Listen to News with Tara Benwell - Instructions:
1. Preview the vocabulary and read the gapfill text.
2. Play the news report and try to fill in the blanks.
3. Answer the comprehension questions by writing full sentences.
4. Use the discussion question to write an essay or discuss the story with other students.
5. Click "show Answers" to see the full text.
6. Pretend to be a news anchor by reading each story out loud.
dateline: 21 July 2015
NB! For WEEKLY audio stories check out LISTEN & LEARN 🔈
Surfing Competition Ends After Shark Attack
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- finale: the last part of an event
- surf: to ride waves on a surf board
- strike: to hit hard
- shore: the edge where the water meets the land
- finalist: a competitor who is close to winning a competition
- tie: a shared win; a draw
- stoked: very excited
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Surfing Competition Ends After Shark Attack
Comprehension Questions
- Who is Mick Fanning?
- Where did the competition take place?
- Why might some people consider Julian Wilson a hero?
Discussion Questions: Shortly after this close call, Mick Fanning told reporters that he was “stoked” to have walked away unharmed and would be happy to never compete again. Do you think this surfer will change his mind and continue competing?
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Surfing Competition Ends After Shark Attack
During the finale of the J-Bay surfing competition in South Africa, a professional surfer was attacked by a shark on live TV. Mick Fanning, a three-time world surfing champion from Australia, was waiting for a wave when a shark fin came up behind him. The shark grabbed the rope on Fanning’s board, and a wave pulled the surfer under the water. Fanning punched the shark in the back and began swimming towards the shore. His competitor Julian Wilson, who was also in the water, swam towards Fanning hoping to help. The surfers were quickly pulled to safety by emergency workers on jet skis. Terrified television viewers, including Fanning’s mother, were relieved to see the surfers reach the shore unharmed. Organizers ended the competition and awarded the finalists a tie.
- Mick Fanning is a professional surfer from Australia.
- The competition took place in South Africa.
- Some people might consider Julian Wilson a hero because he swam toward his competitor when there was a shark nearby.
Written and recorded by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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