The Reading / Listening - Level 2

Satellites found the coldest place on Earth. It is a temperature of minus 93.2 degrees Celsius on part of Antarctica. Scientists need to test the data more. Researchers say the real temperature could be one degree colder. The coldest temperature found before this was minus 89.2 degrees Celsius, also in Antarctica. Scientist Dr Ted Scambos said it is hard to imagine such cold weather. He explained: "It's almost as cold below freezing as boiling water is above freezing." Antarctica is 50 degrees colder than Siberia. the Moon was once minus 238 degrees Celsius.

The temperatures the satellites measured won't be in the Guinness Book of Records. Scientists must use a thermometer and take the temperature a few meters above the ice. The satellites' temperatures were a few centimetres above the ice. Dr Scambos said he is sure that the satellites' temperatures are accurate. He also said it was too cold for a thermometer to work. He said it was so cold that people cannot breathe the air. When scientists go outside, they must wear a snorkel that goes inside their coat. They breathe the warm air close to their skin.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www. bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25287806
  • http://www. livescience.com/41817-coldest-places-found-antarctica.html
  • http://www. stuff.co.nz/science/9499536/Coldest-place-on-Earth-94-7C


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.

93.2 degrees

a.

water

2.

Scientists need to test

b.

Celsius

3.

the real temperature could be

c.

freezing

4.

it is hard to

d.

minus 238

5.

below

e.

one degree colder

6.

boiling

f.

colder

7.

Antarctica is 50 degrees

g.

imagine such cold weather

8.

The Moon was once

h.

the data more



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 temperatures the

a.

to work

2.

use a thermometer to

b.

above the ice

3.

a few centimetres

c.

their skin

4.

the satellites' temperatures

d.

satellites measured

5.

too cold for a thermometer

e.

the warm air

6.

it was so cold that people

f.

are accurate

7.

They breathe

g.

cannot breathe

8.

close to

h.

take the temperature

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Satellites (1) ___________________ place on Earth. It is a temperature of minus 93.2 degrees Celsius on part of Antarctica. Scientists need (2) ___________________ more. Researchers say the real temperature could (3) ___________________ colder. The coldest temperature found before this was minus 89.2 degrees Celsius, also in Antarctica. Scientist Dr Ted Scambos said it is hard to (4) ___________________ weather. He explained: "It's almost as cold below freezing (5) ___________________ above freezing." Antarctica is 50 degrees colder than Siberia.                               (6) ___________________ minus 238 degrees Celsius.

The temperatures the satellites (7) ___________________ in the Guinness Book of Records. Scientists must use a thermometer a take the temperature (8) ___________________ the ice. The satellites' temperatures were a few centimetres above the ice. Dr Scambos said he is sure that the (9) ___________________ are accurate. He also said it was (10) ___________________ thermometer to work. He said it was so cold that people cannot (11) ___________________. When scientists go outside, they must wear a snorkel that goes inside their coat. They breathe the warm (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

SatellitesfoundthecoldestplaceonEarth.Itisatemperatureofminu
s93.2degreesCelsiusonpartofAntarctica.Scientistsneedtotestthe
datamore.Researcherssaytherealtemperaturecouldbeonedegre
ecolder.Thecoldesttemperaturefoundbeforethiswasminus89.2d
egreesCelsius,alsoinAntarctica.ScientistDrTedScambossaiditish
ardtoimaginesuchcoldweather.Heexplained:"It'salmostascoldbe
lowfreezingasboilingwaterisabovefreezing."Antarcticais50degre
escolderthanSiberia.theMoonwasonceminus238degreesCelsius.
Thetemperaturesthesatellitesmeasuredwon'tbeintheGuinnessB
ookofRecords.Scientistsmustuseathermometerandtakethetemp
eratureafewmetersabovetheice.Thesatellites'temperatureswere
afewcentimetresabovetheice.DrScambossaidheissurethatthesat
ellites'temperaturesareaccurate.Healsosaiditwastoocoldforathe
rmometertowork.Hesaiditwassocoldthatpeoplecannotbreatheth
eair.Whenscientistsgooutside,theymustwearasnorkelthatgoesin
sidetheircoat.Theybreathethewarmairclosetotheirskin.

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about cold weather 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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