News English Lessons
FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Cats
(11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)

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The Title Of The Article Here

A new study says cats can somehow control humans. The researchers found that cats have a special cry when they are hungry. The sound is a cross between a purr and a high-pitched cry. Cats make this “purr-cry” when they want food. The leader of the research team, Karen McComb, said humans find it difficult to ignore a cat when it makes this sound. Many people think a cat only purrs when it is happy. Ms. McComb said her new study shows cats purr for other reasons too. She believes people link a cat’s purr to a human baby’s cry.

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I like cats a lot. I thought this new study was very interesting. Even people who had never owned a cat thought a cat cried because it wanted to be fed. It’s funny because I always thought humans controlled cats. It might be the other way round. I wonder if a cat knows it can control a human. I’m sure if it knew, it would get lots more milk and cat food. Maybe it could even get real fish instead of canned food. I had a dog once and I often thought it could control us. It was very clever. Perhaps cats are just as clever.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	cats can somehow	a.	they are hungry
2	cats have a special cry when	b.	high-pitched cry
3.	a cross between a purr and a	c.	human baby’s cry
4.	humans find it difficult to	d.	control humans
5.	cats purr for other	e.	ignore a cat
6.	people link a cat’s purr to a	f.	reasons too

Paragraph 2

1.	I thought this new study	a.	way round
2	people who had never	b.	as clever
3.	It might be the other	c.	of canned food
4.	a cat knows it can	d.	was very interesting
5.	get real fish instead	e.	owned a cat
6.	Perhaps cats are just	f.	control a human

LISTENING GAP FILL

A new study says cats _________________ control humans. The researchers found that cats have a special cry when they are hungry. The sound _________________ a purr and a high-pitched cry. Cats make this “purr-cry” when they want food. _________________ research team, Karen McComb, said humans find it difficult to ignore a cat _________________ sound. Many people think a cat only purrs when it is happy. Ms. McComb said _________________ cats purr for other reasons too. She believes people _________________ to a human baby’s cry.

I like cats a lot. I thought ___________________ very interesting. Even people who had never owned a cat thought a cat cried because it _________________. It’s funny because I always thought humans controlled cats. It might ________________ round. I wonder if a cat knows it can control a human. I’m _________________, it would get lots more milk and cat food. Maybe it could even get real _________________ canned food. I had a dog once and I often thought it could control us. It was very clever. Perhaps cats _________________ clever.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A new study says cats can (1) ____ control humans. The researchers found that cats have a special cry when they are hungry. The sound is a (2) ____ between a purr and a high-pitched cry. Cats make this “purr-cry” when they want food. The leader (3) ____ the research team, Karen McComb, said humans find it difficult (4) ____ ignore a cat when it makes this sound. Many people think a cat only purrs when it is happy. Ms. McComb said her new study shows cats purr for other reasons too. She believes people (5) ____ a cat’s purr to a human baby’s cry.

I like cats a lot. I thought this new study was very (6) ____. Even people who had never owned a cat thought a cat cried because it wanted to be (7) ____. It’s funny because I always thought humans controlled cats. It might be the other way (8) ____. I wonder if a cat knows it can control a human. I’m sure if it knew, it would get lots more milk and cat food. Maybe it could even get real fish instead (9) ____ canned food. I had a dog once and I often thought it could control us. It was very clever. Perhaps cats are (10) ____ as clever.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	somehow	(b)	somewhere	(c)	something
2.	(a)	cross	(b)	angry	(c)	mad
3.	(a)	at	(b)	by	(c)	of
4.	(a)	at	(b)	to	(c)	for
5.	(a)	links	(b)	linking	(c)	link
6.	(a)	interested	(b)	interesting	(c)	interests
7.	(a)	fed	(b)	feeding	(c)	feeds
8.	(a)	square	(b)	round	(c)	circle
9.	(a)	in	(b)	at	(c)	of
10.	(a)	justice	(b)	just	(c)	justly

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	toclrno humans
2.	a plaiesc cry
3.	a high-chdtiep cry
4.	difficult to rogine
5.	purr for other arnseso
6.	a human aysbb’ cry
Paragraph 2
7.	very etiinrgtsne
8.	nedwo a cat
9.	the other way duorn
10.	I odrwen
11.	anecnd food
12.	just as crveel

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	this sound. Many people think a cat only purrs when it is happy. Ms. McComb said her new study shows cats
( )	once and I often thought it could control us. It was very clever. Perhaps cats are just as clever.
( )	a cat thought a cat cried because it wanted to be fed. It’s funny because I always thought humans controlled
( )	I like cats a lot. I thought this new study was very interesting. Even people who had never owned
( )	cats. It might be the other way round. I wonder if a cat knows it can control a human. I’m sure if it
( )	purr for other reasons too. She believes people link a cat’s purr to a human baby’s cry.
( )	they are hungry. The sound is a cross between a purr and a high-pitched cry. Cats make this “purr-cry” when they
( )	knew, it would get lots more milk and cat food. Maybe it could even get real fish instead of canned food. I had a dog
( 1 )	A new study says cats can somehow control humans. The researchers found that cats have a special cry when
( )	want food. The leader of the research team, Karen McComb, said humans find it difficult to ignore a cat when it makes

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	can Cats humans control somehow.
2.	a when hungry have cry are Cats special they.
3.	to Humans ignore find a it cat difficult.
4.	when A it cat is only happy purrs.
5.	a cat’s purr to a human baby’s cry . People link
6.	I was thought very this interesting new study.
7.	thought controlled always humans cats I.
8.	can A control cat a knows human it.
9.	of instead fish real Get food canned.
10.	clever Perhaps are as cats just.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about cats for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about cats. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about cats. Include imaginary interviews with people who love cats and think they are very clever. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to a cat owner. Ask him/her three questions about cats. Give him/her three of your opinions on cats. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes on Cats (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)