The Reading / Listening - Honey Bees - Level 2

Scientists in Australia have made an exciting discovery about honey bees. The scientists found out why a bee's stinger puts venom into a person's skin after it comes off the bee's body. The scientists used high-speed cameras to film the stinger. The video showed that the stinger works like a pump. It has two small parts that move backwards and forwards. These parts help keep the venom flowing into the skin. A researcher said the pump's design was "unique". She hopes her discovery will be useful. Companies might make pumps that could give medicine to people.

A bee sting can be very painful. Most people have swelling after a sting. It can be dangerous for people who have allergies. Some people have a serious reaction. Their face or throat may swell up, or they may have trouble breathing. If someone is stung, they should remove the stinger quickly. This will stop more venom going into the body. The person should also wash the area with soap and water. In addition, it is a good idea to put an ice pack over the sting. If the person feels unwell, someone should call emergency services.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Honey Bees - Level 0,  Honey Bees - Level 1   or  Honey Bees - Level 3

Sources
  • https://phys.org/news/2026-10-high-video-reveals-honey-bee.html
  • https://www.popsci.com/environment/how-bee-stingers-work-saws-pump-venom/
  • https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/honey-bee-sting-explained-9.7376578


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. an exciting discovery
  2. scientists found
  3. a bee's stinger puts venom into
  4. it comes off the bee's
  5. scientists used high-
  6. the stinger works
  7. keep the venom flowing
  8. give medicine
  1. speed cameras
  2. a person's skin
  3. into the skin
  4. about honey bees
  5. like a pump
  6. out why
  7. to people
  8. body

Paragraph 2

  1. A bee sting can be
  2. people have swelling after
  3. dangerous for people who
  4. Some people have a serious
  5. they may have trouble
  6. they should remove the
  7. put an ice pack over
  8. someone should call
  1. emergency services
  2. have allergies
  3. stinger quickly
  4. breathing
  5. very painful
  6. the sting
  7. a sting
  8. reaction

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists in Australia have made (1) _________________________________________________ about honey bees. The scientists found out why a bee's stinger puts (2) _________________________________________________ person's skin after it comes off the bee's body. The scientists used (3) _________________________________________________ to film the stinger. The video showed that the stinger works (4) _________________________________________________. It has two small parts that move backwards and forwards. These parts help keep the venom (5) _________________________________________________ skin. A researcher said the pump's design was "unique". She hopes her discovery will be useful. Companies might make pumps that could give (6) _________________________________________________.

A bee sting can be very painful. Most (7) ______________________________________________ after a sting. It can be dangerous for people (8) _________________________________________________. Some people have a serious reaction. Their face or throat may swell up, or they may (9) _________________________________________________. If someone is stung, they should remove the stinger quickly. This will stop more venom going into the body. The person should also (10) _________________________________________________ with soap and water. In addition, it is a good idea to (11) _________________________________________________ pack over the sting. If the person feels unwell, someone should (12) _________________________________________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ScientistsinAustraliahavemadeanexcitingdiscoveryabouthoneybee
s.Thescientistsfoundoutwhyabee'sstingerputsvenomintoaperson'ss
kinafteritcomesoffthebee'sbody.Thescientistsusedhigh-speedcam
erastofilmthestinger.Thevideoshowedthatthestingerworkslikeapu
mp.Ithastwosmallpartsthatmovebackwardsandforwards.Thesepart
shelpkeepthevenomflowingintotheskin.Aresearchersaidthepump's
designwas"unique".Shehopesherdiscoverywillbeuseful.Companies
mightmakepumpsthatcouldgivemedicinetopeople.Abeestingcanbe
verypainful.Mostpeoplehaveswellingafterasting.Itcanbedangerousf
orpeoplewhohaveallergies.Somepeoplehaveaseriousreaction.Their
faceorthroatmayswellup,ortheymayhavetroublebreathing.Ifsomeo
neisstung,theyshouldremovethestingerquickly.Thiswillstopmoreve
nomgoingintothebody.Thepersonshouldalsowashtheareawithsoapa
ndwater.Inaddition,itisagoodideatoputanicepackoverthesting.Ifthepers
onfeelsunwell,someoneshouldcallemergencyservices.

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 — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

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

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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