A growing library of level-graded English lessons for classroom or self-study, with reading, listening, vocabulary, activities, and discussion practice from A1 to B2.
Lesson Info
In this lesson:
- Warm-up
- Vocab List
- Reading and Audio
- Main Idea Choose the overall message of the text.
- True or False Check understanding.
- Multiple Choice Check understanding.
- Vocab Match Connect words to meanings.
- New Sentences Choose words to complete sentences in new contexts.
- Discussion Builder Choose connecting expressions for discussion ideas.
- Discussion Questions Open speaking questions for discussion (or writing practice).
- Answers Answer key for the printed tasks.
Think Ahead: What do you think happened during the swim?
a) He became very tired.
b) He slept on the boat.
c) He stopped after one hour.
VOCAB LIST
Reading
A Polish swimmer has become the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland.
The swim was very difficult. Bartłomiej Kubkowski had to swim about 160 kilometres in cold water. He was in the water for 55 hours and did not sleep.
A boat followed him with food and water, but he could not touch the boat.
After more than 50 hours, Kubkowski had hallucinations. This means he saw things that were not really there. He was also very tired and could not think well.
This was Kubkowski’s fifth time trying the swim. Last year, he almost finished, but he had to stop close to Poland.
When he finally reached the beach, he was too tired to understand what he had done.
His swim also raised money to help people with cancer.
Man Swims Across Baltic Sea
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
Think Ahead: What do you think happened during the swim?
a) He became very tired.
b) He slept on the boat.
c) He stopped after one hour.
-
follow (v.)
-
touch (v.)
-
hallucination (n.)
-
almost (adv.)
-
finally (adv.)
-
reach (v.)
-
raise money (v.)
A Polish swimmer has become the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland.
The swim was very difficult. Bartłomiej Kubkowski had to swim about 160 kilometres in cold water. He was in the water for 55 hours and did not sleep.
A boat followed him with food and water, but he could not touch the boat.
After more than 50 hours, Kubkowski had hallucinations. This means he saw things that were not really there. He was also very tired and could not think well.
This was Kubkowski’s fifth time trying the swim. Last year, he almost finished, but he had to stop close to Poland.
When he finally reached the beach, he was too tired to understand what he had done.
His swim also raised money to help people with cancer.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
A Polish swimmer has become the first person to swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland.
The swim was very difficult. Bartłomiej Kubkowski had to (1) about 160 kilometres in cold water. He was in the water for 55 hours and did not (2) .
A boat followed him with food and water, but he could not touch the (3) .
After more than 50 hours, Kubkowski had hallucinations. This means he saw things that were not really there. He was also very tired and could not think well.
This was Kubkowski’s (4) time trying the swim. Last year, he almost finished, but he had to stop close to Poland.
When he finally reached the beach, he was too tired to understand what he had done.
His swim also raised (5) to help people with cancer.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- A Polish swimmer swam from Sweden to Poland across the Baltic Sea. Correct answer
- A Polish swimmer stopped his swim because the water was too cold.
- A Polish swimmer followed a boat from Poland to Sweden.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. Kubkowski swam about 160 kilometres. TRUEFALSE True
2. Kubkowski slept during the swim. TRUEFALSE False
3. This was Kubkowski’s first time trying the swim. TRUEFALSE False
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. Why did a boat follow Kubkowski?
a) To give him food and waterCorrect
b) To help him sleep
c) To take him back to Sweden
2. What happened after more than 50 hours?
a) He touched the boat.
b) He had hallucinations.Correct
c) He went to sleep.
3. What else did Kubkowski’s swim do?
a) It raised money for people with cancer.Correct
b) It helped people learn to swim.
c) It raised money for a new boat.
Vocab Match
Drag each vocabulary word to its matching definition, or select a word and then select its definition:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Vocab Match
Write each vocabulary word next to its matching definition.
1. Follow (v)e) To go behind someone or something.
2. Touch (v)d) To put your hand or body against something.
3. Hallucination (n)c) Something you see or hear that is not really there.
4. Reach (v)b) To arrive at a place.
5. Raise money (v)a) To collect money to help a person or group.
a) To collect money to help a person or group.
b) To arrive at a place.
c) Something you see or hear that is not really there.
d) To put your hand or body against something.
e) To go behind someone or something.
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
-
The dog likes to {blank} me around the house.
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Please do not {blank} the hot pan.
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After two days without sleep, he had a {blank}.
-
We hope to {blank} the station before 8:00.
-
We want to {blank} for the hospital.
New Sentences
Use the words in the bank to complete the new sentences.
follow / hallucination / raise money / reach / touch
- The dog likes to me around the house.
- Please do not the hot pan.
- After two days without sleep, he had a .
- We hope to the station before 8:00.
- We want to for the hospital.
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Contrast 3) Contrast
Q: Do you like swimming? Why or why not?
A:Q: Would you try a very long swim? Why or why not?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: Do you like swimming? Why or why not?
A: I like swimming it is good exercise.
because / but / so
I like swimming because it is good exercise.
Q: Would you try a very long swim? Why or why not?
A: Swimming for 55 hours sounds amazing, I would not want to try it.
but / because / so
Swimming for 55 hours sounds amazing, but I would not want to try it.
Kubkowski failed four times, he tried again.
but / because / so
Kubkowski failed four times, but he tried again.
Discussion Questions
- Do you like swimming? Why or why not?
- What is the longest time you have spent in the water?
- Would you try a very long swim? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Kubkowski tried the swim five times?
- Do you usually keep trying when something is difficult?
- What can happen when people do not sleep for a long time?
- Have you ever raised money to help someone?
- What do you think Kubkowski did after he reached the beach?
Discussion Questions
- Do you like swimming? Why or why not?
- What is the longest time you have spent in the water?
- Would you try a very long swim? Why or why not?
- Why do you think Kubkowski tried the swim five times?
- Do you usually keep trying when something is difficult?
- What can happen when people do not sleep for a long time?
- Have you ever raised money to help someone?
- What do you think Kubkowski did after he reached the beach?
Answers
Think Ahead: a
Listening: (1) swim, (2) sleep, (3) boat, (4) fifth, (5) money
Main Idea: A Polish swimmer swam from Sweden to Poland across the Baltic Sea.
True or False:
- True. He swam about 160 kilometres from Sweden to Poland.
- False. He was in the water for 55 hours and did not sleep.
- False. This was his fifth time trying the swim.
Multiple Choice: a, b, a
Vocabulary:
- Follow (v): To go behind someone or something.
- Touch (v): To put your hand or body against something.
- Hallucination (n): Something you see or hear that is not really there.
- Reach (v): To arrive at a place.
- Raise money (v): To collect money to help a person or group.
New Sentences: 1. follow; 2. touch; 3. hallucination; 4. reach; 5. raise money
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Reason. 2) Contrast. 3) Contrast.
- because
- but
- but