The Reading / Listening - Mosquitoes - Level 3

Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild. The aim is to reduce the number of existing mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus, yellow fever and dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year in the Florida Keys. This is a long chain of tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach biting age. It is only female mosquitoes that feed on blood and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar from flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population of mosquitoes in the area will fall.

Environmental groups are not happy with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground for mutant bugs". Many environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could never be reversed. They say the experiment could even create a new super-species of mosquito that is resistant to insecticides. The environmental group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was no risk.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Mosquitoes - Level 0 Mosquitoes - Level 1   or  Mosquitoes - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2020/08/21/florida-to-release-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-in-the-keys
  • https://www.sciencenews.org/article/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-florida-test-release
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53856776


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. MOSQUITOES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about mosquitoes. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
       scientist / genetically modified / the wild / yellow fever / Florida / blood / bite / nectar
       environmental / experiment / mutant / bugs / ecosystem / insecticide / species / risk
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. GENETICALLY MODIFIED: Students A strongly believe genetically-modified animals should never be released into the wild; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. BITES AND STINGS: What do you think of thee creatures that bite or sting? How would you treat the bite (or sting)? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What You Think

How To Treat It

Mosquito

 

 

Hornet

 

 

Centipede

 

 

Shark

 

 

Jelly fish

 

 

Snake

 

 

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

5. WILD: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "wild". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. GM: Rank these with your partner. Put the most worrying things to genetically modify at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Mosquitoes
  • Dinosaur DNA
  • Tomatoes
  • Humans
  • Viruses
  • Rice
  • Plankton
  • Cows

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. release a. About the region between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
      2. reduce b. Set free.
      3. existing c. There now.
      4. tropical d. Take food; eat something.
      5. offspring e. Use the teeth or the mouth to cut into something in order to eat it.
      6. feed f. Make smaller or lower.
      7. bite g. An animal's babies.

    Paragraph 2

      8. experiment h. A biological area of plants, insects, animals, etc. and their physical environment.
      9. mutant i. A situation involving exposure to danger.
      10. bug j. The ability not to be affected or changed by something.
      11. ecosystems k. Insect.
      12. reversed l. Make something the opposite of what it was.
      13. resistant m. A test without being sure of what will happen.
      14. risk n. Resulting from a change or cause to change in form or nature.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. The government will release millions of genetically-modified mosquitoes. T / F
  2. The mosquitoes will be released all over the state of Florida.     T / F
  3. The genetically-modified mosquitoes are male.     T / F
  4. Only female mosquitoes bite us.     T / F
  5. An environmental group was happy with this project.     T / F
  6. Hollywood will base the next Jurassic Park movie on this project.     T / F
  7. Environmentalists say a new super-mosquito could be created.     T / F
  8. The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was a little risk.     T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

  1. release
  2. aim
  3. modified
  4. offspring
  5. fall
  6. experiment
  7. mutant
  8. damage
  9. insecticide
  10. in the midst of
  1. halfway through
  2. changed
  3. decrease
  4. monster
  5. goal
  6. bug spray
  7. set free
  8. test
  9. harm
  10. young

3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

  1. into the
  2. The aim is to reduce
  3. yellow
  4. a long chain of tropical
  5. mosquitoes that feed on blood
  6. One group called it a "
  7. a testing ground for mutant
  8. cause damage to local
  9. create a new super-
  10. in the midst
  1. and bite humans
  2. fever
  3. of a pandemic
  4. the number
  5. species of mosquito
  6. islands
  7. ecosystems
  8. wild
  9. Jurassic Park experiment"
  10. bugs

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
chain
blood
wild
tip
population
offspring
diseases
time

Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the (1) _____________________. The aim is to reduce the number of existing mosquitoes that have (2) _____________________ like Zika virus, yellow fever and dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year in the Florida Keys. This is a long (3) _____________________ of tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern (4) _____________________ of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill off any female (5) _____________________ before they reach biting age. It is only female mosquitoes that feed on (6) _____________________ and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar from flowers. Over (7) _____________________, scientists hope the disease-carrying (8) _____________________ of mosquitoes in the area will fall.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
testing
resistant
no
local
species
risk
groups
needlessly

Environmental (9) _____________________ are not happy with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a (10) _____________________ ground for mutant bugs". Many environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage to (11) _____________________ ecosystems that could never be reversed. They say the experiment could even create a new super- (12) _____________________ of mosquito that is (13) _____________________ to insecticides. The environmental group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will (14) _____________________ put Floridians, the environment and endangered species at (15) _____________________ in the midst of a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was (16) _____________________ risk.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes ______
     a.  into a wild
     b.  into the wilder
     c.  into the wield
     d.  into the wild
2)  the number of existing mosquitoes that have diseases ______
     a.  like Zika virus
     b.  like Zika rivals
     c.  like Zika vials
     d.  like Zika vies
3)  next year in the Florida Keys. This is a long chain ______
     a.  of tropic islands
     b.  of tropic all islands
     c.  of tropic all islands
     d.  of tropical islands
4) modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill off ______
     a.  any female on spring
     b.  any female of spring
     c.  any female offspring
     d.  any female loft spring
5) only female mosquitoes that feed on blood and bite humans. Males only ______
     a.  feeding nectar
     b.  feed don nectar
     c.  feed on nectar
     d.  fee don nectar

6)  called it a Jurassic Park experiment. It said Florida was a testing ground ______
     a.  for mutant bug
     b.  form you tent bugs
     c.  four mute-ant bugs
     d.  for mutant bugs
7)  environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage ______
     a.  to local ecosystems
     b.  to locally ecosystems
     c.  to low call ecosystems
     d.  to locale ecosystems
8)  They say the experiment could even create a ______
     a.  new super-specials
     b.  new super-species
     c.  new super-specimens
     d.  new super-speech is
9)  the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst ______
     a.  of a pan dermics
     b.  of a panda mic
     c.  of a panned emit
     d.  of a pandemic
10)  The company releasing the mosquitoes said there ______
     a.  was no risky
     b.  was no risk
     c.  was no risked
     d.  was no risker

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes (1) ____________________. The aim is to reduce the number of existing mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus, (2) ____________________ dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year in the Florida Keys. This is a (3) ____________________ tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They (4) ____________________ that will kill off any female offspring before they reach biting age. It is only female mosquitoes that (5) ____________________ and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar from flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population of mosquitoes in the (6) ____________________.

Environmental groups are not happy with the (7) ____________________ the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground (8) ____________________". Many environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could (9) ____________________. They say the experiment could even create a new super-species of mosquito that (10) ____________________ insecticides. The environmental group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes (11) ____________________ Floridians, the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

  1. What fever do mosquitoes carry besides dengue fever?
  2. Where will the mosquitoes be released?
  3. When will the mosquitoes be released?
  4. What will the mosquitoes carry that will kill off other mosquitoes?
  5. What do male mosquitoes feed on?
  6. Who is not happy with the release of the mosquitoes?
  7. What did someone say an area was being used as a testing ground for?
  8. What might a new super-species of mosquito be resistant to?
  9. Who did the article say was needlessly being put at risk?
  10. What did a company say about the risk from the mosquitoes?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What fever do mosquitoes carry besides dengue fever?
a) hay fever
b) blue fever
c) yellow fever
d) cabin fever
2) Where will the mosquitoes be released?
a) the Florida Keys
b) the Texas Panhandle
c) the Rockies
d) California's Death Valley
3) When will the mosquitoes be released?
a) next month
b) next year
c) next week
d) 2025
4) What will the mosquitoes carry that will kill off other mosquitoes?
a) a vaccine
b) poison
c) a virus
d) a protein
5) What do male mosquitoes feed on?
a) dead animals
b) blood
c) nectar from flowers
d) grass

6) Who is not happy with the release of the mosquitoes?
a) beekeepers
b) environmental groups
c) mosquito-haters
d) local people
7) What did someone say an area was being used as a testing ground for?
a) mosquito bites
b) a mosquito repellent
c) an insecticide
d) mutant bugs
8) What might a new super-species of mosquito be resistant to?
a) blood
b) insecticide
c) tropical weather
d) people
9) Who did the articlesay was needlessly being put at risk?
a) Texans
b) Floridians
c) New Yorkers
d) Georgians
10) What did a company say about the risk from the mosquitoes?
a) there was no risk
b) there was a slight risk
c) there was risk
d) it was a big risk

Role play

Role  A – Mosquitoes
You think mosquitoes are the scariest things to genetically modify. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as scary. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these to modify (and why): humans, plankton or rice.

Role  B – Humans
You think humans are the scariest things to genetically modify. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as scary. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these to modify (and why): mosquitoes, plankton or rice.

Role  C – Plankton
You think plankton is the scariest thing to genetically modify. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as scary. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these to modify (and why): humans, mosquitoes or rice.

Role  D – Rice
You think rice is the scariest thing to genetically modify. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as scary. Also, tell the others which is the least scary of these to modify (and why): humans, plankton or mosquitoes.

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'wild'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'mosquito'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • Share your findings with your partners.

    • Make questions using the words you found.

    • Ask your partner / group your questions.

    2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

    •Share your questions with other classmates / groups. •Ask your partner / group your questions.

    3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

    4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

    5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

    • wild
    • aim
    • plan
    • age
    • blood
    • area
    • happy
    • ground
    • warn
    • new
    • put
    • midst

    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 - Mosquitoes

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'mosquito'?
    3. What do you know about mosquitoes?
    4. What do you do to avoid mosquitoes?
    5. What do you know about Zika virus and yellow fever?
    6. How dangerous are mosquitoes?
    7. What use are mosquitoes?
    8. What do you think of releasing genetically-modified insects?
    9. What could go wrong with this experiment?
    10. What's best for a mosquito bite?

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'experiment'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of mosquitoes?
    5. Why aren't environmental groups happy?
    6. What might mutant mosquitoes look like?
    7. How important are environmental groups?
    8. How would you feel if the mosquitoes were released in your town?
    9. How risky do you think this experiment is?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the scientists?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

    STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

    STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Scientists in Florida will (1) ____ 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild. The aim is to reduce the number (2) ____ existing mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus, yellow fever and dengue fever. The plan (3) ____ to release the mosquitoes next year in the Florida Keys. This is a long (4) ____ of tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach biting (5) ____. It is only female mosquitoes that feed on blood and bite humans. Males only (6) ____ on nectar from flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population of mosquitoes in the area will fall.

    Environmental groups are not happy with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group (7) ____ it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground for mutant bugs". Many environmentalists (8) ____ that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could never (9) ____ reversed. They say the experiment could even create a new super-species of mosquito that is resistant to insecticides. The environmental group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will (10) ____ put Floridians, the environment and endangered species (11) ____ risk in the midst of a pandemic." The company (12) ____ the mosquitoes said there was no risk.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     freedom     (b)     release     (c)     go     (d)     fly    
    2. (a)     at     (b)     of     (c)     on     (d)     to    
    3. (a)     try     (b)     do     (c)     be     (d)     is    
    4. (a)     rope     (b)     chain     (c)     thread     (d)     cord    
    5. (a)     day     (b)     old     (c)     years     (d)     age    
    6. (a)     food     (b)     fodder     (c)     feed     (d)     foodie    
    7. (a)     called     (b)     name     (c)     asked     (d)     saw    
    8. (a)     call     (b)     alert     (c)     warn     (d)     careful    
    9. (a)     take     (b)     can     (c)     do     (d)     be    
    10. (a)     needlessly     (b)     needy     (c)     necessary     (d)     needed    
    11. (a)     at     (b)     to     (c)     of     (d)     on    
    12. (a)     releasing     (b)     released     (c)     releases     (d)     release

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. The aim is to cdeeru the number
    2. yellow evefr
    3. a long chain of oicptlra islands
    4. The idoiedfm mosquitoes are all male
    5. kill off any female rpsifnfgo
    6. the issdaee-carrying population

    Paragraph 2

    1. a testing ground for antutm bugs
    2. damage to local osesytmsec
    3. They say the xerenpietm could
    4. The mtniaoenelnrv group
    5. endangered ecseips
    6. in the midst of a dceipman

    Put the text back together

    (...)  islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all
    (...)  age. It is only female mosquitoes that feed on blood and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar
    (...)  it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground for mutant bugs". Many environmentalists
    (...)  dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year in the Florida Keys. This is a long chain of tropical
    (...)  experiment could even create a new super-species of mosquito that is resistant to
    (...)  reduce the number of existing mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus, yellow fever and
    (...)  of a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was no risk.
    (...)  warn that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could never be reversed. They say the
    (...)  Environmental groups are not happy with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called
    (...)  from flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population of mosquitoes in the area will fall.
    (...)  insecticides. The environmental group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will
    (...)  needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst
    (...)  male. They carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach biting
    1  ) Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild. The aim is to

    Put the words in the right order

    1. wild  . 750 million mosquitoes  genetically  modified  Release   the   into
    2. tropical   of   is   This   a   chain   long   islands   .
    3. offspring   .   kill   female   any   that   off   will   Protein
    4. that   feed   females   It   on   only   is   blood   .
    5. flowers   .   nectar   Males   only   on   feed   from
    6. the   groups   happy   Environmental   plan   .   are   with   not
    7. was   testing   ground   Florida   a   for   bugs   .   mutant
    8. experiment   The   even   could   new   super-species   .   create   a
    9. put   the   environment   The   will   risk   .   mosquitoes   at
    10. a   At   the   of   pandemic   .   risk   in   midst

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Scientists in Florida will release 750 million genetically / genetic modified mosquitoes into the wild. The aim be / is to reduce the number of existing / existed mosquitoes that have diseases like Zika virus / viral, yellow fever and dengue fever. The plan is to release the mosquitoes next year of / in the Florida Keys. This is a long chair / chain of tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip / top of Florida. The modified mosquitoes are all male. They carry a protein that will kill on / off any female offspring before they reach biting age. It is only female mosquitoes that feed / food on blood and bite humans. Males only feed on nectar from flowers. Over time, scientists hope the disease-carrying population of mosquitoes in the area will fall / down.

    Environmental groups are not happy to / with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes. One group called them / it a "Jurassic Park experiment". It said Florida was "a testing ground to / for mutant bugs". Many environmentalists warn that the project could because / cause damage to local ecosystems that could never be reversed / reserved. They say the experiment could even create a new super-species off / of mosquito that is resistant to insecticides. The environmental grouped / group Friends of the Earth said: "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will need / needlessly put Floridians, the environment and endangered species on / at risk in the midst of a pandemic." The company releasing the mosquitoes said there was no risk / risky.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    S c__ n t_s t s _n F l_r_d_ w_l l r_l__ s_ 7 5 0 m_l l__ n g_n_t_c_l l y m_d_f__ d m_s q__ t__ s _n t_ t h_ w_l d . T h_ __ m _s t_ r_d_c_ t h_ n_m b_r _f _x_s t_n g m_s q__ t__ s t h_t h_v_ d_s__ s_s l_k_ Z_k_ v_r_s , y_l l_w f_v_r _n d d_n g__ f_v_r . T h_ p l_n _s t_ r_l__ s_ t h_ m_s q__ t__ s n_x t y__ r _n t h_ F l_r_d_ K_y s . T h_s _s _ l_n g c h__ n _f t r_p_c_l _s l_n d s s t r_t c h_n g 1 7 0 k m s__ t h _f t h_ s__ t h_r n t_p _f F l_r_d_. T h_ m_d_f__ d m_s q__ t__ s _r_ _l l m_l_. T h_y c_r r y _ p r_t__ n t h_t w_l l k_l l _f f _n y f_m_l_ _f f s p r_n g b_f_r_ t h_y r__ c h b_t_n g _g_. I t _s _n l y f_m_l_ m_s q__ t__ s t h_t f__ d _n b l__ d _n d b_t_ h_m_n s . M_l_s _n l y f__ d _n n_c t_r f r_m f l_w_r s . O v_r t_m_, s c__ n t_s t s h_p_ t h_ d_s__ s_- c_r r y_n g p_p_l_t__ n _f m_s q__ t__ s _n t h_ _r__ w_l l f_l l .

    E n v_r_n m_n t_l g r__ p s _r_ n_t h_p p y w_t h t h_ p l_n t_ r_l__ s_ t h_ g_n_t_c_l l y m_d_f__ d m_s q__ t__ s . O n_ g r__ p c_l l_d _t _ " J_r_s s_c P_r k _x p_r_m_n t " . I t s__ d F l_r_d_ w_s "_ t_s t_n g g r__ n d f_r m_t_n t b_g s " . M_n y _n v_r_n m_n t_l_s t s w_r n t h_t t h_ p r_j_c t c__ l d c__ s_ d_m_g_ t_ l_c_l _c_s y s t_m s t h_t c__ l d n_v_r b_ r_v_r s_d . T h_y s_y t h_ _x p_r_m_n t c__ l d _v_n c r__ t_ _ n_w s_p_r - s p_c__ s _f m_s q__ t_ t h_t _s r_s_s t_n t t_ _n s_c t_c_d_s . T h_ _n v_r_n m_n t_l g r__ p F r__ n d s _f t h_ E_r t h s__ d : " T h_ r_l__ s_ _f g_n_t_c_l l y _n g_n__ r_d m_s q__ t__ s w_l l n__ d l_s s l y p_t F l_r_d__ n s , t h_ _n v_r_n m_n t _n d _n d_n g_r_d s p_c__ s _t r_s k _n t h_ m_d s t _f _ p_n d_m_c . " T h_ c_m p_n y r_l__ s_n g t h_ m_s q__ t__ s s__ d t h_r_ w_s n_ r_s k .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    scientists in florida will release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild the aim is to reduce the number of existing mosquitoes that have diseases like zika virus yellow fever and dengue fever the plan is to release the mosquitoes next year in the florida keys this is a long chain of tropical islands stretching 170km south of the southern tip of florida the modified mosquitoes are all male they carry a protein that will kill off any female offspring before they reach biting age it is only female mosquitoes that feed on blood and bite humans males only feed on nectar from flowers over time scientists hope the diseasecarrying population of mosquitoes in the area will fall

    environmental groups are not happy with the plan to release the genetically modified mosquitoes one group called it a jurassic park experiment it said florida was a testing ground for mutant bugs many environmentalists warn that the project could cause damage to local ecosystems that could never be reversed they say the experiment could even create a new superspecies of mosquito that is resistant to insecticides the environmental group friends of the earth said the release of genetically engineered mosquitoes will needlessly put floridians the environment and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic the company releasing the mosquitoes said there was no risk

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    ScientistsinFloridawillrelease750milliongeneticallymodifiedmosquit
    oesintothewild.Theaimistoreducethenumberofexistingmosquitoest
    hathavediseaseslikeZikavirus,yellowfeveranddenguefever.Theplan
    istoreleasethemosquitoesnextyearintheFloridaKeys.Thisisalongcha
    inoftropicalislandsstretching170kmsouthofthesoutherntipofFlorida.
    Themodifiedmosquitoesareallmale.Theycarryaproteinthatwillkilloff
    anyfemaleoffspringbeforetheyreachbitingage.Itisonlyfemalemosqu
    itoesthatfeedonbloodandbitehumans.Malesonlyfeedonnectarfromfl
    owers.Overtime,scientistshopethedisease-carryingpopulationofm
    osquitoesintheareawillfall.Environmentalgroupsarenothappywithth
    eplantoreleasethegeneticallymodifiedmosquitoes.Onegroupcalledit
    a"JurassicParkexperiment".ItsaidFloridawas"atestinggroundformut
    antbugs".Manyenvironmentalistswarnthattheprojectcouldcauseda
    magetolocalecosystemsthatcouldneverbereversed.Theysaytheexp
    erimentcouldevencreateanewsuper-speciesofmosquitothatisre
    sistanttoinsecticides.TheenvironmentalgroupFriendsoftheEarthsaid
    :"ThereleaseofgeneticallyengineeredmosquitoeswillneedlesslyputFl
    oridians,theenvironmentandendangeredspeciesatriskinthemidstof
    apandemic."Thecompanyreleasingthemosquitoessaidtherewasnori
    sk.

    Free writing

    Write about mosquitoes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    The creation of all GM food and creatures should be banned. Discuss.

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Homework

    1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
    2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. MOSQUITOES: Make a poster about mosquitoes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. GM: Write a magazine article about banning the creation of any genetically modified creatures. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.
    Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).
    5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
    6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on mosquitoes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to avoid them. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You