Historic Events

Chernobyl
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. What do you know about

the Chernobyl nuclear disaster?

2. Do you know when and where

this terrible accident took place?

3. How many people do you think

have died as a result of this accident?

4. Do you think that any people are still

in danger as a result of this accident?

5. Do you think anything positive may

have happened as a result of this disaster?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. disaster a)  to get better

2. poisonous b)  in danger
3. release c)  a person who continues to live
4. explode d)  a terrible event or accident
5. resident e)  greatly
6. relocate f)  to blow up
7. due to g)  to help to make something happen
8. estimate h)  causing sickness or death
9. at risk i)  a person who is hurt or killed in an accident, war, etc.
10. contribute j)  to let go
11. anniversary k)  to move
12. victim l)  a person who lives in a particular place
13. survivor m)  to give an approximate number
14. improve n)  the yearly return of the date of an event
15. vastly o)  because of

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 Chernobyl
Historic Events

Reading
1. On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history took place The Exclusion Zone:
at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine.
Experts estimate
2. A large cloud of poisonous radioactive elements was released into
the air when one of the plant’s nuclear reactors exploded and started a
that it will take over
huge fire. The plant was only two miles (about 3.22 kilometers) away 300 years before
from Pripyat, and its 45,000 residents were evacuated within 24 hours, this disaster site is
never to return. Another 85,000 people living within 18 miles (about 29 inhabitable again.
kilometers) of Chernobyl were relocated in the next month. Over the
years, as many as 350,000 people have left their homes due to high
radiation levels. Today, it is a ghost town that is being taken over by
surrounding forests.

3. The wind carried the radioactive cloud over large parts of Europe,
as far away as Scandinavia and England. Over 55,000 square miles
(about 142,449 square kilometers) were contaminated, but 70% of
the radiation settled on nearby Belarus, which has since suffered
hundreds of billions of dollars in damage.

4. Some scientists estimate that more than 200,000 people have

died since 1986 as a result of the accident, and another 100,000
deaths from cancer may occur in the coming years. Others think
that these numbers are much smaller.

5. Over five million people still live in contaminated areas, and their
health may be at risk from eating contaminated food, such as fish
from the rivers, mushrooms and berries from the forests, and meat
or milk from cattle and sheep that graze on the land. Several European
countries will not accept food products grown in these areas. Many
workers have moved away, and life is difficult for those left behind.
Some even believe that the accident contributed to the collapse
of the Soviet Union.

6. April 26, 2006, marked the 20th anniversary of the disaster.

Ceremonies were held in Ukraine to remember its victims and
to bring attention to survivors who continue to be affected by it.
In 2010, workers from 27 countries began building a new structure
over the damaged reactor to prevent further contamination.

7. One positive outcome of this disaster is that the safety of nuclear

power plants has vastly improved. Many nations now have
strict safeguards and codes in place to prevent similar accidents.
Unfortunately, a similar accident occurred in Japan in 2011 after
an earthquake triggered a tsunami. Has the Fukushima nuclear
disaster brought about even more safety regulations?

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 Chernobyl
Historic Events

Comprehension
A. True or False?

Read the statements below.

If the statement is true, write T beside the sentence.
If it is false, write F and correct the information.

1. The Chernobyl nuclear accident occurred in Russia.

2. Over 100,000 people in the area were relocated after the accident.

3. The Chernobyl disaster was the worst nuclear accident in history.

4. Over 70% of the radiation fell on Scandinavia and England.

5. No one knows for sure how many people died as a result of the accident.

B. Ask and Answer

Practice asking and answering the following questions with your partner.
Then write your answers in complete sentences in your notebook.

1. What happened at the Chernobyl nuclear plant on April 26, 1986?

2. What has happened to the town of Pripyat since the accident?

3. How large an area was affected by the accident?

4. Why has Belarus suffered so much since the accident?

5. Why are the people who live in contaminated areas still suffering today?

6. Why were ceremonies held in Ukraine to

mark the 20th anniversary of the disaster?

7. What is one positive outcome of this terrible disaster?

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 Chernobyl
Historic Events

Vocabulary Review
Choose the word or phrase with the closest meaning to
the underlined word or phrase in the following sentences.

1. The worst nuclear accident in history took 5. Some people believe that the accident
place at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

a) farm a) fall
b) factory b) war
c) building c) health

2. The 45,000 residents of Pripyat 6. About 70% of the radiation settled on Belarus.
were evacuated, never to return.
a) came to rest
a) killed b) lived nearby
b) vacationing in another country c) exploded
c) removed from a place of danger
7. One positive outcome of the accident
3. Today, Pripyat is a ghost town that is is that the safety of nuclear power plants
being taken over by surrounding forests. has vastly improved since the accident.

a) a place filled with dead people a) explosion

b) an empty town b) damage
c) a scary town c) result

4. Over 55,000 square miles

were contaminated by radiation.

a) emptied out
b) made dirty
c) exploded

Discussion
1. Do you think that the Chernobyl accident may have
contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union? If so, explain why.

2. Do you think that nuclear power is safe? Would you

feel comfortable living near a nuclear power plant?

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power?

4. What does the Chernobyl disaster have to do with Japan?

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 Chernobyl
Historic Events

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: High-Intermediate

In this lesson, students read about the worst nuclear disaster TIME: 2–2.5 hours

in history. They learn and practice new vocabulary and discuss TAGS:  C
 hernobyl, nuclear disaster, nuclear, accident,
how communities are affected by nuclear disasters. Soviet Union, Russia, Europe, power, Japan, Fukushima

Pre-Reading B. ASK AND ANSWER

1. On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history took place
A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant near Pripyat, Ukraine.

Individual answers. 2. The town of Pripyat is now a ghost town

that is being taken over by surrounding forests.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW 3. An area of over 55,000 square miles was contaminated.

4. Belarus has suffered greatly since the accident
1. d 4. f 7. o 10. g 13. c
because 70% of the radioactive material was
2. h 5. l 8. m 11. n 14. a
carried by the wind and settled on that country.
3. j 6. k 9. b 12. i 15. e
5. Those who still live in contaminated areas today suffer because
they continue to eat contaminated food, such as fish from the
Reading rivers, mushrooms and berries from the forests, and meat or
milk from cattle and sheep that graze on the land.
Read the text together as a class or individually. Have your
6. Ceremonies were held in Ukraine to remember its victims and to
students circle any unfamiliar words. You might also want to
bring attention to survivors who continue to be affected by it.
have some members of the class read about the Fukushima
7. One positive outcome of the disaster is that the safety of
disaster in Japan (also in our Historic Events section).
nuclear power plants has vastly improved since the accident.
Explain to your students that “inhabitable” and “habitable”
both mean the same thing: suitable to live in. A word meaning Vocabulary Review
the opposite is “unhabitable.” This is a quirky word in English,
and does not follow the usual rule for the prefixes “in” or “un.” 1. b 2. c 3. b 4. b 5. a 6. a 7. c

Comprehension Discussion

A. TRUE OR FALSE? Answers will vary.

1. F – T he Chernobyl nuclear accident

occurred near Pripyat, Ukraine. SPELLING NOTE:

2. T This lesson shows the American spelling of the words Kilometers

3. T and Practice. Most other English-speaking countries spell these
4. F – O ver 70% of the radiation fell on Belarus, though the words this way: Kilometres and Practise (when used as a verb;
radioactive cloud reached as far as Scandinavia and England. Practice when used as a noun). Make it a challenge for your
5. T students to find these words in the lesson and see if they
know the alternate spellings.

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