Big fires in Bolivia have hurt a lot of land and animals. Many farmers have problems because it’s getting hotter and hurting their plants and animals. People who live there are helping the animals by giving them water and food.

The leader of Bolivia, Luis Arce, has asked people from other countries to help because the fires are very bad. Pictures show people in a place called San Buenaventura taking care of animals like a raccoon. A man who takes care of a big park is looking for animals that are hurt or stuck because of the fires.

The fires in Bolivia are causing a lot of trouble for both the land and the people who live there. The people are showing they are strong and kind by helping the animals. But they need more help from people in other countries to fix the damage from the fires and to keep their special nature safe.

Original news source: Bolivia wildfires: Locals care for animals affected by blazes (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Give each student a copy of the article.
2. In pairs or small groups, have the students read the article and summarize the main points.
3. Each group can then share their summary with the rest of the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the following question on the board: “Do you think it is important for people from other countries to help Bolivia with the fires? Why or why not?”
2. Have the students discuss their opinions in pairs or small groups.
3. After the discussion, conduct a class poll by asking each student to raise their hand in agreement or disagreement with the statement.
4. Encourage students to share their reasons for their opinions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions:
1. Create a list of vocabulary words from the article, such as “fires,” “land,” “animals,” “farmers,” “help,” etc.
2. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
3. One student from each group will choose a word from the list and draw a picture to represent it.
4. The other students in the group must guess the word based on the drawing.
5. Repeat the process with different words and rotate the roles within the groups.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a copy of the article.
3. Set a timer for a short amount of time (e.g. 2 minutes).
4. One student in each pair will have to summarize the article as quickly as possible, while the other student listens and takes notes.
5. After the time is up, the roles switch and the other student has to summarize the article.
6. Compare the summaries and discuss any differences or missing information.

– Headline Creation
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. In each group, have the students create a catchy headline for the article.
3. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and main points from the article.
4. Each group can share their headline with the rest of the class and explain their choice.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What are some problems that the fires in Bolivia are causing?
2. How are the people in Bolivia helping the animals?
3. Who is the leader of Bolivia?
4. Why did the leader of Bolivia ask people from other countries for help?
5. What are some things that people in San Buenaventura are doing to help the animals?
6. What is the man in the big park looking for?
7. Why do the people in Bolivia need more help from people in other countries?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Big fires in Bolivia have hurt a lot of land and (1)______. Many farmers have problems because it’s (2)______ hotter and hurting their plants and animals. People who live there are (3)______ the animals by giving them water and food.

The leader of Bolivia, Luis Arce, has asked people from (4)______ countries to help because the fires are very bad. Pictures (5)______ people in a place called San Buenaventura (6)______ care of animals like a raccoon. A man who (7)______ care of a big park is looking for animals that are hurt or (8)______ because of the fires.

The fires in Bolivia are causing a lot of trouble for both the (9)______ and the people who live there. The (10)______ are showing they are strong and kind by helping the animals. But they need more help from people in other countries to fix the damage from the fires and to (11)______ their (12)______ nature safe.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is happening in Bolivia that is causing trouble for the land and the people?
2. How do the farmers in Bolivia feel about the fires?
3. Do you think it’s important to help animals in need? Why or why not?
4. How do you think the people in San Buenaventura are helping the animals?
5. Why do you think the leader of Bolivia asked people from other countries for help?
6. Have you ever seen pictures of people helping animals? How did it make you feel?
7. What do you think the man in the park is doing to help the animals?
8. How would you feel if your home was damaged by a fire?
9. Do you like nature? Why or why not?
10. Why do you think it’s important to keep the special nature in Bolivia safe?
11. Have you ever helped someone or something in need? How did it make you feel?
12. What do you think people in other countries can do to help Bolivia fix the damage from the fires?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. fires
2. hurt
3. animals
4. hotter
5. farmers
6. problems
7. water
8. damage

Meanings:
(a) Harm or destruction caused by something
(b) Difficulties or challenges
(c) Cause pain or harm to
(d) Becoming warmer and more uncomfortable
(e) A liquid that is essential for life
(f) People who grow crops and raise animals
(g) Big, dangerous flames that destroy things
(h) Living creatures that can move and feel
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is happening in Bolivia?
(a) Big storms are causing floods.
(b) Big earthquakes are shaking the country.
(c) Big snowstorms are covering the land.
(d) Big fires are hurting the land and animals.

2. How are the farmers being affected by the fires?
(a) The fires are making it rain too much and causing floods.
(b) The fires are making it colder and freezing their plants and animals.
(c) The fires are making it windy and blowing away their plants and animals.
(d) The fires are making it hotter and hurting their plants and animals.

3. Who is asking for help from people in other countries?
(a) Luis Arce, the leader of Bolivia.
(b) Luis Arce, the leader of France.
(c) Luis Arce, the leader of Germany.
(d) Luis Arce, the leader of Japan.

4. What are the people in San Buenaventura doing to help the animals?
(a) They are building new homes for them.
(b) They are teaching them how to swim.
(c) They are giving them water and food.
(d) They are giving them warm clothes to wear.

5. What is the man in the big park doing?
(a) He is planting new trees in the park.
(b) He is building a playground for the animals.
(c) He is looking for animals that are hurt or stuck because of the fires.
(d) He is painting pictures of the animals.

6. What are the fires causing trouble for?
(a) The water and the animals who live there.
(b) The land and the people who live there.
(c) The sky and the birds who live there.
(d) The mountains and the fish who live there.

7. What are the people in Bolivia showing by helping the animals?
(a) They are strong and kind.
(b) They are scared and mean.
(c) They are weak and lazy.
(d) They are sad and angry.

8. What do the people in Bolivia need from people in other countries?
(a) They need help to build new houses for the animals.
(b) They need help to fix the damage from the fires and keep their special nature safe.
(c) They need help to make the fires bigger and stronger.
(d) They need help to move to a different country.

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Farmers in Bolivia are facing difficulties because of the increasing heat and its impact on their plants and animals.
2. Fires in Bolivia have not caused damage to both the land and the animals.
3. The people of Bolivia are not demonstrating strength and kindness by helping the animals, and they do not require additional support from other countries to restore the damage caused by the fires and protect their unique environment.
4. People living in Bolivia are not providing water and food to help the affected animals.
5. Pictures do not show people in San Buenaventura taking care of injured animals, including a raccoon.
6. The fires in Bolivia are causing significant problems for both the land and the people living there.
7. The leader of Bolivia, Luis Arce, has requested assistance from other countries due to the severity of the fires.
8. A park caretaker is searching for animals that have been harmed or trapped by the fires.
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 are the problems that farmers in Bolivia are facing because of the fires?
2. How are people in Bolivia helping the animals affected by the fires?
3. Who is the leader of Bolivia and what has he asked for?
4. What are people in a place called San Buenaventura doing to help the animals?
5. Why do the people in Bolivia need help from people in other countries?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What are some problems that the fires in Bolivia are causing?
The fires in Bolivia are causing damage to the land and hurting the plants and animals.

2. How are the people in Bolivia helping the animals?
The people in Bolivia are helping the animals by giving them water and food.

3. Who is the leader of Bolivia?
The leader of Bolivia is Luis Arce.

4. Why did the leader of Bolivia ask people from other countries for help?
The leader of Bolivia asked people from other countries for help because the fires are very bad and they need more help to fix the damage.

5. What are some things that people in San Buenaventura are doing to help the animals?
People in San Buenaventura are taking care of animals like raccoons and looking for animals that are hurt or stuck because of the fires.

6. What is the man in the big park looking for?
The man in the big park is looking for animals that are hurt or stuck because of the fires.

7. Why do the people in Bolivia need more help from people in other countries?
The people in Bolivia need more help from people in other countries to fix the damage from the fires and to keep their special nature safe.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) animals
(2) getting
(3) helping
(4) other
(5) show
(6) taking
(7) takes
(8) stuck
(9) land
(10) people
(11) keep
(12) special
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. fires
Answer: (g) Big, dangerous flames that destroy things

2. hurt
Answer: (c) Cause pain or harm to

3. animals
Answer: (h) Living creatures that can move and feel

4. hotter
Answer: (d) Becoming warmer and more uncomfortable

5. farmers
Answer: (f) People who grow crops and raise animals

6. problems
Answer: (b) Difficulties or challenges

7. water
Answer: (e) A liquid that is essential for life

8. damage
Answer: (a) Harm or destruction caused by something
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is happening in Bolivia?
Answer: (d) Big fires are hurting the land and animals.

2. How are the farmers being affected by the fires?
Answer: (d) The fires are making it hotter and hurting their plants and animals.

3. Who is asking for help from people in other countries?
Answer: (a) Luis Arce, the leader of Bolivia.

4. What are the people in San Buenaventura doing to help the animals?
Answer: (c) They are giving them water and food.

5. What is the man in the big park doing?
Answer: (c) He is looking for animals that are hurt or stuck because of the fires.

6. What are the fires causing trouble for?
Answer: (b) The land and the people who live there.

7. What are the people in Bolivia showing by helping the animals?
Answer: (a) They are strong and kind.

8. What do the people in Bolivia need from people in other countries?
Answer: (b) They need help to fix the damage from the fires and keep their special nature safe.
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Farmers in Bolivia are facing difficulties because of the increasing heat and its impact on their plants and animals. (Answer: True)
2. Fires in Bolivia have not caused damage to both the land and the animals. (Answer: False)
3. The people of Bolivia are not demonstrating strength and kindness by helping the animals, and they do not require additional support from other countries to restore the damage caused by the fires and protect their unique environment. (Answer: False)
4. People living in Bolivia are not providing water and food to help the affected animals. (Answer: False)
5. Pictures do not show people in San Buenaventura taking care of injured animals, including a raccoon. (Answer: False)
6. The fires in Bolivia are causing significant problems for both the land and the people living there. (Answer: True)
7. The leader of Bolivia, Luis Arce, has requested assistance from other countries due to the severity of the fires. (Answer: True)
8. A park caretaker is searching for animals that have been harmed or trapped by the fires. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧