The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Hawaii might ban the tourist activity of swimming with dolphins. Dolphins have been a magnet for tourists over the past decades. However, officials say tourism harms the dolphins because they cannot rest or socialize. The National Marine Fisheries Service (MNFS) wants to stop swimming with, or approaching within 50 metres of, dolphins. That would end many tour activities, such as sailing alongside the dolphins and snorkeling with them.

The MNFS said the ban would not have a big impact on Hawaii's tourist trade. It said: "We think that by identifying 50 metres as the minimum distance, there still can be a viable tourist industry." Tour operators disagree. One warned: "It would be the end of legitimate dolphin swimming. We couldn’t offer the people the quality interaction that they expect." Dolphins are most active at night and sleep and relax during the day.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 5 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/26/us/federal-officials-seek-ban-on-swimming-with-spinner-dolphins-in-hawaii.html
  • http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2016/0826/Ban-on-swimming-with-dolphins-in-Hawaii-How-animal-ethics-are-changing-video
  • http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/blogs/swimming-dolphins-may-soon-be-banned-hawaii


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. tourist
  2. Dolphins have been a
  3. over the past
  4. officials say tourism
  5. they cannot rest
  6. approaching
  7. That would end
  8. sailing
  1. within 50 metres
  2. harms the dolphins
  3. alongside the dolphins
  4. magnet for tourists
  5. many tour activities
  6. activity
  7. or socialize
  8. decades

Paragraph 2

  1. the ban would not have a big
  2. Hawaii's tourist
  3. the minimum
  4. there still can be a viable
  5. Tour
  6. It would be
  7. quality
  8. relax
  1. tourist industry
  2. during the day
  3. the end
  4. trade
  5. interaction
  6. distance
  7. impact
  8. operators disagree

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Hawaii might ban (1) ___________________ of swimming with dolphins. Dolphins have been a magnet for tourists over (2) ___________________. However, officials say (3) ___________________ the dolphins because they cannot (4) ___________________. The National Marine Fisheries Service (MNFS) wants to stop swimming with, (5) ___________________ within 50 metres of, dolphins. That would end many tour activities, such as sailing (6) ___________________ and snorkeling with them.

The MNFS said the ban would not have (7) ___________________ Hawaii's tourist trade. It said: "We think that (8) ___________________ 50 metres as the minimum distance, there still can (9) ___________________ tourist industry." Tour operators disagree. One warned: "It (10) ___________________ of legitimate dolphin swimming. We couldn’t offer the people the quality interaction (11) ___________________." Dolphins are most active at night and sleep and relax (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Hawaiimightbanthetouristactivityofswimmingwithdolphins.Dolphin
shavebeenamagnetfortouristsoverthepastdecades.However,official
ssaytourismharmsthedolphinsbecausetheycannotrestorsocialize.T
heNationalMarineFisheriesService(MNFS)wantstostopswimmingwit
h,orapproachingwithin50metresof,dolphins.Thatwouldendmanytou
ractivities,suchassailingalongsidethedolphinsandsnorkelingwiththe
m.TheMNFSsaidthebanwouldnothaveabigimpactonHawaii'stouristt
rade.Itsaid:"Wethinkthatbyidentifying50metresastheminimumdist
ance,therestillcanbeaviabletouristindustry."Touroperatorsdisagree
.Onewarned:"Itwouldbetheendoflegitimatedolphinswimming.Weco
uldn’tofferthepeoplethequalityinteractionthattheyexpect."Dolphins
aremostactiveatnightandsleepandrelaxduringtheday.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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