Borneo Fires Create Toxic Haze Across Southeast Asia
Listen to the story
There are big fires in Indonesia. The fires are on the island of Borneo. The fires have burned for months.
The fires make a lot of smoke. People call this smoke haze. The haze is moving across Southeast Asia.
The haze is very toxic. This means it is bad for people's health. Many people are getting sick from the smoke.
Hundreds of thousands of people feel ill now. Doctors say the air is not safe to breathe.
People who live near the fires have a hard life. They call this area the frontline. This means it is the place with the most danger.
The haze also travels to other countries. People in other parts of Asia can see and smell the smoke too.
Many people want the fires to stop soon. They hope the air will become clean again.
Vocabulary15 words
- haze
- smoke or dust in the air that makes it hard to see
- toxic
- very bad for your health; can make you sick
- frontline
- the place closest to a danger or problem
- Borneo
- a big island in Southeast Asia
- Southeast Asia
- the part of Asia near Indonesia and Thailand
- fires
- flames that burn things like trees
- sick
- not feeling well; ill
- smoke
- grey or black air that comes from fire
- island
- land with water all around it
- breathe
- to take air into your body
- health
- how well your body feels
- danger
- something that can hurt you
- clean
- not dirty; pure
- safe
- not dangerous
- hundreds of thousands
- a very big number of people
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Quiz
Answer key
1. Borneo, Indonesia 2. Toxic haze from fires 3. False
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
There are big _____ in Indonesia. The fires are on the island of _____. The fires have burned for _____.
The fires make a lot of _____. People call this smoke _____. The haze is moving across Southeast Asia.
The haze is very _____. This means it is bad for people's _____. Many people are getting sick from the smoke.
_____ of thousands of people feel ill now. Doctors say the air is not _____ to breathe.
People who live near the fires have a hard life. They call this area the _____.
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