Breaking News English

Level: Harder (Try the easier lesson.)

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Audio: (1:47 - 209.7 KB - 16kbps)

THE ARTICLE

The leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has reportedly been injured during clashes with American troops. The Jordanian-born fugitive is number one on America’s “most wanted” list of insurgents in Iraq. He is reputed to have masterminded many of the devastating suicide bombings against coalition and Iraqi forces. He is, supposedly, also the brains behind numerous kidnappings, beheadings and assassinations. It was reported earlier this month that he had called for an escalation in the use of car bombs against military targets. The U.S. placed a $25-million bounty on the head of Zarqawi, which matches that offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden.

WARM-UPS

1. IN HIDING: In pairs / groups, speculate about how a wanted and wounded man in Iraq, being hunted by American special forces, might hide. His photograph is never out of the newspapers. What kind of lifestyle does he have? What does he do every day? How does he get his injuries treated? Who can he talk to? Can he go shopping or take a bus?

2. MY IRAQ HISTORY: Talk with your partner about your interest in Iraq. Try to create a timeline of your interest. When did you first hear of Iraq? For how long have you followed news of Iraq? Did you avidly follow the war in Iraq and Saddam’s capture? Are you still interested? Do you keep up with the news? What things have made you angriest or saddest? Have your opinions on America’s involvement in Iraq changed?

3. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Al-Qaeda / Abu Musab al-Zarqawi / fugitives / US-led coalition / Iraq / kidnappings / car bombs / $25-million reward  / Osama bin Laden / mujahideen / Holy War

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

4. AL-QAEDA: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with Al-Qaeda. Share your words with your partner / group and talk about them.

5. ZARQAWI OPINIONS: In pairs / groups, decide which of these opinion you agree with. Discuss how much truth there is in each one.

1. Zarqawi is a freedom fighter, not a terrorist.
2. US forces will soon capture Zarqawi.
3. Zarqawi should be sentenced to death for the blood on his hands.
4. Zarqawi will continue to evade capture, like his leader Osama bin Laden.
5. The death of Zarqawi would elevate him to martyrdom.
6. The capture of Zarqawi would break the Iraqi resistance.
7. I would give the US Government any information they wanted for $25 million.
8. The American-led coalition will wipe out all insurgency by the end of this year.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

WHILE READING / LISTENING

SYNONYM FILL: There are six gaps in the article. There are six groups of synonyms below the article. Place the number of the synonym group in the correct gap (It is not important to guess a correct word - any of the synonyms from each group could be put into the relevant gap).

Al-Qaeda’s Zarqawi wounded in Iraq

The leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has reportedly been injured during ______ with American troops. The Jordanian-born fugitive is number one on America’s “most wanted” list of insurgents in Iraq. He is reputed to have masterminded many of the devastating suicide bombings against coalition and Iraqi forces. He is, supposedly, also the brains behind numerous kidnappings, beheadings and assassinations. It was reported earlier this month that he had called for an ______ in the use of car bombs against military targets. The U.S. placed a $25-million bounty on the head of Zarqawi, which matches that offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden.

Information is still too thin on the ground to ______ exactly how Zarqawi was wounded. A statement posted on the website of the Al-Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq called on followers to pray for his recovery “from an injury he suffered while serving in the command of God.” The statement read: “You are the beloved of the Mujahideen [holy fighters]…may God heal you and make you ______”. The website used his injuries to ______ militants for an intensification of attacks: “The injury of our leader is an honor for us. It heightens our motivation to tighten the net on all enemies of God and step up our attacks against them.”

AFTER READING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘suicide’ and ‘bomb’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. SYNONYM FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers and talk about the words in the lists of synonyms. Which were unknown / are interesting?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT IRAQ SURVEY: In pairs / groups write down questions about the conflict / political situation in Iraq.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make a mini-presentation to another group / the class on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

 DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. Were you interested by the headline of this article?
2. What was your initial reaction upon seeing the headline?
3. Do you like reading about Iraq?
4. What do you know about Zarqawi?
5. What adjective would you use to describe him?
6. Is he as important a capture as Osama bin Laden?
7. What do you think of the term “Holy War”?
8. Where do you think the situation is Iraq is heading?
9. Do you think Iraq will ever be a stable democracy?
10. When do you think coalition forces should pull out of Iraq?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading the article?
2. What did you think of this news?
3. Have your feelings changed about Iraq since the initial invasion?
4. What do you think should happen to Zarqawi?
5. How do you think he has evaded capture for so long?
6. What impact do you think his death or capture would have in Iraq?
7. George W. Bush says things in Iraq are moving in the right direction. What do you think?
8. Terrorist attacks around the world escalated three-fold last year. Is the war on terror being won?
9. Would you betray your dearest friend for a $25 million bounty?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What question would you like to ask about this topic?
2. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
3. Was there a question you didn’t like?
4. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
5. What did you like talking about?
6. Do you want to know how anyone else answered the questions?
7. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

IRAQ DEBATE: In pairs / groups, prepare the arguments that you will need in a debate on Iraq. In column 1, write down your reasons for supporting your argument. In column 2, write down weaknesses in your arguments and ideas to refute them. In column 3, write down your opponents’ arguments. In column 4, write down weaknesses in your opponent’s argument.

• Pair(s) Team(s) A: The US-led coalition should pull out of Iraq within the next month.
• Pair(s) Team(s) B: The US-led coalition should stay in Iraq indefinitely.

After the debates, talk with your partner / group about how the discussions went. Which student(s) argued well? What did you learn? Did you hear anything that changed your opinions on Iraq? Did you agree with what you were saying? Do you think you debated well? Were you happy with how the debate ended?

LANGUAGE / WRITING

MY NEWS STORY:

In pairs / groups, write your own story using the following language from this lesson’s news article. Put your own words in the spaces.

MY PRESS: The leader of _____________________________ has reportedly been injured during __________________________. The ________-born fugitive is number one on ________ “most wanted” list of _____________. He is reputed to have masterminded ______________________ against __________________. He is, supposedly, also the brains behind _____________________________. It was reported earlier this month that he had called for ______________________________. Authorities placed a ____________ on the head of _______________ for _________________________________.
 

Information is still ________________________ to verify exactly how __________________________. A statement posted on the website of ___________________________________ called on followers to _________________________. The statement read: “_______________________________”. The website used ______________ to ______________________: “________________________________________________________.”

• Read your news reports to another partner group. Ask them what they think.
• With a new partner / group, correct each other’s writing. Make suggestions for a better story.
• Pretend you are real reporters. Ask each other questions about your stories

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

Al-Qaeda’s Zarqawi wounded in Iraq

The leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has ___________ ____ _______ during clashes with American troops. The Jordanian-born fugitive is number one on America’s “most wanted”
____ __ _________ in Iraq. He is reputed to have masterminded many of the ____________ _______ ________ against coalition and Iraqi forces. He is, supposedly, also the brains behind numerous kidnappings, beheadings and assassinations. It was reported earlier this month that he had called for an __________ __ ___ ____ of car bombs against military targets. The U.S. placed a $25-million bounty on the head of Zarqawi, which matches that offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden.

Information is still ___ ____ __ ___ ______ to verify exactly how Zarqawi was wounded. A statement posted on the website of the Al-Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq ______ __ ________ to pray for his recovery “from an injury he suffered while serving in the command of God.” The statement read: “You ___ ___ ________ ___ the Mujahideen [holy fighters]…may God heal you and make you steadfast”. The website used his injuries to rally militants for an intensification of attacks: “The injury of our leader is an honor for us. It _________ ___ _________ to tighten the net on all enemies of God and step up our attacks against them.”

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find information on Abu Musab Zarqawi. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson.

3. IRAQ: Write an essay about what you think should happen in Iraq over the next year. Compare your ideas with your classmates’ ideas in your next lesson.

4. REPORT: Write an assessment of the situation in Iraq from the initial invasion to the present day. Focus on the positive and negative aspects. Show your assessment to your classmates in your next lesson.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

SYNONYM MATCH:

PHRASE MATCH:

SYNONYM FILL:

Al-Qaeda’s Zarqawi wounded in Iraq

The leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has reportedly been injured during --2-- with American troops. The Jordanian-born fugitive is number one on America’s “most wanted” list of insurgents in Iraq. He is reputed to have masterminded many of the devastating suicide bombings against coalition and Iraqi forces. He is, supposedly, the –-5-- behind numerous kidnappings, beheadings and assassinations. It was reported earlier this month that he had called for an --4-- in the use of car bombs against military targets. The U.S. placed a $25-million bounty on the head of Zarqawi, which matches that offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden.

Information is still too thin on the ground to --1-- exactly how Zarqawi was wounded. A statement posted on the website of the Al-Qaeda Organization for Holy War in Iraq called on followers to pray for his recovery “from an injury he suffered while serving in the command of God.” The statement read: “You are the beloved of the Mujahideen [holy fighters]…may God heal you and make you --5--”. The website used his injuries to --3-- militants for an intensification of attacks: “The injury of our leader is an honor for us. It heightens our motivation to tighten the net on all enemies of God and step up our attacks against them.”