There is a big train being built in Mexico called the Tren Maya. It is very long and goes through the jungle. Some people say the train will help bring more visitors and make things better for the towns. But people who love the earth and animals are very upset. They say the train is hurting the trees and the homes of wild animals like big cats and colorful birds.

The train is costing a lot more money than they thought it would. The leader of Mexico, a man named Amlo, is very proud of the train. He says it is the biggest building project in the world. But people who care about nature say the train is just to make Amlo look important. Some people who live near the train got money for their land, but others did not and are sad.

Original news source: Tren Maya: Mexico’s Yucatán mega train – world beating or environmental disaster? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. train, jungle, visitors, trees, animals, etc.). One person from each group will act out a word without speaking, while the others in the group guess what word it is. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words related to the article. One person from each pair will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other person guesses what word it is. The pair with the most correct guesses wins.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Ask each group to discuss their opinion on the Tren Maya project. Have them come up with a list of reasons for their opinion. Then, have each group choose a spokesperson to present their opinion to the class. After all groups have presented, conduct a class poll to see which opinion is the most popular.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words related to the article. In their pairs, students have to create a catchy newspaper headline using at least three of the given words. Each pair will present their headline to the class and explain why they chose those words.

– Two Truths and a Lie
Instructions: Have each student come up with two true statements and one false statement related to the article. In pairs or small groups, students take turns sharing their statements. The rest of the group has to guess which statement is the lie. This activity helps students practice speaking and listening skills, as well as reinforce their understanding of the article.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is the name of the big train being built in Mexico?
2. Where does the train go through?
3. Why are some people happy about the train?
4. Why are some people upset about the train?
5. Is the train costing more money than they thought?
6. Who is the leader of Mexico?
7. Why are some people saying the train is just to make the leader look important?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There is a big train being built in Mexico (1)______ the Tren Maya. It is very long and (2)______ through the jungle. Some people say the train will help bring more visitors and make things better for the towns. But people who love the earth and animals are very upset. They say the train is hurting the (3)______ and the (4)______ of wild animals like big cats and colorful birds.

The (5)______ is costing a lot more money than they thought it would. The leader of Mexico, a man named Amlo, is very proud of the train. He says it is the biggest building (6)______ in the world. But people who care about (7)______ say the train is just to make Amlo look important. Some people who live near the train got money for their land, but (8)______ did not and are sad.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the Tren Maya?
2. How do some people think the train will help the towns?
3. How do people who love the earth and animals feel about the train?
4. Why are some people upset about the train?
5. How does the leader of Mexico feel about the train?
6. Why do some people think the train is just to make Amlo look important?
7. How do people who live near the train feel if they got money for their land?
8. How do people who live near the train feel if they did not get money for their land?
9. What do you think about the Tren Maya?
10. Do you like the idea of the train going through the jungle? Why or why not?
11. How would you feel if your home was destroyed for a big train?
12. Do you think it’s more important to have the train or to protect the trees and animals? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. difficult
2. visitors
3. jungle
4. upset
5. earth
6. wild
7. colorful
8. project
9. important
10. proud

Meanings:
(A) When something or someone is very special or big deal
(B) A big job that people are working on
(C) Having many bright colors
(D) Feeling sad or mad
(E) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live
(F) People who come to see a place
(G) Hard to do or understand
(H) Feeling very happy about something you did
(I) The ground we walk on and the big world we live in
(J) Animals that live outside and are not pets
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the big train being built in Mexico?
(a) Tren Paris
(b) Tren Berlin
(c) Tren Maya
(d) Tren London

2. Where does the train go through?
(a) Jungle
(b) Desert
(c) Ocean
(d) Mountains

3. What do some people think the train will do for the towns?
(a) Make things worse
(b) Stay the same
(c) Go away
(d) Make things better

4. Who is the leader of Mexico?
(a) Bob
(b) Lucy
(c) Amlo
(d) Sam

5. What does Amlo say about the train?
(a) It is the smallest building project in the world
(b) It is the biggest building project in the world
(c) It is the fastest building project in the world
(d) It is the slowest building project in the world

6. Why are some people upset about the train?
(a) It helps the trees and animals
(b) It is very small
(c) It is very fast
(d) It hurts the trees and animals

7. What did some people near the train get for their land?
(a) Money
(b) Toys
(c) Food
(d) Clothes

8. How do some people feel if they did not get money for their land?
(a) Happy
(b) Sad
(c) Angry
(d) Excited

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Some people think the train is just to make Amlo look important.
2. There is a small train being built in Mexico called the Tren Maya.
3. The train is costing less money than they thought.
4. Some people who live near the train got money for their land, but others did not and are happy.
5. Some people think the train will bring more visitors and make things better for the towns.
6. The leader of Mexico, Amlo, is disappointed with the train.
7. The train goes through the jungle.
8. People who love the earth and animals are upset about the train.
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 the name of the big train being built in Mexico?
2. Where does the train go through?
3. Why are some people upset about the train?
4. Who is the leader of Mexico?
5. Why are some people sad about the train?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is the name of the big train being built in Mexico?
The big train being built in Mexico is called the Tren Maya.

2. Where does the train go through?
The train goes through the jungle.

3. Why are some people happy about the train?
Some people are happy about the train because they think it will bring more visitors and make things better for the towns.

4. Why are some people upset about the train?
Some people are upset about the train because they think it is hurting the trees and the homes of wild animals like big cats and colorful birds.

5. Is the train costing more money than they thought?
Yes, the train is costing more money than they thought.

6. Who is the leader of Mexico?
The leader of Mexico is a man named Amlo.

7. Why are some people saying the train is just to make the leader look important?
Some people are saying the train is just to make the leader look important because they think he is proud of the train and wants people to think he is doing something big.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) called
(2) goes
(3) trees
(4) homes
(5) train
(6) project
(7) nature
(8) others
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. difficult
Answer: (G) Hard to do or understand

2. visitors
Answer: (F) People who come to see a place

3. jungle
Answer: (E) A place with lots of trees and plants where animals live

4. upset
Answer: (D) Feeling sad or mad

5. earth
Answer: (I) The ground we walk on and the big world we live in

6. wild
Answer: (J) Animals that live outside and are not pets

7. colorful
Answer: (C) Having many bright colors

8. project
Answer: (B) A big job that people are working on

9. important
Answer: (A) When something or someone is very special or big deal

10. proud
Answer: (H) Feeling very happy about something you did
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the big train being built in Mexico?
Answer: (c) Tren Maya

2. Where does the train go through?
Answer: (a) Jungle

3. What do some people think the train will do for the towns?
Answer: (d) Make things better

4. Who is the leader of Mexico?
Answer: (c) Amlo

5. What does Amlo say about the train?
Answer: (b) It is the biggest building project in the world

6. Why are some people upset about the train?
Answer: (d) It hurts the trees and animals

7. What did some people near the train get for their land?
Answer: (a) Money

8. How do some people feel if they did not get money for their land?
Answer: (b) Sad
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Some people think the train is just to make Amlo look important. (Answer: True)
2. There is a small train being built in Mexico called the Tren Maya. (Answer: False)
3. The train is costing less money than they thought. (Answer: False)
4. Some people who live near the train got money for their land, but others did not and are happy. (Answer: False)
5. Some people think the train will bring more visitors and make things better for the towns. (Answer: True)
6. The leader of Mexico, Amlo, is disappointed with the train. (Answer: False)
7. The train goes through the jungle. (Answer: True)
8. People who love the earth and animals are upset about the train. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧