A big airplane got stuck under a bridge in a place called Motihari in India. It was being moved on a big truck from one part of India to another when it got stuck. People who drive trucks helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge. Many people are talking about this on the internet because it is not something you see every day.

People are surprised and are sharing a video of the airplane under the bridge. No one knows exactly how the airplane got stuck. The video shows the airplane moving slowly out from under the bridge, so it looks like they were able to fix the problem.

This funny thing that happened shows that moving big things like airplanes can be hard. It reminds us that people need to plan very well when they move big things to make sure they are safe.

Original news source: Ex-Air India scrap plane gets stuck under bridge in Bihar (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, read the article and write a short summary of the main points. Then, share your summaries with another pair and compare your answers. Finally, discuss as a class and create a summary together.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In groups of three, discuss the following questions based on the article: 1) What do you think caused the airplane to get stuck under the bridge? 2) How do you think the people involved felt when they saw the airplane stuck? 3) Do you think it’s common for big things like airplanes to get stuck? Why or why not? After discussing, each group will share their opinions with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a list of vocabulary words from the article (e.g. airplane, bridge, truck, stuck). One student from each team will come to the board and draw a picture representing the word while their team tries to guess it. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: In pairs, choose five words from the article and find synonyms for each word. Then, take turns quizzing each other by giving the synonym and asking for the original word. The pair with the most correct answers wins.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, discuss and make predictions about what might happen after the airplane got stuck under the bridge. For example, “People will be more careful when moving big things in the future.” Each pair will present their predictions to the class and discuss as a group.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where did the airplane get stuck?
2. How was the airplane being moved?
3. Who helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge?
4. Why are people talking about this on the internet?
5. Does anyone know exactly how the airplane got stuck?
6. How does the video show the airplane moving out from under the bridge?
7. What does this funny thing remind us about moving big things?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A big (1)______ got stuck under a bridge in a place called (2)______ in India. It was being moved on a big truck from one (3)______ of India to another when it got stuck. People who drive trucks helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge. (4)______ people are talking about this on the (5)______ because it is not something you see every day.

(6)______ are surprised and are sharing a video of the airplane under the (7)______. No one (8)______ exactly how the airplane got stuck. The video (9)______ the airplane moving slowly out from under the bridge, so it looks like they were able to fix the problem.

This funny thing that happened shows that (10)______ big things like airplanes can be hard. It (11)______ us that people need to plan very well when they move big things to make (12)______ they are safe.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an airplane?
2. Have you ever seen a big truck before? What did it look like?
3. How would you feel if you saw an airplane stuck under a bridge?
4. Do you think it’s funny or strange that an airplane got stuck under a bridge? Why or why not?
5. Have you ever seen something unusual on the internet? What was it?
6. What do you think the people driving the trucks did to help get the airplane out from under the bridge?
7. Do you think it’s important to plan well when moving big things like airplanes? Why or why not?
8. How do you think the people who were moving the airplane felt when it got stuck?
9. Do you like watching funny videos on the internet? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever seen a big airplane before? What did it look like?
11. How do you think the people who saw the airplane stuck under the bridge felt?
12. What would you do if you saw an airplane stuck under a bridge? Why?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. airplane
2. Motihari
3. truck
4. internet
5. video
6. bridge
7. surprised
8. problem
9. funny
10. moving
11. reminds
12. safe

Meanings:
(A) Something that cars, trains, or people use to go over something like a river
(B) Not being in danger or hurt
(C) Makes you think of something or someone
(D) A place online where people can talk and share things
(E) A place in India where the story happened
(F) A short movie that you can watch on a phone or computer
(G) Something that is not right and needs to be fixed
(H) Something that makes you laugh
(I) Feeling like you can’t believe what you just saw or heard
(J) A big machine that flies in the sky
(K) A large vehicle used for carrying things
(L) Taking something from one place to another
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did the airplane get stuck?
(a) Paris, France
(b) London, England
(c) Motihari, India
(d) Berlin, Germany

2. How was the airplane being moved?
(a) On a train
(b) On a boat
(c) On a bicycle
(d) On a big truck

3. Why are people talking about the airplane getting stuck?
(a) Because it happens every day
(b) Because it is unusual
(c) Because it is not important
(d) Because it is boring

4. How did people help to get the airplane out from under the bridge?
(a) By driving trucks
(b) By flying helicopters
(c) By swimming in the river
(d) By using cranes

5. What does the video show?
(a) The airplane crashing into the bridge
(b) The airplane flying over the bridge
(c) The airplane disappearing under the bridge
(d) The airplane moving slowly out from under the bridge

6. Why do people need to plan well when moving big things?
(a) To make it more fun
(b) To make sure they are safe
(c) To waste time
(d) To make it more difficult

7. What does the article say about moving big things like airplanes?
(a) It can be hard
(b) It is always easy
(c) It is never a problem
(d) It is not important

8. What does the article remind us?
(a) People should never move big things
(b) People should not talk about funny things
(c) People need to plan well when moving big things
(d) People should not use the internet

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. A big airplane got stuck under a bridge in India.
2. The airplane was being moved on a truck when it got stuck.
3. Many people are talking about this on the internet.
4. The video shows the airplane slowly moving out from under the bridge.
5. There is no video of the airplane under the bridge.
6. It is clear how the airplane got stuck.
7. This incident reminds us that moving big things like airplanes can be easy and does not require careful planning.
8. People who drive cars helped to get the airplane out.
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 happened to the airplane in Motihari, India?
2. Who helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge?
3. Why are people talking about this on the internet?
4. How did they fix the problem with the airplane?
5. What does this funny thing remind us about moving big things?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where did the airplane get stuck?
The airplane got stuck under a bridge in Motihari, India.

2. How was the airplane being moved?
The airplane was being moved on a big truck.

3. Who helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge?
People who drive trucks helped to get the airplane out from under the bridge.

4. Why are people talking about this on the internet?
People are talking about this on the internet because it is not something you see every day and it is funny.

5. Does anyone know exactly how the airplane got stuck?
No, no one knows exactly how the airplane got stuck.

6. How does the video show the airplane moving out from under the bridge?
The video shows the airplane moving slowly out from under the bridge.

7. What does this funny thing remind us about moving big things?
This funny thing reminds us that moving big things like airplanes can be hard and people need to plan well to make sure they are safe.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) airplane
(2) Motihari
(3) part
(4) Many
(5) internet
(6) People
(7) bridge
(8) knows
(9) shows
(10) moving
(11) reminds
(12) sure
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. airplane
Answer: (J) A big machine that flies in the sky

2. Motihari
Answer: (E) A place in India where the story happened

3. truck
Answer: (K) A large vehicle used for carrying things

4. internet
Answer: (D) A place online where people can talk and share things

5. video
Answer: (F) A short movie that you can watch on a phone or computer

6. bridge
Answer: (A) Something that cars, trains, or people use to go over something like a river

7. surprised
Answer: (I) Feeling like you can’t believe what you just saw or heard

8. problem
Answer: (G) Something that is not right and needs to be fixed

9. funny
Answer: (H) Something that makes you laugh

10. moving
Answer: (L) Taking something from one place to another

11. reminds
Answer: (C) Makes you think of something or someone

12. safe
Answer: (B) Not being in danger or hurt
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did the airplane get stuck?
Answer: (c) Motihari, India

2. How was the airplane being moved?
Answer: (d) On a big truck

3. Why are people talking about the airplane getting stuck?
Answer: (b) Because it is unusual

4. How did people help to get the airplane out from under the bridge?
Answer: (a) By driving trucks

5. What does the video show?
Answer: (d) The airplane moving slowly out from under the bridge

6. Why do people need to plan well when moving big things?
Answer: (b) To make sure they are safe

7. What does the article say about moving big things like airplanes?
Answer: (a) It can be hard

8. What does the article remind us?
Answer: (c) People need to plan well when moving big things
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. A big airplane got stuck under a bridge in India. (Answer: True)
2. The airplane was being moved on a truck when it got stuck. (Answer: True)
3. Many people are talking about this on the internet. (Answer: True)
4. The video shows the airplane slowly moving out from under the bridge. (Answer: True)
5. There is no video of the airplane under the bridge. (Answer: False)
6. It is clear how the airplane got stuck. (Answer: False)
7. This incident reminds us that moving big things like airplanes can be easy and does not require careful planning. (Answer: False)
8. People who drive cars helped to get the airplane out. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧