The Reading / Listening - Civilization - Level 1

Scientists believed humans started in East Africa. This changed because of 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now say that Algeria is the cradle of civilization. They found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The animal bones show that early humans cut up meat. The leader of the project said the tools changed his view that humankind originated in East Africa. He said: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging on this project for 25 years. The tools and bones were found about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital. The project leader said humans were killing animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than we thought. Another archaeologist said the tools showed that our ancestors were more than scavengers. She didn't know if they hunted. The scientists now hope to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Civilization - Level 0 Civilization - Level 2   or  Civilization - Level 3

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/30/world/human-tools-north-africa-humanity-scli-intl/index.html
  • http://www.sci-news.com/archaeology/oldowan-stone-tools-ain-boucherit-algeria-06672.html
  • https://www.dw.com/en/algeria-the-new-cradle-of-civilization/a-46515910


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. 2.4-million-year-
  2. Scientists now say
  3. They found
  4. early humans cut
  5. The leader of
  6. the tools changed his
  7. humankind originated
  8. the whole
  1. view
  2. up meat
  3. of Africa
  4. that Algeria is
  5. in East Africa
  6. 250 tools
  7. the project
  8. old stone tools

Paragraph 2

  1. Archaeologists have been
  2. 200 miles east
  3. The project
  4. humans were killing animals
  5. 600,000 years earlier
  6. our ancestors were more
  7. She didn't know if they
  8. even older stone
  1. than scavengers
  2. leader
  3. tools
  4. of Algeria's capital
  5. hunted
  6. digging
  7. than we thought
  8. for meat

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists believed (1) ___________________ East Africa. This changed because of 2.4-million-year-old (2) ___________________ in Algeria. Scientists now say that Algeria is the cradle of civilization. They found 250 tools and (3) ___________________. The animal bones show that early humans cut up meat. The (4) ___________________ project said the tools changed (5) ___________________ humankind originated in East Africa. He said: "Actually, (6) ___________________ Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been (7) ___________________ project for 25 years. The tools and bones (8) ___________________ 200 miles east of Algeria's capital. The project leader said humans were killing (9) ___________________ 600,000 years earlier than we thought. Another archaeologist said (10) __________________ that our ancestors (11) ___________________ scavengers. She didn't know if they hunted. The scientists now hope to find the tool-makers (12) ___________________ stone tools.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ScientistsbelievedhumansstartedinEastAfrica.Thischangedbecause
of2.4-million-year-oldstonetoolsfoundinAlgeria.Scientistsnowsayth
atAlgeriaisthecradleofcivilization.Theyfound250toolsand296animal
bones.Theanimalbonesshowthatearlyhumanscutupmeat.Theleader
oftheprojectsaidthetoolschangedhisviewthathumankindoriginatedi
nEastAfrica.Hesaid:"Actually,thewholeofAfricawasthecradleofhuma
nkind."Archaeologistshavebeendiggingonthisprojectfor25years.Th
etoolsandboneswerefoundabout200mileseastofAlgeria'scapital.The
projectleadersaidhumanswerekillinganimalsformeat600,000yearse
arlierthanwethought.Anotherarchaeologistsaidthetoolsshowedthat
ourancestorsweremorethanscavengers.Shedidn'tknowiftheyhunte
d.Thescientistsnowhopetofindthetool-makersandevenolderstonet
ools.

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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