In the days leading up to her death, Mali was observed rubbing her trunk against a wall, indicating that she was in pain. The zoo's chief veterinarian administered antihistamines and vitamins, but Mali passed away later that afternoon. An autopsy revealed that she had cancer in some organs and a blockage in her aorta. Mali, whose full name is Vishwa Ma'ali, was given to former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos by the Sri Lankan government when she was just 11 months old.
Animal rights activists had criticized the poor conditions at Manila Zoo and argued that Mali did not receive proper medical care. However, zoo authorities believed that Mali was best kept in captivity since she had never experienced life in the wild. In 2012, Sir Paul McCartney wrote a letter to then President Benigno Aquino III, urging the transfer of Mali to a sanctuary in Thailand. Despite appeals from McCartney and other activists, Mali remained at Manila Zoo.
The news of Mali's death has saddened many Filipinos, who remember visiting her during school field trips. Some expressed their hope that no more elephants would be confined to zoos. Manila mayor Honey Lacuna announced that she would ask the Sri Lankan government to donate another elephant to the Philippine capital. She emphasized that Mali had not been alone, as she had the caretakers and visitors by her side throughout her captivity. Mali was a beloved figure at Manila Zoo and will be remembered as a part of the lives of many Filipinos.
Original news source: Philippines: World's 'saddest' elephant dies in Manila zoo (BBC)
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article silently. Then, ask them to work together to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Each group will then present their summary to the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Ask each group to come up with a list of questions related to the article, such as "Do you think Mali should have been transferred to an elephant sanctuary?" or "Should animals be kept in zoos?" Then, have each group go around and ask the other groups their questions. Encourage them to have a discussion and debate about the different opinions.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write down a list of key vocabulary words from the article, such as "pen," "sanctuary," "autopsy," etc. Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words and a large sheet of paper or whiteboard. Set a time limit and ask them to draw pictures to represent each word. Once the time is up, have each group present their drawings and explain what each word means.
– Headline Creation
Instructions: Ask the class to work individually or in pairs to come up with a catchy headline for the article. Encourage them to think about the main point or message of the article and create a headline that would grab readers' attention. After a few minutes, have each student or pair share their headline with the class.
– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Ask each student to come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. For example, a student might say "Mali was transferred to an elephant sanctuary" (false), "Mali spent her entire life alone in a pen" (true), and "Mali was given to Imelda Marcos by the Sri Lankan government" (true). Have each student take turns sharing their statements with the class, and the rest of the class must guess which statement is the lie.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Mali, an that was as one of the world's "saddest," has passed away at a zoo in the Philippines. Mali spent almost her entire life alone in a pen at the Manila Zoo, which was a cause for concern among animal rights activists. Even Sir Paul had called for her to be transferred to an elephant sanctuary. Mali's death was announced by Manila Honey Lacuna in a Facebook video. She expressed that visits to see Mali at the zoo were some of her happiest childhood memories. In the days leading up to her death, Mali was observed rubbing her trunk against a wall, indicating that she was in pain. The zoo's chief administered antihistamines and vitamins, but Mali passed away later that afternoon. An autopsy revealed that she had in some organs and a blockage in her aorta. Mali, whose full name is Vishwa , was given to former Philippine first lady Imelda by the Sri Lankan government when she was just 11 months old. Animal rights activists had the poor conditions at Manila Zoo and argued that Mali did not receive proper medical care. However, zoo authorities believed that Mali was best kept in captivity since she had never experienced life in the wild. In 2012, Sir Paul McCartney a letter to then President Benigno Aquino III, urging the transfer of Mali to a sanctuary in Thailand. Despite from McCartney and activists, Mali remained at Manila Zoo. The news of Mali's death has saddened many Filipinos, who remember her during school field trips. Some their hope that no more would be confined to zoos. Manila mayor Honey Lacuna announced that she would ask the Sri Lankan government to donate another elephant to the Philippine capital. She emphasized that Mali had not been alone, as she had the caretakers and visitors by her side throughout her . Mali was a beloved figure at Manila Zoo and will be remembered as a part of the lives of many Filipinos.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is your opinion on keeping animals in captivity?
2. How would you feel if you were kept alone in a small space for most of your life?
3. Do you think it is important for zoos to provide proper medical care for their animals? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the idea of transferring animals from zoos to sanctuaries?
5. How do you think Mali's life would have been different if she had been transferred to an elephant sanctuary?
6. Do you think it is ethical for governments to donate animals to zoos? Why or why not?
7. How would you feel if you were a caretaker at a zoo and had to witness the suffering of an animal like Mali?
8. What is your opinion on the role of zoos in education and conservation?
9. How do you think the death of Mali will impact the debate on animal rights and captivity?
10. Do you think zoos should prioritize the well-being of their animals over the entertainment of visitors? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if you were a visitor at the Manila Zoo and saw Mali in her pen?
12. What do you think can be done to improve the conditions for animals in zoos?
13. How do you think the death of Mali will affect the perception of zoos in the Philippines?
14. Do you think it is possible for animals to be happy in captivity? Why or why not?
15. How would you feel if you were a child who had visited Mali at the zoo and found out about her death?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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