Four people from Los Angeles were caught by the police for trying to trick insurance companies. They used a big bear costume to pretend a bear damaged their cars. They wanted to get a lot of money from insurance companies. The four people are now facing serious charges for their actions.

The police started looking into this when one of the claims seemed suspicious. The group said a bear got into their fancy car and made a mess. They even showed a video of a bear inside the car. But the police found out it was just someone in a bear costume.

The group tried the same trick with other cars too. Experts watched the videos and confirmed it was a person, not a real bear. The police found the bear costume in their home. Now, the case is being looked at by the district attorney to decide what to do next.

Original news source: They told insurers a bear damaged their car. But it was actually a person in a costume (NPR)

🎧 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 a key concept or event from the article without using any words. The other groups will guess what it is. Concepts can include “bear costume,” “insurance,” “police,” or “video evidence.”

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Ask students to come up with a catchy headline for the article. They can work in pairs or small groups to brainstorm ideas and then share their headlines with the class. Encourage creativity and humor.

– TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
Instructions: Each student will think of three statements related to the article: two that are true and one that is a lie. They will share these statements with their partner, who will guess which one is the lie. Afterward, each pair can share their favorite lie with the class.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Choose five words from the article (e.g., “insurance,” “costume,” “police,” “claims,” “charges”) and write them on the board. Students will then take turns drawing one of the words while their classmates try to guess what it is. This helps reinforce vocabulary in a fun way.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Pose a question to the class related to the article, such as “Is it ever okay to trick insurance companies?” Students will move to different sides of the room based on their opinion (agree/disagree). Afterward, students can discuss their opinions in pairs, sharing reasons for their choices.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Where did the four people who tricked the insurance companies live?
2. What did the group use to pretend that a bear damaged their cars?
3. Why did the police start to investigate the group?
4. What did the group say happened to their fancy car?
5. How did the police find out that it was a person in a bear costume?
6. What did experts do to help the police with the case?
7. Who is looking at the case now to decide what will happen next?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Four people from Los Angeles were caught by the police for trying to trick insurance companies. They used a big (1)______ costume to pretend a bear damaged their cars. They (2)______ to get a lot of (3)______ from insurance companies. The four people are now facing serious (4)______ for their actions.

The police (5)______ looking into this when one of the claims seemed (6)______. The group said a bear got into their fancy car and made a mess. They even showed a video of a bear inside the car. But the (7)______ found out it was just someone in a bear costume.

The (8)______ tried the same (9)______ with other cars too. Experts watched the videos and confirmed it was a person, not a real bear. The police (10)______ the bear costume in their home. Now, the case is being (11)______ at by the (12)______ attorney to decide what to do next.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a bear costume?
2. How would you feel if you saw a bear near your car?
3. Do you think it is a good idea to trick insurance companies? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever seen a bear in real life? What was it like?
5. What do you think the four people should do now?
6. How would you feel if you were caught doing something wrong?
7. Do you like watching funny videos? Why or why not?
8. What is the funniest thing you have ever seen?
9. Do you think pretending to be an animal is funny? Why?
10. How would you feel if someone tricked you?
11. Do you think people should be punished for lying? Why or why not?
12. What would you do if you saw someone trying to trick others?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. trick
2. insurance
3. costume
4. damaged
5. charges
6. suspicious
7. claims
8. fancy
9. confirmed
10. experts
11. attorney
12. decide

Meanings:
(A) Saying something is true, often to get money
(B) A lawyer, especially one who represents the government
(C) Accusations of doing something wrong
(D) To make a choice about something
(E) Very nice or expensive
(F) A company that pays you money if something bad happens to your things
(G) Broken or harmed
(H) Clothes worn to look like someone or something else
(I) To fool or deceive someone
(J) People who know a lot about a certain subject
(K) Making you think something is wrong or not right
(L) Made sure something is true
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Where did the four people who got caught live?
(a) Los Angeles
(b) New York
(c) Chicago
(d) Miami

2. What did the group use to pretend a bear damaged their cars?
(a) A real bear
(b) A toy bear
(c) A picture of a bear
(d) A bear costume

3. What did the group want to get from the insurance companies?
(a) Cars
(b) Money
(c) Food
(d) Clothes

4. Why did the police start looking into the group’s claims?
(a) They were friends with the group
(b) They wanted to see the bear
(c) One claim seemed suspicious
(d) They liked the videos

5. What did the group show to support their story?
(a) A picture of a real bear
(b) A video of their car getting fixed
(c) A video of them driving
(d) A video of a bear inside the car

6. Who confirmed that it was a person in the costume and not a real bear?
(a) Experts
(b) The police
(c) The insurance companies
(d) The group themselves

7. Where did the police find the bear costume?
(a) In the car
(b) In the group’s home
(c) At a store
(d) In the park

8. Who is looking at the case to decide what to do next?
(a) The insurance companies
(b) The police chief
(c) The district attorney
(d) The mayor

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Four people from Los Angeles were caught by the police.
2. The police started looking into their claims because one seemed suspicious.
3. They were not interested in obtaining money from insurance companies.
4. The group claimed a bear vandalized their fancy car.
5. Experts denied that it was a person in the bear costume, rather than a real bear.
6. They utilized a small bear costume for their trick.
7. They tried to trick insurance companies.
8. The police found the bear costume in the group’s home.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What did the four people from Los Angeles do to trick the insurance companies?
2. How did the police find out that it was a person in a bear costume?
3. What did the group say happened to their car?
4. Who is looking at the case now to decide what to do next?
5. Why do you think it is wrong to trick insurance companies?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Where did the four people who tricked the insurance companies live?
They lived in Los Angeles.

2. What did the group use to pretend that a bear damaged their cars?
They used a big bear costume.

3. Why did the police start to investigate the group?
The police thought one of the claims was suspicious.

4. What did the group say happened to their fancy car?
They said a bear got into their car and made a mess.

5. How did the police find out that it was a person in a bear costume?
The police found out by watching the videos and checking with experts.

6. What did experts do to help the police with the case?
Experts watched the videos and confirmed it was a person, not a real bear.

7. Who is looking at the case now to decide what will happen next?
The district attorney is looking at the case now.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) bear
(2) wanted
(3) money
(4) charges
(5) started
(6) suspicious
(7) police
(8) group
(9) trick
(10) found
(11) looked
(12) district
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. trick
Answer: (I) To fool or deceive someone

2. insurance
Answer: (F) A company that pays you money if something bad happens to your things

3. costume
Answer: (H) Clothes worn to look like someone or something else

4. damaged
Answer: (G) Broken or harmed

5. charges
Answer: (C) Accusations of doing something wrong

6. suspicious
Answer: (K) Making you think something is wrong or not right

7. claims
Answer: (A) Saying something is true, often to get money

8. fancy
Answer: (E) Very nice or expensive

9. confirmed
Answer: (L) Made sure something is true

10. experts
Answer: (J) People who know a lot about a certain subject

11. attorney
Answer: (B) A lawyer, especially one who represents the government

12. decide
Answer: (D) To make a choice about something
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Where did the four people who got caught live?
Answer: (a) Los Angeles

2. What did the group use to pretend a bear damaged their cars?
Answer: (d) A bear costume

3. What did the group want to get from the insurance companies?
Answer: (b) Money

4. Why did the police start looking into the group’s claims?
Answer: (c) One claim seemed suspicious

5. What did the group show to support their story?
Answer: (d) A video of a bear inside the car

6. Who confirmed that it was a person in the costume and not a real bear?
Answer: (a) Experts

7. Where did the police find the bear costume?
Answer: (b) In the group’s home

8. Who is looking at the case to decide what to do next?
Answer: (c) The district attorney
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Four people from Los Angeles were caught by the police. (Answer: True)
2. The police started looking into their claims because one seemed suspicious. (Answer: True)
3. They were not interested in obtaining money from insurance companies. (Answer: False)
4. The group claimed a bear vandalized their fancy car. (Answer: False)
5. Experts denied that it was a person in the bear costume, rather than a real bear. (Answer: False)
6. They utilized a small bear costume for their trick. (Answer: False)
7. They tried to trick insurance companies. (Answer: True)
8. The police found the bear costume in the group’s home. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧