More people die from selfies than shark attacks

More people die from selfies than shark attacks (26th September, 2015)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

There is a new danger for photo lovers. It started in the past few years and is now everywhere. It is twice as deadly as shark attacks. This new danger is the selfie. Love them or hate them, the desire to take a photo of yourself in front of a world-famous site or to pose with a friend has resulted in more deaths in 2015 than shark attacks. Twelve people have died this year from trying to take a selfie. This compares to just six deaths from shark attacks.

Selfie accidents happen in many ways. Two Russian men were killed while taking a selfie with a hand grenade; three Indian students were killed by a train while taking selfies on train tracks; and an American fell off a cliff. The latest death came when a Japanese tourist fell down stairs at the Taj Mahal in India. There may be more deaths. A Russian government spokeswoman said that in July, there were, "dozens of selfie-related deaths" in Russia alone.

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

huffingtonpost.com

nydailynews.com

wikipedia.org

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 Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	It started in the past	a.	famous site
2.	It is twice	b.	take a selfie
3.	Love them	c.	few years
4.	in front of a world-	d.	from shark attacks
5.	pose with	e.	as deadly
6.	Twelve people have	f.	or hate them
7.	trying to	g.	died this year
8.	six deaths	h.	a friend

MY e-BOOK

ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers

See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	Selfie accidents	a.	stairs
2.	a hand	b.	related deaths
3.	killed	c.	spokeswoman
4.	an American fell	d.	by a train
5.	fell down	e.	happen in many ways
6.	There may	f.	grenade
7.	A Russian government	g.	off a cliff
8.	dozens of selfie-	h.	be more deaths

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There (1) ___________________ for photo lovers. It started in the past few years and is now everywhere. It is (2) ___________________ as shark attacks. This new danger is the selfie. Love them (3) __________________, the desire to take a photo of yourself in front of a (4) __________________ or to pose with a friend has resulted (5) ___________________ in 2015 than shark attacks. Twelve people have died this year from trying to take a selfie. This compares to (6) ___________________ from shark attacks.

Selfie accidents happen (7) ___________________. Two Russian men were killed while taking a selfie with (8) ___________________; three Indian students were killed (9) ___________________ taking selfies on train tracks; and an American fell off a cliff. The latest (10) __________________ a Japanese tourist fell down stairs at the Taj Mahal in India. (11) ___________________ deaths. A Russian government spokeswoman said that in July, (12) ___________________ of selfie-related deaths" in Russia alone.

SELFIES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about selfies 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.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

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

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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