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10 Sept 2026
Here, off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal, on October 29, 2020, Sebastian Steudtner set a record for the tallest wave ever surfed. That wave was 26.21 meters (85.99 feet) tall. SOPA Images Limited/Alamy
Meet the World's Biggest Waves and Their Ocean Mysteries
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) A gigantic wave that hit a bay in Alaska
b) A shark swimming in a river
c) A space rocket landing in the water
Ask:
(1) Have you ever seen big waves at the beach?
(2) Would you like to ride a surfboard on a high wave?
VOCABULARY
ocean (/ˈəʊʃn/, noun)
Meaning: A very large area of salt water that covers most of the Earth.
Example: Look at the blue water in the ocean.
wave (/weɪv/, noun)
Meaning: A line of water that moves across the top of the sea.
Example: The wave splashes on the soft sand.
surfer (/ˈsɜːfə/, noun)
Meaning: A person who stands on a board to ride on sea waves.
Example: The brave surfer stands on his long board.
coast (/kəʊst/, noun)
Meaning: The land that is next to the ocean.
Example: We walk on the bright yellow coast.
canyon (/ˈkænjən/, noun)
Meaning: A deep valley with very steep sides of rock.
Example: The deep canyon sits under the sea water.
earthquake (/ˈɜːθkweɪk/, noun)
Meaning: A sudden strong shaking of the ground.
Example: The big earthquake makes the land shake fast.
The ocean has huge waves. Wind blows over the water to make waves. Some waves are small and calm. Other waves are giant walls of water!
In Portugal, surfers ride high water. A deep canyon sits under the sea. It pushes the water up fast. People watch from the land. It looks like magic!
In Alaska, a strong earthquake happened a long time ago. Heavy rocks fell down a hill into the sea. This made the biggest wave in history. It cleared trees off the land!
Scientists study these giant waves today. They use computers to see how water moves. They want to help people stay safe near the coast. The deep sea is full of fun mysteries!
BlueRingMedia/Shutterstock
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(1) Why do people like to watch surfers ride huge waves?
(2) Would you like to visit a town with big ocean waves?
(3) How do you feel when you hear about an earthquake?
(4) What is your favourite thing to do at the beach?
(5) Why is it important to stay safe near the sea?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: canyon, earthquake, ocean, surfer
The _______(1) has huge waves. Wind blows over the water to make waves. Some waves are small and calm. Other waves are giant walls of water!
In Portugal, surfers ride high water. A deep _______(2) sits under the sea. It pushes the water up fast. People watch from the land. It looks like magic!
In Alaska, a strong _______(3) happened a long time ago. Heavy rocks fell down a hill into the sea. This made the biggest wave in history. It cleared trees off the land!
Scientists study these giant waves today. They use computers to see how water moves. They want to help people stay safe near the coast. A brave _______(4) can ride giant water. The deep sea is full of fun mysteries!
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this story?
a) How scientists build big boats for the ocean
b) Why giant waves form and how scientists study them
c) How to catch small fish near the shore
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
(1) In Portugal, a deep underwater canyon helps make huge waves. T/F
(2) The biggest wave in history happened because a plane landed in Alaska. T/F
(3) Scientists use computers to learn how water moves. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these story events in order from 1 to 3:
( ) Rocks fell into the water in Alaska after an earthquake.
( ) Water moves over deep canyons in Portugal to make tall waves.
( ) Scientists study computer models to help keep coastal areas safe.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
(1) ocean
(2) surfer
(3) earthquake
(4) coast
(5) canyon
a) A person who rides waves on a board
b) A sudden shaking of the ground
c) A deep valley with steep sides
d) A very large area of salt water
e) Land that is next to the ocean
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
(1) Surfers love to ride huge water __________.
a) waves
b) rocks
(2) An earthquake can make land __________.
a) shake
b) sleep
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
(1) Put the words in order:
A) ocean / B) Has / C) The / D) waves / E) huge
(2) Put the words in order:
A) study / B) Scientists / C) water / D) big / E) waves
ANSWER KEY
Warm Up Choice: a
Section 1 Answers:
(1) ocean
(2) canyon
(3) earthquake
(4) surfer
Section 2 Answer: b
Section 3 Answers:
(1) T
(2) F
(3) T
Section 4 Answers: 2, 1, 3
Section 5 Answers:
(1) d
(2) a
(3) b
(4) e
(5) c
Section 6 Answers:
(1) a
(2) a
Section 7 Answers:
(1) C-A-B-E-D (The ocean has huge waves)
(2) B-A-D-C-E (Scientists study big water waves)
Section 8 Sample Guidance: Check that students express simple thoughts using target words like ocean, wave, or safe.
Thank you for your feedback!