Table of Contents
A manatee is safe at SeaWorld Orlando now. The animal was stuck in a storm drain in Florida, USA. It wanted to find warm water, but it got stuck.
Many people helped the large animal. Firefighters and wildlife workers helped. A worker found the manatee in the drain on Tuesday. People moved him to a special hospital for care.
Now, the manatee is in a pool. It is doing well. It can breathe and move. It is eating food now. The workers change the water to help him feel good. They want the manatee to be healthy. Then, it can go back to the ocean.
Manatees are special animals in Florida. Many manatees died in 2021 because they had no food. Now, the situation is better.
SeaWorld helps many animals every year. Last year, they saved 56 manatees. This year, they have already saved seven.
Vocabulary
- Manatee – a large, slow animal that lives in the water; a “sea cow”
- Stuck – trapped; cannot move; held in one place; fixed.
- Storm drain – a large pipe or hole in the street for rain; a path for water to leave the road.
- Drain – a hole or pipe that carries water away; a tube for dirty water.
- Firefighter – a person who puts out fires; a worker who helps in emergencies 👨🚒
- Wildlife – animals that live in nature; animals that are not pets 🦁
- Wildlife worker – a person who looks after wild animals; someone who keeps nature safe.
- Hospital – a place where sick or hurt people and animals go to get better 🏥
- Care – help; looking after someone; making sure someone is safe and okay.
- Pool – a small area of water made for swimming or living in 🏊
- Breathe – to take air into the body; to use the nose or mouth for air.
- Healthy – strong; not sick; feeling well; in good health 💪
- Ocean – the very large area of salt water on Earth; the sea 🌊
- Situation – the way things are at a certain time; a set of facts; the current state.
- Save – to stop someone from being hurt; to rescue; to keep safe.
Discussion Questions
- Do you think it is better for sick animals to recover in a place like SeaWorld or stay in nature? Why?
- Do you think it is important to save wild animals? Why or why not?
- How do you feel when you hear about animals stuck in city pipes or drains?
- SeaWorld helps many manatees. Is a special hospital a good place for a wild animal?
- Would you like to work as a wildlife worker? Why or why not?
- After the manatee is healthy, should it stay in the pool or go back to the ocean?
- 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
A manatee ______ safe at SeaWorld Orlando now. The ______ was stuck in a storm drain in Florida, USA. It ______ to find warm water, but it got stuck.
______ people helped the large animal. Firefighters and ______ workers helped. A worker found the manatee in ______ drain on Tuesday. People moved him ______ a special hospital for care.
______ , the manatee is in a pool. It is doing ______ . It can breathe and move. It is eating ______ now. The workers change the water to ______ him feel good. They want the manatee to ______ healthy. Then, it can go back to the ______ .
Manatees are special ______ in Florida. Many manatees died in ______ because they had no food. Now, the situation is ______ .
SeaWorld helps ______ animals every year. Last year, they saved ______ manatees. This year, they have already saved ______ .
