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Plan to return the wolf to Scotland (18th July, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

A group of green charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large area of Scotland to how it was a thousand years ago. The group wants forests and lost animals, birds and fish to return. One of the animals the group aims to put back into the wild is the wolf. This died out in Britain in 1680 after hunters and farmers killed them all. Other species that could return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas include the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey whales. The charities want the government to return one-twentieth of the country to its natural state. The area it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes much of this can happen by the year 2030.

Not everyone thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are worried it would cause them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a crazy idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals. They also say that dams built by beavers would increase the risk of flooding farmland, while sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding is really for everyone who cares about our future." She added: "Our ecosystems need us." Ms Wrigley said it was important to re-wild Britain for, "native forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance to recover from industrial fishing".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13420727.Rewilding_Scotland__green_and_public_bodies_unite_to_bring_back_wolves__lynx_and_sturgeon/
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/wolves-lynx-and-wild-boar-could-be-reintroduced-to-british-forests-10389469.html
http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/campaign-bids-to-reintroduce-wild-animals-to-uk-1-3830709

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. THE COUNTRYSIDE: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about the countryside. 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?

green / charities / forests / the wild / hunters / mountains / whales / natural / 2030 / animals / problems / predators / flooding / farmland / our future / ecosystems / fishing

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. A THOUSAND YEARS AGO: How were things better or worse? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	Better	Worse
The countryside
Family life
Education
Entertainment
Society
Hobbies

4. RE-WILDING: Students A strongly believe re-wilding is a great idea; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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. FARMERS PROBLEMS: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest problems for farmers at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• global warming

• pests

• wild animals

• taxes

• overseas competition

• price of land

• water

• government rules

6. CHARITY: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "charity". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	A green charity wants the whole of Scotland to return to the wild.	T / F
b.	The last wolf in Scotland died in 1860.	T / F
c.	The charity wants to see the return of whales to Scottish seas.	T / F
d.	The charity wants to see a lot of its wishes in place by 2030.	T / F
e.	Farmers are very happy about a possible return to the wild.	T / F
f.	Beavers are a potential danger to farms.	T / F
g.	A charity spokeswoman said our ecosystems needed us.	T / F
h.	The charity said seas have recovered from industrial fishing.	T / F

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

1.	return	a.	such as
2.	aims	b.	condition
3.	died out	c.	is concerned
4.	state	d.	plans
5.	region	e.	heighten
6.	like	f.	area
7.	worried	g.	restore
8.	increase	h.	opportunity
9.	cares	i.	concerned
10.	chance	j.	became extinct

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

1.	a large	a.	forests
2.	This died	b.	twentieth of the country
3.	Other species	c.	us
4.	return one-	d.	area of Scotland
5.	It hopes much of this can happen	e.	that could return
6.	it was a crazy idea to bring	f.	from industrial fishing
7.	increase the risk of flooding	g.	out in Britain in 1680
8.	Our ecosystems need	h.	farmland
9.	native	i.	by the year 2030
10.	a chance to recover	j.	back predators

GAP FILL

A group of green charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large (1) ____________ of Scotland to how it was a thousand years ago. The group wants forests and (2) ____________ animals, birds and fish to return. One of the animals the group (3) ____________ to put back into the wild is the wolf. This died out in Britain in 1680 after (4) ____________ and farmers killed them all. Other (5) ____________ that could return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas (6) ____________ the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey whales. The charities want the government to return one-(7) ____________ of the country to its natural state. The area it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes (8) ____________ of this can happen by the year 2030.

lost
species
aims
twentieth
area
much
hunters
include

Not (9) ____________ thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are worried it would (10) ____________ them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a (11) ____________ idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals. They also say that dams (12) ____________ by beavers would increase the risk of (13) ____________ farmland, while sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding is really for everyone who (14) ____________ about our future." She added: "Our ecosystems need us." Ms Wrigley said it was important to re-wild Britain for, "(15) ____________ forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance to recover from (16) ____________ fishing".

crazy
everyone
flooding
native
cause
industrial
built
cares

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	return a large area of Scotland to how it was a ______
	a. thousands of years ago b. thousand by years ago c. thousand year ago d. thousand years ago
2)	One of the animals the group aims to put back into the ______
	a. wild this the wolf b. wild is a wolf c. wild is the wolf d. wild this a wolf
3)	The charities want the government to return one-twentieth of the country ______
	a. to its naturalised state b. to its natural state c. to its naturally state d. to its naturals state
4)	The area it wants is the United Kingdom's ______
	a. cleanest region b. cleanest regions c. cleanest regional d. cleanest regionally
5)	It hopes much of this can happen ______
	a. by the year 2030 b. in the year 2030 c. at the year 2030 d. for the year 2030
6)	Not everyone thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and ______
	a. lynx is the great idea b. lynx is a good idea c. lynx is such a good idea d. lynx is a great idea
7)	Farmers are worried it would cause ______
	a. them any problems b. them many problems c. them many problem d. there many problems
8)	They also say that dams built by beavers would increase the risk ______
	a. for flooding farmland b. of flood in farmland c. of flooding farmland d. for flood in farmland
9)	Re-wilding is really for everyone who ______
	a. cares about your future b. cares about our future c. care about our future d. cares about our futures
10)	regenerate and give the seas a chance to recover ______
	a. from industrial fish in b. from industrial fishing in c. from industry all fishing d. from industrial fishing

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

(1) ___________________ charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large area of Scotland (2) ___________________ thousand years ago. The group wants forests and lost animals, birds and fish to return. One of the animals (3) ___________________ put back into the wild is the wolf. This died out in Britain in 1680 after hunters and farmers killed them all. Other (4) ___________________ return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas include the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey whales. The charities want the government to (5) ___________________ the country to its natural state. The area it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes much of this can happen (6) ___________________.

Not everyone thinks the reintroduction (7) ___________________ the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are worried it would cause them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a crazy (8) ___________________ predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals. They also say that dams built by beavers would (9) ___________________ of flooding farmland, while sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding (10) ___________________ who cares about our future." She added: "Our (11) ___________________." Ms Wrigley said it was important to re-wild Britain for, "native forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a (12) ___________________ from industrial fishing".

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What is the name of the charity mentioned in the article?
2.	When did the wolf die out in Britain?
3.	What kind of whales does the charity want to see again in Scotland?
4.	What fraction does the charity want the country to become wild again?
5.	When does the charity hope it can achieve its aims by?
6.	Who is worried about problems caused by a return to the wild?
7.	What animal would be a risk to farmland flooding?
8.	What did a charity spokeswoman say needed us?
9.	What did the spokeswoman say needed to regenerate?
10.	What did the spokeswoman say seas needed to recover from?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What is the name of the charity mentioned in the article?	6.	Who is worried about problems caused by a return to the wild?
	a) Britain Wild b) Back to the Wolf c) The Wolf Returns d) Rewilding Britain		a) zoos b) farmers c) charity workers d) governments
2.	When did the wolf die out in Britain?	7.	What animal would be a risk to farmland flooding?
	a) 1608 b) 1680 c) 1860 d) 1806		a) wild boars b) the lynx c) wolves d) beavers
3.	What kind of whales does the charity want to see again in Scotland?	8.	What did a charity spokeswoman say needed us?
	a) killer b) blue c) grey d) minke		a) our ecosystems b) whales c) wolves d) sea eagles
4.	What fraction does the charity want the country to become wild again?	9.	What did the spokeswoman say needed to regenerate?
	a) one-twentieth b) seven-eighths c) three-quarters d) two-thirds		a) charities b) wolves c) native forests d) ecosystems
5.	When does the charity hope it can achieve its aims by?	10.	What did the spokeswoman say seas needed to recover from?
	a) 2023 b) 3020 c) 2030 d) 3002		a) pollution b) industrial fishing c) global warming d) acid rain

ROLE PLAY

Role A – Global warming

You think global warming is the biggest problem for farmers. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least problematic of these (and why): pests, taxes or water.

Role B – Pests

You think pests are the biggest problem for farmers. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least problematic of these (and why): global warming, taxes or water.

Role C – Taxes

You think taxes are the biggest problem for farmers. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least problematic of these (and why): pests, global warming or water.

Role D – Water

You think water is the biggest problem for farmers. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't so bad. Also, tell the others which is the least problematic of these (and why): pests, taxes or global warming.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

country

side

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:

green
lost
died
species
state
hopes

idea
crazy
start
risk
future
recover

THE COUNTRYSIDE SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about the countryside 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

THE COUNTRYSIDE DISCUSSION

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

1)	What did you think when you read the headline?
2)	What springs to mind when you hear the word 'wild'?
3)	How much of your country is still wild?
4)	Do you like the wild areas of your country?
5)	Have any wild animals in your country disappeared?
6)	Should all countries start letting large areas go wild again?
7)	Is it important for wild animals to be free in the countryside?
8)	What do you think of the idea of bringing back native animals?
9)	Do you prefer towns and cities or the countryside?
10)	What do you think of the idea of re-wilding?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	Is it a good idea to re-introduce wolves to the countryside?
13)	What problems might there be for farmers?
14)	The animals are no longer there because people killed them all. How bad is that?
15)	How would you like to change the countryside of your country?
16)	How important is re-wilding for the future?
17)	What will the world be like if we keep destroying nature?
18)	Should we stop building towns in the countryside?
19)	What advice do you have for farmers who don't like this idea?
20)	What questions would you like to ask the charity?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

A group of green charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large area of Scotland to how it was a thousand years (1) ____. The group wants forests and lost animals, birds and fish to return. One of the animals the group (2) ____ to put back into the wild is the wolf. This died (3) ____ in Britain in 1680 after hunters and farmers killed them all. Other species that could return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas (4) ____ the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey whales. The charities want the government to return one-(5) ____ of the country to its natural state. The area it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes (6) ____ of this can happen by the year 2030.

Not everyone thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are worried it would (7) ____ them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a crazy idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals. They also say that dams (8) ____ by beavers would increase the risk (9) ____ flooding farmland, (10) ____ sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding is really for everyone who cares about our future." She (11) ____: "Our ecosystems need us." Ms Wrigley said it was important to re-wild Britain for, "native forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance (12) ____ recover from industrial fishing".

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.	(a)	hence	(b)	ago	(c)	passed	(d)	before
2.	(a)	aiming	(b)	aims	(c)	aim	(d)	aimed
3.	(a)	on	(b)	in	(c)	up	(d)	out
4.	(a)	inclusive	(b)	include	(c)	includes	(d)	including
5.	(a)	twentieths	(b)	twenties	(c)	twenty	(d)	twentieth
6.	(a)	many	(b)	more	(c)	much	(d)	any
7.	(a)	cause	(b)	create	(c)	make	(d)	do
8.	(a)	build	(b)	builders	(c)	built	(d)	building
9.	(a)	on	(b)	to	(c)	at	(d)	of
10.	(a)	while	(b)	so	(c)	then	(d)	and
11.	(a)	added	(b)	subtracted	(c)	divided	(d)	multiplied
12.	(a)	to	(b)	for	(c)	by	(d)	at

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	A group of green isercitha
2.	how it was a ntoadush years ago
3.	Other scepsei that could return
4.	soitmunan, rivers and seas
5.	one-nhittteew of the country
6.	the United Kingdom's cleanest rongei
Paragraph 2
7.	Farmers are oriedwr
8.	bring back dtpaorser
9.	the risk of ilngdofo farmland
10.	Our sytssecmeo need us
11.	atinve forests
12.	cerrevo from industrial fishing

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	whales. The charities want the government to return one-twentieth of the country to its natural state. The area
( )	back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals. They also say that dams built by
( )	the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey
( )	regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance to recover from industrial fishing".
( )	spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding is really for everyone who cares about our future." She added:
( )	Not everyone thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are
( )	animals the group aims to put back into the wild is the wolf. This died out in Britain in 1680 after hunters
( )	and farmers killed them all. Other species that could return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas include
( )	"Our ecosystems need us." Ms Wrigley said it was important to re-wild Britain for, "native forests to
( )	worried it would cause them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a crazy idea to bring
( 1 )	A group of green charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large area of Scotland to how it
( )	beavers would increase the risk of flooding farmland, while sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain
( )	was a thousand years ago. The group wants forests and lost animals, birds and fish to return. One of the
( )	it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes much of this can happen by the year 2030.

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	it a of how Return area to was large Scotland .
2.	the wild Animals the group aims to put back into .
3.	in Britain in out died This them killed hunters after 1680 .
4.	state natural its to country the of twentieth - one Return .
5.	happen can this of much hopes It 2030 year the by .
6.	are would many Farmers it them worried cause problems .
7.	group was idea farmer's it crazy A said a .
8.	risk Dams beavers the flooding by increase of built would .
9.	Re our who really - future cares for wilding about everyone is .
10.	seas a chance to recover from industrial fishing Give the .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

A group of green / yellow charities called Rewilding Britain wants to return a large areas / area of Scotland to how it was a thousand years ago / before. The group wants forests and lost animals, birds and fish to / for return. One of the animals the group aims to put back into the wind / wild is the wolf. This died out in Britain in 1680 after hunters and farmers killed them all / every. Other spaces / species that could return to Scottish mountains, rivers and seas including / include the lynx (a wild cat), beavers, bison, sea eagles, bluefin tuna and grey whales. The charities want the government to return one-twentieth of the country to its natural / naturally state. The area it wants is the United Kingdom's cleanest region. It hopes much of this can happen up / by the year 2030.

Not everyone thanks / thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea. Farmers are worried it would create / cause them many problems. A farmer's group said it was a crazy idea to bring back predates / predators to the country because they would start / started killing farm animals. They also say that dams built by beavers would increase the risky / risk of flooding farmland, while / whale sea eagles kill lambs. Rewilding Britain spokeswoman Rebecca Wrigley said: "Re-wilding is real / really for everyone who cares / cures about our future." She added: "Our ecosystems need us." Ms Wrigley said it was important / importance to re-wild Britain for, "native forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance to recover from industry / industrial fishing".

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

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

_ gr__p _f gr__n ch_r_t__s c_ll_d R_w_ld_ng Br_t__n w_nts t_ r_t_rn _ l_rg_ _r__ _f Sc_tl_nd t_ h_w _t w_s _ th__s_nd y__rs _g_. Th_ gr__p w_nts f_r_sts _nd l_st _n_m_ls, b_rds _nd f_sh t_ r_t_rn. _n_ _f th_ _n_m_ls th_ gr__p __ms t_ p_t b_ck _nt_ th_ w_ld _s th_ w_lf. Th_s d__d __t _n Br_t__n _n 1680 _ft_r h_nt_rs _nd f_rm_rs k_ll_d th_m _ll. _th_r sp_c__s th_t c__ld r_t_rn t_ Sc_tt_sh m__nt__ns, r_v_rs _nd s__s _ncl_d_ th_ lynx (_ w_ld c_t), b__v_rs, b_s_n, s__ __gl_s, bl__f_n t_n_ _nd gr_y wh_l_s. Th_ ch_r_t__s w_nt th_ g_v_rnm_nt t_ r_t_rn _n_-tw_nt__th _f th_ c__ntry t_ _ts n_t_r_l st_t_. Th_ _r__ _t w_nts _s th_ _n_t_d K_ngd_m's cl__n_st r_g__n. _t h_p_s m_ch _f th_s c_n h_pp_n by th_ y__r 2030.

N_t _v_ry_n_ th_nks th_ r__ntr_d_ct__n _f _n_m_ls l_k_ th_ w_lf _nd lynx _s _ g__d _d__. F_rm_rs _r_ w_rr__d _t w__ld c__s_ th_m m_ny pr_bl_ms. _ f_rm_r's gr__p s__d _t w_s _ cr_zy _d__ t_ br_ng b_ck pr_d_t_rs t_ th_ c__ntry b_c__s_ th_y w__ld st_rt k_ll_ng f_rm _n_m_ls. Th_y _ls_ s_y th_t d_ms b__lt by b__v_rs w__ld _ncr__s_ th_ r_sk _f fl__d_ng f_rml_nd, wh_l_ s__ __gl_s k_ll l_mbs. R_w_ld_ng Br_t__n sp_k_sw_m_n R_b_cc_ Wr_gl_y s__d: "R_-w_ld_ng _s r__lly f_r _v_ry_n_ wh_ c_r_s _b__t __r f_t_r_." Sh_ _dd_d: "__r _c_syst_ms n__d _s." Ms Wr_gl_y s__d _t w_s _mp_rt_nt t_ r_-w_ld Br_t__n f_r, "n_t_v_ f_r_sts t_ r_g_n_r_t_" _nd t_ g_v_ "th_ s__s _ ch_nc_ t_ r_c_v_r fr_m _nd_str__l f_sh_ng".

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

a group of green charities called rewilding britain wants to return a large area of scotland to how it was a thousand years ago the group wants forests and lost animals birds and fish to return one of the animals the group aims to put back into the wild is the wolf this died out in britain in 1680 after hunters and farmers killed them all other species that could return to scottish mountains rivers and seas include the lynx (a wild cat) beavers bison sea eagles bluefin tuna and grey whales the charities want the government to return one-twentieth of the country to its natural state the area it wants is the united kingdom's cleanest region it hopes much of this can happen by the year 2030

not everyone thinks the reintroduction of animals like the wolf and lynx is a good idea farmers are worried it would cause them many problems a farmer's group said it was a crazy idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals they also say that dams built by beavers would increase the risk of flooding farmland while sea eagles kill lambs rewilding britain spokeswoman rebecca wrigley said "re-wilding is really for everyone who cares about our future" she added "our ecosystems need us" ms wrigley said it was important to re-wild britain for "native forests to regenerate" and to give "the seas a chance to recover from industrial fishing"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

AgroupofgreencharitiescalledRewildingBritainwantstoreturnalarge
areaofScotlandtohowitwasathousandyearsago.Thegroupwantsfore
stsandlostanimals,birdsandfishtoreturn.Oneoftheanimalsthegroup
aimstoputbackintothewildisthewolf.ThisdiedoutinBritainin1680afte
rhuntersandfarmerskilledthemall.OtherspeciesthatcouldreturntoSc
ottishmountains,riversandseasincludethelynx(awildcat),beavers,bi
son,seaeagles,bluefintunaandgreywhales.Thecharitieswantthegov
ernmenttoreturnone-twentiethofthecountrytoitsnaturalstate.Thear
eaitwantsistheUnitedKingdom'scleanestregion.Ithopesmuchofthisc
anhappenbytheyear2030.Noteveryonethinksthereintroductionofan
imalslikethewolfandlynxisagoodidea.Farmersareworrieditwouldcau
sethemmanyproblems.Afarmer'sgroupsaiditwasacrazyideatobring
backpredatorstothecountrybecausetheywouldstartkillingfarmanim
als.Theyalsosaythatdamsbuiltbybeaverswouldincreasetheriskoffloo
dingfarmland,whileseaeagleskilllambs.RewildingBritainspokeswom
anRebeccaWrigleysaid:"Re-wildingisreallyforeveryonewhocaresab
outourfuture."Sheadded:"Ourecosystemsneedus."MsWrigleysaidit
wasimportanttore-wildBritainfor,"nativeforeststoregenerate"andt
ogive"theseasachancetorecoverfromindustrialfishing".

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

We should return the countryside to as it was 1,000 years ago. Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about the Rewilding Britain charity. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. THE COUNTRYSIDE: Make a poster about the countryside. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. RE-WILDING: Write a magazine article about the returning the countryside to as it was 1,000 years ago. 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 the countryside. Ask him/her three questions about the countryside. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make it better. 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

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

F

c

T

d

T

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	return	a.	restore
2	aims	b.	plans
3.	died out	c.	became extinct
4.	state	d.	condition
5.	region	e.	area
6.	like	f.	such as
7.	worried	g.	concerned
8.	increase	h.	heighten
9.	cares	i.	is concerned
10.	chance	j.	opportunity

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Rewilding Britain
2.	1680
3.	Grey whales
4.	One-twentieth
5.	2030
6.	Farmers
7.	Beavers
8.	Our ecosystems
9.	Native forests
10.	Industrial fishing

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

d

2.

b

3.

c

4.

a

5.

c

6.

b

7.

d

8.

a

9.

c

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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Plan to return the wolf to Scotland (18th July, 2015)

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