Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 31 May 2011
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN π
E. Coli Outbreak Leaves Hundreds Ill In Germany
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- E. Coli: Escherichia Coli; a type of bacteria that inhabits the intestines; dangerous strains result in severe infections
- outbreak: a sudden large occurrence of something
- contaminate: infect a clean, pure, or healthy thing
- potentially: has the possibility to happen
- ban: to no longer allow
Comprehension Questions
- Where did this strain of bacteria originate?
- Why does the report mention Sweden?
- Which areas of the body does this bacteria affect?
Discussion Question: Have you ever had food poisoning? What symptoms did you have? How did you figure out which food was contaminated?
show Answershide Answers
E. Coli Outbreak leaves Hundreds Ill in Germany
At least ten people have died, and hundreds have become ill due to an E. coli outbreak in Germany. Most of those who have been affected by the strain are adults who live or have travelled to northern Germany. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce have been found to be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacteria. The bacteria attacks the intestine and affects the blood, kidneys, and sometimes the nervous system. It is unconfirmed where the outbreak originated, but investigators say that some of the contaminated cucumbers were shipped from Spain and packaged in Germany. Cases have also been reported in Sweden, Denmark, and the UK. Some countries have already begun banning imported produce from Spain and Germany.
- It is unknown whether the outbreak originated in Spain or Germany.
- Cases have also been reported in Sweden.
- This bacteria lives in the intestine and can attack the blood, kidneys, and sometimes the nervous system.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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