The Reading / Listening - Insect Apocalypse - Level 0

The falling numbers of insects is a big danger. Half of all insects have died since the 1970s. Over 40 per cent of insect species could die in our lifetime. They are dying at a rate of 2.5 per cent a year. It is an "insect apocalypse". Scientists say there could be, "a catastrophic collapse of Earth's ecosystems".

Pesticides are killing insects. Fewer insects mean less food. Our crops depend on insects. Around 7.5 billion people will have no food without insects. A big worry is honeybees. The number of honeybee groups dropped a lot. A professor said: "We can't wait another 25 years before we do anything because it will be too late."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Insect Apocalypse - Level 1,  Insect Apocalypse - Level 2   or  Insect Apocalypse - Level 3

Sources
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/13/europe/insect-apocalypse-report-scn/index.html
  • https://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/42563/20191114/insect-apocalypse-coming-heres-what-during-breakout.htm
  • https://www.businessinsider.com/insect-apocalypse-ecosystem-collapse-food-insecurity-2019-11


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. falling numbers of insects
  2. insect species could die
  3. They are
  4. at a rate of
  5. It is an
  6. Scientists say there
  7. a catastrophic
  8. Earth's
  1. dying
  2. collapse
  3. in our lifetime
  4. could be
  5. ecosystems
  6. 2.5 per cent a year
  7. is a big danger
  8. "insect apocalypse"

Paragraph 2

  1. Fewer insects mean
  2. Our crops depend
  3. people will have no food
  4. A big worry is
  5. The number of honeybee groups
  6. We can't wait
  7. before we
  8. it will be
  1. do anything
  2. honeybees
  3. on insects
  4. too late
  5. another 25 years
  6. without insects
  7. less food
  8. dropped a lot

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The (1) ___________________ insects is a big danger. Half of all insects (2) ___________________ the 1970s. Over 40 per cent of (3) ___________________ die in our lifetime. They are (4) ___________________ rate of 2.5 per cent a year. It (5) ___________________ apocalypse". Scientists say there could be, "a catastrophic (6) ___________________ ecosystems".

Pesticides (7) ___________________. Fewer insects mean less food. Our (8) ___________________ insects. Around 7.5 billion people will have (9) ___________________ insects. A big worry is honeybees. (10) ___________________ honeybee groups dropped a lot. A professor said: "(11) ___________________ another 25 years before we do anything because it will (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thefallingnumbersofinsectsisabigdanger.Halfofallinsectshavediedsi
ncethe1970s.Over40percentofinsectspeciescoulddieinourlifetime.T
heyaredyingatarateof2.5percentayear.Itisan"insectapocalypse".Sc
ientistssaytherecouldbe,"acatastrophiccollapseofEarth'secosystem
s".Pesticidesarekillinginsects.Fewerinsectsmeanlessfood.Ourcrops
dependoninsects.Around7.5billionpeoplewillhavenofoodwithoutins
ects.Abigworryishoneybees.Thenumberofhoneybeegroupsdropped
alot.Aprofessorsaid:"Wecan'twaitanother25yearsbeforewedoanyth
ingbecauseitwillbetoolate."

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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