Reality TV contestant kills and eats protected New Zealand bird
Listen to the story (British accent)
In a TV show called “Race to Survive: New Zealand,” a contestant named Spencer “Corry” Jones killed and ate a special bird called a weka.
The show is a difficult race across New Zealand. Teams must find their own food and water. The winning team gets $500,000.
The weka is a big bird that can’t fly. It’s protected in New Zealand because there are not many of them. If someone kills a weka, they might go to jail for two years or pay a fine of $60,000.
Jones said sorry on the show. He knew it was wrong to eat the weka, but he was very hungry. After this, Jones and his teammate Oliver Dev had to leave the show.
The people who make “Race to Survive” had permission to film on land that’s protected for nature. They knew they couldn’t catch or eat protected animals or plants.
Before that happened, Jones and Dev were doing well and had a chance to win the race.
Vocabulary11 words
- TV show
- A story or program you watch on television; a short “movie” on TV
- Race
- a competition in which all the competitors try to be the fastest and to finish first; ?
- Survive
- To stay alive or keep going even if the situation/circumstance is difficult or dangerous
- Contestant
- A person in a competition; a person playing a game or in a contest trying to win
- Kill
- To make something or someone stop living; murder
- Protect
- To keep something safe; to defend something
- Jail
- a place where people are held/kept as punishment for a crime; a building for bad people
- Fine
- a penalty or punishment you have to pay with money
- Permission
- allowed to do; authorization; approval; it’s OK to do
- Catch
- To capture or trap something; Grab something or someone
- Chance
- opportunity; possibility;
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
In a TV show _____ “Race to Survive: New Zealand,” a contestant named Spencer “Corry” Jones _____ and ate a special bird called a weka.
The _____ is a difficult race across New Zealand. Teams must find their own food and _____. The winning team gets $_____.
The weka is a big bird that can’t _____. It’s protected in New Zealand because there are not many of _____. If someone kills a weka, they might go to _____ for two years or pay a fine of $60,000.
Jones said sorry _____ the show. He knew it was wrong to eat the weka, but he was very hungry. _____ this, Jones and his teammate Oliver Dev had to _____ the show.
The people who make “Race to Survive” _____ permission to film on land that’s protected for nature. They knew they couldn’t _____ or eat protected animals or plants.
Before that happened, Jones and Dev were _____ well and had a chance to win the race.
Discussion questions
- Do you think it was okay for Spencer Jones to eat the weka bird? Why or why not?
- What do you think should happen to people who break rules about protected animals?
- Why do you think the TV show’s creators had permission to film on protected land?
- Have you ever seen a protected animal?
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