Great White Shark Sighting Closes Wells, Maine Beaches to Swimming
Listen to the story
Beaches in Wells, Maine, have been closed to swimming after a great white shark was spotted nearby. The closure follows a series of alarming shark encounters over just two days.
According to reports, a lifeguard was pulled underwater by a great white shark while on duty at the popular beach. This happened at a well-known family destination on the East Coast.
Wells is a small town in Maine that attracts many tourists during the summer months. Its beaches are especially popular with families looking for a relaxing holiday by the sea.
Over half a dozen sharks were seen on video near the beach within a two-day period. This unusually high number of sightings raised serious safety concerns among local officials.
As a precaution, authorities decided to close the beaches to swimmers until the situation is better understood. Great white sharks are large predators that can pose a real danger to people in the water.
The incident has drawn attention from beachgoers and shark experts alike, as such a high concentration of sharks near a busy beach is considered unusual. Local officials have not said when the beaches will reopen for swimming.
For now, visitors to Wells are advised to stay out of the water and follow any updates from local authorities. The town's economy depends heavily on summer tourism, so the closure could affect local businesses as well.
Vocabulary10 words
- great white shark
- a very large and powerful shark found in the ocean
- lifeguard
- a trained person who watches swimmers and rescues them if needed
- tourists
- people who travel to visit a place
- sightings
- times when something, like an animal, is seen
- officials
- people responsible for managing a place or situation
- precaution
- an action taken to prevent something bad from happening
- predators
- animals that hunt and eat other animals
- concentration
- a large number of something in one place
- authorities
- people or groups with official power
- closure
- the act of shutting or stopping something
Quiz
Answer key
1. Due to a great white shark sighting 2. The lifeguard was pulled underwater by a shark 3. More than half a dozen
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Beaches in Wells, Maine, have been _____ to swimming after a great white shark was spotted nearby.
According to reports, a _____ was pulled underwater by a great white shark while on duty at the popular beach.
Wells is a small town in Maine that attracts many _____ during the summer months.
Over half a dozen sharks were seen on video near the beach within a two-day period, raising serious safety _____.
As a _____, authorities decided to close the beaches to swimmers until the situation is better understood.
Great white sharks are large _____ that can pose a real danger to people in the water.
Local _____ have not said when the beaches will reopen for swimming.
The town's economy depends heavily on summer tourism, so the _____ could affect local businesses as well.
Discussion questions
- How do you think local officials should decide when it is safe to reopen the beaches?
- Would a shark sighting like this change your plans if you were visiting Wells?
- What precautions do you think beach towns should take to protect swimmers from sharks?
- How might this event affect tourism in Wells during the summer season?
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