Great white sharks are back at the beaches in Cape Town after not being seen for more than four years. People who watch for sharks are now working to keep both the sharks and people safe. They sit on the hills and look at the water at five beaches. They tell people when there is a shark in the water, and they put a net in the water every morning to make a safe place for swimming. People who care about animals are happy to see the sharks again because they are important for the ocean.

There are new ways to keep sharks away from people without hurting them. One way is to make a barrier that looks like a forest under the water because sharks do not like it. This barrier also has magnets because sharks do not like those either. The barrier keeps sharks out but does not bother other animals in the sea. People are still trying to see if this barrier works well.

Original news source: South Africa’s shark spotters back in action as great whites return (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a slip of paper with a word or phrase related to the article (e.g. shark, beach, ocean). One person from each team will act out the word or phrase without speaking, while their team members try to guess what it is.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “shark” on the board. Have students take turns saying a word that they associate with sharks (e.g. ocean, teeth, scary). Keep going until everyone has had a turn or until the list of associated words gets too long.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. shark, beach, net). One person from each team will choose a word and draw a picture to represent it, while their team members try to guess what it is.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: Pair up the students. Give each pair a copy of the article. Set a timer for one minute. One person in each pair will try to summarize the article as quickly as possible, while the other person listens and keeps track of the main points. After one minute, the roles switch.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Have students think about the question: “Why are sharks important for the ocean?” Then, pair them up and have them discuss their thoughts with their partner. Finally, have a few pairs share their ideas with the whole class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who are the people that watch for sharks at the beaches in Cape Town?
2. What do the people do when they see a shark in the water?
3. Why are people happy to see the sharks again?
4. How do they keep sharks away from people without hurting them?
5. What does the barrier under the water look like?
6. Why do sharks not like the barrier?
7. Are people still testing to see if the barrier works well?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Great white sharks are back at the beaches in Cape Town after not being seen for (1)______ than four (2)______. People who watch for sharks are now working to keep both the sharks and people safe. They sit on the hills and look at the water at five beaches. They tell people when there is a (3)______ in the water, and they put a net in the water every morning to make a safe place for swimming. People who care about (4)______ are happy to see the sharks again because they are important for the ocean.

There are new ways to (5)______ sharks away from people without hurting them. One way is to make a barrier that looks like a (6)______ under the water because sharks do not like it. This barrier also has magnets because sharks do not like those either. The barrier keeps sharks out but does not (7)______ other animals in the sea. (8)______ are still trying to see if this barrier works well.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a great white shark?
2. How would you feel if you saw a shark at the beach?
3. Do you like swimming in the ocean? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to keep sharks and people safe? Why?
5. What are some ways to keep sharks away from people?
6. How do you think the barrier with magnets works to keep sharks away?
7. Do you think the barrier is a good idea? Why or why not?
8. Have you ever seen a shark before? How did you feel?
9. What other animals do you think are important for the ocean?
10. How can we help protect animals in the sea?
11. Have you ever been to the beach? What did you do there?
12. What do you like to do at the beach?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. difficult
2. sharks
3. beaches
4. barrier
5. ocean
6. magnets
7. swimming
8. important
9. discover
10. safe

Meanings:
(A) Places with sand next to the water where you can play and get a tan
(B) A wall or fence that stops things from going through
(C) Very special or needed
(D) Little things that can stick to metal or your fridge
(E) Hard to do or understand
(F) Big fish with sharp teeth that live in the water
(G) To find something new or that you didn’t know about before
(H) A very big area of salt water where fish and other sea creatures live
(I) Not in danger; protected from getting hurt
(J) Moving your arms and legs to float and move in water
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What type of animal is back at the beaches in Cape Town?
(a) Dolphins
(b) Whales
(c) Sharks
(d) Seals

2. What do people do to keep both the sharks and people safe?
(a) Feed the sharks to keep them away from people
(b) Swim with the sharks to keep them calm
(c) Play loud music to scare the sharks away
(d) Watch for sharks and put nets in the water

3. Why are people happy to see the sharks again?
(a) Because they like to swim with the sharks
(b) Because they are important for the ocean
(c) Because they want to catch the sharks
(d) Because they are scared of the sharks

4. What is one way to keep sharks away from people without hurting them?
(a) Feeding the sharks to keep them away
(b) Building a wall on the beach to keep the sharks out
(c) Using loud noises to scare the sharks away
(d) Making a barrier that looks like a forest under the water

5. What is another way to keep sharks away from people?
(a) Feeding the sharks to keep them away
(b) Painting the beach blue to scare the sharks
(c) Using magnets in the barrier
(d) Building a tall tower to watch for sharks

6. What do sharks not like in the barrier?
(a) Magnets
(b) Forests
(c) Nets
(d) Loud noises

7. What does the barrier keep out of the water?
(a) Dolphins
(b) Sharks
(c) Whales
(d) Seals

8. What are people still trying to see?
(a) If the barrier works well
(b) If the sharks are friendly
(c) If the dolphins like the barrier
(d) If the whales can jump over the barrier

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Small black sharks have returned to the beaches in Cape Town after being gone for a short time.
2. People who watch for sharks are keeping both the sharks and people safe.
3. One way is to create an opening under the water that resembles a forest and has magnets because sharks love it.
4. They tell people when there is a shark in the water.
5. They put a trap in the water every morning to make a dangerous place for swimming.
6. They sit on the hills and look at the water at five beaches.
7. People who care about animals are upset to see the sharks again because they are harmful for the ocean.
8. There are new ways to keep sharks away from people without hurting them.
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. Who is back at the beaches in Cape Town after not being seen for a long time?
2. What do the people who watch for sharks do to keep both the sharks and people safe?
3. What do the people do every morning to make a safe place for swimming?
4. Why are people who care about animals happy to see the sharks again?
5. What is one new way to keep sharks away from people without hurting them?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who are the people that watch for sharks at the beaches in Cape Town?
The people who watch for sharks are the ones who sit on the hills and look at the water at five beaches.

2. What do the people do when they see a shark in the water?
When the people see a shark in the water, they tell other people and put a net in the water to make a safe place for swimming.

3. Why are people happy to see the sharks again?
People are happy to see the sharks again because they are important for the ocean and it means that the ocean is healthy.

4. How do they keep sharks away from people without hurting them?
They keep sharks away from people by making a barrier under the water that looks like a forest and has magnets. Sharks don’t like the barrier, but it doesn’t bother other animals in the sea.

5. What does the barrier under the water look like?
The barrier under the water looks like a forest.

6. Why do sharks not like the barrier?
Sharks don’t like the barrier because it looks like a forest and has magnets.

7. Are people still testing to see if the barrier works well?
Yes, people are still testing to see if the barrier works well.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) more
(2) years
(3) shark
(4) animals
(5) keep
(6) forest
(7) bother
(8) People
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

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

2. sharks
Answer: (F) Big fish with sharp teeth that live in the water

3. beaches
Answer: (A) Places with sand next to the water where you can play and get a tan

4. barrier
Answer: (B) A wall or fence that stops things from going through

5. ocean
Answer: (H) A very big area of salt water where fish and other sea creatures live

6. magnets
Answer: (D) Little things that can stick to metal or your fridge

7. swimming
Answer: (J) Moving your arms and legs to float and move in water

8. important
Answer: (C) Very special or needed

9. discover
Answer: (G) To find something new or that you didn’t know about before

10. safe
Answer: (I) Not in danger; protected from getting hurt
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What type of animal is back at the beaches in Cape Town?
Answer: (c) Sharks

2. What do people do to keep both the sharks and people safe?
Answer: (d) Watch for sharks and put nets in the water

3. Why are people happy to see the sharks again?
Answer: (b) Because they are important for the ocean

4. What is one way to keep sharks away from people without hurting them?
Answer: (d) Making a barrier that looks like a forest under the water

5. What is another way to keep sharks away from people?
Answer: (c) Using magnets in the barrier

6. What do sharks not like in the barrier?
Answer: (a) Magnets

7. What does the barrier keep out of the water?
Answer: (b) Sharks

8. What are people still trying to see?
Answer: (a) If the barrier works well
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Small black sharks have returned to the beaches in Cape Town after being gone for a short time. (Answer: False)
2. People who watch for sharks are keeping both the sharks and people safe. (Answer: True)
3. One way is to create an opening under the water that resembles a forest and has magnets because sharks love it. (Answer: False)
4. They tell people when there is a shark in the water. (Answer: True)
5. They put a trap in the water every morning to make a dangerous place for swimming. (Answer: False)
6. They sit on the hills and look at the water at five beaches. (Answer: True)
7. People who care about animals are upset to see the sharks again because they are harmful for the ocean. (Answer: False)
8. There are new ways to keep sharks away from people without hurting them. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧