Edmonton
April 24, 2016
Objectives:
Contents:
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To develop listening skills
To increase vocabulary
To increase knowledge of current events
To provide an authentic learning resource
Three news stories
Vocabulary building activities
Listening comprehension activities
Transcripts
Answer keys
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
News story #1
Should vaccines be mandatory?
Setting the Scene
(CBC file photo)
Vaccines are small amounts of a virus or bacteria given to people. This helps to protect people from
a disease, because the body will know how to fight against the disease. The use of vaccines started
more than 200 years ago, and has become quite common today. Diseases such as smallpox,
rubella, diphtheria, and polio once killed thousands of people. Today, because the vaccines for
these diseases are common, these diseases are rare. If everyone in a society gets a vaccine, people
will be protected. When people stop vaccinating themselves, the disease can slowly come back into
the society and affect people too young or too weak to protect themselves. This has recently
happened with the measles in Alberta.
Pre-listening Questions
What vaccines are given in your home country?
What vaccines have you received?
What are some diseases that have been stopped with the help of vaccines?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 2 of 15
Vocabulary
Matching
To help you better understand the words in the news story, match the words with their definitions.
Answers are in the appendix.
Answer
Vocabulary word
Definition
______
vaccine (n.)
a) to give a vaccination to a person
______
mandatory (adj.)
b) to be paid for by someone or something
______
trustee (n.)
c) an illness that affects a person, animal or plant
______
vaccinate (v.)
d) to go to an event, class or institution
______
attend (v.)
e) a person responsible for an organization’s money
______
publicly (adv)
f) something suddenly happens and spreads quickly
______
funded (adj.)
g) an official list of people or organizations
______
rate (n.)
h) a substance used to protect people from a disease
______
outbreak (n.)
i)
the number of times something happens
______
disease (n.)
j)
done by the government, paid for with tax dollars
______
register (n.)
k) something that must be done according to a rule or law
Extra words to help you better understand the listening:
developed world – refers to countries with more advanced economic situations and stable
economies
We encourage you to study these new words using this link: https://quizlet.com/_3dlkif
You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free
vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary
whenever you have time.
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 3 of 15
Listening Task
Multiple Choice
Read the following sentences. Then listen to the audio and choose the best answer to
complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix.
1. The Edmonton Catholic school board is asking
____________________ to make vaccinations mandatory.
2. They want all students attending ____________________
schools in Alberta to be vaccinated.
3. Some parents do not want to _____________________
their children.
4. As vaccination rates are _________________ , we are
seeing _________________ outbreaks of some diseases.
5. Until now, the province has not had __________________
vaccinations.
6. The province is developing _____________________ of
students who have not been vaccinated.
7. If there is _____________________ of a certain disease,
unvaccinated students can be removed from classrooms.
a) the province
b) the country
a) privately-funded
b) publicly-funded
a) educate
b) vaccinate
a) increasing / decreased
b) decreasing / increased
a) mandatory
b) military
a) a registration form
b) a register
a) an outbreak
b) a break out
Food for Thought
Why do some parents not want to vaccinate their children?
Do you think the Catholic School Board has a good idea? Why or why not?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 4 of 15
News story #2
A dramatic rescue (1:04)
Setting the Scene
A firefighter works to free one of 10 horses stuck in a slough near Grande Prairie, Alta. on Sunday.
(William Vavrek Photography (CBC File photo)
Spring weather in Alberta is unpredictable. With the new snow and cold weather last week, the
water at the top of ponds and lakes froze. The water did not freeze below the top layer of ice, so
the sloughs, ponds and lakes are very unsafe at this time of year. People should not walk on any ice
in the spring, but animals are not as intelligent. When animals walk on frozen water, they may
break the top layer of ice and fall through.
Pre-listening Questions
Have you ever gone skating on an outdoor rink or pond? How do you know when it is safe to
skate?
What are some other dangers that people or animals might experience in spring weather?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 5 of 15
Vocabulary
Sentence Completion
Learning some of the new words you will hear in the listening will help you understand the news
story. Use the vocabulary words below to complete the sentences. Answers are in the appendix.
training (n.)
a class or education to learn special skills for a specific job
rescue (v.)
to save someone or something from danger
frantic (adj.)
very worried or scared about a situations
slough (n.)
a natural muddy pond often made of water from melting snow
dramatic (adj.)
impressive or exciting
chainsaw (n.)
a power tool used to cut trees
shore (n.)
the land next to water, the side of a pond
sling (n.)
veterinarian (n.)
ropes used to carry or drag something heavy
an animal doctor
1. If large animals like horses or cows get sick, the _______________________ visits their home.
2. We had to use a _______________________to cut down the trees in our backyard.
3. Every spring, the _______________________ behind my grandparents’ farm was full of water.
In the summer, we would stand on the _______________________ and collect water insects
that swam by.
4. Most firefighters take special _______________________ so that they can
_______________________ people from many different situations.
5. When people are in a dangerous situation, they may be _____________________ and unable to
control their feelings.
6. When the river flooded last spring, I saw a ____________________rescue on the news. The
firefighter put a ___________________ around someone’s chest and pulled him out of the
river.
We encourage you to study these new words using this link: https://quizlet.com/_3dllwt
You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free
vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary
whenever you have time.
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 6 of 15
Listening Activity
Short Answer
Read the questions below. While you listen, answer the questions. You may need to listen more
than once to catch all the answers.
Answers are in the appendix.
1. Who used their special training to rescue horses in Grande Prairie?
2. Where were the horses stuck?
3. How many horses were stuck?
4. What kind of video was made to show the rescue?
5. What tools were used in the rescue?
6. How did the rescuers get the horses over the mud and melting ice?
7. How long did it take to remove the horses?
8. How many horses survived the event?
9. What did the veterinarian say about the horses that survived?
Food for thought
What do you think of the dramatic rescue of the animals?
Can you think of any movies about animals?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 7 of 15
News story #3
U of A satellite sent to space (1:51)
Setting the Scene
A team of 40 University of Alberta students have been working on a small "cube" satellite similar to this
one for the past four years. (Supplied) (CBC file photo)
Over 4000 man-made satellites travel around the Earth every day. Each satellite has a different
purpose. Many of them are used for communication. Communication satellites are used for TV,
radio, internet, phone and military communication. Other satellites are used for observation or for
science experiments. Countries and institutions within countries can put satellites into space.
Canada does not have an ideal place to launch space shuttles, so if Canadian companies or
institutions want to launch a satellite, they use NASA’s Cape Canaveral (the space centre in the
United States.)
Pre-listening Questions
What kind of research do you think satellites do?
What kind of experiment would you like to do in space?
Do you think it is good to have so many satellites circling the Earth?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 8 of 15
Vocabulary
Find the definition (Multiple Choice)
Learning some of the new words you will hear in the listening will help you understand the news
story. Read the sentences below and choose the best definition for the words in bold.
Answers are in the appendix.
1. Many cellphone companies have their own satellite in space to help with communication.
a. a machine that goes around the Earth
b. a tower that transmits waves
2. A huge amount of fuel is needed to launch a rocket or space shuttle.
a. to send something into the sky
b. to start a business or program
3. After the countdown, the fuel is burned, creating a great explosion and release of energy.
a. growing or increasing in size
b. a loud sound often with fire
4. When the satellite reaches space, it will begin to orbit the Earth to take pictures around the
planet. The satellite will also record any changes in landscapes or conditions.
a. to study
a. to save data
b. to circle
b. to play music
5. Most planes fly at an altitude of 39 000 feet, or almost 12 km above the ground.
a. the distance from takeoff to landing
b. the height of something above the sea
6. If a plane experiences harsh weather conditions, the ride can be very bumpy and scary.
a. difficult to deal with
b. pleasant or comfortable
7. The faculty of the U of A is dedicated to creating a positive environment for students to learn.
a. all the teachers of a university
b. all the buildings of a university
8. The subject of physics has always been challenging for me.
a. the science of living things
b. the science of movement, heat and light
9. If you want to work on space projects, it is essential that you study space physics.
a. suggested or advised
b. important or necessary
Extra words to help you better understand the listening:
plume – a cloud of dust
solar flare – an explosion or sudden flash of light from the sun or another star
electronic network – the electrical connections that work together to bring power to much of
the earth
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 9 of 15
We encourage you to study these new words using this link: https://quizlet.com/_3dlmoh
You can practice online for free and as many times as you want to. The Quizlet app is a free
vocabulary study tool. You can download it to your phone or tablet and practice new vocabulary
whenever you have time.
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 10 of 15
Listening Activity
Answering True/False questions
Read the following statements. While you listen to the story, decide whether the statements are
true or false. Write your answer in the blanks.
Answers are in the appendix.
1. ____ Edmonton students launched a huge satellite into space.
2. ____ The Ex-Alta 1 is the first satellite to be made in Alberta.
3. ____ The Ex-Alta 1 was launched on Tuesday.
4. ____ The satellite is much bigger than a bread box.
5. ____ The satellite will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 40 kilometres.
6. ____ A team of students and faculty from the U of A designed the satellite.
7. ____ It took 4 years for the team to design the satellite.
8. ____ The satellite will record information about Earth’s weather.
9. ____ Charles Nokes is a space physics masters student at the U of A.
10. ____ Nokes was working on the satellite since 2013.
11. ____ He says the satellite will help the team study solar light and other energy sources.
12. ____ Solar flares can threaten spacecraft and electronic networks on Earth.
13. ____ Fifteen small satellites built by students from 28 countries were launched on Tuesday.
14. ____ Ex-Alta 1 will orbit Earth for up to 2 years.
15. ____ The satellite will eventually be destroyed by a rocket.
Food for thought
What information do you think people want to know about space?
Would you ever want to travel into space? Why or why not?
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 11 of 15
Transcripts of Weekly news stories
Introduction
Story 1
Story 2
Story 3
APRIL WEEKLY NEWS STORIES
TIME
Hi, I’m Don Bell and this is Learning English with the CBC April 24th, with
stories that made news over the past week.
0:00
The Edmonton Catholic School Board is asking the province to make
vaccines mandatory for all students attending publicly-funded schools in
Alberta. Trustee Marilyn Bergstra says some parents do not want to
vaccinate their children, and with decreasing vaccination rates in the
developed world, we are seeing increased outbreaks of certain
diseases. Until now, the province has said no to mandatory
vaccinations. It is creating a register of students who have not been
vaccinated though, so they can be removed from classrooms if there is
an outbreak of a certain disease.
Firefighters near Grande Prairie used their special training to rescue 10
frantic horses that broke through an ice-covered slough on
Sunday. Dramatic video shows how firefighters saved the
horses. Firefighters used chainsaws to cut pathways to the shore. They
then used slings and boards to get the horses over the mud and melting
ice at the edge of the slough. All 10 horses were removed from the
water within two hours, but three died later. A veterinarian said that the
seven surviving animals should be okay.
With an explosion of rocket fuel and a plume of smoke, a tiny satellite
made by a group of Edmonton students is moving Alberta into the space
industry. The Ex-Alta 1, the first-ever made-in-Alberta satellite, was
launched from NASA's Cape Canaveral on Tuesday. The satellite, no
larger than a bread box, will orbit Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres.
The satellite was designed by a team of students and faculty members at
the U of A over the past four years. The spacecraft will record space
weather data. "The excitement is really high," said Charles Nokes, a
University of Alberta masters student in space physics who has been
working on the satellite since 2013. Nokes says the satellite will help the
team study powerful forces, such as solar flares, which can threaten
spacecraft, satellites, and essential electronic networks on Earth. In all,
fifty small satellites built by university students from 28 countries were
launched on Tuesday. The satellite will be in orbit for up to two years,
but it will eventually be destroyed by the harsh conditions.
0:14
1:04
1:51
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 12 of 15
Answer keys
News story 1
Should vaccines be mandatory?
Vocabulary
Answer Vocabulary word
Definition
___h___ vaccine (n.)
a) to give a vaccination to a person
___k___ mandatory (adj.)
b) to be paid for by someone or something
___e___ trustee (n.)
c) an illness that affects a person, animal or plant
___a___ vaccinate (v.)
d) to go to an event, class or institution
___d___ attend (v.)
e) a person responsible for an organization’s money
___j___
f) something suddenly happens and spreads quickly
publicly (adv.)
___b___ funded (adj.)
g) an official list of people or organizations
___i___
rate (n.)
h) a substance used to protect people from a disease
___f___
outbreak (n.)
i)
the number of times something happens
___c___
disease (n.)
j)
done by the government, paid for with tax dollars
___g___ register (n.)
k) something that must be done according to a rule or law
Listening
1. The Edmonton Catholic school board is asking
____________________ to make vaccinations mandatory.
2. They want all students attending ____________________
schools in Alberta to be vaccinated.
3. Some parents do not want to _____________________
their children.
4. As vaccination rates are _________________ , we are
seeing _________________ outbreaks of some diseases.
5. Until now, the province has not had __________________
vaccinations.
6. The province is developing _____________________ of
students who have not been vaccinated.
7. If there is _____________________ of a certain disease,
unvaccinated students can be removed from classrooms.
a)
b)
a)
b)
a)
b)
a)
b)
a)
b)
a)
b)
a)
b)
the province
the country
privately-funded
publicly-funded
educate
vaccinate
increasing / decreased
decreasing / increased
mandatory
military
a registration form
a register
an outbreak
a break out
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 13 of 15
News story 2
A dramatic rescue (1:04)
Vocabulary
1. If large animals like horses or cows get sick, the veterinarian visits their home.
2. We had to use a chainsaw to cut down the trees in our backyard.
3. Every spring, the slough behind my grandparents’ farm was full of water. In the summer, we
would stand on the shore and collect water insects that swam by.
4. Most firefighters take special training so that they can rescue people from many different
situations.
5. When people are in a dangerous situation, they may be frantic and unable to control their
feelings.
6. When the river flooded last spring, I saw a dramatic rescue on the news. The firefighter put a
sling around someone’s chest and pulled him out of the river.
Listening
1. Who used their special training to rescue horses in Grande Prairie?
firefighters
2. Where were the horses stuck?
in an ice-covered slough
3. How many horses were stuck?
10
4. What kind of video was made to show the rescue?
a dramatic video
5. What tools were used in the rescue?
chainsaws (and slings and boards)
6. How did the rescuers get the horses over the mud and melting ice?
slings and boards
7. How long did it take to remove the horses?
2 hours
8. How many horses survived the event?
7
9. What did the veterinarian say about the horses that survived?
they should be okay
News story 3
U of A satellite sent to space (1:51)
Vocabulary
10. Many cellphone companies have their own satellite in space to help with communication.
a. a machine that goes around the Earth
b. a tower that transmits waves
11. A huge amount of fuel is needed to launch a rocket or space shuttle.
a. to send something into the sky
b. to start a business or program
12. After the countdown, the fuel is burned, creating a great explosion and release of energy.
a. growing or increasing in size
b. a loud sound often with fire
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 14 of 15
13. When the satellite reaches space, it will begin to orbit the Earth to take pictures around the
planet. The satellite will also record any changes in landscapes or conditions.
a. to study
a. to save data
b. to circle
b. to play music
14. Most planes fly at an altitude of 39 000 feet, or almost 12 km above the ground.
a. the distance from takeoff to landing
b. the height of something above the sea
15. If a plane experiences harsh weather conditions, the ride can be very bumpy and scary.
a. difficult to deal with
b. pleasant or comfortable
16. The faculty of the U of A is dedicated to creating a positive environment for students to learn.
a. all the teachers of a university
b. all the buildings of a university
17. The subject of physics has always been challenging for me.
a. the science of living things
b. the science of movement, heat and light
18. If you want to work on space projects, it is essential that you study space physics.
a. suggested or advised
b. important or necessary
Listening
1. __F__ Edmonton students launched a huge satellite into space.
2. __T__ The Ex-Alta 1 is the first satellite to be made in Alberta.
3. __T__ The Ex-Alta 1 was launched on Tuesday.
4. __F__ The satellite is much bigger than a bread box.
5. __F__ The satellite will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 40 kilometres.
6. __T__ A team of students and faculty from the U of A designed the satellite.
7. __T__ It took 4 years for the team to design the satellite.
8. __F__ The satellite will record information about Earth’s weather.
9. __T__ Charles Nokes is a space physics masters student at the U of A.
10. __T__ Nokes was working on the satellite since 2013.
11. __F__ He says the satellite will help the team study solar light and other energy sources.
12. __T__ Solar flares can threaten spacecraft and electronic networks on Earth.
13. __F__ Fifteen small satellites built by students from 28 countries were launched on
Tuesday.
14. __T__ Ex-Alta 1 will orbit Earth for up to 2 years.
15. __F__ The satellite will eventually be destroyed by a rocket.
2016/2017 Government of Alberta Permission granted to reproduce these pages for educational purposes only.
Page 15 of 15