Rogue Elephant Attacks Teacher

A teacher had a lucky escape after an elephant flipped over the car she was travelling in while in a national park in South Africa.

            Sarah Brooks, who works at the Sir John Gleed School in Spalding, Lincolnshire, is thought to have been stabbed in the leg by the elephant's tusk as it attacked the car.

           

Video footage has emerged on YouTube of the incident after it was filmed by passengers in a car behind Ms Brooks, who is thought to have been with her partner, at the Kruger National Park in South Africa on December 30. It shows the animal walking in front of the car before turning to face it, walking around to the side of the car, then flipping it over using the strength of its head, trunk, and tusks. Ms Brooks is thought to have been treated in hospital for her injuries before being discharged.

            Will Scott, headteacher at the Sir John Gleed School, said: "We are all shocked by what has happened to Sarah and we wish her a full and speedy recovery."

            William Mabasa, general manager at Kruger National Park, told the BBC the male elephant has been destroyed after the incident. He said they discovered the animal had been "on musth", a periodic condition where testosterone levels rise and elephants become more aggressive.

            Mr Mabasa said the couple were driving behind the elephant on a gravel road in the Kruger area when the incident happened. "As they were driving behind the elephant, probably also taking a video of the elephant in front of them, the elephant apparently decided to turn around," he told the BBC. "Unfortunately they switched off the engine - because if you minimise noise an elephant would not attack you - (but) unfortunately the elephant attacked."

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

a. The elephant could have killed Ms Brooks.

b.Ms Brooks’ partner filmed the accident.

c. Ms Brooks continues in hospital.

d. They killed the elephant.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. Why did the elephant attack them?

b. Why did they stop the car?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a. hurt   (paragraph 2)                                                   

b. come out (paragraph 3)

c. confront (paragraph 3)

d. fast (paragraph 4)

e. grow (paragraph 5)                                       

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a. Sarah Brooks is thought to have been stabbed in the leg by the elephant's tusk as it attacked the car.

    It is ...

b. Will Scott said: "We are all shocked by what has happened to Sarah”

   Will Scott said that...

c. The incident was filmed by passengers in a car behind Ms Brooks.

    Passengers...

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

            Would you spend your holidays on a safari? What would your idyllic holiday be?