The Reading / Listening - Level 5

The WHO (World Health Organisation) has said the virus MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is now serious and urgent. The WHO’s spokesman for health security Dr Keiji Fukuda said MERS is not currently a global health emergency but needs to be carefully monitored. Dr Fukuda said declaring an emergency is "a major act" that can unnecessarily "raise anxieties." He added that there is no "evidence of person-to-person transmissibility". The virus has been reported in 18 countries since starting in Saudi Arabia in 2012. There have been 571 confirmed cases and 171 deaths.

The USA's Center for Disease Control said MERS is a viral respiratory illness. It said: "Most people who have been confirmed to have the MERS infection developed severe acute respiratory illness. They had a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About 30 per cent of these people died." Researchers believe it came from camels in Saudi Arabia. Everyone who got it had very close contact with other sufferers. Doctors said it does not spread like a flu virus. U.S. airports are advising those travelling to the Middle East to wash their hands often and "avoid close contact with sick people".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/14/health/mers-outbreak/
  • http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-mers-cdc-airport-signs-20140513-story.html
  • http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

serious and

a.

anxieties

2.

not currently a global health

b.

no evidence

3.

needs to be

c.

reported in 18 countries

4.

raise

d.

emergency

5.

there is

e.

and 171 deaths

6.

person-to-person

f.

carefully monitored

7.

The virus has been

g.

urgent

8.

571 confirmed cases

h.

transmissibility



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ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

a viral respiratory

a.

of breath

2.

Most people who have

b.

infection

3.

have the MERS

c.

other sufferers

4.

fever, cough, and shortness

d.

like a flu virus

5.

believe it came

e.

illness

6.

very close contact with

f.

with sick people

7.

it does not spread

g.

been confirmed

8.

avoid close contact

h.

from camels

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The WHO (World Health Organisation) (1) ___________________ MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) is now (2) ___________________. The WHO's spokesman for health security Dr Keiji Fukuda said MERS is not currently a global health emergency but needs (3) ___________________. Dr Fukuda said (4) ___________________ is "a major act" that can unnecessarily "(5) ___________________." He added that there is no "evidence of person-to-person transmissibility". The virus has been reported in 18 countries since starting in Saudi Arabia in 2012. There have been 571 (6) ___________________ 171 deaths.

The USA's Center for Disease Control said MERS (7) ___________________ illness. It said: "Most people who have been confirmed to have the MERS infection (8) ___________________ respiratory illness. They had fever, cough, and (9) ___________________. About 30 per cent of these people died." Researchers believe it (10) ___________________ Saudi Arabia. Everyone who got it had very close contact with other sufferers. Doctors said it does not (11) ___________________ virus. U.S. airports are advising those travelling to the Middle East to (12) ___________________ often and "avoid close contact with sick people".

VIRUSES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about viruses in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about viruses for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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