The Reading / Listening - the Amazon fires - Level 1

The Amazon rainforest is burning at a fast rate. French President Emmanuel Macron called the record number of fires an "international crisis". He said urgent action is needed and the fires should be top of the agenda at the G7 summit of world leaders. He tweeted about how serious the fires are. He wrote: "Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produce 20% of our planet's oxygen - is on fire. It is an international crisis."

Germany's leader called the fires an "acute emergency". She said they were "shocking" and threatened Brazil and the whole world. The UK leader called the fires "heartbreaking". He said: "We stand ready to provide whatever help we can to bring them under control and help protect one of Earth's greatest wonders." The UN Secretary-General said: "We cannot afford more damage to a major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    the Amazon fires - Level 0 the Amazon fires - Level 2   or  the Amazon fires - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49443389
  • https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/458399-fires-in-the-amazon-the-planet-at-risk
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-49450495


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. rainforest is burning at
  2. the record number
  3. urgent action
  4. the fires should be top
  5. the G7 summit
  6. Our house is
  7. 20% of our planet's
  8. It is an international
  1. burning
  2. of world leaders
  3. crisis
  4. of fires
  5. oxygen
  6. of the agenda
  7. a fast rate
  8. is needed

Paragraph 2

  1. they were "shocking" and threatened
  2. the whole
  3. provide whatever help
  4. bring them under
  5. protect one of Earth's greatest
  6. We cannot afford
  7. a major source of oxygen
  8. The Amazon must
  1. more
  2. we can
  3. be protected
  4. wonders
  5. and biodiversity
  6. world
  7. control
  8. Brazil

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Amazon rainforest (1) ___________________ a fast rate. French President Emmanuel Macron called (2) ___________________ of fires an "international crisis". He said urgent action is needed and the fires should (3) ___________________ the agenda at the G7 summit of world leaders. He tweeted about (4) ___________________ fires are. He wrote: "Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - (5) ___________________ produce 20% of our planet's oxygen - (6) ___________________. It is an international crisis."

Germany's leader (7) ___________________ an "acute emergency". She (8) ___________________ "shocking" and threatened Brazil and (9) ___________________. The UK leader called the fires "heartbreaking". He said: "We stand ready to provide whatever help we can to bring (10) ___________________ and help (11) ___________________ Earth's greatest wonders." The UN Secretary-General said: "We cannot afford more damage to a (12) ___________________ oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheAmazonrainforestisburningatafastrate.FrenchPresidentEmman
uelMacroncalledtherecordnumberoffiresan"internationalcrisis".Hes
aidurgentactionisneededandthefiresshouldbetopoftheagendaatthe
G7summitofworldleaders.Hetweetedabouthowseriousthefiresare.H
ewrote:"Ourhouseisburning.Literally.TheAmazonrainforest-thelun
gswhichproduce20%ofourplanet'soxygen-isonfire.Itisaninternati
onalcrisis."Germany'sleadercalledthefiresan"acuteemergency".She
saidtheywere"shocking"andthreatenedBrazilandthewholeworld.Th
eUKleadercalledthefires"heartbreaking".Hesaid:"Westandreadytop
rovidewhateverhelpwecantobringthemundercontrolandhelpprotect
oneofEarth'sgreatestwonders."TheUNSecretary-Generalsaid:"We
cannotaffordmoredamagetoamajorsourceofoxygenandbiodiversity
.TheAmazonmustbeprotected."

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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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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