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Lesson Info

Post Type
Article
Level
Level 1 / A1
Published
Title
Dog Rescue in New Zealand
Webpage
https://eslnewsstories.com/articles/2026-04-12-dog-rescue-in-new-zealand/

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.
  • Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
  • 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: Which extra detail do you think is in the story?

a) People use a heat camera to find the dog.

b) The dog rides home on a bus.

c) The woman finds the dog that day.

Border collie looking out the window of a blue rescue helicopter flying over dense New Zealand bush.
A rescued dog.

Ask: (1) Do you like dogs? Why or why not? (2) Do you like walking in forests or parks?

VOCAB LIST

stranger (n.) ā€” A person you do not know.
helicopter (n.) ā€” A flying machine with long blades on top.
waterfall (n.) ā€” A place where water falls from a high place.
search (n.) ā€” A careful look for someone or something.
hurt (adj.) ā€” Injured or in pain.
fall (v.) ā€” To move down suddenly.
rescue (v.) ā€” To save a person or animal from danger.
lucky (adj.) ā€” Having good things happen to you.

Reading

A woman was hiking with her dog Molly in a forest in New Zealand. They were near a tall waterfall. Then the woman fell.

The woman was badly hurt. Rescuers came in a helicopter and took her to hospital. They could not find Molly, so they left without her. The woman was lucky to live.

After that, a man wanted to rescue Molly, too. He looked but could not find her. Then many strangers gave money for a new search with a heat camera. A rescue team could fly again and use the heat camera to see animals. This time, they found Molly in one hour.

About a week after the fall, Molly was rescued. Molly was okay and happy to see people. Later, the woman met her dog Molly again. She was happy and cried.

Dog Rescue in New Zealand

Level 1 Source: apnews.com

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

Border collie looking out the window of a blue rescue helicopter flying over dense New Zealand bush.
A rescued dog.

A woman was hiking with her dog Molly in a forest in New Zealand. They were near a tall waterfall. Then the woman fell.

The woman was badly hurt. Rescuers came in a helicopter and took her to hospital. They could not find Molly, so they left without her. The woman was lucky to live.

After that, a man wanted to rescue Molly, too. He looked but could not find her. Then many strangers gave money for a new search with a heat camera. A rescue team could fly again and use the heat camera to see animals. This time, they found Molly in one hour.

About a week after the fall, Molly was rescued. Molly was okay and happy to see people. Later, the woman met her dog Molly again. She was happy and cried.

Speaker: Australian Female  Duration: 1:03  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 woman was hiking with her dog Molly in a forest in New Zealand. They were near a tall (1) . Then the woman fell.

The woman was badly hurt. Rescuers came in a helicopter and took her to (2) . They could not find Molly, so they left without her. The woman was lucky to live.

After that, a man wanted to rescue Molly, too. He looked but could not find her. Then many strangers gave money for a new (3) with a heat camera. A rescue team could fly again and use the heat camera to see animals. This time, they found Molly in one hour.

About a week after the fall, Molly was rescued. Molly was okay and happy to see people. Later, the woman met her dog Molly again. She was happy and (4) .

Main Idea

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

Main Idea

Choose one:

  • A woman and her dog went walking, and both went home right away.
  • After a woman was hurt near a waterfall, people searched again and rescued her dog Molly. Correct answer
  • A dog helped rescuers find a woman in a forest in New Zealand.
True or False

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

  • A woman was hiking with Molly in New Zealand.
    The story says a woman was hiking with her dog Molly in New Zealand.
  • Rescuers found Molly and took her with the woman.
    The rescuers could not find Molly, so they left without her.
  • Molly was rescued about a week after the fall.
    The story says Molly was rescued about a week after the fall.

True or False

1. A woman was hiking with Molly in New Zealand. TRUEFALSE True

2. Rescuers found Molly and took her with the woman. TRUEFALSE False

3. Molly was rescued about a week after the fall. TRUEFALSE True

Put Events in Order

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

  • Rescuers took the woman to hospital, but Molly stayed behind.
  • A rescue team found Molly with a heat camera about a week later.
  • The woman fell near a waterfall.
  1. The woman fell near a waterfall.
  2. Rescuers took the woman to hospital, but Molly stayed behind.
  3. A rescue team found Molly with a heat camera about a week later.
Vocab Match

Loading vocabulary activity...

Vocab Match

Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.

1. Waterfall (n)d) A place where water falls from a high place.

2. Hurt (adj)c) Injured or in pain.

3. Rescue (v)b) To save a person or animal from danger.

4. Lucky (adj)a) Having good things happen to you.

a) Having good things happen to you.

b) To save a person or animal from danger.

c) Injured or in pain.

d) A place where water falls from a high place.

Discussion Builder

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. I think the heat camera was a good idea it helped people find Molly.

    because / so / but

    I think the heat camera was a good idea because it helped people find Molly.

  2. I fell once, I was okay after that.

    because / but / and

    I fell once, but I was okay after that.

Sentence Unscramble

  1. A. I felt B. when I lost C. very sad D. something important. E. For example,

    For example, I felt very sad when I lost something important.

  2. A. I would like B. to go C. it looks fun. D. in a helicopter E. because

    I would like to go in a helicopter because it looks fun.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did people want to help Molly?
  2. Was the heat camera a good idea? Why?
  3. Have you ever lost something important?
  4. Have you ever fallen and gotten hurt?
  5. Would you give money to help an animal? Why or why not?
  6. Would you like to go in a helicopter? Why or why not?

Answers Dog Rescue in New Zealand / Level 1

Think Ahead: a

Listening: (1) waterfall, (2) hospital, (3) search, (4) cried

Main Idea: After a woman was hurt near a waterfall, people searched again and rescued her dog Molly.

True or False:

  1. True. The story says a woman was hiking with her dog Molly in New Zealand.
  2. False. The rescuers could not find Molly, so they left without her.
  3. True. The story says Molly was rescued about a week after the fall.

Put Events in Order:

  1. The woman fell near a waterfall.
  2. Rescuers took the woman to hospital, but Molly stayed behind.
  3. A rescue team found Molly with a heat camera about a week later.

Vocabulary:

  1. Waterfall (n): A place where water falls from a high place.
  2. Hurt (adj): Injured or in pain.
  1. Rescue (v): To save a person or animal from danger.
  2. Lucky (adj): Having good things happen to you.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast.

  1. because
  2. but

Sentence Unscramble:

  1. For example, I felt very sad when I lost something important.
  2. I would like to go in a helicopter because it looks fun.

eslnewsstories.com