The Philippines hit by a typhoon - again!
(Level: Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate / B1 to B2 / ** to ***)

Aerial view of a town devastated by Typhoon Haiyan (8 November 2013)
Photo credit: darkroom.baltimoresun.com

In 2013 the Philippines was hit by a typhoon. Just one year later, another one has just destroyed or damaged shanty houses that had just been repaired or rebuilt from last year's disaster.

You are going to watch a BBC report focusing on the situation in Tacloban where thousands of people died last year. This year, fortunately, nobody seems to have died there. 

Map credit: ideacenter.org

Before watching:


The following words could be useful:
pretty (+ adjective): very / quite / rather        très / plutôt
for 12 hours solid: for almost 12 hours        pendant près de 12 heures
to howl (for the wind): to make a wailing noise             hurler  
to shred: to tear (into fragments)       déchiqueter  
a tarpaulin: a sheet or piece of waterproofed canvas       une bâche
shanty homes: shacks / ramshackle; roughly-built homes      baraques délabrées... / baraques de bidonville
a storm surge: a tidal wave         raz-de-marée   
the remnants: what's left over / what remains         restes / vestiges

A large ship stranded by Typhoon Haiyan
Photo credit: www.lefigaro.fr

While watching:

Answer the following question in French:

How was the situation in 2014 different from the one in 2013 in the Philippines and more specifically in the Tacloban area? 

You can also watch the video on the BBC site by clicking HERE







When you are finished, you can check your answers:

- Le typhon a été moins puissant et moins destructeur que celui de 2013!

- Pas de morts à déplorer cette année (du moins à ce stade et dans la région de Tacloban):      pourquoi?

            - Les habitants avaient fui les zones exposées (évacuations)
            - Aucun raz-de-marée, contrairement à l'an passé!