Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What natural calamities usually hit your country?
- Are wildfires common in your area? Please tell me more about it.
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- evacuate /ih-VAK-yoo-eyt/
- belongings /bi-LAANG-ingz/
- roughly /RUH-flee/
- frequency /FREE-kwuhn-see/
- suspect /suh-SPEKT/
[verb] – to move people from a dangerous place to somewhere safe
Everyone has safely evacuated from the affected areas.
[noun] – the things that a person owns, especially those that can be carried
Always keep an eye on your belongings.
[adverb] – approximately
I think the temperature is roughly 23 degrees Celcius.
[noun] – the number of times something happens within a particular period
The frequency of accidents on that road has increased.
[verb] – to think or believe something to be true or probable
We suspect her to be the thief.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
Wildfires continue to spread throughout western Canada since last week due to lightning strikes. Emergency services have put out more than 170 fires across British Columbia. Several regions have also issued evacuation orders, and military forces are expected to arrive in the coming days. Locals from Lytton have evacuated after the village was destroyed by the fire. Meanwhile, 250 individuals were forced to leave their homes on Wednesday evening, June 30, without their belongings. On Tuesday, June 29, the town had the highest recorded temperature in Canada, reaching 49.6°C (121.3°F). Mayor Jan Polderman said that the fire engulfed Lytton in roughly 15 minutes.
According to British Columbia Wildfire Service’s provincial operations director Cliff Chapman, they recorded 12,000 lightning strikes near Kamloops, northeast of Vancouver. Experts explained that climate change contributes to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events like heat waves. Moreover, Canada’s health officials suspect that intense heat may have been the cause of 719 sudden deaths in recent weeks. Harjit Sajjan, Canada’s Defence Minister, promises to send helicopters and soldiers to help the affected areas. The British Columbia Wildfire Service is expecting more wildfires throughout the weekend.
According to British Columbia Wildfire Service’s provincial operations director Cliff Chapman, they recorded 12,000 lightning strikes near Kamloops, northeast of Vancouver. Experts explained that climate change contributes to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events like heat waves. Moreover, Canada’s health officials suspect that intense heat may have been the cause of 719 sudden deaths in recent weeks. Harjit Sajjan, Canada’s Defence Minister, promises to send helicopters and soldiers to help the affected areas. The British Columbia Wildfire Service is expecting more wildfires throughout the weekend.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- How many fires have emergency services put out in British Columbia?
- What was Lytton’s temperature on Tuesday, June 29?
- According to Mayor Jan Polderman, how long did it take for the fire to completely surround Lytton?
- How many lightning strikes were recorded near Kamloops?
- What do Canada’s health officials suspect to have been the cause of unexpected deaths?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you seen a wildfire or anything similar? Please tell me more about it.
- What natural calamities in your country cause locals to flee their homes?
- If you had the chance, how would you help those affected by the fire?
- What should the government do to prevent or lessen wildfires?
- Is there a way for people to lower the chances of heat waves? Please share your thoughts.