The Reading / Listening - Civilization - Level 2

Scientists used to believe humans originated in East Africa. This has changed because of many 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now believe that Algeria is the cradle of civilization - where humankind began. Archaeologists found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The animal bones show that early humans were cutting up meat. Dr Mohamed Sahnouni, leader of the project, said: "The evidence from Algeria changes the earlier view that East Africa was the cradle of humankind." He also said: "Actually, the whole of Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging at sites on this project for 25 years. The tools and bones were discovered near a city about 200 miles east of Algeria's capital, Algiers. The animal bones have excited the scientists. Dr Sahnouni said it is clear that humans were killing animals for meat 600,000 years earlier than we thought. Another archaeologist said: "The effective use of...tools...suggests that our ancestors were not mere scavengers." She said it wasn't clear whether or not they hunted. Dr Sahnouni now hopes to find the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Civilization - Level 0 Civilization - Level 1   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. humans originated
  2. 2.4-million-year-old stone
  3. where humankind
  4. animal
  5. early humans were cutting
  6. leader of
  7. The evidence from Algeria changes
  8. the whole
  1. up meat
  2. the earlier view
  3. tools
  4. of Africa
  5. bones
  6. in East Africa
  7. began
  8. the project

Paragraph 2

  1. discovered
  2. 200 miles east
  3. it is clear that humans were killing
  4. 600,000 years earlier
  5. The effective use
  6. our ancestors were not mere
  7. it wasn't clear whether or
  8. even older
  1. of tools
  2. not they hunted
  3. near a city
  4. stone tools
  5. of Algeria's capital
  6. than we thought
  7. animals for meat
  8. scavengers

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists (1) ___________________ humans originated in East Africa. This has changed (2) ___________________ 2.4-million-year-old stone tools found in Algeria. Scientists now believe that Algeria is the cradle of civilization - (3) ___________________. Archaeologists found 250 tools and 296 animal bones. The animal bones show that early humans were (4) ___________________. Dr Mohamed Sahnouni, leader of the project, said: "The evidence from Algeria changes (5) ___________________ that East Africa was the cradle of humankind." He also said: "Actually, (6) ___________________ Africa was the cradle of humankind."

Archaeologists have been digging (7) ___________________ this project for 25 years. The tools and bones were discovered near a city about 200 miles east (8) ___________________, Algiers. The animal bones have (9) ___________________. Dr Sahnouni said it is clear that humans were killing animals for meat 600,000 years earlier (10) ___________________. Another archaeologist said: "The effective use of...tools...suggests that our ancestors (11) ___________________ scavengers." She said it wasn't clear whether or not they hunted. Dr Sahnouni now (12) ___________________ the tool-makers and even older stone tools.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ScientistsusedtobelievehumansoriginatedinEastAfrica.Thishaschan
gedbecauseofmany2.4-million-year-oldstonetoolsfoundinAlgeria.S
cientistsnowbelievethatAlgeriaisthecradleofcivilization-wherehum
ankindbegan.Archaeologistsfound250toolsand296animalbones.Th
eanimalbonesshowthatearlyhumanswerecuttingupmeat.DrMoham
edSahnouni,leaderoftheproject,said:"TheevidencefromAlgeriachan
gestheearlierviewthatEastAfricawasthecradleofhumankind."Healso
said:"Actually,thewholeofAfricawasthecradleofhumankind."Archae
ologistshavebeendiggingatsitesonthisprojectfor25years.Thetoolsa
ndboneswerediscoverednearacityabout200mileseastofAlgeria'scap
ital,Algiers.Theanimalboneshaveexcitedthescientists.DrSahnounis
aiditisclearthathumanswerekillinganimalsformeat600,000yearsearl
ierthanwethought.Anotherarchaeologistsaid:"Theeffectiveuseof...t
ools...suggeststhatourancestorswerenotmerescavengers."Shesaidi
twasn'tclearwhetherornottheyhunted.DrSahnouninowhopestofindt
hetool-makersandevenolderstonetools.

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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