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Lesson Info

Post Type
Article
Level
Level 1 / A1
Published
Title
Boy Swims to Save Family
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-03-06-boy-swims-to-save-family/

In this lesson:

  • Warm-up Prediction task and general discussion questions.
  • Vocab List Useful words and meanings.
  • Reading Read the main text.
  • Listen and Fill Gaps Listen for missing words.
  • True or False Check understanding.
  • Put Events in Order Arrange events from the story into the order they happened.
  • Vocab Match Connect words to meanings.
  • Discussion Builder Think about how ideas relate to each other to choose connecting expressions.
  • Sentence Unscramble Reorder mixed phrases into correct sentences.
  • Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
  • Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.

Think Ahead: Look at the headline and image. What is in the story?

a) A shark.

b) A helicopter.

c) A doctor.

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.

Ask: (1) Can you swim? Where do you swim? (2) What do you know about Australia?

VOCAB LIST

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

Reading

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.

Boy Swims to Save Family

Level 1 Source: cbsnews.com

Warm-up ā†’ Read & Listen ā†’ Check Understanding ā†’ Language ā†’ 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.

Speaker: Australian Male  Duration: 1:21  Watch on YouTube

Two ways to use this audio:

  • Method 1: Listen for the main idea: what is the article about in one sentence? Listen a second time for more details, then try the Understanding activities below.
  • Method 2: Read the article first to learn the vocabulary and ideas. Then look at the gap-fill sentences to see what to listen for, and listen to fill them in.

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com 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. TRUEFALSE True

2. Austin's family was on vacation and used kayaks and paddle boards. TRUEFALSE True

3. Austin swam about four kilometers to land. TRUEFALSE True

4. A rescue helicopter found Austin's family at 8:30 p.m. TRUEFALSE True

5. Austin's family was in the water for about one hour. TRUEFALSE False

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.
  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.
Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.

1. Swim (v)d) To move in water with your body.

2. Land (n)c) The ground, not water.

3. Kayak (n)b) A small, narrow boat for one person.

4. Brave (adj)a) Not afraid in danger.

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

    Austin swam to land because he wanted help.

  2. The sea was rough, Austin kept swimming.

    and / but / so

    The sea was rough, but Austin kept swimming.

Sentence Unscramble

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

    I think he was very brave that day.

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

    Swimming in waves is harder than swimming in a pool.

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 Boy Swims to Save Family / Level 1

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