KENYA: WHAT HAPPENED TO ANIMALS THAT ATE THE PLASTIC?

 Before the plastic bag ban in Kenya, many animals ate plastic from the ground, garbage, and rivers. They thought it was food. This plastic made them very sick. Some animals died because the plastic blocked their stomachs. In this lesson, we talk about past events using the past simple and could.

Examples:

• Cows ate plastic from the street.

• They couldn’t digest the plastic.

• Many animals got sick or died.

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GRAMMAR

We use past simple to describe finished actions in the past.

Structure:

• Subject + past verb + complement

Examples:

• Animals ate plastic bags.

• The plastic made them sick.

Negative:

• Animals didn’t know the plastic was dangerous.

We also use could for ability or possibility in the past:

• They could eat the plastic, but it hurt them.

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VOCABULARY (10 words with definition)

1. Animal – a living creature like a cow or a dog

2. Eat – to take in food through the mouth

3. Plastic – a man-made material used in bags and bottles

4. Street – a public road in a city or town

5. Garbage – waste or trash

6. Sick – not healthy or well

7. Die – to stop living

8. Block – to stop movement

9. Stomach – part of the body where food goes after eating

10. Dangerous – not safe; can cause harm

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USEFUL EXPRESSIONS

• The animals ate plastic.

• It was dangerous for them.

• They got very sick.

• Some animals died.

• The plastic blocked their stomachs.

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SENTENCES

Positive:

• Cows ate plastic from garbage.

• The plastic bags stayed in their stomachs.

Negative:

• The animals didn’t know it was harmful.

• They couldn’t digest the plastic.

Questions and Answers:

• What did animals eat? – They ate plastic bags.

• Did the plastic hurt them? – Yes, it did.

• Could they digest the plastic? – No, they couldn’t.

• Did some animals die? – Yes, some of them died.

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CONVERSATION

James: What happened to the animals that ate plastic in Kenya?

Amina: Many animals got sick. The plastic stayed in their stomachs.

James: Could they digest the plastic?

Amina: No, they couldn’t. Some animals died because of that.

James: That’s really sad.

Amina: Yes, but now the plastic ban helps protect animals.

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READING

Animals and Plastic in Kenya

Before 2017, plastic bags were everywhere in Kenya. Cows and goats often ate them from the streets or garbage. They thought it was food. But plastic is not food. It blocked their stomachs. They could not eat real food after that. Many animals got very sick, and some died. The government saw the problem and banned plastic bags in 2017. Now, fewer animals eat plastic, and many are healthier.

Questions:

1. What did the animals eat?

2. Why did they eat plastic?

3. What happened to them?

4. Could the animals digest the plastic?

5. What did the government do?

Answers:

1. They ate plastic bags.

2. They thought it was food.

3. Many animals got sick or died.

4. No, they couldn’t digest it.

5. The government banned plastic bags.