The Reading / Listening - Level 2

Kenya's government has agreed on a new marriage law. Many female politicians are very angry. The Marriage Bill lets men have as many wives as they want. Men can soon marry other women without telling their wife. There was a big argument between male and female politicians. Many female lawmakers walked out of the debate. The law was going to make it illegal to have more than one wife, but lawmakers changed their mind. One male politician said the law was fair to women because divorced women now get 30 per cent of the family house and other things belonging to the couple.

One politician said the law keeps alive Kenya's traditions. He said: "When you marry an African woman, she must know the second one is on the way, and a third wife. This is Africa." A newspaper said this showed Kenya wasn't a modern country. It wrote: "This is a [backwards] move that is simply taking us back into the Dark Ages, at a time when we should be strengthening family values." A female politician said the law was unfair because the second wife would take all the money. She said: "We know that men are afraid of women's tongues more than anything else."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26681580
  • http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/Editorial/Reject-law-that-will--discriminate-against-women-/-/440804/2253228/-/11p2k62z/-/index.html
  • http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/03/uproar-as-mps-pass-bill-promoting-polygamy/


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.

as many wives

a.

than one wife

2.

There was a big

b.

of the family house

3.

female lawmakers walked

c.

as they want

4.

make it illegal to have more

d.

to the couple

5.

lawmakers changed

e.

out of the debate

6.

One male politician said the law was

f.

argument

7.

divorced women now get 30 per cent

g.

fair to women

8.

things belonging

h.

their mind



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.

she must know the second

a.

the Dark Ages

2.

A newspaper said this showed Kenya

b.

move

3.

This is a backwards

c.

the money

4.

taking us back into

d.

one is on the way

5.

strengthening family

e.

unfair

6.

the law was

f.

wasn't a modern country

7.

take all

g.

of women's tongues

8.

men are afraid

h.

values

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Kenya's government (1) ___________________ new marriage law. Many female politicians are very angry. The Marriage Bill lets men have (2) ___________________ they want. Men can soon marry other women without telling their wife. There (3) ___________________ between male and female politicians. Many female lawmakers walked out of the debate. The law was going to (4) ___________________ more than one wife, but lawmakers changed their mind. One male politician (5) ___________________ to women because divorced women now get 30 per cent of the family house and other things (6) ___________________.

One politician said (7) ___________________ Kenya's traditions. He said: "When you marry an African woman, she must know the second one (8) ___________________, and a third wife. This is Africa." A newspaper said this showed Kenya wasn't a modern country. It wrote: "This is (9) ___________________ that is simply taking us back into the Dark Ages, at a time when we should be strengthening (10) ___________________." A female politician said the (11) ___________________ because the second wife would take all the money. She said: "We know that men are afraid of women's tongues more (12) ___________________."

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Kenya'sgovernmenthasagreedonanewmarriagelaw.Manyfemale
politiciansareveryangry.TheMarriageBillletsmenhaveasmanywiv
esastheywant.Mencansoonmarryotherwomenwithouttellingthei
rwife.Therewasabigargumentbetweenmaleandfemalepoliticians
.Manyfemalelawmakerswalkedoutofthedebate.Thelawwasgoing
tomakeitillegaltohavemorethanonewife,butlawmakerschangedt
heirmind.Onemalepoliticiansaidthelawwasfairtowomenbecause
divorcedwomennowget30percentofthefamilyhouseandotherthin
gsbelongingtothecouple.OnepoliticiansaidthelawkeepsaliveKeny
a'straditions.Hesaid:"WhenyoumarryanAfricanwoman,shemust
knowthesecondoneisontheway,andathirdwife.ThisisAfrica."Ane
wspapersaidthisshowedKenyawasn'tamoderncountry.Itwrote:"
Thisisa[backwards]movethatissimplytakingusbackintotheDarkA
ges,atatimewhenweshouldbestrengtheningfamilyvalues."Afema
lepoliticiansaidthelawwasunfairbecausethesecondwifewouldtak
eallthemoney.Shesaid:"Weknowthatmenareafraidofwomen'sto
nguesmorethananythingelse."

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

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c)

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d)

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e)

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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)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about marriage 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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