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, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice
Language: Vocab Match, New Sentences
Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions
Answers
A giant orange jack-o'-lantern rolled away from a farm in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday. The decoration was as tall as a building with two floors, but strong winds sent it down the road.
A jack-o'-lantern is a pumpkin with a face cut into it. People use them to decorate for Halloween, which is coming soon. This giant one at Phillips Farm was not a real pumpkin. It was filled with air and had black eyes and a big smile.
At first, workers did not fill it with air because of the bad weather. But when the sun came out, the farm owner's father filled it with air. Then strong winds suddenly arrived. The pumpkin rolled along a fence, past a church and down the road.
Workers stopped it in about a minute. Owner Michael Phillips said no one was in danger. Now, ropes and metal spikes help stop it from moving. It is also tied to two tractors so it cannot roll away again.
A Giant Pumpkin on the Move
What kinds of decorations do you see around your town during holidays or festivals?
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giant (adj.)
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jack-o'-lantern (n.)
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roll (v.)
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decoration (n.)
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fence (n.)
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rope (n.)
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spike (n.)
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tractor (n.)
A giant orange jack-o'-lantern rolled away from a farm in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday. The decoration was as tall as a building with two floors, but strong winds sent it down the road.
A jack-o'-lantern is a pumpkin with a face cut into it. People use them to decorate for Halloween, which is coming soon. This giant one at Phillips Farm was not a real pumpkin. It was filled with air and had black eyes and a big smile.
At first, workers did not fill it with air because of the bad weather. But when the sun came out, the farm owner's father filled it with air. Then strong winds suddenly arrived. The pumpkin rolled along a fence, past a church and down the road.
Workers stopped it in about a minute. Owner Michael Phillips said no one was in danger. Now, ropes and metal spikes help stop it from moving. It is also tied to two tractors so it cannot roll away again.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- Strong winds sent a giant Halloween decoration rolling away from a farm. Correct answer
- Strong winds changed a farm's plans for its Halloween decorations.
- Farm workers used ropes and tractors to stop a giant Halloween decoration from moving.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. The giant Halloween decoration was filled with air rather than made from a real pumpkin. TRUEFALSE True
2. The farm owner's father filled the pumpkin with air before the weather improved. TRUEFALSE False
3. The pumpkin passed a church before workers stopped it. TRUEFALSE True
4. After stopping the pumpkin, workers tied it to the fence to keep it in place. TRUEFALSE False
Put Events in Order
Put the events in the order they happened, from first to last.
- 1 The farm owner's father filled the giant pumpkin with air.
- 2 Strong winds sent the pumpkin rolling down the road.
- 3 Workers stopped the pumpkin.
- 4 The pumpkin was tied to two tractors to stop it from rolling away again.
Put Events in Order
Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (4):
- Workers stopped the pumpkin.
- The farm owner's father filled the giant pumpkin with air.
- The pumpkin was tied to two tractors to stop it from rolling away again.
- Strong winds sent the pumpkin rolling down the road.
- The farm owner's father filled the giant pumpkin with air.
- Strong winds sent the pumpkin rolling down the road.
- Workers stopped the pumpkin.
- The pumpkin was tied to two tractors to stop it from rolling away again.
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. What sent the giant pumpkin down the road?
a) Strong winds pushed it.Correct
b) Two tractors pulled it.
c) Farm workers rolled it.
2. How tall was the giant pumpkin?
a) As tall as a large tractor
b) As tall as a farm worker
c) As tall as a building with two floorsCorrect
3. What did Michael Phillips say after workers stopped the pumpkin?
a) The pumpkin damaged the fence.
b) No one was in danger.Correct
c) The farm would close early.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
A giant orange jack-o'-lantern rolled away from a farm in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday. The decoration was as tall as a building with two floors, but strong (1) sent it down the road.
A jack-o'-lantern is a pumpkin with a (2) cut into it. People use them to decorate for Halloween, which is coming soon. This giant one at Phillips Farm was not a real pumpkin. It was filled with air and had black eyes and a big (3) .
At first, workers did not fill it with air because of the bad weather. But when the sun came out, the farm owner's father filled it with air. Then strong winds suddenly arrived. The pumpkin rolled along a fence, past a (4) and down the road.
Workers stopped it in about a minute. Owner Michael Phillips said no one was in danger. Now, ropes and metal spikes help stop it from (5) . It is also tied to two tractors so it cannot roll away again.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Vocab Match
Drag each vocabulary word to its matching definition, or select a word and then select its definition:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Vocab Match
Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.
1. giante) very large
2. rolld) to move by turning over and over
3. fencec) a wall of wood or metal around a garden, farm, or other place
4. ropeb) thick, strong string used to tie or pull things
5. spikea) a long, thin piece of metal with a sharp end
a) a long, thin piece of metal with a sharp end
b) thick, strong string used to tie or pull things
c) a wall of wood or metal around a garden, farm, or other place
d) to move by turning over and over
e) very large
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
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We repaired the {blank} so our dog couldn't escape again.
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She tied a {blank} around the boxes before lifting them.
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She hung a paper {blank} above the table for her birthday party.
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The farmer drove his {blank} across the field to collect the hay.
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He hammered a {blank} into the ground to hold the tent down.
New Sentences
decoration / fence / jack-o'-lantern / rope / spike / tractor
- We repaired the so our dog couldn't escape again.
- She tied a around the boxes before lifting them.
- She hung a paper above the table for her birthday party.
- The farmer drove his across the field to collect the hay.
- He hammered a into the ground to hold the tent down.
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Contrast
Q: Would you rather go to a scary Halloween event or a funny one?
A:Q: Have strong winds ever caused a problem where you live?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: Would you rather go to a scary Halloween event or a funny one?
A: I'd rather go to a funny Halloween event I don't enjoy being scared.
because / so / but
I'd rather go to a funny Halloween event because I don't enjoy being scared.
Q: Have strong winds ever caused a problem where you live?
A: Yes, strong winds blew a tree onto our house, no one was hurt.
so / but / because
Yes, strong winds blew a tree onto our house, but no one was hurt.
Discussion Questions
- What would you do if you saw a giant pumpkin rolling down the road?
- Do you celebrate Halloween?
- Have strong winds ever caused a problem where you live?
- Would you rather go to a scary Halloween event or a funny one?
- Who or what would you like to dress up as for Halloween?
- What is your favorite special day of the year? Why?
Discussion Questions
- What would you do if you saw a giant pumpkin rolling down the road?
- Do you celebrate Halloween?
- Have strong winds ever caused a problem where you live?
- Would you rather go to a scary Halloween event or a funny one?
- Who or what would you like to dress up as for Halloween?
- What is your favorite special day of the year? Why?
Answers
Listening: (1) winds, (2) face, (3) smile, (4) church, (5) moving
Main Idea: Strong winds sent a giant Halloween decoration rolling away from a farm.
True or False:
- True. It looked like a jack-o'-lantern, but it was an air-filled decoration.
- False. Workers waited because of the bad weather. The owner's father filled it when the sun came out.
- True. It rolled along a fence, past a church and down the road. Workers stopped it in about a minute.
- False. The pumpkin is now tied to two tractors. Ropes and metal spikes also help keep it from moving.
Multiple Choice: a, c, b
Put Events in Order:
- The farm owner's father filled the giant pumpkin with air.
- Strong winds sent the pumpkin rolling down the road.
- Workers stopped the pumpkin.
- The pumpkin was tied to two tractors to stop it from rolling away again.
Vocabulary:
- giant: very large
- roll: to move by turning over and over
- fence: a wall of wood or metal around a garden, farm, or other place
- rope: thick, strong string used to tie or pull things
- spike: a long, thin piece of metal with a sharp end
New Sentences: 1. fence; 2. rope; 3. decoration; 4. tractor; 5. spike
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast.
- because
- but