In Chengdu, China, a tourist village tried to make fake snow using cotton and soapy water. They did this because it was too warm for real snow during the Lunar New Year holiday. Tourists were upset because they expected real snow, and the village showed pictures of the fake snow online. Many people felt the pictures were misleading.

The fake snow was made by spreading cotton sheets around the village. People on social media noticed and commented about the lack of real snow. At first, the village didn’t say the snow was fake, but later they apologized. They said sorry on WeChat and offered refunds to unhappy visitors.

China’s weather is changing because of climate change, with more heat and strange rain patterns. This makes it hard for places like the Chengdu Snow Village to have real snow. After the fake snow upset people, the village took it away.

Original news source: Snow village in China apologises for using fake snow during unusually warm weather (Sky News)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Each team will take turns acting out words or phrases related to the article, such as “fake snow,” “tourist,” “apologize,” or “Lunar New Year.” The rest of the team must guess the word or phrase. Set a timer for each turn to keep the game moving.

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “Fake snow is a good idea” or “Tourists should expect real snow.” Have students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates to agree or disagree with the statements. Afterward, gather everyone together to discuss the results.

– WORD ASSOCIATION
Instructions: Start with a word from the article, like “snow.” Each student must quickly say a word they associate with “snow.” For example, they might say “cold,” “winter,” or “fun.” Continue around the room until everyone has had a turn. This helps build vocabulary and encourages quick thinking.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Ask students to work in pairs to come up with an engaging headline for the article. They should think of what would grab readers’ attention. After they create their headlines, have each pair share their ideas with the class.

– VOCABULARY PICTIONARY
Instructions: Choose vocabulary words from the article, such as “tourist,” “refund,” or “weather.” One student will draw a picture representing a word on the board, while the others try to guess the word. This activity promotes vocabulary retention through visual learning.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did the tourist village in Chengdu try to make fake snow?

2. What materials did the village use to create the fake snow?

3. How did tourists feel about the fake snow when they arrived?

4. Where did the village share pictures of the fake snow?

5. What did the village do after people found out the snow was fake?

6. What did the village offer to visitors who were unhappy?

7. How is China’s weather changing, according to the article?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In Chengdu, China, a tourist village tried to make fake (1)______ using (2)______ and soapy water. They did this because it was too (3)______ for real snow during the Lunar New Year holiday. Tourists were upset because they expected real snow, and the (4)______ showed pictures of the fake snow online. Many (5)______ felt the pictures were misleading.

The fake snow was (6)______ by spreading cotton sheets around the village. People on social media noticed and commented about the lack of real snow. At first, the village didn’t say the snow was fake, but later they apologized. They said (7)______ on (8)______ and (9)______ refunds to unhappy visitors.

China’s weather is changing because of climate change, with more heat and strange (10)______ patterns. This (11)______ it hard for places like the Chengdu (12)______ Village to have real snow. After the fake snow upset people, the village took it away.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite season of the year? Why do you like it?
2. How would you feel if you went to a place expecting snow but found out it was fake?
3. Do you like playing in real snow? Why or why not?
4. What is a holiday that you celebrate? How do you celebrate it?
5. Do you think it is okay for places to use fake things to attract tourists? Why or why not?
6. How would you feel if a place you visited misled you about something?
7. What is your favorite winter activity? Do you do it often?
8. Do you think it is important for places to be honest with visitors? Why?
9. Have you ever seen fake snow? Where did you see it?
10. How would you feel if you paid money to see something and it was not real?
11. Do you think the weather is changing in your country? Why or why not?
12. What is a good way for a place to apologize if they make a mistake?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. tourist
2. fake
3. cotton
4. misleading
5. social media
6. apologize
7. refund
8. climate change
9. patterns
10. upset
11. noticed
12. offered

Meanings:
(A) Websites and apps where people share and talk about things
(B) Not real, pretending to be something else
(C) A soft, fluffy material used in clothes and other things
(D) Gave something to someone to accept or use
(E) Money given back when something is returned or not as expected
(F) To say sorry for something you did wrong
(G) Making someone believe something that isn’t true
(H) A person who travels to visit new places
(I) Feeling unhappy or angry
(J) Saw or became aware of something
(K) Repeated designs or ways things happen
(L) Changes in the world’s weather over time
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did the tourist village in Chengdu try to make?
(a) Real snow
(b) Ice cream
(c) Cotton candy
(d) Fake snow

2. Why did the village make fake snow?
(a) They wanted to save money
(b) It was too warm for real snow
(c) They ran out of real snow
(d) They didn’t like real snow

3. How did tourists feel about the fake snow?
(a) Happy
(b) Confused
(c) Upset
(d) Excited

4. Where did the village apologize to visitors?
(a) Facebook
(b) WeChat
(c) Instagram
(d) Twitter

5. What did the village spread around to make the fake snow?
(a) Plastic bags
(b) Paper towels
(c) Cotton sheets
(d) Blankets

6. What is changing in China’s weather?
(a) More snow
(b) Colder temperatures
(c) Less rain
(d) Climate change

7. What did the village do after people were upset about the fake snow?
(a) They took it away
(b) They made more fake snow
(c) They closed the village
(d) They ignored the complaints

8. What holiday was happening when the village made fake snow?
(a) Lunar New Year
(b) Christmas
(c) Halloween
(d) Thanksgiving

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Tourists were unhappy because they wanted real snow.
2. The village wanted to have snow for the Lunar New Year holiday.
3. A tourist village in Chengdu, China, tried to make fake snow.
4. They denied refunds to visitors who were not happy.
5. The village hid pictures of the fake snow online.
6. Many people thought the pictures were misleading.
7. They used cotton and detergent to create the fake snow.
8. The village later celebrated for using fake snow.
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. Why did the tourist village in Chengdu try to make fake snow?
2. How did tourists feel when they saw the fake snow?
3. What did the village use to make the fake snow?
4. What did the village do after people found out the snow was fake?
5. Why is it hard for the Chengdu Snow Village to have real snow now?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Why did the tourist village in Chengdu try to make fake snow?
They tried to make fake snow because it was too warm for real snow during the Lunar New Year holiday.

2. What materials did the village use to create the fake snow?
The village used cotton and soapy water to create the fake snow.

3. How did tourists feel about the fake snow when they arrived?
Tourists were upset because they expected real snow, not fake snow.

4. Where did the village share pictures of the fake snow?
The village shared pictures of the fake snow online.

5. What did the village do after people found out the snow was fake?
The village apologized and took the fake snow away.

6. What did the village offer to visitors who were unhappy?
The village offered refunds to unhappy visitors.

7. How is China’s weather changing, according to the article?
China’s weather is changing because of climate change, with more heat and strange rain patterns.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) snow
(2) cotton
(3) warm
(4) village
(5) people
(6) made
(7) sorry
(8) WeChat
(9) offered
(10) rain
(11) makes
(12) Snow
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. tourist
Answer: (H) A person who travels to visit new places

2. fake
Answer: (B) Not real, pretending to be something else

3. cotton
Answer: (C) A soft, fluffy material used in clothes and other things

4. misleading
Answer: (G) Making someone believe something that isn’t true

5. social media
Answer: (A) Websites and apps where people share and talk about things

6. apologize
Answer: (F) To say sorry for something you did wrong

7. refund
Answer: (E) Money given back when something is returned or not as expected

8. climate change
Answer: (L) Changes in the world’s weather over time

9. patterns
Answer: (K) Repeated designs or ways things happen

10. upset
Answer: (I) Feeling unhappy or angry

11. noticed
Answer: (J) Saw or became aware of something

12. offered
Answer: (D) Gave something to someone to accept or use
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did the tourist village in Chengdu try to make?
Answer: (d) Fake snow

2. Why did the village make fake snow?
Answer: (b) It was too warm for real snow

3. How did tourists feel about the fake snow?
Answer: (c) Upset

4. Where did the village apologize to visitors?
Answer: (b) WeChat

5. What did the village spread around to make the fake snow?
Answer: (c) Cotton sheets

6. What is changing in China’s weather?
Answer: (d) Climate change

7. What did the village do after people were upset about the fake snow?
Answer: (a) They took it away

8. What holiday was happening when the village made fake snow?
Answer: (a) Lunar New Year
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Tourists were unhappy because they wanted real snow. (Answer: True)
2. The village wanted to have snow for the Lunar New Year holiday. (Answer: True)
3. A tourist village in Chengdu, China, tried to make fake snow. (Answer: True)
4. They denied refunds to visitors who were not happy. (Answer: False)
5. The village hid pictures of the fake snow online. (Answer: False)
6. Many people thought the pictures were misleading. (Answer: True)
7. They used cotton and detergent to create the fake snow. (Answer: False)
8. The village later celebrated for using fake snow. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧