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Start/ Englisch/ Klasse 9/ Skills Lab/ Listening: Huntsman Nightmare/ Level 1

🐣 Level 1: I'm still a bit unsure

With vocabulary help before listening, a spotting task, the transcript to read along, and simple questions.

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🧩 Before you listen: Vocabulary

Match each word to its English definition. This will help you while listening.

causing fear; frightening
to put yourself or something where it cannot be seen
nervous and easily startled, moving suddenly
containing a substance that can harm the body
causing a strong feeling of dislike; very unpleasant
a flap you pull down in a car to block bright sunlight
the part of a car that makes it move
an unexpected crash involving a vehicle
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🕷️ Where's the spider?

Look at the car. A Huntsman spider is peeking out at four different spots. Listen to the podcast, then click the spot(s) where the speakers actually say a spider could be hiding. There may be more than one correct spot.

Sunshade Steering wheel AC vents Glove compartment

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📖 Transcript (you may read along!)

Listen to the podcast. You're allowed to read along if you want to.

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Host: Welcome to our podcast! Today, we are traveling to Australia. But we aren't talking about cute koalas. No, we are talking about something that is every car driver's nightmare. With me is spider expert, Alex. Welcome, Alex!

Alex: Thanks for having me! Yes, we are talking about the Huntsman spider. For many people, these spiders are just plain disgusting and incredibly scary to look at.

Host: I've seen pictures! They are huge. But why are they such a problem for people driving cars in Australia?

Alex: Well, the problem is where they like to hide. They love to crawl into cars. You might find them in the engine or even inside the AC vents because they like the tight spaces.

Host: Inside the AC? That is terrifying! Imagine turning on the air conditioning and seeing a spider leg poke out.

Alex: Exactly! But the most famous hiding spot is behind the sunshade. Imagine you are driving, the sun hits your eyes, you pull down the sunshade, and — boom — a giant spider falls into your lap.

Host: Oh, that's awful! Are they dangerous?

Alex: They are poisonous, yes, though usually not deadly to humans. However, the real danger is how jumpy they are. They move very fast and can jump, which makes people panic.

Host: I can imagine. If a giant, jumpy spider lands on me while I'm driving at 100 kilometers per hour, I would definitely panic too!

Alex: And that is the main issue. These spiders actually cause serious car accidents. Drivers get so scared that they lose control of the steering wheel. The spider itself doesn't cause the crash directly, but the fear it creates does.

Host: So, it's not the poison we should fear most, but the surprise. Wow, that is a real nightmare. Let's summarize: Huntsman spiders are scary and disgusting to many, they hide in the engine, AC, or behind the sunshade, and because they are so jumpy, they cause accidents when drivers panic.

Alex: Spot on. Always check your sunshade before you start driving in Australia!

Host: Great advice! Thanks for these insights, Alex.

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✅ Comprehension check

1. Who is Alex?

2. Why do Huntsman spiders like hiding in cars?

3. Are Huntsman spiders deadly to humans?

4. What is the real danger of Huntsman spiders in cars?

5. What does Alex recommend before driving in Australia?

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📮 Submit your answers

When you're done, enter your name and class and submit your answers.

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