A 16-year-old boy has been critically injured in a second shark attack in three days off of Florida’s coast. Craig Hutto was fishing in waist-deep water about 20 meters from shore when the shark struck and bit deep into his right thigh. In the ensuing struggle the shark managed to almost completely sever the limb. Surgeons decided the damage was irreparable and amputated the leg. The teenager is in critical condition but expected to pull through because of his youth. There is a danger he may suffer brain damage because of blood loss. On June 26, 14-year-old Jamie Daigle, died from injuries sustained when a shark mauled her leg.

Craig is extremely lucky to be alive. He was carried to the beach by his brother, who managed to beat off the shark. Fate played its hand as a doctor and several nurses were on the beach. Their efforts at resuscitating the teenager proved to be lifesaving. An eyewitness, Jody Levin, said the scene was chilling and reminded her of a horror movie. She said: “At first I thought it was school kids messing around in the water. When I saw the red spray spurting up I realized it was a shark attack. The doctors on the beach performed a miracle in saving the poor boy’s life.” Florida sees up to 30 shark attacks every year, although few are fatal.

WARM-UPS

1. DANGERS: In pairs / groups, talk about the hidden dangers that surround us. Do you live in a country that has many dangerous animals? What dangers are there in the sea? What dangers are there lurking in the mountains or rivers? What are the dangers in towns and cities? Compare and decide on who lives in the most dangerous place.

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

Sharks / shark attacks / fishing / swimming / the beach / lucky to be alive / first aid / miracles / horror movies / Jaws

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

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

4. SWIMMING IN FLORIDA: In pairs / groups, talk about which of these statements you agree with:

1. I would never in a million years go swimming in the sea in Florida.
2. I’d go swimming. The chances of being attacked are incredibly slim.
3. The coastguards reopened the beaches, so they think it’s safe. I’d trust the coastguards.
4. I’d like to go scuba diving with the sharks in Australia’s Sydney Harbour.
5. I think it’s irresponsible of the coastguards to reopen the beaches in Florida.
6. I’m not sure if I want to swim in the sea anywhere in the world.
7. I think the movie Jaws frightened a lot of people away from swimming in the ocean.
8. If you take the necessary precautions, sharks won’t attack you.

5. SCARY THINGS: In pairs / groups, talk about which of these beasts and creatures are scariest. Which are fascinating? Which would you like to hold or touch?

Sharks Snakes Rats Cockroaches Bats

Tarantulas Lions Centipedes Dogs Other?

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	A second shark attack in three days has taken place in Florida.	T / F
b.	The shark came into the water near a crowded beach.	T / F
c.	A boy was attacked by a shark and lost his leg.	T / F
d.	The boy’s youth is likely to save him from dying.	T / F
e.	The boy managed to beat the shark off and swim to shore.	T / F
f.	Luckily, a doctor and nurses were on the beach at the time.	T / F
g.	An eyewitness thought the boy was fooling around in the water.	T / F
h.	Thirty people die every year in shark attacks off of Florida’s coast.	T / F

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

a.	critically	gushing
b.	ensuing	unfixable
c.	sever	chance
d.	irreparable	following
e.	mauled	terrifying
f.	fate	bringing around
g.	resuscitating	seriously
h.	chilling	attacked
i.	spurting	deadly
j.	fatal	cut

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	critically	chilling
b.	the shark	struggle
c.	the ensuing	performed a miracle
d.	almost completely sever	hand
e.	expected to pull	spurting up
f.	extremely lucky	injured
g.	Fate played its	the limb
h.	the scene was	to be alive
i.	I saw the red spray	struck
j.	doctors on the beach	through

WHILE READING / LISTENING

WORD ORDER: Put the underlined words back into the correct order.

Another shark attack in Florida

A 16-year-old boy has been critically injured in a second shark attack off days of three in Florida’s coast. Craig Hutto was fishing in waist-deep water about 20 meters from shore when the shark struck and right bit into his deep thigh. ensuing in the struggle the shark managed to almost completely sever the limb. Surgeons decided the damage was irreparable and amputated the leg. The teenager is in critical condition expected through but pull to because of his youth. There is a danger he may suffer brain damage because of blood loss. On June 26, 14-year-old Jamie Daigle, sustained from died injuries when a shark mauled her leg.

Craig is alive to lucky be extremely. He was carried to the beach by his brother, who managed to beat off the shark. hand fate its played as a doctor and several nurses were on the beach. Their efforts at resuscitating the teenager lifesaving be proved to. An eyewitness, Jody Levin, said the scene was chilling and reminded her of a horror movie. She said: “At first I thought it messing kids was school around in the water. When I saw the red spray spurting up I realized it was a shark attack. The doctors on the beach performed a miracle boy’s saving in the poor life.” Florida sees up to 30 shark attacks every year, although few are fatal.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘shark’ and ‘attack’.

• 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. WORD ORDER: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers.

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

5. STUDENT SHARK SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about sharks, swimming and the ocean.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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

critically waist ensuing irreparable pull brain

brother hand efforts chilling spurting doctors

 DISCUSSION

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

1. What were your initial thoughts when you read this headline?
2. Did the headline make you want to read the story?
3. What adjective do you think best describes this story?
4. Did you think it was sensible of the boy to go into the water?
5. Would you swim in the water off of the Florida coast?
6. Have you seen the movie Jaws?
7. Are there any animals you are afraid of?
8. What would you do if you were in the water, twenty meters from shore, and you saw a shark?
9. Would you know what to do if someone had been attacked by a shark and needed emergency medical aid?
10. What should authorities do to prevent shark attacks?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What did you think about what you read?
3. What do you think of sharks?
4. Do you think the coastguards should do more to warn swimmers of the dangers from sharks?
5. Do you ever think about sharks when you swim in the sea?
6. If you were Craig, would you go back into the water?
7. Can you think of anything more terrifying than being attacked by a shark?
8. Would you like to go scuba diving to observe sharks?
9. Which movie was better, Finding Nemo or A Shark’s Tale?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

SHARK PHOBIA: You are a phobia expert. It is your job to create a step-by-step program (USA) programme (UK) to enable the victim of a shark attack to overcome his/her fear of sharks and of swimming in the sea. (You may change the phobia if you prefer to create a different program.)

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6

Change partners. Show each other your programs and give feedback. Combine the best parts of your programs to create a “super program”.

Return to your original partner(s) and compare your “super programs”.

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Another shark attack in Florida

A 16-year-old boy has ____ ________ _______ in a second shark attack in three days off of Florida’s coast. Craig Hutto was _______ __ _____-____ water about 20 meters from shore when the shark struck and bit deep into his right thigh. __ ___ _______ ________ the shark managed to almost completely sever the limb. Surgeons decided the damage was __________ ___ _________ the leg. The teenager is in critical condition but ________ __ ____ _______ because of his youth. There is a danger he may suffer brain damage because of _____ ____. On June 26, 14-year-old Jamie Daigle, died from injuries sustained when a shark ______ ___ ____.

Craig __ _________ _____ to be alive. He was carried to the beach by his brother, who _______ __ ____ ___ the shark. Fate ______ ___ _____ as a doctor and several nurses were on the beach. Their _______ __ ____________ the teenager proved to be lifesaving. An eyewitness, Jody Levin, said the scene was ________ ___ _________ her of a horror movie. She said: “At first I thought it was school kids messing around in the water. When I saw the ___ ____ ______ up I realized it was a shark attack. The doctors on the beach
_________ __ _______ __ saving the poor boy’s life.” Florida sees up to 30 shark attacks every year, although ___ ___ ______.

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 more information on sharks and shark attacks. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. SWIMMING SAFETY: Create a poster outlining how to keep safe in the water. Give advice on what to do to reduce the risk of being attacked by a shark. Show and explain your posters to your classmates in your next lesson.

4. LETTER: Write a letter to the coastguards to give your opinion on the shark attacks. Tell them what they should do to prevent further attacks. Read your letter to your classmates in your next lesson. Did you all write about similar things?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. F

c. T

d. T

e. F

f. T

g. T

h. F

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	critically	seriously
b.	ensuing	following
c.	sever	cut
d.	irreparable	unfixable
e.	mauled	attacked
f.	fate	chance
g.	resuscitating	bringing around
h.	chilling	terrifying
i.	spurting	gushing
j.	fatal	deadly

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	critically	injured
b.	the shark	struck
c.	the ensuing	struggle
d.	almost completely sever	the limb
e.	expected to pull	through
f.	extremely lucky	to be alive
g.	Fate played its	hand
h.	the scene was	chilling
i.	I saw the red spray	spurting up
j.	doctors on the beach	performed a miracle

WORD ORDER:

Another shark attack in Florida

A 16-year-old boy has been critically injured in a second shark attack in three days off of Florida’s coast. Craig Hutto was fishing in waist-deep water about 20 meters from shore when the shark struck and bit deep into his right thigh. In the ensuing struggle the shark managed to almost completely sever the limb. Surgeons decided the damage was irreparable and amputated the leg. The teenager is in critical condition but expected to pull through because of his youth. There is a danger he may suffer brain damage because of blood loss. On June 26, 14-year-old Jamie Daigle, died from injuries sustained when a shark mauled her leg.

Craig is extremely lucky to be alive. He was carried to the beach by his brother, who managed to beat off the shark. Fate played its hand as a doctor and several nurses were on the beach. Their efforts at resuscitating the teenager proved to be lifesaving. An eyewitness, Jody Levin, said the scene was chilling and reminded her of a horror movie. She said: “At first I thought it was school kids messing around in the water. When I saw the red spray spurting up I realized it was a shark attack. The doctors on the beach performed a miracle in saving the poor boy’s life.” Florida sees up to 30 shark attacks every year, although few are fatal.

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