The Reading / Listening - Disease X - Level 0

The WHO says the world is in danger. There is a virus called 'Disease X'. Scientists don't know what it looks like. It could spread around the world before we know about it. The WHO said the name 'Disease X' represents any international epidemic from an unknown virus. It has a plan if there is an outbreak.

Disease X could come from many places. A disease could get stronger; terrorists could make bio-weapons; technology could make new viruses. Scientists in the U.S. say that 60 per cent of infectious diseases come from animals. Today, we live in cities and travel the world more. This will make diseases spread quickly.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Disease X - Level 1,  Disease X - Level 2   or  Disease X - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.techtimes.com/articles/222770/20180310/disease-x-unknown-pathogen-could-cause-epidemic-that-can-kill-millions-worldwide.htm
  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/beware-disease-x-mystery-killer-keeping-scientists-awake-night/
  • https://nypost.com/2018/03/10/disease-x-could-be-the-worlds-worst-nightmare/


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the world is in
  2. a virus called
  3. Scientists don't
  4. what it looks
  5. spread around
  6. from an unknown
  7. It has a
  8. if there is an
  1. know
  2. plan
  3. the world
  4. outbreak
  5. 'Disease X'
  6. danger
  7. like
  8. virus

Paragraph 2

  1. Disease X could come from
  2. A disease could
  3. terrorists could make
  4. technology could
  5. 60 per cent of infectious
  6. we live in
  7. travel the
  8. make diseases spread
  1. bio-weapons
  2. world more
  3. cities
  4. quickly
  5. get stronger
  6. many places
  7. diseases
  8. make new viruses

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The WHO says the (1) ___________________ danger. There is a virus called 'Disease X'. Scientists (2) ___________________ it looks like. (3) ___________________ around the world before we (4) ___________________. The WHO said the name 'Disease X' represents any international epidemic (5) ___________________ virus. It has a plan if there (6) ___________________.

Disease X could (7) ___________________ places. A disease could get stronger; (8) ___________________ bio-weapons; technology could (9) ___________________. Scientists in the U.S. say that 60 per cent (10) ___________________ come from animals. Today, we (11) ___________________ and travel the world more. This will make (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheWHOsaystheworldisindanger.Thereisaviruscalled'DiseaseX'.Sci
entistsdon'tknowwhatitlookslike.Itcouldspreadaroundtheworldbefo
reweknowaboutit.TheWHOsaidthename'DiseaseX'representsanyint
ernationalepidemicfromanunknownvirus.Ithasaplanifthereisanoutb
reak.DiseaseXcouldcomefrommanyplaces.Adiseasecouldgetstrong
er;terroristscouldmakebio-weapons;technologycouldmakenewvir
uses.ScientistsintheU.S.saythat60percentofinfectiousdiseasescom
efromanimals.Today,weliveincitiesandtraveltheworldmore.Thiswill
makediseasesspreadquickly.

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 — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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