The Reading / Listening - Monkeypox - Level 6

An old idiom says, "it never rains, but it pours". This means that one difficult situation tends to follow another in rapid succession. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under control in many parts of the world, another potential threat is rearing its ugly head. The WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the rare monkeypox virus. It has been detected in the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could spread further in the coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer season, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate".

Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Most of the cases reported thus far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of the disease include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a nasty rash on the hands and face. It usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such as rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is related to the smallpox virus, for which there are vaccines. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around the globe are on high alert and are tracking the spread of cases.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Monkeypox - Level 4  or  Monkeypox - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01421-8
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/20/who-monkeypox-warning-cases-spread-europe
  • https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/80-confirmed-worldwide-cases-of-smallpox-in-europe-u-s-baffle-african-scientists


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. MONKEYPOX: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about monkeypox. 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?
       idiom / pour / rapid / potential / threat / rare / virus / worldwide / WHO / festivals /
       monkeypox / symptoms / fever / exhaustion / monkeys / rodents / smallpox / alert
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. PRECAUTIONS: Students A strongly believe all governments should take immediate precautions against monkeypox; Students B strongly believe this isn't necessary. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. HEALTH ISSUES: What do you know about these health issues? Have you been affected by them? What can we do about them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

Affected

What We Can Do

COVID-19

 

 

 

Monkeypox

 

 

 

The common cold

 

 

 

Measles

 

 

 

Malaria

 

 

 

Dementia

 

 

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

  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Exhaustion
  • Rash
  • Headaches
  • Stomach cramps
  • Vomiting

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. idiom a. Rain heavily.
      2. pour b. A number of things of a similar kind following one after the other.
      3. tends to c. The action of passing a virus or disease from animal or person to animal or person.
      4. succession d. Be liable to have or show a particular characteristic.
      5. rearing e. Discovered or found.
      6. detected f. A group of words with a meaning that you cannot guess from the individual words.
      7. transmission g. Presenting itself in an unpleasant matter.

    Paragraph 2

      8. fatal h. Not severe, serious, or harsh.
      9. mild i. A physical or mental feature which is regarded as showing a disease.
      10. symptoms j. Saying or doing something to remove the doubts and fears of someone.
      11. chills k. An area of redness and spots on a person's skin, because of illness or touching a plant.
      12. rash l. A feverish cold.
      13. rodent m. Causing death.
      14. reassuring n. A chewing mammal with big, strong front teeth, like rats, mice and squirrels.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. An idiom says it never pours, but it rains.     T / F
  2. The article says monkeypox is rearing its ugly head.     T / F
  3. Monkeypox has been detected in the USA but not Canada.     T / F
  4. The WHO said summer festivals could increase cases of monkeypox.     T / F
  5. The article says monkeypox is a very deadly disease.     T / F
  6. People who get monkeypox can get a bad rash.     T / F
  7. There is no connection between monkeypox and smallpox.     T / F
  8. Virologists are on high alert tracking the spread of cases.     T / F

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

  1. succession
  2. potential
  3. detected
  4. gatherings
  5. accelerate
  6. fatal
  7. exhaustion
  8. transmit
  9. figure
  10. tracking
  1. number
  2. get-togethers
  3. weariness
  4. following
  5. found
  6. pass on
  7. speed up
  8. sequence
  9. deadly
  10. possible

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

  1. it never rains,
  2. one difficult situation tends to
  3. another potential threat is rearing
  4. It has been detected
  5. that transmission could
  6. Monkeypox is rarely
  7. Symptoms of the disease
  8. a nasty rash
  9. transmit from wild animals
  10. virologists around the globe
  1. fatal
  2. accelerate
  3. on the hands
  4. are on high alert
  5. in the UK
  6. but it pours
  7. such as rodents
  8. follow another
  9. include chills
  10. its ugly head

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
under
rare
mass
idiom
transmission
rearing
tends
further

An old (1) _____________________ says, "it never rains, but it pours". This means that one difficult situation (2) _____________________ to follow another in rapid succession. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought (3) _____________________ control in many parts of the world, another potential threat is (4) _____________________ its ugly head. The WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the (5) _____________________ monkeypox virus. It has been detected in the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could spread (6) _____________________ in the coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer season, with (7) _____________________ gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that (8) _____________________ could accelerate".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
detected
fatal
effective
rodents
rash
high
chills
vaccines

Monkeypox is rarely (9) _____________________. Most of the cases reported thus far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of the disease include (10) _____________________, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a nasty (11) _____________________ on the hands and face. It usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first (12) _____________________ in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such as (13) _____________________ to people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is related to the smallpox virus, for which there are (14) _____________________. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent (15) _____________________ against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around the globe are on (16) _____________________ alert and are tracking the spread of cases.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  An old idiom says, "it never rains, ______".
     a.  but it pours
     b.  but it snows
     c.  but it hails
     d.  but it sleets
2)  This means that one difficult situation tends to follow another ______
     a.  in rapid success on
     b.  in rapid succession
     c.  in rapid success shun
     d.  in rapid successive
3)  in many parts of the world, another potential threat is ______ head
     a.  rear ring its ugly
     b.  rear in its ugly
     c.  raring its ugly
     d.  rearing its ugly
4)  Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer season, ______
     a.  with amass gatherings
     b.  with mass gatherings
     c.  with a mass gatherings
     d.  wither mass gatherings
5)  festivals and parties, I am concerned that ______
     a.  transmission could decelerate
     b.  transmission could incinerate
     c.  transmission could accelerate
     d.  transmission could axel a rate

6)  Most of the cases reported thus far have ______
     a.  been fair rim ailed
     b.  been far lime ailed
     c.  been fairly maid
     d.  been fairly mild
7)  include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and ______
     a.  a nasty rash
     b.  a nasty lash
     c.  a nasty ash
     d.  a nasty bash
8)  It is thought to transmit from wild animals ______
     a.  such as road dents
     b.  such as rode dents
     c.  such as row dents
     d.  such as rodents
9)  Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 ______
     a.  per cent affective
     b.  per cent invective
     c.  per cent effective
     d.  per cent reflective
10)  Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around the globe are ______
     a.  on high a lurch
     b.  on high alert
     c.  on higher alert
     d.  on height alert

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An old idiom says, "it never rains, (1) ____________________". This means that one difficult situation tends to follow another (2) __________________. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under control in many parts of the world, another potential threat is (3) ____________________ head. The WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the rare monkeypox virus. It has (4) ____________________ the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could (5) ____________________ the coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer season, (6) ____________________, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate".

Monkeypox (7) ___________________. Most of the cases reported thus far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of the disease include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a (8) ____________________ the hands and face. It usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was (9) ____________________ laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such (10) ____________________ people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is related to the smallpox virus, for which (11) ____________________. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around the globe are (12) ____________________ and are tracking the spread of cases.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of saying does the article open with?
  2. What does the article say another potential threat is rearing?
  3. How many cases did the WHO say there have been?
  4. When did the WHO say the virus could spread further?
  5. What is the WHO concerned the transmission could do?
  6. How serious does the article say monkeypox is?
  7. What can people get on their hands and face?
  8. How long might people have monkeypox for?
  9. How effective is the smallpox virus against monkeypox?
  10. Who is on high alert?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What kind of saying does the article open with?
a) a proverb
b) an idiom
c) a limerick
d) a piece of advice
2)  What does the article say another potential threat is rearing?
a) it's prettier face
b) trouble
c) baby viruses
d) its ugly head
3) How many cases did the WHO say there have been?
a) 120
b) 130
c) 140
d) 150
4) When did the WHO say the virus could spread further?
a) in the next decade
b) tomorrow
c) in the coming months
d) next year
5) What is the WHO concerned the transmission could do?
a) mutate
b) accelerate
c) become airborne
d) become a pandemic

6) How serious does the article say monkeypox is?
a) It's rarely fatal.
b) It's very serious.
c) It's quite serious.
d) It's not at all serious.
7) What can people get on their hands and face?
a) a vaccine
b) spots
c) a nasty rash
d) discolouration
8) How long might people have monkeypox for?
a) two to four weeks
b) two months
c) a few days
d) years
9) How effective is the smallpox virus against monkeypox?
a) 85% effective
b) 75% effective
c) 65% effective
d) 55% effective
10) Who is on high alert?
a) monkeys
b) doctors
c) vaccine makers
d) virologists

Role play

Role  A – Chills
You think chills are the worst symptoms of an illness. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their symptoms aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): fever, vomiting or headaches.

Role  B – Fever
You think fever is the worst symptoms of an illness. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their symptoms aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): chills, vomiting or headaches.

Role  C – Vomiting
You think vomiting is the worst symptoms of an illness. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their symptoms aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): fever, chills or headaches.

Role  D – Headaches
You think headaches are the worst symptoms of an illness. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their symptoms aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least harmful of these (and why): fever, vomiting or chills.

After reading / listening

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

'monkeypox'

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

    • and 'virus'.

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

    • • 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:

    • pours
    • rapid
    • ugly
    • 120
    • coming
    • mass
    • rarely
    • include
    • two
    • 1958
    • related
    • high

    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 - Monkeypox

    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 'virus'?
    3. What do you think of the idiom, 'it never rains but it pours'?
    4. Have you ever had difficult situations in rapid succession?
    5. What do you know about monkeypox?
    6. How is COVID-19 for you at the moment?
    7. How much of a threat do you think monkeypox is?
    8. What should governments be doing about monkeypox?
    9. Why has monkeypox been spreading?
    10. What might happen in society if monkeypox becomes a pandemic?

    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 'monkeypox'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about a monkeypox pandemic?
    5. What do you think of the symptoms of monkeypox?
    6. Should we be trying to reduce rodent populations?
    7. What will the monkeypox situation be like this time next year?
    8. Will there be more pandemics in the future?
    9. Would you have a smallpox vaccine?
    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)

    An old idiom says, "it never rains, but it (1) ____". This means that one difficult situation tends to follow another (2) ____ rapid succession. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under control in many parts of the world, another potential threat is (3) ____ its ugly head. The WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the (4) ____ monkeypox virus. It has been detected in the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could spread further in the (5) ____ months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer season, with (6) ____ gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate".

    Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Most of the cases reported (7) ____ far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of the disease include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a nasty (8) ____ on the hands and face. It usually clears (9) ____ two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such (10) ____ rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is related to the smallpox virus, for (11) ____ there are vaccines. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure, virologists around the globe are (12) ____ high alert and are tracking the spread of cases.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     pours     (b)     pains     (c)     peeves     (d)     passes    
    2. (a)     on     (b)     at     (c)     in     (d)     by    
    3. (a)     roaring     (b)     raring     (c)     rearing     (d)     reeling    
    4. (a)     rear     (b)     bare     (c)     rave     (d)     rare    
    5. (a)     coming     (b)     passing     (c)     going     (d)     turning    
    6. (a)     mast     (b)     mass     (c)     amass     (d)     miss    
    7. (a)     as     (b)     on     (c)     that     (d)     thus    
    8. (a)     lash     (b)     rash     (c)     bash     (d)     hash    
    9. (a)     on     (b)     of     (c)     up     (d)     at    
    10. (a)     has     (b)     is     (c)     was     (d)     as    
    11. (a)     thus     (b)     how     (c)     that     (d)     which    
    12. (a)     at     (b)     on     (c)     of     (d)     to

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. An old miido
    2. tends to follow another in rapid ucssseicon
    3. another tptneioal threat
    4. earrnig its ugly head
    5. It has been tdceeted in the UK
    6. that transmission could ceelarctae

    Paragraph 2

    1. Monkeypox is rarely tafal
    2. omyptssm of the disease
    3. muscle aches, aexhionsut and a nasty rash
    4. wild animals such as nesotdr
    5. Despite this rreussagni figure
    6. oislrsovigt around the globe

    Put the text back together

    (...)  up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit
    (...)  Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Most of the cases reported thus far have been fairly mild. Symptoms
    (...)  further in the coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we enter the summer
    (...)  related to the smallpox virus, for which there are vaccines. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent
    (...)  from wild animals such as rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is
    (...)  in the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could spread
    (...)  season, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerned that transmission could accelerate".
    (...)  another in rapid succession. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under
    (...)  of the disease include chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a nasty rash on the hands and face. It usually clears
    (  1  ) An old idiom says, "it never rains, but it pours". This means that one difficult situation tends to follow
    (...)  effective against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring figure,
    (...)  virologists around the globe are on high alert and are tracking the spread of cases.
    (...)  control in many parts of the world, another potential threat is rearing its ugly head. The WHO has
    (...)  reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the rare monkeypox virus. It has been detected

    Put the words in the right order

    1. another   .   difficult   tends   follow   to   One   situation
    2. its   Another   is   threat   potential   head   .   rearing   ugly
    3. virus   .   rare   cases   the   Many   of   monkeypox   worldwide
    4. coming   in   spread   the   further   could   months   .   It
    5. accelerate   .   the   concerned   I   that   transmission   could   am
    6. cases   the   thus   far   .   Most   of   reported
    7. a   the   nasty   of   Symptoms   include   rash   .   disease
    8. up   It   clears   after   .   weeks   usually   about   four
    9. transmit   thought   to   is   animals   .   wild   from   It
    10. high   Virologists   globe   on   around   are   the   alert   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    An old idiom says, "it never rains, but it snows / pours". This means that one difficult situation lends / tends to follow another in rapid successive / succession. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic is being brought under / over control in many parts of the world, another potential treat / threat is rearing its ugly head. The WHO has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the rare / rave monkeypox virus. It has been detected in the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, the USA, Canada and Australia. The WHO said the virus could spread further in the going / coming months. WHO spokesperson Hans Kluge said: "As we entrance / enter the summer season, with mass gatherings, festivals and parties, I am concerning / concerned that transmission could accelerate / speedy".

    Monkeypox is rarely fatal / fatality. Most of the cases reported thus / this far have been fairly mild. Symptoms of the disease include chillies / chills, fever, muscle aches, exhaustion and a nasty rash in / on the hands and face. It usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it. Monkeypox was first detected in laboratory / lavatory monkeys in 1958. It is thought to transmit from wild animals such was / as rodents to people. It can also spread from person to person. The virus is related to / at the smallpox virus, for which there are vaccines. Scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent defective / effective against the monkeypox virus. Despite this reassuring fig / figure, virologists around the globe are on high alert and are tracking the spread on / of cases.

    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)

    _n  _ld  _d__m  s_ys,  "_t  n_v_r  r__ns,  b_t  _t  p__rs".  Th_s  m__ns  th_t  _n_  d_ff_c_lt  s_t__t__n  t_nds  t_  f_ll_w  _n_th_r  _n  r_p_d  s_cc_ss__n.  J_st  _s  th_  C_V_D-19  p_nd_m_c  _s  b__ng  br__ght  _nd_r  c_ntr_l  _n  m_ny  p_rts  _f  th_  w_rld,  _n_th_r  p_t_nt__l  thr__t  _s  r__r_ng  _ts  _gly  h__d.  Th_  WH_  h_s  r_p_rt_d  th_t  th_r_  h_v_  b__n  120  w_rldw_d_  c_s_s  _f  th_  r_r_  m_nk_yp_x  v_r_s.  _t  h_s  b__n  d_t_ct_d  _n  th_  _K,  Fr_nc_,  _t_ly,  P_rt_g_l,  Sw_d_n,  th_  _S_,  C_n_d_  _nd  __str_l__.  Th_  WH_  s__d  th_  v_r_s  c__ld  spr__d  f_rth_r  _n  th_  c_m_ng  m_nths.  WH_  sp_k_sp_rs_n  H_ns  Kl_g_  s__d:  "_s  w_  _nt_r  th_  s_mm_r  s__s_n,  w_th  m_ss  g_th_r_ngs,  f_st_v_ls  _nd  p_rt__s,  _  _m  c_nc_rn_d  th_t  tr_nsm_ss__n  c__ld  _cc_l_r_t_".

    M_nk_yp_x  _s  r_r_ly  f_t_l.  M_st  _f  th_  c_s_s  r_p_rt_d  th_s  f_r  h_v_  b__n  f__rly  m_ld.  Sympt_ms  _f  th_  d_s__s_  _ncl_d_  ch_lls,  f_v_r,  m_scl_  _ch_s,  _xh__st__n  _nd  _  n_sty  r_sh  _n  th_  h_nds  _nd  f_c_.  _t  _s__lly  cl__rs  _p  tw_  t_  f__r  w__ks  _ft_r  c_ntr_ct_ng  _t.  M_nk_yp_x  w_s  f_rst  d_t_ct_d  _n  l_b_r_t_ry  m_nk_ys  _n  1958.  _t  _s  th__ght  t_  tr_nsm_t  fr_m  w_ld  _n_m_ls  s_ch  _s  r_d_nts  t_  p__pl_.  _t  c_n  _ls_  spr__d  fr_m  p_rs_n  t_  p_rs_n.  Th_  v_r_s  _s  r_l_t_d  t_  th_  sm_llp_x  v_r_s,  f_r  wh_ch  th_r_  _r_  v_cc_n_s.  Sc__nt_sts  s_y  _  sm_llp_x  v_cc_n_  _s  85  p_r  c_nt  _ff_ct_v_  _g__nst  th_  m_nk_yp_x  v_r_s.  D_sp_t_  th_s  r__ss_r_ng  f_g_r_,  v_r_l_g_sts  _r__nd  th_  gl_b_  _r_  _n  h_gh  _l_rt  _nd  _r_  tr_ck_ng  th_  spr__d  _f  c_s_s.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    an old idiom says it never rains but it pours this means that one difficult situation tends to follow another in rapid succession just as the covid19 pandemic is being brought under control in many parts of the world another potential threat is rearing its ugly head the who has reported that there have been 120 worldwide cases of the rare monkeypox virus it has been detected in the uk france italy portugal sweden the usa canada and australia the who said the virus could spread further in the coming months who spokesperson hans kluge said as we enter the summer season with mass gatherings festivals and parties i am concerned that transmission could accelerate

    monkeypox is rarely fatal most of the cases reported thus far have been fairly mild symptoms of the disease include chills fever muscle aches exhaustion and a nasty rash on the hands and face it usually clears up two to four weeks after contracting it monkeypox was first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958 it is thought to transmit from wild animals such as rodents to people it can also spread from person to person the virus is related to the smallpox virus for which there are vaccines scientists say a smallpox vaccine is 85 per cent effective against the monkeypox virus despite this reassuring figure virologists around the globe are on high alert and are tracking the spread of cases

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Anoldidiomsays,"itneverrains,butitpours".Thismeansthatonedifficu
    ltsituationtendstofollowanotherinrapidsuccession.JustastheCOVID-
    19pandemicisbeingbroughtundercontrolinmanypartsoftheworld,an
    otherpotentialthreatisrearingitsuglyhead.TheWHOhasreportedthat
    therehavebeen120worldwidecasesoftheraremonkeypoxvirus.Ithas
    beendetectedintheUK,France,Italy,Portugal,Sweden,theUSA,Cana
    daandAustralia.TheWHOsaidtheviruscouldspreadfurtherinthecomin
    gmonths.WHOspokespersonHansKlugesaid:"Asweenterthesummer
    season,withmassgatherings,festivalsandparties,Iamconcernedthat
    transmissioncouldaccelerate".Monkeypoxisrarelyfatal.Mostoftheca
    sesreportedthusfarhavebeenfairlymild.Symptomsofthediseaseinclu
    dechills,fever,muscleaches,exhaustionandanastyrashonthehandsa
    ndface.Itusuallyclearsuptwotofourweeksaftercontractingit.Monkey
    poxwasfirstdetectedinlaboratorymonkeysin1958.Itisthoughttotran
    smitfromwildanimalssuchasrodentstopeople.Itcanalsospreadfromp
    ersontoperson.Thevirusisrelatedtothesmallpoxvirus,forwhichthere
    arevaccines.Scientistssayasmallpoxvaccineis85percenteffectiveag
    ainstthemonkeypoxvirus.Despitethisreassuringfigure,virologistsar
    oundtheglobeareonhighalertandaretrackingthespreadofcases.

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Governments should buy smallpox vaccines to protect against monkeypox. Discuss.

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    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. MONKEYPOX: Make a poster about monkeypox. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. PANDEMIC: Write a magazine article about governments taking maximum measures to guard against monkeypox. 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 monkeypox. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your opinions on it. 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

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    Answers

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

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