In the UK, doctors found a new kind of pig flu in one person. The sick person went to a doctor’s office in North Yorkshire and got better after being sick. People are trying to learn where the flu came from and if it can make more people sick. Doctors will watch the area closely to keep the flu from spreading.

This pig flu is a little different from other pig flus that have made people sick before. In the last 20 years, 50 people around the world got this flu. In the UK, doctors are looking for people who were close to the sick person to stop the flu from spreading more. The Health Secretary wants everyone to trust the doctors who are watching for the flu.

Doctors say if you feel sick like you have the flu, stay away from other people, especially old people or those who can get sick easily. A big animal doctor said it’s important to keep animals healthy and clean to stop diseases from moving from animals to people. Experts say this new pig flu is not worse than other flus and the one sick person should not scare us too much.

Original news source: Swine flu: UK detects first human case of new strain (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Each pair will take turns summarizing the article in their own words to their partner. After one partner finishes summarizing, the other partner can ask questions for clarification. Then, they can switch roles and repeat the activity.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Write the following question on the board: “Do you think it is important to trust doctors during health crises? Why or why not?” Have the students discuss their opinions in small groups or pairs. Then, ask each group to share their opinions with the whole class. Encourage them to use the vocabulary and ideas from the article in their discussions.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of vocabulary words from the article on the board (e.g. flu, doctor, sick, animals, diseases). Divide the class into teams. Each team takes turns choosing a word and drawing it on the board while their teammates try to guess the word. The team with the most correct guesses wins.

– Headline Creation
Instructions: In pairs or small groups, have the students create catchy headlines for the article. Encourage them to use their creativity and the information from the article. After they have come up with their headlines, have each group share their headlines with the class and explain why they chose them.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have the students imagine they are doctors or health experts. In pairs or small groups, have them discuss and make predictions about what might happen with this new pig flu in the future. They can discuss potential outcomes, prevention strategies, and any other relevant ideas. After their discussions, ask a few groups to share their predictions with the whole class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Where did the sick person go to see the doctor?
2. Did the sick person get better after being sick?
3. How many people around the world have gotten this flu in the last 20 years?
4. What are the doctors in the UK doing to stop the flu from spreading?
5. Who does the Health Secretary want everyone to trust?
6. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have the flu?
7. What did the big animal doctor say is important to do to stop diseases from moving from animals to people?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the UK, doctors found a new kind of pig flu in one (1)______. The (2)______ person went to a doctor’s (3)______ in North Yorkshire and got better after being sick. People are trying to learn where the flu came from and if it can make more people sick. Doctors will watch the (4)______ closely to keep the flu from spreading.

This pig flu is a little different from (5)______ pig flus that have made people sick before. In the last 20 years, 50 people around the (6)______ got this flu. In the UK, doctors are looking for people who were close to the sick person to (7)______ the flu from spreading more. The (8)______ Secretary (9)______ everyone to trust the doctors who are watching for the flu.

Doctors say if you feel sick like you have the flu, stay away from other people, especially old people or those who can get sick easily. A big animal doctor said it’s important to keep animals healthy and clean to stop (10)______ from moving from animals to (11)______. (12)______ say this new pig flu is not worse than other flus and the one sick person should not scare us too much.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is pig flu?
2. How would you feel if you got sick with the flu?
3. Do you like going to the doctor when you are sick? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to trust doctors? Why or why not?
5. What can you do to prevent the flu from spreading?
6. How would you feel if you had to stay away from other people when you are sick?
7. Do you have any old people in your family? How do you take care of them when they are sick?
8. What do you think is the most important thing to do to keep animals healthy and clean?
9. How would you feel if you had a pet pig and it got sick with the flu?
10. Do you think this new pig flu is very dangerous? Why or why not?
11. Have you ever been scared of getting sick? Why or why not?
12. What do you think the doctors should do to stop the flu from spreading?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pig
2. flu
3. person
4. doctor
5. sick
6. watch
7. area
8. spread

Meanings:
(a) A human being
(b) To move or extend to more places or people
(c) To keep an eye on something or someone
(d) An animal that oinks and rolls in mud
(e) A sickness that makes you feel really bad
(f) Not feeling well or healthy
(g) A specific place or region
(h) A person who helps you when you’re not feeling well
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where was the new kind of pig flu found?
(a) North Yorkshire
(b) London
(c) Manchester
(d) Birmingham

2. How many people around the world have gotten this flu in the last 20 years?
(a) 100
(b) 200
(c) 50
(d) 500

3. What are doctors doing to stop the flu from spreading?
(a) Ignoring the sick person
(b) Watching the area closely
(c) Going on vacation
(d) Giving everyone flu shots

4. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have the flu?
(a) Old people or those who can get sick easily
(b) Your friends
(c) Your pets
(d) Your teachers

5. What did the Health Secretary want everyone to do?
(a) Ignore the doctors
(b) Panic and run away
(c) Stop going to the doctor’s office
(d) Trust the doctors who are watching for the flu

6. What did the big animal doctor say is important to stop diseases from moving from animals to people?
(a) Ignoring animals
(b) Feeding animals unhealthy food
(c) Letting animals live in dirty places
(d) Keeping animals healthy and clean

7. Is the new pig flu worse than other flus?
(a) Yes
(b) Maybe
(c) No
(d) I don’t know

8. Should we be scared of the one sick person with the new pig flu?
(a) Yes
(b) No
(c) Maybe
(d) I don’t know

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. The area where the sick person lives will be closely monitored to prevent the flu from spreading.
2. The person with the flu went to a hospital in North Yorkshire.
3. Doctors in the UK discovered a new type of flu in a person who got sick but got better afterwards.
4. This old pig flu is a bit different from other pig flus that have made people sick in the past.
5. In the last 20 years, only 50 people around the world have gotten this flu.
6. The Health Secretary wants no one to trust the doctors who are keeping an eye out for the flu.
7. If you feel sick like you have the flu, it’s not important to stay away from other people, especially older people or those who can get sick easily.
8. The doctors are trying to figure out where the flu came from and if it can make more people sick.
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 did doctors find in one person in the UK?
2. Where did the sick person go to get better?
3. Why are doctors trying to learn where the flu came from?
4. What will doctors do to keep the flu from spreading?
5. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have the flu?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where did the sick person go to see the doctor?
The sick person went to a doctor’s office in North Yorkshire.

2. Did the sick person get better after being sick?
Yes, the sick person got better after being sick.

3. How many people around the world have gotten this flu in the last 20 years?
In the last 20 years, 50 people around the world have gotten this flu.

4. What are the doctors in the UK doing to stop the flu from spreading?
The doctors in the UK are looking for people who were close to the sick person to stop the flu from spreading more.

5. Who does the Health Secretary want everyone to trust?
The Health Secretary wants everyone to trust the doctors who are watching for the flu.

6. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have the flu?
If you feel sick like you have the flu, you should stay away from other people, especially old people or those who can get sick easily.

7. What did the big animal doctor say is important to do to stop diseases from moving from animals to people?
The big animal doctor said it’s important to keep animals healthy and clean to stop diseases from moving from animals to people.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) person
(2) sick
(3) office
(4) area
(5) other
(6) world
(7) stop
(8) Health
(9) wants
(10) diseases
(11) people
(12) Experts
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pig
Answer: (d) An animal that oinks and rolls in mud

2. flu
Answer: (e) A sickness that makes you feel really bad

3. person
Answer: (a) A human being

4. doctor
Answer: (h) A person who helps you when you’re not feeling well

5. sick
Answer: (f) Not feeling well or healthy

6. watch
Answer: (c) To keep an eye on something or someone

7. area
Answer: (g) A specific place or region

8. spread
Answer: (b) To move or extend to more places or people
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where was the new kind of pig flu found?
Answer: (a) North Yorkshire

2. How many people around the world have gotten this flu in the last 20 years?
Answer: (c) 50

3. What are doctors doing to stop the flu from spreading?
Answer: (b) Watching the area closely

4. Who should you stay away from if you feel sick like you have the flu?
Answer: (a) Old people or those who can get sick easily

5. What did the Health Secretary want everyone to do?
Answer: (d) Trust the doctors who are watching for the flu

6. What did the big animal doctor say is important to stop diseases from moving from animals to people?
Answer: (d) Keeping animals healthy and clean

7. Is the new pig flu worse than other flus?
Answer: (c) No

8. Should we be scared of the one sick person with the new pig flu?
Answer: (b) No
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. The area where the sick person lives will be closely monitored to prevent the flu from spreading. (Answer: True)
2. The person with the flu went to a hospital in North Yorkshire. (Answer: False)
3. Doctors in the UK discovered a new type of flu in a person who got sick but got better afterwards. (Answer: True)
4. This old pig flu is a bit different from other pig flus that have made people sick in the past. (Answer: False)
5. In the last 20 years, only 50 people around the world have gotten this flu. (Answer: True)
6. The Health Secretary wants no one to trust the doctors who are keeping an eye out for the flu. (Answer: False)
7. If you feel sick like you have the flu, it’s not important to stay away from other people, especially older people or those who can get sick easily. (Answer: False)
8. The doctors are trying to figure out where the flu came from and if it can make more people sick. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧