A big animal, a bull, was walking on the train tracks where the trains go. This made the trains stop and people were late. People do not know how the bull got there. Maybe it ran away from a place where they keep animals before they make them into food. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they took it to a safe place where it can live and not get hurt.

The trains did not run for a while because of the bull. People who ride the trains to work or school had to wait. The bull being there shows that people need to be more careful so this does not happen again. People are also asking if the places that keep animals before they become food are safe. The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it. This shows that it is important to be nice to animals and keep them in safe places. It also shows that when something strange happens, the police and other helpers work together to fix it.

Original news source: Bull spotted galloping down New Jersey train tracks (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 animal flashcards. One person from each group will pick a flashcard and act out the animal without using any words. The other group members have to guess which animal it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, changing the actor each time.

– News Summary
Instructions: Read the article aloud to the class. Then, have the students work in pairs to write a brief summary of the article using their own words. Encourage them to include the main ideas and key details. Afterward, have a few pairs share their summaries with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think animals should be kept in safe places?” Have the students stand up and move to one side of the room if they agree, and the other side if they disagree. Give each student an opportunity to explain their opinion, using simple English sentences like “I think animals should be kept in safe places because…” or “I disagree because…”.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a set of animal flashcards and a whiteboard or large sheet of paper. One person from each group will pick a flashcard and draw a picture of the animal without using any words. The other group members have to guess which animal it is. The group that guesses correctly gets a point. Play several rounds, changing the artist each time.

– Pass the Story
Instructions: Sit in a circle with the students. Start by saying the first sentence of a story related to the article, such as “Once upon a time, there was a big bull walking on the train tracks.” Then, pass a small object (e.g., a ball) to the next student, who has to add the next sentence to continue the story. Keep passing the object and having each student add a sentence until the story reaches a conclusion. Encourage the students to use their imagination and practice using complete sentences.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was walking on the train tracks?
2. Why did the trains stop?
3. Where do people think the bull came from?
4. What did the police and other helpers do to the bull?
5. Why did the trains not run for a while?
6. What are people asking about the places that keep animals?
7. Where is the bull now?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big animal, a bull, was walking on the train (1)______ where the trains go. This made the trains stop and people were late. People do not know how the bull got there. Maybe it ran away from a place where they (2)______ animals before they make them into food. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they (3)______ it to a safe place where it can live and not get (4)______.

The trains did not run for a while because of the bull. People who ride the trains to work or school had to (5)______. The bull being there shows that people need to be more careful so this does not happen again. People are also asking if the (6)______ that keep animals before they become food are safe. The bull is now in a nice place where people will (7)______ care of it. This (8)______ that it is important to be nice to animals and keep them in safe places. It also shows that when something strange happens, the police and other helpers work together to fix it.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a bull?
2. How would you feel if you were on a train and it had to stop because of a bull on the tracks?
3. Do you like animals? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it is important to be nice to animals? Why or why not?
5. What do you think the police and other helpers did to catch the bull?
6. Have you ever seen a big animal like a bull before? Where did you see it?
7. How do you think the bull got on the train tracks?
8. Do you think the places that keep animals before they become food are safe? Why or why not?
9. How do you think the bull felt when it was caught and made to sleep?
10. What do you think the bull’s new safe place looks like?
11. Have you ever been on a train before? Where did you go?
12. What do you think the police and other helpers did after they caught the bull?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. bull
2. trains
3. tracks
4. late
5. police
6. helpers
7. sleep
8. safe
9. careful
10. important

Meanings:
(A) People who wear uniforms and keep us safe
(B) Not on time
(C) Things that go on tracks and take people places
(D) Something we need to pay a lot of attention to
(E) When you close your eyes at night to rest
(F) Making sure not to hurt yourself or others
(G) A big animal with horns that says “moo”
(H) Not in danger
(I) People who work to make things better or help others
(J) Paths where trains run
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What animal was walking on the train tracks?
(a) Bull
(b) Lion
(c) Elephant
(d) Giraffe

2. Why did the trains stop?
(a) Because of the police
(b) Because of the bull
(c) Because of the helpers
(d) Because of the people

3. Where did the bull come from?
(a) A place where they keep animals before they become food
(b) A zoo
(c) A farm
(d) A forest

4. What did the police and other helpers do to the bull?
(a) Made it run away
(b) Made it angry
(c) Made it eat
(d) Made it sleep

5. Why did people have to wait for the trains?
(a) Because of the police
(b) Because of the helpers
(c) Because of the animals
(d) Because of the bull

6. What does the bull being on the train tracks show?
(a) People need to be more happy
(b) People need to be more careful
(c) People need to be more sad
(d) People need to be more angry

7. What are people asking about the places that keep animals?
(a) If they are big
(b) If they are small
(c) If they are safe
(d) If they are old

8. Where is the bull now?
(a) In a dangerous place where people will hurt it
(b) In a noisy place where people will scare it
(c) In a nice place where people will take care of it
(d) In a sad place where people will ignore it

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep.
2. People were early because the trains couldn’t run.
3. The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it.
4. They took the bull to a safe place where it can live and not get hurt.
5. The bull could not have escaped from a place where they keep animals before making them into food.
6. People need to be less careful to prevent this from happening again.
7. The trains didn’t run for a while because of the bull.
8. A small animal, a mouse, was walking on the train tracks and made the trains stop.
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 animal was walking on the train tracks?
2. Why did the trains have to stop?
3. How did the police and other helpers catch the bull?
4. Where did they take the bull after they caught it?
5. What does this story teach us about being nice to animals?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was walking on the train tracks?
A bull was walking on the train tracks.

2. Why did the trains stop?
The trains stopped because of the bull on the tracks.

3. Where do people think the bull came from?
People think the bull came from a place where they keep animals before making them into food.

4. What did the police and other helpers do to the bull?
The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. Then they took it to a safe place.

5. Why did the trains not run for a while?
The trains did not run for a while because of the bull on the tracks.

6. What are people asking about the places that keep animals?
People are asking if the places that keep animals before they become food are safe.

7. Where is the bull now?
The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) tracks
(2) keep
(3) took
(4) hurt
(5) wait
(6) places
(7) take
(8) shows
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. bull
Answer: (G) A big animal with horns that says “moo”

2. trains
Answer: (C) Things that go on tracks and take people places

3. tracks
Answer: (J) Paths where trains run

4. late
Answer: (B) Not on time

5. police
Answer: (A) People who wear uniforms and keep us safe

6. helpers
Answer: (I) People who work to make things better or help others

7. sleep
Answer: (E) When you close your eyes at night to rest

8. safe
Answer: (H) Not in danger

9. careful
Answer: (F) Making sure not to hurt yourself or others

10. important
Answer: (D) Something we need to pay a lot of attention to
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What animal was walking on the train tracks?
Answer: (a) Bull

2. Why did the trains stop?
Answer: (b) Because of the bull

3. Where did the bull come from?
Answer: (a) A place where they keep animals before they become food

4. What did the police and other helpers do to the bull?
Answer: (d) Made it sleep

5. Why did people have to wait for the trains?
Answer: (d) Because of the bull

6. What does the bull being on the train tracks show?
Answer: (b) People need to be more careful

7. What are people asking about the places that keep animals?
Answer: (c) If they are safe

8. Where is the bull now?
Answer: (c) In a nice place where people will take care of it
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The police and other helpers caught the bull and made it sleep. (Answer: True)
2. People were early because the trains couldn’t run. (Answer: False)
3. The bull is now in a nice place where people will take care of it. (Answer: True)
4. They took the bull to a safe place where it can live and not get hurt. (Answer: True)
5. The bull could not have escaped from a place where they keep animals before making them into food. (Answer: False)
6. People need to be less careful to prevent this from happening again. (Answer: False)
7. The trains didn’t run for a while because of the bull. (Answer: True)
8. A small animal, a mouse, was walking on the train tracks and made the trains stop. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧