The Secret Superpowers of Fungi — B1-B2 Interactive English Lesson
Video lesson + interactive tasks with instant checking.
Glossary: Key Vocabulary
STAGE 1
Before watching, review the words that will help you understand the video.
- species — a group of living organisms that can breed with each other
- cryptic organism — a living thing that is hidden or difficult to detect
- dark matter — mysterious substance in space that we cannot see but know exists
- ancestor — a distant relative from whom one is descended
- guild — a group of species that use the same resources in a similar way
- chitin — a tough material found in exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans, and in fungal cell walls
- cellulose — a substance that makes up the cell walls of plants
- phosphorus — a chemical element important for plant nutrition
- nitrogen — a gas that makes up most of Earth's atmosphere, essential for life
- carbon — a chemical element found in all living things
- toxin — a poisonous substance produced by living organisms
- radiation — energy that travels in waves or particles, can be harmful
Prediction: What Is the Video About?
STAGE 2
Using the new words, choose the most likely topic of the video.
1) What will the video most likely explain?
First Watch: Listening for Gist
STAGE 3
Watch the video once. Do not pause the video. Focus on the general idea.
1) Choose the best summary of the video.
Second Watch: Listening for Details
STAGE 4
Watch the video again. Focus on details. You may pause if necessary.
True / False
1) Scientists routinely find fungal DNA that doesn't match any known species.
2) Fungi are more closely related to plants than to animals.
3) The cell walls of fungi are made of cellulose, just like plants.
4) Fungi first appeared on Earth over 1 billion years ago.
5) Some fungi can survive and even feed on radiation in nuclear disaster zones.
6) All fungi feed exclusively by decomposing dead matter.
Multiple Choice
1) What material makes up the cell walls of fungi?
2) What did scientists mistakenly classify fungi as for centuries?
3) What pigment helps some fungi survive radiation?
4) What role do ectomycorrhizal fungi play?
5) What surprising ability did Cryptococcus neoformans show on the International Space Station?
Vocabulary Practice
STAGE 5
Match Words and Pictures
TASK 1
Tap a word, then tap an image. Listen and pronounce.
Match Words and Definitions
TASK 2
Tap a word, then tap the correct definition.
Fill in the Gaps
TASK 3
Tap a word, then tap a gap. Wrong answers won't be placed. Tap a filled gap to clear it.
Spelling Challenge
TASK 4
Build the English words from letters. No repeats until all words are practiced.
Final Vocabulary Test
STAGE 6
Complete the final test. Navigate with buttons.