Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- If you were in charge of protecting animals, what would you do first?
- Why do you think some animals are important, even if people don’t like them?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- vulture /VUHL-cher/
- stray /strey/
- bacterium /bak-TEER-ee-uhm/
- false /fawls/
- reputation /rep-yuh-TEY-shuhn/
[noun] – a large bird that eats the bodies of dead animals
In India, vultures help farmers by eating dead cattle and reducing disease spread.
[adjective] – not owned or controlled by anyone; having no home
Stray cats in the city often look for food in garbage cans.
[noun] – a very small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope and may cause disease
The scientist found new types of bacteria in the soil sample.
[adjective] – not true; wrong
Many people believed the false story about the haunted house.
[noun] – the opinion people have about someone or something based on past actions
She has a reputation for always helping her classmates with homework.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
In southern Africa, conservation groups are working hard to protect vultures by showing how important they are to both nature and the economy. A report by BirdLife International, released in early 2025, estimated that vultures provide about $1.8 billion in ecological value each year across Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These birds help the environment by cleaning up dead animals quickly, which prevents the spread of disease and keeps pests like rats and stray dogs away.
Vultures have special abilities that make them very important. They can safely eat carcasses infected with dangerous bacteria like anthrax and botulism, helping keep ecosystems clean. Rangers also use vultures to spot poaching sites by watching their flight patterns. But despite their value, vultures face many dangers. Six out of 11 African vulture species are now endangered or critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Many vultures are killed each year by poisoned food, power lines, and cultural beliefs. In some traditions, vultures are thought to have supernatural powers and are hunted for use in rituals. Conservationists say these false beliefs—often spread through movies or stories—harm the vultures’ reputation. Experts are calling for more public awareness and stronger support to protect these birds, which are essential to keeping the environment healthy.
Vultures have special abilities that make them very important. They can safely eat carcasses infected with dangerous bacteria like anthrax and botulism, helping keep ecosystems clean. Rangers also use vultures to spot poaching sites by watching their flight patterns. But despite their value, vultures face many dangers. Six out of 11 African vulture species are now endangered or critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Many vultures are killed each year by poisoned food, power lines, and cultural beliefs. In some traditions, vultures are thought to have supernatural powers and are hunted for use in rituals. Conservationists say these false beliefs—often spread through movies or stories—harm the vultures’ reputation. Experts are calling for more public awareness and stronger support to protect these birds, which are essential to keeping the environment healthy.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- How do vultures help the environment?
- What problem do vultures help prevent by eating dead animals?
- What are some dangers vultures face today?
- Where are conservation groups working to protect vultures?
- How many African vulture species are now endangered or critically endangered?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever seen a vulture or another large bird? If so, where did you see it, and what was it doing? If not, would you like to see one? Why or why not?
- Have you learned about animals that help the environment at school? If so, what animal did you learn about, and how does it help? If not, can you guess one animal that helps nature?
- Do you agree that movies and stories can sometimes give animals a bad image?
- How can people learn the truth about animals like vultures instead of believing false stories?
- How would the environment change if there were no vultures? What problems might happen?