The Reading / Listening - Loch Ness Monster - Level 1

A monster might live in a deep lake in Scotland. It is called the Loch Ness Monster, or "Nessie". It looks like a dinosaur. It has a small head and a long neck. People first saw it in 1933. Scientists will use a special technique to look for the monster. A research team will use a technique called eDNA sampling. It try to find some of Nessie's DNA. A professor says this will show if the monster is real or not.

Many scientists tried to find the monster before. They put machines at the bottom of the 230-metre-deep lake. Nessie is often in the newspapers. All photographs of Nessie are blurred. Some people say they are car tyres in the water. The professor will test water from the lake for DNA from the monster's skin. He will check all DNA to make sure it is not from other animals. If he finds new DNA, that could belong to Nessie.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Loch Ness Monster - Level 0 Loch Ness Monster - Level 2   or  Loch Ness Monster - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/23/edna-sampling-loch-ness-monster-nessie-scotland/
  • https://abcnews.go.com/US/scientists-search-proof-loch-ness-monster/story?id=55378010
  • https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/loch-ness-monster-scotland-environmental-dna-science/


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. A monster might
  2. It looks like a
  3. People first saw it
  4. a special technique to look
  5. a technique called
  6. It try to find some of
  7. A professor says this
  8. show if the monster is
  1. Nessie's DNA
  2. live in a deep lake
  3. for the monster
  4. real or not
  5. in 1933
  6. will
  7. eDNA sampling
  8. dinosaur

Paragraph 2

  1. Many scientists tried to find
  2. They put machines
  3. the 230-metre-
  4. Nessie is often
  5. All photographs of Nessie
  6. Some people say they are car
  7. DNA from
  8. If he finds new DNA, that could
  1. tyres in the water
  2. in the newspapers
  3. belong to Nessie
  4. at the bottom
  5. the monster's skin
  6. the monster before
  7. are blurred
  8. deep lake

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A monster (1) ___________________ a deep lake in Scotland. It (2) ___________________ Loch Ness Monster, or "Nessie". It looks like a dinosaur. It has a small (3) ___________________ long neck. People first (4) ___________________ 1933. Scientists will use a special technique to look for the monster. A research team will (5) ___________________ called eDNA sampling. It try to find some of Nessie's DNA. A professor says this will show if the monster is (6) ___________________.

Many scientists (7) ___________________ the monster before. They put machines (8) ___________________ of the 230-metre-deep lake. Nessie (9) ___________________ the newspapers. All photographs of Nessie are blurred. Some people say they are car tyres (10) ___________________. The professor will test water from the lake for DNA from (11) ___________________. He will check all DNA to make sure it is not from other animals. If he finds new DNA, (12) ___________________ to Nessie.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AmonstermightliveinadeeplakeinScotland.ItiscalledtheLochNessMo
nster,or"Nessie".Itlookslikeadinosaur.Ithasasmallheadandalongne
ck.Peoplefirstsawitin1933.Scientistswilluseaspecialtechniquetolook
forthemonster.AresearchteamwilluseatechniquecalledeDNAsampli
ng.IttrytofindsomeofNessie'sDNA.Aprofessorsaysthiswillshowifthe
monsterisrealornot.Manyscientiststriedtofindthemonsterbefore.Th
eyputmachinesatthebottomofthe230-metre-deeplake.Nessieisofte
ninthenewspapers.AllphotographsofNessieareblurred.Somepeople
saytheyarecartyresinthewater.Theprofessorwilltestwaterfromthela
keforDNAfromthemonster'sskin.HewillcheckallDNAtomakesureitisn
otfromotheranimals.IfhefindsnewDNA,thatcouldbelongtoNessie.

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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