A special baby rhino was born in a place in Indonesia where they take care of animals. The baby rhino is very small and does not have a name yet. These rhinos are very rare and there are not many of them left in the world. People are very happy when a new baby rhino is born because it helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing.

A big group that cares about animals says these rhinos used to live in many places. But now, they can only be found on two islands in Indonesia. The new baby rhino gives people hope that these animals can keep living and have more babies. It’s very important to look after these rhinos so they don’t go away forever.

People who want to save animals say we need to take care of the places where the rhinos live. There are only a few of these rhinos left, so each new baby is very important. The new baby rhino helps us remember that we need to protect animals that are in danger and the places they live. If we don’t, we might lose many different kinds of animals.

Original news source: Rare Sumatran rhino born in Indonesia (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns choosing a word or phrase related to the article and acting it out silently while the other team guesses. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. The team with the most points at the end wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article to their partner in their own words. They should try to include the main ideas and key details. After both partners have summarized, they can compare their summaries and discuss any differences.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will choose a word from the article and draw a picture to represent it. Their partner must guess the word based on the drawing. They can only use gestures and cannot speak. After a certain time limit, they can switch roles.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and list the pros and cons of protecting endangered animals like the baby rhino in the article. They should consider both the benefits and challenges of conservation efforts. After discussing, each group will share their lists with the class and have a brief discussion.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns making predictions about what they think will happen to the baby rhino and other endangered animals in the future. They should use phrases like “I think,” “I believe,” or “I predict.” After both partners have shared their predictions, they can discuss and compare their ideas.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Where was the special baby rhino born?
2. Why are people happy when a new baby rhino is born?
3. How many places do these rhinos live in now?
4. Why is it important to take care of the places where the rhinos live?
5. Why is each new baby rhino important?
6. What does the new baby rhino help us remember?
7. What might happen if we don’t protect animals in danger and the places they live?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A special baby rhino was born in a place in (1)______ where they take care of animals. The baby rhino is very small and does not have a name yet. These rhinos are very (2)______ and there are not many of them (3)______ in the world. People are very happy when a new baby (4)______ is born because it helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing.

A big group that cares about (5)______ says these rhinos used to live in (6)______ places. But now, they can only be found on two islands in Indonesia. The new baby rhino gives people hope that these animals can keep living and have more babies. It’s very important to look after these rhinos so they don’t go away forever.

People who want to save animals say we (7)______ to (8)______ care of the (9)______ where the rhinos live. There are only a few of these rhinos left, so each new baby is very (10)______. The new baby rhino helps us (11)______ that we need to protect animals that are in danger and the places they live. If we don’t, we might (12)______ many different kinds of animals.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a rhino?
2. How would you feel if you saw a baby rhino?
3. Do you like animals? Why or why not?
4. What do you think is the importance of taking care of animals?
5. Have you ever seen a rhino before? If yes, where?
6. How do you think the baby rhino’s birth gives people hope?
7. What can we do to protect endangered animals like the rhino?
8. Why do you think it’s important to protect the places where animals live?
9. Do you think it’s fair that some animals are endangered while others are not? Why or why not?
10. How can we raise awareness about the importance of protecting animals?
11. Have you ever visited an animal sanctuary or zoo? How was your experience?
12. What would you do if you saw someone harming an animal?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. rhino
2. born
3. rare
4. disappearing
5. islands
6. hope
7. important
8. protect

Meanings:
(a) Keep safe from harm or danger
(b) Came into the world
(c) Feeling that things will get better
(d) Very necessary, cannot be ignored
(e) Going away, not existing anymore
(f) A big animal with a horn on its nose
(g) Not common, very few of them
(h) Pieces of land surrounded by water
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where was the special baby rhino born?
(a) Africa
(b) Indonesia
(c) Australia
(d) Europe

2. Why are people happy when a new baby rhino is born?
(a) It makes the other rhinos sad
(b) It gives people a new pet
(c) It helps the rhinos find food
(d) It helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing

3. Where can these rhinos only be found now?
(a) Many places around the world
(b) Africa
(c) Two islands in Indonesia
(d) Australia

4. Why is it important to look after these rhinos?
(a) So they don’t go away forever
(b) So they can learn new tricks
(c) So they can become famous
(d) So they can find new friends

5. What do people who want to save animals say we need to take care of?
(a) The places where the rhinos eat
(b) The places where the rhinos live
(c) The places where the rhinos sleep
(d) The places where the rhinos play

6. How many of these rhinos are left in the world?
(a) Only a few
(b) Many
(c) None
(d) Too many to count

7. What does the new baby rhino help us remember?
(a) We need to protect animals that are not in danger
(b) We need to protect plants, not animals
(c) We need to protect animals that are in danger
(d) We don’t need to protect any animals

8. What might happen if we don’t protect animals in danger?
(a) We might find many different kinds of animals
(b) We might have too many different kinds of animals
(c) We might forget about different kinds of animals
(d) We might lose many different kinds of animals

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. It’s important to take care of the places where the rhinos live to protect them.
2. These rhinos are very rare and there aren’t many of them left in the world.
3. A baby rhino was recently born in Malaysia.
4. People are unhappy when a new baby rhino is born because it accelerates the disappearance of the rhinos.
5. The rhinos used to live in many places, but now they can only be found on two islands in Indonesia.
6. Each new baby rhino is insignificant because there are still plenty of them left.
7. The new baby rhino gives hope that these animals can continue to live and have more babies.
8. The baby rhino is very large and already has a name.
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. Where was the special baby rhino born?
2. Why are people happy when a new baby rhino is born?
3. Where can these rhinos only be found now?
4. Why is it important to take care of the places where the rhinos live?
5. What might happen if we don’t protect animals that are in danger?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where was the special baby rhino born?
The special baby rhino was born in a place in Indonesia where they take care of animals.

2. Why are people happy when a new baby rhino is born?
People are happy when a new baby rhino is born because it helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing.

3. How many places do these rhinos live in now?
These rhinos can only be found on two islands in Indonesia now.

4. Why is it important to take care of the places where the rhinos live?
It is important to take care of the places where the rhinos live because they are very rare and there are not many of them left in the world.

5. Why is each new baby rhino important?
Each new baby rhino is important because there are only a few of these rhinos left, so each new baby helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing.

6. What does the new baby rhino help us remember?
The new baby rhino helps us remember that we need to protect animals that are in danger and the places they live.

7. What might happen if we don’t protect animals in danger and the places they live?
If we don’t protect animals in danger and the places they live, we might lose many different kinds of animals.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Indonesia
(2) rare
(3) left
(4) rhino
(5) animals
(6) many
(7) need
(8) take
(9) places
(10) important
(11) remember
(12) lose
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. rhino
Answer: (f) A big animal with a horn on its nose

2. born
Answer: (b) Came into the world

3. rare
Answer: (g) Not common, very few of them

4. disappearing
Answer: (e) Going away, not existing anymore

5. islands
Answer: (h) Pieces of land surrounded by water

6. hope
Answer: (c) Feeling that things will get better

7. important
Answer: (d) Very necessary, cannot be ignored

8. protect
Answer: (a) Keep safe from harm or danger
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where was the special baby rhino born?
Answer: (b) Indonesia

2. Why are people happy when a new baby rhino is born?
Answer: (d) It helps to keep the rhinos from disappearing

3. Where can these rhinos only be found now?
Answer: (c) Two islands in Indonesia

4. Why is it important to look after these rhinos?
Answer: (a) So they don’t go away forever

5. What do people who want to save animals say we need to take care of?
Answer: (b) The places where the rhinos live

6. How many of these rhinos are left in the world?
Answer: (a) Only a few

7. What does the new baby rhino help us remember?
Answer: (c) We need to protect animals that are in danger

8. What might happen if we don’t protect animals in danger?
Answer: (d) We might lose many different kinds of animals
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. It’s important to take care of the places where the rhinos live to protect them. (Answer: True)
2. These rhinos are very rare and there aren’t many of them left in the world. (Answer: True)
3. A baby rhino was recently born in Malaysia. (Answer: False)
4. People are unhappy when a new baby rhino is born because it accelerates the disappearance of the rhinos. (Answer: False)
5. The rhinos used to live in many places, but now they can only be found on two islands in Indonesia. (Answer: True)
6. Each new baby rhino is insignificant because there are still plenty of them left. (Answer: False)
7. The new baby rhino gives hope that these animals can continue to live and have more babies. (Answer: True)
8. The baby rhino is very large and already has a name. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧