A person in the UK got sick with a new kind of pig cold, but they are okay now. Doctors found it when they were checking for regular colds. People are trying to find out where it came from and if it can make more people sick. Doctors will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely. The person in charge of keeping people healthy said to trust the doctors.

Doctors say if you feel sick like you have a cold, stay away from other people, especially old people or those who get sick easily. The animal doctor said it’s important to keep animals healthy so they don’t make people sick. This new pig cold is not worse than other colds. Experts say we don’t need to worry too much because only one person got sick.

Original news source: Swine flu: UK detects first human case of new strain (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of words or phrases related to the article. One person from each team will act out a word or phrase without speaking, and their team must guess what it is. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Continue until all words or phrases have been used. The team with the most points wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students take turns summarizing the main points of the article to their partner. Encourage them to use their own words and keep it concise. After each summary, partners can discuss any questions or clarifications they may have.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Provide each student with a list of vocabulary words from the article. In pairs, one student will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while the other student guesses what the word is. Students can take turns being the drawer and guesser. Encourage them to use gestures and facial expressions to communicate their ideas.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will create a catchy headline for the article. Encourage them to use their creativity and language skills to come up with engaging titles. Afterward, groups can share their headlines with the class and explain their choices.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have students individually think about and write down their thoughts on the following question: “What can we do to prevent the spread of colds and keep ourselves and others healthy?” Then, pair students up to discuss their ideas and come up with a shared response. Finally, ask a few pairs to share their ideas with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the doctors find when they were checking for regular colds?
2. Why are people trying to find out where the new pig cold came from?
3. What will the doctors do to the place where the sick person lives?
4. Who did the person in charge of keeping people healthy say to trust?
5. What did the animal doctor say is important to keep animals healthy?
6. Is the new pig cold worse than other colds?
7. Should we worry a lot about the new pig cold? Why or why not?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A person in the UK got (1)______ with a new kind of pig cold, but they are (2)______ now. Doctors found it when they were checking for regular colds. People are trying to find out where it came from and if it can make more people sick. Doctors will watch the (3)______ where the sick person lives more closely. The person in charge of keeping people healthy (4)______ to trust the doctors.

(5)______ say if you feel sick like you have a cold, stay away from other people, especially old people or those who get sick easily. The animal doctor said it’s (6)______ to keep (7)______ healthy so they don’t (8)______ people sick. This new pig cold is not worse than other colds. Experts say we don’t need to worry too much because only one person got sick.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a pig cold?
2. How would you feel if you got sick with a pig cold?
3. Do you like going to the doctor? Why or why not?
4. What do doctors do to help people feel better?
5. How would you feel if you had to stay away from other people when you’re sick?
6. Do you think animals can get sick like people? Why or why not?
7. What do you do to stay healthy?
8. How would you feel if you had to take care of a sick animal?
9. Do you think it’s important to trust doctors? Why or why not?
10. What do you think the person in charge of keeping people healthy does?
11. How would you feel if you were the only person who got sick with a new cold?
12. Do you worry when you hear about new sicknesses? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. sick
2. cold
3. doctors
4. people
5. animals
6. worry
7. person
8. trust

Meanings:
(a) Thinking too much about something bad happening
(b) Believing that someone will take care of you
(c) One human being
(d) Feeling like you have a runny nose and cough
(e) Living things like dogs and cats
(f) Not feeling well or healthy
(g) People who help you when you are not feeling well
(h) All the humans in the world
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did doctors find when they were checking for regular colds?
(a) A new kind of pig cold
(b) A new kind of dog cold
(c) A new kind of cat cold
(d) A new kind of bird cold

2. Where did the sick person live?
(a) In France
(b) In Germany
(c) In the UK
(d) In Spain

3. Who will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely?
(a) Teachers
(b) Doctors
(c) Police officers
(d) Firefighters

4. Who said to trust the doctors?
(a) The person in charge of keeping people healthy
(b) The animal doctor
(c) The sick person
(d) The expert

5. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick?
(a) Old people
(b) Other people
(c) People who get sick easily
(d) All of the above

6. What did the animal doctor say is important?
(a) To keep animals sick
(b) To keep animals hungry
(c) To keep animals dirty
(d) To keep animals healthy

7. Is the new pig cold worse than other colds?
(a) Yes
(b) Maybe
(c) I don’t know
(d) No

8. How many people got sick with the new pig cold?
(a) Two people
(b) Three people
(c) One person
(d) Many people

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Doctors will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely.
2. The person in charge of keeping people healthy said to distrust the doctors.
3. The new pig cold is worse than other colds.
4. If you feel sick like you have a cold, be around other people, especially old people or those who get sick easily.
5. People are trying to find out where the new cold came from and if it can make more people sick.
6. It’s important to keep animals healthy so they don’t make people sick.
7. Doctors found the new cold when they were not checking for regular colds.
8. A person in the UK got a new kind of cold, but they are okay now.
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 did the doctors find when they were checking for regular colds?
2. What are people trying to find out about the new kind of pig cold?
3. Who will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely?
4. Who said to trust the doctors?
5. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have a cold?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did the doctors find when they were checking for regular colds?
The doctors found a new kind of pig cold.

2. Why are people trying to find out where the new pig cold came from?
People want to know where it came from and if it can make more people sick.

3. What will the doctors do to the place where the sick person lives?
The doctors will watch the place more closely.

4. Who did the person in charge of keeping people healthy say to trust?
The person in charge said to trust the doctors.

5. What did the animal doctor say is important to keep animals healthy?
The animal doctor said it’s important to keep animals healthy so they don’t make people sick.

6. Is the new pig cold worse than other colds?
No, the new pig cold is not worse than other colds.

7. Should we worry a lot about the new pig cold? Why or why not?
No, we don’t need to worry a lot because only one person got sick.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) sick
(2) okay
(3) place
(4) said
(5) Doctors
(6) important
(7) animals
(8) make
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. sick
Answer: (f) Not feeling well or healthy

2. cold
Answer: (d) Feeling like you have a runny nose and cough

3. doctors
Answer: (g) People who help you when you are not feeling well

4. people
Answer: (h) All the humans in the world

5. animals
Answer: (e) Living things like dogs and cats

6. worry
Answer: (a) Thinking too much about something bad happening

7. person
Answer: (c) One human being

8. trust
Answer: (b) Believing that someone will take care of you
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did doctors find when they were checking for regular colds?
Answer: (a) A new kind of pig cold

2. Where did the sick person live?
Answer: (c) In the UK

3. Who will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely?
Answer: (b) Doctors

4. Who said to trust the doctors?
Answer: (a) The person in charge of keeping people healthy

5. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick?
Answer: (b) Other people

6. What did the animal doctor say is important?
Answer: (d) To keep animals healthy

7. Is the new pig cold worse than other colds?
Answer: (d) No

8. How many people got sick with the new pig cold?
Answer: (c) One person
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Doctors will watch the place where the sick person lives more closely. (Answer: True)
2. The person in charge of keeping people healthy said to distrust the doctors. (Answer: False)
3. The new pig cold is worse than other colds. (Answer: False)
4. If you feel sick like you have a cold, be around other people, especially old people or those who get sick easily. (Answer: False)
5. People are trying to find out where the new cold came from and if it can make more people sick. (Answer: True)
6. It’s important to keep animals healthy so they don’t make people sick. (Answer: True)
7. Doctors found the new cold when they were not checking for regular colds. (Answer: False)
8. A person in the UK got a new kind of cold, but they are okay now. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧