The Reading / Listening - Super Monster Wolf - Level 3

Technology has come to the rescue of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried to keep animals away from their farms. However, engineers have invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally scare away wild animals that want to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks like a real wolf. It has lookalike wolf hair, big scary teeth and red LED eyes with infrared sensors. It also has 48 different wolf howls and other noises so animals never get used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice paddies, farms and fruit orchards. Farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every year to hungry animals.

Members of Japan's agricultural association (JA) took part in trials of the Super Monster Wolf in nine locations across Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly reduced crop losses. He said it was more effective than an electric fence at keeping animals out. The robot can sense movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary sounds. The robot will start being mass produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The price is $4,800 but farmers will have the option of renting the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are hoping that this new electronic aid will finally stop wild animals eating their crops.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Super Monster Wolf - Level 0,  Super Monster Wolf - Level 1   or  Super Monster Wolf - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.treehugger.com/animals/super-monster-wolf-crop-saving-demon-robot.html
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-43303781
  • https://www.chibanippo.co.jp/news/national/480074


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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. RICE PADDIES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about rice paddies. 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?
       technology / rescue / farms / wild animals / solar-powered / scarecrow / rice paddy /
       trials / losses / electric fence / movement / farmers / option / wolf / electronic / aid
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. ROBOTS: Students A strongly believe robots will improve life for all humans; Students B strongly believe the opposite.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. ANIMAL ROBOTS: How could animal robots help these people? In what situations? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What kind of robot?

How could it help?

In what situations?

Soldiers

 

 

 

Old people

 

 

 

Homeowners

 

 

 

Students

 

 

 

Athletes

 

 

 

You

 

 

 
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. WOLF: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "wolf". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. CROPS: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important crops at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • garlic
  • tomato
  • banana
  • corn
  • rice
  • potato
  • onion
  • wheat

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. rescue a. Create or designed something that has not existed before.
      2. invented b. A food that is grown on farms, especially a vegetable (e.g. corn, potato...) or a grain (rice, wheat...).
      3. scare c. Save someone from a dangerous or damaging situation.
      4. crops d. Something farmers make to look like a human, set up to scare birds away from a field where crops are growing.
      5. solar e. Coming from the sun.
      6. scarecrow f. A field where rice is grown.
      7. paddies g. Cause great fear or nervousness in; frighten.

    Paragraph 2

      8. trials h. A thing that people use to help them.
      9. locations i. Become aware of something or of something about to happen.
      10. significantly j. At once; instantly.
      11. sense k. A test of how well or badly something works (or doesn't work).
      12. immediately l. A place or position.
      13. option m. A thing that is or may be chosen.
      14. aid n. Greatly; importantly.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The article says Japanese farmers loved animals for thousands of years.  T / F
  2. A super monster-wolf wants to eat pumpkins and sweet potatoes.     T / F
  3. A new robot wolf has scary green eyes.     T / F
  4. The robot wolf will help scare away deer and wild boar from rice paddies. T / F
  5. Japan's architectural association (JA) took part in trials of the wolf.     T / F
  6. An agriculture spokesman said the wolf was better than electric fences.   T / F
  7. The robot wolf will go into production next month.     T / F
  8. Japanese farmers will be able to rent the robot wolf on a monthly basis.  T / F

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

  1. rescue
  2. tried
  3. scare
  4. howls
  5. paddies
  6. agricultural
  7. trials
  8. effective
  9. option
  10. aid
  1. farming
  2. fields
  3. attempted
  4. successful
  5. help
  6. frighten
  7. choice
  8. saving
  9. tests
  10. cries

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

  1. Technology has come to the rescue
  2. scare
  3. eyes with
  4. rice
  5. Farmers lose millions
  6. Members of Japan's agricultural
  7. in nine locations
  8. the robot wolf significantly
  9. more effective than an electric
  10. farmers will have the option of
  1. infrared sensors
  2. of dollars of crops
  3. fence
  4. association
  5. away wild animals
  6. reduced crop losses
  7. renting the wolf
  8. of Japanese farmers
  9. across Japan
  10. paddies

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
real
howls
rescue
crops
scare
paddies
farms
sensors

Technology has come to the (1) ____________ of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried to keep animals away from their (2) ____________. However, engineers have invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally (3) ____________ away wild animals that want to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks like a (4) ____________ wolf. It has lookalike wolf hair, big scary teeth and red LED eyes with infrared (5) ____________. It also has 48 different wolf (6) ____________ and other noises so animals never get used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice (7) ____________, farms and fruit orchards. Farmers lose millions of dollars of (8) ____________ every year to hungry animals.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
losses
price
trials
wild
sounds
locations
option
sense

Members of Japan's Agricultural Association (JA) took part in (9) ____________ of the Super Monster Wolf in nine (10) ____________ across Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly reduced crop (11) ____________. He said it was more effective than an electric fence at keeping animals out. The robot can (12) ____________ movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary (13) ____________. The robot will start being mass produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The (14) ____________ is $4,800 but farmers will have the (15) ____________ of renting the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are hoping that this new electronic aid will finally stop (16) ____________ animals eating their crops.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  Technology has come to the ______ Japanese farmers
     a.  rescuer of
     b.  rescues of
     c.  rescued of
     d.  rescue of
2)  Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks ______ wolf
     a.  like a really
     b.  like a real
     c.  like a reel
     d.  like a royal
3)  It also has 48 different wolf howls and other noises so animals never ______
     a.  get use to it
     b.  get used too it
     c.  get used to it
     d.  gets used to it
4)  Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out ______
     a.  of rice paddles
     b.  off lice paddles
     c.  of rice paddies
     d.  of lice paddies
5)  Farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every year ______
     a.  to hungry animals
     b.  to hungrily animals
     c.  to angry animals
     d.  to angrily animals

6)  Members of Japan's Agricultural Association (JA) took ______
     a.  party in trials
     b.  partying trials
     c.  part entrails
     d.  part in trials
7)  JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly ______
     a.  reduced crop loss is
     b.  reduced crops losses
     c.  reduced crop losses
     d.  reduced crops loss is
8)  He said it was more effective than an electric ______ animals out
     a.  defence at keeping
     b.  fence at keeping
     c.  offence at keeping
     d.  fenced at keeping
9)  The price is $4,800 but farmers will have the option ______ wolf
     a.  of rending the
     b.  of lending the
     c.  of rent thing the
     d.  of renting the
10)  this new electronic aid will finally stop wild animals ______
     a.  eaten their crops
     b.  eating them crops
     c.  eating their crops
     d.  eat-in their crops

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Technology has come (1) ___________________ of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried to (2) ___________________ from their farms. However, engineers have invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally (3) ___________________ animals that want to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks like a real wolf. It has (4) ___________________, big scary teeth and red LED eyes with infrared sensors. It also has 48 different wolf howls and other noises (5) ___________________ get used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice paddies, farms and fruit orchards. Farmers (6) ___________________ dollars of crops every year to hungry animals.

Members of Japan's Agricultural Association (JA) took (7) ___________________ of the Super Monster Wolf in (8) ___________________ Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly reduced crop losses. He said it was more effective than (9) ___________________ at keeping animals out. The robot can sense movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary sounds. The robot will (10) ___________________ produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The price is $4,800 but farmers will have (11) ___________________ renting the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are hoping that this new electronic aid (12) ___________________ wild animals eating their crops.

Comprehension questions

  1. What does the article say has come to the rescue for Japan's farmers?
  2. Where does the Super Monster Wolf get its energy from?
  3. What colour eyes does the Super Monster Wolf have?
  4. How many different sounds can the Super Monster Wolf make?
  5. How much money do Japan's farmers lose because of hungry animals?
  6. How many different places was the Super Monster Wolf tested in?
  7. What was the Super Monster Wolf more effective than?
  8. When will the Super Monster Wolf go into production?
  9. How tall is the Super Monster Wolf?
  10. How regularly could Japanese farmers rent the Super Monster Wolf?

Multiple choice quiz

1) What does the article say has come to the rescue for Japan's farmers?
a) the weather
b) technology
c) wild wolves
d) an insect
2) Where does the Super Monster Wolf get its energy from?
a) its bones
b) protein
c) nuclear power
d) the sun
3) What colour eyes does the Super Monster Wolf have?
a) black
b) green
c) red
d) silver
4) How many different sounds can the Super Monster Wolf make?
a) 48
b) 46
c) 56
d) 58
5) How much money do Japan's farmers lose because of hungry animals?
a) millions of yen
b) millions of dollars
c) half
d) $785,690.99

6) How many different places was the Super Monster Wolf tested in?
a) 9
b) 8
c) 7
d) 6
7) What was the Super Monster Wolf more effective than?
a) guns
b) scarecrows
c) electric fences
d) a Super Monster Lion
8) When will the Super Monster Wolf go into production?
a) next month
b) next week
c) tomorrow
d) next year
9) How tall is the Super Monster Wolf?
a) 25cm
b) one meter
c) 3 meters
d) half a meter
10) How regularly could Japanese farmers rent the Super Monster Wolf?
a) weekly
b) annually
c) monthly
d) daily

Role play

Role  A – Rice
You think rice is the most important crop. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their crops. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): wheat, banana or corn.

Role  B – Wheat
You think wheat is the most important crop. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their crops. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): rice, banana or corn.

Role  C – Banana
You think banana is the most important crop. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their crops. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why): wheat, rice or corn.

Role  D – Corn
You think corn is the most important crop. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their crops. Also, tell the others which is the least important of these (and why):  wheat, banana or rice.

After reading / listening

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

'monster'

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

    • and 'wolf'.

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

    • • 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:

    • trials
    • reduced
    • effective
    • sense
    • option
    • hoping
    • come
    • invented
    • solar
    • teeth
    • noises
    • year

    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 - Japanese robot-wolf to protect farms

    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 'monster'?
    3. What do you think of robots?
    4. How can robot animals help us?
    5. What problems do farmers have?
    6. How can farmers scare away animals?
    7. Do you think animals will be afraid of the Super Monster Wolf?
    8. What do you think of the name 'Super Monster Wolf'?
    9. What do you know about rice paddies?
    10. Why do scarecrows rarely work?

    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 'wolf'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What do you know about wolves?
    5. Do you think the Super Monster Wolf will work?
    6. What do you think of the price of the wolf?
    7. Would you buy a robot dog to guard your house?
    8. Should wild animals be allowed to eat crops on farms?
    9. Would you like to be a farmer?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the inventors?

    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)

    Technology has (1) ____ to the rescue of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried (2) ____ keep animals away from their farms. However, engineers have invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally (3) ____ away wild animals that want to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks (4) ____ a real wolf. It has lookalike wolf hair, big scary teeth and red LED eyes with infrared sensors. It also has 48 different wolf howls and (5) ____ noises so animals never get used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice paddies, farms and (6) ____ orchards. Farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every year to hungry animals.

    Members of Japan's agricultural association (JA) (7) ____ part in trials of the Super Monster Wolf in nine locations across Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf (8) ____ reduced crop losses. He said it was more effective than an electric fence at (9) ____ animals out. The robot can sense movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary sounds. The robot will start (10) ____ mass produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The price is $4,800 but farmers will have the option (11) ____ renting the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are hoping that this new electronic (12) ____ will finally stop wild animals eating their crops.

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     comes     (b)     came     (c)     come     (d)     coming    
    2. (a)     to     (b)     at     (c)     by     (d)     for    
    3. (a)     scare     (b)     scary     (c)     scared     (d)     scares    
    4. (a)     like     (b)     liked     (c)     likely     (d)     likes    
    5. (a)     the others     (b)     other     (c)     others     (d)     another    
    6. (a)     fruitless     (b)     fruits     (c)     fruity     (d)     fruit    
    7. (a)     done     (b)     gave     (c)     took     (d)     been    
    8. (a)     signify     (b)     significant     (c)     significance     (d)     significantly    
    9. (a)     keeping     (b)     kept     (c)     keeps     (d)     keeper    
    10. (a)     being     (b)     bean     (c)     been     (d)     be    
    11. (a)     at     (b)     of     (c)     on     (d)     to    
    12. (a)     helpful     (b)     band     (c)     aid     (d)     assist

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. come to the rseecu
    2. engineers have vdintnee the "Super Monster Wolf"
    3. csrea away wild animals
    4. LED eyes with infrared esrsnso
    5. rice addeips, farms and fruit orchards
    6. iionmlls of dollars

    Paragraph 2

    1. took part in tlrais
    2. nine antolsico across Japan
    3. more ftveeifce than an electric fence
    4. being mass redodpuc
    5. have the opinot of renting
    6. this new neecrioctl aid

    Put the text back together

    (  1  ) Technology has come to the rescue of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried to keep animals away
    (...)  to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that looks
    (...)  used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice paddies, farms and fruit
    (...)  but farmers will have the option of renting the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are
    (...)  orchards. Farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every year to hungry animals.
    (...)  Members of Japan's Agricultural Association (JA) took part in trials of the Super Monster Wolf in nine
    (...)  being mass produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The price is $4,800
    (...)  like a real wolf. It has lookalike wolf hair, big scary teeth and red LED eyes with infrared
    (...)  locations across Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly reduced crop
    (...)  losses. He said it was more effective than an electric fence at keeping animals out. The robot can sense
    (...)  movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary sounds. The robot will start
    (...)  hoping that this new electronic aid will finally stop wild animals eating their crops.
    (...)  from their farms. However, engineers have invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally scare away wild animals that want
    (...)  sensors. It also has 48 different wolf howls and other noises so animals never get

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Japanese   has   of   rescue   come   the   to   Technology   farmers   .
    2. farms   .   from   to   away   keep   animals   Tried   their
    3. animals   away   want   eat   to   that   crops   .   Scare
    4. howls   .   wolf   It   48   different   has   also
    5. rice   like   deer   animals   paddies   .   out   Keep   of
    6. robot   wolf   losses   .   The   reduced   significantly   crop
    7. fence   .   was   It   than   electric   an   effective   more
    8. robot   mass   start   The   being   will   produced   .
    9. each   month   .   The   the   wolf   of   renting   option
    10. their   wild   stop   crops   .   Finally   animals   eating

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Technology has come to the rescuer / rescue of Japanese farmers. For thousands of years they have tried to / for keep animals away from their farms. However, engineers have invention / invented the "Super Monster Wolf" to finally scare / scary away wild animals that want to eat crops of rice, pumpkin or sweet / sweets potato. Super Monster Wolf is a solar-powered scarecrow robot that look / looks like a real wolf. It has lookalike wolf hair, big scary teeth / tooth and red LED eyes with infrared sensors. It also has 48 different wolf howls and other / another noises so animals never get used to it. Super Monster Wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out / in of rice paddies, farms and fruit orchards. Farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every yearly / year to hungry animals.

    Members of Japan's Agricultural Association (JA) took / gave part in trials of the Super Monster Wolf in nine locations cross / across Japan. JA spokesman Chikao Umezawa reported that the robot wolf significance / significantly reduced crop losses / lost. He said it was more effective than an electric fence at keeps / keeping animals out. The robot can sense movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make / do its scary sounds. The robot will start been / being mass produced from next month. It will be 65cm long and 50cm high. The price is $4,800 but farmers will have the option of renting / rent the wolf by the month. Japan's farmers are hoping that this new electronic aid / maid will finally stop wild animals eating them / their crops.

    Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

    Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

    T_c h n_l_g y   h_s   c_m_  t_  t h_  r_s c__  _f   J_p_n_s_  f_r m_r s .   F_r   t h__ s_n d s  _f   y__ r s   t h_y   h_v_  t r__ d   t_  k__ p  _n_m_l s  _w_y   f r_m   t h__ r   f_r m s .   H_w_v_r ,  _n g_n__ r s   h_v_ _n v_n t_d   t h_  " S_p_r   M_n s t_r   W_l f "   t_  f_n_l l y   s c_r_ _w_y   w_l d  _n_m_l s   t h_t   w_n t   t_ __ t   c r_p s  _f   r_c_,   p_m p k_n  _r   s w__ t   p_t_t_.   S_p_r   M_n s t_r   W_l f  _s  _  s_l_r - p_w_r_d   s c_r_c r_w   r_b_t   t h_t   l__ k s   l_k_ _  r__ l   w_l f .   I t   h_s   l__ k_l_k_  w_l f   h__ r ,   b_g   s c_r y   t__ t h  _n d   r_d   L E D  _y_s   w_t h  _n f r_r_d   s_n s_r s .   I t  _l s_  h_s   4 8   d_f f_r_n t   w_l f   h_w l s  _n d  _t h_r   n__ s_s   s_ _n_m_l s   n_v_r   g_t  _s_d   t_ _t .   S_p_r   M_n s t_r   W_l f   w_l l   b_ _s_d   t_  k__ p  _n_m_l s   l_k_  w_l d   b__ r  _n d   d__ r  __ t  _f   r_c_  p_d d__ s ,   f_r m s  _n d   f r__ t  _r c h_r d s .   F_r m_r s   l_s_  m_l l__ n s  _f   d_l l_r s  _f   c r_p s  _v_r y   y__ r   t_  h_n g r y  _n_m_l s .

    M_m b_r s  _f   J_p_n ' s   A g r_c_l t_r_l   A s s_c__ t__ n   ( J A )   t__ k   p_r t  _n   t r__ l s  _f   t h_  S_p_r   M_n s t_r   W_l f  _n   n_n_  l_c_t__ n s  _c r_s s   J_p_n .   J A   s p_k_s m_n   C h_k__   U m_z_w_  r_p_r t_d   t h_t   t h_  r_b_t   w_l f   s_g n_f_c_n t l y   r_d_c_d   c r_p   l_s s_s .   H_  s__ d  _t   w_s   m_r_ _f f_c t_v_  t h_n  _n  _l_c t r_c   f_n c_ _t   k__ p_n g  _n_m_l s  __ t .   T h_  r_b_t   c_n   s_n s_  m_v_m_n t  _p   t_ _n_  k_l_m_t r_ _w_y  _n d  _m m_d__ t_l y   m_k_ _t s   s c_r y   s__ n d s .   T h_  r_b_t   w_l l   s t_r t   b__ n g   m_s s   p r_d_c_d   f r_m   n_x t   m_n t h .   I t   w_l l   b_  6 5 c m   l_n g  _n d   5 0 c m   h_g h .   T h_  p r_c_ _s   $ 4 , 8 0 0   b_t   f_r m_r s   w_l l   h_v_  t h_ _p t__ n  _f   r_n t_n g   t h_  w_l f   b y   t h_  m_n t h .   J_p_n ' s   f_r m_r s  _r_  h_p_n g   t h_t   t h_s   n_w  _l_c t r_n_c  __ d   w_l l   f_n_l l y   s t_p   w_l d  _n_m_l s  __ t_n g   t h__ r   c r_p s .

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    technology has come to the rescue of japanese farmers for thousands of years they have tried to keep animals away from their farms however engineers have invented the super monster wolf to finally scare away wild animals that want to eat crops of rice pumpkin or sweet potato super monster wolf is a solarpowered scarecrow robot that looks like a real wolf it has lookalike wolf hair big scary teeth and red led eyes with infrared sensors it also has 48 different wolf howls and other noises so animals never get used to it super monster wolf will be used to keep animals like wild boar and deer out of rice paddies farms and fruit orchards farmers lose millions of dollars of crops every year to hungry animals

    members of japans agricultural association ja took part in trials of the super monster wolf in nine locations across japan ja spokesman chikao umezawa reported that the robot wolf significantly reduced crop losses he said it was more effective than an electric fence at keeping animals out the robot can sense movement up to one kilometre away and immediately make its scary sounds the robot will start being mass produced from next month it will be 65cm long and 50cm high the price is 4800 but farmers will have the option of renting the wolf by the month japans farmers are hoping that this new electronic aid will finally stop wild animals eating their crops.

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TechnologyhascometotherescueofJapanesefarmers.Forthousandso
    fyearstheyhavetriedtokeepanimalsawayfromtheirfarms.However,e
    ngineershaveinventedthe"SuperMonsterWolf"tofinallyscareawaywi
    ldanimalsthatwanttoeatcropsofrice,pumpkinorsweetpotato.SuperM
    onsterWolfisasolar-poweredscarecrowrobotthatlookslikearealwo
    lf.Ithaslookalikewolfhair,bigscaryteethandredLEDeyeswithinfrared
    sensors.Italsohas48differentwolfhowlsandothernoisessoanimalsne
    vergetusedtoit.SuperMonsterWolfwillbeusedtokeepanimalslikewild
    boaranddeeroutofricepaddies,farmsandfruitorchards.Farmerslose
    millionsofdollarsofcropseveryyeartohungryanimals.MembersofJapa
    n'sAgriculturalAssociation(JA)tookpartintrialsoftheSuperMonsterW
    olfinninelocationsacrossJapan.JAspokesmanChikaoUmezawareport
    edthattherobotwolfsignificantlyreducedcroplosses.Hesaiditwasmor
    eeffectivethananelectricfenceatkeepinganimalsout.Therobotcanse
    nsemovementuptoonekilometreawayandimmediatelymakeitsscary
    sounds.Therobotwillstartbeingmassproducedfromnextmonth.Itwill
    be65cmlongand50cmhigh.Thepriceis$4,800butfarmerswillhavethe
    optionofrentingthewolfbythemonth.Japan'sfarmersarehopingthatt
    hisnewelectronicaidwillfinallystopwildanimalseatingtheircrops.

    Free writing

    Write about monster wolf for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Farmers should let wild animals eat some of their crops to help nature. 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. ANIMAL ROBOTS: Make a poster about animal robots. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. CROPS: Write a magazine article about farmers letting animals eat some of their crops to help nature. 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 animal robots. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how animal robots can help us. 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

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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