People at a big meeting about the Earth’s weather said yes to making a special money pot. This money pot is for helping places that get hurt by big storms and very dry weather because the Earth is getting warmer. A man named Sultan al-Jaber said we should do this on the first day of the meeting, and it was a surprise. Some places like Europe, the UK, and the US said they would give money to help, about $400 million. People think this is a good first step to help the Earth.

When they said yes to the money pot, everyone clapped their hands for a long time. This money will go to places that have big problems because of the weather. Before, there was money to help places get ready for the Earth getting warmer, but not for when bad weather breaks things. People first talked about this money pot a long time ago, in the 1990s, but the places with lots of money didn’t want to do it. Now, they said yes, and it’s a big deal for helping the Earth.

Original news source: COP28: Poor countries win 30-year fight for climate cash (BBC)

Listen

Slow

Normal

Fast

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of weather-related vocabulary words (e.g. storm, dry, warm, weather). One person from each team will act out a word without speaking, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. The team with the most points at the end wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually or in pairs. Then, ask them to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Give them a few minutes to write their summaries, and then have them share with a partner or with the whole class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write a question related to the article on the board (e.g. Do you think creating a money pot for weather-related disasters is a good idea?). Have the students stand on one side of the room if they agree with the statement, and on the other side if they disagree. Then, ask a few students from each side to explain their reasoning.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of weather-related vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. storm, dry, warm, weather). Divide the class into pairs. One person from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture of it on the board, while their partner tries to guess the word. The pair that guesses the most words correctly wins.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have the students think about and write down one thing they can do to help the Earth in terms of weather-related issues. Then, have them pair up and share their ideas with their partner. Finally, ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the whole class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the money pot for?
2. Who suggested making the money pot?
3. Which countries said they would give money to help?
4. Why did people clap their hands?
5. When did people first talk about the money pot?
6. Why didn’t the places with lots of money want to do it before?
7. Why is it a big deal for helping the Earth?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

People at a big meeting about the Earth’s weather said yes to making a special money pot. This money pot is for helping places that get hurt by big (1)______ and very dry weather because the Earth is getting warmer. A man named (2)______ al-Jaber (3)______ we should do this on the first day of the meeting, and it was a surprise. Some (4)______ like Europe, the UK, and the US said they would give money to help, about $400 million. People think this is a good first step to help the Earth.

When they said yes to the money pot, everyone (5)______ their hands for a long time. This money will go to places that have big (6)______ because of the weather. Before, there was money to help places get ready for the Earth getting warmer, but not for when bad (7)______ breaks things. People first talked about this money pot a long time ago, in the 1990s, but the places with lots of money didn’t want to do it. Now, they said yes, and it’s a big deal for (8)______ the Earth.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a big storm?
2. How would you feel if your house got broken by a big storm?
3. Do you like when people help each other? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the idea of a money pot to help places with bad weather?
5. How would you feel if you lived in a place with very dry weather?
6. Do you think it’s important to help the Earth? Why or why not?
7. What is a surprise?
8. How do you show that you’re happy?
9. What do you think about clapping your hands?
10. How would you feel if you had a lot of money and could help people in need?
11. Do you think it’s fair that some places have more money than others? Why or why not?
12. What do you think will happen if the Earth keeps getting warmer?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. meeting
2. money
3. storms
4. dry
5. hurt
6. surprise
7. Earth
8. help

Meanings:
(a) The planet we live on
(b) Something that people use to buy things
(c) To give support or assistance to someone or something
(d) Something that happens unexpectedly and makes people happy
(e) When something causes pain or damage
(f) A gathering of people to talk about something
(g) Very bad weather with strong winds and rain
(h) When there is no water and everything is very dry
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did people at the meeting say yes to?
(a) Eating ice cream
(b) Playing games
(c) Taking a nap
(d) Making a special money pot

2. Why is the money pot being made?
(a) To buy toys for everyone
(b) To build a new park
(c) To help places that get hurt by big storms and very dry weather
(d) To make a big party

3. Who suggested making the money pot?
(a) The president of the United States
(b) A famous singer
(c) Sultan al-Jaber
(d) A superhero

4. Which countries said they would give money to help?
(a) Europe, the UK, and the US
(b) Africa, Australia, and Asia
(c) Canada, Mexico, and Brazil
(d) Russia, China, and India

5. How much money did the countries say they would give?
(a) About $1 billion
(b) About $100,000
(c) About $10
(d) About $400 million

6. What did people do when they said yes to the money pot?
(a) Sang a song
(b) Clapped their hands for a long time
(c) Jumped up and down
(d) Sat quietly

7. What will the money be used for?
(a) Buying new clothes for everyone
(b) Helping places that have big problems because of the weather
(c) Building a new school
(d) Going on vacation

8. When did people first talk about the money pot?
(a) In the 1990s
(b) Last year
(c) 100 years ago
(d) Yesterday

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. They have been talking about this money pot since the 1990s, but the rich countries didn’t want to do it before.
2. Now, they finally said no, and it’s not a big deal for helping the Earth.
3. The money will go to places that have big problems because of the weather.
4. Some countries like Europe, the UK, and the US said they would give about $400 million to help.
5. People didn’t clap their hands for a long time when they agreed to the money pot.
6. They decided to make a regular money pot to help places that benefit from big storms and very dry weather.
7. People had a small meeting to talk about the Earth’s weather.
8. A man named Sultan al-Jaber suggested making the money pot on the first day of the meeting.
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 did the people at the big meeting decide to make?
2. Why are they making this special money pot?
3. Who is going to give money to help?
4. Why is this a good first step to help the Earth?
5. When did people first start talking about this money pot?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the money pot for?
The money pot is for helping places that are affected by big storms and very dry weather because the Earth is getting warmer.

2. Who suggested making the money pot?
A man named Sultan al-Jaber suggested making the money pot.

3. Which countries said they would give money to help?
Countries like Europe, the UK, and the US said they would give money to help.

4. Why did people clap their hands?
People clapped their hands because they were happy and excited that the money pot was going to help places with big weather problems.

5. When did people first talk about the money pot?
People first talked about the money pot a long time ago, in the 1990s.

6. Why didn’t the places with lots of money want to do it before?
The places with lots of money didn’t want to do it before because they didn’t think it was important or necessary.

7. Why is it a big deal for helping the Earth?
It is a big deal for helping the Earth because now there is money to help places that are affected by bad weather, which was not available before.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) storms
(2) Sultan
(3) said
(4) places
(5) clapped
(6) problems
(7) weather
(8) helping
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. meeting
Answer: (f) A gathering of people to talk about something

2. money
Answer: (b) Something that people use to buy things

3. storms
Answer: (g) Very bad weather with strong winds and rain

4. dry
Answer: (h) When there is no water and everything is very dry

5. hurt
Answer: (e) When something causes pain or damage

6. surprise
Answer: (d) Something that happens unexpectedly and makes people happy

7. Earth
Answer: (a) The planet we live on

8. help
Answer: (c) To give support or assistance to someone or something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did people at the meeting say yes to?
Answer: (d) Making a special money pot

2. Why is the money pot being made?
Answer: (c) To help places that get hurt by big storms and very dry weather

3. Who suggested making the money pot?
Answer: (c) Sultan al-Jaber

4. Which countries said they would give money to help?
Answer: (a) Europe, the UK, and the US

5. How much money did the countries say they would give?
Answer: (d) About $400 million

6. What did people do when they said yes to the money pot?
Answer: (b) Clapped their hands for a long time

7. What will the money be used for?
Answer: (b) Helping places that have big problems because of the weather

8. When did people first talk about the money pot?
Answer: (a) In the 1990s
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. They have been talking about this money pot since the 1990s, but the rich countries didn’t want to do it before. (Answer: True)
2. Now, they finally said no, and it’s not a big deal for helping the Earth. (Answer: False)
3. The money will go to places that have big problems because of the weather. (Answer: True)
4. Some countries like Europe, the UK, and the US said they would give about $400 million to help. (Answer: True)
5. People didn’t clap their hands for a long time when they agreed to the money pot. (Answer: False)
6. They decided to make a regular money pot to help places that benefit from big storms and very dry weather. (Answer: False)
7. People had a small meeting to talk about the Earth’s weather. (Answer: False)
8. A man named Sultan al-Jaber suggested making the money pot on the first day of the meeting. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧