Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on World Read Aloud Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
World Wetlands Day (WWD) occurs on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the signing of the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the unique and important place they have. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention promised to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering an area of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom tops the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups carry out all kinds of activities on WWD. These range from nature walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
The world’s wetlands serve an important role in nature. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a huge diversity of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve an important role in the flood defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and store water from floods. They can protect an area from flooding from storms and high tides. This is coming under threat now with rising sea levels and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves being flooded or are drying up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is vital we protect them.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
It marks the
a.
of the value of wetlands
2
It aims to raise awareness
b.
out all kinds of activities
3.
the unique and
c.
over 1,782 wetlands
4.
conserve and protect
d.
date of the signing
5.
The U.K. tops the list with 177
e.
important place they have
6.
citizens’ groups carry
f.
protected wetland sites
Paragraph 2
1.
wetlands serve an important
a.
we protect them
2
contain a huge diversity
b.
store water from floods
3.
Wetlands are like giant sponges and
c.
rising sea levels
4.
They can protect an
d.
role in nature
5.
coming under threat now with
e.
of animal and plant life
6.
It is vital
f.
area from flooding
LISTENING GAP FILL
World Wetlands Day (WWD) _______________ of February each year. It marks the date of the signing of the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. _______________ awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the unique and important _______________. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention promised to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering _______________ 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom tops the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups _______________ of activities on WWD. These range from nature walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government _______________ wetlands.
The world’s wetlands serve an important _______________. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a _______________ animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve an important _______________ defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and store water from floods. They can protect an area from flooding from _______________ tides. This is coming under threat now with rising sea levels and global warming. Climate _______________ wetlands are themselves being flooded or are drying up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful __________________ and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is vital we protect them.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
World Wetlands Day (WWD) __________ on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the __________ of the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise awareness of the __________ of wetlands around the world and the __________ and important place they have. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention __________ to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering an area of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom __________ the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups __________ out all kinds of activities on WWD. These range from nature walks, clean-up days and __________ to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
promised value seminars unique occurs carry signing tops
The world’s wetlands __________ an important role in nature. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a __________ diversity of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve an important __________ in the flood defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant __________ and store water from floods. They can protect an area from flooding from storms and __________ tides. This is coming under threat now with rising sea __________ and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves being __________ or are drying up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is __________ we protect them.
flooded role huge vital sponges levels serve high
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
World Wetlands Day (WWD) occurs / occurrence on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the signature / signing of the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise / rise awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the uniquely / unique and important place they have. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention promised / promises to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering an area of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom tops / topping the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups carry out / in all kinds of activities on WWD. These range / ranger from nature walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
The world’s wetlands servicing / serve an important role in nature. They are all mini echo-systems / eco-systems and contain a huge diversity / diverse of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve an important role in the flood / floods defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and store water from floods. They can protect an area from / for flooding from storms and high tides. This is coming under threat now with rising / raising sea levels and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves being flooded or are drying down / up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is vital / vitality we protect them.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
World Wetlands Day (WWD) (1) ____ on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the (2) ____ of the international Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the (3) ____ and important place they have. The 158 nations and territories who signed the convention promised to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering an (4) ____ of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom (5) ____ the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each year governments and citizens’ groups (6) ____ out all kinds of activities on WWD. These range from nature walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
The world’s wetlands serve an important role in (7) ____. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a huge diversity of animal and plant life. They take the (8) ____ of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve an important role in the flood defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and (9) ____ water from floods. They can protect an area from flooding from storms and high tides. This is coming (10) ____ threat now with rising sea levels and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves being flooded or are drying (11) ____ and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is (12) ____ we protect them.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
occurs
(b)
occurrence
(c)
occur
(d)
occult
2.
(a)
singing
(b)
singe
(c)
sine
(d)
signing
3.
(a)
uniquely
(b)
unique
(c)
unicorn
(d)
uniqueness
4.
(a)
range
(b)
area
(c)
choice
(d)
limits
5.
(a)
topping
(b)
top
(c)
tops
(d)
topiary
6.
(a)
hold
(b)
lift
(c)
piggyback
(d)
carry
7.
(a)
natural
(b)
naturist
(c)
naturalist
(d)
nature
8.
(a)
formation
(b)
forms
(c)
form
(d)
former
9.
(a)
storage
(b)
store
(c)
storing
(d)
stores
10.
(a)
under
(b)
over
(c)
around
(d)
in
11.
(a)
up
(b)
in
(c)
on
(d)
down
12.
(a)
vitality
(b)
vitally
(c)
vital
(d)
vital signs
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
ucrocs on the 2nd of February
2.
the ulvea of wetlands
3.
qnuiue and important place
4.
an eaar of over 160 million hectares
5.
nature awlks
6.
rcotept the wetlands
Paragraph 2
7.
rsvee an important role
8.
huge vtirsdeyi
9.
giant segsopn
10.
coming under rthtea
11.
gidnyr up and disappearing
12.
It is aivtl
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
sea levels and global warming. Climate change means any wetlands are themselves being
( )
walks, clean-up days and seminars to new government laws to protect the wetlands.
( )
an important role in the flood defences of an area. Wetlands are like giant sponges and store water from
( )
nations and territories who signed the convention promised to conserve and protect over 1,782 wetlands, covering an
( )
floods. They can protect an area from flooding from storms and high tides. This is coming under threat now with rising
( )
the International Convention on Wetlands in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. WWD started in 1997. It aims to raise
( )
flooded or are drying up and disappearing. Wetlands are also a wonderful way to explore
( )
area of over 160 million hectares. The United Kingdom tops the list with 177 protected wetland sites. Each
( )
nature and see a huge variety of water life, plants, animals and birds. It is vital we protect them.
( 1 )
World Wetlands Day (WWD) occurs on the 2nd of February each year. It marks the date of the signing of
( )
diversity of animal and plant life. They take the form of ponds, streams, rivers, bogs and swamps. They also serve
( )
The world’s wetlands serve an important role in nature. They are all mini eco-systems and contain a huge
( )
awareness of the value of wetlands around the world and the unique and important place they have. The 158
( )
year governments and citizens’ groups carry out all kinds of activities on WWD. These range from nature
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
awareness the of raise of value wetlands
2.
unique important they the and place have
3.
with wetland UK list protected The the 177 sites tops
4.
citizens’ activities of kinds all out carry groups
5.
new laws protect wetlands government to the
6.
important in wetlands an role nature serve
7.
animal a and huge plant diversity life of contain
8.
giant store floods like and from are sponges water Wetlands
9.
under with levels coming now sea is threat rising This
10.
way are to also explore a nature wonderful Wetlands
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about World Wetlands Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about World Wetlands Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about World Wetlands Day. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
