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New SpongeBob SquarePants Mushroom (24th June, 2011)

Researchers who found a new species of mushroom have named it after the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants. The team of scientists from San Francisco State University discovered the new fungus when they were exploring forests in Borneo. They decided it looked like SpongeBob and named it Spongiforma squarepantsii. Co-author of the research paper professor Dennis Desjardin said: "We go to under-explored forests around the world…collecting all the mushrooms and focusing on various groups.”

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SpongeBob shot to fame as a TV series in 1999. He is a very energetic and optimistic, square-shaped sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the underwater city of “Bikini Bottom”. He has a pet snail called Gary, who meows like a cat. SpongeBob is the creation of marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He came up with the idea while he was teaching marine biology in 1984. The cartoon series is the highest rated show on the Nickelodeon TV channel. It is also the most widely-shared media on MTV.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

Researchers who found a new species

a.

around the world

2

cartoon

b.

forests in Borneo

3.

exploring

c.

character

4.

Co-author of the

d.

on various groups

5.

under-explored forests

e.

of mushroom

6.

focusing

f.

research paper

 

Paragraph 2

1.

shot to

a.

city

2

very energetic

b.

like a cat

3.

underwater

c.

fame

4.

meows

d.

series

5.

cartoon

e.

shared media on MTV

6.

the most widely-

f.

and optimistic


LISTENING GAP FILL

Researchers who ___________________ of mushroom have named it after the ___________________ SpongeBob SquarePants. The ___________________ from San Francisco State University discovered the new fungus when ___________________ forests in Borneo. They decided it looked like SpongeBob and named it Spongiforma squarepantsii. ___________________ research paper professor Dennis Desjardin said: "We go to under-explored forests around the world…collecting all the mushrooms and ___________________ groups.”

SpongeBob ___________________ a TV series in 1999. He is a very energetic and optimistic, ___________________ sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the underwater city of “Bikini Bottom”. He has a pet snail called Gary, who ___________________ cat. SpongeBob is the creation of marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. __________________ the idea while he was teaching ___________________ 1984. The cartoon series is the highest rated show on the Nickelodeon TV channel. It is also the ___________________ media on MTV.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

Researchers who found a new (1) ____ of mushroom have named it after the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants. The team of scientists from San Francisco State University discovered the new fungus when they were (2) ____ forests in Borneo. They decided it looked like SpongeBob and     (3) ____ it Spongiforma squarepantsii. Co-author of the research (4) ____ professor Dennis Desjardin said: "We go to (5) ____-explored forests around the world…collecting all the mushrooms and focusing (6) ____ various groups.”

SpongeBob shot (7) ____ fame as a TV series in 1999. He is a very energetic and (8) ____, square-shaped sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the underwater city of “Bikini Bottom”. He has a pet snail called Gary, who meows (9) ____ a cat. SpongeBob is the (10) ____ of marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He came up with the idea (11) ____ he was teaching marine biology in 1984. The cartoon series is the highest rated show on the Nickelodeon TV channel. It is also the most (12) ____-shared media on MTV.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

special

(b)

specific

(c)

species

2.

(a)

exploring

(b)

explored

(c)

exploration

3.

(a)

signed

(b)

named

(c)

autographed

4.

(a)

cloth

(b)

cardboard

(c)

paper

5.

(a)

below

(b)

under

(c)

inside

6.

(a)

at

(b)

to

(c)

on

7.

(a)

to

(b)

by

(c)

as

8.

(a)

optimistic

(b)

optimism

(c)

optimistically

9.

(a)

more

(b)

like

(c)

who

10.

(a)

creative

(b)

create

(c)

creation

11.

(a)

while

(b)

why

(c)

how

12

(a)

width

(b)

widely

(c)

wider


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

a new seespci of mushroom

2.

cartoon hcracrtae

3.

team of siiscttnes

4.

nedma it Spongiforma squarepantsii

5.

the aeechsrr paper

6.

focusing on rasuoiv groups

 

Paragraph 2

7.

a TV sriese

8.

very ncrtgeiee

9.

square-dhspae

10.

esmwo like a cat

11.

mnaire biologist

12.

the most widely-shared eimad on MTV


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

of marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He came up with the idea

(    )

University discovered the new fungus when they were exploring forests in Borneo. They decided it looked

(    )

on the Nickelodeon TV channel. It is also the most widely-shared media on MTV.

(    )

SpongeBob shot to fame as a TV series in 1999. He is a very energetic

(    )

city of “Bikini Bottom”. He has a pet snail called Gary, who meows like a cat. SpongeBob is the creation

(    )

character SpongeBob SquarePants. The team of scientists from San Francisco State

(    )

paper professor Dennis Desjardin said: "We go to under-explored forests around

(    )

the world…collecting all the mushrooms and focusing on various groups.”

1  )

Researchers who found a new species of mushroom have named it after the cartoon

(    )

while he was teaching marine biology in 1984. The cartoon series is the highest rated show

(    )

and optimistic, square-shaped sea sponge who lives in a pineapple in the underwater

(    )

like SpongeBob and named it Spongiforma squarepantsii. Co-author of the research


WORD JUMBLE

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

1.

who     of     found     mushroom     a     new     Researchers     species.    

2.

cartoon     the     after     it     Named     SpongeBob     character.    

3.

exploring     were     they     When     Borneo     in     forests.    

4.

decided     looked     SpongeBob     They     it     like.    

5.

-    explored    forests    around    the     world    We    go    to    under.    

6.

1999     SpongeBob     shot     to     fame     as     a    TV    series     in.    

7.

pineapple    underwater    Bikini    A     the     of     in     city     Bottom.    

8.

pet     has     Gary     snail     a     He     called.    

9.

with     idea     He     up     the     came.    

10.

media     most     on     widely     MTV     -     shared     The.    


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

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about SpongeBob SquarePants. Include imaginary interviews with him and his creator. 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 SpongeBob SquarePants. Ask him three questions about life in Bikini Bottom. Give him three of your opinions on mushrooms. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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