I. Before listening

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

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

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

II. Listen and fill in the spaces

Hurricane Katrina, which _________its _________force on the southern Gulf Coast states of the USA on Monday, has left perhaps hundreds dead and _________catastrophic damage. Huge swathes of New Orleans are flood-stricken as water from a nearby lake ________the dams that protected the city. The __________area has been left without electricity and safe drinking water. President George W. Bush has declared a state of emergency and promised ____________federal funding to compensate victims and get the whole region back on its feet. The economic cost of the hurricane’s _________could be the highest in US history. Insurers estimate the storm could cost $US26 billion. The effects will be felt worldwide, as oil prices are set for another __________and span.

The human cost is continuing to rise and many predict the death toll will __________the 256 killed by Hurricane Camille in 1969. Rescue services continue their attempts to save lives. They have to__________ perilously high water, ________trees and _________debris. Live power cables are __________efforts to reach _________survivors stranded on the roofs of their homes. Tens of thousands of properties have been destroyed in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco told a news conference: “The ________is greater than our worst fears. It’s totally_________.” In the _________of the disaster, the New Orleans mayor has declared martial law to ________an outbreak of__________, as thieves take advantage of the chaos.

III. Discussion

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

1) What was your initial reaction to this headline?

2) Did the headline make you want to read the article?

3) What adjective would you use to describe this article?

4) What do you know about hurricanes?

5) What’s the difference between a hurricane, typhoon and cyclone?

6) Do you think global warming has changed the frequency, power and pattern of hurricanes, typhoons etc.?

7) What’s the best thing to do when a hurricane is approaching?

8) What are the strongest winds you have ever felt?

9) Do you think a huge hurricane is the scariest natural phenomenon?

10) Have you ever experienced a natural disaster?

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

1) Did you like reading this article?

2) What did you think about what you read?

3) What would you do if a giant hurricane was on its way here?

4) Why do you think people choose to live in areas frequently devastated by hurricanes?

5) Do you live in a part of the world affected by natural disasters?

6) What would you do if your house was blown down in a hurricane?

7) If you evacuated your home, would you worry about looters?

8) Is your community the type that would help each other in a natural disaster?

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 749