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Baby Found in Airplane Trash (13th September, 2010)

Airplane cleaners got the shock of their lives on September 12th. They were cleaning a plane on the runway in Manila when they found a newborn baby inside a toilet trash can. The baby still had its umbilical cord attached. His mother gave birth to him in the toilet of the Gulf Air plane and then abandoned him. Cleaner Jemon Deita explained how he found the infant, saying: “I was amazed why all of a sudden my black plastic bag became heavy to carry, because I thought I only took used tissue paper from the toilet.”

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Doctors at the airport examined the baby and said he was in good condition. Gulf Air is now checking the passenger list to try and find the mother. They think she could be a woman who worked overseas and returned to the Philippines without wanting her family to know she had a baby. The doctors named the child George Francis, after the initials of Gulf Air flights, GF. He weighed just over 3 kilos. George Francis is now in a special centre for children, while social workers make a decision about his future.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

got the shock

a.

birth to him

2

a plane on

b.

cord

3.

umbilical

c.

bag

4.

His mother gave

d.

of their lives

5.

black plastic

e.

carry

6.

heavy to

f.

the runway

 

Paragraph 2

1.

he was in good

a.

list

2

the passenger

b.

flights

3.

worked

c.

decision

4.

the initials of Gulf Air

d.

for children

5.

a special centre

e.

condition

6.

make a

f.

overseas


LISTENING GAP FILL

Airplane cleaners _________________ their lives on September 12th. They were cleaning a plane _________________ Manila when they found a newborn baby inside a toilet trash can. The _________________ umbilical cord attached. His mother ___________________ in the toilet of the Gulf Air plane and then abandoned him. Cleaner Jemon Deita explained how he _________________, saying: “I was amazed why all of a sudden my black plastic bag became _________________, because I thought I only took used tissue paper from the toilet.”

Doctors at the airport examined the baby _________________ good condition. Gulf Air is now checking the passenger list to try and find the mother. They _________________ woman who _________________ and returned to the Philippines without wanting her family to know she had a baby. The doctors named the child George Francis, _________________ Gulf Air flights, GF. He _________________ 3 kilos. George Francis is now in a special centre for children, while social workers _________________ about his future.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

Airplane cleaners got the (1) ____ of their lives on September 12th. They were cleaning a plane on the runway in Manila when they found a (2) ____ baby inside a toilet trash can. The baby still had its umbilical cord attached. His mother (3) ____ birth to him in the toilet of the Gulf Air plane and then abandoned (4) ____. Cleaner Jemon Deita explained how he found the infant, saying: “I was (5) ____ why all of a sudden my black plastic bag became heavy (6) ____ carry, because I thought I only took used tissue paper from the toilet.”

Doctors at the airport examined the baby and said he was in (7) ____ condition. Gulf Air is now checking the passenger (8) ____ to try and find the mother. They think she could be a woman who worked (9) ____ and returned to the Philippines without (10) ____ her family to know she had a baby. The doctors named the child George Francis, (11) ____ the initials of Gulf Air flights, GF. He weighed just over 3 kilos. George Francis is now in a special centre for children, while social workers make a (12) ____ about his future.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

shocking

(b)

shock

(c)

shocked

2.

(a)

newborn

(b)

unborn

(c)

reborn

3.

(a)

took

(b)

gave

(c)

had

4.

(a)

him

(b)

his

(c)

he

5.

(a)

amazing

(b)

amazes

(c)

amazed

6.

(a)

too

(b)

to

(c)

two

7.

(a)

good

(b)

goods

(c)

well

8.

(a)

last

(b)

list

(c)

lost

9.

(a)

overseas

(b)

oceans

(c)

waters

10.

(a)

wanted

(b)

want

(c)

wanting

11.

(a)

after

(b)

before

(c)

during

12

(a)

decide

(b)

deciding

(c)

decision


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

the khsoc of their lives

2.

a plane on the waynur

3.

a rewonbn baby

4.

I was zdmaea

5.

black tcaplsi bag

6.

ieutss paper

 

Paragraph 2

7.

xmaieend the baby

8.

snsregeap list

9.

worked overseas

10.

the lsiiaint of Gulf Air flights

11.

He dgheiwe just over 3 kilos

12.

make a icneodis


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

list to try and find the mother. They think she could be a woman who worked overseas and returned to the

(    )

Jemon Deita explained how he found the infant, saying: “I was amazed why all of a sudden

(    )

Philippines without wanting her family to know she had a baby. The doctors named the child George Francis,

(    )

His mother gave birth to him in the toilet of the Gulf Air plane and then abandoned him. Cleaner

(    )

my black plastic bag became heavy to carry, because I thought I only took used tissue paper from the toilet.”

(    )

Doctors at the airport examined the baby and said he was in good condition. Gulf Air is now checking the passenger

1  )

Airplane cleaners got the shock of their lives on September 12th. They were cleaning a plane on the

(    )

runway in Manila when they found a newborn baby inside a toilet trash can. The baby still had its umbilical cord attached.

(    )

after the initials of Gulf Air flights, GF. He weighed just over 3 kilos. George Francis is now in

(    )

a special centre for children, while social workers make a decision about his future.


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

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

1.

shock     Airplane     of     cleaners     their     got     lives     the.    

2.

a     plane     They     on     were     the     cleaning     runway.    

3.

mother     birth     him     His     gave     to.    

4.

became    heavy    All    of    a    sudden    my    black    plastic    bag.   

5.

paper     toilet     only     tissue     the     I     used     from     took.    

6.

Doctors     baby     the     examined     airport     the     at.    

7.

Air     passenger     is     list     now     checking     Gulf     the.    

8.

woman     She     who     could     worked     be     overseas     a.    

9.

children     is     a     for     Francis     in     centre     now     special.    

10.

his     about     decision     a     make     Workers     future.    


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 babies 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. GEORGE FRANCIS: Search the Internet and find more information about the baby in this news story. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about babies. Include imaginary an interview with new parents. 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 mother of George Francis. Ask her three questions about her actions. Give her three pieces of advice on what she should do now. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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