The Reading / Listening - Medicinal Plants - Level 6

Humans have been using medicinal plants since prehistoric times. They are still used around the world in traditional medicine. For the first time, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK conducted a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers tracked a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves of a fern. The fern had properties that may have reduced the swelling in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought out the bark of a cat-thorn tree. This may have helped to alleviate the animal's condition.

The research team said there was a strong correlation between the chimpanzees' ailments and injuries and the healing properties in the flora they consumed. The researchers tested plant extracts that were not a normal part of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained anti-bacterial properties, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory qualities. Researcher and anthropologist Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several species with potent medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations into the primates' behaviour may pave the way for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Medicinal Plants - Level 4  or  Medicinal Plants - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.yahoo.com/news/chimpanzees-seen-self-medicating-healing-141231514.html
  • https://www.ndtv.com/environment/chimpanzees-seek-out-medicinal-plants-to-heal-injuries-infections-study-5943261
  • https://www.newscientist.com/article/2435647-sick-chimpanzees-seek-out-range-of-plants-with-medicinal-properties/


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. MEDICINAL PLANTS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about medicinal plants. 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?
       humans / medicinal plants / traditional / chimpanzees / sick / behaviour / fern / bark /
       ailments / injuries / flora / plant extracts / anti-bacterial / diet / primates / our lives
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. BACK TO NATURE: Students A strongly believe we need to use natural remedies more and manufactured drugs less; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. AILMENTS: What do you know about these ailments? How can we treat them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

How We Can Treat Them?

Swollen finger

 

 

Toothache

 

 

Burn

 

 

Blisters

 

 

Headache

 

 

Upset stomach

 

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

  • Aloe
  • Garlic
  • Lavender
  • Cactus
  • Ginseng
  • Ginger
  • Dandelion
  • Spinach

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. prehistoric a. Look for something or someone.
      2. seek out b. A green plant with many small leaves, often found in darker places in forests.
      3. heal c. Make pain or a problem less.
      4. fern d. Get better after being hurt or sick.
      5. properties e. When a part of your body fills with water and gets bigger because it is hurt or sick.
      6. swelling f. Very, very old, from a time before people could write.
      7. alleviate g. Special qualities of something.

    Paragraph 2

      8. correlation h. A small sickness or health problem.
      9. ailment i. Plants that grow in a certain place.
      10. flora j. A group of living things that includes monkeys and humans.
      11. extract k. A person who studies people and cultures from the past.
      12. anthropologist l. To take out something from somewhere.
      13. potent m. A connection between two things where one thing affects the other.
      14. primate n. Very strong or powerful.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Humans have used plants as medicine for about 700 years.     T / F
  2. Chimpanzees started using plants for medicinal purposes this year.     T / F
  3. Researchers observed a chimpanzee with an injury to its hand.     T / F
  4. A chimpanzee with an infection ate the bark of a cat-thorn bush.     T / F
  5. Researchers said the link between the chimps' ills and plants was week.  T / F
  6. Nearly 90% of the plants chimpanzees ate were anti-bacterial.     T / F
  7. A third of the plants chimpanzees ate were anti-inflammatory.     T / F
  8. Humans may use plants for natural remedies more in the future.     T / F

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

  1. medicinal
  2. traditional
  3. heal
  4. tracked
  5. alleviate
  6. correlation
  7. consumed
  8. properties
  9. potent
  10. pave the way
  1. ate
  2. reduce
  3. monitored
  4. conventional
  5. link
  6. powerful
  7. curative
  8. prepare
  9. qualities
  10. cure

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

  1. Humans have been using medicinal plants
  2. seek out the fruits of the forest
  3. properties that may have reduced the swelling
  4. Another chimpanzee with
  5. sought out the bark
  6. The research team said there was a strong
  7. plant
  8. the extracts contained anti-
  9. chimpanzees consume several
  10. pave the
  1. in the ape's hand
  2. species
  3. of a cat-thorn tree
  4. bacterial properties
  5. to heal themselves
  6. since prehistoric times
  7. way for a greater use
  8. extracts
  9. a parasitic infection
  10. correlation

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
fern
heal
prehistoric
infection
discovered
swelling
alleviate
tracked

Humans have been using medicinal plants since (1) ____________________ times. They are still used around the world in traditional medicine. For the first time, scientists have (2) _____________________ that chimpanzees also seek out the fruits of the forest to (3) _____________________ themselves when sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK conducted a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers (4) _____________________ a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves of a (5) _____________________. The fern had properties that may have reduced the (6) _____________________ in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with a parasitic (7) _____________________ sought out the bark of a cat-thorn tree. This may have helped to (8) _____________________ the animal's condition.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
extracts
anthropologist
remedies
correlation
properties
primates'
ailments
consume

The research team said there was a strong (9) ___________________ between the chimpanzees' (10) _____________________ and injuries and the healing properties in the flora they consumed. The researchers tested plant (11) _____________________ that were not a normal part of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained anti-bacterial (12) _____________________, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory qualities. Researcher and (13) _____________________ Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees (14) _____________________ several species with potent medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations into the (15) _____________________ behaviour may pave the way for a greater use of natural (16) _____________________ in our lives.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Humans have been using medicinal plants ______
     a.  since prehistoric time
     b.  since prehistoric timers
     c.  since prehistoric timings
     d.  since prehistoric times
2)  scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek out the fruits of the forest ______
     a.  to feel themselves
     b.  to heal themselves
     c.  to heel themselves
     d.  to hail themselves
3)  Researchers from Oxford University in the UK ______
     a.  contracted a study
     b.  conduced a study
     c.  conducted a study
     d.  compacted a study
4)  The fern had properties that may have ______
     a.  reduced the swollen
     b.  reduced the swell in
     c.  reduced the swelling
     d.  reduced the swilling
5)  Another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought ______
     a.  out the nark
     b.  out the park
     c.  out the dark
     d.  out the bark

6)  there was a strong correlation between the chimpanzees' ______
     a.  ailments and injury
     b.  ailments and injurious
     c.  ailments and in juries
     d.  ailments and injuries
7)  the healing properties in the ______
     a.  flora they assumed
     b.  flora they resumed
     c.  flora they consumed
     d.  flora they consume
8)  while 33 per cent of them had ______
     a.  anti-inflammatory qualifies
     b.  anti-inflammatory qualities
     c.  anti-inflammatory quantities
     d.  anti-inflammatory quality
9)  chimpanzees consume several species with ______
     a.  potent medicinal propertied
     b.  potent medicinal property
     c.  potent medicinal properly
     d.  potent medicinal properties
10)  her team's investigations into the primates' behaviour may ______
     a.  pave the weigh
     b.  rave the way
     c.  pave the way
     d.  rave a way

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Humans have been using medicinal plants (1) ____________________. They are still used around the world in traditional medicine. For the first time, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees (2) ____________________ the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK (3) ____________________ of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers tracked a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves (4) ____________________. The fern had properties that may have reduced the swelling in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with (5) ____________________ sought out the bark of a cat-thorn tree. This may have (6) ____________________ the animal's condition.

The research team said there was (7) ____________________ between the chimpanzees' (8) ____________________ and the healing properties in the flora they consumed. The researchers (9) ____________________ that were not a normal part of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained (10) ____________________, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory qualities. Researcher and anthropologist Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume several (11) ____________________ medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations into the primates' behaviour may (12) ____________________ for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives.

Comprehension questions

  1. Since when have humans been using plants for medicinal purposes?
  2. Where do the researchers in this article work?
  3. In which country was the research conducted?
  4. What did a chimpanzee hope to treat with a fern?
  5. What part of the cat-thorn tree did a chimpanzee look for?
  6. What kind of correlation was there between ailments and healing plants?
  7. What percentage of plants contained anti-bacterial properties?
  8. What percentage of plants contained anti-inflammatory properties?
  9. What is the field of research of Dr Elodie Freymann?
  10. What might the research pave the way for the use of in our lives?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  Since when have humans been using plants for medicinal purposes?
a) 1952
b) prehistoric times
c) 52 BC
d) the Middle Ages
2) Where do the researchers in this article work?
a) Kampala University
b) Nairobi University
c) Cambridge University
d) Oxford University
3) In which country was the research conducted?
a) Burundi
b) Kenya
c) Uganda
d) Chad
4) What did a chimpanzee hope to treat with a fern?
a) a swollen hand
b) an upset stomach
c) a toothache
d) memory loss
5) What part of the cat-thorn tree did a chimpanzee look for?
a) the thorns
b) the bark
c) the cats
d) the roots

6) What kind of correlation was there between ailments and healing plants?
a) a strong correlation
b) a weak correlation
c) a positive correlation
d) a negative correlation
7) What percentage of plants contained anti-bacterial properties?
a) 33%
b) 77%
c) 88%
d) 66%
8) What percentage of plants contained anti-inflammatory properties?
a) 33%
b) 44%
c) 66%
d) 88%
9) What is the field of research of Dr Elodie Freymann?
a) accountancy
b) anatomy
c) zoology
d) anthropology
10) What might the research pave the way for the use of in our lives?
a) roads
b) a disease-free life
c) natural remedies
d) more research

Role play

Role  A – Garlic
You think garlic is the plant that's best for us. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their plants aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): spinach, dandelion or avocado.

Role  B – Spinach
You think spinach is the plant that's best for us. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their plants aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): garlic, dandelion or avocado.

Role  C – Dandelion
You think dandelion is the plant that's best for us. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their plants aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): spinach, garlic or avocado.

Role  D – Avocado
You think avocado is the plant that's best for us. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their plants aren't so good. Also, tell the others which is the least useful of these (and why): spinach, dandelion or garlic.

After reading / listening

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

'chimpanzee'

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

    • and 'plant'.

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

    • • 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:

    • humans
    • first
    • heal
    • tracked
    • reduced
    • bark
    • between
    • tested
    • 88
    • 33
    • potent
    • greater

    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 - Medicinal Plants

    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 'medicinal'?
    3. What do you know about medicinal plants?
    4. Which are better – medicinal plants or manufactured drugs?
    5. How intelligent are chimpanzees?
    6. What plants do you know of with healing properties?
    7. What do you do when part of your body is swollen?
    8. What do you know about ferns?
    9. Would you like to study chimpanzee behaviour?
    10. How much do you rely on medicine?

    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 'plant'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about chimpanzees?
    5. Is any of the food we eat medicinal?
    6. What can we learn from chimpanzees?
    7. How important is the work of anthropologists?
    8. What will medicine of the future be like?
    9. Do you think nature contains remedies to all our ills?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the researchers?

    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)

    Humans have been using medicinal plants since prehistoric (1) ____. They are still used around the world in traditional medicine. For the first time, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also (2) ____ out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK (3) ____ a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers tracked a male chimp with an (4) ____ hand looking for the leaves of a fern. The fern had properties that may have reduced the (5) ____ in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought (6) ____ the bark of a cat-thorn tree. This may have helped to alleviate the animal's condition.

    The research team said there was a strong correlation (7) ____ the chimpanzees' ailments and injuries and the healing properties in the flora they consumed. The researchers tested plant extracts (8) ____ were not a normal part of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained anti-bacterial properties, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory (9) ____. Researcher and anthropologist Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results (10) ____ that Budongo chimpanzees consume several species with (11) ____ medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations into the primates' behaviour may (12) ____ the way for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    (a)     timers     (b)     timings     (c)     timed     (d)     times    
    (a)     meek     (b)     leek     (c)     peek     (d)     seek    
    (a)     congealed     (b)     conducted     (c)     congested     (d)     contacted    
    (a)     injurious     (b)     injury     (c)     injured     (d)     injurer    
    (a)     swelling     (b)     dwelling     (c)     welling     (d)     swilling    
    (a)     out     (b)     up     (c)     down     (d)     in    
    (a)     amidst     (b)     amid     (c)     among     (d)     between    
    (a)     that     (b)     what     (c)     such     (d)     so    
    (a)     qualifies     (b)     qualities     (c)     quantities     (d)     quarks    
    (a)     suggestive     (b)     suggesting     (c)     suggest     (d)     suggestion    
    (a)     rodent     (b)     intent     (c)     potent     (d)     indent    
    (a)     save     (b)     pave     (c)     cave     (d)     wave

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. since rhitspoeirc times
    2. raitoitndal medicine
    3. The fern had roeptrpies
    4. reduced the esllwing in the ape's hand
    5. Another chimpanzee with a rsaaipitc infection
    6. helped to vleaialte the animal's condition

    Paragraph 2

    1. there was a strong rlreacitoon
    2. the chimpanzees' ilmenats
    3. The researchers tested plant tearxcts
    4. anti-fiamamntlroy qualities
    5. Researcher and trnlophagooist
    6. natural edemires

    Put the text back together

    (...)   anti-bacterial properties, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory qualities. Researcher and
    (...)   out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK conducted
    (...)   behaviour may pave the way for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives.
    (...)   a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves of a fern. The fern had properties that may have reduced the
    (...)   several species with potent medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations into the primates'
    (...)   anthropologist Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results suggest that Budongo chimpanzees consume
    (...)   and injuries and the healing properties in the flora they consumed. The researchers tested plant
    (  1  ) Humans have been using medicinal plants since prehistoric times. They are still used around the world in traditional
    (...)   of a cat-thorn tree. This may have helped to alleviate the animal's condition.
    (...)   The research team said there was a strong correlation between the chimpanzees' ailments
    (...)   swelling in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought out the bark
    (...)   a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers tracked
    (...)   medicine. For the first time, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek
    (...)   extracts that were not a normal part of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained

    Put the words in the right order

    1. plants   times   .   have   since   Humans   used   medicinal   prehistoric
    2. world   Still   used   around   the   in   medicine   .   traditional
    3. male   an   with   hand   .   Tracked   injured   chimp   a
    4. may   Properties   have   that   the   swelling   .   reduced
    5. help   This   the   animal's   alleviate   may   to   condition   .
    6. healing   flora   in   The   the   properties   they   consumed   .
    7. a   normal   part   of   a   Not   chimpanzee's   diet   .
    8. that  They  extracts   the  found  contained   anti-bacterial  properties  .
    9. consume  with  species  several  potent  Chimps  medicinal  properties  .
    10. the   way   for   a   Pave   greater   use   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Humans have been using medicinal plants since prehistoric timings / times. They are still used around the world in traditional medicine. For the last / first time, scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek / sick out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sickness / sick. Researchers from Oxford University in the UK conducted / conduced a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the Budongo Central Forest Reserve in Uganda. The researchers tracked / tricked a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves of a fern. The fern had possessions / properties that may have reduced the swollen / swelling in the ape's hand. Another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought out / in the bark of a cat-thorn tree. This may have helped to alleviate / abbreviate the animal's condition.

    The research team said there was a / the strong correlation between the chimpanzees' ailments and injuries and the healing properties on / in the flora they consumed. The researchers tested plant extracts that were not a normal part at / of a chimpanzee's diet. They found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained / contents anti-bacterial properties, while 33 per cent of them had anti-inflammatory qualifies / qualities. Researcher and anthropology / anthropologist Dr Elodie Freymann said: "Pharmacological results suggest / suggestive that Budongo chimpanzees consume several species with portent / potent medicinal properties." She said her team's investigations onto / into the primates' behaviour may pave / cement the way for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives.

    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)

    H_m_ns  h_v_  b__n  _s_ng  m_d_c_n_l  pl_nts  s_nc_  pr_h_st_r_c  t_m_s.  Th_y  _r_  st_ll  _s_d  _r__nd  th_  w_rld  _n  tr_d_t__n_l  m_d_c_n_.  F_r  th_  f_rst  t_m_,  sc__nt_sts  h_v_  d_sc_v_r_d  th_t  ch_mp_nz__s  _ls_  s__k  __t  th_  fr__ts  _f  th_  f_r_st  t_  h__l  th_ms_lv_s  wh_n  s_ck.  R_s__rch_rs  fr_m  _xf_rd  _n_v_rs_ty  _n  th_  _K  c_nd_ct_d  _  st_dy  _f  ch_mp_nz__  b_h_v___r  _t  th_  B_d_ng_  C_ntr_l  F_r_st  R_s_rv_  _n  _g_nd_.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  tr_ck_d  _  m_l_  ch_mp  w_th  _n  _nj_r_d  h_nd  l__k_ng  f_r  th_  l__v_s  _f  _  f_rn.  Th_  f_rn  h_d  pr_p_rt__s  th_t  m_y  h_v_  r_d_c_d  th_  sw_ll_ng  _n  th_  _p_'s  h_nd.  _n_th_r  ch_mp_nz__  w_th  _  p_r_s_t_c  _nf_ct__n  s__ght  __t  th_  b_rk  _f  _  c_t-th_rn  tr__.  Th_s  m_y  h_v_  h_lp_d  t_  _ll_v__t_  th_  _n_m_l's  c_nd_t__n.

    Th_  r_s__rch  t__m  s__d  th_r_  w_s  _  str_ng  c_rr_l_t__n  b_tw__n  th_  ch_mp_nz__s'  __lm_nts  _nd  _nj_r__s  _nd  th_  h__l_ng  pr_p_rt__s  _n  th_  fl_r_  th_y  c_ns_m_d.  Th_  r_s__rch_rs  t_st_d  pl_nt  _xtr_cts  th_t  w_r_  n_t  _  n_rm_l  p_rt  _f  _  ch_mp_nz__'s  d__t.  Th_y  f__nd  th_t  88  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_  _xtr_cts  c_nt__n_d  _nt_-b_ct_r__l  pr_p_rt__s,  wh_l_  33  p_r  c_nt  _f  th_m  h_d  _nt_-_nfl_mm_t_ry  q__l_t__s.  R_s__rch_r  _nd  _nthr_p_l_g_st  Dr  _l_d__  Fr_ym_nn  s__d:  "Ph_rm_c_l_g_c_l  r_s_lts  s_gg_st  th_t  B_d_ng_  ch_mp_nz__s  c_ns_m_  s_v_r_l  sp_c__s  w_th  p_t_nt  m_d_c_n_l  pr_p_rt__s."  Sh_  s__d  h_r  t__m's  _nv_st_g_t__ns  _nt_  th_  pr_m_t_s'  b_h_v___r  m_y  p_v_  th_  w_y  f_r  _  gr__t_r  _s_  _f  n_t_r_l  r_m_d__s  _n  __r  l_v_s.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    humans have been using medicinal plants since prehistoric times they are still used around the world in traditional medicine for the first time scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves when sick researchers from oxford university in the uk conducted a study of chimpanzee behaviour at the budongo central forest reserve in uganda the researchers tracked a male chimp with an injured hand looking for the leaves of a fern the fern had properties that may have reduced the swelling in the apes hand another chimpanzee with a parasitic infection sought out the bark of a catthorn tree this may have helped to alleviate the animals condition

    the research team said there was a strong correlation between the chimpanzees ailments and injuries and the healing properties in the flora they consumed the researchers tested plant extracts that were not a normal part of a chimpanzees diet they found that 88 per cent of the extracts contained antibacterial properties while 33 per cent of them had antiinflammatory qualities researcher and anthropologist dr elodie freymann said pharmacological results suggest that budongo chimpanzees consume several species with potent medicinal properties she said her teams investigations into the primates behaviour may pave the way for a greater use of natural remedies in our lives

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Humanshavebeenusingmedicinalplantssinceprehistorictimes.They
    arestillusedaroundtheworldintraditionalmedicine.Forthefirsttime,sc
    ientistshavediscoveredthatchimpanzeesalsoseekoutthefruitsofthef
    oresttohealthemselveswhensick.ResearchersfromOxfordUniversity
    intheUKconductedastudyofchimpanzeebehaviourattheBudongoCen
    tralForestReserveinUganda.Theresearcherstrackedamalechimpwit
    haninjuredhandlookingfortheleavesofafern.Thefernhadpropertiest
    hatmayhavereducedtheswellingintheape'shand.Anotherchimpanze
    ewithaparasiticinfectionsoughtoutthebarkofacat-thorntree.Thisma
    yhavehelpedtoalleviatetheanimal'scondition.Theresearchteamsaidt
    herewasastrongcorrelationbetweenthechimpanzees'ailmentsandinj
    uriesandthehealingpropertiesinthefloratheyconsumed.Theresearch
    erstestedplantextractsthatwerenotanormalpartofachimpanzee'sdie
    t.Theyfoundthat88percentoftheextractscontainedanti-bacterialpro
    perties,while33percentofthemhadanti-inflammatoryqualities.Rese
    archerandanthropologistDrElodieFreymannsaid:"PharmacologicalresultssuggestthatBudongochimpanzeesconsumeseveralspecieswithpotentmedicinalproperties."Shesaidherteam'sinvestigationsintotheprimates'behaviourmaypavethewayforagreateruseofnaturalremediesinourlives.

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    Natural medicines are better for us than manufactured ones. 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. MEDICINAL PLANTS: Make a poster about medicinal plants. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. BACK TO NATURE: Write a magazine article about going back to nature and favoring medicinal plants over manufactured medicines. 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 medicinal plants. Ask him/her three questions about medicinal plants. Give him/her three of your ideas. 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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