Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever seen an endangered species before? If yes, what was it? If not, is there any you would like to see?
- Have you ever seen the impacts that a disaster had on nature, especially animals? If yes, what kind of disaster was it? If not, have you ever heard of such stories in the news?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- severely /suh-VEER-lee/
- harm /hahrm/
- toxic /TOK-sik/
- potentially /puh-TEN-shuh-lee/
- oxygen /OK-si-juhn/
[adverb] – very seriously
The storm severely damaged the houses in the village.
[verb] – to hurt someone or damage something
Pollution can harm the environment.
[adjective] – poisonous or very harmful
The factory released toxic chemicals into the river.
[adverb] – possibly but not yet actually
This plan could potentially save us a lot of money.
[noun] – a chemical element that is a gas with no smell or color that is a part of the air and is necessary for most living things to breathe
Plants produce oxygen that humans and animals need to breathe.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
The Park Fire, California’s fifth-largest wildfire, is threatening essential habitats for the spring-run Chinook salmon, a species already in danger. This fire has spread into the Mill and Deer Creek watersheds in Tehama County, areas critical for the salmon to spawn and for young fish to prepare for their journey to the ocean. Federal and state officials are deeply worried that if the fire reaches higher elevations, it could severely harm the remaining salmon population, which is already very low.
The firefighting efforts, rather than the fire itself, pose a significant threat to the salmon habitats. Fire retardants, though necessary, are toxic to fish, and heavy rains could later wash ash, chemicals, and sediment into the creeks. This would smother salmon eggs and young fish and potentially cause microbial blooms that deplete oxygen levels in the water. Experts highlight that the salmon have already been declining due to dam construction and water diversion, making their situation even more precarious. Conservation efforts, such as a hatchery program by state and federal wildlife agencies, aim to protect the species, but the immediate threat from the Park Fire adds urgency to these efforts.
The firefighting efforts, rather than the fire itself, pose a significant threat to the salmon habitats. Fire retardants, though necessary, are toxic to fish, and heavy rains could later wash ash, chemicals, and sediment into the creeks. This would smother salmon eggs and young fish and potentially cause microbial blooms that deplete oxygen levels in the water. Experts highlight that the salmon have already been declining due to dam construction and water diversion, making their situation even more precarious. Conservation efforts, such as a hatchery program by state and federal wildlife agencies, aim to protect the species, but the immediate threat from the Park Fire adds urgency to these efforts.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- Why is the Park Fire particularly dangerous for the spring-run Chinook salmon?
- Which areas critical for salmon spawning have been affected by the fire?
- What are some of the negative effects of firefighting efforts on salmon habitats?
- What happens to salmon eggs and young fish when ash, chemicals, and sediment enter the creeks?
- What other factors have already contributed to the decline of the salmon population?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever been involved in any conservation projects or activities? If so, what was your role, and what did you learn from the experience? If not, what kind of conservation project would you like to participate in, and why?
- Have you ever seen the impact of a wildfire or natural disaster in your community or on the news? If so, how did it affect the local environment and wildlife? If not, what do you think are some potential effects of such disasters on local wildlife?
- Do you agree with the idea that more should be done to balance conservation efforts with necessary development, such as dam construction and water diversion?
- What role do you think public awareness and education play in conservation efforts for endangered species?
- Considering the decline in salmon populations due to human activities like dam construction, how can future developments be planned to minimize their impact on wildlife?