Learning Objective: This is a reading and conversation class. At the end of the session, the participants are expected to be able to practice reading and use new words that they would learn from the article.


Story Proper

A department of the U.S. government has told Americans that mermaids do not exist. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) released a statement on its website to say that: "No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found." It made the post because of a TV programme that made people believe mermaids were for real. The agency received many questions from TV viewers who watched an Animal Planet show called "Mermaids: The Body Found". The show was a joke, but people believed it.

Discovery News reported on the Animal Planet programme, which they called a "documentary-style" show. They wrote: "Though the filmmakers accepted that the film is science fiction, for many people it was indeed 'wildly convincing.' The show was a… mix of…computer animation, historical fact…and faked footage" to make it seem like mermaids do exist. The NOAA said: "The belief in mermaids may have arisen at the very dawn of our species…30,000 years ago."



Activity Proper


1. Summarize the story.


2. Vocabulary:

a. mermaids

b. aquatic humanoids

c. species


3. Small Talk: Ask questions and discuss with one another.


More Activities:



"Online activities, the mp3 and printable handouts are available for this lesson at http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com"