Spain has experienced its hottest ever April temperature, reaching 38.8C. This was recorded at Cordoba airport in southern Spain. The country has been hit by an unexpected heatwave, which has lasted for several days. It is caused by hot air from Africa and a slow-moving weather system. This has resulted in temperatures that are 10-15C warmer than they should be for April. Experts say this heatwave is unprecedented, with temperatures never seen before in April. Climate change is likely to be playing a role in the heatwave, according to experts. The impact of the heatwave might be felt in many ways. Schools might need to change their timetables, swimming pools are opening earlier than usual, and farmers are having difficulty growing crops because of the lack of rain.
Original news source: Climate change: Spain breaks record temperature for April (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– HOT OR NOT
Instructions: Write “hot” or “not” on the board. Have students come up one by one to say a word related to heat or summer. The rest of the class will then vote if it’s “hot” or “not”. For example, “beach” could be “hot” while “snow” could be “not”.
– WHERE’S CORDOBA?
Instructions: Show the class a map of Spain. Ask them if they can find Cordoba. Have a discussion about the location of Cordoba and any other cities in Spain they may know.
– WEATHER REPORT
Instructions: Write a table on the board with the days of the week across the top and weather types down the side (sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.). Have students take turns coming up to the board to fill in the weather for each day of the week. Encourage them to use full sentences, such as “On Monday it will be sunny.”
– SUMMER PLANS
Instructions: Have students pair up and discuss what they want to do this summer. Encourage them to use the present continuous tense (e.g. “I am going to the beach”) and new vocabulary related to summer activities.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What is the hottest ever April temperature in Spain?
2. Where was the temperature recorded?
3. What caused the unexpected heatwave in Spain?
4. How much warmer are the temperatures in Spain compared to what they should be for April?
5. What are experts saying about the heatwave in Spain?
6. How might the heatwave impact schools and their schedules?
7. Why are swimming pools opening earlier than usual?
8. Why are farmers having difficulty growing crops?
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Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Spain has experienced its hottest ever (1)______ temperature, reaching 38.8C. This was recorded at Cordoba (2)_______ in southern Spain. The country has been hit by an unexpected (3)_________, which has lasted for several days. It is caused by hot air from Africa and a slow-moving (4)_________ system. This has resulted in temperatures that are 10-15C warmer than they should be for April. Experts say this (5)_________ is unprecedented, with temperatures never seen before in April. Climate change is likely to be playing a (6)_________ in the heatwave, according to experts. The impact of the heatwave might be felt in many ways. Schools might need to change their (7)_________, swimming pools are opening earlier than usual, and farmers are having difficulty growing (8)________ because of the lack of rain.
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Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Have you ever been in really hot weather?
2. What is the hottest temperature you’ve ever experienced?
3. Do you like hot weather or cold weather better?
4. What do you do to stay cool when it’s very hot outside?
5. Do you think climate change is causing the heatwave in Spain?
6. How do you think the heatwave might be affecting people in Spain?
7. Have you ever been to Spain?
8. What is your favorite season and why?
9. Do you like swimming? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever grown your own vegetables or fruits?
11. Do you think the heatwave is a big problem or a small problem?
12. How do you think the heatwave might affect animals in Spain?
13. Have you ever heard of a weather system before?
14. What kind of clothes do you wear when it’s very hot outside?
15. If you were in Spain during the heatwave, what would you do to stay cool?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. heatwave
2. temperature
3. weather
4. crops
5. unprecedented
6. climate change
7. swimming pools
8. schools
Meanings:
A) Plants grown for food or sale
B) A long period of hot weather
C) The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time
D) A place for people to swim and cool off
E) Never done or known before
F) A change in the global climate caused by human activities
G) The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object
H) Places where children go to learn and study.
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Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What was the hottest ever temperature recorded in Spain in April?
(a) 28.8C
(b) 38.8C
(c) 48.8C
(d) 58.8C
2. Where was the hottest temperature recorded in Spain in April?
(a) Madrid
(b) Barcelona
(c) Valencia
(d) Cordoba
3. How long has the heatwave in Spain lasted?
(a) several days
(b) one day
(c) one week
(d) one month
4. What is causing the heatwave in Spain?
(a) hot air from Europe
(b) hot air from Africa
(c) hot air from Asia
(d) hot air from America
5. How much warmer are the temperatures in Spain than they should be for April?
(a) 20-25C
(b) 15-20C
(c) 10-15C
(d) 5-10C
6. What might schools need to do because of the heatwave in Spain?
(a) close early
(b) change their timetables
(c) open later
(d) stay open longer
7. Why are farmers having difficulty growing crops in Spain?
(a) too much rain
(b) too much sun
(c) lack of rain
(d) lack of sun
8. What might be playing a role in the heatwave in Spain?
(a) climate change
(b) climate control
(c) climate denial
(d) climate confusion
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True or False Questions:
1. Spain had its hottest April temperature ever, reaching 48.8C.
2. The hot temperatures are caused by hot air from Africa and a slow-moving weather system.
3. The heatwave has only lasted for one day.
4. The temperatures in April are 10-15C cooler than usual.
5. Experts believe that climate change could be causing the heatwave.
6. The impact of the heatwave is only being felt by farmers.
7. Schools might have to change their timetables because of the heatwave.
8. Swimming pools are opening earlier than usual because of the hot weather.
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 happened in Spain in April?
2. What was the temperature that was recorded at Cordoba airport?
3. Why did Spain have an unexpected heatwave?
4. What might happen to schools because of the heatwave?
5. Why are farmers having difficulty growing crops?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What is the hottest ever April temperature in Spain?
– The hottest April temperature in Spain is 38.8C.
2. Where was the temperature recorded?
– The temperature was recorded at Cordoba airport in southern Spain.
3. What caused the unexpected heatwave in Spain?
– The heatwave in Spain was caused by hot air from Africa and a slow-moving weather system.
4. How much warmer are the temperatures in Spain compared to what they should be for April?
– The temperatures in Spain are 10-15C warmer than they should be for April.
5. What are experts saying about the heatwave in Spain?
– Experts are saying that climate change is likely playing a role in the heatwave.
6. How might the heatwave impact schools and their schedules?
– The heatwave might impact schools and their schedules by causing them to change their timetables.
7. Why are swimming pools opening earlier than usual?
– Swimming pools are opening earlier than usual because of the heatwave.
8. Why are farmers having difficulty growing crops?
– Farmers are having difficulty growing crops because of the lack of rain caused by the heatwave.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. April
2. airport
3. heatwave
4. weather
5. heatwave
6. role
7. timetables
8. crops
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. heatwave
Answer: B) A long period of hot weather
2. temperature
Answer: G) The degree or intensity of heat present in a substance or object
3. weather
Answer: C) The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time
4. crops
Answer: A) Plants grown for food or sale
5. unprecedented
Answer: E) Never done or known before
6. climate change
Answer: F) A change in the global climate caused by human activities
7. swimming pools
Answer: D) A place for people to swim and cool off
8. schools
Answer: H) Places where children go to learn and study.
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What was the hottest ever temperature recorded in Spain in April?
Answer: (b) 38.8C
2. Where was the hottest temperature recorded in Spain in April?
Answer: (d) Cordoba
3. How long has the heatwave in Spain lasted?
Answer: (a) several days
4. What is causing the heatwave in Spain?
Answer: (b) hot air from Africa
5. How much warmer are the temperatures in Spain than they should be for April?
Answer: (c) 10-15C
6. What might schools need to do because of the heatwave in Spain?
Answer: (b) change their timetables
7. Why are farmers having difficulty growing crops in Spain?
Answer: (c) lack of rain
8. What might be playing a role in the heatwave in Spain?
Answer: (a) climate change
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Spain had its hottest April temperature ever, reaching 48.8C.
Answer: False
2. The hot temperatures are caused by hot air from Africa and a slow-moving weather system.
Answer: True
3. The heatwave has only lasted for one day.
Answer: False
4. The temperatures in April are 10-15C cooler than usual.
Answer: False
5. Experts believe that climate change could be causing the heatwave.
Answer: True
6. The impact of the heatwave is only being felt by farmers.
Answer: False
7. Schools might have to change their timetables because of the heatwave.
Answer: True
8. Swimming pools are opening earlier than usual because of the hot weather.
Answer: True
Go back to questions ⇧
