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This column is for self-study or classroom use and gives guided help with reading the wide variety of writing styles and topics that appear as feature articles in the Bangkok Post. The lessons include background information, skill-building practice and vocabulary explanations. September 12, 2006 Freak accident INTRODUCTION

A "freak accident" is a very unusual accident, one that you would never expect to happen. That seems to be only way to describe the events leading to the death of famous Australian naturalist and television star Steve Irwin last week. First of all, he was supposed to be far out at sea filming a documentary for adults, but bad weather put an end to that plan. Instead, he went into shallower water to do a second film for children that was to feature his own eight-year-old daughter, Bindi. Secondly, while stingrays may look fierce, they seldom attack, much less kill people. As you read the story, find out how many other people are thought to have been killed by a stingray. It's not very many. Notice that the story even uses the word "placid" to describe the stingray's normal behaviour. The story will give you the specific detail's of the popular Australian's death and a few details of his career. It ends with some reaction to the tragic loss of a celebrity, a husband and a father. Questions Look at these questions before you read the article. 1. What was Steve Irwin doing when he was killed? 2. Do stingrays normally attack people? 3. How many fatal stingray attacks had been recorded in Australia before Steve Irwin was killed? 4. What was Steve Irwin's catchphrase? 5. Which television channel did Steve's documentaries appear on? Teacher's notes Since many students are likely know of Steve Irwin and will have heard, seen or read news reports of his death, this story should be relatively easy for them to understand. Before the students read the article, you might begin with a short discussion to find out what the students know about the tragic events. Challenge them to use the story to improve their descriptions of what happened.

OUR STORY FROM THE BANGKOK POST Crocodile Hunter killed by stingray Steve Irwin, known around the world as 'the Crocodile Hunter', was famous for tangling with dangerous animals.— EPA Sydney - Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian naturalist who won worldwide acclaim as TV's khaki-clad "Crocodile Hunter", was killed by a stingray barb through the heart while filming a new documentary yesterday. Irwin, 44, tangled with some of the world's most dangerous animals but he died in an extremely rare attack by a normally placid sea creature while he was diving on a reef off Port Douglas in northern Queensland. "He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," Irwin's shocked manager John Stainton told reporters in Cairns, south of Port Douglas. A helicopter rushed paramedics to the nearby Low Isles, where Irwin was taken for treatment, but he was dead before they arrived, emergency officials said. "It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," Dr Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin, told Nine Network television. "He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing," he said. Irwin's death was likely only the third recorded fatal stingray attack in Australia, experts said. They said stingray venom was agonisingly painful but not lethal, although the barb was capable of causing horrific injuries like a knife or bayonet. "It's not the going in, it's the coming out," Australian Venom Research Unit deputy director Dr Bryan Fry said. "They have these deep serrations which tear and render the flesh as it comes out," he said. Known around the world for his catchphrase "Crikey" during close encounters with wild animals, Irwin made almost 50 documentaries, which appeared on the cable TV channel Animal Planet. He became a virtual global industry generating books, interactive games and even toy action figures. "I really do feel Australia has lost a wonderful and colourful son. He brought immense joy to millions of people, particularly to children, and it's just such a terrible loss," Australian Prime Minister John Howard told reporters. REUTERS quirky rather odd or unpredictable in appearance, character or behaviour barb a very sharp, curved point tangle with fight with reef a long line of rocks or sand in the sea penetrating passing or cutting through a surface pulse the regular beating of blood through your body fatal causing death venom poison found in some creatures such as snakes or spiders lethal able to kill people or animals bayonet a long, sharp blade that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon. serrations series of sharp points like those found on a saw render to melt away virtual nearly the same as Answers 1. He was filming a new documentary. 2. No, they are normally placid creatures. 3. Two 4. "Crikey!" 5. Animal Planet Read our other instant lesson here. Return to our home page. | © The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2006 | Last modified: September 8, 2006