Two giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, are going back to China after living in Edinburgh for 12 years. They tried to have baby pandas eight times but did not have any. The pandas came to Edinburgh on a big plane just for them. The zoo paid a lot of money every year to have the pandas, and if they had babies, the babies would go to China when they were two.

Some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh to make money, not to help save pandas. A person who wants to protect animals said the pandas were like famous singers because many people wanted to see them. But no panda born in a zoo has ever gone back to live in the wild. Now that the pandas are leaving, more people are coming to the zoo to see them one last time.

The story of the pandas in Edinburgh is not really a love story. They did not have any babies even though people tried to help them. Now, they are going back to China, and it shows that having pandas make babies in zoos is hard.

Original news source: Rock star’ pandas – not exactly a love story (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can take turns sharing their summaries with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article. One person from each team will come to the front of the class and draw a picture to represent one of the words. The team members must guess the word based on the drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss their opinions on the topic of pandas in zoos. They will then create a poll with questions such as “Do you think pandas should be kept in zoos?” and “Do you think pandas should be returned to the wild?” Each group will survey other groups and compile the results to share with the class.

– Charades
Instructions: Write down key words and phrases from the article on separate pieces of paper. One student will choose a paper and act out the word or phrase without speaking, while the other students try to guess what it is. The student who guesses correctly gets a point and then takes a turn acting out a word or phrase.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs, students will create catchy headlines for the article. They should try to capture the main idea and generate interest in reading the full story. Each pair will share their headline with the class and explain their choice.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Who are the two pandas that are going back to China after living in Edinburgh?
2. How many times did the pandas try to have baby pandas?
3. Why did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
4. Where would the baby pandas go if they were born?
5. Why do some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh?
6. What is happening now that the pandas are leaving?
7. What does the story of the pandas in Edinburgh show?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Two giant (1)______, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, are going back to China after living in Edinburgh for 12 years. They (2)______ to (3)______ baby pandas eight times but did not have any. The pandas came to Edinburgh on a big plane just for them. The zoo paid a lot of (4)______ every year to have the pandas, and if they had babies, the babies would go to China when they were two.

Some people (5)______ the pandas were in Edinburgh to make money, not to (6)______ save pandas. A person who wants to protect animals said the pandas were like famous (7)______ because many people wanted to see them. But no panda born in a zoo has ever (8)______ back to live in the (9)______. Now that the pandas are leaving, more people are coming to the zoo to see them one last time.

The (10)______ of the pandas in Edinburgh is not really a (11)______ story. They did not have any (12)______ even though people tried to help them. Now, they are going back to China, and it shows that having pandas make babies in zoos is hard.
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Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a panda?
2. How would you feel if you saw a panda in real life?
3. Do you like going to the zoo? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the pandas going back to China?
5. Do you think it’s important to protect animals? Why or why not?
6. How do you think the pandas felt living in Edinburgh for 12 years?
7. Have you ever seen a famous singer in person? How was it?
8. Why do you think more people are going to the zoo to see the pandas now?
9. What do you think about pandas living in zoos instead of in the wild?
10. How do you think the people in Edinburgh feel now that the pandas are leaving?
11. Do you think it’s difficult for pandas to have babies in zoos? Why or why not?
12. If you could have any animal as a pet, what would it be and why?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pandas
2. Edinburgh
3. babies
4. China
5. zoo
6. money
7. singers
8. wild

Meanings:
(a) People who sing songs
(b) Large black and white bears from Asia
(c) A place where animals are kept for people to see
(d) The capital city of Scotland
(e) Coins and notes that people use to buy things
(f) The natural environment where animals live freely
(g) A country in East Asia
(h) Small children of animals
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How long did Tian Tian and Yang Guang live in Edinburgh?
(a) 12 years
(b) 8 years
(c) 10 years
(d) 15 years

2. How many times did Tian Tian and Yang Guang try to have baby pandas?
(a) 8 times
(b) 5 times
(c) 10 times
(d) 12 times

3. Why did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
(a) To have babies
(b) To live in the zoo
(c) To make money
(d) To see the famous singers

4. Where will the baby pandas go if Tian Tian and Yang Guang have babies?
(a) Edinburgh
(b) The wild
(c) Another zoo
(d) China

5. How did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
(a) On a boat
(b) On a big plane
(c) By car
(d) By train

6. Why did some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh?
(a) To help save pandas
(b) To see the famous singers
(c) To make money
(d) To live in the wild

7. Where will the pandas go after leaving Edinburgh?
(a) Another zoo
(b) The wild
(c) London
(d) China

8. What does the story of the pandas in Edinburgh show?
(a) Having pandas make babies in zoos is easy
(b) Pandas should not live in zoos
(c) Having pandas make babies in zoos is hard
(d) Pandas should live in the wild

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The pandas tried to have babies eight times, and they were successful.
2. Some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh to help save pandas, not to make money.
3. The pandas were brought to Edinburgh on a special plane just for them.
4. The zoo had to pay a lot of money every year to have the pandas.
5. People didn’t compare the popularity of the pandas to famous singers because many people didn’t want to see them.
6. If the pandas had babies, the babies would go back to China when they turned two years old.
7. Even though the pandas lived in a zoo, no panda born in a zoo has ever gone back to live in the wild.
8. Two giant pandas named Tian Tian and Yang Guang are not leaving Edinburgh after living there for 12 years.
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. Where have the two giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, been living for the past 12 years?
2. How many times did the pandas try to have babies?
3. Why did the zoo pay a lot of money every year to have the pandas?
4. Why do some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh?
5. What is happening now that the pandas are leaving?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who are the two pandas that are going back to China after living in Edinburgh?
The two pandas are Tian Tian and Yang Guang.

2. How many times did the pandas try to have baby pandas?
The pandas tried to have baby pandas eight times.

3. Why did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
The pandas came to Edinburgh to live in the zoo.

4. Where would the baby pandas go if they were born?
The baby pandas would go to China when they were two years old.

5. Why do some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh?
Some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh to make money for the zoo.

6. What is happening now that the pandas are leaving?
More people are coming to the zoo to see the pandas one last time.

7. What does the story of the pandas in Edinburgh show?
The story shows that it is difficult for pandas to have babies in zoos.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) pandas
(2) tried
(3) have
(4) money
(5) think
(6) help
(7) singers
(8) gone
(9) wild
(10) story
(11) love
(12) babies
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Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pandas
Answer: (b) Large black and white bears from Asia

2. Edinburgh
Answer: (d) The capital city of Scotland

3. babies
Answer: (h) Small children of animals

4. China
Answer: (g) A country in East Asia

5. zoo
Answer: (c) A place where animals are kept for people to see

6. money
Answer: (e) Coins and notes that people use to buy things

7. singers
Answer: (a) People who sing songs

8. wild
Answer: (f) The natural environment where animals live freely
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How long did Tian Tian and Yang Guang live in Edinburgh?
Answer: (a) 12 years

2. How many times did Tian Tian and Yang Guang try to have baby pandas?
Answer: (a) 8 times

3. Why did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
Answer: (b) To live in the zoo

4. Where will the baby pandas go if Tian Tian and Yang Guang have babies?
Answer: (d) China

5. How did the pandas come to Edinburgh?
Answer: (b) On a big plane

6. Why did some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh?
Answer: (c) To make money

7. Where will the pandas go after leaving Edinburgh?
Answer: (d) China

8. What does the story of the pandas in Edinburgh show?
Answer: (c) Having pandas make babies in zoos is hard
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The pandas tried to have babies eight times, and they were successful. (Answer: False)
2. Some people think the pandas were in Edinburgh to help save pandas, not to make money. (Answer: False)
3. The pandas were brought to Edinburgh on a special plane just for them. (Answer: True)
4. The zoo had to pay a lot of money every year to have the pandas. (Answer: True)
5. People didn’t compare the popularity of the pandas to famous singers because many people didn’t want to see them. (Answer: False)
6. If the pandas had babies, the babies would go back to China when they turned two years old. (Answer: True)
7. Even though the pandas lived in a zoo, no panda born in a zoo has ever gone back to live in the wild. (Answer: True)
8. Two giant pandas named Tian Tian and Yang Guang are not leaving Edinburgh after living there for 12 years. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧