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Lesson Info

Post Type
Article
Level
Level 1 / A1
Published
Title
Red Fox Goes to New York
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-03-16-red-fox-goes-to-new-york/

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: What do you think is in the story?

a) A rabbit.

b) A zoo.

c) A bus.

Side-view illustration of a large cargo ship crossing the open ocean under a bright, cloud-filled sky, with a small red fox sitting near the bow as a subtle stowaway.
Going on a trip.

Ask: (1) What wild animals do you know? (2) Have you ever been on a ship or a boat?

VOCAB LIST

ship (n.) ā€” A big boat that goes on water.
cross (v.) ā€” To go from one side to the other.
sea (n.) ā€” A large area of salt water.
check (v.) ā€” To look at something carefully.
zoo (n.) ā€” A place where people keep animals.
trip (n.) ā€” A time when you go somewhere.

Reading

A red fox got on a ship in England. It stayed there and crossed the sea to New York. Now it is in a zoo there.

People on the ship found the fox during the trip. Then US workers took it to the zoo. No one knows how it got on the ship yet.

The fox is a two-year-old male. It is about 11 pounds, or 5kg. Red foxes can live in the country and in cities. They eat fruit and small animals.

The fox is now in the zoo's animal center. The first health checks were good. It seems well now. Workers want to check it more. Later they want to find a good home for it.

Red Fox Goes to New York

Level 1 Source: bbc.com

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

Side-view illustration of a large cargo ship crossing the open ocean under a bright, cloud-filled sky, with a small red fox sitting near the bow as a subtle stowaway.
Going on a trip.

A red fox got on a ship in England. It stayed there and crossed the sea to New York. Now it is in a zoo there.

People on the ship found the fox during the trip. Then US workers took it to the zoo. No one knows how it got on the ship yet.

The fox is a two-year-old male. It is about 11 pounds, or 5kg. Red foxes can live in the country and in cities. They eat fruit and small animals.

The fox is now in the zoo's animal center. The first health checks were good. It seems well now. Workers want to check it more. Later they want to find a good home for it.

Speaker: British Female  Duration: 1:05  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 red fox got on a (1) in England. It stayed there and crossed the sea to New York. Now it is in a zoo there.

People on the ship found the fox during the (2) . Then US workers took it to the zoo. No one knows how it got on the ship yet.

The fox is a two-year-old (3) . It is about 11 pounds, or 5kg. Red foxes can live in the country and in cities. They eat fruit and small animals.

The fox is now in the zoo's animal center. The first (4) checks were good. It seems well now. Workers want to check it more. Later they want to find a good home for it.

True or False

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

  • The fox got on a ship in England.
    The story says a red fox got on a ship in England.
  • People found the fox after it got to New York.
    The story says people on the ship found the fox during the trip.
  • The fox is a two-year-old female.
    The story says the fox is a two-year-old male.

True or False

1. The fox got on a ship in England. TRUEFALSE True

2. People found the fox after it got to New York. TRUEFALSE False

3. The fox is a two-year-old female. TRUEFALSE False

Put Events in Order

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

  • People found the fox during the trip.
  • US workers took the fox to a zoo in New York.
  • A red fox got on a ship in England.
  1. A red fox got on a ship in England.
  2. People found the fox during the trip.
  3. US workers took the fox to a zoo in New York.
Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.

1. Ship (n)d) A big boat that goes on water.

2. Zoo (n)c) A place where people keep animals.

3. Cross (v)b) To go from one side to the other.

4. Trip (n)a) A time when you go somewhere.

a) A time when you go somewhere.

b) To go from one side to the other.

c) A place where people keep animals.

d) A big boat that goes on water.

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. The fox crossed the sea, now it is in New York.

    because / so / but

    The fox crossed the sea, so now it is in New York.

  2. The fox seems well, workers want to check it more.

    and / because / but

    The fox seems well, but workers want to check it more.

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. I think B. for the fox now. C. a safe place D. a zoo is

    I think a zoo is a safe place for the fox now.

  2. A. For example, B. can live C. some wild animals D. in cities.

    For example, some wild animals can live in cities.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did the fox get on the ship?
  2. Why do workers want to check the fox more?
  3. Do you like foxes? Why or why not?
  4. What wild animals can you see in your country?
  5. Are there zoos in your city or country?
  6. Do you like going to the zoo? Why?

Answers Red Fox Goes to New York / Level 1

Think Ahead: b

Listening: (1) ship, (2) trip, (3) male, (4) health

True or False:

  1. True. The story says a red fox got on a ship in England.
  2. False. The story says people on the ship found the fox during the trip.
  3. False. The story says the fox is a two-year-old male.

Put Events in Order:

  1. A red fox got on a ship in England.
  2. People found the fox during the trip.
  3. US workers took the fox to a zoo in New York.

Vocabulary:

  1. Ship (n): A big boat that goes on water.
  2. Zoo (n): A place where people keep animals.
  1. Cross (v): To go from one side to the other.
  2. Trip (n): A time when you go somewhere.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Result. 2) Contrast.

  1. so
  2. but

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. I think a zoo is a safe place for the fox now.
  2. For example, some wild animals can live in cities.

eslnewsstories.com