A woman in Thailand got in trouble because she let her baby lion ride in a fancy car. People saw the lion in the car and made a video that many people watched on the internet. It’s okay to have a lion in Thailand, but you have to tell the government you have one. People are very upset because they care about the lion and think it’s not safe.

The woman was with a man from another country, but he went away. The lion was tied up in the car and people saw it when it was being driven around. Now, some people want new rules to keep special animals safe in Thailand. The government is trying to stop people from selling wild animals that they shouldn’t. People who love animals want the government to be tougher on people who break these rules.

Original news source: Thailand: Lion filmed riding in open-top Bentley (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out a word or phrase related to the article, such as “lion,” “fancy car,” or “government rules.” The other groups must guess what they are acting out. Encourage the use of gestures and body language to convey meaning.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. They should try to use their own words and keep their summaries brief. After each summary, the listener can ask questions for clarification.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “Having a lion as a pet is dangerous” or “The government should have stricter rules for owning wild animals.” In pairs or small groups, students take turns expressing their opinion on each statement and explaining why they agree or disagree.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will choose a word from the article and draw a picture to represent it, while the other student tries to guess the word. Encourage students to use simple and clear drawings that convey the meaning of the word.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Set a timer for 2 minutes. In pairs, students take turns summarizing the article to their partner as quickly as possible within the time limit. They should focus on the main points and try to speak fluently. After the timer goes off, they can switch roles and try to beat their previous time.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the woman do that got her in trouble?
2. Why were people upset about the lion in the car?
3. What did the man from another country do?
4. Where was the lion when people saw it?
5. What do some people want the government to do?
6. Why do people who love animals want the government to be tougher?
7. What is the government trying to stop people from doing?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A woman in (1)______ got in trouble because she let her baby lion (2)______ in a fancy car. People saw the lion in the car and made a video that many people watched on the internet. It’s okay to (3)______ a lion in Thailand, but you have to tell the (4)______ you have one. People are very upset because they care about the lion and think it’s not safe.

The woman was with a man from another country, but he went away. The lion was tied up in the car and people saw it when it was being driven around. Now, some people want new rules to keep special (5)______ (6)______ in Thailand. The government is trying to stop (7)______ from selling wild animals that they shouldn’t. People who love animals want the government to be (8)______ on people who break these rules.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a lion?
2. How would you feel if you saw a lion in a car?
3. Do you like lions? Why or why not?
4. What do you think about the woman letting her baby lion ride in the car?
5. How do you think the lion felt being tied up in the car?
6. Do you think it’s important to tell the government if you have a lion? Why or why not?
7. What do you think about the idea of having new rules to keep special animals safe in Thailand?
8. Do you think it’s okay for people to sell wild animals they shouldn’t? Why or why not?
9. How would you feel if you saw someone breaking the rules and selling wild animals?
10. What do you think the government should do to people who break the rules about selling wild animals?
11. Do you love animals? Why or why not?
12. How can we help keep animals safe?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. trouble
2. fancy
3. internet
4. government
5. upset
6. safe
7. tied
8. driven
9. rules
10. tougher

Meanings:
(A) The group of people who make important decisions for everyone
(B) Being very strong and not letting people do bad things
(C) Very pretty and nice, like a princess’s dress
(D) When you are protected and nothing can hurt you
(E) When you use a rope to make sure something stays in one place
(F) The things you have to follow so you don’t get in trouble
(G) Where you can see videos and pictures on a computer or phone
(H) Riding in a car when someone else is making it go
(I) When you do something you’re not supposed to and might get a time-out
(J) Feeling sad or mad about something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did the woman in Thailand get in trouble?
(a) She didn’t tell the government about her lion.
(b) She sold wild animals.
(c) She went away and left the lion tied up in the car.
(d) She let her baby lion ride in a fancy car.

2. What did people do when they saw the lion in the car?
(a) They made a video and put it on the internet.
(b) They called the police.
(c) They took the lion out of the car.
(d) They didn’t do anything.

3. What do people want the government to do?
(a) Sell wild animals.
(b) Let people have lions without telling the government.
(c) Be tougher on people who love animals.
(d) Make new rules to keep special animals safe.

4. Why did the man from another country go away?
(a) He didn’t like the lion.
(b) It doesn’t say in the article.
(c) He wanted to sell the lion.
(d) He had to go back to his own country.

5. What did the woman do with the lion in the car?
(a) She tied it up.
(b) She let it drive the car.
(c) She let it ride in the car.
(d) She let it out of the car.

6. What did the government do to try to stop people from selling wild animals?
(a) It let people sell wild animals.
(b) It didn’t do anything.
(c) It made new rules.
(d) It took the lion away.

7. Why are people upset?
(a) They want to sell wild animals.
(b) They care about the lion and think it’s not safe.
(c) They don’t like the woman.
(d) They want the government to have more lions.

8. What did people do when they watched the video on the internet?
(a) They called the government.
(b) They didn’t do anything.
(c) They got in trouble.
(d) It doesn’t say in the article.

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. In Thailand, it’s not okay to have a lion, but you have to tell the government.
2. A woman in Thailand had a baby lion ride in her fancy car.
3. The lion was tied up in the car and people saw it when it was driven around.
4. The government is trying to encourage people to sell wild animals they shouldn’t.
5. People are pleased because they think the lion is not safe.
6. The woman was with a woman from another country, but she left.
7. Some people want new rules to protect special animals in Thailand.
8. Many people saw a video of the lion in the car on the internet.
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. Why did the woman in Thailand get in trouble?
2. What did people do when they saw the lion in the car?
3. What do you have to do if you want to have a lion in Thailand?
4. Why are some people upset about the lion in the car?
5. What do people want the government to do to keep special animals safe?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did the woman do that got her in trouble?
The woman let her baby lion ride in a fancy car.

2. Why were people upset about the lion in the car?
People were upset because they thought it wasn’t safe for the lion and they care about the lion.

3. What did the man from another country do?
The man from another country went away and left the woman alone.

4. Where was the lion when people saw it?
The lion was tied up in the car when people saw it.

5. What do some people want the government to do?
Some people want the government to make new rules to keep special animals safe in Thailand.

6. Why do people who love animals want the government to be tougher?
People who love animals want the government to be tougher so that people who break the rules and sell wild animals they shouldn’t can be stopped.

7. What is the government trying to stop people from doing?
The government is trying to stop people from selling wild animals that they shouldn’t.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Thailand
(2) ride
(3) have
(4) government
(5) animals
(6) safe
(7) people
(8) tougher
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. trouble
Answer: (I) When you do something you’re not supposed to and might get a time-out

2. fancy
Answer: (C) Very pretty and nice, like a princess’s dress

3. internet
Answer: (G) Where you can see videos and pictures on a computer or phone

4. government
Answer: (A) The group of people who make important decisions for everyone

5. upset
Answer: (J) Feeling sad or mad about something

6. safe
Answer: (D) When you are protected and nothing can hurt you

7. tied
Answer: (E) When you use a rope to make sure something stays in one place

8. driven
Answer: (H) Riding in a car when someone else is making it go

9. rules
Answer: (F) The things you have to follow so you don’t get in trouble

10. tougher
Answer: (B) Being very strong and not letting people do bad things
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did the woman in Thailand get in trouble?
Answer: (d) She let her baby lion ride in a fancy car.

2. What did people do when they saw the lion in the car?
Answer: (a) They made a video and put it on the internet.

3. What do people want the government to do?
Answer: (d) Make new rules to keep special animals safe.

4. Why did the man from another country go away?
Answer: (b) It doesn’t say in the article.

5. What did the woman do with the lion in the car?
Answer: (a) She tied it up.

6. What did the government do to try to stop people from selling wild animals?
Answer: (c) It made new rules.

7. Why are people upset?
Answer: (b) They care about the lion and think it’s not safe.

8. What did people do when they watched the video on the internet?
Answer: (c) They got in trouble.
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. In Thailand, it’s not okay to have a lion, but you have to tell the government. (Answer: False)
2. A woman in Thailand had a baby lion ride in her fancy car. (Answer: True)
3. The lion was tied up in the car and people saw it when it was driven around. (Answer: True)
4. The government is trying to encourage people to sell wild animals they shouldn’t. (Answer: False)
5. People are pleased because they think the lion is not safe. (Answer: False)
6. The woman was with a woman from another country, but she left. (Answer: False)
7. Some people want new rules to protect special animals in Thailand. (Answer: True)
8. Many people saw a video of the lion in the car on the internet. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧