The night-walkers of Uganda

Cockroach notes
4,500 cockroach species are known, but 
there may be at least twice as many species 
not yet discovered around the world. 
Although people some people think that 
cockroaches would be the only survivors of 
nuclear war (because they 15 times more 
resistant to radiation than humans), other 
insects such as fruit flies can survive even 
higher doses of radiation.
A cockroach can live without a head for 
several weeks before it starves to death; the 
head by itself can survive several hours.
The world’s largest species of cockroach is the 
wingless Australian rhinoceros (Macropanesthia 
rhinoceros), it weighs up to 33.5 gms and can 
measure up to 90 mm in length.
© Guardian News & Media 2008
First published in The Guardian, 22/02/08
•
•
•
•
The Turkmen cockroach
Level 1
Elementary
1
2
3
4
5
8
6
7
9
10
11
305

---

The Turkmen cockroach
Level 1
Elementary
Comprehension check
3
Join the sentence halves to re-tell the story.
a) A cockroach ran across...
... the state TV channel.
b) Ministry officials knew nothing until...
... the cockroach incident funny.
c) The news bulletin, with the cockroach, was shown again on TV...
... the newsreader’s desk on live television.
d) The president did not find...
... international image.
e) The president sacked 30 staff at...
... the same evening.
f) Turkmenistan wants to improve its...
... opera and ballet performances.
g) Turkmenistan has built a new multibillion pound tourist resort at...
... the next morning.
h) Turkmens can now go to Internet cafes and...
... the Caspian Sea.