Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.
Lesson Info
Lesson Content
Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio
Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice
Language: Words That Go Together, New Sentences
Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions
Answers
(1) What makes swimming in the sea dangerous?
(2) What would you do if you got tired while swimming?
Vocab List
When a rip current carries a swimmer away from the beach, swimming hard toward the sand seems like the natural response. But lifeguards warn that fighting the current can leave swimmers too tired to stay safe. They advise swimmers to turn onto their backs, float and save energy.
Rip currents are narrow flows of water moving quickly away from shore. They do not pull people underwater, but they can carry swimmers far from the beach. Even strong swimmers cannot overcome some of these fast-moving currents.
The danger is not always easy to see. The surface can look calm, and rip currents can form on sunny days as well as during stormy weather. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, rip currents are involved in more than 80% of beach rescues each year.
Trying again and again to reach the beach can cause panic and exhaustion. Floating on their backs helps swimmers stay calm, saves energy and makes it easier to breathe while the current carries them.
When the current weakens, swimmers may still be in deep water. Lifeguards recommend raising an arm to signal for help. The key message is simple, even if it feels unnatural: do not fight the current.
Why Lifeguards Tell Swimmers to Float
(1) What makes swimming in the sea dangerous?
(2) What would you do if you got tired while swimming?
-
lifeguard (n.)
-
rip current (n.)
-
float (v.)
-
shore (n.)
-
overcome (v.)
-
surface (n.)
-
rescue (n.)
-
panic (n.)
-
exhaustion (n.)
-
signal (v.)
When a rip current carries a swimmer away from the beach, swimming hard toward the sand seems like the natural response. But lifeguards warn that fighting the current can leave swimmers too tired to stay safe. They advise swimmers to turn onto their backs, float and save energy.
Rip currents are narrow flows of water moving quickly away from shore. They do not pull people underwater, but they can carry swimmers far from the beach. Even strong swimmers cannot overcome some of these fast-moving currents.
The danger is not always easy to see. The surface can look calm, and rip currents can form on sunny days as well as during stormy weather. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, rip currents are involved in more than 80% of beach rescues each year.
Trying again and again to reach the beach can cause panic and exhaustion. Floating on their backs helps swimmers stay calm, saves energy and makes it easier to breathe while the current carries them.
When the current weakens, swimmers may still be in deep water. Lifeguards recommend raising an arm to signal for help. The key message is simple, even if it feels unnatural: do not fight the current.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- Floating rather than fighting a rip current is the key to staying safe. Correct answer
- Recognizing a rip current before entering the water is the key to staying safe.
- Signaling for help as soon as a rip current catches you is the key to staying safe.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. Rip currents carry swimmers along the beach rather than farther out to sea. TRUEFALSE False
2. Swimmers can face rip currents even when the weather is sunny and the water looks calm. TRUEFALSE True
3. Floating on their backs helps swimmers save energy and breathe more easily while the current carries them. TRUEFALSE True
4. Rip currents only form during stormy weather. TRUEFALSE False
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. Why can even a strong swimmer be in danger in a rip current?
a) Rip currents always pull swimmers below the surface.
b) Some currents are too powerful to swim against.Correct
c) Strong swimmers become tired more quickly than beginners.
2. What does the figure of more than 80% tell us about rip currents?
a) More than 80% of swimmers experience rip currents.
b) More than 80% of beaches have dangerous rip currents.
c) They are involved in a large majority of beach rescues.Correct
3. Why can the advice to float feel unnatural to swimmers?
a) Their first reaction is to swim hard toward the beach.Correct
b) They expect the current to pull them under the water.
c) They believe that calm-looking water is safe for swimming.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
When a rip current carries a swimmer away from the beach, swimming hard toward the sand seems like the natural (1) . But lifeguards warn that fighting the current can leave swimmers too tired to stay safe. They advise swimmers to turn onto their backs, float and save (2) .
Rip currents are narrow flows of water moving (3) away from shore. They do not pull people underwater, but they can carry swimmers far from the beach. Even strong swimmers cannot overcome some of these fast-moving currents.
The danger is not always easy to see. The surface can look calm, and rip currents can form on (4) days as well as during stormy weather. According to the United States Lifesaving Association, rip currents are involved in more than 80% of beach rescues each year.
Trying again and again to reach the beach can cause panic and exhaustion. Floating on their backs helps swimmers stay calm, saves energy and makes it easier to (5) while the current carries them.
When the current weakens, swimmers may still be in deep water. Lifeguards recommend raising an (6) to signal for help. The key message is simple, even if it feels unnatural: do not fight the current.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. savee) energy
2. stayd) calm
3. deepc) water
4. stormyb) weather
5. stronga) swimmer
a) swimmer
b) weather
c) water
d) calm
e) energy
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
-
The children watched leaves {blank} on the pond beside the ducks.
-
She took several driving lessons to {blank} her fear of busy roads.
-
Please wipe the kitchen table; its {blank} is covered in flour.
-
The firefighters used a ladder during the {blank} of a trapped child.
-
There was {blank} in the theatre when smoke appeared near the stage.
-
Cars have to {blank} before turning left or right.
New Sentences
exhaustion / float / overcome / panic / rescue / shore / signal / surface
- The children watched leaves on the pond beside the ducks.
- She took several driving lessons to her fear of busy roads.
- Please wipe the kitchen table; its is covered in flour.
- The firefighters used a ladder during the of a trapped child.
- There was in the theatre when smoke appeared near the stage.
- Cars have to before turning left or right.
Discussion Builder
1) Contrast 2) Reason
Q: What would you say to a strong swimmer who thinks they don't need a lifeguard nearby?
A:Q: Should someone without rescue training enter the water to try to save another person?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: What would you say to a strong swimmer who thinks they don't need a lifeguard nearby?
A: You swim well, a rip current can still carry you away from the beach.
but / so
You swim well, but a rip current can still carry you away from the beach.
Q: Should someone without rescue training enter the water to try to save another person?
A: No. I'd call a lifeguard trying to rescue someone without training can put both people in danger.
although / because
No. I'd call a lifeguard because trying to rescue someone without training can put both people in danger.
Discussion Questions
- What's the most useful thing you learned from this story?
- What would you say to a strong swimmer who thinks they don't need a lifeguard nearby?
- What helps you stay calm when something unexpected happens?
- What do you check before deciding where to swim?
- Would you enjoy working as a lifeguard?
- Should someone without rescue training enter the water to try to save another person?
- What's your ideal way to spend a day at the beach?
- Should children get taught to swim at school?
Discussion Questions
- What's the most useful thing you learned from this story?
- What would you say to a strong swimmer who thinks they don't need a lifeguard nearby?
- What helps you stay calm when something unexpected happens?
- What do you check before deciding where to swim?
- Would you enjoy working as a lifeguard?
- Should someone without rescue training enter the water to try to save another person?
- What's your ideal way to spend a day at the beach?
- Should children get taught to swim at school?
Answers
Listening: (1) response, (2) energy, (3) quickly, (4) sunny, (5) breathe, (6) arm
Main Idea: Floating rather than fighting a rip current is the key to staying safe.
True or False:
- False. Rip currents move away from shore and can carry swimmers far from the beach.
- True. Rip currents can form on sunny days, and the surface can look calm.
- True. Floating also helps swimmers stay calm instead of becoming exhausted from fighting the current.
- False. Rip currents can also form on sunny days when the water looks calm.
Multiple Choice: b, c, a
Vocabulary:
- save: energy
- stay: calm
- deep: water
- stormy: weather
- strong: swimmer
New Sentences: 1. float; 2. overcome; 3. surface; 4. rescue; 5. panic; 6. signal
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Contrast. 2) Reason.
- but
- because