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Men rescued after writing ‘HELP’ in the sand (13th April, 2016)

The Reading / Listening - Level 6

Three men were rescued from a remote desert island in adventure-book style on Thursday. The three sailors became marooned on the tiny, uninhabited island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their boat capsized. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. Even though they lost their vessel at night, the men managed to swim for nearly three kilometres to reach land. They remained on the island for three days and believed they were modern-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using palm leaves so they might be spotted by a plane. Their prayers were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message on the beach.

A Coast Guard spokesman spoke about the rescue. He said: "Our combined efforts, coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were notified and they were put on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they had initially set out to sea. The Coast Guard said none of the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has undertaken recently. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue missions in the South Pacific, saving the lives of 15 people.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 4 or Level 5

Sources

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/09/men-rescued-help-palm-leaves-island-pacific
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/04/08/three-castaways-rescued-remote-island-pacific-ship-wreck-help/82783676/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/09/three-men-rescued-from-remote-island-after-writing-help-on-the-sand/

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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. DESERT ISLANDS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about desert islands. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

rescued / desert island / sailors / uninhabited / castaways / palm leaves / prayers / spokesman / resources / remote / initially / coast guard / recently / missions

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. SURVIVAL: What are the most important things to do to survive these? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Difficulties	How to survive them
Being on a desert island
Exams
Being in a jungle
Being in the desert
Loneliness
A broken heart

4. LOST: Students A strongly believe being lost on a desert island is more difficult than being lost in the desert; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

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

See a sample

5. SURVIVAL TOOLS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things you need to survive on a desert island at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• a mobile phone

• matches

• a blanket

• a knife

• a cup

• a torch / flashlight

• a diary

• a guitar

6. RESCUE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "rescue". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if a-h below are true (T) or false (F).

a.	Three men wrote an adventure book about being rescued.	T / F
b.	The men ended up on the island after their boat capsized.	T / F
c.	The men swam for almost three kilometres to get to the island.	T / F
d.	The US Coat Guard found the men on the island.	T / F
e.	The Coast Guard said many people were unwilling to join the rescue.	T / F
f.	The men were flown straight back to the USA.	T / F
g.	One of the men had a broken leg.	T / F
h.	The Coast Guard saved 15 people in the same area in the past 2 weeks.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1.	rescued	a.	noticed
2.	marooned	b.	overturned
3.	capsized	c.	distant
4.	reach	d.	readiness
5.	spotted	e.	saved
6.	combined	f.	get to
7.	willingness	g.	at first
8.	remote	h.	stranded
9.	initially	i.	worked together
10.	coordinated	j.	joint

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.	rescued from a remote	a.	rescue missions
2.	after their boat	b.	land
3.	reach	c.	part of the Pacific
4.	palm	d.	lives of 15 people
5.	Their prayers	e.	capsized
6.	a very remote	f.	notified
7.	their families were	g.	leaves
8.	set out	h.	were answered
9.	search-and-	i.	to sea
10.	saving the	j.	desert island

GAP FILL

Three men were rescued from a (1) ____________ desert island in adventure-book (2) ____________ on Thursday. The three sailors became marooned on the (3) ____________, uninhabited island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their boat (4) ____________. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. Even though they lost their vessel at night, the men managed to swim for nearly three kilometres to (5) ____________ land. They remained on the island for three days and believed they were modern-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the (6) ____________ using palm leaves so they might be (7) ____________ by a plane. Their prayers were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message on the (8) ____________.

capsized
style
sand
remote
beach
tiny
spotted
reach

A Coast Guard spokesman spoke about the rescue. He said: "Our (9) ____________ efforts, coupled with the willingness of many different (10) ____________ to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very (11) ____________ part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were (12) ____________ and they were put on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they had (13) ____________ set out to sea. The Coast Guard said none of the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has undertaken (14) ____________. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue (15) ____________ in the South Pacific, saving the (16) ____________ of 15 people.

initially
resources
missions
remote
lives
combined
recently
notified

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	Three men were rescued from a remote desert island in ______
	a. adventure-book styles b. adventure-book styled c. adventure-book stylish d. adventure-book style
2)	marooned on the tiny, uninhabited island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after ______
	a. their boat cap size b. their boats capsized c. their boat capsized d. their boat capsize
3)	They remained on the island for three days and believed they were ______
	a. modern-day castaways b. modern-days castaways c. modern-date castaways d. modern-dates castaways
4)	They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using palm leaves so they might be ______
	a. sported by a plane b. spotted by a plain c. spotted by the plane d. spotted by a plane
5)	Their prayers were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane ______
	a. spotted their message b. spotted their massage c. spotted their messenger d. spotted their messengers
6)	the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to ______
	a. the successful rescues b. the successful rescue c. the successful rescued d. the successful rescuing
7)	Once the men were found, their families ______
	a. were notified b. are notifies c. we're notified d. were notifies
8)	they were put on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they had initially ______
	a. set out too sea b. set out to see c. set out to sea d. set out two see
9)	The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has ______
	a. undertaken recently b. overtaken recently c. retaken recently d. and taken recently
10)	Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-______
	a. and-rescues missions b. and-rescue missions c. and-rescued missions d. and-rescuing missions

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Three men were rescued (1) ___________________ desert island in adventure-book style on Thursday. The three sailors became marooned on the tiny, (2) ___________________ of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their boat capsized. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. (3) ___________________ lost their vessel at night, the men managed to swim for nearly three kilometres (4) ___________________. They remained on the island for three days and believed they were modern-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using palm (5) ___________________ might be spotted by a plane. Their prayers were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message (6) ___________________.

A Coast Guard spokesman (7) ___________________ rescue. He said: "Our combined efforts, coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together (8) ___________________ to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were notified and (9) ___________________ on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they (10) ___________________ out to sea. The Coast Guard said none of the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard (11) ___________________ recently. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue missions in the South Pacific, (12) ___________________ of 15 people.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	In what kind of style did the article say the men were rescued?
2.	How many people lived on the island the men were stranded on?
3.	What country was several hundred kilometres south of the island?
4.	What did the men use to write the word 'help'?
5.	What was answered by the U.S. Coast Guard?
6.	Where did the men write their message?
7.	Who was notified of the men's rescue?
8.	How many of the rescued men had sustained injuries?
9.	How many search-and-rescue missions did the coast guard do recently?
10.	How many people did the coast guard save in the past two weeks?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	In what kind of style did the article say the men were rescued?	6.	Where did the men write their message?
	a) traditional style b) old-fashioned style c) modern-day style d) adventure-book style		a) in the jungle b) on their boat c) on the beach d) on their mobile phones
2.	How many people lived on the island the men were stranded on?	7.	Who was notified of the men's rescue?
	a) over 1,000 b) none c) 27 d) several hundred		a) the men's families b) the U.S. President c) the Coast Guard d) the leader of the island
3.	What country was several hundred kilometres south of the island?	8.	How many of the rescued men had sustained injuries?
	a) New Zealand b) Fiji c) Vanuatu d) Papua New Guinea		a) 3 b) 1 c) 0 d) 2
4.	What did the men use to write the word 'help'?	9.	How many search-and-rescue missions did the coast guard do recently?
	a) oil b) pens c) palm leaves d) shells		a) 6 b) 7 c) 8 d) 9
5.	What was answered by the U.S. Coast Guard?	10.	How many people did the coast guard save in the past two weeks?
	a) a letter b) the telephone c) a difficult question d) the men's prayers		a) 15 b) 20 c) 10 d) 25

ROLE PLAY

Role A – A mobile phone

You think a mobile phone is the most important thing to survive on a desert island. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): matches, a knife or a blanket.

Role B – Matches

You think matches are the most important things to survive on a desert island. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): a mobile phone, a knife or a blanket.

Role C – A knife

You think a knife is the most important thing to survive on a desert island. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): matches, a mobile phone or a blanket.

Role D – A blanket

You think a blanket is the most important thing to survive on a desert island. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): matches, a knife or a mobile phone.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'coast' and 'guard'.

coast

guard

Share your findings with your partners.

Make questions using the words you found.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

style
tiny
several
night
palm
beach

efforts
successful
once
set
none
last

DESERT ISLANDS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about desert islands 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.

DESERT ISLANDS DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'rescue'?
3)	What do you think about what you read?
4)	How lucky do you think the men are?
5)	What stories do you know about people marooned on desert islands?
6)	What would you do if you were marooned on a desert island?
7)	Is it better to have to survive on a desert island, a jungle or a desert?
8)	How do you think the men felt?
9)	What do you think the men did for three days?
10)	What three adjectives best describe this story?

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What survival skills do you have?
13)	What job does the coast guard do?
14)	How important are coast guards?
15)	What bad things might the men have thought about?
16)	Have you ever been very lost?
17)	What movies have you seen about castaways?
18)	Should we be taught survival skills at school?
19)	What's the most remote place you've ever been to?
20)	What questions would you like to ask the rescued men?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

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

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

Three men were rescued from a (1) ____ desert island in adventure-book style on Thursday. The three sailors became marooned on the tiny, (2) ____ island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their boat (3) ____. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. Even though they lost their vessel at night, the men (4) ____ to swim for nearly three kilometres to reach land. They remained on the island for three days and believed they were (5) ____-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using palm leaves so they might be spotted by a plane. Their (6) ____ were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message on the beach.

A Coast Guard spokesman spoke about the rescue. He said: "Our (7) ____ efforts, coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the (8) ____ rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were (9) ____ and they were put on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they had initially (10) ____ out to sea. The Coast Guard said none of the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has (11) ____ recently. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue missions in the South Pacific, (12) ____ the lives of 15 people.

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	remotely	(b)	demote	(c)	remote	(d)	demoted
2.	(a)	uninhabited	(b)	habitat	(c)	habitation	(d)	habitual
3.	(a)	capsized	(b)	resized	(c)	oversized	(d)	sized
4.	(a)	managed	(b)	rewarded	(c)	coped	(d)	stapled
5.	(a)	nice	(b)	one	(c)	all	(d)	modern
6.	(a)	telephone calls	(b)	questions	(c)	mails	(d)	prayers
7.	(a)	combined	(b)	combed	(c)	comprised	(d)	computed
8.	(a)	succumb	(b)	succulent	(c)	succinct	(d)	successful
9.	(a)	notified	(b)	notifies	(c)	notification	(d)	notifying
10.	(a)	sat	(b)	set	(c)	sit	(d)	sot
11.	(a)	taken	(b)	undertaken	(c)	retaken	(d)	overtaken
12.	(a)	saving	(b)	safe	(c)	saved	(d)	savings

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	rescued from a eoetmr desert island
2.	The three sailors became oamodnre
3.	after their boat sizdceap
4.	they lost their vleses at night
5.	modern-day awstacsya
6.	Their ysrepra were answered
Paragraph 2
7.	Our bendcimo efforts
8.	many different errcsesuo
9.	their families were idtoienf
10.	they had nlliaytii set out
11.	none of the men was uijrnde
12.	search-and-rescue nssmiois

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message on the beach.
( )	of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very
( )	boat capsized. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. Even though they lost their vessel at
( )	became marooned on the tiny, uninhabited island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their
( )	night, the men managed to swim for nearly three kilometres to reach land. They remained
( )	search-and-rescue missions in the South Pacific, saving the lives of 15 people.
( )	remote part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were notified and they were put
( )	undertaken recently. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven
( )	on the island for three days and believed they were modern-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using
( )	on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from where they had initially set out to sea. The Coast Guard said none of
( 1 )	Three men were rescued from a remote desert island in adventure-book style on Thursday. The three sailors
( )	the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has
( )	palm leaves so they might be spotted by a plane. Their prayers were
( )	A Coast Guard spokesman spoke about the rescue. He said: "Our combined efforts, coupled with the willingness

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	adventure- in island desert remote a from Rescued style book .
2.	at they night lost their Even vessel though .
3.	nearly managed for kilometres men swim three The to .
4.	'HELP' word the wrote They leaves palm using sand the in .
5.	spotted plane Guard US A beach the Coast on message their .
6.	come The many to of resources together willingness different .
7.	these the of men to rescue three Led successful .
8.	Pulap the boat put island back on They of to a were .
9.	the many of one is Guard rescue The undertaken has Coast .
10.	and- search- coordinated missions rescue They have seven .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Three men were rescued from a remotely / remote desert island in adventure-book style / stylish on Thursday. The three sailors became marooned on the tiny / tinny, uninhabited island of Fanadik in the South Pacific Ocean after their boat oversized / capsized. The island is several hundred kilometres north of Papua New Guinea. Even thought / though they lost their vessel at night, the men managed / managing to swim for nearly three kilometres to reach land. They remained on / in the island for three days and believed / beliefs they were modern-day castaways. They wrote the word 'HELP' in the sand using palm leaves so they might be spotting / spotted by a plane. Their prayers were answered when a U.S. Coast Guard plane spotted their message / massage on the beach.

A Coast Guard spokesman spoke about the rescue / rescued. He said: "Our combined efforts, tripled / coupled with the willingness of many difference / different resources to come together and help, led to the successful / success rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific." Once the men were found, their families were notified / notification and they were put on a boat back to the island of Pulap, from when / where they had initially set out to see / sea. The Coast Guard said none / many of the men was injured. The rescue is one of many the U.S. Coast Guard has undertaken recent / recently. Officials say that in the last two weeks, they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue missions / missionaries in the South Pacific, saving the lives of 15 people.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Thr__ m_n w_r_ r_sc__d fr_m _ r_m_t_ d_s_rt _sl_nd _n _dv_nt_r_-b__k styl_ _n Th_rsd_y. Th_ thr__ s__l_rs b_c_m_ m_r__n_d _n th_ t_ny, _n_nh_b_t_d _sl_nd _f F_n_d_k _n th_ S__th P_c_f_c _c__n _ft_r th__r b__t c_ps_z_d. Th_ _sl_nd _s s_v_r_l h_ndr_d k_l_m_tr_s n_rth _f P_p__ N_w G__n__. _v_n th__gh th_y l_st th__r v_ss_l _t n_ght, th_ m_n m_n_g_d t_ sw_m f_r n__rly thr__ k_l_m_tr_s t_ r__ch l_nd. Th_y r_m__n_d _n th_ _sl_nd f_r thr__ d_ys _nd b_l__v_d th_y w_r_ m_d_rn-d_y c_st_w_ys. Th_y wr_t_ th_ w_rd 'H_LP' _n th_ s_nd _s_ng p_lm l__v_s s_ th_y m_ght b_ sp_tt_d by _ pl_n_. Th__r pr_y_rs w_r_ _nsw_r_d wh_n _ _.S. C__st G__rd pl_n_ sp_tt_d th__r m_ss_g_ _n th_ b__ch.

_ C__st G__rd sp_k_sm_n sp_k_ _b__t th_ r_sc__. H_ s__d: "__r c_mb_n_d _ff_rts, c__pl_d w_th th_ w_ll_ngn_ss _f m_ny d_ff_r_nt r_s__rc_s t_ c_m_ t_g_th_r _nd h_lp, l_d t_ th_ s_cc_ssf_l r_sc__ _f th_s_ thr__ m_n _n _ v_ry r_m_t_ p_rt _f th_ P_c_f_c." _nc_ th_ m_n w_r_ f__nd, th__r f_m_l__s w_r_ n_t_f__d _nd th_y w_r_ p_t _n _ b__t b_ck t_ th_ _sl_nd _f P_l_p, fr_m wh_r_ th_y h_d _n_t__lly s_t __t t_ s__. Th_ C__st G__rd s__d n_n_ _f th_ m_n w_s _nj_r_d. Th_ r_sc__ _s _n_ _f m_ny th_ _.S. C__st G__rd h_s _nd_rt_k_n r_c_ntly. _ff_c__ls s_y th_t _n th_ l_st tw_ w__ks, th_y h_v_ c__rd_n_t_d s_v_n s__rch-_nd-r_sc__ m_ss__ns _n th_ S__th P_c_f_c, s_v_ng th_ l_v_s _f 15 p__pl_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

three men were rescued from a remote desert island in adventure-book style on thursday the three sailors became marooned on the tiny uninhabited island of fanadik in the south pacific ocean after their boat capsized the island is several hundred kilometres north of papua new guinea even though they lost their vessel at night the men managed to swim for nearly three kilometres to reach land they remained on the island for three days and believed they were modern-day castaways they wrote the word 'help' in the sand using palm leaves so they might be spotted by a plane their prayers were answered when a us coast guard plane spotted their message on the beach

a coast guard spokesman spoke about the rescue he said "our combined efforts coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the pacific" once the men were found their families were notified and they were put on a boat back to the island of pulap from where they had initially set out to sea the coast guard said none of the men was injured the rescue is one of many the us coast guard has undertaken recently officials say that in the last two weeks they have coordinated seven search-and-rescue missions in the south pacific saving the lives of 15 people

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Threemenwererescuedfromaremotedesertislandinadventure-book
styleonThursday.Thethreesailorsbecamemaroonedonthetiny,uninh
abitedislandofFanadikintheSouthPacificOceanaftertheirboatcapsize
d.TheislandisseveralhundredkilometresnorthofPapuaNewGuinea.E
venthoughtheylosttheirvesselatnight,themenmanagedtoswimforne
arlythreekilometrestoreachland.Theyremainedontheislandforthree
daysandbelievedtheyweremodern-daycastaways.Theywrotethewo
rd'HELP'inthesandusingpalmleavessotheymightbespottedbyaplane
.TheirprayerswereansweredwhenaU.S.CoastGuardplanespottedthe
irmessageonthebeach.ACoastGuardspokesmanspokeabouttheresc
ue.Hesaid:"Ourcombinedefforts,coupledwiththewillingnessofmany
differentresourcestocometogetherandhelp,ledtothesuccessfulrescu
eofthesethreemeninaveryremotepartofthePacific."Oncethemenwer
efound,theirfamilieswerenotifiedandtheywereputonaboatbacktothe
islandofPulap,fromwheretheyhadinitiallysetouttosea.TheCoastGuar
dsaidnoneofthemenwasinjured.TherescueisoneofmanytheU.S.Coa
stGuardhasundertakenrecently.Officialssaythatinthelasttwoweeks,
theyhavecoordinatedsevensearch-and-rescuemissionsintheSou
thPacific,savingthelivesof15people.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

We should be taught survival skills at school. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about desert islands. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. DESERT ISLANDS: Make a poster about desert islands. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. RESCUE: Write a magazine article about the rescue of the three men. Include imaginary interviews with the rescuers and one of the men.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to a survival expert. Ask him/her three questions about desert islands. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to survive on a desert island. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

F

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	rescued	a.	saved
2.	marooned	b.	stranded
3.	capsized	c.	overturned
4.	reach	d.	get to
5.	spotted	e.	noticed
6.	combined	f.	joint
7.	willingness	g.	readiness
8.	remote	h.	distant
9.	initially	i.	at first
10.	coordinated	j.	worked together

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Adventure-book style
2.	None
3.	Papua New Guinea
4.	Palm leaves
5.	The men’s prayers
6.	On the beach
7.	The men’s families
8.	None
9.	Seven
10.	15

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

d

4.

c

5.

d

6.

c

7.

a

8.

c

9.

b

10.

a

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Men rescued after writing ‘HELP’ in the sand (13th April, 2016)

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