The Reading / Listening - Level 0

Rats the size of sheep could be real in the future. Giant rats could weigh 80kg. Rats are now all over the Earth. They are in places that never had rats before. They are the strongest animals in many places. There are fewer and fewer animals that can kill rats. Rats might grow to become the world's largest rodent.

Humans spread rats around the world. They can live almost anywhere. The future might have many kinds of different rats. After the dinosaurs, many small animals grew bigger. The same thing could happen with rats. They might make other animals extinct. A question is what we would do about giant rats.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 1,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/457757/Super-sized-rodents-Rats-could-grow-bigger-than-sheep-and-weigh-same-as-average-Briton
  • http://www.skynews.com.au/eco/article.aspx?id=947282
  • http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/5868/20140203/rats-will-adapt-replace-extinct-animals-become-enormous-expert.htm


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.

Rats the size of sheep could be

a.

the Earth

2.

Giant rats could

b.

in many places

3.

Rats are now all over

c.

rats

4.

places that never

d.

and fewer

5.

They are the strongest animals

e.

largest rodent

6.

There are fewer

f.

real in the future

7.

animals that can kill

g.

weigh 80kg

8.

grow to become the world's

h.

had rats before


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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Humans spread rats

a.

animals extinct

2.

They can live almost

b.

happen with rats

3.

many kinds of

c.

anywhere

4.

After the

d.

grew bigger

5.

many small animals

e.

around the world

6.

The same thing could

f.

different rats

7.

make other

g.

about giant rats

8.

what we would do

h.

dinosaurs

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Rats the size of sheep (1) ___________________ in the future. Giant rats could weigh 80kg. Rats (2) ___________________ the Earth. They are in places that (3) ___________________. They are the (4) ___________________ many places. There are fewer and (5) ___________________ can kill rats. Rats might grow to become the (6) ___________________.

Humans (7) ___________________ the world. They can live almost anywhere. The future (8) ___________________ kinds of different rats. After the dinosaurs, (9) ___________________ grew bigger. The same (10) ___________________ with rats. They might make (11) ___________________. A question is what we would (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Ratsthesizeofsheepcouldberealinthefuture.Giantratscouldweigh
80kg.RatsarenowallovertheEarth.Theyareinplacesthatneverhad
ratsbefore.Theyarethestrongestanimalsinmanyplaces.Therearef
ewerandfeweranimalsthatcankillrats.Ratsmightgrowtobecomet
heworld'slargestrodent.Humansspreadratsaroundtheworld.The
ycanlivealmostanywhere.Thefuturemighthavemanykindsofdiffe
rentrats.Afterthedinosaurs,manysmallanimalsgrewbigger.Thes
amethingcouldhappenwithrats.Theymightmakeotheranimalsext
inct.Aquestioniswhatwewoulddoaboutgiantrats.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about rats for 10 minutes. Read and talk about your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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