_m_ _s H_pp_c_mp_s. Th_ w_rd 'H_pp_c_mp_s' c_m_s fr_m th_ _nc__nt Gr__k w_rd h_pp_s m__n_ng 'h_rs_' _nd k_mp_s m__n_ng 's__ m_nst_r'. Th_ w_rd 's__h_rs_' c_n _ls_ b_ wr_tt_n _s tw_ s_p_r_t_ w_rds (s__ h_rs_), _r hyph_n_t_d w_th _ d_sh b_tw__n th_ tw_ w_rds (s__-h_rs_).

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    for the first time scientists have unlocked the secrets to one of the world's most recognizable and unique but least understood fish – the seahorse researchers have worked out the genetic code of the southeast asian tiger tail seahorse they now have the genetic map of all of its dna this means scientists can find out a lot more about this sea creature than before they can now start to figure out why seahorses are so different to other fish unlike other fish seahorses have no teeth another difference is the male brooding of their young - male seahorses carry babies and give birth to them instead of females in addition seahorses do not swim horizontally like other fish they swim vertically (up and down)

    scientists from germany’s university of konstanz and others from china and singapore helped to sequence the genome of the tiger tail seahorse a genome is a map of all the genes and genetic information in a cell or organism seahorses started to change from other fish about 100 million years ago they began to take on their unusual shape which resembles a horse there is a total of 54 species of seahorse its scientific name is hippocampus the word 'hippocampus' comes from the ancient greek word hippos meaning 'horse' and kampos meaning 'sea monster' the word 'seahorse' can also be written as two separate words (sea horse) or hyphenated with a dash between the two words (sea-horse)

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Forthefirsttime,scientistshaveunlockedthesecretstooneoftheworld'
    smostrecognizableandunique,butleastunderstoodfish–theseahor
    se.ResearchershaveworkedoutthegeneticcodeoftheSoutheastAsian
    tigertailseahorse.TheynowhavethegeneticmapofallofitsDNA.Thism
    eansscientistscanfindoutalotmoreaboutthisseacreaturethanbefore.
    Theycannowstarttofigureoutwhyseahorsesaresodifferenttootherfis
    h.Unlikeotherfish,seahorseshavenoteeth.Anotherdifferenceisthem
    alebroodingoftheiryoung-maleseahorsescarrybabiesandgivebirt
    htotheminsteadoffemales.Inaddition,seahorsesdonotswimhorizont
    allylikeotherfish;theyswimvertically(upanddown).ScientistsfromGe
    rmany’sUniversityofKonstanzandothersfromChinaandSingaporehel
    pedtosequencethegenomeofthetigertailseahorse.Agenomeisamapo
    fallthegenesandgeneticinformationinacellororganism.Seahorsessta
    rtedtochangefromotherfishabout100millionyearsago.Theybegantot
    akeontheirunusualshape,whichresemblesahorse.Thereisatotalof5
    4speciesofseahorse.ItsscientificnameisHippocampus.Theword'Hipp
    ocampus'comesfromtheAncientGreekwordhipposmeaning'horse'an
    dkamposmeaning'seamonster'.Theword'seahorse'canalsobewritte
    nastwoseparatewords(seahorse),orhyphenatedwithadashbetweent
    hetwowords(sea-horse).

    Free writing

    Write about seahorses for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Seahorses are the cutest creatures in the world. Discuss.

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    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 seahorses. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

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

    4. GENOME: Write a magazine article about how unlocking the human genome will answer all our health problems. Include imaginary interviews with people who agree and disagree with this.

    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 an expert on seahorses. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on what we can learn from seahorses. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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