A bull was running on train tracks in New Jersey, which made people late for work. We don’t know how the bull got there, but some news reports say it might have escaped from a slaughterhouse nearby. The police and other agencies worked together to catch the bull, calm it down, and take it to a safe place. Luckily, nobody got hurt.

This happened on a Thursday morning and caused problems for people who take the train. The bull showing up on the tracks was a surprise and made the trains run late. But the police acted fast and got the bull off the tracks without anyone getting hurt.

We don’t know exactly how the bull ended up on the tracks, but some people think it got away from a slaughterhouse close by. A local news station said this might be true. The bull being on the tracks made both the people on the train and the police worried.

The police and other agencies worked together to catch the bull and make sure everyone was safe. They were able to calm the bull down and take it to a place where it will be taken care of. This stopped anyone from getting hurt and made the trains go back to normal.

Original news source: Bull spotted galloping down New Jersey train tracks (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: In pairs, read the article silently. Then, take turns summarizing the main points of the article to your partner. Try to include the key details and events in your summary.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: In small groups, discuss your opinions on the situation described in the article. Do you think the bull escaped from a slaughterhouse? Should there be stricter regulations to prevent animals from escaping? Take turns sharing your opinions and try to find common ground or areas of disagreement within your group.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Divide the class into teams. Give each team a set of vocabulary words related to the article (e.g. bull, tracks, slaughterhouse, agencies). One member from each team will choose a word and draw it on the board while their team tries to guess the word. The team that guesses correctly earns a point. Continue until all the words have been guessed.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: In pairs, create a list of the pros and cons of having a slaughterhouse near a residential area. Discuss and debate the advantages and disadvantages of such a situation. Share your lists with the class and try to find common themes or perspectives.

– Think-Pair-Share
Instructions: Read the article individually and think about the main idea or message. Pair up with a partner and share your thoughts. Discuss any questions or reflections you have about the article. Finally, share your partner’s ideas with the rest of the class, highlighting any interesting points or insights.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What happened in New Jersey that caused people to be late for work?
2. How did the bull end up on the train tracks?
3. Why were the police and other agencies worried about the bull being on the tracks?
4. What did the police and other agencies do to catch the bull and ensure everyone’s safety?
5. What did the bull being on the tracks cause for the train schedule?
6. How did the police handle the situation with the bull?
7. Why do some people think the bull may have escaped from a slaughterhouse?
8. How did the situation with the bull get resolved?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A bull was running on train (1)______ in New Jersey, which made people late for work. We don’t know how the bull got there, but some news reports say it might have (2)______ from a slaughterhouse nearby. The police and other (3)______ worked together to (4)______ the bull, calm it down, and take it to a safe place. Luckily, nobody got hurt.

This (5)______ on a Thursday (6)______ and (7)______ problems for people who take the train. The bull showing up on the tracks was a surprise and made the (8)______ run late. But the police acted fast and got the bull off the tracks without anyone getting hurt.

We don’t know exactly how the bull ended up on the tracks, but some people think it got away from a slaughterhouse close by. A local news station said this might be true. The bull being on the tracks made both the people on the train and the police worried.

The police and other agencies worked together to catch the bull and make sure everyone was safe. They were able to calm the bull down and take it to a place where it will be taken care of. This stopped anyone from getting hurt and made the trains go back to normal.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What do you think might have happened to the bull before it ended up on the train tracks?
2. How do you think the people on the train felt when they found out there was a bull on the tracks?
3. Have you ever been late for something important because of an unexpected event? How did you feel?
4. Do you think the police and other agencies did a good job in handling the situation? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if you were on the train when the bull appeared on the tracks?
6. Do you think it’s possible for animals to escape from places like slaughterhouses? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever seen an animal in an unexpected place? What was it and how did you react?
8. What do you think the police and other agencies did to calm the bull down?
9. How do you think the bull felt when it was finally taken to a safe place?
10. Do you think it’s important for people to work together in situations like this? Why or why not?
11. What would you do if you saw a bull running on train tracks?
12. Do you think the police should have used any special techniques to catch the bull? Why or why not?
13. How do you think the people who take the train felt when they found out the bull was caught and the trains could go back to normal?
14. Do you think the bull should be returned to the slaughterhouse or should it be taken care of somewhere else? Why or why not?
15. If you were in charge, what would you have done to prevent this situation from happening?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. agencies
2. slaughterhouse
3. nearby
4. calm
5. tracks
6. surprise
7. trains
8. acted
9. ended
10. local
11. station
12. worried
13. safe
14. care
15. normal

Meanings:
(A) Peaceful and not agitated
(B) Took immediate action to deal with a situation
(C) Protected from danger or harm
(D) A place where trains stop to pick up and drop off passengers
(E) Looking after someone or something with attention
(F) Feeling anxious or concerned about something
(G) Not far away, in the surrounding area
(H) Relating to a particular area or neighborhood
(I) Organizations or groups that provide a specific service
(J) The metal rails on which trains run
(K) Something unexpected that causes astonishment
(L) Found oneself in a particular place or situation
(M) Usual, typical, or expected state or condition
(N) A place where animals are killed for their meat
(O) Vehicles that run on railway tracks and carry people or goods
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why were people late for work in New Jersey?
(a) There was a traffic jam
(b) The trains were not running
(c) A bull was running on train tracks
(d) The roads were closed for construction

2. How did the police and other agencies handle the situation?
(a) They let the bull run freely on the tracks
(b) They ignored the bull and focused on other matters
(c) They waited for the bull to leave on its own
(d) They caught the bull and took it to a safe place

3. What day of the week did this incident happen?
(a) Thursday
(b) Monday
(c) Wednesday
(d) Friday

4. What did some news reports suggest about the bull?
(a) It was a wild bull that lived in the area
(b) It might have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse
(c) It was intentionally placed on the train tracks
(d) It was a trained bull used for entertainment purposes

5. How did the bull’s presence on the tracks affect train schedules?
(a) Trains were canceled
(b) Trains ran faster than usual
(c) Trains were rerouted to avoid the bull
(d) Trains ran late

6. What was the outcome of the situation?
(a) Several people were injured
(b) The bull was never caught
(c) Nobody got hurt
(d) The trains were permanently disrupted

7. How did the police and other agencies ensure the safety of everyone involved?
(a) They ignored the bull and focused on other matters
(b) They worked together to calm the bull down
(c) They evacuated the area
(d) They let the bull roam freely without interference

8. Where did the bull end up after being caught?
(a) In a safe place where it will be taken care of
(b) Back at the slaughterhouse
(c) In a zoo
(d) On a farm

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. The unexpected presence of the bull caused disruptions for train services on a Thursday morning.
2. It is clear how the bull ended up on the tracks, and no reports suggest it may have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse.
3. The police and other agencies collaborated to safely capture the bull and move it to a secure location.
4. Unfortunately, someone was injured during the incident.
5. Delayed action from the police ensured the bull was not removed from the tracks swiftly and without harm.
6. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement and other agencies successfully resolved the situation, allowing train services to resume as normal.
7. A bull was found running on train tracks in New Jersey, causing delays for commuters.
8. There are no speculations that the bull may have escaped from a slaughterhouse, as reported by a local news station.
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 caused problems for people who take the train in New Jersey?
2. How did the police and other agencies handle the situation with the bull on the train tracks?
3. Why were the police and people on the train worried about the bull being on the tracks?
4. How did the police and other agencies ensure that nobody got hurt?
5. What happened to the bull after it was caught by the police?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What happened in New Jersey that caused people to be late for work?
A bull was running on the train tracks, causing delays for the trains and making people late for work.

2. How did the bull end up on the train tracks?
It is not known exactly how the bull ended up on the train tracks, but some news reports suggest it may have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse.

3. Why were the police and other agencies worried about the bull being on the tracks?
The police and other agencies were worried because having a bull on the train tracks posed a danger to both the people on the trains and the bull itself.

4. What did the police and other agencies do to catch the bull and ensure everyone’s safety?
The police and other agencies worked together to catch the bull, calm it down, and take it to a safe place. Their main goal was to make sure nobody got hurt.

5. What did the bull being on the tracks cause for the train schedule?
The bull being on the tracks caused delays and disruptions to the train schedule, making people late for their destinations.

6. How did the police handle the situation with the bull?
The police acted quickly to address the situation with the bull. They worked together with other agencies to safely remove the bull from the train tracks and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

7. Why do some people think the bull may have escaped from a slaughterhouse?
Some people think the bull may have escaped from a slaughterhouse because it was found near one. Additionally, a local news station reported that this could be a possibility.

8. How did the situation with the bull get resolved?
The situation with the bull was resolved when the police and other agencies successfully caught the bull, calmed it down, and took it to a safe place. This ensured the safety of everyone and allowed the train schedule to return to normal.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) tracks
(2) escaped
(3) agencies
(4) catch
(5) happened
(6) morning
(7) caused
(8) trains
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. agencies
Answer: (I) Organizations or groups that provide a specific service

2. slaughterhouse
Answer: (N) A place where animals are killed for their meat

3. nearby
Answer: (G) Not far away, in the surrounding area

4. calm
Answer: (A) Peaceful and not agitated

5. tracks
Answer: (J) The metal rails on which trains run

6. surprise
Answer: (K) Something unexpected that causes astonishment

7. trains
Answer: (O) Vehicles that run on railway tracks and carry people or goods

8. acted
Answer: (B) Took immediate action to deal with a situation

9. ended
Answer: (L) Found oneself in a particular place or situation

10. local
Answer: (H) Relating to a particular area or neighborhood

11. station
Answer: (D) A place where trains stop to pick up and drop off passengers

12. worried
Answer: (F) Feeling anxious or concerned about something

13. safe
Answer: (C) Protected from danger or harm

14. care
Answer: (E) Looking after someone or something with attention

15. normal
Answer: (M) Usual, typical, or expected state or condition
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why were people late for work in New Jersey?
Answer: (c) A bull was running on train tracks

2. How did the police and other agencies handle the situation?
Answer: (d) They caught the bull and took it to a safe place

3. What day of the week did this incident happen?
Answer: (a) Thursday

4. What did some news reports suggest about the bull?
Answer: (b) It might have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse

5. How did the bull’s presence on the tracks affect train schedules?
Answer: (d) Trains ran late

6. What was the outcome of the situation?
Answer: (c) Nobody got hurt

7. How did the police and other agencies ensure the safety of everyone involved?
Answer: (b) They worked together to calm the bull down

8. Where did the bull end up after being caught?
Answer: (a) In a safe place where it will be taken care of
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. The unexpected presence of the bull caused disruptions for train services on a Thursday morning. (Answer: True)
2. It is clear how the bull ended up on the tracks, and no reports suggest it may have escaped from a nearby slaughterhouse. (Answer: False)
3. The police and other agencies collaborated to safely capture the bull and move it to a secure location. (Answer: True)
4. Unfortunately, someone was injured during the incident. (Answer: False)
5. Delayed action from the police ensured the bull was not removed from the tracks swiftly and without harm. (Answer: False)
6. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement and other agencies successfully resolved the situation, allowing train services to resume as normal. (Answer: True)
7. A bull was found running on train tracks in New Jersey, causing delays for commuters. (Answer: True)
8. There are no speculations that the bull may have escaped from a slaughterhouse, as reported by a local news station. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧