Big pictures of monkeys put up in New Delhi before G20
Listen to the story (Irish accent)
Big cardboard pictures of langur monkeys have been put up in different parts of New Delhi. There are also special people called “monkey wallahs” or “monkey-men” who scare away smaller monkeys.
In New Delhi, there are small monkeys called rhesus macaques, and they can be a big problem. They cause traffic problems and sometimes attack people.
The government wants to stop the small monkeys from eating flowers that decorate the city for the G20, which is being held this coming weekend. They also don’t want the monkeys to disrupt the G20 event.
The bigger langur monkeys are natural enemies of the smaller monkeys.
The city of New Delhi hired around 30 "monkey-men" who can make sounds like langur monkeys. They plan to put one person in each hotel where the G20 delegates will stay and in places where there are problems with monkeys.
New Delhi is a big city with about 30 million people. They've been making the city look nicer since India took the presidency of the G20 last year. During the G20 meeting, they will close many roads, and it will be like a holiday with most businesses closed.
The city is also giving food to the monkeys in the forests to keep them from coming into the city.
However, the small monkeys may be clever. One of the pictures of a langur monkey was destroyed after three days.
New Delhi used real langur monkeys to scare the small monkeys during the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Vocabulary20 words
- Cardboard
- A thick, stiff material made from paper;
- Put up
- To place or position something in a certain location; to set up
- Scare away
- To make something go away or run off by making it frightened/afraid;
- Cause
- make something (usually bad) happen; create
- Traffic
- The movement of cars, trucks, and other vehicles on the road
- Government
- the group of people who have the authority to make and enforce laws and manage a country or region; the people/group that manage and operate a country
- Decorate
- To make something look more attractive by adding colors, designs, or other nice things to it;
- G20
- A meeting where leaders from 20 countries with the biggest economies discuss important things
- Hold
- to organize; to arrange; to have an event; host
- This coming weekend
- The weekend that is about to happen; the weekend to happen next
- Disrupt
- To disturb or interrupt something so it doesn't go smoothly
- Enemy
- Someone or something that is opposed to you or against you; someone that is not your friend and may hurt you
- Hire
- to pay someone to do a job; to employ; to give someone a job; to take a person into a company
- Delegate
- A person who represents a group or organization at a meeting or event
- Million
- 1,000,000 - one-million
- Presidency
- The position of president/leader; the head of
- Forest
- A large area of land covered with trees
- Keep them from
- To stop something or someone from doing something; To prevent something from happening
- Clever
- smart; intelligent; good at persuading people to do something
- Destroy
- to “end” something by damaging it or attacking it; wreck; demolish; break
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Big cardboard _____ of langur monkeys have been put up in different parts of New Delhi. There are also _____ people called “monkey wallahs” or “monkey-men” who scare away smaller _____.
In New Delhi, there are small monkeys _____ rhesus macaques, and they can be a big problem. They cause _____ problems and sometimes attack people.
The government wants to _____ the small monkeys from eating flowers that decorate the city for the G20, which is being held this coming _____. They also don’t want the monkeys to disrupt the _____ event.
The bigger langur monkeys are natural _____ of the smaller monkeys.
The city of New Delhi hired _____ 30 "monkey-men" who can make sounds like langur monkeys. They _____ to put one person in each hotel where the G20 delegates will _____ and in places where there are problems with _____.
New Delhi is a big city _____ about 30 million people. They've been making the city look nicer since India took the _____ of the G20 last year. During the G20 meeting, they will close many _____, and it will be like a holiday with most _____ closed.
The city is also giving _____ to the monkeys in the forests to keep them from coming _____ the city.
However, the small monkeys _____ be clever. One of the pictures of a langur monkey was _____ after three days.
New Delhi used _____ langur monkeys to scare the small monkeys _____ the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
Discussion questions
- What do you think are some other ways the city of New Delhi could deal with the monkey problem besides using pictures and "monkey-men"?
- How would you feel if you were a G20 delegate staying in a hotel protected by "monkey-men"? Would it make you feel safer?
- What do you think the long-term solution to the monkey problem in New Delhi is?
- Have you ever been to a city with lots of animals roaming around? Which city? What kind of animals?
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