Kashmir is having a weird winter with no snow, and people are worried. This is bad news for the tourism industry because fewer tourists are coming, and hotels and businesses are suffering. Tourism is an important part of the economy, so this snowless winter will have a big impact. It's not just tourism that's affected – farming and water supply will also be affected because the snow usually helps with that. Experts say that climate change is to blame for this strange weather.
People who were looking forward to skiing and other winter activities in Kashmir are disappointed because there's no snow. Lots of hotel bookings have been cancelled, and new ones are not being made. Local businesses that rely on tourists during the winter months are also struggling to make money. This is especially hard for people like pony riders who need snow for their business.
The lack of snow doesn't just affect tourism, it also affects other things like hydroelectricity, fishing, and farming. The nearby area of Ladakh is also not getting any snow, which will cause problems for farming and water supply there too. Experts are worried that this lack of snow could lead to drought and water scarcity in the future. Some experts think that there has been less snow in the region in recent years, and they think that climate change is the reason.
Even though things are not looking good right now, people in Kashmir are still hoping for a miracle and praying for lots of snow. The weather department says that there won't be any significant snow until later in January, but people are still hopeful. However, experts warn that if climate change continues, the region could face even hotter temperatures by the end of the century, which would be really bad.
Original news source: Kashmir's rare snowless winter sets off alarm bells (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a list of winter activities mentioned in the article (skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, etc.). One person from each group will act out a winter activity without using any words, and the rest of the group has to guess what activity it is. The group with the most correct guesses wins.
– News Summary
Instructions: Have the students read the article individually. Then, divide them into pairs and ask each pair to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Afterward, have some pairs share their summaries with the class and compare them to ensure accuracy and comprehension.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article (e.g., "Climate change is the main cause of the snowless winter in Kashmir"). Have the students walk around the classroom and ask their classmates for their opinions on each statement. They should record the responses and be ready to share the overall class opinion on each statement.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose 10 key vocabulary words from the article (e.g., tourism, hydroelectricity, scarcity, etc.). Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a vocabulary word and ask them to draw a picture representing the word. The other pairs should try to guess the word based on the drawing. The pair with the most correct guesses wins.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Assign each group a role (e.g., farmers, hotel owners, tourists, etc.) related to the article. Ask each group to brainstorm the pros and cons of the snowless winter for their assigned role. Afterward, have each group present their findings to the class and facilitate a discussion about the overall impact of the snowless winter on different stakeholders.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
People are worried because the lack of snow is affecting the tourism industry and other important sectors like farming and water supply. It could also lead to drought and water scarcity in the future.
The tourism industry is being impacted because fewer tourists are coming to Kashmir due to the lack of snow. This means that hotels and businesses are suffering and struggling to make money.
Besides tourism, industries like hydroelectricity, fishing, and farming are being impacted by the lack of snow. The nearby area of Ladakh is also facing problems with farming and water supply.
Pony riders are struggling because they rely on snow for their business. Without snow, they cannot offer rides to tourists, which means they are losing out on income.
The lack of snow in Ladakh could lead to drought and water scarcity in the future. This could have a negative impact on farming and water supply in the region.
Experts believe that climate change is the cause of the strange weather in Kashmir. They think that there has been less snow in the region in recent years, and this is likely due to climate change.
Despite the current situation, people in Kashmir are still hoping for a miracle and praying for lots of snow. They are hopeful that the weather will change and bring the much-needed snowfall.
If climate change continues, the region could face even hotter temperatures by the end of the century. This could have severe consequences for the environment, agriculture, and people's lives in Kashmir.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Kashmir is having a weird winter with no snow, and people are worried. This is bad news for the tourism industry because tourists are coming, and hotels and businesses are suffering. is an important part of the economy, so this snowless winter will have a big impact. It's not just tourism that's affected – and water supply will also be affected because the snow usually helps with that. say that climate change is to blame for this strange weather. People who were looking forward to and other winter activities in are disappointed because there's no snow. Lots of hotel bookings have been cancelled, and new ones are not being made. Local that rely on tourists during the winter months are also struggling to make money. This is especially hard for people like pony riders who need snow for their . The lack of snow doesn't just tourism, it also affects other things like hydroelectricity, fishing, and farming. The nearby area of Ladakh is also not getting any snow, which will cause problems for farming and water supply there too. Experts are worried that this lack of snow could lead to drought and water scarcity in the future. Some think that there has been less snow in the in years, and they think that climate change is the reason. Even though things are not looking good right now, people in Kashmir are still hoping for a miracle and praying for lots of snow. The department says that there won't be any significant snow until later in January, but people are still . However, experts warn that if climate change , the region could face even hotter temperatures by the end of the , which would be really bad.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is the impact of the lack of snow on the tourism industry in Kashmir?
2. How do you think local businesses are affected by the snowless winter?
3. Do you think the lack of snow will have a long-term effect on the economy of Kashmir? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you had planned a skiing trip to Kashmir and there was no snow?
5. What are some other industries besides tourism that are affected by the lack of snow?
6. Do you think climate change is the main cause of the strange weather in Kashmir? Why or why not?
7. How do you think the lack of snow could lead to water scarcity in the future?
8. What are some possible consequences of hotter temperatures in the region by the end of the century?
9. What do you think the weather department means by "significant snow"? Why do you think people are still hopeful for snow?
10. How would you feel if you were a pony rider who relied on snow for your business?
11. Do you think the lack of snow in Kashmir is a unique situation, or is it happening in other parts of the world as well? Why or why not?
12. What are some possible solutions to the problems caused by the lack of snow in Kashmir?
13. Do you think the government should take action to address the issue of climate change? Why or why not?
14. How do you think the lack of snow could affect the environment in Kashmir?
15. What can individuals do to help combat climate change and its effects on the weather?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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