Trees in a big forest in Brazil are being cut down less this year. There are about half as many trees cut down as last year. This is the smallest number in five years. But it’s still a lot of trees, more than all the space in a very big city. The leader of Brazil, President Lula, wants to stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030.

People who watch the forest say fewer trees are gone because they are working hard to stop it. President Lula cares a lot about the forest. The old leader let too many trees get cut down. Now, Brazil wants to stop cutting down trees for good. They don’t want people to do bad things to the forest anymore.

Original news source: Amazon rainforest: Deforestation rate halved in 2023 (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a piece of paper with a word related to the article (e.g. forest, trees, Brazil). One person from each group will act out the word without speaking, while the others in the group try to guess the word.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Ask the students to individually answer the question “Do you think cutting down trees is a bad thing?” Then, divide the class into pairs and have them discuss their answers. After that, have each pair share their opinions with the rest of the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Give each student a piece of paper and ask them to draw a picture that represents a vocabulary word from the article (e.g. forest, trees, Brazil). Once the students are done, have them take turns showing their drawings to the class, while the others try to guess the word.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set amount of time (e.g. 1 minute) to summarize the main points of the article to their partner. After the time is up, have the pairs switch roles and summarize the article again. Repeat this process a few times, gradually decreasing the amount of time given.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Ask each student to come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. Have the students take turns sharing their statements with the class, while the others try to guess which statement is false. After each guess, have the student reveal the false statement and provide an explanation.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Are fewer trees being cut down in Brazil this year?
2. How many trees were cut down this year compared to last year?
3. Is the number of trees being cut down this year the smallest in five years?
4. Is cutting down trees a good thing or a bad thing?
5. Who is the leader of Brazil?
6. Does President Lula want to stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030?
7. Why do people want to stop cutting down trees in the forest?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Trees in a big (1)______ in Brazil are being cut down less this year. There are about half as many trees cut down as (2)______ year. This is the smallest number in five years. But it’s still a lot of (3)______, more than all the space in a very big city. The leader of (4)______, President Lula, wants to stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030.

(5)______ who (6)______ the forest say fewer trees are gone because they are working hard to stop it. President Lula cares a lot about the forest. The old leader let too many trees get cut down. Now, Brazil (7)______s to stop cutting down trees for good. They don’t want people to do bad (8)______ to the forest anymore.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a forest?
2. How would you feel if all the trees in the forest were cut down?
3. Do you like trees? Why or why not?
4. What do you think President Lula wants to happen to the forest?
5. How do you think people are working hard to stop cutting down trees?
6. Do you think it’s important to protect the forest? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever seen a forest before? What did it look like?
8. What do you think will happen if we keep cutting down trees?
9. Do you think it’s good or bad that fewer trees are being cut down this year? Why?
10. What can we do to help protect the forest?
11. Have you ever planted a tree before? How did it make you feel?
12. Why do you think it’s important to have trees in the world?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. forest
2. Brazil
3. leader
4. President
5. space
6. city
7. working
8. cares
9. cutting
10. watching

Meanings:
(A) A big country with rainforests
(B) The person who is in charge
(C) The big boss of a country
(D) When you really like something and think it’s important
(E) A place with lots and lots of trees
(F) Looking at something carefully
(G) A place with many houses and buildings where people live
(H) Doing a job or a task
(I) Making something shorter or dividing it into pieces
(J) Room where you can move around
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How many trees were cut down in the big forest in Brazil this year?
(a) The same as last year
(b) Twice as many as last year
(c) Half as many as last year
(d) Five times as many as last year

2. How does President Lula feel about cutting down trees in the forest?
(a) He doesn’t care
(b) He wants to stop it
(c) He wants to cut down more trees
(d) He wants to cut down fewer trees

3. How many years does President Lula want to wait before stopping cutting down trees in the forest?
(a) 2020
(b) 2050
(c) 2010
(d) 2030

4. Why are fewer trees being cut down in the forest?
(a) The old leader wants more trees to be cut down
(b) People are working hard to stop it
(c) The forest is too far away
(d) People are cutting down more trees

5. What does Brazil want to do to the forest?
(a) Cut down more trees
(b) Plant more trees
(c) Move the forest to a different place
(d) Stop cutting down trees for good

6. How many trees were cut down this year compared to all the space in a very big city?
(a) More than all the space in a very big city
(b) Less than all the space in a very big city
(c) The same as all the space in a very big city
(d) None of the above

7. Who is the leader of Brazil?
(a) The old leader
(b) The people who watch the forest
(c) President Lula
(d) None of the above

8. What is the smallest number of trees cut down in five years?
(a) This year
(b) Last year
(c) Two years ago
(d) None of the above

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. This year’s number of trees being cut down is the smallest in five years.
2. Brazil wants to put an end to cutting down trees in the forest and prevent any harm to it.
3. In Brazil, more trees are being cut down in a big forest this year.
4. People who watch the forest are not working hard to prevent trees from being cut down.
5. Last year, twice as many trees were cut down compared to this year.
6. Even though more trees are being cut down, it is still a small number, less than the space in a big city.
7. The leader of Brazil, President Lula, wants to completely stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030.
8. President Lula does not care about the forest and does not want to protect it.
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 happening to the trees in the big forest in Brazil?
2. How many trees were cut down this year compared to last year?
3. Is the number of trees cut down this year a lot or a little?
4. Who is the leader of Brazil?
5. What does President Lula want to do with the trees in the forest by 2030?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Are fewer trees being cut down in Brazil this year?
Yes.

2. How many trees were cut down this year compared to last year?
Half as many trees were cut down this year.

3. Is the number of trees being cut down this year the smallest in five years?
Yes.

4. Is cutting down trees a good thing or a bad thing?
Cutting down trees is a bad thing.

5. Who is the leader of Brazil?
President Lula.

6. Does President Lula want to stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030?
Yes.

7. Why do people want to stop cutting down trees in the forest?
Because they don’t want people to do bad things to the forest anymore.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) forest
(2) last
(3) trees
(4) Brazil
(5) People
(6) watch
(7) want
(8) things
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. forest
Answer: (E) A place with lots and lots of trees

2. Brazil
Answer: (A) A big country with rainforests

3. leader
Answer: (B) The person who is in charge

4. President
Answer: (C) The big boss of a country

5. space
Answer: (J) Room where you can move around

6. city
Answer: (G) A place with many houses and buildings where people live

7. working
Answer: (H) Doing a job or a task

8. cares
Answer: (D) When you really like something and think it’s important

9. cutting
Answer: (I) Making something shorter or dividing it into pieces

10. watching
Answer: (F) Looking at something carefully
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How many trees were cut down in the big forest in Brazil this year?
Answer: (c) Half as many as last year

2. How does President Lula feel about cutting down trees in the forest?
Answer: (b) He wants to stop it

3. How many years does President Lula want to wait before stopping cutting down trees in the forest?
Answer: (d) 2030

4. Why are fewer trees being cut down in the forest?
Answer: (b) People are working hard to stop it

5. What does Brazil want to do to the forest?
Answer: (d) Stop cutting down trees for good

6. How many trees were cut down this year compared to all the space in a very big city?
Answer: (a) More than all the space in a very big city

7. Who is the leader of Brazil?
Answer: (c) President Lula

8. What is the smallest number of trees cut down in five years?
Answer: (a) This year
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. This year’s number of trees being cut down is the smallest in five years. (Answer: True)
2. Brazil wants to put an end to cutting down trees in the forest and prevent any harm to it. (Answer: True)
3. In Brazil, more trees are being cut down in a big forest this year. (Answer: False)
4. People who watch the forest are not working hard to prevent trees from being cut down. (Answer: False)
5. Last year, twice as many trees were cut down compared to this year. (Answer: True)
6. Even though more trees are being cut down, it is still a small number, less than the space in a big city. (Answer: False)
7. The leader of Brazil, President Lula, wants to completely stop cutting down trees in the forest by 2030. (Answer: True)
8. President Lula does not care about the forest and does not want to protect it. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧