The Reading / Listening - Humanitarian Crisis - Level 6

The United Nations (UN) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has issued a plea to all nations to help avoid "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people face the threat of starvation and famine in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there was an urgent need for, "accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian action on the ground". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a critical point in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the UN."

The UN warned of a bleak future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk starving to death and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed development gains." While the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems fuelling the crisis are man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid convoys being attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these looming human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Humanitarian Crisis - Level 4  or  Humanitarian Crisis - Level 5

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39238808
  • http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56339#.WMPIwIWFic0
  • http://allafrica.com/stories/201703100256.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 :-)

Warm-ups

1. HUMANITARIAN CRISIS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about humanitarian crisis. Change partners often and share your findings.

2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?

       humanitarian / crisis / plea / catastrophe / starvation / global / action / beginning /
       bleak / future / disease / development / El Niño / conflicts / aid / convoys / famine

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

3. GIVE: Students A strongly believe everyone with money should give to help this crisis; Students B strongly believe not.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

4. RESPONSIBLE: Who is responsible for helping the victims of this crisis? How much responsibility do they have? What should they do? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

How much responsibility?

What should they do?

The UN

 

 

The World Bank

 

 

Your country

 

 

You

 

 

Billionaires

 

 

Big business

 

 

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

5. CATASTROPHE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "catastrophe". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

6. AID: Rank these with your partner. Put the things the crisis victims need most at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • seeds
  • livestock
  • a water well
  • protection
  • blankets
  • Internet
  • money
  • tents

 

Before reading / listening

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

  1. The UN has made a plea to 20 countries to help victims of the crisis.     T / F
  2. Over 20 million face the threat of dying of hunger.     T / F
  3. The article mentioned five countries that the UN said were in crisis.     T / F
  4. The UN said it is the biggest crisis in the history of the UN.     T / F
  5. The UN warned that millions of people faced a bleak future.     T / F
  6. There will be no loss of development gains despite the crisis.     T / F
  7. The article said all of the problems were man made.     T / F
  8. A UN spokesperson said it is now impossible to avert the crisis.     T / F

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

  1. facing
  2. plea
  3. threat
  4. accelerated
  5. critical
  6. bleak
  7. collective
  8. succumbing
  9. distribute
  10. avert
  1. dying from
  2. menace
  3. hastened
  4. common
  5. appeal
  6. give out
  7. crucial
  8. prevent
  9. unpromising
  10. encountering

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

  1. It has issued a plea
  2. 20 million people face the
  3. He stressed there was an urgent
  4. We stand at a critical
  5. the largest humanitarian crisis since the
  6. The UN warned of a bleak
  7. millions in the
  8. people risk starving
  9. the natural El Niño weather
  10. It is possible to avert
  1. future
  2. creation of the UN
  3. phenomenon
  4. affected African countries
  5. threat of starvation
  6. to all nations
  7. to death
  8. point in history
  9. this crisis
  10. need

Gap fill

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
avoid
ground
famine
creation
plea
critical
threat
urgent

The United Nations (UN) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has issued a (1) ____________ to all nations to help (2) ____________ "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people face the (3) ____________ of starvation and (4) ____________ in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there was an (5) ____________ need for, "accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian action on the (6) ____________". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a (7) ____________ point in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the (8) ____________ of the UN."

Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below.
collective
phenomenon
bleak
looming
mass
convoys
starving
fuelling

The UN warned of a (9) ____________ future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without (10) ____________ and coordinated global efforts…people risk (11) ____________ to death and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, (12) ____________ displacements and reversed development gains." While the natural El Niño weather (13) ____________ has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems (14) ____________ the crisis are man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid (15) ____________ being attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these (16) ____________ human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)  It has issued a plea to all nations to help ______ "
     a.  avoid "a catastrophic
     b.  avoid "all catastrophe
     c.  avoid "a catastrophe
     d.  avoid "a catastrophes

2) O’Brien warned that more than 20 million people face the threat of ______
     a.  starving and famine
     b.  starve aviation and famine
     c.  starvation and famine
     d.  star aviation and famine

3)  an urgent need for, "accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian ______"
     a.  action in the ground
     b.  action by the ground
     c.  action at the ground
     d.  action on the ground

4)  Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a ______ history."
     a.  critically point in
     b.  critic call point in
     c.  critical point in
     d.  critic all point in

5)  e are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the ______ UN
     a.  creation off the
     b.  creation of the
     c.  creation of a
     d.  creation of an

6)  The UN warned of a bleak future for millions in the ______ countries
     a.  affected African
     b.  affective African
     c.  affect it African
     d.  affected it African

7)  people risk starving to death and ______ disease
     a.  succumb in to
     b.  suck humming to
     c.  succumb  into
     d.  succumbing to

8)  …phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems ______
     a.  fuelling the crisis
     b.  felling the crisis
     c.  filling the crisis
     d.  fulfilling the crisis

9)  conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering efforts ______
     a.  too distribute aid
     b.  to distributes aid
     c.  to distributed aid
     d.  to distribute aid

10)  to avert these famines, to avert these ______ catastrophes
     a.  glooming human
     b.  blooming human
     c.  looming human
     d.  loom in human

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The United Nations (UN) has reported that (1) ___________________ its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has (2) ___________________ all nations to help avoid "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people (3) ___________________ starvation and famine in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there (4) ___________________ need for, "accelerated (5) ___________________ support UN humanitarian action on the ground". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a critical point in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis (6) ___________________ the UN."

The UN warned (7) ___________________ for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk (8) ___________________ and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed (9) ___________________." While the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems (10) ___________________ are man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering (11) ___________________ aid. There are reports of aid convoys being attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, (12) ___________________ looming human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

Comprehension questions

  1. What did the UN issue to all nations?
  2. How many people face the threat of starvation?
  3. Where did the UN say it wanted help for its humanitarian action?
  4. At what point in history did the UN say were at?
  5. How many larger crises have there been since the UN was created?
  6. What kind of future did the UN warn of?
  7. What did the UN say people risked succumbing to?
  8. What did the UN say was fuelling the crisis, besides El Niño?
  9. What did the UN say was being attacked?
  10. What did the UN say it was possible to do?

Multiple choice quiz

1)  What did the UN issue to all nations?
a) a plea
b) an ultimatum
c) a famine kit
d) a warning

2)  How many people face the threat of starvation?
a) exactly 20,000,0000
b) around 20 million
c) more than 20 million
d) slightly fewer than 20 million

3)  Where did the UN say it wanted help for its humanitarian action?
a) in the mountains
b) near dry river beds
c) in the desert
d) on the ground

4)  At what point in history did the UN say were at?
a) the starting point
b) a critical point
c) the beginning of the end
d) the end of the beginning

5)  How many larger crises have there been since the UN was created?
a) 0
b) 1
c) 2
d) 3

6)  What kind of future did the UN warn of?
a) a painful one
b) a hopeful one
c) a promising one
d) a bleak one

7)  What did the UN say people risked succumbing to?
a) temptation
b) fate
c) disease
d) rebel armies

8)  What did the UN say was fuelling the crisis, besides El Niño?
a) oil
b) man
c) global warming
d) big business

9)  What did the UN say was being attacked?
a) rebels
b) villagers
c) aid convoys
d) electricity plants

10)  What did the UN say it was possible to do?
a) raise enough money
b) avert the crisis
c) feed all the people
d) defeat the rebel armies

Role play

Role A — Blankets

You think blankets are the most important thing for victims of the humanitarian crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): the Internet, livestock or protection.

Role B — The Internet

You think the Internet is the most important thing for victims of the humanitarian crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): blankets, livestock or protection.

Role C — Livestock

You think livestock is the most important thing for victims of the humanitarian crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): the Internet, blankets or protection.

Role D — Protection

You think protection is the most important thing for victims of the humanitarian crisis. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them why their things aren't as necessary. Also, tell the others which is the least necessary of these (and why): the Internet, livestock or blankets.

After reading / listening

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

'humanitarian'

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • and 'crisis'.

  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • ________________
  • • 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:

    • bleak
    • risk
    • lost
    • little
    • reports
    • possible
    • plea
    • threat
    • stressed
    • action
    • stand
    • largest

    Student survey

    Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

    (Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

    Discussion - World faces biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945

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

    1. What did you think when you read the headline?
    2. What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'humanitarian'?
    3. Why does the world let things get to this stage?
    4. Why is it that poor countries suffer the most?
    5. What can we do to help?
    6. What does starvation in the 21st century say about humanity?
    7. What will your country do to help?
    8. What do you know about previous famines in Africa?
    9. What do you know about the United Nations?
    10. Should we learn about the benefits of giving at school?

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

    1. Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
    2. What do you think of when you hear the word 'crisis'?
    3. What do you think about what you read?
    4. What is making the problems worse in Yemen?
    5. What is making the problems worse in South Sudan?
    6. How can the world act collectively to help?
    7. If the problems are man made, why can't they be 'man-solved'?
    8. Do you think it is possible to avert this crisis?
    9. What would you do if you were head of the UN?
    10. What questions would you like to ask the UN?

    Discussion — Write your own questions

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

    (a) ________________

    (b) ________________

    (c) ________________

    (d) ________________

    (e) ________________

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

    (f) ________________

    (g) ________________

    (h) ________________

    (i) ________________

    (j) ________________

    Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

    The United Nations (UN) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has issued a (1) ____ to all nations to help (2) ____ "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people face the (3) ____ of starvation and famine in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He (4) ____ there was an urgent need for, "accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian action (5) ____ the ground". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a critical (6) ____ in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the UN."

    The UN warned of a (7) ____ future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk starving (8) ____ death and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed development (9) ____." While the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems (10) ____ the crisis are man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid convoys (11) ____ attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these (12) ____ human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

    Which of these words go in the above text?

    1. (a)     please     (b)     plea     (c)     pleasure     (d)     pleas    
    2. (a)     evasion     (b)     avoidance     (c)     evade     (d)     avoid    
    3. (a)     warn     (b)     likely     (c)     threat     (d)     menacing    
    4. (a)     stressed     (b)     accented     (c)     tensioned     (d)     pressured    
    5. (a)     in     (b)     on     (c)     at     (d)     by    
    6. (a)     point     (b)     dot     (c)     mark     (d)     speck    
    7. (a)     freak     (b)     creak     (c)     bleak     (d)     sleek    
    8. (a)     to     (b)     of     (c)     by     (d)     from    
    9. (a)     win     (b)     forwards     (c)     advance     (d)     gains    
    10. (a)     felling     (b)     filling     (c)     fuelling     (d)     fulfilling    
    11. (a)     been     (b)     being     (c)     were     (d)     are    
    12. (a)     blossoming     (b)     glooming     (c)     blooming     (d)     looming

    Spelling

    Paragraph 1

    1. help avoid a tatsoraceph
    2. 20 million people face the tearth
    3. narosivatt and famine
    4. eclaeeacrtd global efforts
    5. We stand at a cciialtr point in history
    6. since the eiaocrtn of the UN

    Paragraph 2

    1. The UN warned of a blkea future
    2. collective and oriaedcdnto global efforts
    3. hampering efforts to itrtibedus aid
    4. aid vnscooy
    5. It is possible to tvaer this crisis
    6. It is all abnpeelertv

    Put the text back together

    (    )     disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed development

    (    )     gains." While the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems fuelling

    (    )     famine in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there was an urgent

    (    )     and coordinated global efforts…people risk starving to death and succumbing to

    (    )     The UN warned of a bleak future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without collective

    (    )     a plea to all nations to help avoid "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator,

    (    )     The United Nations (UN) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has issued

    (    )     Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people face the threat of starvation and

    (    )     efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid convoys being attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert

    (    )     the crisis are man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering

    (    )     need for, "accelerated global efforts to support UN humanitarian action on the

    (    )     this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these looming human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

    (    )     history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the UN."

    (    )     ground". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand at a critical point in

    Put the words in the right order

    1. to   Issued   a  help   all   a   "catastrophe"   avoid  nations   plea   to   .
    2. million   the   starvation   20   face   of   than   people   threat   More   .
    3. need   urgent   was   There   efforts"   global   for   an   "accelerated   .
    4. a   at   stand   We   history   in   point   critical   .
    5. largest   since   of   The   crisis   creation  UN   humanitarian  the   the  .
    6. bleak   UN   future   warned   for   of   millions   a   The   .
    7. fuelling   the   crisis   are   man   made   A   lot   of   the   problems   .
    8. many   and   in   conflicts   these   are   countries   displacing   War   .
    9. reports   are   There   attacked   being   convoys   aid   of   .
    10. possible   O'Brien   crisis   to   "It   said:   avert   is   Mr   this"   .

    Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

    The United Nations (UN) has reported / reporting that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945. It has issued a please / plea to all nations to help avoid / evade "a catastrophe". UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O’Brien, warned that more than 20 million people facing / face the threat of starvation and famine in Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. He stressed there was an urgently / urgent need for, "accelerated global / globally efforts to support UN humanitarian action on / in the ground". Mr O'Brien told the UN Security Council: "We stand / kneel at a critical point on / in history. Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creator / creation of the UN."

    The UN warned of a bleak / bleakly future for millions in the affected African countries and Yemen. It said: "Without collection / collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk / risky starving to / by death and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children, lost futures, mass displacements and reversed development gains / against." While / Whichever the natural El Niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain, a lot of the problems fuel / fuelling the crisis are / is man made. War and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering / hankering efforts to distribute aid. There are reports of aid convoys being attacked. Mr O'Brien said: "It is possible to avert this crisis, to avert these famines, to avert these blooming / looming human catastrophes. It is all preventable."

    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_ _n_t_d N_t__ns (_N) h_s r_p_rt_d th_t th_ w_rld _s f_c_ng _ts b_gg_st h_m_n_t_r__n cr_s_s s_nc_ 1945. _t h_s _ss__d _ pl__ t_ _ll n_t__ns t_ h_lp _v__d "_ c_t_str_ph_". _N _m_rg_ncy R_l__f C__rd_n_t_r, St_ph_n _’Br__n, w_rn_d th_t m_r_ th_n 20 m_ll__n p__pl_ f_c_ th_ thr__t _f st_rv_t__n _nd f_m_n_ _n K_ny_, N_g_r__, S_m_l__, S__th S_d_n _nd Y_m_n. H_ str_ss_d th_r_ w_s _n _rg_nt n__d f_r, "_cc_l_r_t_d gl_b_l _ff_rts t_ s_pp_rt _N h_m_n_t_r__n _ct__n _n th_ gr__nd". Mr _'Br__n t_ld th_ _N S_c_r_ty C__nc_l: "W_ st_nd _t _ cr_t_c_l p__nt _n h_st_ry. _lr__dy _t th_ b_g_nn_ng _f th_ y__r w_ _r_ f_c_ng th_ l_rg_st h_m_n_t_r__n cr_s_s s_nc_ th_ cr__t__n _f th_ _N."

    Th_ _N w_rn_d _f _ bl__k f_t_r_ f_r m_ll__ns _n th_ _ff_ct_d _fr_c_n c__ntr__s _nd Y_m_n. _t s__d: "W_th__t c_ll_ct_v_ _nd c__rd_n_t_d gl_b_l _ff_rts…p__pl_ r_sk st_rv_ng t_ d__th _nd s_cc_mb_ng t_ d_s__s_ … [w_th] st_nt_d ch_ldr_n, l_st f_t_r_s, m_ss d_spl_c_m_nts _nd r_v_rs_d d_v_l_pm_nt g__ns." Wh_l_ th_ n_t_r_l _l N_ñ_ w__th_r ph_n_m_n_n h_s br__ght l_ttl_ _r n_ r__n, _ l_t _f th_ pr_bl_ms f__ll_ng th_ cr_s_s _r_ m_n m_d_. W_r _nd c_nfl_cts _r_ d_spl_c_ng m_ny _n th_s_ c__ntr__s _nd _r_ h_mp_r_ng _ff_rts t_ d_str_b_t_ __d. Th_r_ _r_ r_p_rts _f __d c_nv_ys b__ng _tt_ck_d. Mr _'Br__n s__d: "_t _s p_ss_bl_ t_ _v_rt th_s cr_s_s, t_ _v_rt th_s_ f_m_n_s, t_ _v_rt th_s_ l__m_ng h_m_n c_t_str_ph_s. _t _s _ll pr_v_nt_bl_."

    Punctuate the text and add capitals

    the united nations (un) has reported that the world is facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since 1945 it has issued a plea to all nations to help avoid "a catastrophe" un emergency relief coordinator stephen o’brien warned that more than 20 million people face the threat of starvation and famine in kenya nigeria somalia south sudan and yemen he stressed there was an urgent need for "accelerated global efforts to support un humanitarian action on the ground" mr o'brien told the un security council "we stand at a critical point in history already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the un"

    the un warned of a bleak future for millions in the affected african countries and yemen it said "without collective and coordinated global efforts…people risk starving to death and succumbing to disease … [with] stunted children lost futures mass displacements and reversed development gains" while the natural el niño weather phenomenon has brought little or no rain a lot of the problems fuelling the crisis are man made war and conflicts are displacing many in these countries and are hampering efforts to distribute aid there are reports of aid convoys being attacked mr o'brien said "it is possible to avert this crisis to avert these famines to avert these looming human catastrophes it is all preventable"

    Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

    TheUnitedNations(UN)hasreportedthattheworldisfacingitsbiggesth
    umanitariancrisissince1945.Ithasissuedapleatoallnationstohelpavo
    id"acatastrophe".UNEmergencyReliefCoordinator,StephenO’Brien,
    warnedthatmorethan20millionpeoplefacethethreatofstarvationandf
    amineinKenya,Nigeria,Somalia,SouthSudanandYemen.Hestressed
    therewasanurgentneedfor,"acceleratedglobaleffortstosupportUNhu
    manitarianactionontheground".MrO'BrientoldtheUNSecurityCouncil
    :"Westandatacriticalpointinhistory.Alreadyatthebeginningoftheyea
    rwearefacingthelargesthumanitariancrisissincethecreationoftheUN.
    "TheUNwarnedofableakfutureformillionsintheaffectedAfricancountr
    iesandYemen.Itsaid:"Withoutcollectiveandcoordinatedglobalefforts
    …peopleriskstarvingtodeathandsuccumbingtodisease…[with]stunte
    dchildren,lostfutures,massdisplacementsandreverseddevelopment
    gains."WhilethenaturalElNiñoweatherphenomenonhasbroughtlittle
    ornorain,alotoftheproblemsfuellingthecrisisaremanmade.Warandc
    onflictsaredisplacingmanyinthesecountriesandarehamperingefforts
    todistributeaid.Therearereportsofaidconvoysbeingattacked.MrO'Bri
    ensaid:"Itispossibletoavertthiscrisis,toavertthesefamines,toavertt
    heseloominghumancatastrophes.Itisallpreventable."

    Free writing

    Write about humanitarian crisis for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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    Academic writing

    Everyone should donate more than they have ever donated before. Discuss.

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    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 this humanitarian crisis. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

    3. HUMANITARIAN CRISE: Make a poster about humanitarian crises of the past few decades. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

    4. PLEA: Write a magazine article about this humanitarian crisis and the UN's plea for help. Discuss why everyone with money and big businesses should donate more than they have ever donated before. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

    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 an expert on humanitarian crises. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how this crisis can be averted. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

    A Few Additional Activities for Students

    Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

    Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

    Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

    Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

    Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

    Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

    Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

    Also...

    Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

    • News
    • Warm ups
    • Pre-reading / Post-reading
    • Using headlines
    • Working with words
    • While-reading / While-listening
    • Moving from text to speech
    • Post-reading / Post-listening
    • Discussions
    • Using opinions
    • Plans
    • Language
    • Using lists
    • Using quotes
    • Task-based activities
    • Role plays
    • Using the central characters in the article
    • Using themes from the news
    • Homework

    Buy my book

    $US 9.99

    Answers

    (Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

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