Pre-reading questions:
- Where is the farthest place you have traveled to? Tell me more about it.
- What will you do if you discover something new? Please explain your answer
Vocabulary:
- unofficially /un-uh-fish-uhl-lee/
- origin /awr-i-jin/
- eruption /ih-ruhp-shuhn/
- dropping /drop-ing/
- vanish /van-ish/
[adverb] not officially approved by a person in authority, the government, etc
The secretary of justice was unofficially appointed as the new secretary of health.
[noun] the beginning or cause of something
The origin of some species is still unknown to scientists.
[noun] an occasion when a volcano explodes
We need to ensure the security now that there were recent volcanic eruptions reported in the city.
[noun] something dropped; such as dirt, feces, excrement, waste
The droppings of chickens are seen as a potential fertilizer.
[verb] to disappear or stop being present or existing
After we graduated from college, some of my classmates vanish.
According to a report, scientists are confused after spotting mud and plants in the new Pacific island. The island is unofficially known as Hunga-Tonga which is located in the South Pacific near Tonga. The origin of the island was after a volcanic eruption that happened in December 2014. Dan Slayback, one of the scientists who visited the island, said that he is confused on where the mud is coming from and why the plants start to grow. He is also surprised that the plants grow in a narrow strip of land.
Researchers found out its uniqueness after they traveled there by boat in October 2018. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), birds in the nearby islands fertilized the plants from their droppings. Additionally, the island contains small black gravel and a sticky light-colored gray mud, as described by Slayback. He also said that the island vanishes quickly during rainfall.
Researchers found out its uniqueness after they traveled there by boat in October 2018. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), birds in the nearby islands fertilized the plants from their droppings. Additionally, the island contains small black gravel and a sticky light-colored gray mud, as described by Slayback. He also said that the island vanishes quickly during rainfall.
Comprehension Questions:
- What is the name of the new island discovered in the South Pacific?
- When did the island exist?
- Who is Dan Slayback?
- Why is Dan Slayback confused?
- In the article, how did the plants get fertilized?
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think will happen to the island in the coming years? Explain your answer
- Do you agree that the island existed after a volcanic eruption? Why or why not?
- Where do you think the mud and the plants came from? Explain.
- Would you like to go to that island? Why or why not?
- In your own opinion, do you find this kind of discovery beneficial in the future? Why or why not?