dateline: 01 August 2018
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Mosquito Experiment Halts Dengue Fever
Pre-Listening Vocabulary
- halt: to stop
- combat: fight
- dengue fever: a viral disease in tropical areas; causes high fever and serious joint pain
- outbreak: a sudden rise in occurrences
- borne: carried by
- captive: held in an area; not able to go free
- breed: to mate and reproduce
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Mosquito Experiment Halts Dengue Fever
Comprehension Questions
- Where did this experiment take place?
- What was the result of the experiment?
- Why are scientists hopeful?
Discussion Questions
Are mosquitoes problematic in your region? What other animals or insects carry diseases to humans?
Mosquito Experiment Halts Dengue Fever
A successful experiment to combat a dengue fever outbreak in Australia has given scientists new hope in halting mosquito-borne diseases. In 2014, scientists infected a large number of captive mosquitoes with a bacteria that prevents insects from transmitting viruses. That year citizens of Townsville, Australia including schoolchildren, helped release the special mosquitoes in areas where they normally breed. For the past four years, there has not been a dengue fever outbreak in this region. Scientists hope to repeat this experiment on a larger scale in regions where other mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and malaria are problematic.
- This experiment took place in Townsville, Australia.
- The experiment was a success. There have been no dengue fever outbreaks in Townsville for four years since the special mosquitoes were released.
- Scientists hope to use the same methods to prevent mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and malaria.
13 comments
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Bill says:
Dear Sir Essberger,
I am writing this message to thank you for plug in English students in the network. This digital platform helped me because I learned new words and putted on practice my listening comprehension.
Sincerely,
Bill -
Flor says:
It is fantastic
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Bopha says:
Hello, Teacher Tara
I would like to suggest you give score all questions and testing because I want to know my ability more.
Anymore, I’m poor in English and difficult listen your pronunciation. How can I do?
Thank you!
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Tshering says:
Thanks.Its a great way to learn English.
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Graciela Piccioni says:
Thanks for this listening practice. I have adult private students who want to hear real news, not just the listening practice provided by their books. This is really invaluable!
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Bijan says:
Hi Tara,
First, thank you for this week’s news report because you have presented a new subject that has many new vocabularies.
I myself have been your learner for one year and six months and have seen that you present a new subject each week.
It helps your students that to learn the new vocabularies in different subjects.
Thanks to you for this nice method.
Second, I could understand the audio news without seeing the text and could fill in the blanks all the words except the word “release”.
Third, I am so happy to tell you that there aren’t these diseases in my country. Of course, there was malaria in my country many years ago, but it was eradicated by the government 60 years ago.
Teacher Tara,
Thank you for spending your time for the learners kindly.Best wishes,
Bijan from the Persian Gulf -
José Luis Luna says:
Good exercise! I like the pace at which it’s been spoken.
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Betty says:
I just finished listening task, so really made me leases for me for tomorrow’s. The mosquito usually give been dengue fever outbreak, the mosquito transmit disease. So need cantr the disease.
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Alberto says:
Mosquitoes are not problematic in my country (Spain). In summer most of us are bitten by them but they do not transmit diseases.
In general, we are not worried about the diseases animals could transmit to us. They hardly do it.
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Ousmane Barry says:
Just finished the gap-filling and I am having ” bouilli” of 1000gnf for my breakfast.
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Sanda says:
Very good listening task. It is a ready-made lesson for me for tomorrow. Thanks.
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Willie says:
Hey,goodevening just finished the gap fill exercise…doing a little execise after dinner and now headed for bed…night night
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Nicole Bingham says:
I am an ell teacher and this would be wonderful