fable

The Bunyip: Australia’s Water Monster

Explore the mysterious legend of the Bunyip, Australia's famous water monster, in this B1 level English reading activity.

Title

Seo_intro

Explore the mysterious legend of the Bunyip, Australia's famous water monster, in this B1 level English reading activity.

Reading Text

In Australia, the most famous legendary creature is the Bunyip. The name comes from the Aboriginal language and means 'spirit' or 'devil.' According to ancient stories, the Bunyip lives in deep water, such as swamps, billabongs (small lakes), and rivers. People describe the Bunyip in many different ways. Some say it looks like a giant dog with a round face, while others say it looks like a walrus or a large bird. However, everyone agrees on one thing: it makes a terrifying, booming sound at night that can be heard for miles. In the 1800s, European settlers in Australia were very afraid of the Bunyip. They found strange bones in the mud and believed they belonged to the monster. Scientists today think that the legend might have started from real animals. Long ago, Australia had giant animals that are now extinct, like the Diprotodon. It is possible that ancient people saw these animals and created the story of the Bunyip to warn children to stay away from dangerous, deep water. Even now, if you visit a quiet Australian lake at night, the legend of the Bunyip still makes people feel a little nervous.

Activities

Vocabulary

Definitions:

Text: A flat-headed, four-legged animal that no longer exists.
Text: People who move to a new area to live there permanently.
Text: Very old; belonging to a time long ago.
Text: A type of small, still lake or watering hole in Australia.
Text: No longer in existence; having no living members.
Text: An area of low-lying, uncultivated ground where water collects.
Text: Causing extreme fear; very scary.
Text: A large, heavy sea mammal with long tusks.
Text: An animal that is part of a legend or myth.
Text: A loud, deep, and resonant noise.

Items:

Label: legendary creature
Answer: I
Label: ancient
Answer: C
Label: swamps
Answer: F
Label: billabongs
Answer: D
Label: walrus
Answer: H
Label: terrifying
Answer: G
Label: booming
Answer: J
Label: settlers
Answer: B
Label: extinct
Answer: E
Label: Diprotodon
Answer: A

Fill In The Blanks:

Before: The dragon is a famous
After: in many cultures.
Answer: legendary creature
Before: Archaeologists study
After: cities to learn about the past.
Answer: ancient
Before: Many unique birds live in the wet
After: of the region.
Answer: swamps
Before: In the Outback, you can find small lakes called
After: .
Answer: billabongs
Before: The animal looks like a
After: because it has large tusks.
Answer: walrus
Before: The movie was so
After: that I couldn't sleep.
Answer: terrifying
Before: We heard a
After: voice coming from the dark cave.
Answer: booming
Before: The early
After: built small houses near the river.
Answer: settlers
Before: The dodo is an example of an
After: bird.
Answer: extinct
Before: The
After: was a giant marsupial from the past.
Answer: Diprotodon

Scrambled:

Text: to be generated
Answer: The Bunyip lives in deep water.
Text: to be generated
Answer: It makes a terrifying booming sound.
Text: to be generated
Answer: Settlers were very afraid of it.
Text: to be generated
Answer: They found strange bones in mud.
Text: to be generated
Answer: The legend might start from real animals.

Comprehension

Questions:

Text: What does the word 'Bunyip' mean in the Aboriginal language?
Options:
- Water monster
- Spirit or devil
- Ancient giant
- Deep swamp
Answer: Spirit or devil
Text: Where does the Bunyip usually live according to stories?
Options:
- On top of mountains
- Inside dark caves
- In deep water like billabongs
- In the dry desert
Answer: In deep water like billabongs
Text: What is the one thing everyone agrees on regarding the Bunyip?
Options:
- It has purple fur
- It makes a terrifying booming sound
- It can fly over rivers
- It eats only fish
Answer: It makes a terrifying booming sound
Text: The European settlers found bones and believed they were from the Bunyip.
Answer: true
Text: Scientists believe the Bunyip legend is definitely 100% fake and not based on real animals.
Answer: false

Written Expression

Questions:

Text: Do you have any legendary monsters or creatures in your country? Describe one.
Text: Why do you think parents tell scary stories to children about deep water?

Examples:

In my country, we have the 'Chupacabra' which is a small creature that attacks animals.
Parents tell these stories to make sure children are careful and don't drown.