The Reading / Listening - Wasp - Level 5

Scientists have found a new wasp that could be the subject of a horror movie. It was found in the Amazon. It has a huge stinger on its tail that can inject a deadly sting into any unlucky victim. A scientist said it "looks like a fierce weapon". The stinger's venom paralyzes its victims. The wasp then lays eggs inside the victim's body. Researchers from a university in Finland discovered the wasp. A professor in biodiversity research said: "The stinger of the new wasp...is not only long but also very wide, in comparison to the size of the species."

The professor explained that some wasps put larvae inside the insects they sting. Once the larvae grow, they eat the insect from the inside. Researchers believe most victims of this wasp are likely to be spiders. They will do more research to find out exactly which kinds of spiders might fall prey to the wasp. The professor explained that: "The giant stinger...is very likely a highly sophisticated tool as well. Unfortunately, we can only guess at its other purposes." He added: "Beautiful and exciting species...catch people's attention and highlight the importance of maintaining vulnerable ecosystems."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Wasp - Level 4 or  Wasp - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5927195/Terrifying-wasp-uses-stinger-like-fierce-weapon-lay-eggs-INSIDE-spiders-Amazon.html
  • https://www.techtimes.com/articles/231827/20180707/new-breed-of-wasp-with-exceptionally-large-stinger-discovered-in-the-amazon.htm
  • http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2018/07/i-do-not-like-this-new-wasp-species-whose-giant-stinger-lays-eggs-inside-spiders/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the subject
  2. It has a huge stinger
  3. inject a deadly sting into
  4. it looks like a fierce
  5. The stinger's venom
  6. The wasp then lays eggs inside
  7. a professor in biodiversity
  8. in comparison
  1. any unlucky victim
  2. research
  3. paralyzes its victims
  4. to the size
  5. the victim's body
  6. of a horror movie
  7. weapon
  8. on its tail

Paragraph 2

  1. put larvae inside the
  2. they eat the insect
  3. spiders might fall
  4. a highly sophisticated
  5. we can only guess at
  6. Beautiful and
  7. catch people's
  8. maintaining vulnerable
  1. tool
  2. attention
  3. from the inside
  4. ecosystems
  5. exciting species
  6. insects they sting
  7. its other purposes
  8. prey to the wasp

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Scientists have (1) ___________________ wasp that could be the subject of a horror movie. It was found in the Amazon. It (2) ___________________ stinger on its tail that (3) ___________________ deadly sting into any unlucky victim. A scientist said it "looks like (4) ___________________". The stinger's venom paralyzes its victims. The wasp (5) ___________________ inside the victim's body. Researchers from a university in Finland discovered the wasp. A professor in biodiversity research said: "The stinger of the new wasp...is not only long but (6) ___________________, in comparison to the size of the species."

The professor explained that some wasps put larvae (7) ___________________ they sting. Once the larvae grow, they eat the insect from the inside. Researchers (8) ___________________ of this wasp are likely to be spiders. They will (9) ___________________ to find out exactly which kinds of spiders might (10) ___________________ the wasp. The professor explained that: "The giant stinger...is very likely a highly sophisticated (11) ___________________. Unfortunately, we can only guess at its other purposes." He added: "Beautiful and exciting species...catch people's attention (12) ___________________ importance of maintaining vulnerable ecosystems."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Scientistshavefoundanewwaspthatcouldbethesubjectofahorrormov
ie.ItwasfoundintheAmazon.Ithasahugestingeronitstailthatcaninject
adeadlystingintoanyunluckyvictim.Ascientistsaidit"lookslikeafierce
weapon".Thestinger'svenomparalyzesitsvictims.Thewaspthenlayse
ggsinsidethevictim'sbody.ResearchersfromauniversityinFinlanddisc
overedthewasp.Aprofessorinbiodiversityresearchsaid:"Thestingero
fthenewwasp...isnotonlylongbutalsoverywide,incomparisontothesi
zeofthespecies."Theprofessorexplainedthatsomewaspsputlarvaein
sidetheinsectstheysting.Oncethelarvaegrow,theyeattheinsectfromt
heinside.Researchersbelievemostvictimsofthiswasparelikelytobesp
iders.Theywilldomoreresearchtofindoutexactlywhichkindsofspiders
mightfallpreytothewasp.Theprofessorexplainedthat:"Thegiantsting
er...isverylikelyahighlysophisticatedtoolaswell.Unfortunatelywecan
onlyguessatitsotherpurposes."Headded:"Beautifulandexcitingspeci
es...catchpeople'sattentionandhighlighttheimportanceofmaintainin
gvulnerableecosystems."

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You