North Korea has test-fired seven missiles, including one inter-continental missile that may be capable of reaching the USA mainland. The audacious launches are being viewed as highly provocative acts by most countries around the world. The White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "The North Koreans have again clearly isolated themselves." Japan is one county deeply concerned by the latest North Korean moves. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe strongly expressed his consternation saying: "This is a grave problem in terms of peace and stability not only of Japan but also of international society." Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the testing “runs completely counter to the interests of North Korea and the interests of the whole region".

Pyongyang launched the missiles in the early hours of Wednesday morning and continued until the evening. The tests are the first conducted by the pariah Stalinist state since the 1998 firing of a medium-range rocket over the Japanese island of Honshu. North Korean missiles have the capability to reach Japan within seven minutes from leaving their silos. The launches had the Japanese cabinet immediately scampering for high-level talks at 6.00 a.m. Prime Minister Koizumi reacted quickly by imposing a ban on all North Korean vessels docking at Japanese ports. This is the first of several retaliatory measures being considered by Japan, who may also impose economic sanctions. It also seems certain that the six-party talks on curbing North Korea’s nuclear capability are in jeopardy.

WARM-UPS

1. NORTH KOREA SEARCH: Walk around the class and talk to as many students as you can about North Korea. Sit with a partner and share your findings. Change partners to share more.

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

Missiles / inter-continental / audacity / provocation / isolation / consternation / stability / Stalinism / high-level talks / bans / ports / retaliation / sanctions

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

3. NUCLEAR WEAPONS: With your partner(s), decide which of the following countries should have nuclear weapons. Put them in order of who is most responsible and trusted. Change partners and compare your answers.

____ The USA ____ China ____ Pakistan ____ France

____ Russia ____ Iran ____ North Korea ____ Great Britain

4. DANGEROUS NEIGHBORS: Write down the names of three countries you consider to be dangerous neighbors. Talk about them with your partner(s). Change partners and find out which countries are the least desirable neighbors.

5. MISSILE TESTING: Which of the arguments below do you agree with? Talk about them with your partner(s).

1. N. Korea has a sovereign right to test missiles for self defense.
2. Other countries have missiles. There’s nothing wrong with N. Korea’s testing.
3. North Korea cannot be trusted to possess missiles.
4. North Korea is a peaceful country, which has never attacked its neighbors.
5. N. Korea needs weapons because of America’s aggressive attitude towards it.
6. The weapons industry is vital to the fragile North Korean economy.
7. North Korea just wants world attention and come in from the cold.
8. North Korea should be attacked and have its weapons destroyed.

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

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

a.	North Korea launched seven missiles capable of striking the USA.	T / F
b.	Most world countries paid little attention to the testing.	T / F
c.	The White House press secretary isolated himself from North Korea.	T / F
d.	Australia’s leader said the testing was not in N. Korea’s best interests.	T / F
e.	N. Korea has tested missiles on a regular basis over the past decade.	T / F
f.	A N. Korean missile errantly hit the Japanese mainland in 1998.	T / F
g.	The Japanese government assembled for urgent talks at 6.00 a.m.	T / F
h.	Six-party talks on N. Korea’s nuclear capability are at serious risk.	T / F

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

a.	audacious	dismay
b.	provocative	at risk
c.	consternation	reclusive
d.	grave	against
e.	counter	daring
f.	pariah	hurrying
g.	scampering	penalizing
h.	retaliatory	confrontational
i.	curbing	serious
j.	in jeopardy	restraining

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

a.	inter-continental	of peace and stability
b.	viewed as highly	his consternation
c.	strongly expressed	measures being considered
d.	a grave problem in terms	missile
e.	runs completely counter to	provocative acts
f.	the pariah	North Korea’s nuclear capability
g.	scampering	the interests of North Korea
h.	the first of several retaliatory	Stalinist state
i.	impose	for high-level talks
j.	six-party talks on curbing	economic sanctions

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

North Korea tests seven missiles

North Korea has test-_______ seven missiles, including one inter-continental missile that may be -_______ of reaching the USA mainland. The -_______ launches are being viewed as -_______ provocative acts by most countries around the world. The White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "The North Koreans have again clearly -_______ themselves." Japan is one county deeply concerned by the latest North Korean moves. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe strongly expressed his -_______ saying: "This is a grave problem in -_______ of peace and stability not only of Japan but also of international society." Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the testing “runs completely -_______ to the interests of North Korea and the interests of the whole region".		terms isolated capable counter consternation fired highly audacious
Pyongyang -_______ the missiles in the early hours of Wednesday morning and continued until the evening. The tests are the first conducted by the -_______ Stalinist state since the 1998 firing of a medium-range rocket over the Japanese island of Honshu. North Korean missiles have the capability to reach Japan within seven minutes from leaving their -_______. The launches had the Japanese cabinet immediately -_______ for high-level talks at 6.00 a.m. Prime Minister Koizumi reacted quickly by -_______ a ban on all North Korean vessels docking at Japanese ports. This is the first of several retaliatory -_______ being considered by Japan, who may also impose economic sanctions. It also seems certain that the six-party talks on -_______ North Korea’s nuclear capability are in -_______.		imposing jeopardy pariah scampering launched curbing silos measures

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

North Korea tests seven missiles

North Korea has test-fired seven missiles, including one inter-continental missile that may be capable of reaching the USA mainland. The ________ launches are being viewed as highly ________ acts by most countries around the world. The White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "The North Koreans have again clearly ________ themselves." Japan is one county deeply concerned by the latest North Korean moves. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe strongly expressed his ________ saying: "This is a grave problem ________ of peace and stability not only of Japan but also of international society." Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the testing “runs completely ________ the interests of North Korea and the interests of the whole region".

Pyongyang launched the missiles in the early hours of Wednesday morning and continued until the evening. The tests are the first conducted by the ________ Stalinist state since the 1998 firing of a medium-range rocket over the Japanese island of Honshu. North Korean missiles have the capability to reach Japan within seven minutes from leaving their ________. The launches had the Japanese cabinet immediately ________ for high-level talks at 6.00 a.m. Prime Minister Koizumi reacted quickly by imposing a ban on all North Korean vessels ________ at Japanese ports. This is the first of several ________ measures being considered by Japan, who may also impose economic sanctions. It also seems certain that the six-party talks on ________ North Korea’s nuclear capability are in ________.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

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

• 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. STUDENT “MISSILES” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about missiles and the North Korean testing.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups 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:

capable provocative clearly consternation grave counter

early pariah silos scampering docking curbing

DISCUSSION

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

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. What do you think of the testing?
3. Do you think North Korea has every right to test missiles?
4. Do you think missiles fired from N. Korea could ever reach the USA?
5. What are relations like with your country’s neighbors?
6. Would you support an invasion of N. Korea to dismantle its missiles?
7. What do you think will happen on the Korean peninsular?
8. Should N. Korea face sanctions for selling its weapons technology?
9. What question would you like to ask N. Korea’s leader?
10. How do you think he would answer that question?

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

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you think countries with nuclear weapons that criticize North Korea are being hypocritical?
4. What are the dangers of North Korea possessing missiles?
5. Do you think the UN should be stricter with North Korea than it is with Iran?
6. Should China be more forceful in dealing with North Korea?
7. What do you think are the aims of North Korea’s leadership?
8. Will there always be “problem” states like North Korea?
9. How would you feel if your neighboring country test-fired missiles?
10. Did you like this discussion?

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

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

MISSILE-TESTING ROLE PLAY: Role play the following people in a discussion on the North Korean missile tests. Team up with classmates who have been assigned the same role to develop your roles and discuss ideas and “strategies” before the role play begins.

Role A (North Korea’s leader) You are fed up at being told what to do by America and Japan. The USA and many countries have missiles so there is no problem with N. Korea having them. They are important to deter America from attacking your country. You don’t want N. Korea to be another Iraq.

Role B (George W. Bush) You believe North Korea is a dangerous country. You think its leader is a tyrant who cares more about weapon than feeding the millions of hungry North Koreans. It is your mission to bring freedom and democracy to N. Korea. You will use force.

Role C (Average North Korean person) You are fed up with North Korea’s image as a dangerous state. You are also fed up with other countries trying to control N. Korea. You believe the N. Korean people are hardworking and just want to be left alone. Your leader knows what he is doing. N. Korea must be strong.

Role D (Average Japanese person) You are deeply concerned at the missile testing. There were many Japanese vessels in the area the missiles landed. You believe your neighbor wants to attack you. You do not want a repeat of the nuclear attacks that ended WWII. You strongly believe all of the world’s nuclear weapons should be destroyed – including America’s.

Change roles and repeat the role play. Comment in groups about the differences between the two role plays.

After the role play, talk about whether you believed what you were saying in your roles.

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 about the North Korean missiles issue. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s).

3. NUCLEAR COUNTRIES: Make a poster showing which countries in the world have nuclear weapons and which are trying to get them. Show your poster to your classmates in the next lesson. Which poster(s) did you like most and why?

4. LETTER: Write a letter to the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Tell him what you think of the latest testing and advise him on what to do in the future. Show your letter to your classmates in the next lesson. Your classmates will write a reply.

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. F

b. F

c. F

d. T

e. F

f. F

g. T

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	audacious	daring
b.	provocative	confrontational
c.	consternation	dismay
d.	grave	serious
e.	counter	against
f.	pariah	reclusive
g.	scampering	hurrying
h.	retaliatory	penalizing
i.	curbing	restraining
j.	in jeopardy	at risk

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	inter-continental	missile
b.	viewed as highly	provocative acts
c.	strongly expressed	his consternation
d.	a grave problem in terms	of peace and stability
e.	runs completely counter to	the interests of North Korea
f.	the pariah	Stalinist state
g.	scampering	for high-level talks
h.	the first of several retaliatory	measures being considered
i.	impose	economic sanctions
j.	six-party talks on curbing	North Korea’s nuclear capability

GAP FILL:

North Korea tests seven missiles

North Korea has test-fired seven missiles, including one inter-continental missile that may be capable of reaching the USA mainland. The audacious launches are being viewed as highly provocative acts by most countries around the world. The White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "The North Koreans have again clearly isolated themselves." Japan is one county deeply concerned by the latest North Korean moves. Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe strongly expressed his consternation saying: "This is a grave problem in terms of peace and stability not only of Japan but also of international society." Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the testing “runs completely counter to the interests of North Korea and the interests of the whole region".

Pyongyang launched the missiles in the early hours of Wednesday morning and continued until the evening. The tests are the first conducted by the pariah Stalinist state since the 1998 firing of a medium-range rocket over the Japanese island of Honshu. North Korean missiles have the capability to reach Japan within seven minutes from leaving their silos. The launches had the Japanese cabinet immediately scampering for high-level talks at 6.00 a.m. Prime Minister Koizumi reacted quickly by imposing a ban on all North Korean vessels docking at Japanese ports. This is the first of several retaliatory measures being considered by Japan, who may also impose economic sanctions. It also seems certain that the six-party talks on curbing North Korea’s nuclear capability are in jeopardy.

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