The Reading / Listening - Antique Books - Level 3

Tens of thousands of antique books are in danger. They are being eaten by beetles. The centuries-old books are being taken off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey was founded in the year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the books in danger is a complete Bible from the 13th century. There are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden boxes. The boxes are being sealed in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been removed from the sacks. After six weeks without oxygen, all of the beetles should be dead.

The insect eating the priceless books is the drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle. It usually feeds on dried foodstuff, like wheat, flour and spices. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based glue that are used to make books. Library workers realized something was wrong when they found lots of dust on the bookshelves. The librarians then found holes in the books. These were caused by the beetles chewing through the paper. The person in charge of getting rid of the beetles said: "We've never encountered such a degree of infection before." She explained she felt a lot of responsibility for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a piece of culture has been lost".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Antique Books - Level 0,  Antique Books - Level 1   or  Antique Books - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.yahoo.com/news/hungary-oldest-library-fighting-save-045728506.html
  • https://www.foxnews.com/travel/destructive-bug-infestation-threatens-historic-1000-year-old-book-collection
  • https://sarajevotimes.com/hungarys-oldest-library-is-saving-100-000-books-from-a-bug-infestation/


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. LIBRARY BOOKS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about library books. 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?
       antique book / in danger / beetles / library / Hungary / Bible / printing press / oxygen
       books / bugs / glue / bookshelves / paper / holes / infection / responsibility / culture
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. DIGITAL BOOKS: Students A strongly believe digital books are better than library books; Students B strongly believe the opposite. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. READING: What are the good and bad things about reading books in these places? Why? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Good / Bad

Why?

A library

 

 

A park

 

 

A train

 

 

Your bedroom

 

 

A beach

 

 

A bookstore

 

 
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. ANTIQUE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "antique". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. BOOKS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best books at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Novels
  • Cookery books
  • Travel guides
  • Encyclopaedia
  • Atlases
  • History books
  • Comics and manga
  • Grammar books

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. antique a. A book or paper written by hand.
      2. century b. Taken away.
      3. shelves c. Very old and often special.
      4. medieval d. 100 years.
      5. manuscript e. From a long time ago, in the middle ages (500-1453).
      6. sealed f. Closed so air cannot go in or out.
      7. removed g. Flat boards to put things on.

    Paragraph 2

      8. feed  (verb) h. Something you must take care of or do.
      9. glue  (noun) i. Biting food or something many times.
      10. realized j. Tiny bits of dirt in the air or on things.
      11. dust  (noun) k. Give food to someone or something.
      12. chewing l. Broken or destroyed so it cannot be used.
      13. responsibility m. A sticky thing that joins things together.
      14. ruined n. Suddenly understood something.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says beetles are eating hundreds of thousands of books.     T / F
  2. The books are in a bookstore in Hungary.     T / F
  3. People are putting the books in plastic bags and removing the oxygen.    T / F
  4. The article said it should take about six weeks to kill the beetles.     T / F
  5. The article says the beetle is often found in drugstores.     T / F
  6. The beetle usually eats things like spices and flour.     T / F
  7. The beetles were discovered because of lots of dust on bookshelves.     T / F
  8. A librarian said if culture is ruined, a book is lost.     T / F

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

  1. antique
  2. founded
  3. in danger
  4. manuscripts
  5. removed
  6. feeds on
  7. workers
  8. chewing
  9. encountered
  10. ruined
  1. staff
  2. documents
  3. munching
  4. eats
  5. old
  6. taken out
  7. met
  8. started
  9. destroyed
  10. at risk

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

  1. Tens of thousands of antique
  2. the shelves
  3. the invention of
  4. The boxes are being sealed
  5. after six weeks
  6. It usually feeds
  7. workers realized
  8. they found lots of
  9. The person in charge of getting rid
  10. she felt a lot of responsibility
  1. something was wrong
  2. in large plastic sacks
  3. on dried foodstuff
  4. of a library
  5. of the beetles
  6. without oxygen
  7. books are in danger
  8. for saving the books
  9. the printing press
  10. dust

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
boxes
shelves
oxygen
founded
removed
press
antique
century

Tens of thousands of (1) ______________________________________________ books are in danger. They are being eaten by beetles. The centuries-old books are being taken off the (2) ______________________________________________ of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey was (3) ______________________________________________ in the year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the books in danger is a complete Bible from the 13th (4) ______________________________________________. There are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the invention of the printing (5) ______________________________________________ in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden (6) ______________________________________________. The boxes are being sealed in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been (7) ______________________________________________ from the sacks. After six weeks without (8) ______________________________________________, all of the beetles should be dead.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
glue
chewing
lost
priceless
dust
responsibility
dried
rid

The insect eating the (9) ______________________________________________ books is the drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle. It usually feeds on (10) ______________________________________________ foodstuff, like wheat, flour and spices. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based (11) ______________________________________________ that are used to make books. Library workers realized something was wrong when they found lots of (12) ______________________________________________ on the bookshelves. The librarians then found holes in the books. These were caused by the beetles (13) ______________________________________________ through the paper. The person in charge of getting (14) ______________________________________________ of the beetles said: "We've never encountered such a degree of infection before." She explained she felt a lot of (15) ______________________________________________ for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a piece of culture has been (16) ______________________________________________".

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Tens of thousands of antique books ______
     a.  are on danger
     b.  are in danger
     c.  are an danger
     d.  are un-danger
2)  The centuries-old books are being taken off the shelves ______
     a.  off a library
     b.  oft a library
     c.  of a library
     d.  offer library
3)  One of the books in danger is a complete Bible from ______
     a.  the 13th centurion
     b.  the 13th centuries
     c.  a 13th century
     d.  the 13th century
4)  There are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the invention of ______
     a.  the printing pressed
     b.  the printing pressing
     c.  the printing presser
     d.  the printing press
5)  After six weeks without oxygen, all of the beetles ______
     a.  should been dead
     b.  should being death
     c.  should be dead
     d.  should be death

6)  It usually feeds on dried foodstuff, like wheat, ______
     a.  flour and species
     b.  flour and spices
     c.  flour and spaces
     d.  flour and spicey
7)  Library workers realized something was wrong when they found ______
     a.  lots of dusty
     b.  lots of dusted
     c.  lots of duster
     d.  lots of dust
8)  These were caused by the beetles chewing ______
     a.  through the paper
     b.  though the paper
     c.  thorough the paper
     d.  trough the paper
9)  We've never encountered such a degree ______
     a.  of infecting before
     b.  of inflection before
     c.  of injection before
     d.  of infection before
10)  She explained she felt a lot of responsibility for ______
     a.  save in the books
     b.  saved in the books
     c.  saving in the books
     d.  saving the books

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Tens of thousands (1) __________________________________________________ are in danger. They are being eaten by beetles. (2) __________________________________________________ books are being taken off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey (3) __________________________________________________ the year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the books in danger is a complete Bible from the 13th century. There are also hundreds of manuscripts from (4) __________________________________________________ of the printing press in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden boxes. The boxes (5) __________________________________________________ in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been removed from the sacks. After six (6) __________________________________________________, all of the beetles should be dead.

The insect (7) __________________________________________________ books is the drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle. It usually feeds on dried foodstuff, like wheat, (8) __________________________________________________. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based glue that are used to make books. Library workers realized something was wrong when they found (9) __________________________________________________ on the bookshelves. The librarians then found holes in the books. These were caused by the beetles chewing through the paper. The (10) __________________________________________________ of getting rid of the beetles said: "We've never encountered (11) __________________________________________________ of infection before." She explained she felt a lot of responsibility for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a (12) __________________________________________________ has been lost".

Comprehension questions

  1. How many books does the article say are in danger?
  2. What was created four years after Pannonhalma Abbey was founded?
  3. When was the printing press invented?
  4. What will workers put wooden boxes in?
  5. How long will it take to kill the beetles?
  6. What is the drugstore beetle also known as?
  7. What does the drugstore beetle usually eat besides wheat and flour?
  8. What did library staff find lots of on library shelves?
  9. What did a member of the library staff feel a responsibility for?
  10. What did the staff member say was lost if a book was ruined?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How many books does the article say are in danger?
a) millions
b) hundreds of thousands
c) tens of thousands
d) 12,782,583
2) What was created four years after Pannonhalma Abbey was founded?
a) the Kingdom of Hungary
b) the Great Library of Budapest
c) the Magyar University
d) the Danube Printing Press
3) When was the printing press invented?
a) in the early 15th century
b) in the mid-15th century
c) in the early to mid-15th century
d) in late 15th century
4) What will workers put wooden boxes in?
a) a fire
b) a cave
c) a basement
d) plastic sacks
5) How long will it take to kill the beetles?
a) six hours
b) six days
c) six weeks
d) six minutes

6) What is the drugstore beetle also known as?
a) the book beetle
b) the bread beetle
c) the croissant beetle
d) the donut beetle
7) What does the drugstore beetle usually eat besides wheat and flour?
a) grass
b) drugs
c) wood
d) spices
8) What did library staff find lots of on library shelves?
a) books
b) dust
c) dead beetles
d) beetle droppings
9) What did a member of the library staff feel a responsibility for?
a) the beetles' welfare
b) saving the books
c) visitors to the library
d) the abbey
10) What did the staff member say was lost if a book was ruined?
a) a piece of culture
b) a piece of history
c) a piece of paper
d) a piece of literature

Role play

Role  A – Novels
You think novels are the best books. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their books. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): cookery books, grammar books or comics and manga.

Role  B – Cookery Books
You think cookery books are the best books. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their books. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): novels, grammar books or comics and manga.

Role  C – Grammar Books
You think grammar books are the best books. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their books. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): cookery books, novels or comics and manga.

Role  D – Comics and Manga
You think comics and manga are the best books. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their books. Also, tell the others which is the least interesting of these (and why): cookery books, grammar books or novels.

After reading / listening

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

'book'

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

    • and 'beetle'.

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

    • • 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:

    • tens
    • 996
    • four
    • 13
    • 15
    • six
    • priceless
    • bugs
    • wrong
    • caused
    • degree
    • culture

    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 - Antique Books

    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 'book'?
    3. What do you think of books?
    4. How important are libraries?
    5. Should we do everything we can to protect old books?
    6. What's the oldest book you have?
    7. How did the printing press change the world?
    8. Has an insect ever damaged something of yours?
    9. What is the best way to protect very old books?
    10. Is killing the beetles the best solution in this story?

    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 'beetle'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you think of antique books?
    5. Would you like to be a librarian?
    6. How would you feel if insects were chewing through your things?
    7. How important are books to you?
    8. Are paper books or digital books best?
    9. What is the most important book in your country's culture?
    10. What questions would you like to ask a librarian?

    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)

    Tens of thousands of antique books are (1) ____ danger. They are being eaten by beetles. The centuries-old books are being (2) ____ off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey was founded in the year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the books in danger is a (3) ____ Bible from the 13th century. There are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the (4) ____ of the printing press in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden boxes. The boxes are being (5) ____ in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been removed from the sacks. After six weeks without oxygen, all of the beetles should be (6) ____.

    The insect eating the (7) ____ books is the drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle. It usually feeds on dried foodstuff, like wheat, flour and (8) ____. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based glue that are used to make books. Library workers realized something (9) ____ wrong when they found lots of dust on the bookshelves. The librarians then found holes in the books. These were caused (10) ____ the beetles chewing through the paper. The person in charge of getting rid of the beetles said: "We've never encountered such a degree of (11) ____ before." She explained she felt a lot of responsibility for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a (12) ____ of culture has been lost".

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     of     (b)     at     (c)     on     (d)     in    
    2. (a)     took     (b)     taking     (c)     take     (d)     taken    
    3. (a)     competitor     (b)     complete     (c)     competition     (d)     compete    
    4. (a)     invert     (b)     convert     (c)     invention     (d)     switching    
    5. (a)     seals     (b)     seal     (c)     sealed     (d)     sealing    
    6. (a)     dead     (b)     death     (c)     dies     (d)     died    
    7. (a)     priced     (b)     priceless     (c)     pricey     (d)     price    
    8. (a)     spices     (b)     spiced     (c)     spicey     (d)     splice    
    9. (a)     be     (b)     was     (c)     are     (d)     were    
    10. (a)     of     (b)     by     (c)     at     (d)     something    
    11. (a)     injection     (b)     rejection     (c)     infection     (d)     intention    
    12. (a)     appease     (b)     peace     (c)     peas     (d)     piece

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Tens of thousands of tquneai books
    2. books are being taken off the hvesles
    3. a complete Bible from the 13th unryect
    4. before the ietnoinnv of the printing press
    5. rlaibyr staff
    6. After six weeks without noeyxg

    Paragraph 2

    1. The insect eating the celrsieps books
    2. eat the gelatin and starch-based uegl
    3. workers lzieeard something was wrong
    4. caused by the beetles gnihcew through the paper
    5. such a degree of noiifcetn
    6. she felt a lot of borspsnyiteili

    Put the text back together

    (    )     a lot of responsibility for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a piece of culture has been lost".
    (    )     boxes. The boxes are being sealed in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been removed from
    (    )     by the beetles chewing through the paper. The person in charge of getting
    (    )     glue that are used to make books. Library workers realized something was wrong when they found lots
    (    )     of dust on the bookshelves. The librarians then found holes in the books. These were caused
    (    )     on dried foodstuff, like wheat, flour and spices. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based
    (    )     press in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden
    (    )     rid of the beetles said: "We've never encountered such a degree of infection before." She explained she felt
    (    )     taken off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey was founded in the
    (  1  )   Tens of thousands of antique books are in danger. They are being eaten by beetles. The centuries-old books are being
    (    )     the 13th century. There are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the invention of the printing
    (    )     The insect eating the priceless books is the drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle. It usually feeds
    (    )     the sacks. After six weeks without oxygen, all of the beetles should be dead.
    (    )     year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One of the books in danger is a complete Bible from

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Thousands   books   antique   of   danger   are   in   .
    2. Books   off   being   library   shelves   the   taken   are   .
    3. Before   invention   of   the   the   press   printing   .
    4. The   has   removed   the   oxygen   from   sacks   been   the   .
    5. All   beetles   dead   of   should   the   be   .
    6. The   books   insects   the   priceless   eating   are   .
    7. They   lots   bookshelves   of   dust   on   the   found   .
    8. We've   never   degree   such   encountered   of   infection   a   .
    9. She   felt   a   explained   lot   she   responsibility   of   .
    10. A   culture   of   piece   been   lost   has   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Tens of thousands of antique books are on / in danger. They are being eaten by beetles. The centuries-old books are being taking / taken off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in Hungary. Pannonhalma Abbey was founded / finding in the year 996. It is four years older than the Kingdom of Hungary. One / Once of the books in danger is a completion / complete Bible from the 13th century. There are also hundreds off / of manuscripts from before the invention of the printer / printing press in the mid-15th century. Library staff are carefully put / putting the books and manuscripts in wooden boxes. The boxes are been / being sealed in large plastic sacks. The oxygen has been removed from the sacks. After six weeks without oxygen, all of the beetles should be dead / died.

    The insect eating the priceless / pricey books is the drugstore beetle, also known was / as the bread beetle. It usually foods / feeds on dried foodstuff, like wheat, flour and spices. The bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch-based glue that are used to / for make books. Library workers realized something was wrong when they found lots of dust / dusty on the bookshelves. The librarians then / them found holes in the books. These were caused by / at the beetles chewing through the paper. The person in charge of getting rid / hid of the beetles said: "We've never encountered such a degree of injection / infection before." She explained she felt a lot of responsibility for saving the books. She said if a book is ruined, "a peace / piece of culture has been lost".

    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)

    T_ns  _f  th__s_nds  _f  _nt_q__  b__ks  _r_  _n  d_ng_r.  Th_y  _r_  b__ng  __t_n  by  b__tl_s.  Th_  c_nt_r__s-_ld  b__ks  _r_  b__ng  t_k_n  _ff  th_  sh_lv_s  _f  _  l_br_ry  _n  _  m_d__v_l  _bb_y  _n  H_ng_ry.  P_nn_nh_lm_  _bb_y  w_s  f__nd_d  _n  th_  y__r  996.  _t  _s  f__r  y__rs  _ld_r  th_n  th_  K_ngd_m  _f  H_ng_ry.  _n_  _f  th_  b__ks  _n  d_ng_r  _s  _  c_mpl_t_  B_bl_  fr_m  th_  13th  c_nt_ry.  Th_r_  _r_  _ls_  h_ndr_ds  _f  m_n_scr_pts  fr_m  b_f_r_  th_  _nv_nt__n  _f  th_  pr_nt_ng  pr_ss  _n  th_  m_d-15th  c_nt_ry.  L_br_ry  st_ff  _r_  c_r_f_lly  p_tt_ng  th_  b__ks  _nd  m_n_scr_pts  _n  w__d_n  b_x_s.  Th_  b_x_s  _r_  b__ng  s__l_d  _n  l_rg_  pl_st_c  s_cks.  Th_  _xyg_n  h_s  b__n  r_m_v_d  fr_m  th_  s_cks.  _ft_r  s_x  w__ks  w_th__t  _xyg_n,  _ll  _f  th_  b__tl_s  sh__ld  b_  d__d.

    Th_  _ns_ct  __t_ng  th_  pr_c_l_ss  b__ks  _s  th_  dr_gst_r_  b__tl_,  _ls_  kn_wn  _s  th_  br__d  b__tl_.  _t  _s__lly  f__ds  _n  dr__d  f__dst_ff,  l_k_  wh__t,  fl__r  _nd  sp_c_s.  Th_  b_gs  l_k_  t_  __t  th_  g_l_t_n  _nd  st_rch-b_s_d  gl__  th_t  _r_  _s_d  t_  m_k_  b__ks.  L_br_ry  w_rk_rs  r__l_z_d  s_m_th_ng  w_s  wr_ng  wh_n  th_y  f__nd  l_ts  _f  d_st  _n  th_  b__ksh_lv_s.  Th_  l_br_r__ns  th_n  f__nd  h_l_s  _n  th_  b__ks.  Th_s_  w_r_  c__s_d  by  th_  b__tl_s  ch_w_ng  thr__gh  th_  p_p_r.  Th_  p_rs_n  _n  ch_rg_  _f  g_tt_ng  r_d  _f  th_  b__tl_s  s__d:  "W_'v_  n_v_r  _nc__nt_r_d  s_ch  _  d_gr__  _f  _nf_ct__n  b_f_r_."  Sh_  _xpl__n_d  sh_  f_lt  _  l_t  _f  r_sp_ns_b_l_ty  f_r  s_v_ng  th_  b__ks.  Sh_  s__d  _f  _  b__k  _s  r__n_d,  "_  p__c_  _f  c_lt_r_  h_s  b__n  l_st".

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    tens of thousands of antique books are in danger they are being eaten by beetles the centuries old books are being taken off the shelves of a library in a medieval abbey in hungary pannonhalma abbey was founded in the year 996 it is four years older than the kingdom of hungary one of the books in danger is a complete bible from the 13th century there are also hundreds of manuscripts from before the invention of the printing press in the mid 15th century library staff are carefully putting the books and manuscripts in wooden boxes the boxes are being sealed in large plastic sacks the oxygen has been removed from the sacks after six weeks without oxygen all of the beetles should be dead

    the insect eating the priceless books is the drugstore beetle also known as the bread beetle it usually feeds on dried foodstuff like wheat flour and spices the bugs like to eat the gelatin and starch based glue that are used to make books library workers realized something was wrong when they found lots of dust on the bookshelves the librarians then found holes in the books these were caused by the beetles chewing through the paper the person in charge of getting rid of the beetles said weve never encountered such a degree of infection before she explained she felt a lot of responsibility for saving the books she said if a book is ruined a piece of culture has been lost

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Tensofthousandsofantiquebooksareindanger.Theyarebeingeatenby
    beetles.Thecenturies-oldbooksarebeingtakenofftheshelvesofalibrar
    yinamedievalabbeyinHungary.PannonhalmaAbbeywasfoundedinth
    eyear996.ItisfouryearsolderthantheKingdomofHungary.Oneoftheb
    ooksindangerisacompleteBiblefromthe13thcentury.Therearealsohu
    ndredsofmanuscriptsfrombeforetheinventionoftheprintingpressinth
    emid-15thcentury.Librarystaffarecarefullyputtingthebooksandman
    uscriptsinwoodenboxes.Theboxesarebeingsealedinlargeplasticsack
    s.Theoxygenhasbeenremovedfromthesacks.Aftersixweekswithouto
    xygen,allofthebeetlesshouldbedead.Theinsecteatingthepricelessbo
    oksisthedrugstorebeetle,alsoknownasthebreadbeetle.Itusuallyfeed
    sondriedfoodstuff,likewheat,flourandspices.Thebugsliketoeatthege
    latinandstarch-basedgluethatareusedtomakebooks.Libraryworker
    srealizedsomethingwaswrongwhentheyfoundlotsofdustonthebooks
    helves.Thelibrariansthenfoundholesinthebooks.Thesewerecausedb
    ythebeetleschewingthroughthepaper.Thepersoninchargeofgettingr
    idofthebeetlessaid:"We'veneverencounteredsuchadegreeofinfectio
    nbefore."Sheexplainedshefeltalotofresponsibilityforsavingthebooks
    .Shesaidifabookisruined,"apieceofculturehasbeenlost".

    Free writing

    Write about library book beetle for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We should not kill creatures to save books. 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. LIBRARY BOOKS: Make a poster about library books. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. LIBRARIES: Write a magazine article about creating more libraries. 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 library books. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your opinions on them. 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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