The Reading / Listening - Hurricanes - Level 3

Weather experts are calling for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because climate change is causing more powerful storms. Scientists in the USA want to extend the current scale used to measure hurricanes. This scale ranks storms from 1 to 5. A category five is currently the strongest. This is when winds reach 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for winds of over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the past decade, there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that would have been a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather phenomenon. The former start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the latter occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.

Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a long time for a new category 6 to be accepted. It would need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching more intense storms. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform broader discussions about how to better communicate risk in a warming world". He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas emissions. This increase in emissions is heating oceans, which gives the water extra energy. This makes hurricanes more powerful, with much higher wind speeds. He believes there will be a greater number of "super-storms" in the future. He said: "These storms keep getting stronger as the climate changes."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Hurricanes - Level 0,  Hurricanes - Level 1   or  Hurricanes - Level 2

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/05/hurricanes-becoming-so-strong-that-new-category-needed-study-says
  • https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/05/category-6-hurricane-study-cites-climate-change/72426410007/
  • https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415741-hurricanes-are-becoming-so-strong-we-may-need-a-new-scale-to-rate-them/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Warm-ups

1. HURRICANES: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about hurricanes. 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?
       weather / experts / hurricanes / powerful storms / winds / the past decade / Pacific /
       meteorologist / discussions / a warming world / risk / temperatures / energy / future
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. PREPARE: Students A strongly believe we all need to prepare for extreme weather events; Students B strongly believe we don't. Change partners again and talk about your conversations.
4. EXTREME WEATHER: Why are these weather events dangerous? What should we do to prepare and survive? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

What I Know

How to Prepare

How to Survive

Hurricanes

 

 

 

Blizzards

 

 

 

Heat waves

 

 

 

Cold waves

 

 

 

Droughts

 

 

 

Floods

 

 

 
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. EXPERT: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "expert". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.
6. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: Rank these with your partner. Put the best ways to cut emissions at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • Hydrogen fuel cars
  • Car pooling
  • Turn off lights
  • Don't use elevators
  • No bottled water
  • Buy local food
  • Walk everywhere
  • Recycle everything

 

Vocabulary

    Paragraph 1

      1. expert a. Give someone or something a level or place within a grading system.
      2. storm (noun) b. Cause to cover a wider area.
      3. extend c. A violent weather event with strong winds, rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
      4. measure (verb) d. A fact or situation that is seen to that happens, but whose cause cannot be explained.
      5. rank (verb) e. A person who is very knowledgeable about or skillful in a particular area.
      6. meteorologist f. Find out the size, amount, or degree of something.
      7. phenomenon g. Someone who studies or works with weather.

    Paragraph 2

      8. intense h. A situation that has danger.
      9. inform i. A very, very, very large area of sea.
      10. broader j. The production and release of something, especially gas or radiation.
      11. risk k. Give someone facts or information; tell.
      12. emissions l. The weather conditions in an area in general or over a long period of time.
      13. ocean m. Of great (extreme) force, degree, or strength.
      14. climate n. Covering a larger number and wide area of subjects.

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. Experts say we need a new hurricane scale because of climate change.   T / F
  2. A category 1 is currently the strongest storm.     T / F
  3. A category 6 is needed for winds of above 309 kph.     T / F
  4. The article says typhoons and hurricanes are very different.     T / F
  5. The new category 6 could be introduced very soon.     T / F
  6. Warmer oceans are leading to stronger winds.     T / F
  7. A meteorologist believes there'll be more super-storms in the future.     T / F
  8. The meteorologist said climate change will eventually weaken storms.     T / F

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

  1. experts
  2. current
  3. decade
  4. same
  5. occur
  6. meteorologist
  7. intense
  8. emissions
  9. extra
  10. climate
  1. identical
  2. discharges
  3. happen
  4. weather patterns
  5. 10 years
  6. specialists
  7. additional
  8. weather forecaster
  9. present
  10. powerful

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

  1. extend the current scale used to
  2. A category five is currently the
  3. in the past
  4. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same
  5. The former start
  6. broader discussions
  7. caused by greenhouse gas
  8. This increase in emissions is
  9. there'll be a greater number of super-storms in
  10. storms keep getting stronger as
  1. the climate changes
  2. emissions
  3. weather phenomenon
  4. the future
  5. about how to
  6. strongest
  7. decade
  8. measure hurricanes
  9. in the Atlantic Ocean
  10. heating oceans

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
phenomenon
currently
experts
measure
latter
storms
decade
winds

Weather (1) _____________________ are calling for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because climate change is causing more powerful (2) _____________________. Scientists in the USA want to extend the current scale used to (3) _____________________ hurricanes. This scale ranks storms from 1 to 5. A category five is (4) _____________________ the strongest. This is when winds reach 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for (5) _____________________ of over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the past (6) _____________________, there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that would have been a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather (7) _____________________. The former start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the (8) _____________________ occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
risk
powerful
accepted
broader
future
intense
keep
emissions

Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a long time for a new category 6 to be (9) _____________________. It would need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching more (10) _____________________ storms. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform (11) _____________________ discussions about how to better communicate (12) _____________________ in a warming world". He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas (13) _____________________. This increase in emissions is heating oceans, which gives the water extra energy. This makes hurricanes more (14) _____________________, with much higher wind speeds. He believes there will be a greater number of "super-storms" in the (15) _____________________. He said: "These storms (16) _____________________ getting stronger as the climate changes."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) Weather experts are calling for a new, stronger ______
     a.  category from hurricanes
     b.  categories for hurricanes
     c.  category for hurricanes
     d.  categorize for hurricanes
2)  They say this is because climate change is causing ______
     a.  more powerful storms
     b.  more powerfully storms
     c.  more power, full storms
     d.  more powerful storm
3)  Scientists in the USA want to extend the current scale used ______
     a.  to measured hurricanes
     b.  to measure hurricanes
     c.  to measure hurricane
     d.  tomb measure hurricanes
4)  Their studies show that in ______
     a.  the parsed decade
     b.  the passed decade
     c.  the psst decade
     d.  the past decade
5)  Hurricanes and typhoons are the ______
     a.  shame weather phenomenon
     b.  same weather phenomenon
     c.  sane weather phenomenon
     d.  some weather phenomenon

6)  it would take a long time for a new category 6 ______
     a.  to be accept it
     b.  to be excepted
     c.  to be accepted
     d.  to be incepted
7)  the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching ______
     a.  more in tense storms
     b.  more incense storms
     c.  more in tents storms
     d.  more intense storms
8)  He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused by ______
     a.  greenhouse gas emission
     b.  greenhouse gas emissions
     c.  greenhouse gas remissions
     d.  greenhouse gas missions
9)  This increase in emissions is heating oceans, which gives the ______
     a.  water extra energetic
     b.  water extra energize
     c.  water extra energies
     d.  water extra energy
10)  He believes there will be a greater number of "super-storms" ______
     a.  on the future
     b.  an the future
     c.  in the future
     d.  and the future

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Weather (1) ____________________ for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because climate change is causing (2) ____________________. Scientists in the USA want to (3) ____________________ scale used to measure hurricanes. This scale ranks storms from 1 to 5. A category five is currently the strongest. This is when winds reach 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is (4) ____________________ of over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the past decade, there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that (5) ____________________ a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather phenomenon. The former start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the (6) ____________________ the north-western Pacific Ocean.

Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a long time for a new category 6 (7) ____________________. It would need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching (8) ____________________. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform broader discussions about how to better communicate risk in (9) ____________________". He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas emissions. This increase in (10) ____________________ oceans, which gives the water extra energy. This makes hurricanes more powerful, with much (11) ____________________. He believes there will be a greater number of "super-storms" in the future. He said: "These (12) ____________________ stronger as the climate changes."

Comprehension questions

  1. Who is calling for a category 6 to measure hurricanes?
  2. What speed do winds reach to be measured by the category 5?
  3. What wind speed will a category 6 measure?
  4. When were there five category 6 hurricanes and typhoons?
  5. Where do typhoons begin?
  6. What is Dr James Kossin's job?
  7. What might the USA's National Hurricane Center start researching?
  8. What are rising temperatures caused by?
  9. What gives ocean water extra energy?
  10. What did Dr James Kossin say there would be more of in the future?

Multiple choice quiz

1) Who is calling for a category 6 to measure hurricanes?
a) journalists
b) tornado chasers
c) weather experts
d) weather announcers
2) What speed do winds reach to be measured by the category 5?
a) 252 kph
b) 225 kph
c) 222 kph
d) 252 kph
3) What wind speed will a category 6 measure?
a) under 306 kph
b) over 309 kph
c) around 307 kph
d) exactly 308 kph
4) When were there five category 6 hurricanes and typhoons?
a) in 2019
b) in the past century
c) last year
d) in the past decade
5) Where do typhoons begin?
a) in the Atlantic Ocean
b) in the north-western Atlantic Ocean
c) in the north-western Pacific Ocean
d) in the southern Pacific Ocean

6) What is Dr James Kossin's job?
a) He's a tornado chaser.
b) He's a journalist.
c) He's a meteorologist.
d) He's a professor.
7) What might the USA's National Hurricane Center start researching?
a) the Atlantic Ocean
b) the Pacific Ocean
c) warm water
d) intense storms
8) What are rising temperatures caused by?
a) deforestation
b) greenhouse gas emissions
c) desertification
d) wind
9) What gives ocean water extra energy?
a) tides
b) warmer oceans
c) full moons
d) pollution
10) What did Dr James Kossin say there would be more of in the future?
a) super-storms
b) natural disasters
c) lost land
d) floods

Role play

Role  A – Turning Off Lights
You think turning off lights is the best way to cut emissions. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): not using elevators, buying local food or recycling everything.

Role  B – Not Using Elevators
You think not using elevators is the best way to cut emissions. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): turning off lights, buying local food or recycling everything.

Role  C – Buying Local Food
You think buying local food is the best way to cut emissions. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): not using elevators, turning off lights or recycling everything.

Role  D – Recycling Everything
You think recycling everything is the best way to cut emissions. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them what is wrong with their ways. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): not using elevators, buying local food or turning off lights.

After reading / listening

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

'climate'

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

    • and 'hurricane'.

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

    • • 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:

    • experts
    • extend
    • ranks
    • reach
    • same
    • latter
    • long
    • intense
    • risk
    • heating
    • greater
    • keep

    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 - Hurricanes

    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 'climate'?
    3. What do you think of climate change?
    4. What are your experiences of storms and strong winds?
    5. What do you know about hurricanes?
    6. What's the best way to prepare for a hurricane?
    7. What changes in the weather have you noticed?
    8. What is the worst thing about storms?
    9. What are the differences between hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones?
    10. How much stronger do you think storms can get?

    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 'hurricane'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What worries you most about climate change?
    5. What do you do to lower the impact of climate change?
    6. What is your country doing to help fight climate change?
    7. What do you think of super-storms?
    8. Why do some people say climate change isn't real?
    9. What three adjectives best describe this story?
    10. What questions would you like to ask meteorologists?

    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)

    Weather experts are (1) ____ for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because climate change is causing more powerful storms. Scientists in the USA want to (2) ____ the current scale used to measure hurricanes. This scale (3) ____ storms from 1 to 5. A category five is currently the strongest. This is when winds (4) ____ 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for winds of over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the past (5) ____, there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that would have been a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather phenomenon. The former start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the (6) ____ occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.

    Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a (7) ____ time for a new category 6 to be accepted. It would need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching more (8) ____ storms. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform broader discussions about how to (9) ____ communicate risk in a warming world". He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused (10) ____ greenhouse gas emissions. This increase in emissions is heating oceans, which gives the water extra energy. This makes hurricanes more powerful, with much higher (11) ____ speeds. He believes there will be a greater number of "super-storms" in the future. He said: "These storms (12) ____ getting stronger as the climate changes."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     calling     (b)     falling     (c)     failing     (d)     called    
    2. (a)     intend     (b)     contend     (c)     extend     (d)     tend    
    3. (a)     banks     (b)     tanks     (c)     ranks     (d)     thanks    
    4. (a)     get     (b)     blow     (c)     gust     (d)     reach    
    5. (a)     spade     (b)     arcade     (c)     decade     (d)     accord    
    6. (a)     litter     (b)     latter     (c)     letter     (d)     later    
    7. (a)     length     (b)     long     (c)     longing     (d)     lengthen    
    8. (a)     tense     (b)     intense     (c)     tents     (d)     incense    
    9. (a)     well     (b)     good     (c)     better     (d)     goodly    
    10. (a)     as     (b)     at     (c)     of     (d)     by    
    11. (a)     windless     (b)     windy     (c)     winding     (d)     wind    
    12. (a)     actual     (b)     real     (c)     so     (d)     keep

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. Weather eepxrts
    2. extend the rcrnute scale
    3. esrmeau hurricanes
    4. in the past dadcee
    5. hurricanes and tynoopsh
    6. the same weather onpmeeohnn

    Paragraph 2

    1. a new category 6 to be edtecacp
    2. researching more stnieen storms
    3. significantly increasing ueapetrsemtr
    4. greenhouse gas sssnemiio
    5. heating nocsae
    6. in the urutfe

    Put the text back together

    (...)   typhoons that would have been a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather
    (...)   accepted. It would need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching more
    (...)   phenomenon. The former start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the latter occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.
    (...)   over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the past decade, there have been five hurricanes and
    (...)   intense storms. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform broader discussions about how to better communicate risk in a warming
    (...)   emissions. This increase in emissions is heating oceans, which gives the water extra
    (...)   energy. This makes hurricanes more powerful, with much higher wind speeds. He believes there will be a greater
    (...)   world". He said "significantly increasing" temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas
    (  1  )    Weather experts are calling for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because climate
    (...)   Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a long time for a new category 6 to be
    (...)   strongest. This is when winds reach 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for winds of
    (...)   number of "super-storms" in the future. He said: "These storms keep getting stronger as the climate changes."
    (...)   measure hurricanes. This scale ranks storms from 1 to 5. A category five is currently the
    (...)   change is causing more powerful storms. Scientists in the USA want to extend the current scale used to

    Put the words in the right order

    1. Climate   change   storms   .   is   more   powerful   causing
    2. the   Scientists   extend   scale   .   current   to   want
    3. needed   .   say   new   category 6   Meteorologists   is   a
    4. that   category 6   .   Five   have   would   been   hurricanes   a
    5. Ocean   .   storms   start   former   in   the   The   Atlantic
    6. a   Kossin   time   .   would   it   said   take   long
    7. Broader   how   discussions   communicate   about   to   risk   .   better
    8. emissions   increase   is   This   heating   oceans   .   in   our
    9. of   greater   number   the   in   A   future   .   super-storms
    10. as   keep   the   changes   .   climate   Storms   getting   stronger

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    Weather experts / expats are calling for a new, stronger category for hurricanes. They say this is because / so climate change is causing more powerful / powerfully storms. Scientists in the USA want to extensive / extend the current scale used to measure / measuring hurricanes. This scale ranks storms from 1 to 5. A category five is currently the strongest. This is when winds reach / reaches 252 kph. The meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for winds of over 309 kph. Their studies show that in the passed / past decade, there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that would have been a category 6. Hurricanes and typhoons are the similar / same weather phenomenon. The former / firmer start in the Atlantic Ocean, while the later / latter occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.

    Meteorologist Dr James Kossin said it would take a long / length time for a new category 6 to be accepted. It would necessary / need the USA's National Hurricane Center to start researching more intense storms / storm. Dr Kossin hopes to, "inform / infirm broader discussions about how to better communicate risk in a warmth / warming world". He said "significantly increasing" temperature / temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas emissions. This increase in emissions is heating / heated oceans, which gives the water extra energy. This makes hurricanes more power / powerful, with much higher wind speeds. He believes / beliefs there will be a greater number of "super-storms" in / on the future. He said: "These storms keep getting stronger as the climate changes."

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

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

    W__th_r  _xp_rts  _r_  c_ll_ng  f_r  _  n_w,  str_ng_r  c_t_g_ry  f_r  h_rr_c_n_s.  Th_y  s_y  th_s  _s  b_c__s_  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_  _s  c__s_ng  m_r_  p_w_rf_l  st_rms.  Sc__nt_sts  _n  th_  _S_  w_nt  t_  _xt_nd  th_  c_rr_nt  sc_l_  _s_d  t_  m__s_r_  h_rr_c_n_s.  Th_s  sc_l_  r_nks  st_rms  fr_m  1  t_  5.  _  c_t_g_ry  f_v_  _s  c_rr_ntly  th_  str_ng_st.  Th_s  _s  wh_n  w_nds  r__ch  252  kph.  Th_  m_t__r_l_g_sts  s_y  _  n_w  c_t_g_ry  _f  6  _s  n__d_d  f_r  w_nds  _f  _v_r  309  kph.  Th__r  st_d__s  sh_w  th_t  _n  th_  p_st  d_c_d_,  th_r_  h_v_  b__n  f_v_  h_rr_c_n_s  _nd  typh__ns  th_t  w__ld  h_v_  b__n  _  c_t_g_ry  6.  H_rr_c_n_s  _nd  typh__ns  _r_  th_  s_m_  w__th_r  ph_n_m_n_n.  Th_  f_rm_r  st_rt  _n  th_  _tl_nt_c  _c__n,  wh_l_  th_  l_tt_r  _cc_rs  _n  th_  n_rth-w_st_rn  P_c_f_c  _c__n.

    M_t__r_l_g_st  Dr  J_m_s  K_ss_n  s__d  _t  w__ld  t_k_  _  l_ng  t_m_  f_r  _  n_w  c_t_g_ry  6  t_  b_  _cc_pt_d.  _t  w__ld  n__d  th_  _S_'s  N_t__n_l  H_rr_c_n_  C_nt_r  t_  st_rt  r_s__rch_ng  m_r_  _nt_ns_  st_rms.  Dr  K_ss_n  h_p_s  t_,  "_nf_rm  br__d_r  d_sc_ss__ns  _b__t  h_w  t_  b_tt_r  c_mm_n_c_t_  r_sk  _n  _  w_rm_ng  w_rld".  H_  s__d  "s_gn_f_c_ntly  _ncr__s_ng"  t_mp_r_t_r_s  _r_  c__s_d  by  gr__nh__s_  g_s  _m_ss__ns.  Th_s  _ncr__s_  _n  _m_ss__ns  _s  h__t_ng  _c__ns,  wh_ch  g_v_s  th_  w_t_r  _xtr_  _n_rgy.  Th_s  m_k_s  h_rr_c_n_s  m_r_  p_w_rf_l,  w_th  m_ch  h_gh_r  w_nd  sp__ds.  H_  b_l__v_s  th_r_  w_ll  b_  _  gr__t_r  n_mb_r  _f  "s_p_r-st_rms"  _n  th_  f_t_r_.  H_  s__d:  "Th_s_  st_rms  k__p  g_tt_ng  str_ng_r  _s  th_  cl_m_t_  ch_ng_s."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    weather experts are calling for a new stronger category for hurricanes they say this is because climate change is causing more powerful storms scientists in the usa want to extend the current scale used to measure hurricanes this scale ranks storms from 1 to 5 a category five is currently the strongest this is when winds reach 252 kph the meteorologists say a new category of 6 is needed for winds of over 309 kph their studies show that in the past decade there have been five hurricanes and typhoons that would have been a category 6 hurricanes and typhoons are the same weather phenomenon the former start in the atlantic ocean while the latter occur in the northwestern pacific ocean

    meteorologist dr james kossin said it would take a long time for a new category 6 to be accepted it would need the usas national hurricane center to start researching more intense storms dr kossin hopes to inform broader discussions about how to better communicate risk in a warming world he said significantly increasing temperatures are caused by greenhouse gas emissions this increase in emissions is heating oceans which gives the water extra energy this makes hurricanes more powerful with much higher wind speeds he believes there will be a greater number of superstorms in the future he said these storms keep getting stronger as the climate changes

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    Weatherexpertsarecallingforanew,strongercategoryforhurricanes.T
    heysaythisisbecauseclimatechangeiscausingmorepowerfulstorms.
    ScientistsintheUSAwanttoextendthecurrentscaleusedtomeasurehu
    rricanes.Thisscaleranksstormsfrom1to5.Acategoryfiveiscurrentlyth
    estrongest.Thisiswhenwindsreach252kph.Themeteorologistssayan
    ewcategoryof6isneededforwindsofover309kph.Theirstudiesshowth
    atinthepastdecade,therehavebeenfivehurricanesandtyphoonsthat
    wouldhavebeenacategory6.Hurricanesandtyphoonsarethesamewe
    atherphenomenon.TheformerstartintheAtlanticOcean,whilethelatte
    roccurinthenorth-westernPacificOcean.MeteorologistDrJamesKossi
    nsaiditwouldtakealongtimeforanewcategory6tobeaccepted.Itwould
    needtheUSA'sNationalHurricaneCentertostartresearchingmoreinte
    nsestorms.DrKossinhopesto,"informbroaderdiscussionsabouthowt
    obettercommunicateriskinawarmingworld".Hesaid"significantlyincr
    easing"temperaturesarecausedbygreenhousegasemissions.Thisinc
    reaseinemissionsisheatingoceans,whichgivesthewaterextraenergy.
    Thismakeshurricanesmorepowerful,withmuchhigherwindspeeds.H
    ebelievestherewillbeagreaternumberof"super-storms"inthefuture
    .Hesaid:"Thesestormskeepgettingstrongerastheclimatechanges."

    Free writing

    Write about category 6 hurricanes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    We need to prepare more for stronger extreme weather events. 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. HURRICANES: Make a poster about hurricanes. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?
    4. STRONGER STORMS: Write a magazine article about all of us having to prepare for stronger storms. 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 hurricanes. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to deal with them. 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

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    Answers

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

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