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Indian Army Develop Chili Weapons (27th March, 2010)

Scientists in India’s army have developed a secret new weapon. It is a grenade made from the hottest chili in the world, the bhut jolokia chili. The Guinness Book of World Records say it is nature’s fieriest spice. It is 1,000 times stronger than the chili normally used in Indian cooking. The new addition to India’s weaponry will be used for crowd control. The police will throw it at crowds to make them disappear. It showers people with dust that will “burn like hell” for hours. A developer said the chili grenade would also “force a terrorist to come out of his hideout".

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This sounds like an interesting new weapon. The best thing about it is that it does not injure people. Other weapons used by police, like rubber bullets, can cause great injury. However, it does cause pain for up to four hours. People feel they are choking and cannot breathe. Scientists say they have another use for this weapon. The lead scientist R.B. Srivastava said: "There are other applications as well, what we call women power. A specially made chili powder could act as a tool for women to keep away anti-socials."

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	developed a secret	a.	like hell
2	it is nature’s	b.	out of his hideout
3.	1,000 times stronger than the	c.	new weapon
4.	throw it at crowds to make	d.	chili normally used
5.	burn	e.	fieriest spice
6.	force a terrorist to come	f.	them disappear

Paragraph 2

1.	it does not	a.	to four hours
2	cause great	b.	applications as well
3.	cause pain for up	c.	injure people
4.	People feel they	d.	away anti-socials
5.	There are other	e.	injury
6.	a tool for women to keep	f.	are choking

LISTENING GAP FILL

Scientists in India’s army have ____________________ new weapon. It is a grenade made from ____________________ the world, the bhut jolokia chili. The Guinness Book of World Records says it is ____________________. It is 1,000 times stronger than the chili normally used in Indian cooking. The new addition to India’s weaponry ____________________ control. The police will throw it at crowds to make them disappear. It showers people with dust that will “____________________” for hours. A developer said the chili grenade ____________________ terrorist to come out of his hideout".

____________________ interesting new weapon. The best thing about it is that it ____________________. Other weapons used by police, like rubber bullets, can ____________________. However, it does cause pain for up to four hours. People feel they are choking ____________________. Scientists say they have another use for this weapon. The lead scientist R.B. Srivastava said: "There are ____________________ well, what we call women power. A specially made chili powder could act as a tool for women to ____________________."

MULTIPLE CHOICE

Scientists in India’s army (1) ____ developed a secret new weapon. It is a grenade made from the hottest chili in the world, the bhut jolokia chili. The Guinness Book of World Records says it is nature’s (2) ____ spice. It is 1,000 times stronger than the chili (3) ____ used in Indian cooking. The new addition to India’s weaponry will be used for crowd control. The police will throw it at crowds to make them disappear. It showers people with dust that will “burn like (4) ____” for hours. A developer said the chili grenade would also “(5) ____ a terrorist to come out of his hideout".

This sounds like an interesting new weapon. The best thing about it is that it does not (6) ____ people. Other weapons used by police, like rubber bullets, can cause (7) ____ injury. However, it does cause pain for up to four hours. People feel they are choking and cannot (8) ____. Scientists say they have another use for this weapon. The lead scientist R.B. Srivastava said: "There are other applications as (9) ____, what we call women power. A specially made chili powder could act as a tool for women to (10) ____ away anti-socials."

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	have	(b)	do	(c)	are
2.	(a)	fiery	(b)	fired	(c)	fieriest
3.	(a)	normal	(b)	normally	(c)	normality
4.	(a)	hell	(b)	Earth	(c)	heaven
5.	(a)	farce	(b)	fierce	(c)	force
6.	(a)	injure	(b)	injury	(c)	injured
7.	(a)	good	(b)	great	(c)	grate
8.	(a)	breath	(b)	breathing	(c)	breathe
9.	(a)	well	(b)	good	(c)	best
10.	(a)	give	(b)	keep	(c)	do

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	a ecrset new weapon
2.	the thtstoe chili
3.	1,000 times egrosntr
4.	The new indotiad
5.	It oeshwrs people with dust
6.	rceof a terrorist to come out
Paragraph 2
7.	it does not rjunei people
8.	great njiyru
9.	ecaus pain for up to four hours
10.	cannot eahrteb
11.	what we call women wrpeo
12.	keep away anti-assiocl

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	“burn like hell” for hours. A developer said the chili grenade would also “force a terrorist to come out of his hideout".
( )	weapon. The lead scientist R.B. Srivastava said: "There are other applications as well, what we call women
( 1 )	Scientists in India’s army have developed a secret new weapon. It is a grenade made from the hottest chili in
( )	weapons used by police, like rubber bullets, can cause great injury. However, it does cause pain for up to four
( )	This sounds like an interesting new weapon. The best thing about it is that it does not injure people. Other
( )	used for crowd control. The police will throw it at crowds to make them disappear. It showers people with dust that will
( )	times stronger than the chili normally used in Indian cooking. The new addition to India’s weaponry will be
( )	power. A specially made chili powder could act as a tool for women to keep away anti-socials."
( )	hours. People feel they are choking and cannot breathe. Scientists say they have another use for this
( )	the world, the bhut jolokia chili. The Guinness Book of World Records says it is nature’s fieriest spice. It is 1,000

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	a India’s secret army new have weapon developed.
2.	in from the the world hottest chili Made.
3.	times stronger than the chili normally used 1,000.
4.	throw will police The crowds at it.
5.	burn hell Dust will like that.
6.	an like sounds This weapon new interesting.
7.	cause up hours does for four It pain to.
8.	choking People and feel cannot they breathe are.
9.	as are applications well There other.
10.	socials A tool for women to keep away anti -.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about chili for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. CHILIES: Search the Internet and find more information about chilies. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about chilies. Include imaginary an interview with the developer of the chili weapon. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to the Indian Army. Ask it three questions about chilies. Give it three of your opinions on how chilies could be used for other things. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Chilies (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)