The Reading / Listening - Level 2

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) has released details of its programmes to mark the centenary of World War I. It plans to broadcast almost 2,500 hours of new TV and radio shows between 2014 and 2018. This mirrors the one hundred years since the war. It is the BBC's biggest plan ever. The head of the BBC said the programmes are, "a chance for us all to learn something new about a war we think we know well". The BBC said it wants "to broaden people's understanding of the war." It also wants to remember those who were in it and to tell both well-known and untold stories.

World War I (WWI) is also known as the First World War. It mostly took place in Europe. It began on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918. It was called the "Great War" until 1939, when World War II started. Over 9 million soldiers were killed in WWI. It is the fifth-deadliest war in history. Over 70 million people fought in it. The United States joined the fighting in 1917. After the war, many countries changed and new nations were created. There were also revolutions in a lot of countries. There was a lot of unhappiness in some countries and this was one of the causes of World War II.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24552194
  • http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/wwi-centenary-plans-revealed-by-bbc/5062538.article
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I


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.

mark the centenary

a.

to learn something new

2.

broadcast almost 2,500 hours

b.

who were in it

3.

It is the BBC's

c.

of World War I

4.

a chance for us all

d.

of new TV and radio shows

5.

a war we think

e.

and untold stories

6.

broaden people's understanding

f.

we know well

7.

remember those

g.

biggest plan ever

8.

tell both well-known

h.

of the war



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.

It mostly took

a.

in a lot of countries

2.

It was called

b.

soldiers were killed

3.

Over 9 million

c.

in some countries

4.

It is the fifth-

d.

place in Europe

5.

The United States joined the

e.

of World War II

6.

There were also revolutions

f.

deadliest war in history

7.

There was a lot of unhappiness

g.

fighting in 1917

8.

one of the causes

h.

the "Great War"

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) (1) ___________________ of its programmes to mark the centenary of World War I. It (2) ___________________ almost 2,500 hours of new TV and radio shows between 2014 and 2018. This mirrors the one hundred (3) ___________________. It is the BBC's biggest plan ever. The head of the BBC said the programmes are, "a chance for us (4) ___________________ new about a war we think we know well". The BBC said it wants "(5) ___________________ understanding of the war." It also wants to remember those who were in it and to tell both well-(6) ___________________.

World War I (WWI) (7) ___________________ the First World War. It (8) ___________________ in Europe. It began on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918. It was called the "Great War" until 1939, when World War II started. Over 9 million soldiers were killed in WWI. It is (9) ___________________ war in history. Over 70 million (10) ___________________. The United States joined the fighting in 1917. After the war, many countries changed and new nations were created. There (11) ___________________ in a lot of countries. There was a lot of unhappiness in some countries and this was (12) ___________________ of World War II.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheBBC(BritishBroadcastingCorporation)hasreleaseddetailsofits
programmestomarkthecentenaryofWorldWarI.Itplanstobroadcas
talmost2,500hoursofnewTVandradioshowsbetween2014and201
8.Thismirrorstheonehundredyearssincethewar.ItistheBBC'sbigge
stplanever.TheheadoftheBBCsaidtheprogrammesare,"achancefo
rusalltolearnsomethingnewaboutawarwethinkweknowwell".TheB
BCsaiditwants"tobroadenpeople'sunderstandingofthewar."Italso
wantstorememberthosewhowereinitandtotellbothwell-knowna
nduntoldstories.WorldWarI(WWI)isalsoknownastheFirstWorldWa
r.ItmostlytookplaceinEurope.Itbeganon28July1914andendedon1
1November1918.Itwascalledthe"GreatWar"until1939,whenWorl
dWarIIstarted.Over9millionsoldierswerekilledinWWI.Itisthefifth-
deadliestwarinhistory.Over70millionpeoplefoughtinit.TheUnitedS
tatesjoinedthefightingin1917.Afterthewar,manycountrieschange
dandnewnationswerecreated.Therewerealsorevolutionsinalotofc
ountries.Therewasalotofunhappinessinsomecountriesandthiswasone
ofthecausesofWorldWarII.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

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d)

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e)

________________________________________________________

f)

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g)

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h)

________________________________________________________

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

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h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about World War I 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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