Desert beetles used to get water from air

The Reading / Listening - Level 1

The scientists say this technology could help us. It could help power plants, heating and air conditioning. One scientist said: "Thermal power plants [use things] to quickly convert steam to liquid water. [Our] design could help speed up that process." Another scientist, Joanna Aizenberg, said she was looking forward to getting more new technology from nature. She said: "Everybody is excited about bio-inspired materials research."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 0, Level 2 or Level 3

Sources

http://www.pulseheadlines.com/scientists-developed-material-water-air/18647/
http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/20230/20160326/desert-beetles-cacti-inspire-new-water-harvesting-techniques.htm
http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/research-innovations/blogs/scientists-steal-designs-nature-new-water-collecting-material

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.	Scientists may have found one answer	a.	desert beetle
2.	a material that collects	b.	their own materials
3.	They got the idea from an African	c.	to water shortages
4.	The beetle is an expert	d.	in small bumps
5.	dry	e.	dry areas
6.	Its shell is covered	f.	conditions
7.	They will make	g.	water from the air
8.	live in very	h.	at surviving

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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.	The scientists say this technology	a.	up that process
2.	heating and air	b.	about bio-inspired materials
3.	thermal power	c.	to liquid water
4.	quickly convert steam	d.	conditioning
5.	help speed	e.	plants
6.	she was looking forward	f.	nature
7.	new technology from	g.	could help us
8.	Everybody is excited	h.	to getting more

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Scientists may have found (1) ___________________ water shortages. It (2) ___________________ that collects water from the air. They got the (3) ___________________ African desert beetle. The beetle is an expert at surviving in dry conditions. Its shell (4) ___________________ small bumps. These collect drops of water from (5) ___________________ the beetle alive. Scientists studied the bumps. They will make their own materials to collect water from the air. This (6) ___________________ who live in very dry areas.

The scientists say this technology (7) ___________________. It could help (8) ___________________, heating and air conditioning. One scientist said: "Thermal power plants [use things] to (9) ___________________ steam to liquid water. [Our] design could help (10) ___________________ that process." Another scientist, Joanna Aizenberg, said she was looking forward to (11) ___________________ new technology from nature. She said: "Everybody (12) ___________________ bio-inspired materials research."

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Scientistsmayhavefoundoneanswertowatershortages.Itisamaterial
thatcollectswaterfromtheair.TheygottheideafromanAfricandesertb
eetle.Thebeetleisanexpertatsurvivingindryconditions.Itsshelliscove
redinsmallbumps.Thesecollectdropsofwaterfromtheairtokeepthebe
etlealive.Scientistsstudiedthebumps.Theywillmaketheirownmateri
alstocollectwaterfromtheair.Thiswillhelppeoplewholiveinverydryare
as.Thescientistssaythistechnologycouldhelpus.Itcouldhelppowerpl
ants,heatingandairconditioning.Onescientistsaid:"Thermalpowerpl
ants[usethings]toquicklyconvertsteamtoliquidwater.[Our]designco
uldhelpspeedupthatprocess."Anotherscientist,JoannaAizenberg,sai
dshewaslookingforwardtogettingmorenewtechnologyfromnature.S
hesaid:"Everybodyisexcitedaboutbio-inspiredmaterialsresearch."

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)	________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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