The Reading / Listening - Tonga Volcano - Level 3

A team of scientists has said the volcano that erupted under the sea near Tonga in January set a record. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest to happen in the past 150 years. The scientists said the blast may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that took place in Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was a truly global event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these geo-physical [recording] systems, and they recorded something that was really [unmatched] in the modern data."

The volcanic eruption sent atmospheric shock waves and tsunami waves around the world. It also caused sonic booms that people heard 10,000km away in Alaska. The eruption even lifted clouds in the sky above the UK, which is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the sudden disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into the atmosphere. UK scientist Professor Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected thing". He said: "What happens on one side of the planet can [spread] around to the other side at the speed of sound." NASA has said the volcano's effects also reached space and could have affected the weather in space.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Tonga Volcano - Level 0,  Tonga Volcano - Level 1   or  Tonga Volcano - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61452860
  • https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/sun/nasa-mission-finds-tonga-volcanic-eruption-effects-reached-space/
  • https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-16/tonga-volcanic-eruption-largest-recorded/101069416


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. VOLCANOES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about volcanoes. 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?
       scientists / volcano / Tonga / instruments / eruption / Indonesia / global / systems /
       atmospheric / tsunami / sonic boom / clouds / planet / speed of sound / weather
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. PROTECTION: Students A strongly believe we should spend more money to protect people against volcanoes; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. DISASTERS: What do you know about these natural disasters? What can we do to keep safe in them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

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. SEA: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "sea". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. NATURAL DISASTERS: Rank these with your partner. Put the worst at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Volcanoes
  • Typhoons
  • Tsunami
  • Earthquakes
  • Heat waves
  • Blizzards
  • Droughts
  • Floods

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. erupted a. A tool used for work where great detail is needed.
      2. set b. Happened.
      3. explosion c. Of a volcano - became active and sent out lava, ash, and gases.
      4. instrument d. Facts and statistics used for reports.
      5. took place e. Created / Made a record.
      6. unmatched f. A violent event caused by a bomb, gas leak, petrol on fire, etc.
      7. data g. Not equalled.

    Paragraph 2

      8. atmospheric h. Influenced by something else.
      9. shock wave i. About the area above the earth.
      10. sonic boom j. A huge change of pressure in a narrow area travelling through the air.
      11. disappearance k. In a way that is very surprising.
      12. remarkably l. An act of someone or something going missing.
      13. interconnected m. A loud banging noise caused by an aircraft or other object travelling faster than the speed of sound.
      14. affected n. Having all the parts linked or joined.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The Tonga volcano that erupted was part of a mountain chain.     T / F
  2. The volcano was the largest recorded using any instruments.     T / F
  3. Scientists said the explosion was larger than Krakatoa.     T / F
  4. Scientists said the explosion was a regional event.     T / F
  5. The explosion was heard 10,000km away.     T / F
  6. The explosion caused cloudy skies in the UK.     T / F
  7. A professor said the atmosphere was not so interconnected.     T / F
  8. NASA said the explosion had an impact on the weather in space.     T / F

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

  1. set
  2. explosion
  3. happen
  4. truly
  5. data
  6. caused
  7. disappearance
  8. interconnected
  9. planet
  10. affected
  1. totally
  2. brought about
  3. globe
  4. blast
  5. joined
  6. created
  7. impacted
  8. facts
  9. occur
  10. vanishing

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

  1. the volcano that erupted
  2. It was the biggest
  3. the biggest to happen in
  4. the blast may have been as large
  5. Tonga was a truly
  6. shock
  7. sonic
  8. they moved higher into
  9. at the speed
  10. affected the weather
  1. waves
  2. as the Krakatoa eruption
  3. the atmosphere
  4. explosion ever recorded
  5. in space
  6. global event
  7. under the sea
  8. of sound
  9. the past 150 years
  10. booms

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
set
place
modern
happen
systems
erupted
recorded
truly

A team of scientists has said the volcano that (1) _____________________ under the sea near Tonga in January (2) _____________________ a record. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest explosion ever (3) _____________________ using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest to (4) _____________________ in the past 150 years. The scientists said the blast may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that took (5) _____________________ in Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was a (6) _____________________ global event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these geo-physical [recording] (7) _____________________, and they recorded something that was really [unmatched] in the (8) _____________________ data."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
sky
space
sudden
side
booms
sound
shock
scientist

The volcanic eruption sent atmospheric (9) _____________________ waves and tsunami waves around the world. It also caused sonic (10) _____________________ that people heard 10,000km away in Alaska. The eruption even lifted clouds in the (11) _____________________ above the UK, which is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the (12) _____________________ disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into the atmosphere. UK (13) _____________________ Professor Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected thing". He said: "What happens on one (14) _____________________ of the planet can [spread] around to the other side at the speed of (15) _____________________." NASA has said the volcano's effects also reached space and could have affected the weather in (16) _____________________.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) A team of scientists has said the volcano that erupted under ______
     a.  the sea nears Tonga
     b.  the sea nearly Tonga
     c.  the sea near Tonga
     d.  the sea neared Tonga
2)  It was the biggest explosion ever recorded ______
     a.  use in modern instruments
     b.  user modern instruments
     c.  fusing modern instruments
     d.  using modern instruments
3)  the University of California said Tonga was a ______
     a.  truly grow poorly vent
     b.  truly global event
     c.  truly glow ball event
     d.  truly globe ball event
4)  But we've now got all these geo-______
     a.  physical recording systems
     b.  physical record ding systems
     c.  physical record in systems
     d.  physical record din systems
5)  they recorded something that was really unmatched in ______
     a.  the modern day ta
     b.  the modern date a
     c.  the modern datum
     d.  the modern data

6)  The volcanic eruption sent atmospheric shock waves ______
     a.  and tsunami waivers
     b.  and tsunami wavers
     c.  and tsunami waves
     d.  and tsunami weaves
7)  The eruption even lifted clouds in the sky ______
     a.  about the UK
     b.  alcove the UK
     c.  above the UK
     d.  ab love the UK
8)  the sudden disappearance of clouds as they moved higher ______
     a.  into the atmospheres
     b.  into the atmospheric
     c.  into the atmosphere
     d.  into the at most fear
9)  Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was a ______
     a.  remake a ball into a connected thing
     b.  remarkable lentil connected thing
     c.  remark ably into connected thing
     d.  remarkably interconnected thing
10)  spread around to the other side at the ______
     a.  sped of sound
     b.  speed of sound
     c.  speedy of sound
     d.  speeds of sound

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

A team of scientists has said the volcano (1) ____________________ the sea near Tonga in January (2) ____________________. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest to happen (3) ____________________ 150 years. The scientists said the blast may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that (4) ____________________ Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was (5) ____________________ event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these geo-physical [recording] systems, and they recorded something that was (6) ____________________ the modern data."

The volcanic eruption sent atmospheric (7) ____________________ tsunami waves around the world. It also caused (8) ____________________ people heard 10,000km away in Alaska. The eruption even lifted clouds in the sky above the UK, which is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the sudden disappearance (9) ____________________ they moved higher into the atmosphere. UK scientist Professor Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected thing". He said: "What happens (10) ____________________ of the planet can [spread] around to the other side at the (11) ____________________." NASA has said the volcano's effects also reached space and could have (12) ____________________ in space.

Comprehension questions

  1. On what date did the Volcano erupt?
  2. What did scientists use to record the explosion?
  3. What is the name of the volcano that erupted in 1883?
  4. What kind of event did Robin Matoza say the Tonga explosion was?
  5. What kind of recording systems did the scientists use?
  6. What kinds of waves did the explosion create?
  7. From how far away did people hear sonic booms?
  8. What disappeared in the UK after the explosion?
  9. How fast did things spread around the world?
  10. Where did NASA say the explosion affected the weather?

Multiple choice quiz

1) On what date did the Volcano erupt?
a) July the 15th
b) October the 32nd
c) January the 15th
d) February the 29th
2) What did scientists use to record the explosion?
a) modern instruments
b) an mp3 player
c) an Apple computer
d) water
3) What is the name of the volcano that erupted in 1883?
a) Takarota
b) Krakatoa
c) Rakataka
d) Akataroa
4) What kind of event did Robin Matoza say the Tonga explosion was?
a) a worrying event
b) a seismic event
c) a terrible event
d) a truly global event
5) What kind of recording systems did the scientists use?
a) cool ones
b) psycho-geographical systems
c) geo-physical systems
d) systemic geo-psycho systems

6) What kinds of waves did the explosion create?
a) brain waves and tidal waves
b) shock waves and tsunami waves
c) Mexican waves and tsunami waves
d) farewell waves and shock waves
7) From how far away did people hear sonic booms?
a) 12,000km away
b) 18,000km away
c) 1,000km away
d) 10,000km away
8) What disappeared in the UK after the explosion?
a) birds
b) clouds
c) sunlight
d) people
9) How fast did things spread around the world?
a) the speed of thought
b) the speed of sound
c) the speed of light
d) the speed of a bullet
10) Where did NASA say the explosion affected the weather?
a) in space
b) on Mars
c) the Moon
d) in the lower atmosphere

Role play

Role  A – Volcanoes
You think volcanoes are the worst natural disasters. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their disasters aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least damaging of these (and why): typhoons, floods or heat waves.

Role  B – Typhoons
You think typhoons are the worst natural disasters. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their disasters aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least damaging of these (and why): volcanoes, floods or heat waves.

Role  C – Floods
You think floods are the worst natural disasters. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their disasters aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least damaging of these (and why): typhoons, volcanoes or heat waves.

Role  D – Heat Waves
You think heat waves are the worst natural disasters. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their disasters aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least damaging of these (and why): typhoons, floods or volcanoes.

After reading / listening

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

'record'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'explosion'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • team
    • biggest
    • 150
    • 1883
    • truly
    • modern
    • shock
    • people
    • sky
    • higher
    • sound
    • space

    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 - Tonga Volcano

    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 'record'?
    3. What do you remember about the Tonga volcano?
    4. Is an underwater volcano more dangerous than one on land?
    5. Would you live near a volcano?
    6. What do you think of volcanoes?
    7. What would you do if a volcano near you erupted?
    8. What damage do volcanoes do?
    9. Have you seen any movies about volcanoes?
    10. What three adjectives best describe volcanoes?

    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 'volcano'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about volcanoes?
    5. What do you know about tsunami waves?
    6. What do you know about sonic booms?
    7. How could a volcano make clouds disappear?
    8. How interconnected is the world?
    9. What weather is there in space?
    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)

    A team of (1) ____ has said the volcano that erupted under the sea near Tonga in January (2) ____ a record. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest to (3) ____ in the past 150 years. The scientists said the blast may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that (4) ____ place in Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was a (5) ____ global event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these geo-physical [recording] systems, and they recorded something that was (6) ____ [unmatched] in the modern data."

    The volcanic eruption (7) ____ atmospheric shock waves and tsunami waves around the world. It also caused sonic booms that people heard 10,000km (8) ____ in Alaska. The eruption even lifted clouds in the sky above the UK, which is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the (9) ____ disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into the atmosphere. UK scientist Professor Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected (10) ____". He said: "What happens on one side of the planet can [spread] (11) ____ to the other side at the speed of sound." NASA has said the volcano's effects also reached space and could have (12) ____ the weather in space.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     scientific     (b)     sciences     (c)     scientists     (d)     science    
    2. (a)     set     (b)     wet     (c)     let     (d)     bet     
    3. (a)     happen     (b)     happens     (c)     happening     (d)     happened    
    4. (a)     took     (b)     gave     (c)     did     (d)     had    
    5. (a)     truthfully     (b)     truly     (c)     truth     (d)     true    
    6. (a)     reality     (b)     rally     (c)     real     (d)     really    
    7. (a)     delivered     (b)     posted     (c)     sent     (d)     conveyed    
    8. (a)     about     (b)     around     (c)     far     (d)     away    
    9. (a)     sudden     (b)     immediately     (c)     expect     (d)     delay    
    10. (a)     thought     (b)     thing     (c)     think     (d)     thinking    
    11. (a)     about     (b)     around     (c)     away     (d)     up    
    12. (a)     effected     (b)     infected     (c)     affected     (d)     reflected

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. A team of niistsscte
    2. using modern trunnteisms
    3. the latbs may have been as large
    4. a ytlur global event
    5. rdnrocegi systems
    6. in the ndrmeo data

    Paragraph 2

    1. nicos booms
    2. the sudden aaedisarppenc
    3. moved higher into the emosrahpet
    4. a krmblearay interconnected thing
    5. on one side of the npetal
    6. ectedaff the weather in space

    Put the text back together

    (  1  ) A team of scientists has said the volcano that erupted under the sea near Tonga in January set
    (...)  The volcanic eruption sent atmospheric shock waves and tsunami waves around the world. It also caused sonic
    (...)  event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these geo-physical [recording]
    (...)  sky above the UK, which is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the sudden
    (...)  place in Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was a truly global
    (...)  effects also reached space and could have affected the weather in space.
    (...)  a record. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest
    (...)  booms that people heard 10,000km away in Alaska. The eruption even lifted clouds in the
    (...)  to happen in the past 150 years. The scientists said the blast may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that took
    (...)  systems, and they recorded something that was really [unmatched] in the modern data."
    (...)  atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected thing". He said: "What happens on one
    (...)  explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest
    (...)  side of the planet can [spread] around to the other side at the speed of sound." NASA has said the volcano's
    (...)  disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into the atmosphere. UK scientist Professor Giles Harrison said the

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Tonga.   erupted   The   sea   near   under   the   volcano
    2. instruments.   biggest   ever   recorded   explosion   modern   using   The
    3. been   blast   large.   have   may   the   Scientists   said
    4. in   eruption   Indonesia.   that   Krakatoa   The   took   place
    5. systems.   We've   got   geo-physical   recording   now   these   all
    6. away.   people   booms   that   Sonic   heard   10,000km
    7. the   in   reported   Scientists   disappearance.   sudden   UK   the
    8. thing.   atmosphere   interconnected   remarkably   The   was   a
    9. planet.   side   on   one   happens   the   of   What
    10. said   volcano's   reached   space.   also   the   effects   NASA

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    A team of scientists has said the volcano that eruption / erupted under the sea near Tonga in January set / let a record. The Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano erupted on January the 15th. It was the biggest explosive / explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology. It was also the biggest to / for happen in the past 150 years. The scientists said the blast / bust may have been as large as the Krakatoa eruption that gave / took place in Indonesia in 1883. Dr Robin Matoza from the University of California said: "Tonga was a truly / truth global event, just as Krakatoa was. But we've now got all these / them geo-physical [recording] systems, and they recorded something that was really / real [unmatched] in the modern data / date."

    The volcanic eruption sending / sent atmospheric shock waves and tsunami waves around the world. It also caused sonic hedgehogs / booms that people heard 10,000km away in / on Alaska. The eruption even upped / lifted clouds in the sky above the UK, which / that is 16,500km from Tonga. Scientists in the UK reported the suddenly / sudden disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into / unto the atmosphere. UK scientist Professor Giles Harrison said the atmosphere was "a remarkably interconnected thing". He said: "What happens on one / two side of the planet can [spread] around to the other side at the speed / speedy of sound." NASA has said the volcano's effects also reached space and could have affected the weather in / on space.

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

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

    _  t__m  _f  sc__nt_sts  h_s  s__d  th_  v_lc_n_  th_t  _r_pt_d  _nd_r  th_  s__  n__r  T_ng_  _n  J_n__ry  s_t  _  r_c_rd.  Th_  T_ng_-H_ng_  H_'_p__  v_lc_n_  _r_pt_d  _n  J_n__ry  th_  15th.  _t  w_s  th_  b_gg_st  _xpl_s__n  _v_r  r_c_rd_d  _s_ng  m_d_rn  _nstr_m_nts  _nd  t_chn_l_gy.  _t  w_s  _ls_  th_  b_gg_st  t_  h_pp_n  _n  th_  p_st  150  y__rs.  Th_  sc__nt_sts  s__d  th_  bl_st  m_y  h_v_  b__n  _s  l_rg_  _s  th_  Kr_k_t__  _r_pt__n  th_t  t__k  pl_c_  _n  _nd_n_s__  _n  1883.  Dr  R_b_n  M_t_z_  fr_m  th_  _n_v_rs_ty  _f  C_l_f_rn__  s__d:  "T_ng_  w_s  _  tr_ly  gl_b_l  _v_nt,  j_st  _s  Kr_k_t__  w_s.  B_t  w_'v_  n_w  g_t  _ll  th_s_  g__-phys_c_l  [r_c_rd_ng]  syst_ms,  _nd  th_y  r_c_rd_d  s_m_th_ng  th_t  w_s  r__lly  [_nm_tch_d]  _n  th_  m_d_rn  d_t_."

    Th_  v_lc_n_c  _r_pt__n  s_nt  _tm_sph_r_c  sh_ck  w_v_s  _nd  ts_n_m_  w_v_s  _r__nd  th_  w_rld.  _t  _ls_  c__s_d  s_n_c  b__ms  th_t  p__pl_  h__rd  10,000km  _w_y  _n  _l_sk_.  Th_  _r_pt__n  _v_n  l_ft_d  cl__ds  _n  th_  sky  _b_v_  th_  _K,  wh_ch  _s  16,500km  fr_m  T_ng_.  Sc__nt_sts  _n  th_  _K  r_p_rt_d  th_  s_dd_n  d_s_pp__r_nc_  _f  cl__ds  _s  th_y  m_v_d  h_gh_r  _nt_  th_  _tm_sph_r_.  _K  sc__nt_st  Pr_f_ss_r  G_l_s  H_rr_s_n  s__d  th_  _tm_sph_r_  w_s  "_  r_m_rk_bly  _nt_rc_nn_ct_d  th_ng".  H_  s__d:  "Wh_t  h_pp_ns  _n  _n_  s_d_  _f  th_  pl_n_t  c_n  [spr__d]  _r__nd  t_  th_  _th_r  s_d_  _t  th_  sp__d  _f  s__nd."  N_S_  h_s  s__d  th_  v_lc_n_'s  _ff_cts  _ls_  r__ch_d  sp_c_  _nd  c__ld  h_v_  _ff_ct_d  th_  w__th_r  _n  sp_c_.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    a team of scientists has said the volcano that erupted under the sea near tonga in january set a record the tongahunga haapai volcano erupted on january the 15th it was the biggest explosion ever recorded using modern instruments and technology it was also the biggest to happen in the past 150 years the scientists said the blast may have been as large as the krakatoa eruption that took place in indonesia in 1883 dr robin matoza from the university of california said tonga was a truly global event just as Krakatoa was but weve now got all these geophysical recording systems and they recorded something that was really unmatched in the modern data

    the volcanic eruption sent atmospheric shock waves and tsunami waves around the world it also caused sonic booms that people heard 10000km away in alaska the eruption even lifted clouds in the sky above the uk which is 16500km from tonga scientists in the uk reported the sudden disappearance of clouds as they moved higher into the atmosphere uk scientist professor giles harrison said the atmosphere was a remarkably interconnected thing he said what happens on one side of the planet can spread around to the other side at the speed of sound nasa has said the volcanos effects also reached space and could have affected the weather in space

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    AteamofscientistshassaidthevolcanothateruptedundertheseanearT
    ongainJanuarysetarecord.TheTonga-HungaHa'apaivolcanoerupted
    onJanuarythe15th.Itwasthebiggestexplosioneverrecordedusingmo
    derninstrumentsandtechnology.Itwasalsothebiggesttohappeninthe
    past150years.Thescientistssaidtheblastmayhavebeenaslargeasthe
    KrakatoaeruptionthattookplaceinIndonesiain1883.DrRobinMatozaf
    romtheUniversityofCaliforniasaid:"Tongawasatrulyglobalevent,just
    asKrakatoawas.Butwe'venowgotallthesegeo-physical[recording]s
    ystems,andtheyrecordedsomethingthatwasreally[unmatched]inth
    emoderndata."Thevolcaniceruptionsentatmosphericshockwavesan
    dtsunamiwavesaroundtheworld.Italsocausedsonicboomsthatpeopl
    eheard10,000kmawayinAlaska.Theeruptionevenliftedcloudsinthes
    kyabovetheUK,whichis16,500kmfromTonga.ScientistsintheUKrepo
    rtedthesuddendisappearanceofcloudsastheymovedhigherintotheat
    mosphere.UKscientistProfessorGilesHarrisonsaidtheatmospherewa
    s"aremarkablyinterconnectedthing".Hesaid:"Whathappensononesi
    deoftheplanetcan[spread]aroundtotheothersideatthespeedofsound
    ."NASAhassaidthevolcano'seffectsalsoreachedspaceandcouldhavea
    ffectedtheweatherinspace.

    Free writing

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

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    _____________________________________________________________________________

     

    Academic writing

    We need to spend more money on protecting people from volcanoes. 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. VOLCANOES: Make a poster about volcanoes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PROTECTION: Write a magazine article about countries protecting themselves more against volcanoes. 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 volcanoes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on volcanoes. 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.)

    Back to the top

    Help Support This Web Site

    • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

    Sean Banville's Book

    Thank You