The Reading / Listening - Rising Sea Levels - Level 6

Rising sea levels have caused Panama to evacuate the residents of one of its islands. The inhabitants of the tiny Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coast are being relocated to the mainland. However, a Panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate their ancestral home. They will stay until the absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to come as more low-lying islands are under threat from being engulfed by the ocean. A recent study by Panama's Environment Ministry estimated the country would lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal territory to rising sea levels. It added that 38,000 people will need to be relocated at a cost of about $1.2 billion.

Gardi Sugdub has been home to the indigenous Guna people for generations. The overcrowded island is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide, but was home to nearly 300 families. They relied on fishing and tourism to make a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the sea is sinking the island little by little." She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had a major impact.…The tide comes to a level it didn't before, and the heat is unbearable." Ms Morales said she hopes her community will prosper in its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government development two kilometres from the port from which boats go to Gardi Sugdub.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Rising Sea Levels - Level 4  or  Rising Sea Levels - Level 5

Sources
  • https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/05/29/panama-completes-first-climate-related-relocation
  • https://apnews.com/article/panama-island-guna-climate-change-f368711649ff6986ea25a79534405a84
  • https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20240530-panama-s-first-climate-change-displaced-prepare-to-leave-ancestral-home


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. SEA LEVELS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about sea levels. 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?
       sea levels / evacuate / mainland / ancestral home / a sign of things to come / coastal
       indigenous / overcrowded / tourism / make a living / heat / community / prosper
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. CHANGE: Students A strongly believe we must all change to help sea levels; Students B strongly believe that's not necessary. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ENVIRONMENT: What do you know about these environmental issues? How can we deal with them? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

How to Deal with Them

Rising seas

 

 

Deforestation

 

 

Desertification

 

 

Microplastics

 

 

Melting glaciers

 

 

Biodiversity loss

 

 
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. SEA: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "sea" different categories.
6. CLIMATE CHANGE: Rank these with your partner. Put the biggest problems of climate change at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Rising oceans
  • More severe storms
  • Droughts
  • Desertification
  • Loss of species
  • Water scarcity
  • Population displacement
  • Hotter temperatures

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. evacuate a. A person who lives in a place.
      2. inhabitant b. Complete or total.
      3. vacate c. Related to your family from long ago.
      4. ancestral d. To leave a place or space.
      5. absolute e. To leave a place because it is not safe.
      6. engulfed f. An area of land belonging to a country.
      7. territory g. Covered or surrounded completely by something.

    Paragraph 2

      8. indigenous h. To be successful and do well.
      9. generations i. The first people who lived in a place.
      10. relied j. Too painful or hard to deal with.
      11. tide k. A place where ships load and unload goods and people catch ferries to other isalnds or countries.
      12. unbearable l. Needed or depended on someone or something.
      13. prosper m. The regular rise and fall of the sea.
      14. port n. All the people in a family born around the same time.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Panama has ordered residents on three islands to evacuate.     T / F
  2. The island of Gardi Sugdub is in the Caribbean Sea.     T / F
  3. Panama's government said more islands would go under the waves.     T / F
  4. Panama may have to spend $1.2 billion on relocating people.     T / F
  5. The Guna people have island on the Gardi Sugdub for 22 years.     T / F
  6. An islander said Gardi Sugdub has stopped sinking.     T / F
  7. The islander said the level of the tide is unbearable.     T / F
  8. Gardi Sugdub is 20 km from the mainland.     T / F

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

  1. evacuate
  2. residents
  3. ancestral
  4. engulfed
  5. territory
  6. indigenous
  7. relied
  8. unbearable
  9. prosper
  10. development
  1. land
  2. swallowed up
  3. site
  4. intolerable
  5. locals
  6. depended
  7. move out
  8. native
  9. hereditary
  10. thrive

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

  1. evacuate the residents
  2. being relocated to the
  3. people are refusing to vacate their ancestral
  4. They will stay until the absolute
  5. lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal
  6. home to the indigenous Guna people
  7. They relied
  8. make a
  9. the heat is
  10. she hopes her community will
  1. on fishing
  2. last minute
  3. prosper
  4. for generations
  5. mainland
  6. unbearable
  7. territory
  8. of one of its islands
  9. living
  10. home

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
mainland
come
relocated
evacuate
territory
ancestral
inhabitants
engulfed

Rising sea levels have caused Panama to (1) _____________________ the residents of one of its islands. The (2) _____________________ of the tiny Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coast are being relocated to the (3) _____________________. However, a Panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate their (4) _____________________ home. They will stay until the absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to (5) _____________________ as more low-lying islands are under threat from being (6) _____________________ by the ocean. A recent study by Panama's Environment Ministry estimated the country would lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal (7) _____________________ to rising sea levels. It added that 38,000 people will need to be (8) _____________________ at a cost of about $1.2 billion.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
unbearable
port
sinking
indigenous
prosper
home
tide
relied

Gardi Sugdub has been home to the (9) _____________________ Guna people for generations. The overcrowded island is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide, but was (10) _____________________ to nearly 300 families. They (11) _____________________ on fishing and tourism to make a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the sea is (12) _____________________ the island little by little." She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had a major impact.…The (13) _____________________ comes to a level it didn't before, and the heat is (14) _____________________." Ms Morales said she hopes her community will (15) _____________________ in its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government development two kilometres from the (16) _____________________ from which boats go to Gardi Sugdub.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Rising sea levels have caused Panama to ______
     a.  evacuate the residence
     b.  evacuate the presidents
     c.  evacuate the residents
     d.  evacuate the residential
2)  government official said some people are refusing to vacate ______
     a.  their ancestral hone
     b.  their ancestral home
     c.  their ancestral house
     d.  their ancestral homely
3)  a sign of things to come as more low-lying islands are under threat ______
     a.  from being engulfed
     b.  from being in gulped
     c.  from being gulped
     d.  from being angered
4)  estimated the country would lose 2.01 per cent of ______
     a.  its coast all territory
     b.  its coast tall territory
     c.  its cost all territory
     d.  its coastal territory
5)  It added that 38,000 people will need ______
     a.  to be dislocated
     b.  to bare located
     c.  to being relocated
     d.  to be relocated

6)  Gardi Sugdub has been home to the indigenous Guna ______
     a.  people for generation
     b.  people for generations
     c.  people four generations
     d.  people fore generations
7)  They relied on fishing and tourism to ______
     a.  make enliven
     b.  maker living
     c.  make a living
     d.  make a live-in
8)  She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had ______."
     a.  a major imp pact
     b.  a major in pact
     c.  a major imp act
     d.  a major impact
9)  The tide comes to a level it didn't before, and the ______
     a.  heat isn't unbearable
     b.  heat is sun bearable
     c.  heat is unwearable
     d.  heat is unbearable
10)  Ms Morales said she hopes her ______
     a.  community will prosper
     b.  community will prospers
     c.  community will prosperity
     d.  community will prosperous

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Rising sea levels have caused Panama to (1) ____________________ of one of its islands. The inhabitants of the tiny Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coast are (2) ____________________ the mainland. However, a Panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate (3) ____________________. They will stay until the absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to come as more low-lying islands are under threat from (4) ____________________ the ocean. A recent study by Panama's Environment Ministry estimated the country would lose 2.01 per cent of (5) ____________________ to rising sea levels. It added that 38,000 people will need to (6) ____________________ a cost of about $1.2 billion.

Gardi Sugdub has been home (7) ____________________ Guna people for generations. The (8) ____________________ just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide, but was home to nearly 300 families. They relied on fishing and tourism to make a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the (9) ____________________ the island little by little." She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had (10) ____________________.…The tide comes to a level it didn't before, and the heat is unbearable." Ms Morales said she hopes her (11) ____________________ in its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government development two kilometres from the (12) ____________________ boats go to Gardi Sugdub.

Comprehension questions

  1. In what body of water does the island of Gardi Sugdub lie?
  2. What are some people refusing to vacate?
  3. What did Panama's government say Gardi Sugdub's plight was a sign of?
  4. How much of Panama's coastal territory might go under the waves?
  5. How much will it cost to relocate 38,000 displaced people?
  6. For how long have the indigenous Guna lived on Gardi Sugdub?
  7. What do the inhabitants of Gardi Sugdub depend on for a living?
  8. What did a local resident say was unbearable?
  9. What does the resident hope her new community will do?
  10. How far inland is the new housing from the port that goes to the island?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  In what body of water does the island of Gardi Sugdub lie?
a) the Atlantic
b) the Caribbean
c) the Pacific
d) the Indian Ocean
2) What are some people refusing to vacate?
a) their stores
b) their fishing boats
c) their businesses
d) their ancestral home
3) What did Panama's government say Gardi Sugdub's plight was a sign of?
a) population displacement
b) the end of the world
c) things to come
d) global warming
4) How much of Panama's coastal territory might go under the waves?
a) 2.01%
b) 2.1%
c) 20.1%
d) 21%
5) How much will it cost to relocate 38,000 displaced people?
a) about $12 billion
b) about $1.2 billion
c) about $21 billion
d) about $2.1 billion

6) For how long have the indigenous Guna lived on Gardi Sugdub?
a) for generations
b) for decades
c) for centuries
d) for years and years
7) What do the inhabitants of Gardi Sugdub depend on for a living?
a) tourism and farming
b) farming and fishing
c) fishing and tourism
d) the government
8) What did a local resident say was unbearable?
a) the heat
b) leaving the island
c) overcrowding
d) saying goodbye to the fish
9) What does the resident hope her new community will do?
a) go to university
b) fight climate change
c) return to the island
d) prosper
10) How far inland is the new housing from the port that goes to the island?
a) 4 km
b) 3 km
c) 2 km
d) 1 km

Role play

Role  A – Rising Oceans
You think rising oceans are the biggest problem facing Earth. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their problems aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): desertification, species loss or population displacement.

Role  B – Desertification
You think desertification is the biggest problem facing Earth. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their problems aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): rising oceans, species loss or population displacement.

Role  C – Species Loss
You think species loss is the biggest problem facing Earth. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their problems aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): desertification, rising oceans or population displacement.

Role  D – Population Displacement
You think population displacement is the biggest problem facing Earth. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their problems aren't as bad. Also, tell the others which is the least worrying of these (and why): desertification, species loss or rising oceans.

After reading / listening

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

'sea'

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

    • and 'island'.

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

    • • 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:

    • residents
    • mainland
    • ancestral
    • threat
    • recent
    • need
    • overcrowded
    • fishing
    • little
    • major
    • hopes
    • two

    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 - Rising Sea Levels

    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 'islanders'?
    3. What do you know about rising sea levels?
    4. What do you know about Panama?
    5. How would you feel if you had to evacuate your town?
    6. Why are sea levels rising?
    7. Do you have an ancestral home?
    8. Would you like to live on a tiny island?
    9. How will government policy change when more islands sink?
    10. What advice do you have for the islanders?

    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 'sea'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of rising sea levels?
    5. What do people in your town rely on to make a living?
    6. What impact has climate change had on you?
    7. What cities is climate change putting at risk?
    8. How can we reverse climate change?
    9. What will Earth look like in 50 years from now?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the islanders?

    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)

    Rising sea levels have caused Panama to (1) ____ the residents of one of its islands. The inhabitants of the (2) ____ Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coast are being relocated to the mainland. However, a Panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate their (3) ____ home. They will stay until the absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to (4) ____ as more low-lying islands are under threat from being engulfed by the ocean. A recent study by Panama's Environment Ministry (5) ____ the country would lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal territory to (6) ____ sea levels. It added that 38,000 people will need to be relocated at a cost of about $1.2 billion.

    Gardi Sugdub has been home to the indigenous Guna (7) ____ for generations. The overcrowded island is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide, but was home to nearly 300 families. They (8) ____ on fishing and tourism to make a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the sea is sinking the island little by (9) ____." She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had a major impact.…The tide (10) ____ to a level it didn't before, and the heat is unbearable." Ms Morales said she hopes her community will prosper (11) ____ its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government development two kilometres from the port from (12) ____ boats go to Gardi Sugdub.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     vacuum     (b)     evacuate     (c)     vacuous     (d)     vacation    
    2. (a)     tinny     (b)     tiny     (c)     tinted     (d)     teeny    
    3. (a)     forebears'     (b)     predecessors'     (c)     ancestral     (d)     descendants'    
    4. (a)     go     (b)     come     (c)     sink     (d)     disappear    
    5. (a)     grossed     (b)     estimated     (c)     netted     (d)     esteemed    
    6. (a)     rose     (b)     arisen     (c)     rising     (d)     rose    
    7. (a)     human     (b)     person     (c)     people     (d)     crowd    
    8. (a)     rallied     (b)     relayed     (c)     relied     (d)     railed    
    9. (a)     few     (b)     tiny     (c)     small     (d)     little    
    10. (a)     comes     (b)     goes     (c)     descends     (d)     waters    
    11. (a)     in     (b)     of     (c)     at     (d)     as    
    12. (a)     how     (b)     what     (c)     which     (d)     thus

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. uteaavce the residents
    2. The nnbasahiitt of the tiny Gardi Sugdub island
    3. their acsaetrnl home
    4. until the busloeat last minute
    5. under threat from being gdenflue by the ocean
    6. 2.01 per cent of its coastal eyrtrotir

    Paragraph 2

    1. home to the iugoisendn Guna people
    2. for ngrnsoeaiet
    3. They eilerd on fishing
    4. climate change has had a major mitapc
    5. the heat is ralebuneba
    6. her community will psropre

    Put the text back together

    (...)   the mainland. However, a Panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate their
    (...)   impact.…The tide comes to a level it didn't before, and the heat is unbearable." Ms Morales said she hopes
    (...)   territory to rising sea levels. It added that 38,000 people will need to be relocated at a cost of about $1.2 billion.
    (...)   on fishing and tourism to make a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the sea is
    (...)   development two kilometres from the port from which boats go to Gardi Sugdub.
    (...)   her community will prosper in its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government
    (...)   is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide, but was home to nearly 300 families. They relied
    (...)   Gardi Sugdub has been home to the indigenous Guna people for generations. The overcrowded island
    (...)   of things to come as more low-lying islands are under threat from being engulfed by the ocean. A recent
    (...)   sinking the island little by little." She added: "Lately, I've seen that climate change has had a major
    (...)   ancestral home. They will stay until the absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign
    (...)   study by Panama's Environment Ministry estimated the country would lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal
    (...)   tiny Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coast are being relocated to
    (...)    Rising sea levels have caused Panama to evacuate the residents of one of its islands. The inhabitants of the

    Put the words in the right order

    1. of   of   its   islands   .   one   Evacuate   the   residents
    2. refusing   vacate   home   .   ancestral   are   to   their   People
    3. engulfed   .   are   threat   under   islands   from   Low-lying   being
    4. 2.01%   Panama   lose   coastal   of   its   would   territory   .
    5. 38,000   people   will   need   About   be   to   relocated   .
    6. generations   .   Guna   people   indigenous   to   the   for   Home
    7. make   They   a   living   .   to   relied   on   tourism
    8. to   didn't   The   comes   levels   it   before   .   tide
    9. its   community   new   Her   prosper   will   location   .   in
    10. $12 million   be   a   Her   development   .   will   home   in

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Rising sea levels have caused Panama to evacuate / vacate the residents of one of its islands. The inhabitants of the tinny / tiny Gardi Sugdub island off Panama's Caribbean coastal / coast are being relocated to the mainland. However, a Panamanian government official / officially said some people are refusing to vacate their ancestral home. They will stay until the / an absolute last minute. Panama's government said Gardi Sugdub is a sign of things to come / go as more low-lying islands are under threat from being engrossed / engulfed by the ocean. A recent study by Panama's Environment Ministry estimated the country must / would lose 2.01 per cent of its coastal territory to rising sea levels. It plussed / added that 38,000 people will need to be relocated at a cost / coast of about $1.2 billion.

    Gardi Sugdub has been house / home to the indigenous Guna people for generations. The overcrowded / overcrowding island is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide / width, but was home to nearly 300 families. They relayed / relied on fishing and tourism to make the / a living. Islander Nadin Morales, 24, said: "We're a little sad…but the sea is sinking the island little by / of little." She added: "Lately, I've appeared / seen that climate change has had a major impact.…The tide comes to a level it / they didn't before, and the heat is unbearable." Ms Morales said she hopes her community will prosperity / prosper in its new location. Her new home will be in a $12 million government development two kilometres from the port from which / what boats go to Gardi Sugdub.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    R_s_ng  s__  l_v_ls  h_v_  c__s_d  P_n_m_  t_  _v_c__t_  th_  r_s_d_nts  _f  _n_  _f  _ts  _sl_nds.  Th_  _nh_b_t_nts  _f  th_  t_ny  G_rd_  S_gd_b  _sl_nd  _ff  P_n_m_'s  C_r_bb__n  c__st  _r_  b__ng  r_l_c_t_d  t_  th_  m__nl_nd.  H_w_v_r,  _  P_n_m_n__n  g_v_rnm_nt  _ff_c__l  s__d  s_m_  p__pl_  _r_  r_f_s_ng  t_  v_c_t_  th__r  _nc_str_l  h_m_.  Th_y  w_ll  st_y  _nt_l  th_  _bs_l_t_  l_st  m_n_t_.  P_n_m_'s  g_v_rnm_nt  s__d  G_rd_  S_gd_b  _s  _  s_gn  _f  th_ngs  t_  c_m_  _s  m_r_  l_w-ly_ng  _sl_nds  _r_  _nd_r  thr__t  fr_m  b__ng  _ng_lf_d  by  th_  _c__n.  _  r_c_nt  st_dy  by  P_n_m_'s  _nv_r_nm_nt  M_n_stry  _st_m_t_d  th_  c__ntry  w__ld  l_s_  2.01  p_r  c_nt  _f  _ts  c__st_l  t_rr_t_ry  t_  r_s_ng  s__  l_v_ls.  _t  _dd_d  th_t  38,000  p__pl_  w_ll  n__d  t_  b_  r_l_c_t_d  _t  _  c_st  _f  _b__t  $1.2  b_ll__n.

    G_rd_  S_gd_b  h_s  b__n  h_m_  t_  th_  _nd_g_n__s  G_n_  p__pl_  f_r  g_n_r_t__ns.  Th_  _v_rcr_wd_d  _sl_nd  _s  j_st  366  m_tr_s  l_ng  _nd  137  m_tr_s  w_d_,  b_t  w_s  h_m_  t_  n__rly  300  f_m_l__s.  Th_y  r_l__d  _n  f_sh_ng  _nd  t__r_sm  t_  m_k_  _  l_v_ng.  _sl_nd_r  N_d_n  M_r_l_s,  24,  s__d:  "W_'r_  _  l_ttl_  s_d…b_t  th_  s__  _s  s_nk_ng  th_  _sl_nd  l_ttl_  by  l_ttl_."  Sh_  _dd_d:  "L_t_ly,  _'v_  s__n  th_t  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_  h_s  h_d  _  m_j_r  _mp_ct.…Th_  t_d_  c_m_s  t_  _  l_v_l  _t  d_dn't  b_f_r_,  _nd  th_  h__t  _s  _nb__r_bl_."  Ms  M_r_l_s  s__d  sh_  h_p_s  h_r  c_mm_n_ty  w_ll  pr_sp_r  _n  _ts  n_w  l_c_t__n.  H_r  n_w  h_m_  w_ll  b_  _n  _  $12  m_ll__n  g_v_rnm_nt  d_v_l_pm_nt  tw_  k_l_m_tr_s  fr_m  th_  p_rt  fr_m  wh_ch  b__ts  g_  t_  G_rd_  S_gd_b.

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    rising sea levels have caused panama to evacuate the residents of one of its islands the inhabitants of the tiny gardi sugdub island off panamas caribbean coast are being relocated to the mainland however a panamanian government official said some people are refusing to vacate their ancestral home they will stay until the absolute last minute panamas government said gardi sugdub is a sign of things to come as more lowlying islands are under threat from being engulfed by the ocean a recent study by panamas environment ministry estimated the country would lose 201 per cent of its coastal territory to rising sea levels it added that 38000 people will need to be relocated at a cost of about 12 billion

    gardi sugdub has been home to the indigenous guna people for generations the overcrowded island is just 366 metres long and 137 metres wide but was home to nearly 300 families they relied on fishing and tourism to make a living islander nadin morales 24 said were a little sadbut the sea is sinking the island little by little she added lately ive seen that climate change has had a major impactthe tide comes to a level it didnt before and the heat is unbearable ms morales said she hopes her community will prosper in its new location her new home will be in a 12 million government development two kilometres from the port from which boats go to gardi sugdub

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    RisingsealevelshavecausedPanamatoevacuatetheresidentsofoneofi
    tsislands.TheinhabitantsofthetinyGardiSugdubislandoffPanama'sC
    aribbeancoastarebeingrelocatedtothemainland.However,aPanama
    niangovernmentofficialsaidsomepeoplearerefusingtovacatetheiran
    cestralhome.Theywillstayuntiltheabsolutelastminute.Panama'sgov
    ernmentsaidGardiSugdubisasignofthingstocomeasmorelow-lyingis
    landsareunderthreatfrombeingengulfedbytheocean.Arecentstudyb
    yPanama'sEnvironmentMinistryestimatedthecountrywouldlose2.01
    percentofitscoastalterritorytorisingsealevels.Itaddedthat38,000pe
    oplewillneedtoberelocatedatacostofabout$1.2billion.GardiSugdubh
    asbeenhometotheindigenousGunapeopleforgenerations.Theovercr
    owdedislandisjust366metreslongand137metreswide,butwashomet
    onearly300families.Theyreliedonfishingandtourismtomakealiving.I
    slanderNadinMorales,24,said:"We'realittlesad…buttheseaissinkingt
    heislandlittlebylittle."Sheadded:"Lately,I'veseenthatclimatechange
    hashadamajorimpact.…Thetidecomestoalevelitdidn'tbefore,andthe
    heatisunbearable."MsMoralessaidshehopeshercommunitywillprosp
    erinitsnewlocation.Hernewhomewillbeina$12milliongovernmentde
    velopmenttwokilometresfromtheportfromwhichboatsgotoGardiSug
    dub.

    Free writing

    Write about rising sea levels for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We must all turn our lives around 180 degrees to help climate change. 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. SEA LEVELS: Make a poster about sea levels. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. CLIMATE CHANGE: Write a magazine article about all of us changing our lifestyles to help sea levels fall. 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 rising sea levels. Ask him/her three questions about this problem. Give him/her three of your ideas on what to do about climate change. 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

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

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