The Reading / Listening - Locust Invasion - Level 4

Millions of farmers' lives in Africa are at risk from locusts. Swarms of locusts have destroyed large areas of farmland and crops in Somalia, Kenya and Uganda. The locusts are spreading and could go to other countries. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organisation say swarms have been seen as far away as Oman in the Gulf. It is the worst locust invasion in 70 years. Some say it is like a scene from the Bible.

The invasion affects over 12 million people. Many of these have little food due to poor harvests and no rain. The locusts will make things worse. Locusts are very hungry pests. One locust can eat its body weight in 24 hours. A small swarm could eat enough to feed 35,000 people for a day. A worried farmer said: "We depend a lot on this season and we worry that the locusts will destroy our harvest. We will end up...hungry through the rest of the year."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Locust Invasion - Level 5 or  Locust Invasion - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/scienceandhealth/Locust-swarms-threaten-more-countries-in-eastern-Africa-FAO/3073694-5443824-vpesa1/index.html
  • https://news.sky.com/story/worst-locust-invasion-in-70-years-threatens-countries-in-eastern-africa-11925606
  • https://www.ecowatch.com/locusts-somalia-national-emergency-2645027649.html


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. at risk
  2. Swarms
  3. destroyed large areas of farmland
  4. The locusts are
  5. could go to other
  6. seen as far
  7. It is the worst locust
  8. it is like a scene
  1. countries
  2. and crops
  3. from the Bible
  4. of locusts
  5. invasion in 70 years
  6. spreading
  7. from locusts
  8. away as Oman

Paragraph 2

  1. The invasion affects
  2. Many of these have little
  3. due to poor
  4. The locusts will make
  5. Locusts are very
  6. One locust can eat its
  7. We depend a lot
  8. the locusts will
  1. body weight
  2. things worse
  3. destroy our harvest
  4. harvests
  5. over 12 million people
  6. on this season
  7. hungry pests
  8. food

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Millions of farmers' lives in Africa (1) ___________________ from locusts. Swarms of locusts have destroyed large areas of (2) ___________________ in Somalia, Kenya and Uganda. The locusts (3) ___________________ could go (4) ___________________. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organisation say swarms have been seen (5) ___________________ as Oman in the Gulf. It is the worst locust invasion in 70 years. Some say it is (6) ___________________ from the Bible.

The (7) ___________________ 12 million people. Many of these have little food due to (8) ___________________ no rain. The locusts will make things worse. Locusts are (9) ___________________. One locust can eat its body weight in 24 hours. A small swarm (10) ___________________ to feed 35,000 people for a day. A worried farmer said: "We (11) ___________________ on this season and we worry that the locusts will destroy our harvest. We will end up...hungry (12) ___________________ of the year."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Millionsoffarmers'livesinAfricaareatriskfromlocusts.Swarmsoflocust
shavedestroyedlargeareasoffarmlandandcropsinSomalia,Kenyaan
dUganda.Thelocustsarespreadingandcouldgotoothercountries.The
UnitedNations'FoodandAgriculturalOrganisationsayswarmshavebe
enseenasfarawayasOmanintheGulf.Itistheworstlocustinvasionin70
years.SomesayitislikeascenefromtheBible.Theinvasionaffectsover1
2millionpeople.Manyofthesehavelittlefoodduetopoorharvestsandno
rain.Thelocustswillmakethingsworse.Locustsareveryhungrypests.O
nelocustcaneatitsbodyweightin24hours.Asmallswarmcouldeatenou
ghtofeed35,000peopleforaday.Aworriedfarmersaid:"Wedependalot
onthisseasonandweworrythatthelocustswilldestroyourharvest.Wew
illendup...hungrythroughtherestoftheyear."

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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