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School teaches baby orangutans survival skills (10th February, 2016)

The Reading / Listening - Level 3

Baby orangutans in Indonesia are going to school to learn skills like finding food and making a nest. The school hopes the skills the young apes learn will mean they can be reintroduced into the wild and survive on their own. The school was set up by International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are currently 102 orangutans living at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We are committed to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend the school because some have suffered long-term injuries so they can never go back to the forest. It could take up to eight years to get others ready to return to the wild.

The IAR centre cares for animals that have been rescued from the wild. Some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegal poaching, habitat loss and forest fires. The IAR said they "are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest, primarily for palm oil production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be sold as pets. There are also adult orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in captivity. The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are around 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their numbers are decreasing because their forests are being destroyed by illegal logging and palm oil companies.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

Level 0, Level 1 or Level 2

Sources

http://news.sky.com/story/1637948/young-orangutans-get-wheeled-to-forest-school
http://news.yahoo.com/orangutan-school-teaches-young-primates-survival-skills-131443906.html
http://www.treehugger.com/animals/watch-these-adorable-baby-orangutans-go-forest-school-video.html

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. ORANGUTANS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about orangutans. 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?

orangutans / Indonesia / skills / survive / currently / second chance / injuries / wild / rescued / illegal poaching / destruction / rainforest / captivity / logging / palm oil

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

3. ORANGUTAN SCHOOL: What might orangutans do at school? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

	How to teach them?	How much do they need teaching?
Finding food
Making a nest
Climbing trees
Protecting themselves
Making friends
Other ____________

4. BRIGHT: Students A strongly believe the future is bright for the survival of animals; Students B strongly believe it isn't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

MY e-BOOK

See a sample

5. NEW SKILLS: Rank these with your partner. Put the new skills you want most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

• computer skills

• leadership skills

• English skills

• job skills

• social skills

• sports skills

• networking skills

• driving skills

6. LEARN: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "learn". 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.	Orangutans are going to school to learn to make a nest.	T / F
b.	There are over 100 orangutans at a centre in Indonesia.	T / F
c.	Orangutans who are injured may never return to the wild.	T / F
d.	It will take two years to get the orangutans back into the wild.	T / F
e.	Some of the orangutans lost parents in forest fires.	T / F
f.	Rainforests are being cut down for coconut oil production.	T / F
g.	The centre will give away some orangutans as pets.	T / F
h.	The WWF says there is a maximum of 6,900 orangutans in the wild.	T / F

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

1.	skiils	a.	looks after
2.	survive	b.	presently
3.	set up	c.	guesses
4.	currently	d.	started
5.	return	e.	mainly
6.	cares for	f.	abilities
7.	rescued	g.	going down
8.	primarily	h.	go back
9.	estimates	i.	live
10.	decreasing	j.	saved

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

1.	going to school to learn skills	a.	term injuries
2.	survive on	b.	from the wild
3.	some have suffered long-	c.	to the wild
4.	It could take up	d.	lives in captivity
5.	ready to return	e.	to eight years
6.	animals that have been rescued	f.	by illegal logging
7.	destruction	g.	to be sold as pets
8.	stolen from their mothers	h.	like finding food
9.	These have spent most of their	i.	of the rainforest
10.	forests are being destroyed	j.	their own

GAP FILL

Baby orangutans in Indonesia are going to school to learn (1) ____________ like finding food and making a nest. The school hopes the skills the young (2) ____________ learn will mean they can be reintroduced into the wild and (3) ____________ on their own. The school was set up by International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are (4) ____________ 102 orangutans living at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We are committed to (5) ____________ and rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving them a second (6) ____________ to live safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend the school because some have suffered long-(7) ____________ injuries so they can never go back to the forest. It could take up to eight years to get others (8) ____________ to return to the wild.

survive
skills
rescuing
term
apes
ready
chance
currently

The IAR centre cares for animals that have been rescued from the (9) ____________. Some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of (10) ____________ poaching, habitat loss and forest fires. The IAR said they "are (11) ____________ and dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest, (12) ____________ for palm oil production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be sold as (13) ____________. There are also adult orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in (14) ____________. The World Wildlife Fund (15) ____________ there are around 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their numbers are decreasing because their forests are being destroyed by (16) ____________ logging and palm oil companies.

pets
illegal
estimates
primarily
wild
illegal
suffering
captivity

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)	orangutans in Indonesia are going to school to learn skills like finding food and ______
	a. making a mess b. making a nest c. taking a rest d. taking the rest
2)	the skills the young apes learn will mean they can be reintroduced into the wild and ______
	a. survival on their own b. survive on they're own c. survive on their alone d. survive on their own
3)	rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving them ______
	a. a seconds chance b. a second change c. a second chance d. a second chances
4)	Not all of them attend the school because some have suffered ______
	a. long-term injury b. long-time injuries c. long-term injuries d. long-time injury is
5)	It could take up to eight years to get others ready to ______
	a. return of the wild b. return for the wild c. return at the wild d. return to the wild
6)	baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegal poaching, habitat loss ______
	a. and forests fires b. and forested fires c. and forestry fires d. and forest fires
7)	they are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction ______
	a. at the rainforest b. for the rainforest c. of the rainforest d. from the rainforest
8)	Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to ______
	a. be soiled as pets b. be sold as pets c. be selling as pets d. be scold as pets
9)	These have spent most of their ______
	a. lives in captivity b. lives on captivity c. lives of captivity d. lives by captivity
10)	their numbers are decreasing because their forests are being destroyed ______
	a. by illegally logging b. by illegal logging in c. by illegal logging d. by illegally log-in

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

Baby orangutans in Indonesia (1) ___________________ school to learn skills like finding food and making a nest. The school hopes the skills the young apes (2) ___________________ they can be reintroduced into the wild and survive on their own. The school (3) ___________________ International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are currently 102 orangutans living at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We (4) ___________________ rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving them a second (5) ___________________ safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend the school because some have suffered long-term injuries so they can never go back to the forest. It (6) ___________________ eight years to get others ready to return to the wild.

The IAR centre cares for animals that (7) ___________________ from the wild. Some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegal poaching, habitat loss (8) ___________________. The IAR said they "are suffering and dying (9) ___________________ systematic destruction of the rainforest, primarily for palm oil production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers (10) ___________________ pets. There are also adult orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in captivity. The World Wildlife Fund estimates (11) ___________________ 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their numbers are decreasing because their forests are being destroyed (12) ___________________ and palm oil companies.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.	What are baby orangutans learning to make at a school?
2.	How many orangutans are there at the IAR centre?
3.	What kind of chance does the IAR want to give to the orangutans?
4.	What do some orangutans have that stops them from going to school?
5.	How long does it take to return the orangutans to the wild?
6.	What did some of the baby orangutans lose?
7.	What is being destroyed for palm oil production?
8.	What are some orangutans being sold as?
9.	Where have many adult orangutans spent most of their lives?
10.	Who estimated that there are up to 69,000 orangutans in the wild?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.	What are baby orangutans learning to make at a school?	6.	What did some of the baby orangutans lose?
	a) breakfast b) a mess c) nests d) a shelter		a) their hearing b) their parents c) skills d) their eyesight
2.	How many orangutans are there at the IAR centre?	7.	What is being destroyed for palm oil production?
	a) 102 b) 103 c) 104 d) 105		a) coconuts b) factories c) profits d) rainforests
3.	What kind of chance does the IAR want to give to the orangutans?	8.	What are some orangutans being sold as?
	a) a lucky chance b) a second chance c) a final chance d) a big		a) a bargain b) pets c) food d) security guards
4.	What do some orangutans have that stops them from going to school?	9.	Where have many adult orangutans spent most of their lives?
	a) a disease b) behavioural problems c) skills d) injuries		a) in Malaysia b) in captivity c) underground d) in zoos overseas
5.	How long does it take to return the orangutans to the wild?	10.	Who estimated that there are up to 69,000 orangutans in the wild?
	a) up to 4 years b) up to 6 years c) up to 8 years d) up to 10 years		a) the WWF b) Greenpeace c) the IMF d) the WHO

ROLE PLAY

Role A – English skills

You think English skills are most important in life. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): leadership skills, computer skills or driving skills.

Role B – Leadership skills

You think leadership skills are most important in life. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): English skills, computer skills or driving skills.

Role C – Computer skills

You think computer skills are most important in life. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): leadership skills, English skills or driving skills.

Role D – Driving skills

You think driving skills are most important in life. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their skills aren't so important. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): leadership skills, computer skills or English skills.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

wild

survive

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:

finding
mean
own
102
chance
eight

cares
parents
primarily
pets
spent
logging

ORANGUTANS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about orangutans 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.

ORANGUTANS 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 'orangutan'?
3)	What do you think about the orangutan school?
4)	How would you teach an orangutan to find food?
5)	What other things will the orangutans need to learn?
6)	Would you like to work at the orangutan school? Why?
7)	What are the differences between apes and monkeys?
8)	Do you think the baby orangutans are happier in school or in the wild?
9)	Why would it take eight years to train an orangutan?
10)	What three adjectives best describe this article?

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

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

11)	Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
12)	What do you know about orangutans?
13)	What should happen about illegal poaching?
14)	What things cause habitat loss?
15)	What do you think of the palm oil companies?
16)	What do you think of people keeping orangutans as pets?
17)	What work does the World Wildlife Fund do?
18)	What could you do to help the orangutans?
19)	How can we stop illegal logging?
20)	What questions would you like to ask an orangutan expert?

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

Baby orangutans in Indonesia are going to school to (1) ____ skills like finding food and making a nest. The school hopes the skills the young apes learn will (2) ____ they can be reintroduced into the wild and survive on their (3) ____. The school was set up by International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are currently 102 orangutans living at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We are committed to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans (4) ____ we can and giving them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend the school because some (5) ____ suffered long-term injuries so they can never go back to the forest. It could take (6) ____ to eight years to get others ready to return to the wild.

The IAR centre cares for animals that have been (7) ____ from the wild. Some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegal (8) ____, habitat loss and forest fires. The IAR said they "are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest, (9) ____ for palm oil production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be sold (10) ____ pets. There are also adult orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in captivity. The World Wildlife Fund (11) ____ there are around 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their numbers (12) ____ decreasing because their forests are being destroyed by illegal logging and palm oil companies.

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

1.	(a)	learning	(b)	learn	(c)	learns	(d)	learnt
2.	(a)	means	(b)	meaning	(c)	meant	(d)	mean
3.	(a)	lonely	(b)	own	(c)	alone	(d)	lone
4.	(a)	has	(b)	was	(c)	as	(d)	is
5.	(a)	have	(b)	are	(c)	done	(d)	been
6.	(a)	up	(b)	for	(c)	at	(d)	by
7.	(a)	saving	(b)	endangered	(c)	delivery	(d)	rescued
8.	(a)	poaching	(b)	coaching	(c)	poached	(d)	coached
9.	(a)	primary	(b)	primarily	(c)	primed	(d)	primes
10.	(a)	by	(b)	of	(c)	as	(d)	to
11.	(a)	channels	(b)	cruises	(c)	estimates	(d)	furnishes
12.	(a)	be	(b)	are	(c)	is	(d)	been

SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	going to school to learn slslik
2.	uvirsev on their own
3.	There are ynurelrtc 102 orangutans
4.	live safely in their tnrlaua environment
5.	some have frfuesde
6.	long-term sjirneiu
Paragraph 2
7.	animals that have been rcuseed
8.	because of gilalle poaching
9.	destruction of the tienorrfsa
10.	tonles from their mothers
11.	spent most of their lives in tcipvyita
12.	their forests are being yoetdsder

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	never go back to the forest. It could take up to eight years to get others ready to return to the wild.
( )	dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest, primarily for palm oil
( )	parents because of illegal poaching, habitat loss and forest fires. The IAR said they "are suffering and
( )	there are around 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their numbers are
( )	the school because some have suffered long-term injuries so they can
( )	at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We are committed to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans
( )	decreasing because their forests are being destroyed by illegal logging and palm oil companies.
( )	on their own. The school was set up by International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are currently 102 orangutans living
( )	as we can and giving them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend
( )	orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in captivity. The World Wildlife Fund estimates
( )	a nest. The school hopes the skills the young apes learn will mean they can be reintroduced into the wild and survive
( )	production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be sold as pets. There are also adult
( 1 )	Baby orangutans in Indonesia are going to school to learn skills like finding food and making
( )	The IAR centre cares for animals that have been rescued from the wild. Some of the baby orangutans lost their

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.	Reintroduced own wild into on and the their survive .
2.	living centre are orangutans the There 102 at currently .
3.	second chance Giving to them live a safely .
4.	suffered long have Some injuries term - .
5.	to years eight to up take could It ready others get .
6.	been that rescued the Animals have from wild .
7.	their the parents baby orangutans Some lost of .
8.	as Stolen mothers sold their be pets from to .
9.	their captivity have of in These most lives spent .
10.	forests illegal are logging being destroyed Their by .

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

Baby orangutans in Indonesia are going / gone to school to learn skills like finding food and making a mess / nest. The school hopes / hoping the skills the young apes learn will mean they can be / been reintroduced into the wild and survival / survive on their own. The school was set up by International Animal Rescue (IAR). There are currently / currency 102 orangutans living at the centre. A spokesperson said: "We are committed at / to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving / given them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment." Not all of them attend the school because some have suffered long-term / long-time injuries so they can never go back to the forest. It could take up to eight years to get others ready to return to the / a wild.

The IAR centre cares / caring for animals that have been rescues / rescued from the wild. Some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegally / illegal poaching, habitat loss and forested / forest fires. The IAR said they "are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest, primary / primarily for palm oil production". Other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be selling / sold as pets. There are also / as adult orangutans at the centre. These have spent most of their lives in / on captivity. The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are around 45,000 to 69,000 orangutans in Borneo, but their number / numbers are decreasing because their / them forests are being destroyed by illegal logging and palm oil companies.

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)

B_by _r_ng_t_ns _n _nd_n_s__ _r_ g__ng t_ sch__l t_ l__rn sk_lls l_k_ f_nd_ng f__d _nd m_k_ng _ n_st. Th_ sch__l h_p_s th_ sk_lls th_ y__ng _p_s l__rn w_ll m__n th_y c_n b_ r__ntr_d_c_d _nt_ th_ w_ld _nd s_rv_v_ _n th__r _wn. Th_ sch__l w_s s_t _p by _nt_rn_t__n_l _n_m_l R_sc__ (__R). Th_r_ _r_ c_rr_ntly 102 _r_ng_t_ns l_v_ng _t th_ c_ntr_. _ sp_k_sp_rs_n s__d: "W_ _r_ c_mm_tt_d t_ r_sc__ng _nd r_h_b_l_t_t_ng _s m_ny _r_ng_t_ns _s w_ c_n _nd g_v_ng th_m _ s_c_nd ch_nc_ t_ l_v_ s_f_ly _n th__r n_t_r_l _nv_r_nm_nt." N_t _ll _f th_m _tt_nd th_ sch__l b_c__s_ s_m_ h_v_ s_ff_r_d l_ng-t_rm _nj_r__s s_ th_y c_n n_v_r g_ b_ck t_ th_ f_r_st. _t c__ld t_k_ _p t_ __ght y__rs t_ g_t _th_rs r__dy t_ r_t_rn t_ th_ w_ld.

Th_ __R c_ntr_ c_r_s f_r _n_m_ls th_t h_v_ b__n r_sc__d fr_m th_ w_ld. S_m_ _f th_ b_by _r_ng_t_ns l_st th__r p_r_nts b_c__s_ _f _ll_g_l p__ch_ng, h_b_t_t l_ss _nd f_r_st f_r_s. Th_ __R s__d th_y "_r_ s_ff_r_ng _nd dy_ng b_c__s_ _f th_ syst_m_t_c d_str_ct__n _f th_ r__nf_r_st, pr_m_r_ly f_r p_lm __l pr_d_ct__n". _th_r b_by _r_ng_t_ns h_v_ b__n st_l_n fr_m th__r m_th_rs t_ b_ s_ld _s p_ts. Th_r_ _r_ _ls_ _d_lt _r_ng_t_ns _t th_ c_ntr_. Th_s_ h_v_ sp_nt m_st _f th__r l_v_s _n c_pt_v_ty. Th_ W_rld W_ldl_f_ F_nd _st_m_t_s th_r_ _r_ _r__nd 45,000 t_ 69,000 _r_ng_t_ns _n B_rn__, b_t th__r n_mb_rs _r_ d_cr__s_ng b_c__s_ th__r f_r_sts _r_ b__ng d_str_y_d by _ll_g_l l_gg_ng _nd p_lm __l c_mp_n__s.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

baby orangutans in indonesia are going to school to learn skills like finding food and making a nest the school hopes the skills the young apes learn will mean they can be reintroduced into the wild and survive on their own the school was set up by international animal rescue (iar) there are currently 102 orangutans living at the centre a spokesperson said "we are committed to rescuing and rehabilitating as many orangutans as we can and giving them a second chance to live safely in their natural environment" not all of them attend the school because some have suffered long-term injuries so they can never go back to the forest it could take up to eight years to get others ready to return to the wild

the iar centre cares for animals that have been rescued from the wild some of the baby orangutans lost their parents because of illegal poaching habitat loss and forest fires the iar said they "are suffering and dying because of the systematic destruction of the rainforest primarily for palm oil production" other baby orangutans have been stolen from their mothers to be sold as pets there are also adult orangutans at the centre these have spent most of their lives in captivity the world wildlife fund estimates there are around 45000 to 69000 orangutans in borneo but their numbers are decreasing because their forests are being destroyed by illegal logging and palm oil companies

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

BabyorangutansinIndonesiaaregoingtoschooltolearnskillslikefindin
gfoodandmakinganest.Theschoolhopestheskillstheyoungapeslearn
willmeantheycanbereintroducedintothewildandsurviveontheirown.
TheschoolwassetupbyInternationalAnimalRescue(IAR).Therearecu
rrently102orangutanslivingatthecentre.Aspokespersonsaid:"Weare
committedtorescuingandrehabilitatingasmanyorangutansaswecan
andgivingthemasecondchancetolivesafelyintheirnaturalenvironme
nt."Notallofthemattendtheschoolbecausesomehavesufferedlong-
terminjuriessotheycannevergobacktotheforest.Itcouldtakeuptoeig
htyearstogetothersreadytoreturntothewild.TheIARcentrecaresfora
nimalsthathavebeenrescuedfromthewild.Someofthebabyoranguta
nslosttheirparentsbecauseofillegalpoaching,habitatlossandforestfir
es.TheIARsaidthey"aresufferinganddyingbecauseofthesystematicd
estructionoftherainforest,primarilyforpalmoilproduction".Otherbab
yorangutanshavebeenstolenfromtheirmotherstobesoldaspets.Ther
earealsoadultorangutansatthecentre.Thesehavespentmostoftheirli
vesincaptivity.TheWorldWildlifeFundestimatestherearearound45,0
00to69,000orangutansinBorneo,buttheirnumbersaredecreasingbe
causetheirforestsarebeingdestroyedbyillegalloggingandpalmoilcom
panies.

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Palm oil companies that illegally cut down trees should be put out of business. 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 orangutans. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. ORANGUTANS: Make a poster about orangutans and other apes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. HABITAT: Write a magazine article about how palm oil companies are destroying the habitat of orangutans. Include imaginary interviews with the CEO of a palm oil company and the head of the charity that rescues orangutans in Indonesia.

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 orangutans. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to help them survive. 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

T

b

T

c

T

d

F

e

T

f

F

g

F

h

F

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.	skiils	a.	abilities
2.	survive	b.	live
3.	set up	c.	started
4.	currently	d.	presently
5.	return	e.	go back
6.	cares for	f.	looks after
7.	rescued	g.	saved
8.	primarily	h.	mainly
9.	estimates	i.	guesses
10.	decreasing	j.	going down

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.	Nests
2.	102
3.	A second chance
4.	Injuries
5.	Up to 8 years
6.	Their parents
7.	Rainforests
8.	Pets
9.	In captivity
10.	The WWF

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

b

4.

d

5.

c

6.

b

7.

d

8.

b

9.

b

10.

a

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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Breaking News English Lesson on Orangutans

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School teaches baby orangutans survival skills (10th February, 2016)

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