Listen Up: Tragic train accident in Sri Lanka claims lives of 7 elephants

2. How many elephants were killed in the train accident?
A. five
B. seven
C. 17
D. 20

3. Why is the railway company clearing the shrubs?
A. to plant tree
B. to build new stations
C. to allow drivers to see better
D. to make space for the elephants to cross

4. How many passengers were hurt in the train accident?
A. one
B. three
C. seven
D. none

5. What can power-set trains do, according to the podcast?
A. stop faster
B. carry more passengers
C. run without a driver
D. travel longer distances

6. If a train service is “disrupted”, it is ...
A. repaired.
B. improved.
C. stopped.
D. unaffected.

7. What is the punishment for harming elephants in Sri Lanka?
A. a US$700 fine
B. imprisonment of at least one year
C. confiscation of the attacker’s house
D. information not given

8. According to the podcast, why are elephants important in Sri Lanka?
A. They protect the villagers.
B. They are part of a religious culture.
C. They are used for transport.
D. They are a major tourist attraction.

9. How do the elephants cause problems for farmers?
A. They destroy their crops.
B. They destroy their houses.
C. They spread diseases.
D. They attack young children.

10. What do some people put inside fruits to chase the elephants away?
A. chilli
B. essential oils
C. explosives
D. poison

11. What steps have been taken to prevent more elephants’ deaths, according to the podcast? Tick the correct answers. (4 marks)

• planted crops that elephants avoid

• filled gaps between train tracks

• rehomed all elephants that lived near tracks

• made fewer trains run at night

• put up lights along tracks

• educated all train drivers and passengers

• installed motion sensors on tracks

1. D
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. B
9. A
10. C
11. filled gaps between train tracks; made fewer trains run at night; put up solar lights along tracks; installed motion sensors on tracks

Adapted from Agence France-Presse

Voice 1: Last month, Sri Lanka’s wildlife and railway authorities announced a series of measures to enhance safety after a tragic accident that resulted in the deaths of seven elephants. The new measures include adjusting train timetables to minimise nighttime collisions. The incident occurred on February 20, when an express train struck the elephants near a wildlife reserve in Habarana, located approximately 180km east of Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo. This marks the worst wildlife-related accident of its kind in the country’s history.

Voice 2: Authorities said they had identified vulnerable stretches of railway tracks in elephant-inhabited forest areas in the island’s northern and eastern regions, and mitigation measures were already under way. Railway spokesman VS Polwattage said the company had started clearing shrubs on both sides of the tracks to allow drivers to see nearby herds more clearly. He said fewer trains were being operated at night in areas prone to accidents involving wildlife.

Voice 1: Authorities are also deploying power-set trains with better braking power to minimise collisions. No passengers were injured in the February 20 incident, but services were disrupted for almost a day.

Voice 2: Wildlife Conservation director, Manjula Amararathna, said authorities had also begun filling gaps between sleepers, which are the logs in parallel under the rail. This prevents elephants from getting stuck if they attempt to escape approaching trains. According to Amararathna, solar-powered lights are used to illuminate the tracks. Motion sensors are also being installed to alert drivers to wild animals on the tracks. He said 138 elephants had been killed by trains in the past 17 years.

Voice 1: Early this year, the government announced that 1,195 people and 3,484 animals had been killed in a decade because of the island’s worsening conflict between humans and elephants. Killing or harming elephants is a criminal offence in Sri Lanka. The nation has an estimated 7,000 wild elephants, and they are considered a national treasure partly because of their significance in Buddhist culture.

Voice 2: However, the killings continue as desperate farmers struggle with elephants raiding their crops and destroying their livelihoods. Many elephants have been electrocuted, shot and poisoned. Sometimes, explosive-laden fruits are used to maim the animals, often resulting in painful deaths.