My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book

Breaking News English

HOME  |  HELP MY SITE  |  000s MORE FREE LESSONS
 
My 1,000
Ideas
e-Book
 
40+ activities
 PRINT  LISTEN  READ  GRAMMAR  SPELL  WORDS


* 26-page lesson
    (40 exercises)

 

* 2-page MINI lesson
    (PDF)

* MP3 (UK male)

* MP3 (USA female)

* MP3 (20 questions)

* Listen & spell

* Dictation -
    (10 sentences)

* Speed Reading
    (100 - 300 wpm)

* Text jumble 15

* Text jumble 24

* No spaces

* Text Jumble

* Grammar gap-fill

* Articles gap-fill

* Prepositions

* Word order

* Consonants

* Vowels

* Missing letters

* Initials only

* No letters

* Word pairs

* Missing words

* Gap-fill

Google boss tells N. Korea to use Internet (12th January, 2013)

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to open up its Internet to join the rest of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and secretive countries in the world. Only a few of its citizens have Internet access, but that is strictly controlled by the government. Almost no one can access the World Wide Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to end its isolation so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."


 

The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticised it and said it was "unhelpful". The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons programme. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it was an important world country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint, they may think this is also an opportunity to make some money for the regime."

Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/googles-schmidt-calls-on-north-korea-to-end-internet-ban/2013/01/10/09cb7bae-5b0d-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html
http://www.voanews.com/content/google-chairman-urgers-n-korea-on-internet-freedom/1581083.html


 
 

WARM-UPS

1. NORTH KOREA: Walk around the class and talk to other students about North Korea. Change partners often and share your findings.

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

 

chairman / Internet / secretive / strictly / isolation / connected / physical world / unhelpful / nuclear weapons / human rights / entrepreneurs / regime / opportunity

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. INTERNET: How useful is it? Complete this table with your partner(s). Give each thing a score (10 = most useful). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Usefulness

Why?

Mail

 

 

Search

 

 

Shopping

 

 

News

 

 

Studying

 

 

Travelling

 

 

4. BEST INVENTION: Students A strongly believe the Internet is the best invention ever; Students B strongly believe it isn't.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.



MY e-BOOK
See a sample

5. SITES: What are your favourites? Rank these and share your rankings with your partner. Put the best at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • news sites
  • sports sites
  • English study sites
  • shopping sites
  • social network sites
  • blogs
  • gaming sites
  • music sites

6. GOOGLE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word 'Google'. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

Eric Schmidt is not the chairman of the company Google.

T / F

b.

Not many people in North Korea have access to the Internet.

T / F

c.

Schmidt wants N. Korea to end its isolation so N.Koreans can be richer.

T / F

d.

Schmidt said N. Korea could be a strong economy without the Internet.

T / F

e.

The U.S. government sent Schmidt to N. Korea to give advice.

T / F

f.

An expert said N. Korea feels more important after Schmidt's trip.

T / F

g.

The article quotes a reporter from the Voice of Korea news agency.

T / F

h.

N. Korea's leaders think they have the chance to make some money.

T / F

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

1.

asked

a.

firmly

2.

secretive

b.

specialist

3.

strictly

c.

visit

4.

isolation

d.

tight-lipped

5.

growth

e.

government

6.

trip

f.

requested

7.

end

g.

progress

8.

expert

h.

business executives

9.

entrepreneurs

i.

lack of contact

10.

regime

j.

finish

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

join the rest

a.

increasingly connected

2.

one of the most closed

b.

its best

3.

no one can access

c.

up economically

4.

the world is becoming

d.

entrepreneurs

5.

make it hard for them to catch

e.

of the world

6.

The White House is doing

f.

some money

7.

human

g.

the World Wide Web

8.

successful

h.

rights

9.

rom the North Korean

i.

and secretive countries

10.

an opportunity to make

j.

viewpoint

 

GAP FILL

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to (1) ____________ up its Internet to join the rest of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and (2) ____________ countries in the world. Only a few of its citizens have Internet access, but that is (3) ____________ controlled by the government. Almost no one can (4) ____________ the World Wide Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to (5) ____________ its isolation so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their (6) ____________ to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic (7) ____________, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to (8) ____________ up economically."

 

 

 

end
access
growth
secretive
catch
open
decision
strictly

The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticised it and said it was "(9) ____________". The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans to end its (10) ____________ weapons programme. One (11) ____________ believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the (12) ____________ it was an important world country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits from  (13) ____________ officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are going to help to raise the (14) ____________ of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean (15) ____________, they may think this is also an opportunity to (16) ____________ some money for the regime."

 

 

senior
make
nuclear
viewpoint
unhelpful
feeling
profile
expert

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

asked North Korea to open up its Internet ______

 

a.  to join the rest of the world
b.  to joint the rest of the world
c.  to join the rest for the world
d.  to join the rest of a world

2)

one of the most closed ______ in the world

 

a.  and secrets countries
b.  and secreted countries
c.  and secretly countries
d.  and secretive countries

3)

strictly ______ the government.

 

a.  controlled at
b.  controlled buy
c.  controlled by
d.  controls by

4)

______ becoming increasingly connected

 

a.  Has the world is
b.  As the world is
c.  Was the world is
d.  Is the world is

5)

.It will make it hard for them to ______

 

a.  catch up economically
b.  throw up economically
c.  get up economically
d.  be up economically

6)

The U.S. government ______ Mr Schmidt's trip.

 

a.  was not unhappy about
b.  wasn't happy about
c.  was not happy, but
d.  was not happy about

7)

get the North Koreans ______ weapons programme

 

a.  to mend its nuclear
b.  two ends its nuclear
c.  too to end its nuclear
d.  to end its nuclear

8)

the feeling ______ important world country.

 

a.  it is an
b.  it was an
c.  it wasn't an
d.  it was not an

9)

Visits from senior officials and ______ entrepreneurs

 

a.  extraordinaire successful
b.  extraordinary successful
c.  extraordinarily successful
d.  extra awe din airily successful

10)

an opportunity to ______ for the regime

 

a.  have some money
b.  get some money
c.  print some money
d.  make some money

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to open up its Internet (1) _____________________ the world. North Korea is one of the most closed (2) _____________________ in the world. Only a few of its citizens have Internet access, but that is (3) _____________________ the government. Almost no one can access the World Wide Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country (4) _____________________ so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their decision to be (5) _____________________ is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard (6) _____________________ economically."

The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticised it and (7) _____________________. The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans (8) _____________________ weapons programme. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it (9) _____________________ world country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits (10) _____________________ and extraordinarily (11) _____________________ are going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint, they may think this is also (12) _____________________ some money for the regime."

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

What is Eric Schmidt's job?

2.

What does Mr Schmidt want North Korea to join?

3.

How many people in North Korea can access the Internet?

4.

Why does Mr Schmidt want North Koreans to use the Internet?

5.

What will it be hard for N. Korea to do without the Internet?

6.

What word did America's government use to describe Schmidt's visit?

7.

What is the White House is doing its best to do?

8.

In which city does Greg Scarlatoiu work?

9.

What extraordinarily successful people are mentioned in the text?

10.

What might N. Korea's leaders have the chance to make?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

What is Eric Schmidt's job?

6.

How did the US government describe Schmidt's trip?

 

a) American politician
b) U.S. peacemaker
c) chairman of Google
d) America's ambassador to North
    Korea

 

a) "helpful"
b) "unhelpful"
c) "lawful"
d) "unlawful"

2.

What does Mr Schmidt want N. Korea to join?

7.

What is the White House doing to end N. Koreas weapons programme?

 

a) the rest of the world
b) Google
c) Asia
d) South Korea

 

a) its worst
b) nothing
c) very little
d) its best

3.

What (or who) controls Internet access in North Korea?

8.

Where does Greg Scarlatoiu work?

 

a) the World Wide Web
b) Eric Schmidt
c) Google
d) the government

 

a) Pyongyang
b) Washington
c) Seoul
d) Google

4.

What does Eric Schmidt want N. Korea to end?

9.

Which news agency did Greg Scarlatoiu talk to?

 

a) its own version of Google
b) its isolation
c) its Internet
d) its riches

 

a) Voice Of America
b) Voice Of Pyongyang
c) Voice Of Kim Jong-un
d) Voice Of Korea

5.

What did Eric Schmidt say it would be hard for N. Korea to do?

10.

What might N. Korea's leaders have the chance to make?

 

a) catch up legally
b) catch up technologically
c) catch up economically
d) catch up financially

 

a) friends
b) missiles
c) peace
d) money

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Eric Schmidt

You think your visit to North Korea was very important for the world. Tell the others three reasons why. You think talking is always the best thing to do. You do not agree with countries telling other countries what to do. Internet access is more important than ending N. Korea's missiles.

Role  B – Barack Obama

You are very angry with Eric Schmidt for going to N. Korea. Tell the others three reasons why. You think only the U.S. government should talk to the N. Koreans. The most important thing is to end N. Korea's missiles. Internet access is for the N. Korean government to decide. You think Google wants money.

Role  C – Kim Jong-un

As leader of North Korea, you are very happy that Eric Schmidt came to your country. Tell the others three reasons why. Barack Obama should also visit. You will neither open up the Internet in N. Korea nor end your weapons programme. You think the Internet is full bad sites and is bad for your people.

Role  D – North Korean

You are very happy that Eric Schmidt came to your country. Tell the others three reasons why. You know Schmidt only wants money for Google. You also think Barack Obama should also visit. Tell Kim Jong-un all N. Koreans want Internet access. Internet access is more important than weapons.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'Internet' and 'access'.

Internet

access

 

 

 

  • 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. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

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

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

  • open
  • few
  • controlled
  • end
  • decision
  • catch
  • happy
  • best
  • feeling
  • senior
  • raise
  • money

NORTH KOREA SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about North Korea in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

NORTH KOREA DISCUSSION

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

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the words 'Internet access'?

c)

What do you think about Google?

d)

What do you know about North Korea?

e)

Do you think Internet access is a human right?

f)

Why do you think North Korea is so closed and secretive?

g)

Would North Korea be different if all people had Internet access?

h)

What do you like most and least about the Internet?

i)

What questions would you like to ask N. Korea leader Kim Jong-un?

j)

What do you think his answers might be?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

What do you think about Eric Schmidt's visit to North Korea?

c)

What would you do without the Internet?

d)

Why was the White House unhappy about Eric Schmidt's visit?

e)

How has the Internet changed the world?

f)

What would a North Korean who knows nothing about the Internet think about it?

g)

Is North Korea an important world country? Why?

h)

Would you like to visit North Korea?

i)

What questions would you like to ask Google chairman Eric Schmidt?

j)

What do you think his answers might be?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

Copyright © www.BreakingNewsEnglish.com  2013

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

MULTIPLE CHOICE - LANGUAGE

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to open (1) ____ its Internet to join the (2) ____ of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and secretive countries in the world. Only a (3) ____ of its citizens have Internet access, but that is strictly controlled by the government. Almost no one can access the World (4) ____ Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to end its (5) ____ so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly connected, their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to (6) ____ their physical world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."

The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's (7) ____. Officials criticised it and said it was "unhelpful". The White House is doing its (8) ____ to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons programme. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the (9) ____ it was an important world country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-(10) ____  Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful (11) ____ are going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint, they may think this is also an opportunity to (12) ____ some money for the regime."

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

open

(b)

close

(c)

fill

(d)

give

2.

(a)

most

(b)

test

(c)

rest

(d)

country

3.

(a)

several

(b)

couple

(c)

few

(d)

much

4.

(a)

Width

(b)

Wider

(c)

Wild

(d)

Wide

5.

(a)

isolating

(b)

isolated

(c)

isolation

(d)

isolates

6.

(a)

effect

(b)

affect

(c)

affective

(d)

effective

7.

(a)

trap

(b)

trip

(c)

trippy

(d)

trapeze

8.

(a)

boast

(b)

best

(c)

bust

(d)

beast

9.

(a)

emotion

(b)

care

(c)

feeling

(d)

thinks

10.

(a)

biased

(b)

faces

(c)

raced

(d)

based

11.

(a)

entrepreneurial

(b)

entrepreneur

(c)

enterprise

(d)

entrepreneurs

12.

(a)

give

(b)

save

(c)

print

(d)

make

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

The aihrncam of Google

2.

closed and tericeesv

3.

end its ioatlions

4.

the world is becoming increasingly cnndotcee

5.

economic wthgor

6.

make it hard for them to catch up iocolneylmac

Paragraph 2

7.

Officials idciictrse it   (UK)    /    Officials zcirdceiit it   (USA)

8.

weapons rmgoamper   (UK)    /    weapons rgompra   (USA)

9.

human ghsitr

10.

extraordinarily seslscfuuc entrepreneurs

11.

help to raise the prieofl

12.

from the North Korean pevowntii

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

few of its citizens have Internet access, but that is strictly controlled by the government. Almost no

(    )

going to help to raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean

(    )

The U.S. government was not happy about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticised it and said it was

(    )

connected, their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical

(    )

country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told

(    )

the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are

(    )

of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and secretive countries in the world. Only a

(    )

world, their economic growth, and so forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."

(    )

programme. One expert believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it was an important world

(    )

viewpoint, they may think this is also an opportunity to make some money for the regime

1  )

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to open up its Internet to join the rest

(    )

"unhelpful". The White House is doing its best to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons

(    )

one can access the World Wide Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very important for the country to

(    )

end its isolation so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increasingly

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

to     Internet     its    up    Open    world    the    of    rest    the     join.    

2.

of     and     One     closed     most     countries     the     secretive.    

3.

have     its     few     Internet     citizens     Only     access     of     a.    

4.

its   end   to   country   the   for  important   very    was   It    isolation.

5.

will     make     it     hard     for     them     to     catch     up     It.    

6.

and     was     .     it     it     unhelpful     criticised     said     Officials

7.

was     feeling     an     world     .     it     The     country     important

8.

Human     for     Committee     Korea     North     in     Rights.    

9.

profile     regime     of     the     Raise     North     the     Korea.    

10.

an     make     also     to     money     is     opportunity     some     This.    

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

The chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, has asked North Korea to close / open up its Internet to join the rest / rested of the world. North Korea is one of the most closed and secrets / secretive countries in the world. Only a few of its citizens have Internet access / assess, but that is strictly controls / controlled by the government. Almost no one can access the World Wide Web. Mr Schmidt said it was very importance / important for the country to end its isolation / isolated so North Koreans can become richer. He said: "As the world is becoming increased / increasingly connected, their decision to be [almost totally / total] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world, their economic growth, and so fifth / forth….It will make it hard for them to catch up economically."

The U.S. government was not happy / happily about Mr Schmidt's trip. Officials criticised it and said it was "unhelpful". The White House is doing its best / boast to get the North Koreans to end its nuclear weapons programme. One expert / expertise believes Mr Schmidt's visit gave North Korea the feeling it was an importance / important world country. Greg Scarlatoiu of the Washington-biased / -based Committee for Human Rights in North Korea told / said the Voice Of America website: "Visits from senior officials and extraordinarily / extraordinary successful entrepreneurs are going to help to rise / raise the profile of the North Korea regime. Probably, from the North Korean viewpoint / scenery, they may think this is also an opportunity to make / print some money for the regime."

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_ ch__rm_n _f G__gl_, _r_c Schm_dt, h_s _sk_d N_rth K_r__ t_ _p_n _p _ts _nt_rn_t t_ j__n th_ r_st _f th_ w_rld. N_rth K_r__ _s _n_ _f th_ m_st cl_s_d _nd s_cr_t_v_ c__ntr__s _n th_ w_rld. _nly _ f_w _f _ts c_t_z_ns h_v_ _nt_rn_t _cc_ss, b_t th_t _s str_ctly c_ntr_ll_d by th_ g_v_rnm_nt. _lm_st n_ _n_ c_n _cc_ss th_ W_rld W_d_ W_b. Mr Schm_dt s__d _t w_s v_ry _mp_rt_nt f_r th_ c__ntry t_ _nd _ts _s_l_t__n s_ N_rth K_r__ns c_n b_c_m_ r_ch_r. H_ s__d: "_s th_ w_rld _s b_c_m_ng _ncr__s_ngly c_nn_ct_d, th__r d_c_s__n t_ b_ [_lm_st t_t_lly] _s_l_t_d _s v_ry m_ch g__ng t_ _ff_ct th__r phys_c_l w_rld, th__r _c_n_m_c gr_wth, _nd s_ f_rth…._t w_ll m_k_ _t h_rd f_r th_m t_ c_tch _p _c_n_m_c_lly."

Th_ _.S. g_v_rnm_nt w_s n_t h_ppy _b__t Mr Schm_dt's tr_p. _ff_c__ls cr_t_c_s_d _t _nd s__d _t w_s "_nh_lpf_l". Th_ Wh_t_ H__s_ _s d__ng _ts b_st t_ g_t th_ N_rth K_r__ns t_ _nd _ts n_cl__r w__p_ns pr_gr_mm_. _n_ _xp_rt b_l__v_s Mr Schm_dt's v_s_t g_v_ N_rth K_r__ th_ f__l_ng _t w_s _n _mp_rt_nt w_rld c__ntry. Gr_g Sc_rl_t___ _f th_ W_sh_ngt_n-b_s_d C_mm_tt__ f_r H_m_n R_ghts _n N_rth K_r__ t_ld th_ V__c_ _f _m_r_c_ w_bs_t_: "V_s_ts fr_m s_n__r _ff_c__ls _nd _xtr__rd_n_r_ly s_cc_ssf_l _ntr_pr_n__rs _r_ g__ng t_ h_lp t_ r__s_ th_ pr_f_l_ _f th_ N_rth K_r__ r_g_m_. Pr_b_bly, fr_m th_ N_rth K_r__n v__wp__nt, th_y m_y th_nk th_s _s _ls_ _n _pp_rt_n_ty t_ m_k_ s_m_ m_n_y f_r th_ r_g_m_.

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

the chairman of google eric schmidt has asked north korea to open up its internet to join the rest of the world north korea is one of the most closed and secretive countries in the world only a few of its citizens have internet access but that is strictly controlled by the government almost no one can access the world wide web mr schmidt said it was very important for the country to end its isolation so north koreans can become richer he said "as the world is becoming increasingly connected their decision to be [almost totally] isolated is very much going to affect their physical world their economic growth and so forth…it will make it hard for them to catch up economically"

the us government was not happy about mr schmidt's trip officials criticised it and said it was "unhelpful" the white house is doing its best to get the north koreans to end its nuclear weapons programme one expert believes mr schmidt's visit gave north korea the feeling it was an important world country greg scarlatoiu of the washington-based committee for human rights in north korea told the voice of america website "visits from senior officials and extraordinarily successful entrepreneurs are going to help to raise the profile of the north korea regime probably from the north korean viewpoint they may think this is also an opportunity to make some money for the regime"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ThechairmanofGoogle,EricSchmidt,hasaskedNorthKoreatoopenupitsInternetto
jointherestoftheworld.NorthKoreaisoneofthemostclosedandsecretivecountriesin
theworld.OnlyafewofitscitizenshaveInternetaccess,butthatisstrictlycontrolledby
thegovernment.AlmostnoonecanaccesstheWorldWideWeb.MrSchmidtsaiditwas
veryimportantforthecountrytoenditsisolationsoNorthKoreanscanbecomericher.
Hesaid:"Astheworldisbecomingincreasinglyconnected,theirdecisiontobe[almost
totally]isolatedisverymuchgoingtoaffecttheirphysicalworld,theireconomicgrowth
,andsoforth….Itwillmakeithardforthemtocatchupeconomically."TheU.S.
governmentwasnothappyaboutMrSchmidt'strip.Officialscriticiseditandsaiditwas
"unhelpful".TheWhiteHouseisdoingitsbesttogettheNorthKoreanstoenditsnuclear
weaponsprogramme.OneexpertbelievesMrSchmidt'svisitgaveNorthKoreathe
feelingitwasanimportantworldcountry.GregScarlatoiuoftheWashington-based
CommitteeforHumanRightsinNorthKoreatoldtheVoiceOfAmericawebsite:"Visits
fromseniorofficialsandextraordinarilysuccessfulentrepreneursaregoingtohelpto
raisetheprofileoftheNorthKorearegime.Probably,fromtheNorthKoreanviewpoint
,theymaythinkthisisalsoanopportunitytomakesomemoneyfortheregime."

FREE WRITING

Write about North Korea for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

ACADEMIC WRITING

Eric Schmidt's visit to North Korea was a really bad idea.   Discuss.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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 out more about North Korea. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. NORTH KOREA: Make a poster about North Korea. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. INTERNET: Write a magazine article about the Internet. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against it.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to Kim Jong-un. Ask him three questions about Internet access in North Korea. Give him three of your opinions on this issue. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

T

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

F

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

asked

a.

requested

2.

secretive

b.

tight-lipped

3.

strictly

c.

firmly

4.

isolation

d.

lack of contact

5.

growth

e.

progress

6.

trip

f.

visit

7.

end

g.

finish

8.

expert

h.

specialist

9.

entrepreneurs

i.

business executives

10.

regime

j.

government

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

The chairman of Google

2.

The rest of the world

3.

A few

4.

So they can be richer

5.

Catch up economically

6.

"Unhelpful"

7.

Get the N. Koreans to end its nuclear weapons programme

8.

Washington

9.

Entrepreneurs

10.

Money

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

c

2.

a

3.

d

4.

b

5.

c

6.

d

7.

b

8.

d

9.

a

10.

d

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You

Copyright © 2004-2023 by Sean Banville | Links | About | Privacy Policy