The Reading / Listening - Wasp - Level 4

A new wasp was found in the Amazon. It has a huge stinger that can sting and paralyze any unlucky victim. The wasp then lays eggs inside the victim's body. Researchers from a university in Finland found the wasp. A professor in biodiversity research said: "The stinger of the new wasp...is not only long but also very wide, in comparison to the size of the species. It looks like a fierce weapon."

Some wasps put larvae inside the insects they sting. The larvae grow and eat the insect from the inside. Most victims of this wasp are spiders. Further research will find out exactly which kinds of spiders. The professor explained the giant stinger was, "a highly sophisticated tool" and he could "only guess at its other purposes". He added: "Beautiful and exciting species...catch people's attention and highlight the importance of...ecosystems."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Wasp - Level 5 or  Wasp - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5927195/Terrifying-wasp-uses-stinger-like-fierce-weapon-lay-eggs-INSIDE-spiders-Amazon.html
  • https://www.techtimes.com/articles/231827/20180707/new-breed-of-wasp-with-exceptionally-large-stinger-discovered-in-the-amazon.htm
  • http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2018/07/i-do-not-like-this-new-wasp-species-whose-giant-stinger-lays-eggs-inside-spiders/


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 new wasp was found
  2. paralyze
  3. The wasp then lays
  4. inside the victim's
  5. A professor in biodiversity
  6. not only long but
  7. in comparison
  8. It looks like a fierce
  1. also very wide
  2. body
  3. weapon
  4. to the size
  5. eggs
  6. in the Amazon
  7. any unlucky victim
  8. research

Paragraph 2

  1. wasps put larvae inside
  2. eat the insect
  3. Most victims of this wasp
  4. find out exactly which
  5. a highly sophisticated
  6. guess at its
  7. catch people's
  8. highlight the importance
  1. attention
  2. kinds of spiders
  3. tool
  4. from the inside
  5. other purposes
  6. the insects they sting
  7. of ecosystems
  8. are spiders

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A new (1) ___________________ in the Amazon. It has a huge stinger that can (2) ___________________ any unlucky victim. The wasp then lays eggs inside (3) ___________________. Researchers from a university in Finland (4) ___________________. A professor in biodiversity research said: "The stinger of the new wasp...is not only long but (5) ___________________, in comparison to the size of the species. It looks like (6) ________________ ".

Some wasps put larvae (7) ___________________ they sting. The larvae grow and (8) ___________________ from the inside. Most victims of this wasp are spiders. Further research will (9) ___________________ which kinds of spiders. The professor explained (10) ___________________ was, "a highly sophisticated tool" and he could "only guess at (11) ___________________". He added: "Beautiful and exciting species...catch people's attention (12) ___________________ importance of...ecosystems."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

AnewwaspwasfoundintheAmazon.Ithasahugestingerthatcanstinga
ndparalyzeanyunluckyvictim.Thewaspthenlayseggsinsidethevictim
'sbody.ResearchersfromauniversityinFinlandfoundthewasp.Aprofes
sorinbiodiversityresearchsaid:"Thestingerofthenewwasp...isnotonl
ylongbutalsoverywide,incomparisontothesizeofthespecies.Itlooksli
keafierceweapon"."Somewaspsputlarvaeinsidetheinsectstheysting.
Thelarvaegrowandeattheinsectfromtheinside.Mostvictimsofthiswas
parespiders.Furtherresearchwillfindoutexactlywhichkindsofspiders.
Theprofessorexplainedthegiantstingerwas,"ahighlysophisticatedto
ol"andhecould"onlyguessatitsotherpurposes".Headded:"Beautifula
ndexcitingspecies...catchpeople'sattentionandhighlighttheimporta
nceof...ecosystems."

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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