Snow leopard under threat from climate change

Snow leopard under threat from climate change (26th October, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has warned that climate change is threatening the snow leopard. It says rising temperatures are reducing the animals' natural habitat to the point where they could become extinct. Up to a third of the areas where the leopards live could become uninhabitable. The WWF said: "The Himalayas region will face a major crisis if we choose to ignore climate change…We risk losing…species such as the snow leopard."

Humans are also a big threat to the snow leopard. The big cats are hunted for their fur and body parts. Many poachers are joining this profitable, illegal trade. Farmers also kill the leopards. The natural prey of the snow leopards is decreasing, so the animals are going onto farms and killing farm animals. The result is the farmers shoot the leopards. The WWF released its report on Friday. This was the first ever International Snow Leopard Day.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34616494
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/23/snow-leopards-at-risk-himalayas-face-climate-change-crisis
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-could-push-snow-leopards-closer-to-extinction/

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.	to the point where they could	a.	crisis
2.	climate change is threatening	b.	ignore climate change
3.	reducing the animals' natural	c.	become extinct
4.	Up to	d.	habitat
5.	areas where the leopards live could become	e.	as the snow leopard
6.	The Himalayas region will face a major	f.	uninhabitable
7.	if we choose to	g.	a third
8.	We risk losing species such	h.	the snow leopard

MY e-BOOK

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 are also a big	a.	prey of the snow leopards
2.	hunted for their fur	b.	joining this
3.	Many poachers are	c.	shoot the leopards
4.	illegal	d.	its report on Friday
5.	The natural	e.	and body parts
6.	the animals are going	f.	threat
7.	the farmers	g.	trade
8.	The WWF released	h.	onto farms

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) (1) ___________________ climate change is threatening the snow leopard. It says rising temperatures are reducing the animals' natural habitat (2) ___________________ where they could become extinct. Up (3) ___________________ areas where the leopards live could become uninhabitable. The WWF said: "The Himalayas (4) ___________________ major crisis if (5) ___________________ ignore climate change…We risk losing… (6) ___________________ snow leopard."

Humans (7) ___________________ threat to the snow leopard. The big cats are hunted (8) ___________________ and body parts. Many poachers are joining this profitable, (9) ___________________. Farmers also kill the leopards. The natural (10) ___________________ snow leopards is decreasing, (11) ___________________ going onto farms and killing farm animals. The result is the farmers shoot the leopards. The WWF released its report on Friday. This (12) ___________________ International Snow Leopard Day.

SNOW LEOPARDS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about snow leopards 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

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

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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