Sisters reunited 30 years after Colombia avalanche

Sisters reunited 30 years after Colombia avalanche (28th February, 2016)

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

An avalanche separated two sisters in Colombia 30 years ago but now they are back together. Jaqueline and Lorena Sanchez thought they had lost each other after a volcano erupted near their town of Armero. Lava melted nearby glaciers and caused four avalanches which killed over 20,000 people. Jaqueline, 33, and Lorena, 39, each thought the other was dead. Armero was the second deadliest volcanic disaster of the 20th century.

The sisters were adopted by different families. They never stopped looking for each other. They were reunited after their DNA tests matched. Lorena said: "It has been 30 years since the tragedy happened….I have to catch up with 30 years of her life and she has to do the same with me." Jaqueline said: "I'm nervous...because suddenly, you don't know if you are going to be rejected….I wonder if she will love me….It's difficult to explain this moment."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35666066
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/dna-testing-reunites-colombian-sisters-after-30-years/2016/02/25/ba35577e-dc12-11e5-8210-f0bd8de915f6_story.html
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/02/25/dna-testing-reunites-colombian-sisters-seperated-after-avalanche-destroyed-their-hometown-30-years-ago.html

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.	An avalanche separated	a.	killed over 20,000 people
2.	now they are back	b.	century
3.	a volcano erupted	c.	together
4.	Lava melted nearby	d.	near their town
5.	four avalanches which	e.	two sisters
6.	each thought the other	f.	disaster
7.	the second deadliest volcanic	g.	was dead
8.	the 20th	h.	glaciers

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.	The sisters were adopted	a.	tests matched
2.	They never stopped looking	b.	same with me
3.	They were reunited after their DNA	c.	30 years of her life
4.	It has been 30 years since	d.	by different families
5.	I have to catch up with	e.	to be rejected
6.	she has to do the	f.	for each other
7.	you don't know if you are going	g.	love me
8.	I wonder if she will	h.	the tragedy happened

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

An avalanche (1) ___________________ sisters in Colombia 30 years ago but now they (2) ___________________. Jaqueline and Lorena Sanchez thought they had lost (3) ___________________ a volcano erupted near their town of Armero. Lava melted (4) ___________________ and caused four avalanches which killed over 20,000 people. Jaqueline, 33, and Lorena, 39, (5) ___________________ other was dead. Armero was the second deadliest volcanic (6) ___________________ 20th century.

The sisters (7) ___________________ different families. They never stopped looking for each other. They were (8) ___________________ DNA tests matched. Lorena said: "It has been 30 years (9) ___________________ happened….I have (10) ___________________ 30 years of her life and she has to do (11) ___________________ me." Jaqueline said: "I'm nervous...because suddenly, you don't know if you are going to be rejected….I wonder if she will love me….It's difficult (12) ___________________ moment."

NATURAL DISASTERS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about natural disasters 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.

	STUDENT 1 _____________	STUDENT 2 _____________	STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

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)	________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)	________________________________________________________
b)	________________________________________________________
c)	________________________________________________________
d)	________________________________________________________
e)	________________________________________________________
f)	________________________________________________________
g)	________________________________________________________
h)	________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about natural disasters for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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