The Dendrobium orchid, also called the God Flower, is disappearing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan because of climate change. The Tsou people, who are an indigenous tribe, depend on this flower for their ceremonies and believe that if it’s gone, the gods won’t be able to find them. Before, the God Flower was everywhere near Tsou homes, but now they have to go deeper into the forests to find it. Climate change has made the temperatures in autumn and winter warmer, which makes it hard for the buds to grow and bloom in the spring.

All of Taiwan has been having more droughts and warmer weather, which has affected not only the Tsou people’s rituals but also their jobs. Without typhoons, which bring water to the island, crops can fail. Farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung have had to change how they farm because of the continuous droughts. Ms. Chung has noticed that her coffee beans are darker, which means it’s hotter. If she has one bad harvest, it can really hurt her income, so she’s thinking about growing something else to deal with climate change.

The Tsou people’s ceremonies can’t use any other flower instead of the God Flower. Elder Gao Desheng is worried that the flower might disappear. He shows a big jar with the dry remains of what used to be a beautiful God Flower. The flower is super important for their ceremonies, especially during the three-day Mayasvi festival. The Tsou men put the leaves of the golden orchid on their hats to show they’re Tsou and to ask for blessings from the war god Iafafeoi.

The Tsou tribe has lived on the island of Taiwan for thousands of years. They mainly live in the Alishan mountains, where the God Flower grows. Elder Gao is worried about what will happen to his tribe and hopes the government will help. But he feels like politicians aren’t taking climate change seriously and how it’s affecting the Tsou people’s way of life. Greenpeace also says that the people running for president in Taiwan don’t have good plans for the environment.

The God Flower is disappearing fast, and the Tsou people are running out of time.

Original news source: Taiwan: The ‘God Flower’ vanishing because of climate change (BBC)

Listen:

Slow

Normal

Fast

Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions: Have students read the article and then summarize the main points in their own words. They can do this individually or in pairs. Afterward, have a class discussion to compare and discuss the different summaries.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a different question related to the article. For example, “Do you think the government should do more to protect the God Flower and the Tsou people’s way of life?” Have the groups discuss their opinions and then present their findings to the class.

– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Provide a list of key vocabulary words from the article and have students work in pairs or small groups. Each group must select a word and create a drawing that represents the word. The rest of the class must guess what word is being depicted.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into two groups and assign one group to argue the pros of taking action to protect the God Flower and the Tsou people, and the other group to argue the cons. Give them time to prepare their arguments and then have a class debate.

– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students work in pairs or small groups and discuss what they think will happen in the future regarding the God Flower and the Tsou people. They should consider the impact of climate change and potential actions that could be taken. Each group can then share their predictions with the class.

Comprehension Questions:

1. What is causing the disappearance of the Dendrobium orchid in the mountains of Alishan?
2. Why do the Tsou people depend on the God Flower for their ceremonies?
3. How has climate change affected the availability of the God Flower near Tsou homes?
4. How has climate change affected the Tsou people’s jobs?
5. How have the continuous droughts affected farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung?
6. Why can’t the Tsou people use any other flower for their ceremonies?
7. What is the significance of the God Flower during the Mayasvi festival?
8. Why is Elder Gao worried about the future of his tribe and what does he hope for from the government?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

The Dendrobium orchid, also called the God (1)______, is disappearing from the mountains of Alishan in (2)______ because of climate change. The Tsou (3)______, who are an indigenous tribe, depend on this flower for their ceremonies and believe that if it’s gone, the gods won’t be able to find them. Before, the God Flower was everywhere near Tsou homes, but now they have to go deeper into the forests to find it. Climate change has made the temperatures in autumn and winter (4)______, which makes it hard for the buds to grow and bloom in the spring.

All of Taiwan has been having more droughts and warmer weather, which has affected not only the Tsou people’s rituals but also their jobs. Without typhoons, which bring (5)______ to the island, crops can fail. Farmers like Jui-Chiao (6)______ have had to change how they farm because of the continuous droughts. Ms. Chung has noticed that her coffee beans are darker, which (7)______ it’s hotter. If she has one bad (8)______, it can really hurt her income, so she’s thinking about growing something else to deal with climate change.

The Tsou people’s ceremonies can’t use any other flower instead of the God Flower. Elder Gao (9)______ is (10)______ that the flower might disappear. He (11)______ a big jar with the dry remains of what used to be a beautiful God Flower. The flower is super important for their ceremonies, especially during the three-day Mayasvi festival. The Tsou men put the leaves of the (12)______ orchid on their hats to show they’re Tsou and to ask for blessings from the war god Iafafeoi.

The Tsou tribe has lived on the island of Taiwan for thousands of years. They mainly live in the Alishan mountains, where the God Flower grows. Elder Gao is worried about what will happen to his (13)______ and hopes the government will help. But he (14)______ like politicians aren’t taking climate change seriously and how it’s affecting the Tsou people’s way of life. (15)______ also says that the people running for president in Taiwan don’t have good plans for the (16)______.

The God Flower is disappearing fast, and the Tsou people are running out of time.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is the God Flower and why is it important to the Tsou people?
2. How do the Tsou people feel about the God Flower disappearing?
3. How do you think the Tsou people’s ceremonies will be affected if the God Flower disappears completely?
4. How would you feel if something that was important to your culture or traditions started disappearing?
5. Do you think the government should help the Tsou people protect the God Flower? Why or why not?
6. What other ways do you think climate change is affecting the Tsou people’s way of life?
7. Do you think politicians in your country take climate change seriously? Why or why not?
8. How do you think climate change is affecting farmers like Ms. Chung?
9. What other crops do you think farmers like Ms. Chung could grow to adapt to climate change?
10. How do you think the Tsou people can raise awareness about the importance of the God Flower and the impact of climate change?
11. What do you think Greenpeace means when they say the presidential candidates don’t have good plans for the environment?
12. How do you think the Tsou people can preserve their traditions and way of life despite the challenges of climate change?
13. How would you feel if something that was important to your cultural identity started disappearing?
14. Do you think it’s important for governments to prioritize protecting the environment? Why or why not?
15. How do you think climate change will continue to impact indigenous tribes and their traditions around the world?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. indigenous
2. ceremonies
3. climate change
4. temperatures
5. droughts
6. rituals
7. typhoons
8. crops
9. income
10. disappear
11. festival
12. tribe
13. politicians
14. plans
15. environment

Meanings:
(A) Special events or actions that are done for religious or cultural reasons
(B) The money that someone earns from their job or business
(C) Plants that are grown for food
(D) A big celebration or party with lots of activities
(E) A group of people who have the same ancestors and share the same customs and language
(F) Very strong storms with a lot of rain and wind
(G) People who are in charge of making decisions for a country or region
(H) People who have lived in a place for a very long time
(I) Changes in the weather that are causing big problems around the world
(J) Times when there is not enough rain for a long time
(K) To no longer exist or be seen
(L) The natural world and the things in it that are affected by human activity
(M) How hot or cold something is
(N) Actions that are done in a certain way for a specific purpose
(O) Ideas or strategies for how to do something
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the flower that is disappearing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan?
(a) Rose
(b) Sunflower
(c) Dendrobium orchid
(d) Tulip

2. Who depends on the God Flower for their ceremonies?
(a) The Han people
(b) The Hakka people
(c) The Atayal people
(d) The Tsou people

3. Why do the Tsou people believe that if the God Flower is gone, the gods won’t be able to find them?
(a) Because the flower is their main source of food
(b) Because the flower brings good luck
(c) Because the flower is important for their ceremonies
(d) Because the flower is a symbol of their tribe

4. What has climate change done to the temperatures in autumn and winter?
(a) Made them colder
(b) Made them warmer
(c) Made them the same as before
(d) Made them unpredictable

5. What has the continuous drought affected for farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung?
(a) Their crops
(b) Their income
(c) Their jobs
(d) All of the above

6. What has Ms. Chung noticed about her coffee beans?
(a) They are lighter, which means it’s colder
(b) They taste better
(c) They are bigger in size
(d) They are darker, which means it’s hotter

7. Why can’t the Tsou people use any other flower instead of the God Flower for their ceremonies?
(a) Because the God Flower is sacred to them
(b) Because the God Flower is the only flower that grows in Taiwan
(c) Because the God Flower is the only flower that blooms in the spring
(d) Because the God Flower is the only flower that can be used for hats

8. What is Elder Gao Desheng worried about?
(a) The future of his tribe
(b) The disappearance of the God Flower
(c) The lack of government support
(d) All of the above

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Taiwan as a whole has been experiencing more droughts and warmer weather, impacting not only the Tsou people’s rituals but also their livelihoods.
2. The Dendrobium orchid, also known as the God Flower, is vanishing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan due to climate change.
3. The God Flower used to be abundant near Tsou homes, but now the tribe must venture deeper into the forests to find it.
4. The Tsou people’s ceremonies can easily substitute any other flower for the God Flower, making its disappearance a minor concern.
5. Elder Gao Desheng, a member of the Tsou tribe, fears for the future of his people and hopes that the government will provide assistance in addressing the effects of climate change.
6. With typhoons, which bring water to the island, crops can thrive, allowing farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung to continue using their traditional farming methods.
7. The Tsou people, an indigenous tribe, do not rely on the God Flower for their ceremonies and believe that its presence will make it easier for the gods to locate them.
8. Climate change has caused colder temperatures in autumn and winter, making it easier for the buds to grow and bloom in the spring.
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. Why is the Dendrobium orchid, also known as the God Flower, disappearing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan?
2. How do the Tsou people depend on the God Flower for their ceremonies?
3. How has climate change affected the Tsou people’s ability to find the God Flower?
4. How has climate change affected the jobs of the Tsou people?
5. Why is the God Flower so important for the Tsou people’s ceremonies during the Mayasvi festival?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is causing the disappearance of the Dendrobium orchid in the mountains of Alishan?
Climate change is causing the disappearance of the Dendrobium orchid in the mountains of Alishan.

2. Why do the Tsou people depend on the God Flower for their ceremonies?
The Tsou people depend on the God Flower for their ceremonies because they believe that if it’s gone, the gods won’t be able to find them.

3. How has climate change affected the availability of the God Flower near Tsou homes?
Climate change has made the temperatures in autumn and winter warmer, which makes it hard for the buds to grow and bloom in the spring. As a result, the God Flower is no longer available near Tsou homes and they have to go deeper into the forests to find it.

4. How has climate change affected the Tsou people’s jobs?
Climate change has caused more droughts and warmer weather in Taiwan, which has affected the Tsou people’s jobs. Without typhoons, which bring water to the island, crops can fail. This means that farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung have had to change how they farm to adapt to the continuous droughts.

5. How have the continuous droughts affected farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung?
The continuous droughts have affected farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung by causing their crops to fail. For example, Ms. Chung has noticed that her coffee beans are darker, which means it’s hotter. If she has one bad harvest, it can really hurt her income. As a result, she is considering growing something else to deal with climate change.

6. Why can’t the Tsou people use any other flower for their ceremonies?
The Tsou people can’t use any other flower for their ceremonies because the God Flower is considered sacred and has a special significance in their rituals. It is believed that only the God Flower can be used to ask for blessings from the war god Iafafeoi.

7. What is the significance of the God Flower during the Mayasvi festival?
During the Mayasvi festival, the Tsou men put the leaves of the golden orchid on their hats to show they’re Tsou and to ask for blessings from the war god Iafafeoi. The God Flower holds great importance in their ceremonies, especially during this three-day festival.

8. Why is Elder Gao worried about the future of his tribe and what does he hope for from the government?
Elder Gao is worried about the future of his tribe because the God Flower is disappearing fast. He hopes that the government will help address the issue of climate change and its impact on the Tsou people’s way of life. However, he feels that politicians aren’t taking climate change seriously, and he is concerned about the lack of good plans for the environment from the people running for president in Taiwan.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Flower
(2) Taiwan
(3) people
(4) warmer
(5) water
(6) Chung
(7) means
(8) harvest
(9) Desheng
(10) worried
(11) shows
(12) golden
(13) tribe
(14) feels
(15) Greenpeace
(16) environment
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. indigenous
Answer: (H) People who have lived in a place for a very long time

2. ceremonies
Answer: (A) Special events or actions that are done for religious or cultural reasons

3. climate change
Answer: (I) Changes in the weather that are causing big problems around the world

4. temperatures
Answer: (M) How hot or cold something is

5. droughts
Answer: (J) Times when there is not enough rain for a long time

6. rituals
Answer: (N) Actions that are done in a certain way for a specific purpose

7. typhoons
Answer: (F) Very strong storms with a lot of rain and wind

8. crops
Answer: (C) Plants that are grown for food

9. income
Answer: (B) The money that someone earns from their job or business

10. disappear
Answer: (K) To no longer exist or be seen

11. festival
Answer: (D) A big celebration or party with lots of activities

12. tribe
Answer: (E) A group of people who have the same ancestors and share the same customs and language

13. politicians
Answer: (G) People who are in charge of making decisions for a country or region

14. plans
Answer: (O) Ideas or strategies for how to do something

15. environment
Answer: (L) The natural world and the things in it that are affected by human activity
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the flower that is disappearing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan?
Answer: (c) Dendrobium orchid

2. Who depends on the God Flower for their ceremonies?
Answer: (d) The Tsou people

3. Why do the Tsou people believe that if the God Flower is gone, the gods won’t be able to find them?
Answer: (c) Because the flower is important for their ceremonies

4. What has climate change done to the temperatures in autumn and winter?
Answer: (b) Made them warmer

5. What has the continuous drought affected for farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung?
Answer: (a) Their crops

6. What has Ms. Chung noticed about her coffee beans?
Answer: (d) They are darker, which means it’s hotter

7. Why can’t the Tsou people use any other flower instead of the God Flower for their ceremonies?
Answer: (a) Because the God Flower is sacred to them

8. What is Elder Gao Desheng worried about?
Answer: (b) The disappearance of the God Flower
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Taiwan as a whole has been experiencing more droughts and warmer weather, impacting not only the Tsou people’s rituals but also their livelihoods. (Answer: True)
2. The Dendrobium orchid, also known as the God Flower, is vanishing from the mountains of Alishan in Taiwan due to climate change. (Answer: True)
3. The God Flower used to be abundant near Tsou homes, but now the tribe must venture deeper into the forests to find it. (Answer: True)
4. The Tsou people’s ceremonies can easily substitute any other flower for the God Flower, making its disappearance a minor concern. (Answer: False)
5. Elder Gao Desheng, a member of the Tsou tribe, fears for the future of his people and hopes that the government will provide assistance in addressing the effects of climate change. (Answer: True)
6. With typhoons, which bring water to the island, crops can thrive, allowing farmers like Jui-Chiao Chung to continue using their traditional farming methods. (Answer: False)
7. The Tsou people, an indigenous tribe, do not rely on the God Flower for their ceremonies and believe that its presence will make it easier for the gods to locate them. (Answer: False)
8. Climate change has caused colder temperatures in autumn and winter, making it easier for the buds to grow and bloom in the spring. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧