Man With 2,000 Ants

Level 2 Lesson by: Aron Thode Source: bbc.com

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

An open suitcase is packed tightly with white toilet paper rolls in a clean-line comic style. In the roll near the front, a black ant crawls out from the cardboard center, while the rest of the frame is filled almost entirely by the stacked rolls and the suitcase interior.
A hidden ant.

A man was arrested at Nairobi airport in Kenya. Police say he tried to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen ants to China.

Zhang Kequn was stopped during an airport check. Inside his luggage, officers found live queen ants hidden in small containers and tissue paper rolls.

In total, there were 1,948 ants in the containers. Another 300 were in three tissue paper rolls. The luggage was ready for a flight to China.

Now police are checking other towns across Kenya. They think ant collecting may still be happening there.

In a similar case last year, four men got prison time or paid a fine. Police say more arrests may come soon. They also think Zhang may be the leader of this group.

These ants often go to pet markets in Europe and Asia. International buyers want the queens most. One queen can sell for about $220 on the online black market.

Vocab List

  • arrest (v.) — To take someone because they may have broken the law.
  • smuggle (v.) — To take something into or out of a place secretly and illegally.
  • luggage (n.) — Bags and cases you take when you travel.
  • container (n.) — A box, bottle, or other thing that holds something.
  • hidden (adj.) — Kept where people cannot easily see it.
  • check (v.) — To look at something carefully.
  • fine (n.) — Money you must pay because you broke a rule or law.
  • black market (n. phrase) — An illegal place to buy and sell things.

Speaker: British Male  Duration: 1:20

YouTube link

Listen and fill the gaps below:

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:

A man was arrested at Nairobi (1) __________ in Kenya. Police say he tried to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen ants to China. Zhang Kequn was stopped during an airport check. Inside his (2) __________, officers found live queen ants hidden in small containers and tissue paper rolls. In total, there were 1,948 ants in the containers. Another 300 were in three tissue paper rolls. The luggage was ready for a (3) __________ to China. Now police are checking other (4) __________ across Kenya. They think ant collecting may still be happening there. In a similar case last year, four men got prison time or paid a (5) __________. Police say more arrests may come soon. They also think Zhang may be the leader of this group. These ants often go to pet markets in Europe and Asia. International buyers want the queens most. One queen can sell for about $220 on the online black market.
Main Idea

Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.

Main Idea

  • A man in Kenya was stopped with many queen ants, and police think more people may be in the group.
  • Buyers in Europe and Asia are paying more money for insects than for other pets.
  • Police in Kenya are closing pet markets after finding illegal ants from China.
True or False

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

  • Police say Zhang Kequn tried to smuggle queen ants to China.
    The story says police believe he tried to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen ants to China.
  • All the ants were hidden in tissue paper rolls.
    Some ants were in tissue paper rolls, but 1,948 were in small containers.
  • Police are checking other towns across Kenya.
    The story says police are now checking other towns across Kenya.

True or False

1. Police say Zhang Kequn tried to smuggle queen ants to China. T / F

2. All the ants were hidden in tissue paper rolls. T / F

3. Police are checking other towns across Kenya. T / F

Put Events in Order

Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (4):

  • ___ Officers found live queen ants in his luggage.
  • ___ Last year, four men were caught for a similar crime.
  • ___ Police started checking other towns across Kenya.
  • ___ Zhang Kequn's bag was checked at the airport.

Multiple Choice

1. Where was Zhang Kequn arrested?

   A) Nairobi airport

   B) Europe

   C) China

   D) An online market

2. What was the luggage ready for?

   A) A prison visit

   B) A market trip

   C) A flight to China

   D) A check in town

3. What do international buyers want most?

   A) Prison time

   B) The queens

   C) Tissue paper

   D) Officers

Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Match each vocabulary word with a definition:

1. Arrest (v)

2. Smuggle (v)

3. Luggage (n)

4. Container (n)

5. Fine (n)

a) Money you must pay for breaking a rule or law.

b) Something used to hold things.

c) Bags and cases you carry when you travel.

d) To take something somewhere secretly and illegally.

e) To take someone because they may have broken the law.

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. I was surprised by this story. ________, I did not know queen ants could sell for so much money.

    For example, / But, / So,

  2. I do not like ants, ________ I think they are interesting to watch.

    because / but / and

  3. Some people buy queen ants ________ they think ants are interesting pets.

    because / so / or

Sentence Unscramble

  1. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

    A. to smuggle B. easy to hide. C. they are D. People usually try E. because F. small things

  2. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

    A. I think B. people who smuggle things C. for it. D. a fine E. should pay

Discussion Questions

  1. Were you surprised by this story? Why or why not?
  2. Do you like ants, or do you dislike them? Why?
  3. Why do people want to buy queen ants?
  4. Have you ever seen ants inside a house or building?
  5. Do you think ants can be good pets? What about other insects?
  6. What other things do people usually try to smuggle?
  7. What should happen to people who smuggle things? What kind of punishment?
  8. Where is a good place to hide a small thing?

Answers

Think Ahead: a

Listening: (1) airport, (2) luggage, (3) flight, (4) towns, (5) fine

Main Idea: A man in Kenya was stopped with many queen ants, and police think more people may be in the group.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says police believe he tried to smuggle more than 2,000 live queen ants to China.
  2. False. Some ants were in tissue paper rolls, but 1,948 were in small containers.
  3. True. The story says police are now checking other towns across Kenya.

Multiple Choice: A, C, B

Put Events in Order:

  1. Last year, four men were caught for a similar crime.
  2. Zhang Kequn's bag was checked at the airport.
  3. Officers found live queen ants in his luggage.
  4. Police started checking other towns across Kenya.

Vocabulary:

  1. Arrest (v): To take someone because they may have broken the law.
  2. Smuggle (v): To take something somewhere secretly and illegally.
  3. Luggage (n): Bags and cases you carry when you travel.
  1. Container (n): Something used to hold things.
  2. Fine (n): Money you must pay for breaking a rule or law.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Example. 2) Contrast. 3) Reason.

  1. For example,
  2. but
  3. because

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. People usually try to smuggle small things because they are easy to hide.
  2. I think people who smuggle things should pay a fine for it.

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