Natural Disasters: Afghan Landslide (video listening)

Afghan Landslide Site Declared Mass Grave By Authorities 

May 3 - Afghan officials have declared the site where landslides buried thousands of people a mass grave, saying it's impossible to recover those trapped.

Watch the video and answer the following questions. 

1. When did the tragic disaster occur?
2. What caused the landslide?
3. What happened to the villagers who rushed to the scene to help?
4. Why have rescuers given up hope of finding any more survivors?
5. How many people have been displaced by the disaster?

Vocabulary

• to pummel (v): to cause a lot of damage to a place e.g. Hurricane Mitch is pummeling the Atlantic coast. 
• debris (n): the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed e.g. After the earthquake, rescuers began digging through the debris in search of survivors.
• wreckage (n):  the broken parts of a vehicle, building, etc., that has been badly damaged or destroyed e.g. The pilot was trapped in the wreckage for almost seven hours. 
• death toll (n): the number of people who die in an accident, disaster, war, etc. e.g. The death toll has now risen to 200.
• to wreak havoc means to cause great damage e.g. The virus wreaked havoc on my computer. 
• rubble (n): broken pieces of stone, brick, etc., from walls or buildings that have fallen e.g.
  Rescue workers managed to pull two injured people out of the rubble.

 

 SOURCE: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2014/05/afghanistan_landslide_rescuers_give_up_hope_o.html

Afghan Landslide (Vocabulary) crossword

Solve the crossword using key words from the video.

Afghan Landslide (Vocabulary) crossword puzzle game » make crossword

Related articles

Afghanistan Landslide (photos)
Landslide devastates Afghan region

Afghanistan landslide: Rescuers end search for survivors  

Afghanistan landslide: Day of mourning declared

More than 2,100 confirmed dead in Afghan landslides 
Afghanistan mudslide: 'it was so fast that people didn't have a chance'  

The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde (video)

Here is an animated film of The Selfish Giant, the famous story written by Oscar Wilde.

Comprehension Questions

1. Where did the children use to play after school?
2. How long had the Giant been away?
3. What did he see when he came back?
4. What did he do to keep the children out of his garden?
5. Why didn't the Spring come in the Giant's garden?
6. Who did the Snow and the Frost invite to stay with them?
7. Where did the lovely music come from, which the Giant heard one morning?
8. Where was the little boy standing and why was he crying?
9. How did the tree try to help the boy?
10. What decision did the Giant take?

  Vocabulary

• A blossom is a flower on a tree. When a tree blossoms, it produces flowers.
• A gruff voice has a rough low sound.
• A trespasser is a person who goes on somebody's land without their permission.
• When somebody is prosecuted, they are officially charged with a crime in court.
• A linnet is a small brown bird that makes a pleasant sound.
• A wicked person is an evil (bad) person.
• If you are feeble, you are very weak, especially because you are old or ill.

  Irregular Past Forms Quiz

There is a number of irregular past forms in this story. Take the following quiz to check how well you remember them.

The Selfish Giant (irregular past forms) » Create A Quiz