The Reading / Listening - Level 1

The world's most common banana, the Cavendish, could become extinct. A fungus called TP4 is killing millions of banana plants. The fungus blocks the banana plant from taking in water, so it dies. Scientists first found TP4 in Malaysia in 1990. It quickly spread to other parts of Asia. Then it went to Australia and Africa. TP4 is carried by the wind, water, cars and people's feet. A small amount of TP4 spreads across large areas very quickly.

Before the Cavendish banana, we ate a variety called the Gros Michel. Fifty years ago, it was the world's main banana. By 1965, a fungus called Panama Disease had killed it. Banana growers changed to the Cavendish banana. Now the Cavendish is in trouble. TP4 stays in the ground for a long time, so new plants cannot grow. One answer is to grow genetically modified (GM) bananas. Diseases like TP4 cannot kill them.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  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.

called TP4

2.

A fungus

b.

by the wind

3.

killing millions

c.

areas very quickly

4.

The fungus blocks the banana plant from

d.

parts of Asia

5.

It quickly spread to other

e.

taking in water,

6.

TP4 is carried

f.

common banana

7.

A small amount

g.

of banana plants

8.

spreads across large

h.

of TP4


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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.

we ate a variety

a.

(GM) bananas

2.

the world's

b.

to the Cavendish banana

3.

Banana growers changed

c.

for a long time

4.

Now the Cavendish is

d.

cannot kill them

5.

TP4 stays in the ground

e.

called the Gros Michel

6.

new plants cannot

f.

in trouble

7.

grow genetically modified

g.

main banana

8.

Diseases like TP4

h.

grow

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The world's (1) ___________________ banana, the Cavendish, could (2) ___________________. A fungus called TP4 is killing millions of banana plants. The (3) ___________________ the banana plant from taking in water, so it dies. Scientists first found TP4 in Malaysia in 1990. It (4) ___________________ to other parts of Asia. Then it went to Australia and Africa. TP4 is (5) ___________________ wind, water, cars and people's feet. A small amount of TP4 spreads across large (6) ___________________.

Before the Cavendish banana, we (7) ___________________ called the Gros Michel. Fifty years ago, it (8) ___________________ main banana. By 1965, a fungus called Panama Disease (9) ___________________. Banana growers changed to the Cavendish banana. Now the Cavendish is in trouble. TP4 stays (10) ___________________ for a long time, so new plants cannot grow. One answer (11) ___________________ genetically modified (GM) bananas. Diseases like TP4 (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Theworld'smostcommonbanana,theCavendish,couldbecomeextinct
.AfunguscalledTP4iskillingmillionsofbananaplants.Thefungusblocks
thebananaplantfromtakinginwater,soitdies.ScientistsfirstfoundTP4i
nMalaysiain1990.ItquicklyspreadtootherpartsofAsia.ThenitwenttoA
ustraliaandAfrica.TP4iscarriedbythewind,water,carsandpeople'sfee
t.AsmallamountofTP4spreadsacrosslargeareasveryquickly.Beforet
heCavendishbanana,weateavarietycalledtheGrosMichel.Fiftyyearsa
go,itwastheworld'smainbanana.By1965,afunguscalledPanamaDise
asehadkilledit.BananagrowerschangedtotheCavendishbanana.Now
theCavendishisintrouble.TP4staysinthegroundforalongtime,sonew
plantscannotgrow.Oneansweristogrowgeneticallymodified(GM)ban
anas.DiseaseslikeTP4cannotkillthem.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

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d)

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e)

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f)

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g)

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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 bananas 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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