Easy ESL Intermediate Listening Activities: Red Peppers

50-minute English Lesson

Easy ESL Intermediate Listening Activities like this one help ELL students improve their listening skills. In this story, we talk about red chilli peppers, the world’s most popular fruit.

Easy ESL Intermediate Listening Activities about peppers
A spicy fruit

Read the story

Easy ESL Intermediate Listening Activities: RED PEPPERS

What is the most popular fruit in the world? It might be the red chilli pepper. About 25 per cent of the world eats peppers every day. How did they become so popular?

The history of peppers begins thousands of years ago.

The red chilli pepper probably first started to grow in Mexico. The Aztecs and Mayas ate red peppers and used them as a drug to help sick people.

Red pepper’s movement started with Christopher Columbus. In 1492, he visited a small island near Mexico called the Dominican Republic. He took red chilli peppers back to Spain, but not much happened after that. Some people grew peppers in gardens because they looked interesting, but it was not considered food. In time, someone discovered that peppers made food taste good.

Portugal took the red chilli pepper around the world. By the early 1500s, Portugal controlled the buying and selling of many spices. They had a large network, many ships and lots of products to trade. The red pepper probably first went to India. From there it moved to other parts of Asia and Africa. By the end of the 1500s, chilli peppers might have been the world’s first international food.

Around the world, there are many kinds of peppers. Some are hot and some are not. The hot ones contain a special oil inside the white part of the pepper. That oil makes food hot. It also helped people in different regions create a wonderful variety of food, like Korean kimchi, Indian curry or Mexican salsa. Without a doubt, this 6000-year-old fruit has influenced food and culture.

Listen without reading

ESL Intermediate Listening Activities: RED PEPPER story

Audio

Here is the listening file for this lesson.

Listening level: 2
Audio file: 2:09 min
Story length: 262 words

Easy ESL Intermediate Listening Activities red pepper history
The heat is hidden inside the pepper
[quiz-cat id=”7830″]

English listening lesson: Gap Fill

Listen again to the ESL story and fill in the blanks.

What is the most __________ fruit in the world? It might be the red chilli pepper. About __________ per cent of the world __________ peppers every day. How did they become so __________ ?

The history of peppers begins __________ of years ago.

The red chilli pepper __________ first started to __________ in Mexico. The Aztecs and Mayas ate red peppers and used them as a __________ to help sick people.

Red pepper’s __________ started with Christopher Columbus. In 1492, he visited a small __________ near Mexico called the Dominican Republic. He took red chilli peppers __________ to Spain, but not much happened after that. Some people grew peppers in __________ because they looked interesting, but it was not __________ food. In time, someone discovered that peppers made food __________ good.

Portugal took the red chilli pepper __________ the world. By the early __________ , Portugal controlled the buying and selling of many __________ . They had a large __________ , many ships and lots of products to __________ . The red pepper probably first went to India. From there it moved to other parts of Asia and __________ . By the end of the __________ , chilli peppers might have been the world’s first __________ food.

Around the world, there are many __________ of peppers. Some are __________ and some are not. The hot ones contain a special __________ inside the white part of the pepper. That oil makes food hot. It also helped people in different __________ create a wonderful __________ of food, like Korean kimchi, Indian curry or Mexican salsa. Without a __________ , this __________ -year-old fruit has influenced food and __________ .

ESL discussion questions

Talk about the ESL Listening story for intermediate students.

  1. What kind of story is this?
  2. Do you like spicy food? What’s your favorite?
  3. Why are peppers hot?
  4. What are the pros and cons of eating spicy food?
  5. Why, do you think, red peppers are so popular?
  6. Can you name six kinds of spices?

Synonym match

MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.

1. drug
2. spices
3. international 
4. probably 
5. considered
a. likely
b. medicine
c. regarded
d. seasoning
e. global

ESL listening activity: anagrams

MOVE THE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM THE ESL Listening STORY.

  1. DAILNS
  2. UUTECLR
  3. ARETD
  4. REWKNOT
  5. TSETA
  6. SROINEG

Writing practice

Write the five sentences. Put the words in the correct order.

  1. other / Asia / and / From / of / moved / Africa / it / there / parts / to
  2. to / The / grow / probably / in / chilli / started / Mexico / red / first / pepper
  3. help / Aztecs / to / peppers / Mayas / and / them / people / drug / a / sick / used / as / and / The / ate / red
  4. of / They / a / network / trade / many / ships / and / lots / to / products / had / large
  5. pepper / part / the / white / contain / of / ones / inside / The / hot / special / a / the / oil

Another ESL listening story

Try another free online English listening practice story. Listen and learn how the famous Bic pen got started.

Watch a video and take notes

Did you like this English Listening Practice story about red peppers? Watch the video about what makes spicy food taste hot and take notes.

  1. Watch the video.
  2. Take notes.
  3. Make a list with at least seven facts.

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ESL Listening materials

Want to print out these ESL listening activities for new language learners? Click to download the PDF worksheet.

Click to see the answers for this easy ESL intermediate listening activity about red peppers.

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