ENS

Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.

Lesson Info

Type
Article
Level
4 / B2
Published
Title
France Faces Extreme Heat
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-06-30-france-faces-extreme-heat/

Lesson Content

Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio

Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice

Language: Words That Go Together

Use It: Discussion Builder, Sentence Unscramble, Discussion Questions

Answers

(1) How is the weather where you are?

(2) In your hometown, what is the coldest it gets in winter? How hot does it get in summer?

A quiet French city street during a severe heat wave, with closed shop shutters, pale buildings, hard sunlight, and a few people walking slowly in summer clothes.
Exhausting heat.

Vocab List

severe (adj.) — Very serious or extreme.
nursing home (n.) — A place where older or sick people live and receive care.
heat wave (n.) — A period of unusually hot weather that lasts for several days.
tragedy (n.) — A very sad event, especially one involving death or suffering.
investigate (v.) — To examine something carefully to find the facts.
funeral (n./adj.) — Connected with services or arrangements after someone dies.
disrupted (adj.) — Changed or interrupted in a way that causes problems.
reminder (n.) — Something that makes people think again about an important fact.
drowning (n.) — Death caused by being unable to breathe under water.
at full capacity (phr.) — Completely full, with no more space available.
Reading

A severe heat wave in France may have caused about 1,000 more deaths than usual in just four days, according to Santé Publique France, the country’s national public health agency. The deaths were recorded between Wednesday and Saturday, when temperatures rose to some of the highest levels ever recorded in the country.

The impact was especially serious in western and central France. Most of those who died were older adults: about 85 percent were aged 65 or older. However, officials said deaths increased across all age groups. The final number may take months to confirm because each death must be investigated.

France was not alone. Much of Europe suffered through extreme heat, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in some places. The World Health Organization said more than 1,300 deaths linked to high temperatures had been recorded in Europe since June 21.

In France, schools were closed or had shorter hours, train services were disrupted, and many people rushed to buy air conditioners. Others covered windows to keep the sun out. The heat also brought another danger. As more people went swimming to escape the heat, officials reported a rise in drowning deaths.

Hospitals and nursing homes reported more deaths, but officials were especially worried about people at home. Health workers warned that people living alone, especially older adults, faced the greatest danger after several days without cooler air, rest, or enough water. In Paris, some funeral facilities reached full capacity, showing how serious the situation had become.

Health officials say the tragedy is a reminder that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable. It can be deadly, especially in cities and homes built for a cooler climate.

France Faces Extreme Heat

Level 4 Article Source: nytimes.com
Warm-up → or → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

A quiet French city street during a severe heat wave, with closed shop shutters, pale buildings, hard sunlight, and a few people walking slowly in summer clothes.
Exhausting heat.

A severe heat wave in France may have caused about 1,000 more deaths than usual in just four days, according to Santé Publique France, the country’s national public health agency. The deaths were recorded between Wednesday and Saturday, when temperatures rose to some of the highest levels ever recorded in the country.

The impact was especially serious in western and central France. Most of those who died were older adults: about 85 percent were aged 65 or older. However, officials said deaths increased across all age groups. The final number may take months to confirm because each death must be investigated.

France was not alone. Much of Europe suffered through extreme heat, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in some places. The World Health Organization said more than 1,300 deaths linked to high temperatures had been recorded in Europe since June 21.

In France, schools were closed or had shorter hours, train services were disrupted, and many people rushed to buy air conditioners. Others covered windows to keep the sun out. The heat also brought another danger. As more people went swimming to escape the heat, officials reported a rise in drowning deaths.

Hospitals and nursing homes reported more deaths, but officials were especially worried about people at home. Health workers warned that people living alone, especially older adults, faced the greatest danger after several days without cooler air, rest, or enough water. In Paris, some funeral facilities reached full capacity, showing how serious the situation had become.

Health officials say the tragedy is a reminder that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable. It can be deadly, especially in cities and homes built for a cooler climate.

Speaker: British Female  Duration: 2:05  YouTube

Listen Closely

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:

A severe heat wave in France may have (1) about 1,000 more deaths than usual in just four days, according to Santé Publique France, the country's national public health agency. The deaths were recorded between Wednesday and Saturday, when (2) rose to some of the highest levels ever recorded in the country.

The impact was especially serious in western and central France. Most of those who died were (3) adults: about 85 percent were aged 65 or older. However, officials said deaths increased across all age groups. The final number may take months to confirm because each death must be investigated.

France was not alone. Much of (4) suffered through extreme heat, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in some places. The World Health Organization said more than 1,300 deaths linked to high temperatures had been recorded in Europe since June 21.

In France, schools were closed or had shorter hours, train services were disrupted, and many people (5) to buy air conditioners. Others covered windows to keep the sun out. The heat also brought another danger. As more people went swimming to escape the heat, officials reported a rise in drowning deaths.

Hospitals and nursing homes reported more deaths, but officials were especially worried about people at home. Health workers warned that people living (6) , especially older adults, faced the greatest danger after several days without cooler air, rest, or enough water. In Paris, some funeral facilities reached full capacity, showing how serious the situation had become.

Health officials say the tragedy is a reminder that extreme heat is not just uncomfortable. It can be (7) , especially in cities and homes built for a cooler climate.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Loading listening activity...

Discussion Builder

  1. Q: Why do you think older adults faced the greatest danger in this heat wave?

    A:

  2. Q: What do people in your country usually do to cool down when it's hot?

    A:

  3. Q: Why might people living alone be at greater risk?

    A:
Use It

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Q: Why do you think older adults faced the greatest danger in this heat wave?

    A: Older adults can get weak faster in extreme heat. they may need more support during a heat wave.

    To me, / Because of that, / For example, / But,

    Older adults can get weak faster in extreme heat. Because of that, they may need more support during a heat wave.

  2. Q: What do people in your country usually do to cool down when it's hot?

    A: In my country, people usually use fans or air conditioning drink cold water.

    and / but / because / so

    In my country, people usually use fans or air conditioning and drink cold water.

  3. Q: Why might people living alone be at greater risk?

    A: People living alone may be at greater risk no one is there to check on them quickly.

    because / but / so / and

    People living alone may be at greater risk because no one is there to check on them quickly.

Sentence Unscramble

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. I have experienced B. was trying C. very hot weather D. before, E. and the hardest part F. at night. G. to sleep

    I have experienced very hot weather before, and the hardest part was trying to sleep at night.

  2. A. more people B. drowning deaths C. because D. I guess E. the water F. careful. G. went into H. increased I. without being

    I guess drowning deaths increased because more people went into the water without being careful.

  3. A. in cold weather. B. To me, C. add more clothes D. is harder E. to handle F. I can always G. extreme heat H. because

    To me, extreme heat is harder to handle because I can always add more clothes in cold weather.

Discussion Questions
  1. Have you ever experienced extremely hot weather? What was it like?
  2. Which places feel the hottest in a city during summer?
  3. Why do you think older adults faced the greatest danger in this heat wave?
  4. Why might people living alone be at greater risk?
  5. What do people in your country usually do to cool down when it's hot?
  6. Why do you think drowning deaths increased during this heat wave?
  7. What advice would you give people who want to swim safely in hot weather?
  8. Should cities do more to protect people during heat waves? What should they do?
  9. Which is harder to deal with: extreme heat or extreme cold? Why?

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you ever experienced extremely hot weather? What was it like?
  2. Which places feel the hottest in a city during summer?
  3. Why do you think older adults faced the greatest danger in this heat wave?
  4. Why might people living alone be at greater risk?
  5. What do people in your country usually do to cool down when it's hot?
  6. Why do you think drowning deaths increased during this heat wave?
  7. What advice would you give people who want to swim safely in hot weather?
  8. Should cities do more to protect people during heat waves? What should they do?
  9. Which is harder to deal with: extreme heat or extreme cold? Why?

Answers France Faces Extreme Heat / Level 4

Listening: (1) caused, (2) temperatures, (3) older, (4) Europe, (5) rushed, (6) alone, (7) deadly

Main Idea: Extreme heat can have serious effects on people and daily life.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says about 85 percent of those who died were 65 or older.
  2. False. The story says the final number may take months to confirm because each death must be investigated.
  3. True. One paragraph says schools were closed or had shorter hours, and train services were disrupted.

Multiple Choice: b, c, a, c

Vocabulary:

  1. Cause: more deaths than usual
  2. Confirm: the final number
  3. Investigate: each death
  4. Suffer through: extreme heat
  1. Disrupt: train services
  2. Buy: air conditioners
  3. Cover: windows
  4. Reach: full capacity

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Result. 2) Addition. 3) Reason.

  1. Because of that,
  2. and
  3. because

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. I have experienced very hot weather before, and the hardest part was trying to sleep at night.
  2. I guess drowning deaths increased because more people went into the water without being careful.
  3. To me, extreme heat is harder to handle because I can always add more clothes in cold weather.

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