50-minute English Lesson
ESL listening comprehension activities for beginners like these ones help English students improve their language skills. In this story, we talk about dangerous animals.

Read the story
ESL Listening Comprehension: Animal story
What are the most dangerous animals? Here are the top four killers.
Number one is the mosquito. It kills about 440,000 people a year. The dangerous mosquitoes live mostly in Africa.
They have a bug that makes people sick. That bug causes a disease called malaria.
The king cobra is number two. Each year, cobras kill between 20,000 and 125,000 people.
Most of them are from India. Cobras have a poison that makes people sick. Most people die because they cannot go to a hospital.
The hippo is number three. It looks cute but it is dangerous. Each year, hippos kill about 3,000 people.
That’s more than the number of people killed by lions, elephants and rhinos. Hippos will attack humans and other animals if their babies are in danger.
Nile crocodiles are number four. These scary animals have sharp teeth, strange eyes and can grow up to 5 meters.
They kill between 300 and several thousand people a year, mostly in Africa. Crocodiles will attack big animals like elephants and hippos.
There are many dangerous animals in the world. But the most dangerous one of all is the human being.
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ESL Listening Comprehension: Animal audio
Audio
English Listening Lesson

English listening lesson: Gap Fill
Listen again to the ESL story and fill in the blanks.
What are the __________ dangerous animals? Here are the top __________ killers.
Number one is the __________ . It kills about __________ people a year. The dangerous mosquitoes __________ mostly in Africa.
They have a bug that makes people __________ . That bug causes a disease __________ malaria.
The __________ cobra is number two. Each year, cobras kill between 20,000 and __________ people.
Most of __________ are from India. Cobras have a __________ that makes people sick. Most people __________ because they cannot go to a hospital.
The hippo is number __________ . It looks cute but it is dangerous. Each year, hippos kill about __________ people.
That’s more than the __________ of people killed by lions, elephants and rhinos. Hippos will __________ humans and other animals if their babies are in __________ .
Nile crocodiles are number __________ . These scary animals have sharp __________ , strange eyes and can grow up to __________ meters.
They kill between __________ and several thousand people a year, __________ in Africa. Crocodiles will __________ big animals like elephants and hippos.
There are many dangerous __________ in the world. But the most dangerous one of all is the __________ being.
ESL discussion questions
Talk about the esl story.
- What is your favorite animal and why?
- Are there any dangerous animals in your country?
- What is the cutest animal in the world?
- Why, do you think, hippos kill so many people?
- Which animal gives humans the most help?
- Which animal makes the best pet?
Synonym match
MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.
1. disease 2. poison 3. cute 4. attack 5. scary | a. adorable b. frightening c. illness d. venom e. charge |
ESL listening activity: anagrams
MOVE THE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM THE ESL LISTENING STORY.
- UDESGONAR
- PRHSA
- NOPSOI
- EASEIDS
- SEGRATN
- LTISHAOP
Writing practice
Write the five sentences. Put the words in the correct order.
- mostly / in / dangerous / mosquitoes / The / Africa / live
- their / in / humans / are / and / other / animals / babies / attack / danger / Hippos / will / if
- That / a / malaria / causes / disease / called / bug
- and / elephants / Crocodiles / like / hippos / attack / animals / big / will
- that / a / poison / sick / people / Cobras / makes / have
Another ESL listening story
Try this free English lesson about a famous food. Learn how the simple red pepper travelled the world and became part of food culture in almost every country.
Wacth and take notes
Did you like this ESL listening lesson based on dangerous animals? Click to watch a short video about playful animals near Tofino, British Columbia, Canada – and take notes.
- Watch the video.
- Take notes.
- Make a list of at least seven facts.
Get the worksheet
Want to print out these ESL listening activities? Click to download the PDF worksheet about animals.
Click to see the answers for this ESL listening story about deadly aninmals.
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