Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a wetsuit
    • ex. He wears a wetsuit when he goes surfing to stay warm in the cold water.
  2. a sighting
    • ex. A scientist reported sightings of a rare bird in the mountains.
  3. resistant
    • ex. His phone case is made from a material that is resistant to scratches, so it stays looking new.
  4. aquatic
    • ex. Swimming is the only aquatic sport she enjoys.
  5. effectiveness
    • ex. The effectiveness of the safety rules was clear when no one got hurt during the school trip.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Australian scientists tested new kinds of wetsuits that could protect people from shark bites. According to the International Shark Attack File, deadly shark bites are very rare, with fewer than 50 cases worldwide in 2024. But increased sightings of large sharks in some areas have made people look for new ways to stay safe.

At sea, scientists placed samples of the new materials behind boats and allowed white and tiger sharks to bite them. They found that the resistant materials could reduce the damage from bites, giving much better protection than normal suits. While the new suits cannot stop bites completely, they can greatly decrease the risk of serious injuries.

The scientists said the new wetsuit designs give both protection and comfort for aquatic activities like surfing and diving. They tested four different materials and found all of them showed strong effectiveness in reducing injuries. However, the researchers said the wetsuits do not remove all risks from sharks, so people still need to be careful in the water.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Sharks

  • What do you think you would do if you met a shark while swimming at sea? Discuss.
  • According to the article, there are increased sightings of large sharks in some areas. Why do you think this is happening (ex. climate change, sharks are looking for food)? Discuss.
  • According to the article, there are new wetsuits that could protect people from shark bites. If you were asked to test one of them, would you do it? Why or why not? Discuss.

Aquatic Activities

  • Which aquatic activity would you like to try, surfing or diving? Discuss.
  • How important is wearing the right wetsuit when doing aquatic activities? Discuss.
  • What do you worry about when doing aquatic activities? Discuss.