The Reading / Listening - Dinosaurs - Level 4

Scientists have more details of how the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. The scientists analyzed rocks in a crater under the seabed off Mexico. The rocks were created from the disastrous impact of a huge asteroid hitting Earth. The rocks' layers show a step-by-step account of what happened after the impact. A scientist said: "It tells us what went on inside the crater on that day of doom that killed the dinosaurs. All of this...is recorded in the [rock]."

The asteroid was up to four kilometers wide. It created a crater 160kms wide and 20kms deep. This started a chain reaction of earthquakes, tsunami, landslides and fires that changed Earth's geology forever. It also killed off the dinosaurs. Molten rock fell into the crater, which was then filled with ocean water. This water was full of soil, vegetation and other debris. It took a few hours to settle in the layers scientists are now analyzing millions of years later.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Dinosaurs - Level 5 or  Dinosaurs - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.foxnews.com/science/scientists-uncover-new-evidence-of-the-asteroid-that-killed-off-the-dinosaurs
  • https://gizmodo.com/ancient-rock-reveals-shocking-first-day-after-dinosaur-1837991356
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9894621/apocalyptic-asteroid-dinosaurs-study/


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. Scientists have more details
  2. the dinosaurs died out
  3. in a crater under
  4. the disastrous impact of a
  5. a step-by-step
  6. It tells us what went on
  7. on that day
  8. All of this is
  1. inside the crater
  2. of doom
  3. account
  4. recorded
  5. huge asteroid
  6. 65 million years ago
  7. the seabed
  8. of how

Paragraph 2

  1. up to four kilometers
  2. This started a chain
  3. changed Earth's
  4. Molten
  5. filled
  6. soil, vegetation and
  7. the layers scientists are
  8. millions of
  1. now analyzing
  2. rock
  3. reaction
  4. years later
  5. wide
  6. geology forever
  7. other debris
  8. with ocean water

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists have (1) ___________________ how the dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. The scientists (2) ___________________ a crater under the seabed off Mexico. The rocks were created from (3) ___________________ of a huge asteroid hitting Earth. The rocks' layers show a step-by-step account of what happened (4) ___________________. A scientist said: "It tells us what (5) ___________________ the crater on that day of doom that killed the dinosaurs. All of this...is (6) ___________________ [rock]."

The asteroid was up to four kilometers wide. It (7) ___________________ 160kms wide and 20kms deep. This started (8) ___________________ of earthquakes, tsunami, landslides and fires that changed Earth's geology forever. It also (9) ___________________ dinosaurs. Molten rock fell into the crater, which was then filled (10) ___________________. This water was full of soil, vegetation (11) ___________________. It took a few hours to settle in the layers scientists are (12) ___________________ of years later.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientistshavemoredetailsofhowthedinosaursdiedout65millionyear
sago.ThescientistsanalyzedrocksinacraterundertheseabedoffMexic
o.Therockswerecreatedfromthedisastrousimpactofahugeasteroidhi
ttingEarth.Therocks'layersshowastep-by-stepaccountofwhathappe
nedaftertheimpact.Ascientistsaid:"Ittellsuswhatwentoninsidethecr
ateronthatdayofdoomthatkilledthedinosaurs.Allofthis...isrecordedi
nthe[rock]."Theasteroidwasuptofourkilometerswide.Itcreatedacrat
er160kmswideand20kmsdeep.Thisstartedachainreactionofearthqu
akes,tsunami,landslidesandfiresthatchangedEarth'sgeologyforever
.Italsokilledoffthedinosaurs.Moltenrockfellintothecrater,whichwast
henfilledwithoceanwater.Thiswaterwasfullofsoil,vegetationandothe
rdebris.Ittookafewhourstosettleinthelayersscientistsarenowanalyzi
ngmillionsofyearslater.

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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