The Reading / Listening - Level 1

Giant Galapagos tortoises were once endangered. In the 1960s, there were just 15 of them. They were dying out. Wild goats ate their food and damaged their habitat. Conservationists acted to help them. Now, there are over 1,000 of them living and breeding in the wild. It is a conservation success story. A conservationist said that half of the tortoises that were released have survived. He said the tortoises could now live without human help.

There were 250,000 giant tortoises worldwide 500 years ago, but just a few thousand in the 1970s. Hunters almost made them extinct. Giant tortoises can weigh 250kg and live for 100 years. One tortoise lived for more than 170 years. Wikipedia says: "Tortoises also live very uncomplicated lives, and can nap up to 16 hours a day." Next year, a small Galapagos island that lost all of its tortoises will get 200 more. This could be another success story.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/near-extinct-galapagos-island-tortoises-make-comeback#ixzz3HbOxXYbU
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal%C3%A1pagos_tortoise
  • http://time.com/3544926/giant-tortoises-galapagos/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29


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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

tortoises were

a.

success story

2.

In the

b.

15 of them

3.

there were just

c.

in the wild

4.

ate their food and damaged

d.

human help

5.

living and breeding

e.

once endangered

6.

It is a conservation

f.

of the tortoises

7.

half

g.

1960s

8.

live without

h.

their habitat

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

There were 250,000 giant

a.

uncomplicated lives

2.

just a few thousand in

b.

250kg

3.

Hunters almost made

c.

for more than 170 years

4.

Giant tortoises can weigh

d.

to 16 hours a day

5.

One tortoise lived

e.

tortoises worldwide

6.

Tortoises also live very

f.

all of its tortoises

7.

nap up

g.

the 1970s

8.

a small Galapagos island that lost

h.

them extinct

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Giant Galapagos tortoises were (1) ___________________. In the 1960s, there (2) ___________________ them. They were dying out. Wild goats ate their food and (3) ___________________. Conservationists acted to help them. Now, there are over 1,000 of them (4) ___________________ in the wild. It is a conservation success story. A conservationist said that half of the tortoises that were (5) ___________________. He said the tortoises could (6) ___________________ human help.

There were 250,000 giant tortoises (7) ___________________ ago, but just a (8) ___________________ 1970s. Hunters almost made them extinct. Giant tortoises (9) ___________________ and live for 100 years. One tortoise lived for more than 170 years. Wikipedia says: "Tortoises also (10) ___________________ lives, and (11) ___________________ hours a day." Next year, a small Galapagos island (12) ___________________ tortoises will get 200 more. This could be another success story.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

GiantGalapagostortoiseswereonceendangered.Inthe1960s,therew
erejust15ofthem.Theyweredyingout.Wildgoatsatetheirfoodanddam
agedtheirhabitat.Conservationistsactedtohelpthem.Now,thereareo
ver1,000ofthemlivingandbreedinginthewild.Itisaconservationsucce
ssstory.Aconservationistsaidthathalfofthetortoisesthatwererelease
dhavesurvived.Hesaidthetortoisescouldnowlivewithouthumanhelp.
Therewere250,000gianttortoisesworldwide500yearsago,butjustafe
wthousandinthe1970s.Huntersalmostmadethemextinct.Gianttortoi
sescanweigh250kgandlivefor100years.Onetortoiselivedformoretha
n170years.Wikipediasays:"Tortoisesalsoliveveryuncomplicatedlive
s,andcannapupto16hoursaday."Nextyear,asmallGalapagosislandth
atlostallofitstortoiseswillget200more.Thiscouldbeanothersuccessst
ory.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about animals in danger for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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