India wants to get important minerals from the bottom of the ocean to help make the Earth cleaner. The country has asked for two more permissions to look for minerals in the Indian Ocean, like other big countries such as China and Russia. These minerals are very important for making clean energy, electric cars, and batteries. So far, a group called the International Seabed Authority has given out 31 permissions to explore the ocean, and India wants to get more so it can be like Russia and China.

India’s plan is to look for special kinds of minerals in the Indian Ocean. But there are some problems and questions about India’s plan, including another country saying that part of the ocean is theirs. Even with these problems, India wants to keep looking in the ocean for minerals because they are very important. India thinks there are lots of these minerals in the Indian Ocean and wants to find them.

The world needs more of these important minerals because we want to use more clean energy. India has big plans to use more clean energy and needs these minerals to do it. Right now, only a few countries find and make these minerals, and China is the biggest one. To help with this, the United States and other countries are working together to find more minerals in a good way. India is also working with Russia to get better at finding minerals in the ocean.

Original news source: India in undersea race to mine world’s battery metal (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will read the article and then write a summary of the main points. They can compare their summaries with another pair and discuss any differences or similarities.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and debate the following question: “Do you think it is important for India to search for minerals in the ocean? Why or why not?” After the discussion, each group will share their opinions and the teacher will lead a class poll to see the overall opinion of the students.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. The teacher will give each team a vocabulary word from the article. One student from each team will come to the board and draw a picture to represent the word, while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different words from the article.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In pairs, students will list the pros and cons of India’s plan to search for minerals in the ocean. After making their lists, they will share their ideas with another pair and discuss any differing opinions. Finally, the pairs will share their thoughts with the whole class.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: In small groups, students will discuss and make predictions about the future of clean energy and the importance of minerals. They can consider questions like: “What do you think the world will be like in 10 years in terms of clean energy?” and “Will the demand for minerals increase or decrease in the future?” Each group will present their predictions to the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why does India want to get minerals from the bottom of the ocean?
2. Which group has given out permissions to explore the ocean?
3. What are the minerals in the Indian Ocean important for?
4. What are some problems with India’s plan?
5. Why does India want to keep looking in the ocean for minerals?
6. Why does the world need more of these minerals?
7. Who is the biggest country that finds and makes these minerals?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

India wants to get (1)______ minerals from the bottom of the ocean to help make the Earth cleaner. The country has asked for two more permissions to look for minerals in the Indian Ocean, like other big countries such as (2)______ and Russia. These minerals are very important for making clean energy, (3)______ cars, and batteries. So far, a group called the International Seabed Authority has given out 31 permissions to explore the ocean, and India wants to get more so it can be like Russia and China.

India’s plan is to look for special (4)______ of minerals in the Indian (5)______. But there are some (6)______ and questions about India’s plan, including another country saying that part of the (7)______ is theirs. Even with these problems, India wants to keep looking in the ocean for (8)______ because they are very important. India thinks there are lots of these minerals in the Indian Ocean and wants to find them.

The world (9)______ more of these important minerals because we want to use more clean energy. India has big plans to use more (10)______ energy and needs these minerals to do it. Right now, only a few (11)______ find and make these minerals, and China is the biggest one. To help with this, the United States and other countries are working together to find more minerals in a (12)______ way. India is also working with Russia to get better at finding minerals in the ocean.
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💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What are some things that important minerals from the ocean are used for?
2. How do you think India feels about finding more minerals in the Indian Ocean?
3. Do you think it’s important for countries to work together to find minerals in the ocean? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if another country said that part of the ocean belonged to them and you couldn’t explore it for minerals?
5. What do you think are some problems that India might face while looking for minerals in the ocean?
6. Do you like the idea of using more clean energy? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think it’s important for the world to find more of these important minerals?
8. What do you think would happen if there were not enough of these minerals to make clean energy?
9. How do you think India’s plan to find minerals in the Indian Ocean will help them use more clean energy?
10. Do you think it’s fair that only a few countries find and make these minerals? Why or why not?
11. How do you think India and Russia working together will help them find more minerals in the ocean?
12. What do you think would happen if countries didn’t work together to find more minerals in the ocean?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. minerals
2. permissions
3. explore
4. seabed
5. clean energy
6. batteries
7. International Seabed Authority
8. problems
9. important
10. plans
11. countries
12. working together

Meanings:
(A) Natural substances found in the earth that are used to make things
(B) To travel around an area to discover what it is like
(C) Energy that does not pollute the air
(D) Things that store electricity to use later
(E) Places with their own governments and borders
(F) Ideas about what you want to do in the future
(G) Things that make it hard to do what you want
(H) People or groups doing something together to achieve a goal
(I) A group that makes rules about using the bottom of the ocean
(J) Very special and needed
(K) Official approvals to do something
(L) The bottom of the ocean
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why does India want to explore the Indian Ocean?
(a) To search for hidden treasures
(b) To study marine life
(c) To find important minerals for clean energy
(d) To build more ships

2. How many permissions has the International Seabed Authority given out so far?
(a) 10
(b) 50
(c) 31
(d) 100

3. What are the minerals in the Indian Ocean used for?
(a) Making clean energy, electric cars, and batteries
(b) Building houses and roads
(c) Growing crops
(d) Making clothes and shoes

4. What is the main problem with India’s plan to explore the Indian Ocean?
(a) There are no minerals in the ocean
(b) Another country claims part of the ocean
(c) India does not have enough money
(d) The International Seabed Authority does not allow it

5. Why does India want to find more minerals in the Indian Ocean?
(a) To sell them to other countries
(b) To use more clean energy
(c) To become the biggest country in the world
(d) To protect marine life

6. Which country is currently the biggest producer of these important minerals?
(a) India
(b) Russia
(c) United States
(d) China

7. Who is India working with to improve its ability to find minerals in the ocean?
(a) Russia
(b) China
(c) United States
(d) Germany

8. Why do we need more of these important minerals?
(a) To make more plastic
(b) To build more cars
(c) To grow more food
(d) To use more clean energy

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Another country claims that part of the ocean belongs to them, which creates problems for India’s plan.
2. The world needs less of these minerals to use more clean energy.
3. India is working with Russia to reduce their ability to find minerals in the ocean.
4. The International Seabed Authority has given permission to explore the ocean to 31 groups so far.
5. India’s plan is to avoid finding special minerals in the Indian Ocean.
6. India believes there are many of these important minerals in the Indian Ocean.
7. India wants to search for minerals in the Indian Ocean to help make the Earth dirtier.
8. India wants to get more permissions to explore the ocean, like China and Russia.
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 does India want to do in the Indian Ocean?
2. Why are these minerals important?
3. How many permissions has the International Seabed Authority given out?
4. What are some problems with India’s plan?
5. Why does India want to find these minerals?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why does India want to get minerals from the bottom of the ocean?
India wants to get minerals from the bottom of the ocean to help make the Earth cleaner and to use them for clean energy, electric cars, and batteries.

2. Which group has given out permissions to explore the ocean?
The International Seabed Authority has given out permissions to explore the ocean.

3. What are the minerals in the Indian Ocean important for?
The minerals in the Indian Ocean are important for making clean energy, electric cars, and batteries.

4. What are some problems with India’s plan?
One problem with India’s plan is that another country says part of the ocean is theirs. There may also be other challenges or questions about how to find and extract the minerals.

5. Why does India want to keep looking in the ocean for minerals?
India wants to keep looking in the ocean for minerals because they are very important for their plans to use more clean energy. They believe there are lots of these minerals in the Indian Ocean and want to find them.

6. Why does the world need more of these minerals?
The world needs more of these minerals because there is a growing demand for clean energy, electric cars, and batteries. These minerals are essential for making these technologies.

7. Who is the biggest country that finds and makes these minerals?
China is the biggest country that finds and makes these minerals.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) important
(2) China
(3) electric
(4) kinds
(5) Ocean
(6) problems
(7) ocean
(8) minerals
(9) needs
(10) clean
(11) countries
(12) good
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. minerals
Answer: (A) Natural substances found in the earth that are used to make things

2. permissions
Answer: (K) Official approvals to do something

3. explore
Answer: (B) To travel around an area to discover what it is like

4. seabed
Answer: (L) The bottom of the ocean

5. clean energy
Answer: (C) Energy that does not pollute the air

6. batteries
Answer: (D) Things that store electricity to use later

7. International Seabed Authority
Answer: (I) A group that makes rules about using the bottom of the ocean

8. problems
Answer: (G) Things that make it hard to do what you want

9. important
Answer: (J) Very special and needed

10. plans
Answer: (F) Ideas about what you want to do in the future

11. countries
Answer: (E) Places with their own governments and borders

12. working together
Answer: (H) People or groups doing something together to achieve a goal
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why does India want to explore the Indian Ocean?
Answer: (c) To find important minerals for clean energy

2. How many permissions has the International Seabed Authority given out so far?
Answer: (c) 31

3. What are the minerals in the Indian Ocean used for?
Answer: (a) Making clean energy, electric cars, and batteries

4. What is the main problem with India’s plan to explore the Indian Ocean?
Answer: (b) Another country claims part of the ocean

5. Why does India want to find more minerals in the Indian Ocean?
Answer: (b) To use more clean energy

6. Which country is currently the biggest producer of these important minerals?
Answer: (d) China

7. Who is India working with to improve its ability to find minerals in the ocean?
Answer: (a) Russia

8. Why do we need more of these important minerals?
Answer: (d) To use more clean energy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Another country claims that part of the ocean belongs to them, which creates problems for India’s plan. (Answer: True)
2. The world needs less of these minerals to use more clean energy. (Answer: False)
3. India is working with Russia to reduce their ability to find minerals in the ocean. (Answer: False)
4. The International Seabed Authority has given permission to explore the ocean to 31 groups so far. (Answer: True)
5. India’s plan is to avoid finding special minerals in the Indian Ocean. (Answer: False)
6. India believes there are many of these important minerals in the Indian Ocean. (Answer: True)
7. India wants to search for minerals in the Indian Ocean to help make the Earth dirtier. (Answer: False)
8. India wants to get more permissions to explore the ocean, like China and Russia. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧