Lots of rats and mice are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia. The rats are looking for food and are coming to the beaches. Many rats are dead on the sand and it’s not nice to see. Cars and things we use every day are getting broken because of the rats. People who live there are worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore.

People are sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet. There are so many rats, it’s the worst it has been in a long time. Some people think it will get even worse because they hear more rats are coming. People who take others fishing on their boats are scared that the rats will make people not want to visit. It might keep raining, and that means more rats might come.

Original news source: Rat plague spreads to Australia’s fishing towns (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades

Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. rats, beach, fishing, broken cars). One person from each group acts out the word or phrase without speaking, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. rats, beaches, worried, visitors). One person from each pair chooses a word and draws a picture to represent it, while the other person tries to guess what the word is.

– Word Association

Instructions: Write the word “rats” on the board. Ask students to brainstorm and write down as many words or phrases as they can think of that are related to rats. Then, have them share and discuss their answers with a partner or in small groups.

– Headline Creation

Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to create a catchy headline for the article. Encourage them to use some of the key words from the article (e.g. rats, beaches, trouble). After they have finished, have them share their headlines with the class.

– Think-Pair-Share

Instructions: Ask students to think about and write down their opinions on the following question: “Should the government do something about the rat problem in the towns by the sea?” Then, have them pair up with a partner and discuss their opinions. Finally, as a class, have a brief discussion and share some of the opinions that were discussed.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of animals are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia?
2. Why are the rats coming to the beaches?
3. What is happening to the rats on the sand?
4. Why are cars and things getting broken?
5. Why are people who live there worried?
6. What are people sharing on the internet?
7. Why are some people scared that the rats will make people not want to visit?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Lots of rats and mice are (1)______ trouble in some towns by the sea in (2)______. The rats are looking for food and are coming to the beaches. Many rats are dead on the sand and it’s not nice to see. Cars and things we use every day are getting broken because of the rats. People who (3)______ there are worried that (4)______ won’t come to their town anymore.

People are sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet. There are so many rats, it’s the worst it has been in a long time. Some people (5)______ it will get even worse because they (6)______ more (7)______ are coming. People who (8)______ others fishing on their boats are scared that the rats will make people not want to visit. It might keep raining, and that means more rats might come.
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Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What do you think about rats?
2. Have you ever seen a rat before? Where?
3. How would you feel if you saw lots of rats on the beach?
4. Do you think it’s good or bad that people are sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet? Why or why not?
5. What do you think will happen if more rats come to the town?
6. Do you like going to the beach? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the people who live in the town feel about the rats?
8. What would you do if you saw a rat near your car?
9. Do you think the rats will make people not want to visit the town? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever been scared of an animal before? Which one? Why were you scared?
11. What would you do if you saw a rat on a boat?
12. Do you think the rats will go away soon? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. rats
2. mice
3. towns
4. beaches
5. sand
6. cars
7. pictures
8. fishing

Meanings:
(a) Images that show what something looks like
(b) Places where people live
(c) An activity where people try to catch fish
(d) Small animals with long tails that are smaller than rats
(e) Tiny grains that cover the ground at the beach
(f) Small animals with long tails that live in holes
(g) Vehicles that people drive
(h) Places where the land meets the ocean
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Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What kind of animals are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia?
(a) Dogs and cats
(b) Birds and squirrels
(c) Rats and mice
(d) Fish and turtles

2. Why are the rats coming to the beaches?
(a) They are looking for food
(b) They want to play in the sand
(c) They are lost and can’t find their way home
(d) They are trying to scare people

3. What is happening to the rats on the sand?
(a) Many rats are dead
(b) Many rats are swimming
(c) Many rats are sleeping
(d) Many rats are playing

4. What is getting broken because of the rats?
(a) Houses and buildings
(b) Trees and plants
(c) Rocks and sand
(d) Cars and things we use every day

5. Why are people worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore?
(a) Because of the weather
(b) Because of the beaches
(c) Because of the rats
(d) Because of the food

6. What are people sharing on the internet?
(a) Videos and pictures of the beach
(b) Videos and pictures of the rats
(c) Videos and pictures of their houses
(d) Videos and pictures of their pets

7. Why do some people think it will get even worse?
(a) Because they see fewer rats
(b) Because they see more cats
(c) Because they hear more birds
(d) Because they hear more rats are coming

8. What are people who take others fishing on their boats scared of?
(a) The weather being too hot
(b) The rats making people not want to visit
(c) The fish not biting the bait
(d) The boats sinking in the water

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. People are not sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet.
2. Many rats are alive on the sand, and it’s nice to see.
3. People who live there are worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore.
4. In all towns by the sea in Australia, there are not lots of rats and mice causing trouble.
5. Some people think it will get even worse because more rats are coming.
6. The rats are not coming to the beaches because they are looking for food.
7. Cars and things that people use every day are getting broken because of the rats.
8. There are so many rats, and it’s the worst it has been in a long time.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. What is causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia?
2. Why are the rats coming to the beaches?
3. What is happening to the rats on the sand?
4. Why are cars and things getting broken?
5. Why are people worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What kind of animals are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia?
Rats and mice are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia.

2. Why are the rats coming to the beaches?
The rats are coming to the beaches because they are looking for food.

3. What is happening to the rats on the sand?
Many rats are dead on the sand.

4. Why are cars and things getting broken?
Cars and things are getting broken because of the rats.

5. Why are people who live there worried?
People who live there are worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore.

6. What are people sharing on the internet?
People are sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet.

7. Why are some people scared that the rats will make people not want to visit?
Some people are scared that the rats will make people not want to visit because it might keep raining, and that means more rats might come.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) causing
(2) Australia
(3) live
(4) visitors
(5) think
(6) hear
(7) rats
(8) take
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. rats
Answer: (f) Small animals with long tails that live in holes

2. mice
Answer: (d) Small animals with long tails that are smaller than rats

3. towns
Answer: (b) Places where people live

4. beaches
Answer: (h) Places where the land meets the ocean

5. sand
Answer: (e) Tiny grains that cover the ground at the beach

6. cars
Answer: (g) Vehicles that people drive

7. pictures
Answer: (a) Images that show what something looks like

8. fishing
Answer: (c) An activity where people try to catch fish
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What kind of animals are causing trouble in some towns by the sea in Australia?
Answer: (c) Rats and mice

2. Why are the rats coming to the beaches?
Answer: (a) They are looking for food

3. What is happening to the rats on the sand?
Answer: (a) Many rats are dead

4. What is getting broken because of the rats?
Answer: (d) Cars and things we use every day

5. Why are people worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore?
Answer: (c) Because of the rats

6. What are people sharing on the internet?
Answer: (b) Videos and pictures of the rats

7. Why do some people think it will get even worse?
Answer: (d) Because they hear more rats are coming

8. What are people who take others fishing on their boats scared of?
Answer: (b) The rats making people not want to visit
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. People are not sharing videos and pictures of the rats on the internet. (Answer: False)
2. Many rats are alive on the sand, and it’s nice to see. (Answer: False)
3. People who live there are worried that visitors won’t come to their town anymore. (Answer: True)
4. In all towns by the sea in Australia, there are not lots of rats and mice causing trouble. (Answer: False)
5. Some people think it will get even worse because more rats are coming. (Answer: True)
6. The rats are not coming to the beaches because they are looking for food. (Answer: False)
7. Cars and things that people use every day are getting broken because of the rats. (Answer: True)
8. There are so many rats, and it’s the worst it has been in a long time. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧