The Reading / Listening - Level 0

The world's most common banana, the Cavendish, could die. A disease called TP4 is killing it. The disease stops the banana from getting water. Scientists found TP4 in 1990. It quickly spread across Asia. Then it went to Africa. TP4 is carried by the wind, water, cars and people. A small amount of TP4 spreads across large areas.

Fifty years ago we ate a different banana. This was killed by Panama Disease. By 1965, banana growers changed to the Cavendish banana. This is now in trouble. TP4 stays in the ground for a long time, so new plants cannot grow. We could grow GM bananas. Diseases like TP4 cannot kill them.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 1,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.theinertia.com/health/big-problem-bananas-are-going-extinct/
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/banana-fungus-could-be-potentially-devastating-if-it-spreads-across-the-americas-warn-experts-a6830956.html
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-35131751


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.

The world's most

a.

of TP4

2.

A disease called

b.

in 1990

3.

The disease stops the banana

c.

large areas

4.

Scientists found TP4

d.

TP4 is killing it

5.

It quickly

e.

common banana

6.

TP4 is carried

f.

spread across Asia

7.

A small amount

g.

by the wind

8.

spreads across

h.

from getting water


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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Fifty years

a.

trouble

2.

we ate a different

b.

by Panama Disease

3.

This was killed

c.

cannot grow

4.

banana growers changed

d.

ago

5.

This is now in

e.

for a long time

6.

TP4 stays in the ground

f.

banana

7.

new plants

g.

TP4 cannot kill them

8.

Diseases like

h.

to the Cavendish banana

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The (1) ___________________ common banana, the Cavendish, could die. A (2) ___________________ TP4 is killing it. The disease (3) ___________________ from getting water. Scientists found TP4 in 1990. It (4) ___________________ across Asia. (5) ___________________ Africa. TP4 is carried by the wind, water, cars and people. A small amount of TP4 (6) ___________________ large areas.

Fifty years (7) ___________________ different banana. This was killed by Panama Disease. By 1965, banana (8) ___________________ to the Cavendish banana. (9) ___________________ trouble. TP4 stays (10) ___________________ for a long time, so new plants cannot grow. We (11) ___________________ GM bananas. Diseases like TP4 (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Theworld'smostcommonbanana,theCavendish,coulddie.Adiseasec
alledTP4iskillingit.Thediseasestopsthebananafromgettingwater.Sci
entistsfoundTP4in1990.ItquicklyspreadacrossAsia.ThenitwenttoAfr
ica.TP4iscarriedbythewind,water,carsandpeople.AsmallamountofT
P4spreadsacrosslargeareas.Fiftyyearsagoweateadifferentbanana.T
hiswaskilledbyPanamaDisease.By1965,bananagrowerschangedtot
heCavendishbanana.Thisisnowintrouble.TP4staysinthegroundforal
ongtime,sonewplantscannotgrow.WecouldgrowGMbananas.Diseas
eslikeTP4cannotkillthem.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________





WRITING

Write about bananas for 10 minutes. Read and talk about your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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