A really sad thing happened in South Korea when a big fire broke out at a factory. The fire started because some lithium batteries exploded. At least 22 people died in the fire. The factory is called Aricell and it’s in a city called Hwaseong, which is about 45km south of Seoul. Firefighters had a hard time putting out the fire because there was a lot of smoke and small explosions.

The fire officials have said that 18 of the people who died were from China, one was from Laos, and two were from South Korea. They still need to identify one of the bodies, and they’re worried that someone else might still be missing. The bodies were really burned, so it’s taking a long time to figure out who they are. Eight people were also hurt, two of them really badly. There were about 100 workers at the factory when the fire happened.

The fire started when some battery cells exploded, but they don’t know why that happened yet. It was hard for the firefighters to get to the factory at first because they were worried that more explosions might happen. Lithium batteries can explode if they get damaged or too hot. Once the fire started, it spread really quickly, so the workers didn’t have much time to get out. The stuff in the batteries, like nickel, can catch fire easily, so it was hard to put the fire out.

The firefighters used dry sand to put out the fire because water makes lithium fires worse. It took them a few hours to get the fire under control. But even after the fire was out, there was still a risk that it could start again because of some chemical reactions. This is a really sad event that shows how dangerous lithium batteries can be. South Korea makes a lot of these batteries, so they need to make sure they have good safety rules to protect the workers and stop this from happening again.

Original news source: Exploding batteries spark deadly S Korea factory fire (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article together. Then, ask them to write a summary of the article in their own words. They should focus on the main points and important details. After they finish, have each group share their summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article together. Then, ask them to discuss their opinions on the following questions: 1) Should lithium battery factories have stricter safety regulations? Why or why not? 2) How can countries ensure the safety of workers in factories that produce dangerous products? After they finish discussing, have each group share their opinions with the class.

– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “fire” on the board. Ask the students to brainstorm as many words as they can that are related to the word “fire” (e.g. smoke, flames, heat). Encourage them to think of specific words related to the article, such as “explosion” or “firefighters.” After a few minutes, have the students share their words and discuss their associations.

– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article together. Then, ask them to choose one scene from the article and sketch it on a piece of paper. They should try to include as many details as possible. After they finish sketching, have each group share their sketches with the class and explain why they chose that particular scene.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the students into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article together. Then, ask them to discuss the pros and cons of using lithium batteries. They should consider both the benefits and the risks. After they finish discussing, have each group share their ideas with the class.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What caused the fire at the factory in South Korea?
2. How many people died in the fire?
3. Where is the factory located?
4. Why did the firefighters have a hard time putting out the fire?
5. Where were most of the victims from?
6. Why is it taking a long time to identify the bodies?
7. How many workers were at the factory when the fire happened?
8. Why did the firefighters use dry sand instead of water to put out the fire?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

A really sad thing happened in South Korea when a big fire broke out at a factory. The fire started because some lithium batteries exploded. At (1)______ 22 (2)______ died in the fire. The factory is called (3)______ and it’s in a city called (4)______, which is about 45km south of Seoul. Firefighters had a hard time putting out the fire because there was a lot of smoke and small explosions.

The fire officials have said that 18 of the people who died were from China, one was from Laos, and two were from South Korea. They still need to identify one of the bodies, and they’re (5)______ that someone else might still be missing. The bodies were really burned, so it’s (6)______ a long time to figure out who they are. Eight people were also hurt, two of them really badly. There were about 100 workers at the (7)______ when the fire (8)______.

The fire started when some battery cells exploded, but they don’t know why that (9)______ed yet. It was hard for the firefighters to get to the factory at first because they were worried that more explosions might happen. Lithium (10)______ can explode if they get damaged or too hot. Once the fire started, it (11)______ really quickly, so the (12)______ didn’t have much time to get out. The stuff in the batteries, like nickel, can catch fire easily, so it was hard to put the fire out.

The firefighters used dry sand to put out the fire because water (13)______ lithium fires worse. It took them a few hours to get the fire under control. But even after the fire was out, there was still a risk that it could start again because of some chemical reactions. This is a really sad event that (14)______ how (15)______ lithium batteries can be. South Korea makes a lot of these batteries, so they need to make sure they have good safety rules to protect the workers and stop this from (16)______ again.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a lithium battery? Why are they used?
2. How would you feel if you were one of the workers in the factory when the fire broke out?
3. Do you think the firefighters did a good job in putting out the fire? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever experienced a fire or a similar emergency situation? If so, can you share your experience?
5. What safety rules do you think should be in place to prevent accidents like this from happening again?
6. How do you think the families of the victims are feeling right now?
7. Do you think the government should compensate the families of the victims? Why or why not?
8. What precautions do you think should be taken when working with lithium batteries?
9. Do you think the factory should be held responsible for the fire? Why or why not?
10. How do you think the incident will affect the reputation of the factory and the country?
11. Do you think the workers were properly trained to handle emergencies? Why or why not?
12. How do you think the community surrounding the factory will be affected by the fire?
13. Do you think the government should impose stricter regulations on factories that handle dangerous materials? Why or why not?
14. What measures do you think can be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future?
15. How do you think the incident will impact the production and use of lithium batteries worldwide?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. lithium
2. exploded
3. identify
4. officials
5. damaged
6. spread
7. nickel
8. control
9. reactions
10. dangerous
11. safety
12. protect
13. firefighters
14. factory
15. workers

Meanings:
(A) A type of metal used in batteries
(B) People in charge of making decisions
(C) The condition of being protected from danger or harm
(D) Burst with a loud noise and force
(E) To figure out who someone is
(F) People who put out fires and rescue people
(G) To manage or keep something in check
(H) To keep someone or something safe from harm
(I) People who do a job, especially in a factory
(J) A building where things are made
(K) To move or extend to a larger area
(L) Harmed or broken
(M) Chemical changes that happen when substances interact
(N) Likely to cause harm or injury
(O) A type of metal that can catch fire easily
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What caused the fire at the factory in South Korea?
(a) Water damage
(b) Exploding lithium batteries
(c) Chemical reactions
(d) Overheating machinery

2. How many people died in the fire?
(a) 100
(b) 18
(c) 2
(d) 22

3. Where is the factory located?
(a) Seoul
(b) Laos
(c) Hwaseong
(d) China

4. Why was it difficult for firefighters to put out the fire?
(a) The factory was too far away
(b) There was a lot of smoke and small explosions
(c) The firefighters didn’t have the right equipment
(d) The fire was spreading too quickly

5. How many workers were at the factory when the fire happened?
(a) About 100
(b) 22
(c) 18
(d) 2

6. What can cause lithium batteries to explode?
(a) Damage or excessive heat
(b) Water exposure
(c) Chemical reactions
(d) Overcharging

7. What did the firefighters use to put out the fire?
(a) Water
(b) Foam
(c) Fire extinguishers
(d) Dry sand

8. Why is it important for South Korea to have good safety rules for lithium batteries?
(a) To increase production of batteries
(b) To reduce the cost of manufacturing
(c) To protect workers and prevent accidents
(d) To improve the quality of the batteries

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Two individuals were seriously injured among the eight people who were hurt during the incident.
2. A tragic incident occurred in South Korea when a fire broke out at a factory due to exploding lithium batteries.
3. The reason for the battery cell explosions is known, and lithium batteries can’t explode if damaged or exposed to high temperatures.
4. The firefighters encountered obstacles in extinguishing the fire because of light smoke and infrequent small explosions.
5. The fire resulted in the death of at most 22 people, with 18 of them being from China, one from Laos, and two from South Korea.
6. The factory, named Aricell, is located in Hwaseong, a city about 45km south of Seoul.
7. Identifying the survivors has been easy due to the minor burns they suffered, and there is certainty that no one is missing.
8. Dry sand was used by the firefighters to put out the fire, as water can worsen lithium fires, and it took them several hours to gain control over the situation.
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 the fire at the factory in South Korea?
2. How many people died in the fire?
3. Why was it difficult for the firefighters to put out the fire?
4. How did the firefighters finally control the fire?
5. Why is it important for South Korea to have good safety rules for lithium battery factories?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What caused the fire at the factory in South Korea?
The fire was caused by lithium batteries exploding.

2. How many people died in the fire?
At least 22 people died in the fire.

3. Where is the factory located?
The factory is located in Hwaseong, South Korea, which is about 45km south of Seoul.

4. Why did the firefighters have a hard time putting out the fire?
The firefighters had a hard time putting out the fire because there was a lot of smoke and small explosions.

5. Where were most of the victims from?
Most of the victims were from China.

6. Why is it taking a long time to identify the bodies?
It is taking a long time to identify the bodies because they were badly burned.

7. How many workers were at the factory when the fire happened?
There were about 100 workers at the factory when the fire happened.

8. Why did the firefighters use dry sand instead of water to put out the fire?
The firefighters used dry sand instead of water because water can make lithium fires worse.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) least
(2) people
(3) Aricell
(4) Hwaseong
(5) worried
(6) taking
(7) factory
(8) happened
(9) happen
(10) batteries
(11) spread
(12) workers
(13) makes
(14) shows
(15) dangerous
(16) happening
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. lithium
Answer: (A) A type of metal used in batteries

2. exploded
Answer: (D) Burst with a loud noise and force

3. identify
Answer: (E) To figure out who someone is

4. officials
Answer: (B) People in charge of making decisions

5. damaged
Answer: (L) Harmed or broken

6. spread
Answer: (K) To move or extend to a larger area

7. nickel
Answer: (O) A type of metal that can catch fire easily

8. control
Answer: (G) To manage or keep something in check

9. reactions
Answer: (M) Chemical changes that happen when substances interact

10. dangerous
Answer: (N) Likely to cause harm or injury

11. safety
Answer: (C) The condition of being protected from danger or harm

12. protect
Answer: (H) To keep someone or something safe from harm

13. firefighters
Answer: (F) People who put out fires and rescue people

14. factory
Answer: (J) A building where things are made

15. workers
Answer: (I) People who do a job, especially in a factory
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What caused the fire at the factory in South Korea?
Answer: (b) Exploding lithium batteries

2. How many people died in the fire?
Answer: (d) 22

3. Where is the factory located?
Answer: (c) Hwaseong

4. Why was it difficult for firefighters to put out the fire?
Answer: (b) There was a lot of smoke and small explosions

5. How many workers were at the factory when the fire happened?
Answer: (a) About 100

6. What can cause lithium batteries to explode?
Answer: (a) Damage or excessive heat

7. What did the firefighters use to put out the fire?
Answer: (d) Dry sand

8. Why is it important for South Korea to have good safety rules for lithium batteries?
Answer: (c) To protect workers and prevent accidents
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Two individuals were seriously injured among the eight people who were hurt during the incident. (Answer: True)
2. A tragic incident occurred in South Korea when a fire broke out at a factory due to exploding lithium batteries. (Answer: True)
3. The reason for the battery cell explosions is known, and lithium batteries can’t explode if damaged or exposed to high temperatures. (Answer: False)
4. The firefighters encountered obstacles in extinguishing the fire because of light smoke and infrequent small explosions. (Answer: False)
5. The fire resulted in the death of at most 22 people, with 18 of them being from China, one from Laos, and two from South Korea. (Answer: False)
6. The factory, named Aricell, is located in Hwaseong, a city about 45km south of Seoul. (Answer: True)
7. Identifying the survivors has been easy due to the minor burns they suffered, and there is certainty that no one is missing. (Answer: False)
8. Dry sand was used by the firefighters to put out the fire, as water can worsen lithium fires, and it took them several hours to gain control over the situation. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧