Boy Swims to Save Family

Level 1 Lesson by: Aron Thode Source: cbsnews.com

Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It

Landscape aerial drone view of a tiny lone swimmer in the open ocean heading straight toward a sandy beach at the top of the frame, leaving a narrow wake behind across a vast expanse of blue water.
Swimming to the land.

A 13-year-old boy saved his family in Australia. His name is Austin Appelbee. On Friday, his family went on the sea in kayaks and paddle boards. Then strong wind and big waves pushed them far from land.

Austin went to get help. He first used a kayak, but water came into it. So he left the kayak and swam to land. At first, he had a life jacket on. Later, he took it off and kept swimming. He swam about four kilometers for about four hours. He kept thinking, just keep swimming.

He got to land at about 6 p.m. and fell down on the beach. Then he called for help. A rescue helicopter found his mother, brother, and sister at 8:30 p.m. They had life jackets and held one paddle board. They were in the water for up to 10 hours. They were tired, but they were alive.

Vocab List

  • swim (v.) — To move in water with your body.
  • land (n.) — The ground, not water.
  • wave (n.) — Moving water in the sea.
  • rescue (n.) — Help that saves someone from danger.
  • kayak (n.) — A small, narrow boat for one person.
  • paddle board (n. phrase) — A long board used to move on water.
  • life jacket (n. phrase) — A jacket that helps a person float in water.
  • brave (adj.) — Not afraid in danger.

Speaker: Australian Male  Duration: 1:21

YouTube link

Listen and fill the gaps below:

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:

A 13-year-old boy saved his family in Australia. His name is Austin Appelbee. On Friday, his family went on the sea in kayaks and paddle boards. Then strong wind and big (1) __________ pushed them far from land. Austin went to get help. He first used a kayak, but water came into it. So he left the kayak and swam to (2) __________. At first, he had a life jacket on. Later, he took it off and kept swimming. He swam about four kilometers for about four hours. He kept thinking, just keep swimming. He got to land at about 6 p.m. and fell down on the beach. Then he called for (3) __________. A rescue helicopter found his mother, brother, and sister at 8:30 p.m. They had life jackets and held one paddle board. They were in the water for up to 10 hours. They were tired, but they were (4) __________.
True or False

Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.

  • Austin Appelbee is 13 years old.
    The story says a 13-year-old boy named Austin Appelbee saved his family.
  • Austin's family was on vacation and used kayaks and paddle boards.
    The story says they were on vacation and went out in kayaks and paddle boards.
  • Austin swam about four kilometers to land.
    The story says he swam about four kilometers for help.
  • A rescue helicopter found Austin's family at 8:30 p.m.
    The story says the helicopter found his mother, brother, and sister at 8:30 p.m.
  • Austin's family was in the water for about one hour.
    The story says they were in the water for up to 10 hours.

True or False

1. Austin Appelbee is 13 years old. T / F

2. Austin's family was on vacation and used kayaks and paddle boards. T / F

3. Austin swam about four kilometers to land. T / F

4. A rescue helicopter found Austin's family at 8:30 p.m. T / F

5. Austin's family was in the water for about one hour. T / F

Put Events in Order

Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (3):

  • ___ A rescue helicopter found his family at 8:30 p.m.
  • ___ Austin's family went out on the sea in kayaks and paddle boards.
  • ___ Austin swam to land and called for help.
Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Match each vocabulary word with a definition:

1. Swim (v)

2. Land (n)

3. Kayak (n)

4. Brave (adj)

a) Not afraid in danger.

b) A small, narrow boat for one person.

c) The ground, not water.

d) To move in water with your body.

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. Austin swam to land ________ he wanted help.

    because / so / but

  2. The sea was rough, ________ Austin kept swimming.

    and / but / so

Sentence Unscramble

  1. ___ ___ ___ ___

    A. he was B. very brave C. that day. D. I think

  2. ___ ___ ___ ___

    A. than swimming in B. a pool. C. is harder D. Swimming in waves

Discussion Questions

  1. What did you like about this story?
  2. Do you like playing in water? Why?
  3. Austin took off his life jacket. Was that a good idea?
  4. Have you ever worn a life jacket? Why?
  5. Who can help people at sea in your country?
  6. What do you do when you are tired?

Answers

Think Ahead: b

Listening: (1) waves, (2) land, (3) help, (4) alive

True or False:

  1. True. The story says a 13-year-old boy named Austin Appelbee saved his family.
  2. True. The story says they were on vacation and went out in kayaks and paddle boards.
  3. True. The story says he swam about four kilometers for help.
  4. True. The story says the helicopter found his mother, brother, and sister at 8:30 p.m.
  5. False. The story says they were in the water for up to 10 hours.

Put Events in Order:

  1. Austin's family went out on the sea in kayaks and paddle boards.
  2. Austin swam to land and called for help.
  3. A rescue helicopter found his family at 8:30 p.m.

Vocabulary:

  1. Swim (v): To move in water with your body.
  2. Land (n): The ground, not water.
  1. Kayak (n): A small, narrow boat for one person.
  2. Brave (adj): Not afraid in danger.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast.

  1. because
  2. but

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. I think he was very brave that day.
  2. Swimming in waves is harder than swimming in a pool.

eslnewsstories.com

eslnewsstories.com