Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 12 March 2013
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN 🔈
Sharks Force Spring Break Beach Closures
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- migrate: to move from one region to another
- flock: to go somewhere in great numbers
- spring break: a week when students have a vacation from school
- rare: uncommon
- fatality: death
Comprehension Questions
- Why are beaches being closed in Florida?
- Why is the timing of this year’s migration inconvenient for humans?
- Why does the report mention surfers?
Discussion Question: “Humans are more dangerous to sharks than sharks are to humans.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
show Answershide Answers
Sharks Force Spring Break Beach Closures
Tens of thousands of black tip and spinner sharks migrating from Florida to North Carolina have caused beach closures in South Florida during one of the busiest weeks of the year. Tourists from all over Canada and the US flock to Florida for spring break each year. By mid-March the annual shark migration has usually passed, and the waters are usually a little warmer. This year, the sharks have been observed extremely close to the shore, causing lifeguards to raise danger flags and close beaches to swimmers. While shark sightings are common in Florida, Australia, and South Africa, shark attacks are rare around the world. In 2012, there were 80 recorded human attacks by sharks worldwide, with only seven fatalities. Most shark attacks involve surfers.
- Beaches are being closed in Florida because there is a massive shark migration taking place. The sharks are swimming close to the shore.
- The timing of this year’s migration is inconvenient for humans because it’s spring break and many North American tourists are in Florida.
- The report mentions surfers because these are the most common human victims of shark attacks.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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