The Reading / Listening - Coronavirus - Level 3

Nations around the world are preparing for a possible major outbreak of a new deadly virus. The coronavirus, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has already killed 17 people. It has spread to the USA, Japan, Korea and Thailand. More than 540 people have caught the virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting to decide whether the outbreak is a global health emergency. China is urging people not to panic ahead of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will be travelling across the country to spend the holiday season with their families. Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has suspended its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus.

The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from illegally traded animals in a Wuhan market. The virus mutated and spread from an animal to a human. There are fears it could mutate and spread further. Scientists say the virus is contagious and can be passed from person to person through the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the same family as SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like symptoms, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because there's no cure for the virus."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Coronavirus - Level 0,  Coronavirus - Level 1   or  Coronavirus - Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/22/c_138726671.htm
  • https://www.npr.org/2020/01/21/798088813/coronavirus-in-china-spreads-by-human-to-human-transmission
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-transmission/global-alarm-mounts-as-china-virus-deaths-hit-17-idUSKBN1ZL07C


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. CORONAVIRUS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about coronavirus. 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?
       nations / outbreak / deadly virus / hospital / WHO / emergency / panic / holiday /
       animals / market / mutate / contagious / air / virologist / family / fever / cough / cure
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. OUTBREAK: Students A strongly believe governments are ready for an outbreak; Students B strongly believe they aren't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. THREATS: How serious are these threats to the world? How can we reduce them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How Serious?

How to Reduce Them

Viruses

 

 

Global warming

 

 

Alien invasion

 

 

Nuclear war

 

 

Terrorism

 

 

Overpopulation

 

 
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. VIRUS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "virus". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. PREPARING: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to prepare for a coronavirus epidemic at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Water
  • Radio
  • Masks
  • Flu vaccine
  • Stay at home
  • Buy lots of food
  • Buy hand sanitizer
  • Hospital phone numbers

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. major a. The sudden and big start of something bad, such as war, disease, etc.
      2. outbreak b. Move over a larger and larger area.
      3. virus c. Stopped something from working or happening for a short time.
      4. spread d. Something that causes an infection or disease.
      5. urging e. Sudden uncontrollable fear, often causing wildly and unthinking behavior.
      6. panic f. Important, serious, or significant.
      7. suspended g. Trying to get people to do something.

    Paragraph 2

      8. suspected h. Change or cause to change in form or nature.
      9. mutate i. Being able to be spread from one person or organism to another by direct or indirect contact.
      10. contagious j. Make a disease or health problem leave someone's body.
      11. pneumonia k. A physical or mental sign which shows you could have a disease or health problem.
      12. symptom l. An infection caused by bacteria or a virus, in which the lungs fill with a liquid and may become solid.
      13. cough m. Thought something was true, but without proof.
      14. cure n. Air suddenly coming out of the lungs with a sharp sound.

 

Before reading / listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F).

  1. Nations are not preparing for a possible virus outbreak.     T / F
  2. The coronavirus has spread to four countries.     T / F
  3. Over 1,540 people are in hospital because of the virus.     T / F
  4. The article said China suspended public transport in eight different cities. T / F
  5. Scientists suspect the coronavirus came from insects in a market.     T / F
  6. The coronavirus passes from person to person through the air.     T / F
  7. The coronavirus belongs to the same virus family as SARS.     T / F
  8. One of the symptoms of coronavirus is breathing difficulties.     T / F

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

  1. nations
  2. preparing
  3. deadly
  4. emergency
  5. panic
  6. mutated
  7. contagious
  8. passed
  9. symptoms
  10. cure
  1. crisis
  2. danger signs
  3. changed
  4. getting ready
  5. transferred
  6. freak out
  7. countries
  8. antidote
  9. lethal
  10. catching

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

  1. a possible major
  2. More than 540 people have
  3. the outbreak is a global health
  4. China is urging people not
  5. public
  6. illegally traded animals
  7. There are fears it could mutate
  8. Scientists say the virus
  9. pneumonia-like
  10. I feel fearful because there's
  1. and spread further
  2. to panic
  3. symptoms
  4. outbreak
  5. emergency
  6. no cure for the virus
  7. is contagious
  8. transport
  9. in a Wuhan market
  10. caught the virus

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
caught
emergency
suspended
already
season
possible
spread
ahead

Nations around the world are preparing for a (1) ____________ major outbreak of a new deadly virus. The coronavirus, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has (2) ____________ killed 17 people. It has (3) ____________ to the USA, Japan, Korea and Thailand. More than 540 people have (4) ____________ the virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting to decide whether the outbreak is a global health (5) ____________. China is urging people not to panic (6) ____________ of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will be travelling across the country to spend the holiday (7) ____________ with their families. Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has (8) ____________ its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
contagious
breathing
mutated
further
virologist
cure
illegally
symptoms

The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from (9) ____________ traded animals in a Wuhan market. The virus (10) ____________ and spread from an animal to a human. There are fears it could mutate and spread (11) ____________. Scientists say the virus is (12) ____________ and can be passed from person to person through the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a (13) ____________ at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the same family as SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like (14) ____________, such as fever, cough and difficulty (15) ____________. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because there's no (16) ____________ for the virus."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Nations around the world are preparing for a possible ______
     a.  majorly outbreak
     b.  major out breaks
     c.  measure out break
     d.  measure out beak
2)  More than 540 people have caught the virus and ______
     a.  are on hospital
     b.  are in hospital
     c.  are at hospital
     d.  are to hospital
3)  the outbreak is a global health emergency. China is urging people ______
     a.  not to panics
     b.  not to panicked
     c.  not to panicking
     d.  not to panic
4)  travelling across the country to spend the holiday season ______
     a.  with their families
     b.  with them families
     c.  with there families
     d.  with the families
5)  Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has suspended its public ______
     a.  transported systems
     b.  transportation systems
     c.  transporter systems
     d.  transport systems

6)  The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from ______
     a.  illegally trade animals
     b.  illegally traded animals
     c.  illegally trade it animals
     d.  illegally tray did animals
7)  The virus mutated and spread from an animal ______
     a.  to a human
     b.  to a humane
     c.  to a humanist
     d.  to a humanism
8)  Scientists say the virus ______
     a.  is continuous
     b.  is contagious
     c.  is contiguous
     d.  is contains gas
9)  He said people needed to look for pneumonia-______
     a.  like symptoms
     b.  liked symptoms
     c.  likes symptoms
     d.  alike symptoms
10)  a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because ______
     a.  there's not cure
     b.  there's know cure
     c.  there's now cure
     d.  there's no cure

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Nations around the world are preparing for (1) ___________________ outbreak of a (2) ___________________. The coronavirus, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has already killed 17 people. It has spread to the USA, Japan, Korea and Thailand. More than 540 people (3) ___________________ virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting to decide whether (4) ___________________ a global health emergency. China is urging people not to panic ahead of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will be travelling across the country to (5) ___________________ season with their families. Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has suspended its public transport systems to help stop the (6) ___________________ virus.

The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from (7) ___________________ in a Wuhan market. The virus mutated and spread from an animal to a human. There are (8) ___________________ mutate and spread further. Scientists say the virus is contagious and can be passed from person (9) ___________________ the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the (10) ___________________ SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like symptoms, such (11) ___________________ and difficulty breathing. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because there's (12) ___________________ the virus."

Comprehension questions

  1. What are nations doing for a possible major viral outbreak?
  2. How many countries has the coronavirus spread to?
  3. Who is meeting to decide if the coronavirus is an emergency?
  4. What is China urging people not to do?
  5. What has the city of Wuhan suspended?
  6. Where do people suspect the coronavirus came from?
  7. What are there fears the coronavirus might do?
  8. How does the virus pass from person to person?
  9. What is Linfa Wang's job?
  10. What is a Beijing resident fearful of?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What are nations doing for a possible major viral outbreak?
a) very little
b) preparing
c) panicking
d) worrying
2) How many countries has the coronavirus spread to?
a) eight
b) 17
c) three
d) four
3) Who is meeting to decide if the coronavirus is an emergency?
a) the WHO
b) the UN
c) UNESCO
d) NATO
4) What is China urging people not to do?
a) kiss
b) drink in public
c) panic
d) cough
5) What has the city of Wuhan suspended?
a) schools
b) public transport
c) markets
d) city officials

6) Where do people suspect the coronavirus came from?
a) insects
b) a tourist
c) an animal market
d) a mysterious laboratory
7) What are there fears the coronavirus might do?
a) double in size
b) kill birds
c) close the city of Wuhan
d) mutate and spread further
8) How does the virus pass from person to person?
a) through the air
b) skin contact
c) through blood
d) in food
9) What is Linfa Wang's job?
a) a virologist
b) a violinist
c) a urologist
d) a pacifist
10) What is a Beijing resident fearful of?
a) an epidemic
b) there being no cure
c) running out of masks
d) animals

Role play

Role  A – Water
You think water is the best thing to prepare for an epidemic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a radio, masks or hand sanitizer.

Role  B – A Radio
You think a radio is the best thing to prepare for an epidemic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): water, masks or hand sanitizer.

Role  C – Masks
You think masks are the best things to prepare for an epidemic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a radio, water or hand sanitizer.

Role  D – Hand Sanitizer
You think hand sanitizer is the best thing to prepare for an epidemic. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their things. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): a radio, masks or water.

After reading / listening

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

'virus'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • and 'outbreak'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________

    • • 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:

    • traded
    • human
    • person
    • family
    • fever
    • cure
    • possible
    • started
    • hospital
    • decide
    • millions
    • stop

    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 - Coronavirus

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'virus'?
    3. What do you know about the coronavirus?
    4. How worried are you about the coronavirus?
    5. What would you do if there was an outbreak in your country?
    6. How can we make sure there is no outbreak?
    7. What has your country told you about the coronavirus?
    8. What would happen if millions of people panicked?
    9. What would you do if your city was in lockdown?
    10. Should China stop all flights out of Wuhan?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'outbreak'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. How serious is a global pandemic?
    5. What do you know about anti-microbial resistance?
    6. What can governments do to stop a pandemic?
    7. Should we worry more about measles than the coronavirus?
    8. Will you worry if you get a fever and cough?
    9. Do you think scientists will find a cure for the coronavirus?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the virologist?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    Nations around the world are preparing for a (1) ____ major outbreak of a new deadly virus. The coronavirus, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has (2) ____ killed 17 people. It has spread to the USA, Japan, Korea and Thailand. More than 540 people have (3) ____ the virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting to (4) ____ whether the outbreak is a global health emergency. China is urging people not to panic ahead of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will be travelling across the country to (5) ____ the holiday season with their families. Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has (6) ____ its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus.

    The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from illegally (7) ____ animals in a Wuhan market. The virus (8) ____ and spread from an animal to a human. There are fears it could mutate and spread further. Scientists say the virus is (9) ____ and can be passed from person to person through the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the same (10) ____ as SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like symptoms, such as fever, (11) ____ and difficulty breathing. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because there's no (12) ____ for the virus."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     possible     (b)     possibilities     (c)     possibly     (d)     possibility    
    2. (a)     yet     (b)     still     (c)     already     (d)     since    
    3. (a)     hurt     (b)     trapped     (c)     threw     (d)     caught    
    4. (a)     decode     (b)     decide     (c)     decade     (d)     deuced    
    5. (a)     avail     (b)     buy     (c)     purchase     (d)     spend    
    6. (a)     suspension     (b)     suspense     (c)     suspended     (d)     suspender    
    7. (a)     trading     (b)     traded     (c)     trades     (d)     trade    
    8. (a)     mutated     (b)     mutant     (c)     muted     (d)     mute    
    9. (a)     contagious     (b)     contagion     (c)     contagiously     (d)     contiguous    
    10. (a)     relatives     (b)     relations     (c)     family     (d)     kin    
    11. (a)     caught     (b)     coffer     (c)     cuff     (d)     cough    
    12. (a)     curl     (b)     cure     (c)     curs     (d)     curt

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Nations around the world are rnapgiepr
    2. a possible major rakteubo
    3. a global health crneygeme
    4. China is ingugr people not to panic
    5. the holiday oassen
    6. suspended its public transport eytsssm

    Paragraph 2

    1. iylallegl traded animals
    2. The virus utdmtae and spread
    3. the virus is otuagosinc
    4. a tlrivosogi at the Duke-National University
    5. look for pneumonia-like tmomypss
    6. fever, choug and difficulty breathing

    Put the text back together

    (...)  as SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like
    (...)  the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the same family
    (...)  and Thailand. More than 540 people have caught the virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization
    (...)  (WHO) is meeting to decide whether the outbreak is a global health emergency. China is
    (...)  urging people not to panic ahead of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will
    (...)  market. The virus mutated and spread from an animal to a human. There are fears it could mutate and spread
    (...)  of Wuhan has suspended its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus.
    (  1  ) Nations around the world are preparing for a possible major outbreak of a new deadly virus. The coronavirus, which started
    (...)  be travelling across the country to spend the holiday season with their families. Meanwhile, the city
    (...)  in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has already killed 17 people. It has spread to the USA, Japan, Korea
    (...)  further. Scientists say the virus is contagious and can be passed from person to person through
    (...)  woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful because there's no cure for the virus."
    (...)  symptoms, such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old
    (...)  The new coronavirus is suspected to have come from illegally traded animals in a Wuhan

    Put the words in the right order

    1. A   new   of   virus   .   deadly   possible   a   outbreak
    2. 540   than   More   caught   people   virus   .   have   the
    3. a   whether   the   outbreak   is   emergency   .   Decide   health
    4. people   urging   to   China   not   is   panic   .
    5. with   families   .   holiday   season   Spend   the   their
    6. animals   .   illegally   from   Suspected   traded   have   come   to
    7. from   virus   animal   .   and   mutated   spread   an   The
    8. person   from   person   through   air   .   to   Passed   the
    9. in   Coronavirus   is   the   SARS   .   family   as   same
    10. no   the   there's   for   virus   .   because   Fearful   cure

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Nations around the world are preparation / preparing for a possible major outbreak of a new deadly virus / viral. The coronavirus, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has still / already killed 17 people. It has spreads / spread to the USA, Japan, Korea and Thailand. More than 540 people have caught / thrown the virus and are in hospital. The World Health Organization (WHO) is meeting to decide whether the uptake / outbreak is a global health emergency. China is urging people not to panic forward / ahead of the Chinese New Year next week. Millions of Chinese will have / be travelling across the country to spend / expand the holiday season with their families. Meanwhile, the city of Wuhan has suspended / suspense its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus.

    The new coronavirus is suspicion / suspected to have come from illegally traded animals in a Wuhan market. The virus mutated / mated and spread from an animal to a human. There are / is fears it could mutate and spread further. Scientists say the virus is courageous / contagious and can be past / passed from person to person through / flew the air. Dr Linfa Wang, a virologist at the Duke-National University of Singapore, said the new coronavirus is in the shame / same family as SARS, but it's different from SARS. He said people needed to look for pneumonia-like symptoms, such as / like fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Fu Ning, a 36-year-old woman from Beijing, said: "I feel fearful / fearfully because there's no cure / cute for the virus."

    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)

    N_t__ n s _r__ n d t h_ w_r l d _r_ p r_p_r_n g f_r _ p_s s_b l_ m_j_r __ t b r__ k _f _ n_w d__ d l y v_r_s . T h_ c_r_n_v_r_s , w h_c h s t_r t_d _n t h_ C h_n_s_ c_t y _f W_h_n , h_s _l r__ d y k_l l_d 1 7 p__ p l_. I t h_s s p r__ d t_ t h_ U S A , J_p_n , K_r__ _n d T h__ l_n d . M_r_ t h_n 5 4 0 p__ p l_ h_v_ c__ g h t t h_ v_r_s _n d _r_ _n h_s p_t_l . T h_ W_r l d H__ l t h O r g_n_z_t__ n ( W H O ) _s m__ t_n g t_ d_c_d_ w h_t h_r t h_ __ t b r__ k _s _ g l_b_l h__ l t h _m_r g_n c y . C h_n_ _s _r g_n g p__ p l_ n_t t_ p_n_c _h__ d _f t h_ C h_n_s_ N_w Y__ r n_x t w__ k . M_l l__ n s _f C h_n_s_ w_l l b_ t r_v_l l_n g _c r_s s t h_ c__ n t r y t_ s p_n d t h_ h_l_d_y s__ s_n w_t h t h__ r f_m_l__ s . M__ n w h_l_, t h_ c_t y _f W_h_n h_s s_s p_n d_d _t s p_b l_c t r_n s p_r t s y s t_m s t_ h_l p s t_p t h_ s p r__ d _f t h_ v_r_s .

    T h_ n_w c_r_n_v_r_s _s s_s p_c t_d t_ h_v_ c_m_ f r_m _l l_g_l l y t r_d_d _n_m_l s _n _ W_h_n m_r k_t . T h_ v_r_s m_t_t_d _n d s p r__ d f r_m _n _n_m_l t_ _ h_m_n . T h_r_ _r_ f__ r s _t c__ l d m_t_t_ _n d s p r__ d f_r t h_r . S c__ n t_s t s s_y t h_ v_r_s _s c_n t_g___s _n d c_n b_ p_s s_d f r_m p_r s_n t_ p_r s_n t h r__ g h t h_ __ r . D r L_n f_ W_n g , _ v_r_l_g_s t _t t h_ D_k_- N_t__ n_l U n_v_r s_t y _f S_n g_p_r_, s__ d t h_ n_w c_r_n_v_r_s _s _n t h_ s_m_ f_m_l y _s S A R S , b_t _t ' s d_f f_r_n t f r_m S A R S . S h_ s__ d p__ p l_ n__ d_d t_ l__ k f_r p n__ m_n__ - l_k_ s y m p t_m s , s_c h _s f_v_r , c__ g h _n d d_f f_c_l t y b r__ t h_n g . F_ N_n g , _ 3 6 - y__ r -_l d w_m_n f r_m B__ j_n g , s__ d : " I f__ l f__ r f_l b_c__ s_ t h_r_' s n_ c_r_ f_r t h_ v_r_s . "

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    nations around the world are preparing for a possible major outbreak of a new deadly virus the coronavirus which started in the chinese city of wuhan has already killed 17 people it has spread to the usa japan korea and thailand more than 540 people have caught the virus and are in hospital the world health organization who is meeting to decide whether the outbreak is a global health emergency china is urging people not to panic ahead of the chinese new year next week millions of chinese will be travelling across the country to spend the holiday season with their families meanwhile the city of wuhan has suspended its public transport systems to help stop the spread of the virus

    the new coronavirus is suspected to have come from illegally traded animals in a wuhan market the virus mutated and spread from an animal to a human there are fears it could mutate and spread further scientists say the virus is contagious and can be passed from person to person through the air dr linfa wang a virologist at the dukenational university of singapore said the new coronavirus is in the same family as sars but its different from sars He said people needed to look for pneumonialike symptoms such as fever cough and difficulty breathing fu ning a 36yearold woman from beijing said i feel fearful because theres no cure for the virus

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Nationsaroundtheworldarepreparingforapossiblemajoroutbreakofa
    newdeadlyvirus.Thecoronavirus,whichstartedintheChinesecityofW
    uhan,hasalreadykilled17people.IthasspreadtotheUSA,Japan,Korea
    andThailand.Morethan540peoplehavecaughtthevirusandareinhospi
    tal.TheWorldHealthOrganization(WHO)ismeetingtodecidewhethert
    heoutbreakisaglobalhealthemergency.Chinaisurgingpeoplenottopa
    nicaheadoftheChineseNewYearnextweek.MillionsofChinesewillbetr
    avellingacrossthecountrytospendtheholidayseasonwiththeirfamilie
    s.Meanwhile,thecityofWuhanhassuspendeditspublictransportsyste
    mstohelpstopthespreadofthevirus.Thenewcoronavirusissuspectedt
    ohavecomefromillegallytradedanimalsinaWuhanmarket.Thevirusm
    utatedandspreadfromananimaltoahuman.Therearefearsitcouldmut
    ateandspreadfurther.Scientistssaythevirusiscontagiousandcanbep
    assedfrompersontopersonthroughtheair.DrLinfaWang,avirologistat
    theDuke-NationalUniversityofSingapore,saidthenewcoronavirusisi
    nthesamefamilyasSARS,butit'sdifferentfromSARS.Hesaidpeoplen
    eededtolookforpneumonia-likesymptoms,suchasfever,coughanddif
    ficultybreathing.FuNing,a36-year-oldwomanfromBeijing,said:"Ifee
    lfearfulbecausethere'snocureforthevirus."

    Free writing

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

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    Academic writing

    All international travel should end until the coronavirus has gone. Discuss.

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    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 this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
    3. CORONAVIRUS: Make a poster about coronavirus. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. TRAVEL BAN: Write a magazine article about having a travel ban until the coronavirus has disappeared. 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 coronavirus. Ask him/her three questions about it. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to stay away from the coronavirus. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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