The Reading / Listening - Level 2

A British tourist must leave Sri Lanka for having a Buddha tattoo on her arm. Naomi Coleman, 37, was arrested at Sri Lanka's international airport. She is waiting at a centre in the airport for a flight back to the U.K. Officials told her that the tattoo disrespected Sri Lankan culture. A police spokesman said the tattoo hurt "others' religious feelings". Most Sri Lankans are Buddhist and respect images and statues of Buddha. They would think anyone with a Buddha tattoo is culturally insensitive. Coleman said she practised Buddhism and did not think her tattoo was bad.

Tourists have got in trouble before for not understanding Sri Lankan culture. A Briton got deported last year for speaking disrespectfully to passport officials. The BBC said three French tourists got prison sentences for kissing a Buddha statue. A British newspaper reports that in 2010, R&B star Akon could not get a visa to visit Sri Lanka because of a video for his song Sexy Chick. The video showed a pool party in front of a statue of Buddha. A British website warns people who visit Sri Lanka not to pose for photos in front of statues of the Buddha.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/british-national-arrested-for-sporting-buddha-tattoo/article5938200.ece
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/naomi-michelle-coleman-british-woman-3442053#ixzz2zg9XKUnT
  • http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/british-tourist-deported-from-sri-lanka-for-having-a-buddha-tattoo-9274681.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 :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

Naomi Coleman, 37, was

a.

feelings

2.

a flight

b.

a Buddha tattoo

3.

A police

c.

arrested

4.

hurt others' religious

d.

Buddhism

5.

respect images and

e.

back to the U.K.

6.

anyone with

f.

insensitive

7.

culturally

g.

spokesman

8.

she practised

h.

statues of Buddha


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.

Tourists have got

a.

of Buddha

2.

not understanding

b.

to passport officials

3.

A Briton got deported

c.

Sri Lankan culture

4.

speaking disrespectfully

d.

for photos

5.

prison

e.

to visit Sri Lanka

6.

Akon could not get a visa

f.

in trouble before

7.

in front of a statue

g.

sentences

8.

pose

h.

last year

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

A British (1) ___________________ Sri Lanka for having a Buddha tattoo on her arm. Naomi Coleman, 37, (2) ___________________ Sri Lanka's international airport. She is waiting at a centre in the airport for (3) ___________________ to the U.K. Officials told her that the tattoo disrespected Sri Lankan culture. A police spokesman said the tattoo hurt "others' (4) ___________________ ". Most Sri Lankans are Buddhist (5) ___________________ and statues of Buddha. They would think anyone with a Buddha tattoo is (6) ___________________. Coleman said she practised Buddhism and did not think her tattoo was bad.

Tourists have (7) ___________________ for not understanding Sri Lankan culture. A Briton (8) ___________________ year for speaking disrespectfully to passport officials. The BBC said three French tourists got (9) ___________________ for kissing a Buddha statue. A British newspaper reports that in 2010, R&B star Akon could not (10) ___________________ visit Sri Lanka because of a video for his song Sexy Chick. The video showed a pool party in (11) ___________________ Buddha. A British website warns people who visit Sri Lanka (12) ___________________ photos in front of statues of the Buddha.

PUT A SLASH ( / )WHERE THE SPACES ARE

ABritishtouristmustleaveSriLankaforhavingaBuddhatattooonherar
m.NaomiColeman,37,wasarrestedatSriLanka'sinternationalairport.
SheiswaitingatacentreintheairportforaflightbacktotheU.K.Officialst
oldherthatthetattoodisrespectedSriLankanculture.Apolicespokesm
ansaidthetattoohurt"others'religiousfeelings".MostSriLankansareB
uddhistandrespectimagesandstatuesofBuddha.Theywouldthinkany
onewithaBuddhatattooisculturallyinsensitive.Colemansaidshepract
isedBuddhismanddidnotthinkhertattoowasbad.Touristshavegotintr
oublebeforefornotunderstandingSriLankanculture.ABritongotdepor
tedlastyearforspeakingdisrespectfullytopassportofficials.TheBBCsa
idthreeFrenchtouristsgotprisonsentencesforkissingaBuddhastatue.
ABritishnewspaperreportsthatin2010,R&BstarAkoncouldnotgetavis
atovisitSriLankabecauseofavideoforhissongSexyChick.Thevideosho
wedapoolpartyinfrontofastatueofBuddha.ABritishwebsitewarnspeo
plewhovisitSriLankanottoposeforphotosinfrontofstatuesoftheBudd
ha.

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 tattoos 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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