The Reading / Listening - Level 2

European leaders tried using rap to win votes. They want young people to vote for them. More young people are losing interest in elections. The number of young people who vote is going down. It was 87 per cent ten years ago but in the last election, it was just 65 per cent. Younger politicians made a group called EU40. They said rap would get their message across. They took part in "a freestyle hip-hop battle" called the "Battle For Your Vote". The aim was to get "young voters interested in European politics and thus increasing young people's votes at the upcoming elections".

Europeans must choose 751 new politicians in next month's elections. The BBC reported on the battle. It said Members of the European Parliament had the microphone for a minute to try and get some support. A conservative party tried to interest the young people by saying: "If you like money, vote for the EPP". The politicians made short raps about many topics. The topics that were most popular were youth unemployment and immigration. Each rapper said what they would do about these problems. They all used short, rhyming sentences instead of the usual long speeches.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.unric.org/en/latest-un-buzz/29149-battle-for-the-youth-vote
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-eu-26978726
  • http://www.eu40.eu/freestyle-hip-hop-battle-your-vote/


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.

European leaders tried using

a.

65 per cent

2.

They want young people

b.

in European politics

3.

people are losing

c.

their message across

4.

it was just

d.

rap to win votes

5.

They said rap would get

e.

hip-hop battle

6.

a freestyle

f.

elections

7.

get young voters interested

g.

to vote for them

8.

the upcoming

h.

interest in elections



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.

Europeans must choose

a.

sentences

2.

next month's

b.

for the EPP

3.

try and get

c.

speeches

4.

If you like money, vote

d.

about many topics

5.

The politicians made short raps

e.

751 new politicians

6.

youth

f.

some support

7.

rhyming

g.

elections

8.

instead of the usual long

h.

unemployment

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

European leaders tried (1) ___________________ votes. They want young people to vote for them. More (2) ___________________ interest in elections. The number of young people who vote is going down. It was 87 per cent ten years ago (3) ___________________, it was just 65 per cent. Younger politicians made a group called EU40. They said rap would (4) ___________________. They took part in "a freestyle hip-hop battle" called the "Battle For Your Vote". The (5) ___________________ "young voters interested in European politics (6) ___________________ young people's votes at the upcoming elections".

Europeans (7) ___________________ new politicians in next month's elections. The BBC reported on the battle. It said Members of the European Parliament had (8) ___________________ a minute to try and (9) ___________________. A conservative party tried to interest the young people by saying: "If you like money, vote for the EPP". The politicians (10) ___________________ many topics. The topics that (11) ___________________ youth unemployment and immigration. Each rapper said what they would do about these problems. They all used short, (12) ___________________ instead of the usual long speeches.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

Europeanleaderstriedusingraptowinvotes.Theywantyoungpeople
tovoteforthem.Moreyoungpeoplearelosinginterestinelections.The
numberofyoungpeoplewhovoteisgoingdown.Itwas87percentteny
earsagobutinthelastelection,itwasjust65percent.Youngerpoliticia
nsmadeagroupcalledEU40.Theysaidrapwouldgettheirmessageacr
oss.Theytookpartin"afreestylehip-hopbattle"calledthe"BattleF
orYourVote".Theaimwastoget"youngvotersinterestedinEuropean
politicsandthusincreasingyoungpeople'svotesattheupcomingelec
tions".Europeansmustchoose751newpoliticiansinnextmonth'sele
ctions.TheBBCreportedonthebattle.ItsaidMembersoftheEuropean
Parliamenthadthemicrophoneforaminutetotryandgetsomesuppor
t.Aconservativepartytriedtointeresttheyoungpeoplebysaying:"Ify
oulikemoney,votefortheEPP".Thepoliticiansmadeshortrapsabout
manytopics.Thetopicsthatweremostpopularwereyouthunemploy
mentandimmigration.Eachrappersaidwhattheywoulddoaboutthe
seproblems.Theyallusedshort,rhymingsentencesinsteadoftheusu
allongspeeches.

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 Rap 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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