The Reading / Listening - Sharks - Level 6

The climate crisis may be posing an existential threat to many species of shark. A new study has revealed that the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' teeth to decay. It is well known in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species like corals, molluscs, and sea urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are at similar risk. Lead author of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether "sharks that swim with their mouths open to ventilate their gills and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable". He concluded that "even the teeth of apex predators show visible damage under acidified conditions".

Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an aquarium in Germany. They placed the teeth in two separate water tanks for eight weeks. The salt water in one tank had a pH level of 8.2, which is similar to current ocean averages. The water in the other tank was more acidic, with a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in the more acidic water had "visible surface damage". This included cracks and cavities, increased root decay, and structural deterioration. He said ongoing damage could impact how sharks feed in the future. Such damage could potentially trigger "domino effects" across the health of many marine ecosystems.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Sharks - Level 4  or  Sharks - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/sharks-may-losing-bite-170000952.html
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/27/science/ocean-acidification-shark-teeth
  • https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/27/ocean-acidification-erodes-sharks-teeth-affecting-feeding


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. SHARKS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about sharks. 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?
       climate / climate crisis / species / shark / ocean / acidification / marine biologist /
       colleagues / aquarium / water tanks / pH level / teeth / decay / domino effect
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CRISIS: Students A strongly believe ocean acidification is an existential crisis; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. EXISTENTIAL CRISES: How much are these things existential crises? Why? What can we do to ameliorate them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

A Crisis?

Why?

Amelioration

Ocean acidification

 

 

 

A.I.

 

 

 

Overpopulation

 

 

 

Nuclear wars

 

 

 

Pandemics

 

 

 

Societal collapse

 

 

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

  • Acidification
  • Plastic pollution
  • Coral bleaching
  • Overfishing
  • Oil spills
  • Deep-sea mining
  • Warming seas
  • Invasive species

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. existential a. Scientists who study the ocean and sea animals.
      2. acidification b. Animals that hunt and eat other animals.
      3. decay (verb) c. About life and being alive.
      4. marine biologists d. When something slowly breaks down, rots, or is destroyed.
      5. ventilate e. When something becomes more acidic (like sour or sharp).
      6. exposure f. Bring fresh air into a place.
      7. predators g. Being in contact with something or being open to it.

    Paragraph 2

      8. colleagues h. A number that shows if something is acidic or alkaline on a scale of 0 to 14
      9. pH level i. Holes in teeth caused by damage.
      10. cavities j. Something that starts or causes an action.
      11. deterioration k. People you work with.
      12. impact (verb) l. When one event causes another, and then another, and another, and another...
      13. trigger (verb) m. A strong effect or result.
      14. domino effect n. When something gets worse or weaker over time.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says ocean acidification will kill all species of shark.     T / F
  2. Ocean acidification is causing tooth decay in sharks.     T / F
  3. Sharks swim with their mouths open primarily to eat plankton.     T / F
  4. The teeth of ocean predators are not damaged by acidic sea water.     T / F
  5. Researchers studied the teeth of sharks that lived off the German coast.  T / F
  6. Teeth that were put in more acidic salt water resulted in visible damage. T / F
  7. Ocean acidification could affect how and what sharks eat in the future.    T / F
  8. The article says ocean acidification could set off a butterfly-wings effect.  T / F

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

  1. crisis
  2. decay
  3. ventilate
  4. constant
  5. vulnerable
  6. current
  7. visible
  8. deterioration
  9. impact
  10. trigger
  1. decline
  2. set off
  3. open to attack
  4. noticeable
  5. emergency
  6. affect
  7. non-stop
  8. present
  9. rot
  10. air

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

  1. The climate crisis may be posing
  2. the acidification of
  3. causing sharks' teeth
  4. swim with their mouths open to
  5. the teeth of
  6. They placed the teeth in two
  7. The salt water in one tank had a
  8. This included cracks and
  9. Such damage could potentially trigger
  10. the health of many marine
  1. ecosystems
  2. to decay
  3. apex predators
  4. the world's oceans
  5. cavities
  6. domino effects
  7. an existential threat
  8. pH level of 8.2
  9. separate water tanks
  10. ventilate their gills

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
decay
risk
threat
predators
corals
exposure
acidification
mouths

The climate crisis may be posing an existential                              (1) _________________________________ to many species of shark. A new study has revealed that the (2) _________________________________ of the world's oceans is causing sharks' teeth to (3) _________________________________. It is well known in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species like (4) _________________________________, molluscs, and sea urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are at similar (5) _________________________________. Lead author of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether "sharks that swim with their (6) _________________________________ open to ventilate their gills and have constant seawater (7) _________________________________ might also be vulnerable". He concluded that "even the teeth of apex (8) _________________________________ show visible damage under acidified conditions".

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
averages
marine
acidic
ongoing
tanks
cavities
aquarium
trigger

Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an (9) _________________________________ in Germany. They placed the teeth in two separate water (10) _________________________________ for eight weeks. The salt water in one tank had a pH level of 8.2, which is similar to current ocean (11) _________________________________. The water in the other tank was more acidic, with a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in the more (12) _________________________________ water had "visible surface damage". This included cracks and (13) _________________________________, increased root decay, and structural deterioration. He said (14) _________________________________ damage could impact how sharks feed in the future. Such damage could potentially (15) _________________________________ "domino effects" across the health of many (16) _________________________________ ecosystems.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  The climate crisis may be posing an existential threat to many ______
     a.  specials of shark
     b.  species off shark
     c.  species of shark
     d.  species oft shark
2)  the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' ______
     a.  teeth too decay
     b.  teeth to decry
     c.  teeth to decay
     d.  teeth to decade
3)  This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are ______
     a.  at similarly risk
     b.  ate similar risk
     c.  at simile risk
     d.  at similar risk
4)  Baum investigated whether sharks that swim with their mouths open to ______
     a.  ventilate their gills
     b.  ventilate their grills
     c.  ventilate their galls
     d.  ventilate their gails
5)  He concluded that even the teeth of apex predators ______
     a.  show visibly damage
     b.  show visible damage
     c.  show visible damaged
     d.  shows visible damage

6)  Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks ______
     a.  at an aquaria
     b.  at an aquarium
     c.  at an aquatic
     d.  at an aquamarine
7)  a pH level of 8.2, which is similar to ______
     a.  current ocean average
     b.  current ocean avarices
     c.  current ocean averages
     d.  current ocean over ridges
8)  Baum found that the teeth in the ______
     a.  more acidity water
     b.  more acid water
     c.  more acidic water
     d.  more acid ick water
9)  This included cracks and cavities, increased root decay, ______
     a.  and structurally deterioration
     b.  and structural deteriorating
     c.  end structural deterioration
     d.  and structural deterioration
10)  He said ongoing damage could impact ______
     a.  how sharks food
     b.  how shark feed
     c.  how sharks feed
     d.  what sharks feed

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The climate crisis may (1) _______________________________________________ existential threat to many species of shark. A new study has revealed that the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' (2) _______________________________________________. It is well known in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified (3) _______________________________________________, molluscs, and sea urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are (4) _______________________________________________. Lead author of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether "sharks that swim with their mouths (5) _______________________________________________ their gills and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable". He concluded that "even the teeth of apex (6) _______________________________________________ damage under acidified conditions".

Baum and (7) _______________________________________________ 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an aquarium in Germany. They placed the teeth (8) _______________________________________________ water tanks for eight weeks. The salt water in one tank had a pH level of 8.2, which is similar to (9) _______________________________________________. The water in the other tank was more acidic, with a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in the (10) _______________________________________________ had "visible surface damage". This included cracks and cavities, increased root decay, and structural deterioration. He (11) _______________________________________________ could impact how sharks feed in the future. Such damage could potentially trigger (12) _______________________________________________ the health of many marine ecosystems.

Comprehension questions

  1. What kind of threat might ocean acidification be for sharks?
  2. What is acidic water doing to the teeth of some species of sharks?
  3. What ocean life is acidic water threatening besides urchins and molluscs?
  4. Who is Maximilian Baum?
  5. Why do some sharks keep their mouths open?
  6. Where did the sharks live that were part of this research?
  7. What is a pH level of 8.2 similar to?
  8. What did researchers find decay in?
  9. How could ongoing damage affect sharks?
  10. What might experience domino effects because of acidification?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What kind of threat might ocean acidification be for sharks?
a) a hidden threat
b) an existential threat
c) a gentle threat
d) a secret threat
2) What is acidic water doing to the teeth of some species of sharks?
a) discolouring them
b) strengthening them
c) making them fall out
d) decaying them
3) What ocean life is acidic water threatening besides urchins and molluscs?
a) plankton
b) tuna
c) coral
d) seaweed
4) Who is Maximilian Baum?
a) a marine biologist
b) a fish dentist
c) a scuba diving instructor
d) an aquarium owner
5) Why do some sharks keep their mouths open?
a) to eat plankton
b) to ventilate their gills
c) to clean their teeth
d) to attract a mate

6) Where did the sharks live that were part of this research?
a) in a German aquarium
b) near Hawaii
c) in the Atlantic Ocean
d) in Argentina
7) What is a pH level of 8.2 similar to?
a) citric acid
b) sulphuric acid
c) current ocean averages
d) milk
8) What did researchers find decay in?
a) roots
b) shark brains
c) the ocean bed
d) seaweed
9) How could ongoing damage affect sharks?
a) It could end their food supply.
b) It could stop them reproducing.
c) It could give them a skin rash.
d) It could impact how they feed.
10) What might experience domino effects because of acidification?
a) plankton and tiny marine creatures
b) tidal waves
c) the health of marine ecosystems
d) the floor of the ocean

Role play

Role  A – Acidification
You think acidification is the biggest threat to the oceans. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): plastic pollution, overfishing or coral bleaching.

Role  B – Plastic Pollution
You think plastic pollution is the biggest threat to the oceans. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): acidification, overfishing or coral bleaching.

Role  C – Overfishing
You think overfishing is the biggest threat to the oceans. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): plastic pollution, acidification or coral bleaching.

Role  D – Coral Bleaching
You think coral bleaching is the biggest threat to the oceans. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their threats aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): plastic pollution, overfishing or acidification.

After reading / listening

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

'shark'

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

    • and 'teeth'.

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

    • • 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:

    • crisis
    • causing
    • community
    • risk
    • open
    • concluded
    • 10
    • eight
    • 8.2
    • 7.3
    • root
    • trigger

    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 - Sharks

    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 'shark'?
    3. What do you think of shark teeth?
    4. What do you think of sharks?
    5. How worried are you about ocean acidification?
    6. What do you do to avoid decay in your teeth?
    7. What could happen if ocean acidification increases?
    8. How can we reduce ocean acidification?
    9. What part do sharks play in ocean ecosystems?
    10. What part does coral play in ocean ecosystems?

    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 'teeth'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about sharks?
    5. What do you think of keeping sharks in aquaria?
    6. What was the most interesting thing you read in this story?
    7. What three adjectives best describe this news story?
    8. What might happen to sharks if ocean acidification continues?
    9. What could happen in the possible domino effects?
    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)

    The climate crisis may be (1) ____ an existential threat to many species of shark. A new study has revealed that the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' teeth (2) ____ decay. It is well known in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species (3) ____ corals, molluscs, and sea urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are (4) ____ similar risk. Lead author of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether "sharks that swim with their mouths open to ventilate their (5) ____ and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable". He concluded that "even the teeth of apex predators show (6) ____ damage under acidified conditions".

    Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an (7) ____ in Germany. They placed the teeth in two separate water tanks for eight weeks. The salt water in one tank had a pH level of 8.2, which is (8) ____ to current ocean averages. The water in the other tank was more acidic, with a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in the (9) ____ acidic water had "visible surface damage". This included cracks and cavities, increased (10) ____ decay, and structural deterioration. He said (11) ____ damage could impact how sharks feed in the future. Such damage could potentially trigger "(12) ____ effects" across the health of many marine ecosystems.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     posed     (b)     posing     (c)     poses     (d)     pose     2.    
    2. (a)     at     (b)     to     (c)     for     (d)     by     3.    
    3. (a)     to     (b)     as     (c)     such     (d)     like     4.    
    4. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     to     (d)     on     5.    
    5. (a)     fills     (b)     gills     (c)     pills     (d)     mills     6.    
    6. (a)     visibility     (b)     visor     (c)     visible     (d)     vision     7.    
    7. (a)     Aquarius     (b)     aquaria     (c)     aquarium     (d)     aquamarine     8.    
    8. (a)     such     (b)     same     (c)     similar     (d)     closed     9.    
    9. (a)     much     (b)     some     (c)     many     (d)     more     10.    
    10. (a)     foot     (b)     moot     (c)     loot     (d)     root     11.    
    11. (a)     ongoing     (b)     onboarding     (c)     oncoming     (d)     onlooking     12.    
    12. (a)     chess     (b)     Jenga     (c)     domino     (d)     tic-tac-toe

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. posing an tnixtseelai threat
    2. the ccodfaiiitnai of the world's oceans
    3. causing sharks' teeth to ecdya
    4. swim with their mouths open to vletetnia their gills
    5. have constant seawater oepsexur
    6. the teeth of apex arserpotd

    Paragraph 2

    1. Baum and his ualleseogc analyzed 42 teeth
    2. 10 blacktip reef sharks at an iuramuqa
    3. This included cracks and sceaiivt
    4. structural rnoeraedtiiot
    5. potentially trigger idnmoo effects
    6. the health of many anrmie ecosystems

    Put the text back together

    (    )     "domino effects" across the health of many marine ecosystems.
    (    )     acidic, with a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in the more acidic water had "visible surface
    (    )     aquarium in Germany. They placed the teeth in two separate water tanks for eight weeks. The salt
    (    )     Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an
    (    )     community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species like corals, molluscs, and sea
    (    )     damage". This included cracks and cavities, increased root decay, and structural deterioration. He said ongoing damage could
    (    )     gills and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable". He concluded that "even the teeth
    (    )     impact how sharks feed in the future. Such damage could potentially trigger
    (    )     of apex predators show visible damage under acidified conditions".
    (    )     of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether "sharks that swim with their mouths open to ventilate their
    (    )     revealed that the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' teeth to decay. It is well known in the scientific
    (  1  )   The climate crisis may be posing an existential threat to many species of shark. A new study has
    (    )     urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are at similar risk. Lead author
    (    )     water in one tank had a pH level of 8.2, which is similar to current ocean averages. The water in the other tank was more

    Put the words in the right order

    1. It's   an   many   to   posing   existential   species   threat   .
    2. Ocean   decay   to   teeth   acidification   causing   sharks'   is   .
    3. It   in   scientific   is   community   the   well   known   .
    4. Research   teeth   shark   whether   are   at   risk   similar   .
    5. The   damage   teeth   visible   predators   show   apex   of   .
    6. Analyzed   10   reef   42   from   blacktip   sharks   teeth   .
    7. They   tanks   the   two   placed   in   teeth   separate   .
    8. Water   other   the   more   acidic   tank   in   was   .
    9. Ongoing   sharks   damage   impact   could   how   feed   .
    10. Such   damage   potentially   domino   effects   could   trigger   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The climate critics / crisis may be posing an existential threat to many species of shark. A new study has revelled / revealed that the acidification of the world's oceans is causing sharks' teeth to / in decay. It is well known at / in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species like / liked corals, molluscs, and sea urchins. This led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are at similar risk / risky. Lead author of the study, Maximilian Baum, investigated whether / whatever "sharks that swim with their mouths open to ventilate their fills / gills and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable / vulnerability". He concluded that "even the teeth of apex predators show visible damage under acidified conditions / condition".

    Baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an aquaria / aquarium in Germany. They paced / placed the teeth in two separate water tanks for eight weeks. The salt water in one tank had a pH level of / off 8.2, which is similar to current ocean average / averages. The water in the other tank was more acidic, with / within a pH level of 7.3. Baum found that the teeth in / at the more acidic water had "visible surface damage". This included cracks and cavities, increased roof / root decay, and structural deterioration. He said ongoing damage could compact / impact how sharks food / feed in the future. Such damage could potentially trigger "domino effects" across the healthy / health of many marine ecosystems.

    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)

    Th_  cl_m_t_  cr_s_s  m_y  b_  p_s_ng  _n  _x_st_nt__l  thr__t  t_  m_ny  sp_c__s  _f  sh_rk.  _  n_w  st_dy  h_s  r_v__l_d  th_t  th_  _c_d_f_c_t__n  _f  th_  w_rld's  _c__ns  _s  c__s_ng  sh_rks'  t__th  t_  d_c_y.  _t  _s  w_ll  kn_wn  _n  th_  sc__nt_f_c  c_mm_n_ty  th_t  _ncr__s_ng  _c__n  _c_d_ty  _s  d_m_g_ng  c_lc_f__d  sp_c__s  l_k_  c_r_ls,  m_ll_scs,  _nd  s__  _rch_ns.  Th_s  l_d  m_r_n_  b__l_g_sts  t_  r_s__rch  wh_th_r  sh_rk  t__th  _r_  _t  s_m_l_r  r_sk.  L__d  __th_r  _f  th_  st_dy,  M_x_m_l__n  B__m,  _nv_st_g_t_d  wh_th_r  "sh_rks  th_t  sw_m  w_th  th__r  m__ths  _p_n  t_  v_nt_l_t_  th__r  g_lls  _nd  h_v_  c_nst_nt  s__w_t_r  _xp_s_r_  m_ght  _ls_  b_  v_ln_r_bl_".  H_  c_ncl_d_d  th_t  "_v_n  th_  t__th  _f  _p_x  pr_d_t_rs  sh_w  v_s_bl_  d_m_g_  _nd_r  _c_d_f__d  c_nd_t__ns".

    B__m  _nd  h_s  c_ll__g__s  _n_lyz_d  42  t__th  fr_m  10  bl_ckt_p  r__f  sh_rks  _t  _n  _q__r__m  _n  G_rm_ny.  Th_y  pl_c_d  th_  t__th  _n  tw_  s_p_r_t_  w_t_r  t_nks  f_r  __ght  w__ks.  Th_  s_lt  w_t_r  _n  _n_  t_nk  h_d  _  pH  l_v_l  _f  8.2,  wh_ch  _s  s_m_l_r  t_  c_rr_nt  _c__n  _v_r_g_s.  Th_  w_t_r  _n  th_  _th_r  t_nk  w_s  m_r_  _c_d_c,  w_th  _  pH  l_v_l  _f  7.3.  B__m  f__nd  th_t  th_  t__th  _n  th_  m_r_  _c_d_c  w_t_r  h_d  "v_s_bl_  s_rf_c_  d_m_g_".  Th_s  _ncl_d_d  cr_cks  _nd  c_v_t__s,  _ncr__s_d  r__t  d_c_y,  _nd  str_ct_r_l  d_t_r__r_t__n.  H_  s__d  _ng__ng  d_m_g_  c__ld  _mp_ct  h_w  sh_rks  f__d  _n  th_  f_t_r_.  S_ch  d_m_g_  c__ld  p_t_nt__lly  tr_gg_r  "d_m_n_  _ff_cts"  _cr_ss  th_  h__lth  _f  m_ny  m_r_n_  _c_syst_ms.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the climate crisis may be posing an existential threat to many species of shark a new study has revealed that the acidification of the worlds oceans is causing sharks teeth to decay it is well known in the scientific community that increasing ocean acidity is damaging calcified species like corals molluscs and sea urchins this led marine biologists to research whether shark teeth are at similar risk lead author of the study maximilian baum investigated whether sharks that swim with their mouths open to ventilate their gills and have constant seawater exposure might also be vulnerable he concluded that even the teeth of apex predators show visible damage under acidified conditions

    baum and his colleagues analyzed 42 teeth from 10 blacktip reef sharks at an aquarium in germany they placed the teeth in two separate water tanks for eight weeks the salt water in one tank had a ph level of 82 which is similar to current ocean averages the water in the other tank was more acidic with a ph level of 73 baum found that the teeth in the more acidic water had visible surface damage this included cracks and cavities increased root decay and structural deterioration he said ongoing damage could impact how sharks feed in the future such damage could potentially trigger domino effects across the health of many marine ecosystems

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Theclimatecrisismaybeposinganexistentialthreattomanyspeciesofs
    hark.Anewstudyhasrevealedthattheacidificationoftheworld'soceans
    iscausingsharks'teethtodecay.Itiswellknowninthescientificcommun
    itythatincreasingoceanacidityisdamagingcalcifiedspecieslikecorals,
    molluscs,andseaurchins.Thisledmarinebiologiststoresearchwhethe
    rsharkteethareatsimilarrisk.Leadauthorofthestudy,MaximilianBau
    m,investigatedwhether"sharksthatswimwiththeirmouthsopentoven
    tilatetheirgillsandhaveconstantseawaterexposuremightalsobevulne
    rable".Heconcludedthat"eventheteethofapexpredatorsshowvisibled
    amageunderacidifiedconditions".Baumandhiscolleaguesanalyzed4
    2teethfrom10blacktipreefsharksatanaquariuminGermany.Theyplac
    edtheteethintwoseparatewatertanksforeightweeks.Thesaltwaterin
    onetankhadapHlevelof8.2,whichissimilartocurrentoceanaverages.T
    hewaterintheothertankwasmoreacidic,withapHlevelof7.3.Baumfou
    ndthattheteethinthemoreacidicwaterhad"visiblesurfacedamage".T
    hisincludedcracksandcavities,increasedrootdecay,andstructuraldet
    erioration.Hesaidongoingdamagecouldimpacthowsharksfeedinthef
    uture.Suchdamagecouldpotentiallytrigger"dominoeffects"acrossth
    ehealthofmanymarineecosystems.

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    The oceans and humans need sharks. 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. SHARKS: Make a poster about sharks. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. TOO LATE: Write a magazine article about it being too late to reverse the damage being done to the environment. Include imaginary interviews with people who agree and disagree 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 sharks. Ask him/her three questions about sharks. 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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