The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Two sisters in Colombia who were separated by an avalanche 30 years ago have been reunited. Jaqueline and Lorena Sanchez thought they had lost each other in 1985 after a volcano erupted near their town of Armero. Lava from the volcano melted nearby glaciers and caused four massive mudslides, which killed more than 20,000 people. Jaqueline, 33, and Lorena, 39, never found each other in the chaos. They each thought the other was among the dead. Armero was the second deadliest volcanic disaster of the 20th century. Only an eruption in the Caribbean in 1902 was deadlier.

The Sanchez sisters were adopted by different families. They have spent the past few decades looking for each other. They were reunited after DNA tests they gave to a victims' organization matched. Lorena said: "It was beautiful and sad because it has been 30 years since the tragedy happened….I have to catch up with 30 years of her life and she has to do the same with me." Jaqueline said: "I'm excited, nervous, everything because suddenly, you don't know if you are going to be rejected….I wonder if she will love me. It's difficult. It's difficult to explain this moment."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35666066
  • https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/dna-testing-reunites-colombian-sisters-after-30-years/2016/02/25/ba35577e-dc12-11e5-8210-f0bd8de915f6_story.html
  • http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/25/dna-testing-reunites-colombian-sisters-seperated-after-avalanche-destroyed-their-hometown-30-years-ago.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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

separated by an avalanche

a.

other in the chaos

2.

after a volcano

b.

disaster

3.

Lava from the volcano melted

c.

erupted

4.

four massive

d.

was deadlier

5.

found each

e.

30 years ago

6.

They each thought the other was

f.

mudslides

7.

the second deadliest volcanic

g.

nearby glaciers

8.

an eruption in the Caribbean in 1902

h.

among the dead



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 Sanchez sisters were adopted

a.

will love me

2.

the past few

b.

for each other

3.

looking

c.

tests

4.

They were reunited after DNA

d.

the tragedy happened

5.

it has been 30 years since

e.

by different families

6.

I have to catch up with

f.

to be rejected

7.

you don't know if you are going

g.

30 years of her life

8.

I wonder if she

h.

decades

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Two sisters in Colombia who (1) ___________________ an avalanche 30 years ago have been reunited. Jaqueline and Lorena Sanchez thought they had (2) ___________________ in 1985 after a volcano erupted near their town of Armero. Lava from the volcano (3) ___________________ glaciers and caused four massive mudslides, which (4) ___________________ 20,000 people. Jaqueline, 33, and Lorena, 39, never found each other in the chaos. They (5) ___________________ other was among the dead. Armero was the second deadliest volcanic disaster of the 20th century. Only an (6) ___________________ Caribbean in 1902 was deadlier.

The Sanchez sisters (7) ___________________ different families. They have spent the past few decades looking (8) ___________________. They were reunited after DNA tests they gave to a victims' organization matched. Lorena said: "It was beautiful and sad because (9) ___________________ years since the tragedy happened….I have (10) ___________________ 30 years of her life and she has to do the same with me." Jaqueline said: "I'm (11) ___________________, everything because suddenly, you don't know if you are going to be rejected….I wonder if she will love me. It's difficult. It's difficult to (12) ___________________."

NATURAL DISASTERS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about natural disasters 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.

 

 

 

 

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)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about natural disasters for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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