The Reading / Listening - Level 1

A British tourist must leave Sri Lanka because she has a Buddha tattoo. Naomi Coleman was arrested at the international airport. She is now waiting for a flight back to the U.K. Passport officers told her the tattoo disrespected Sri Lankan culture. A spokesman said the tattoo hurt religious feelings. Most Sri Lankans are Buddhist and respect images of Buddha. They would think a Buddha tattoo is culturally insensitive. Coleman did not think her tattoo was bad.

Tourists have got in trouble before for not understanding Sri Lankan culture. One got deported for speaking disrespectfully to passport officers. Three French tourists got prison sentences for kissing a Buddha statue. In 2010, R&B star Akon could not get a visa to visit Sri Lanka because of a video for his song. The video showed a pool party in front of a statue of Buddha. A British website warns tourists not to pose for photos in front of statues of the Buddha.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/british-national-arrested-for-sporting-buddha-tattoo/article5938200.ece
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/naomi-michelle-coleman-british-woman-3442053#ixzz2zg9XKUnT
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-tourist-deported-from-sri-lanka-for-having-a-buddha-tattoo-9274681.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

A British tourist must

a.

arrested

2.

Coleman was

b.

feelings

3.

at the international

c.

the U.K.

4.

She is now waiting

d.

Sri Lankan culture

5.

back to

e.

leave Sri Lanka

6.

the tattoo disrespected

f.

insensitive

7.

the tattoo hurt religious

g.

airport

8.

culturally

h.

for a flight

MY e-BOOK
ESL resource book with copiable worksheets and handouts - 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers / English teachers
See a sample

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

Tourists have got

a.

of Buddha

2.

understanding Sri Lankan

b.

officers

3.

passport

c.

photos

4.

One got deported

d.

in trouble before

5.

Three French tourists got prison

e.

to visit Sri Lanka

6.

R&B star Akon could not get a visa

f.

for speaking disrespectfully

7.

in front of a statue

g.

culture

8.

pose for

h.

sentences

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A British (1) ___________________ Sri Lanka because she has a Buddha tattoo. Naomi Coleman (2) ___________________ the international airport. She is now waiting (3) ___________________ to the U.K. Passport officers told her the tattoo disrespected Sri Lankan culture. A spokesman said the tattoo (4) ___________________. Most Sri Lankans are Buddhist and (5) ___________________ Buddha. They would think a Buddha tattoo is (6) ___________________. Coleman did not think her tattoo was bad.

Tourists have (7) ___________________ before for not understanding Sri Lankan culture. One (8) ___________________ speaking disrespectfully to passport officers. Three French tourists got (9) ___________________ for kissing a Buddha statue. In 2010, R&B star Akon could (10) ___________________ to visit Sri Lanka because of a video for his song. The video showed a pool party in (11) ___________________ of Buddha. A British website warns tourists (12) ___________________ photos in front of statues of the Buddha.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ABritishtouristmustleaveSriLankabecauseshehasaBuddhatattoo.Na
omiColemanwasarrestedattheinternationalairport.Sheisnowwaiting
foraflightbacktotheU.K.Passportofficerstoldherthetattoodisrespect
edSriLankanculture.Aspokesmansaidthetattoohurtreligiousfeelings
.MostSriLankansareBuddhistandrespectimagesofBuddha.Theywoul
dthinkaBuddhatattooisculturallyinsensitive.Colemandidnotthinkher
tattoowasbad.Touristshavegotintroublebeforefornotunderstanding
SriLankanculture.Onegotdeportedforspeakingdisrespectfullytopass
portofficers.ThreeFrenchtouristsgotprisonsentencesforkissingaBud
dhastatue.In2010,R&BstarAkoncouldnotgetavisatovisitSriLankabe
causeofavideoforhissong.Thevideoshowedapoolpartyinfrontofastat
ueofBuddha.ABritishwebsitewarnstouristsnottoposeforphotosinfro
ntofstatuesoftheBuddha.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

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

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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