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 November 2013
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN 🔈
Typhoon Devastates The Philippines
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- typhoon: a tropical storm in the western Pacific or Indian ocean
- storm surge: rise of sea water during a storm
- livelihood: source of income
- calamity: a major disaster
Comprehension Questions
- Which area was the worst hit?
- Why didn’t evacuation alerts prevent a high death toll?
- Why is it difficult to get food and water to the survivors?
Discussion Question: When natural disasters hit, people in unaffected regions often feel like there is nothing they can do to help. What can an average person do to help out in a situation such as this?
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Typhoon Devastates The Philippines
One of the strongest recorded storms in history hit the central islands of the Philippines on 8 November, causing massive destruction in the provinces of Leyte and Samar. Estimates suggest that up to 10,000 people have died, while hundreds of thousands lost their homes and livelihoods. Yolanda, as the storm is called in the Philippines, was expected, and about 800,000 people did evacuate to shelters. Many of these shelters, unfortunately, could not stand up to the severe winds and flooding from the storm surge. International aid agencies are attempting to deliver food, water, and medical supplies; however, many of the roads leading to the most devastated areas are blocked and some of the airports have been destroyed. Philippine President Aquino has declared a state of national calamity. Restoring power and communication to the country, is one of the top priorities.
- The provinces of Leyte and Samar were the worst hit.
- Many people evacuated to shelters that did not withstand the wind and storm surge.
- It’s difficult to get food and shelter to the survivors because roads and airports aren’t in service.
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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