A big cat named Kimba got out of his home at the circus. He walked around a place where people live, and it was not where big cats should be. People saw him and took videos because it was strange to see a big cat on the street. Kimba was not in his home for more than five hours. The man who takes care of Kimba said he is okay and they are trying to find out how he got out.

People in the town were surprised to see Kimba walking around. People who help keep everyone safe came to take Kimba back to his home. The man who takes care of Kimba said he was not hurt and that they will make sure he cannot get out again. Sometimes other animals get out too, like a zebra or cows. It is important to keep animals in their homes so they and people are safe.

Original news source: Escaped circus lion roams around Italian town before capture (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Draw a picture of a vocabulary word from the article on the board without speaking. Classmates guess the word. For this activity, use words like “circus,” “big cat,” “street,” “safe,” and “home.” If the students guess correctly, have them use the word in a simple sentence related to the article.

– Charades
Instructions: Act out different actions from the article without speaking or making noise. For example, pretend to be Kimba walking around, the people recording videos, or the man who cares for Kimba. The rest of the class has to guess what you are acting out. After each correct guess, discuss the relevant part of the article briefly.

– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Split the class into groups of two or three. One student is a news reporter, and the others are witnesses or the caretaker. The reporter asks questions about what happened with Kimba, and the others respond based on information from the article. Switch roles after a few minutes.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Conduct a class poll asking whether animals like Kimba should live in circuses. Write down ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on opposite sides of the board. Students walk to the side of the room that corresponds with their opinion. Select a few students from each side to explain their choice using simple English.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Give students a blank piece of paper and ask them to draw a scene from the article. For example, they could draw Kimba in the town, people filming, or the safekeepers. After they finish, have them label each part of their drawing with words from the article. Share the drawings with the class and discuss the scenes.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What kind of animal is Kimba?
2. Where did Kimba get out from?
3. Where did Kimba walk around?
4. How long was Kimba not in his home?
5. Who came to take Kimba back home?
6. What did the man who takes care of Kimba say about him?
7. What other animals sometimes get out too?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big cat (1)______ Kimba got out of his home at the (2)______. He walked around a place where people live, and it was not where big cats should be. People saw him and took videos because it was strange to see a big cat on the street. Kimba was not in his home for (3)______ than five hours. The man who takes care of Kimba said he is okay and they are trying to (4)______ out how he got out.

People in the town were surprised to see Kimba walking around. People who help keep everyone (5)______ came to take Kimba back to his home. The man who (6)______ care of Kimba said he was not hurt and that they will make (7)______ he cannot get out again. Sometimes other animals get out too, like a zebra or cows. It is important to (8)______ animals in their homes so they and people are safe.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a big cat?
2. How would you feel if you saw a big cat on your street?
3. Do you like animals from the circus?
4. Do you think big cats should live at the circus? Why or why not?
5. What is a circus?
6. Have you ever seen a big cat before? Where?
7. What would you do if you found a big cat outside?
8. Do you think it is okay for animals to walk around where people live? Why or why not?
9. What are some animals that you think should not be outside?
10. How do you think the big cat got out?
11. Do you think the big cat was happy or sad to be outside? Why?
12. What should people do to keep animals safe?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. cat
2. home
3. circus
4. people
5. videos
6. street
7. town
8. animals

Meanings:
(a) The place where you live with your family
(b) Living creatures that are not people, like dogs or birds
(c) The humans who live in a city or town
(d) The road where cars and people walk
(e) Moving pictures that you can watch on a screen
(f) A small place where many people live together
(g) A place where people go to watch shows with animals
(h) A furry animal that says “meow”
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the big cat that got out of his home?
(a) Kimba
(b) Simba
(c) Kumba
(d) Timba

2. Where did Kimba walk around?
(a) A place where big cats live
(b) A place where people live
(c) A place where cars drive
(d) A place where birds fly

3. Why did people take videos of Kimba?
(a) Because they wanted to scare him away
(b) Because it was strange to see a big cat on the street
(c) Because they wanted to play with him
(d) Because they wanted to keep him as a pet

4. How long was Kimba not in his home for?
(a) Less than five hours
(b) More than ten hours
(c) More than five hours
(d) Less than ten hours

5. Who takes care of Kimba?
(a) A woman
(b) A child
(c) A dog
(d) A man

6. Was Kimba hurt when he got out?
(a) Yes, he was hurt
(b) No, he hurt someone else
(c) No, he was not hurt
(d) Yes, he hurt someone else

7. What other animals sometimes get out?
(a) Elephants or giraffes
(b) Fish or birds
(c) Dogs or cats
(d) Zebra or cows

8. Why is it important to keep animals in their homes?
(a) So they and people are safe
(b) So they can play outside
(c) So they can make new friends
(d) So they can run away

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The man who takes care of Kimba said he is not okay and they are not trying to find out how he got out.
2. Kimba was inside his home for less than five hours.
3. Kimba stayed in his designated area where big cats should be.
4. People who help keep everyone safe came to take Kimba back to his home.
5. A small cat named Kimba stayed inside his home at the circus.
6. The man who takes care of Kimba said he was not hurt and they will make sure he cannot get out again.
7. People in the town were surprised to see Kimba walking around.
8. People took videos of Kimba because it was strange to see a big cat on the street.
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 Kimba’s home?
2. Where did Kimba go for a walk?
3. How long was Kimba not in his home?
4. Who came to take Kimba back to his home?
5. Why do we need to keep animals in their homes?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What kind of animal is Kimba?
Kimba is a big cat.

2. Where did Kimba get out from?
Kimba got out from his home at the circus.

3. Where did Kimba walk around?
Kimba walked around a place where people live.

4. How long was Kimba not in his home?
Kimba was not in his home for more than five hours.

5. Who came to take Kimba back home?
People who help keep everyone safe came to take Kimba back home.

6. What did the man who takes care of Kimba say about him?
The man said Kimba is okay and they will make sure he cannot get out again.

7. What other animals sometimes get out too?
Sometimes a zebra or cows get out too.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) circus
(3) more
(4) find
(5) safe
(6) takes
(7) sure
(8) keep
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. cat
Answer: (h) A furry animal that says “meow”

2. home
Answer: (a) The place where you live with your family

3. circus
Answer: (g) A place where people go to watch shows with animals

4. people
Answer: (c) The humans who live in a city or town

5. videos
Answer: (e) Moving pictures that you can watch on a screen

6. street
Answer: (d) The road where cars and people walk

7. town
Answer: (f) A small place where many people live together

8. animals
Answer: (b) Living creatures that are not people, like dogs or birds
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the big cat that got out of his home?
Answer: (a) Kimba

2. Where did Kimba walk around?
Answer: (b) A place where people live

3. Why did people take videos of Kimba?
Answer: (b) Because it was strange to see a big cat on the street

4. How long was Kimba not in his home for?
Answer: (c) More than five hours

5. Who takes care of Kimba?
Answer: (d) A man

6. Was Kimba hurt when he got out?
Answer: (c) No, he was not hurt

7. What other animals sometimes get out?
Answer: (d) Zebra or cows

8. Why is it important to keep animals in their homes?
Answer: (a) So they and people are safe
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The man who takes care of Kimba said he is not okay and they are not trying to find out how he got out. (Answer: False)
2. Kimba was inside his home for less than five hours. (Answer: False)
3. Kimba stayed in his designated area where big cats should be. (Answer: False)
4. People who help keep everyone safe came to take Kimba back to his home. (Answer: True)
5. A small cat named Kimba stayed inside his home at the circus. (Answer: False)
6. The man who takes care of Kimba said he was not hurt and they will make sure he cannot get out again. (Answer: True)
7. People in the town were surprised to see Kimba walking around. (Answer: True)
8. People took videos of Kimba because it was strange to see a big cat on the street. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧