Table of Contents
József Rácz and his sons take care of 500 sheep in the mountains of Romania.
Each year, wolves and bears eat five or six of József’s sheep. To protect his sheep, he has 17 dogs. József says good dogs are the best way to protect his sheep.
On Tuesday, a new rule started in Europe. The strict protection of grey wolves ended. Grey wolves were very protected before.
Next year in March, each EU country can decide how many wolves to kill each year. The EU says there are many more wolves now. In 2012, there were 11,000 wolves. Now, there are over 20,000.
Some people are unhappy about the rule change. They say it is bad for wolves. They also say wolves help control deer and wild boar. Wolves eat sick animals, so they help stop diseases.
A 2023 EU report says wolves kill about 50,000 sheep and goats each year. Europe has 68 million sheep and goats. This is a very small number. No person has died from a wolf attack in 40 years.
Vocabulary
- Take care of – To look after someone or something to make sure they are safe and healthy; to help someone or something stay alive
- Sheep – 🐑; a fluffy white or gray animal
- Protect – To keep something safe; to defend something
- Rule – A guideline or regulation; sometimes a law; A guide that tells us what we should or shouldn’t do
- Strict – severe; harsh; no flexibility; exact; strong
- Protection – Keeping something safe from harm; something that keeps you safe from harm/danger
- Each – Every single one;
- The European Union (EU) – 27 countries in Europe that work closely together
- Decide – to choose something; make a choice from many different options; select
- Kill – To make something or someone stop living; murder
- Control – a limit on something, or the act of limiting something in order to stop it from becoming worse; to check, curb, or regulate; restrain
- Deer – A wild animal with antlers; 🦌
- Wild boar – a pig that lives in the wild; a big hair big in the forest
- Disease – illness; sickness; disorder; something that attacks the body
- Report – a written description of an event; story; article; the results of a study or project
- Million – 1,000,000 = one-million
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it’s OK to kill wolves to protect livestock? Why or why not?
- Why do some people think it’s important to protect wolves?
- How can we help farmers and wolves live peacefully together?
- If you were a farmer and wolves tried to eat your sheep, what would you do?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
József Rácz and his _____ take care of 500 sheep in the mountains of Romania.
Each _____, wolves and bears eat five or six of József’s _____. To protect his sheep, he has 17 dogs. József says good dogs are the _____way to protect his sheep.
On Tuesday, a new rule _____in Europe. The strict protection of grey wolves ended. Grey wolves _____very protected before.
_____year in March, each EU country can decide how many _____to kill each year. The EU says there are many _____wolves now. In 2012, there were _____wolves. Now, there are over 20,000.
_____people are unhappy about the rule change. They say it is _____for wolves. They also say wolves help control deer and wild _____. Wolves eat sick animals, so they help _____diseases.
A _____EU report says wolves kill about 50,000 sheep and _____each year. Europe has 68 million sheep and goats. This is a very _____number. No person has died from a wolf attack in _____years.
