A 38-year-old man in Australia was saved after he spent more than a day hiding in a big, underground pipe system. He first said he went into the pipes to get his phone back, but the police said he was actually hiding because he crashed his car into a police car. Firefighters helped him get out by opening a cover on the ground. He was a bit hurt and very cold but is okay now.

Someone walking by heard the man in the pipes and told the police. This person had seen the man the day before but thought he was fine. The next day, when he heard the man sounding like he needed help, he decided to do something. Before hiding, the man had been in a car chase with the police, hit a police car, and then ran away.

Now, the man is feeling better and is talking to the police about what happened. People are trying to understand why he did what he did. The police are still looking into the whole story to find out more.

Original news source: Australian freed after spending 30 hours in drain (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different actions related to the article, such as hiding, crashing a car, or opening a cover. The rest of the group must guess what action is being acted out within a time limit. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article in their own words. They should include the main idea, key details, and any important information. After each summary, the partner should provide feedback and suggest any necessary improvements.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write several questions related to the article on the board, such as “Do you think the man’s actions were justified?” or “Should the police have pursued the man?” Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates these questions. They should record their classmates’ responses and be prepared to share the results with the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns selecting a vocabulary word from the article and drawing a picture representation on the board. The rest of the group must guess the word based on the drawing. The group with the most correct guesses wins.

– Speed Summarizing
Instructions: In pairs, students will take turns summarizing the article in 1 minute or less. They should focus on the main idea and key details. After each summary, the partner should provide feedback and suggest any necessary improvements. The goal is to gradually decrease the time limit for each round, challenging students to summarize more efficiently.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How did the man get saved after hiding in the underground pipes?
2. Why did the man go into the pipes in the first place?
3. How did the firefighters help the man get out of the pipes?
4. Who heard the man in the pipes and told the police?
5. Why did the person who heard the man think he was fine the day before?
6. What happened before the man started hiding in the pipes?
7. What are the police doing now to find out more about what happened?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A 38-year-old man in (1)______ was saved after he spent (2)______ than a day hiding in a big, underground pipe system. He first said he went into the (3)______ to get his phone back, but the police said he was actually hiding because he crashed his car into a police car. (4)______ helped him get out by opening a (5)______ on the ground. He was a bit hurt and very (6)______ but is okay now.

Someone walking by heard the man in the pipes and told the police. This person had seen the man the day before but thought he was (7)______. The next day, when he (8)______ the man sounding like he needed help, he (9)______ to do something. Before hiding, the man had been in a car chase with the police, hit a police car, and then ran away.

Now, the man is feeling better and is talking to the police about what (10)______. People are trying to understand why he did what he did. The police are still (11)______ into the whole (12)______ to find out more.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an underground pipe system?
2. How would you feel if you were stuck in an underground pipe system for more than a day?
3. Do you think it was a good idea for the man to hide in the pipes?
4. Why do you think the man crashed his car into a police car?
5. What would you do if you saw someone in trouble like the person who heard the man in the pipes?
6. How do you think the man felt when he heard someone walking by the pipes?
7. Do you like car chases?
8. Why do you think the police are still looking into the whole story?
9. How would you feel if you were the person who crashed their car into a police car?
10. What do you think will happen to the man now that he is talking to the police?
11. Do you think it’s important to understand why someone did something wrong?
12. Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. underground
2. firefighters
3. cover
4. injured
5. chase
6. investigate
7. pedestrian
8. assistance
9. collision
10. escape
11. system
12. incident

Meanings:
(A) Help or support
(B) Hurt or having damage to the body
(C) To try to find out the facts about something to learn the truth
(D) A group of connected things or parts working together
(E) A person walking, especially in an area where vehicles go
(F) People who put out fires and sometimes help in other emergencies
(G) When two things hit each other with force
(H) Below the surface of the earth
(I) Something that is put over or on top of something else to protect or hide it
(J) To get away from a place or situation where you don’t want to be
(K) An event, especially one that is bad or unusual
(L) When someone or something is being followed quickly by someone else
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How old is the man in the story?
(a) 42
(b) 38
(c) 25
(d) 50

2. Why did the man hide in the underground pipes?
(a) Because he crashed his car into a police car
(b) Because he lost his phone
(c) Because he was cold
(d) Because he wanted to go for a walk

3. How did the man get out of the underground pipes?
(a) He climbed out by himself
(b) He called for help and someone pulled him out
(c) The police found him and helped him out
(d) Firefighters opened a cover on the ground

4. Who heard the man in the pipes and told the police?
(a) The man’s friend
(b) The police officer
(c) The firefighter
(d) Someone walking by

5. What did the person who heard the man think when they saw him the day before?
(a) They thought he was fine
(b) They thought he was hurt
(c) They thought he was lost
(d) They thought he was hiding

6. What did the man do before he hid in the pipes?
(a) He went for a walk
(b) He crashed his car into a police car
(c) He called the police
(d) He had a car chase with the police

7. How is the man feeling now?
(a) Worse
(b) The same
(c) Better
(d) Very cold

8. What are the police doing now?
(a) They are helping the man find his phone
(b) They are looking for the person who crashed into the police car
(c) They are investigating the whole story to find out more
(d) They are talking to the person who heard the man in the pipes

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. He went into the pipes to retrieve his phone, but the police discovered he was actually hiding because he crashed his car into a police car.
2. This person had seen the man the day before and thought he was fine.
3. The police are not investigating the incident to learn more about what happened.
4. Firefighters helped him escape by opening a cover on the ground.
5. A man in Australia was not saved after spending more than a day hiding in underground pipes.
6. A person walking by did not hear the man’s cries for help and alerted the police.
7. The man was injured and cold, but he is now okay.
8. The man had been involved in a car chase with the police, crashed into a police car, and then fled before hiding in the pipes.
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. Why did the man hide in the underground pipe system?
2. How did the firefighters help the man get out of the pipes?
3. Who heard the man in the pipes and told the police?
4. Why did the person who heard the man decide to help him?
5. What are the police doing now to find out more about what happened?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did the man get saved after hiding in the underground pipes?
The firefighters helped him by opening a cover on the ground.

2. Why did the man go into the pipes in the first place?
He said he went into the pipes to get his phone back.

3. How did the firefighters help the man get out of the pipes?
They opened a cover on the ground so he could climb out.

4. Who heard the man in the pipes and told the police?
Someone walking by heard him and told the police.

5. Why did the person who heard the man think he was fine the day before?
They saw the man the day before and thought he was okay.

6. What happened before the man started hiding in the pipes?
He was in a car chase with the police, hit a police car, and then ran away.

7. What are the police doing now to find out more about what happened?
The police are still investigating to find out more about the whole story.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Australia
(2) more
(3) pipes
(4) Firefighters
(5) cover
(6) cold
(7) fine
(8) heard
(9) decided
(10) happened
(11) looking
(12) story
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. underground
Answer: (H) Below the surface of the earth

2. firefighters
Answer: (F) People who put out fires and sometimes help in other emergencies

3. cover
Answer: (I) Something that is put over or on top of something else to protect or hide it

4. injured
Answer: (B) Hurt or having damage to the body

5. chase
Answer: (L) When someone or something is being followed quickly by someone else

6. investigate
Answer: (C) To try to find out the facts about something to learn the truth

7. pedestrian
Answer: (E) A person walking, especially in an area where vehicles go

8. assistance
Answer: (A) Help or support

9. collision
Answer: (G) When two things hit each other with force

10. escape
Answer: (J) To get away from a place or situation where you don’t want to be

11. system
Answer: (D) A group of connected things or parts working together

12. incident
Answer: (K) An event, especially one that is bad or unusual
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How old is the man in the story?
Answer: (b) 38

2. Why did the man hide in the underground pipes?
Answer: (a) Because he crashed his car into a police car

3. How did the man get out of the underground pipes?
Answer: (d) Firefighters opened a cover on the ground

4. Who heard the man in the pipes and told the police?
Answer: (d) Someone walking by

5. What did the person who heard the man think when they saw him the day before?
Answer: (a) They thought he was fine

6. What did the man do before he hid in the pipes?
Answer: (b) He crashed his car into a police car

7. How is the man feeling now?
Answer: (c) Better

8. What are the police doing now?
Answer: (c) They are investigating the whole story to find out more
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. He went into the pipes to retrieve his phone, but the police discovered he was actually hiding because he crashed his car into a police car. (Answer: False)
2. This person had seen the man the day before and thought he was fine. (Answer: True)
3. The police are not investigating the incident to learn more about what happened. (Answer: False)
4. Firefighters helped him escape by opening a cover on the ground. (Answer: True)
5. A man in Australia was not saved after spending more than a day hiding in underground pipes. (Answer: False)
6. A person walking by did not hear the man’s cries for help and alerted the police. (Answer: False)
7. The man was injured and cold, but he is now okay. (Answer: True)
8. The man had been involved in a car chase with the police, crashed into a police car, and then fled before hiding in the pipes. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧