The Reading / Listening - White Rhino - Level 4

Animal lovers are mourning the loss of Sudan the rhinoceros. Sudan, 45, was the world's last male northern white rhino. He died at a zoo in Kenya after "age-related complications". Officials say his health "worsened significantly" and he was too weak to stand. His muscles had weakened and his skin had "extensive wounds". The zoo's director called Sudan's death, "a cruel symbol of human disregard for nature". He said everyone who knew Sudan was sad.

The northern white rhino have been hunted to near-extinction because of the value of their horns. There were more than 2,000 in the 1960s. The only northern white rhinos alive today are Sudan's daughter and granddaughter. They live in a zoo so they will be safe. Conservationists want them to produce young to keep their species going. In vitro fertilization could be used on them. The zoo needs $9 million to fund the conservation project.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    White Rhino - Level 5 or  White Rhino - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.popsci.com/northern-white-rhino-species-conservation
  • https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/last-male-white-rhino-is-dead/
  • https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sudan-last-male-northern-white-rhino-dies-kenya-ol-pejeta-conservancy/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. Animal
  2. mourning the
  3. the world's last male northern
  4. age-related
  5. his health worsened
  6. he was too weak
  7. his skin had extensive
  8. human disregard
  1. white rhino
  2. for nature
  3. significantly
  4. lovers
  5. to stand
  6. wounds
  7. loss of Sudan
  8. complications

Paragraph 2

  1. hunted to near-
  2. the value of
  3. There were more than 2,000
  4. The only northern white rhinos
  5. They live in a zoo so
  6. produce young to keep
  7. in vitro
  8. fund the conservation
  1. in the 1960s
  2. fertilization
  3. they will be safe
  4. project
  5. their species going
  6. extinction
  7. alive today
  8. their horns

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Animal lovers are (1) ___________________ of Sudan the rhinoceros. Sudan, 45, was the world's last male northern white rhino. He died at a zoo in Kenya after "(2) ___________________". Officials say his health "worsened significantly" and he was too (3) ___________________. His muscles had weakened and his skin had "(4) ___________________". The zoo's director called Sudan's death, "(5) ___________________ of human disregard for nature". He (6) ___________________ knew Sudan was sad.

The northern white rhino have been hunted (7) ___________________ because of (8) ___________________ their horns. There were more than 2,000 in the 1960s. The only northern white rhinos (9) ___________________ Sudan's daughter and granddaughter. They live in a zoo so they will be safe. Conservationists want (10) ___________________ young to keep (11) ___________________. In vitro fertilization could be used on them. The zoo needs $9 million (12) ___________________ conservation project.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnimalloversaremourningthelossofSudantherhinoceros.Sudan,45,
wastheworld'slastmalenorthernwhiterhino.HediedatazooinKenyaaf
ter"age-relatedcomplications".Officialssayhishealth"worsenedsign
ificantly"andhewastooweaktostand.Hismuscleshadweakenedandhi
sskinhad"extensivewounds".Thezoo'sdirectorcalledSudan'sdeath,"
acruelsymbolofhumandisregardfornature".Hesaideveryonewhokne
wSudanwassad.Thenorthernwhiterhinohavebeenhuntedtonear-ext
inctionbecauseofthevalueoftheirhorns.Thereweremorethan2,000in
the1960s.TheonlynorthernwhiterhinosalivetodayareSudan'sdaught
erandgranddaughter.Theyliveinazoosotheywillbesafe.Conservation
istswantthemtoproduceyoungtokeeptheirspeciesgoing.Invitrofertili
zationcouldbeusedonthem.Thezooneeds$9milliontofundtheconserv
ationproject.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

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

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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