Real or Fake #30

(1) Read the story. (2) Tell the story in your own words. (3) Ask the questions.
Koala Drop
Every New Year’s Eve, Australians flock to the world’s largest koala sanctuary in Brisbane for the annual “Koala Drop.” The crowd gathers around a large eucalyptus tree and counts down to midnight—but instead of a ball drop like in New York, a rescued koala is gently placed among the branches. Spectators watch eagerly: if the koala climbs up, good fortune awaits in the New Year; if it climbs down, challenges lie ahead.

Koalas are famously sedentary, so the decision can take a while, and fireworks are held off until that moment. In 2016, the crowd waited nearly four hours. But the suspense is part of the charm—people eat, drink, sing, dance, and play games under the stars, while waiting on the slowest fortune-teller imaginable to ring in the New Year.
Comprehension Questions
  1. Where does the Koala Drop take place?
  2. What does it mean if the koala climbs up? And if it climbs down?
  3. How long did the crowd wait in 2016?
Discussion Questions
  1. What do you know about koalas?
  2. Would you like to attend the Koala Drop party?
  3. If you were the koala, which way would you go?
  4. What is your prediction for the New Year?

 

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