Listen&Learn: The Spanish Flu

Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

One of the worst pandemics in history

Pre-listening vocabulary

• influenza: a type of lung infection caused by a virus
• pandemic: a global outbreak of disease
• neutral: not involved in either side of a conflict
• deadly: dangerous, possibly fatal
• quarantine: a time when someone stays alone in their home to avoid spreading disease
• track: to monitor the location or path of something

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

The Spanish flu was a 1918 influenza pandemic that infected nearly one third of the world’s . The virus that caused the pandemic was unusual, because it mainly caused serious illness in young and people. Despite the name of the disease, this flu virus did not actually come from Spain. Spain was a neutral country during World War I, and Spanish newspapers were simply the first to start on the pandemic. As the situation got worse, more countries began to realize how deadly the new virus was. To prevent the spread of the disease, people spent time in quarantine and wore face . However, there was very limited back then. Tracking the spread of the virus was very difficult, and there was no way to treat the disease. Between 1918 and 1920, about 50 million people died from the Spanish flu, and it is now known as one of the worst pandemics in history.

Comprehension questions

1. The pandemic began in

1918

1920

1930

Correct! Wrong!

The pandemic began in 1918.

2. The virus was "unusual" because

there was no way to treat it

it was very infectious

it caused serious illness in young people

Correct! Wrong!

The virus was "unusual" because it caused serious illness in young people.

3. The disease was called the "Spanish flu" because

the virus originated in Spain

Spanish newspapers were the first to report on it

Spain had the most deadly outbreak

Correct! Wrong!

The disease was called the "Spanish flu" because Spanish newspapers were the first to report on it.

Discussion/essay questions

1. The article says that the 1918 flu virus was difficult to control because of the limited technology. How would this pandemic be different if they had the technology that we have today?
2. Compare the 1918 flu pandemic with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. What is similar about the methods of disease control? What is different?

Transcript

The Spanish flu was a 1918 influenza pandemic that infected nearly one third of the world’s population. The virus that caused the pandemic was unusual, because it mainly caused serious illness in young and healthy people. Despite the name of the disease, this flu virus did not actually come from Spain. Spain was a neutral country during World War I, and Spanish newspapers were simply the first to start reporting on the pandemic. As the situation got worse, more countries began to realize how deadly the new virus was. To prevent the spread of the disease, people spent time in quarantine and wore face masks. However, there was very limited technology back then. Tracking the spread of the virus was very difficult, and there was no way to treat the disease. Between 1918 and 1920, about 50 million people died from the Spanish flu, and it is now known as one of the worst pandemics in history. 

Further Reading

• PANdemics and Other PANs

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

© EnglishClub.com

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27 comments

• fabian castaneda says:
  

  no

• Firman says:
  

  The similar methods of disease control is by wearing face masks and the different between these disease is back then there are not that much modern technology but nowadays there are a lot of modern technology that can be used.

• F.A says:
  

  the pandemic death cases would be less than 50 million if they have the technology that we have today.

  the similarity in methods of disease control is that everyone needs to wear a face mask and quarantine. the different is that todays pandemic, attack every single of humans no matter young or old, healthy or unhealthy while back then, the pandemic just attack on young and healthy people.

• AIDIL WAFIQ BIN AZIZUL says:
  

  I got something new information from this listening🥰

• Fatin Hanani says:
  

  The article says that the 1918 flu virus was difficult to control because of the limited technology. How would this pandemic be different if they had the technology that we have today?

  The spanish pandemic lack of technology but today pandemic is a coronavirus that have vaccines

  Compare the 1918 flu pandemic with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. What is similar about the methods of disease control? What is different?

  the similar is that they were also wearing face masks.The different is that they did not keep distance from each other like 2m

• ANNIS NATASYA BINTI ADAM says:
  

  nothing.

• Kris says:
  

  This article is very relatable in our current situation today.

• sonja says:
  

  Corona virus is similar while we wearing masks too. In that time was not a medicine for this
  disease. Today thanks to high technology we have a vaccine.
  Very interesting !!

• AHMAD ALSALAMAT says:
  

  GOOd for reading ,listening and answering

• Atef tarawneh says:
  

  Allah is good and preserving, and He is the Most Merciful

• Hind bedda says:
  

  The Spanish flu was the worst pandamics in history. The corona virus is terrible we lost much people especially the older people. The different between those pandamics is a technology.
  Thank you for interesting lesson i really learned new vocabulary.

• LẠI THỊ THU HÀ LẠI says:
  

  Thanks for interesting topic. The similarity of two pandemic control is quarrantine and wearing masks.

• Muhammad Harris Chohan says:
  

  Thank you for a great lesson. Informative and having a lot of learning opportunities.

• Ruffine Bonkaw says:
  

  thank you so much to share this interesting article, i never hear that before.

• Shaheli says:
  

  This lesson was very helpful .Thank you.

• Meysam says:
  

  Today we are facing with the same pandemic with a new virus. But one thing is different, it is technology to produce vaccine to take over and defeat it soon!

• Natsanet Teklemariam says:
  

  very interesting.I love you voice

• mari carmen says:
  

  It’s was a sad pandemic. Now, everyone has really stressed about that.
  Our older people have died and in the young people have serious problems.

• Julie says:
  

  Thank you for sharing. It is an interesting article.

• Martha Cecilia Urrea says:
  

  very interesting thank you

• Medellin says:
  

  I really loved it and it´s very educative.

• Ali says:
  

  why the voice isn’t be downloaded?

• truong sang says:
  

  Thank you very much. I love your voice,the lesson is very interesting .

• Dora henao says:
  

  Thank you, very helpful.🙂

• Alwan Altaee says:
  

  interesting article

• The King Of Love From IRAN says:
  

  Thank you for sharing,

• Christine PENNEC says:
  

  Today, this article is very interesting!!