The Reading / Listening - Level 3

More countries are offering Nigeria their support to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week by an extreme Islamist group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all told Nigeria's government they will do what they can to locate the missing girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapped the girls and said it would sell them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" and "outrageous". American military experts are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has promised computer equipment and special software to help find them. One of Egypt's top Islamic universities said harming the girls "completely contradicts the teachings of Islam".

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for going to school, expressed her shock at the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am feeling very sad." She had a special message for the girls, saying: "Never lose hope because we are with you." Malala compared the situation to what was happening in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, we were suffering. Girls were banned from going to school and banned from going to market." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their future, and then suddenly some people came and abducted them." She called it "another kind of terrorism".

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 2

Sources
  • http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/missing-nigeria-schoolgirls/malala-says-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolgirls-are-her-sisters-n99701
  • http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php/news/national-news/160793-kidnapping-of-school-girls-in-borno-outrageous-heartbreaking-says-obama
  • http://leadership.ng/news/369939/abducted-girls-britain-china-canada-step


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 40 Lesson Activities on the PDF Handout

WARM-UPS

1. KIDNAPPING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about kidnapping. Change partners often and share your findings.

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

 

Nigeria / support / kidnapped / locate / missing / heartbreaking / experts / contradicts / shock / sisters / feeling sad / hometown / suffering / banned / future / terrorism

Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.

3. HELP: What can you do to help? Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.

 

Things to do

Will they work?

Will you do them?

Money

 

 

 

Posters

 

 

 

Social media

 

 

 

School events

 

 

 

Write a letter

 

 

 

Other _____

 

 

 

4. BAD THINGS: Students A strongly believe bad things like this will stop happening one day; Students B strongly believe bad things like this will never stop happening.  Change partners again and talk about your conversations.

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5. FIND: Rank these with your partner. Put the people / things most likely to help find the girls at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.

  • the U.S. military

  • Nigeria's police force

  • Nigeria's president

  • satellites

  • local people

  • Malala Yousafzai

  • special agents

  • other ______

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

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if  a-h  below are true (T) or false (F).

a.

The article says 27 countries are now helping Nigeria.

T / F

b.

Canada is one of the countries that has offered to help.

T / F

c.

U.S. military experts will not arrive in Nigeria for another few days.

T / F

d.

A leading British university said the kidnapping contradicted Islam.

T / F

e.

Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban last year.

T / F

f.

Malala said she felt the kidnapped girls were the same as her sisters.

T / F

g.

Malala told the kidnapped girls they should not give up hope.

T / F

h.

Malala likened the kidnappings to terrorism.

T / F

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

1.

countries

a.

communicated

2.

support

b.

shocking

3.

locate

c.

likened

4.

outrageous

d.

help

5.

completely

e.

without warning

6.

expressed

f.

totally

7.

compared

g.

nations

8.

banned

h.

kidnapped

9.

suddenly

i.

prohibited

10.

abducted

j.

find

3. PHRASE MATCH:  (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.)

1.

countries are offering Nigeria

a.

at the kidnappings

2.

do what they can to locate

b.

and special software

3.

American military

c.

hope

4.

computer equipment

d.

and abducted them

5.

harming the girls completely contradicts the

e.

their support

6.

expressed her shock

f.

the missing girls

7.

She had a special

g.

going to school

8.

Never lose

h.

teachings of Islam

9.

banned from

i.

message for the girls

10.

suddenly some people came

j.

experts

GAP FILL

More countries are offering Nigeria their (1) ____________ to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week by an (2) ____________ Islamist group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all told Nigeria's government they will do what they can to (3) ____________ the (4) ____________ girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapped the girls and said it would sell them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" and "(5) ____________ ". American military (6) ____________ are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has (7) ____________ computer equipment and special software to help find them. One of Egypt's top Islamic universities said harming the girls "completely (8) ____________ the teachings of Islam".

 

 

experts
locate
contradicts
support
outrageous
extreme
promised
missing

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for going to school, (9) ____________ her shock at the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am feeling very sad." She had a special message for the girls, saying: "Never lose hope because we are with you." Malala compared the (10) ____________ to what was happening in her (11) ____________ of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, we were (12) ____________. Girls were banned from going to school and (13) ____________ from going to market." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their (14) ____________, and then suddenly some people came and (15) ____________ them." She called it "another kind of (16) ____________ ".

 

abducted
banned
terrorism
expressed
hometown
situation
future
suffering

 

LISTENING - Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1)

More countries are offering Nigeria ______

 

a.  their supports
b.  their support
c.  their supportive
d.  their supported

2)

they will do what they can to ______

 

a.  located the missing girls
b.  locates the missing girls
c.  location the missing girls
d.  locate the missing girls

3)

Barack Obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" ______

 

a.  and "outrage" as
b.  and "outrage" is
c.  and "outrageous"
d.  and "outrage" us

4)

China has promised computer equipment ______

 

a.  and specially software
b.  and special software
c.  and a special software
d.  and a special software

5)

harming the girls "completely ______ of Islam"

 

a.  contracts the teachings
b.  contradicts the teachings
c.  contradict the teachings
d.  contracts it the teachings

6)

the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for going to school ______

 

a.  expressed her shock
b.  express it her shock
c.  expressed her shock
d.  expressing her shock

7)

She had a special message for the girls, saying: "Never ______"

 

a.  lose hope
b.  lose hopes
c.  lose hopeful
d.  lose hopeless

8)

It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, ______

 

a.  we were suffer in
b.  we were suffering
c.  we were suffering in
d.  we were suffers

9)

She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking ______

 

a.  about their futures
b.  about them future
c.  about their future
d.  about they future

10)

and then suddenly some people came ______

 

a.  and abducted them
b.  and abducted they
c.  and abducted these
d.  and abducted him

LISTENING – Listen and fill in the gaps

More countries are offering Nigeria (1) ___________________ help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week (2) ___________________ group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all told Nigeria's government they will (3) ___________________ locate the missing girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapped the girls and said it would sell them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping (4) ___________________ and "outrageous". American military experts are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has promised computer equipment (5) ___________________ help find them. One of Egypt's top Islamic universities said harming the girls "(6) ___________________ teachings of Islam".

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl (7) ___________________ the Taliban in 2012 for going to school, (8) ___________________ the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am feeling very sad." She had a (9) ___________________ the girls, saying: "Never lose hope because we are with you." Malala compared the situation to what was happening in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, (10) ___________________. Girls were banned from going to school and (11) ___________________ to market." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their future, and then suddenly some people came and abducted them." She called it "another (12) ___________________".

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1.

What are more countries offering Nigeria?

2.

What did Canada tell Nigeria's government?

3.

What did Barack Obama call the kidnappings (besides "outrageous")?

4.

What kind of U.S. experts are in Nigeria now hunting for the girls?

5.

What did an Egyptian university say would contradict Islam?

6.

When was Malala Yousafzai shot by the Taliban?

7.

What did Malala liken the kidnapped girls to?

8.

What did Malala say the girls should never lose?

9.

What is Swat?

10.

What did Malala say the kidnappings were another form of?

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ

1.

What are more countries offering Nigeria?

6.

When was Malala Yousafzai shot by the Taliban?

 

a) money
b) support
c) satellite surveillance
d) weapons

 

a) 2010
b) 2011
c) 2012
d) 2013

2.

What did Canada tell Nigeria's government?

7.

What did Malala liken the kidnapped girls to?

 

a) how shocked it was
b) good luck
c) how to find the girls
d) it would do what it could

 

a) heroes
b) angels
c) her cousins
d) her sisters

3.

What did Barack Obama call the kidnappings (besides "outrageous")?

8.

What did Malala say the girls should never lose?

 

a) heartbreaking
b) disgusting
c) tragic
d) heart-stopping

 

a) hope
b) their way
c) money
d) their mind

4.

What kind of U.S. experts are in Nigeria now hunting for the girls?

9.

What is Swat?

 

a) weapons experts
b) survival experts
c) military experts
d) missing persons experts

 

a) Malala's hometown
b) a special Nigerian police force
c) a satellite
d) the area the girls lived

5.

What did an Egyptian university say would contradict Islam?

10.

What did Malala say the kidnappings were another form of?

 

a) not allowing the girls to pray
b) harming the girls
c) not feeding the girls
d) asking for a ransom

 

a) horror
b) terrorism
c) mind games
d) international crime

ROLE PLAY

Role  A – Nigeria's president

You think Nigeria's president is the best hope of finding the girls. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them reasons why the others might not be so helpful. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): the U.S. military, local people or Malala Yousafzai.

Role  B – The U.S. military

You think the U.S. military is the best hope of finding the girls. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them reasons why the others might not be so helpful. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): Nigeria's president, local people or Malala Yousafzai.

Role  C – Local people

You think local people are the best hope of finding the girls. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them reasons why the others might not be so helpful. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why): the U.S. military, Nigeria's president or Malala Yousafzai.

Role  D – Malala Yousafzau

You think Malala Yousafzai is the best hope of finding the girls. Tell the others three reasons why. Tell them reasons why the others might not be so helpful. Also, tell the others which is the least effective of these (and why):  the U.S. military, local people or Nigeria's president.

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words 'school' and 'girl'.

school

girl

 

 

 

  • 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. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

  • week
  • locate
  • sell
  • hunt
  • special
  • teachings
  • shot
  • sisters
  • hope
  • suffering
  • study
  • kind

KIDNAPPING SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about kidnapping in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

KIDNAPPING DISCUSSION

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

a)

What did you think when you read the headline?

b)

What springs to mind when you hear the word 'kidnap'?

c)

How do you feel about this story?

d)

What makes people think it's OK to kidnap schoolgirls?

e)

Is the world too slow to offer help to Nigeria?

f)

What do you know about the group Boko Haram?

g)

What can you do to help the #bringbackourgirls campaign?

h)

What kind of people think it is OK to sell schoolgirls?

i)

What do you think will happen from now?

j)

What punishment should the kidnappers get?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

a)

Did you like reading this article? Why/not?

b)

What do you know about Malala Yousafzai?

c)

Do you think Malala's support will help bring the girls back?

d)

How can schools and communities do more to protect children?

e)

What message do you have for the kidnappers?

f)

When will bad things like this stop happening in the world?

g)

Why do people think Malala should get the Nobel Peace Prize?

h)

What did you think about when you were at school?

i)

How can technology help stop kidnappings?

j)

What questions would you like to ask the kidnappers?

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

LANGUAGE - CLOZE

More countries are offering Nigeria their (1) ____ to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week by an (2) ____ Islamist group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all told Nigeria's government they will do what they can to (3) ____ the missing girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapped the girls and said it would sell them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" and "(4) ____". American military experts are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has (5) ____ computer equipment and special software to help find them. One of Egypt's top Islamic universities said (6) ____ the girls "completely contradicts the teachings of Islam".

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for going to school, expressed her shock (7) ____ the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am feeling very sad." She had a special message for the girls, saying: "Never (8) ____ hope because we are with you." Malala (9) ____ the situation to what was happening in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, we were (10) ____. Girls were banned from going to school and banned from going to market." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their future, and then suddenly some people came and (11) ____ them." She called it "another kind of (12) ____ ".

Put the correct words from the table below in the above article.

1.

(a)

backed

(b)

support

(c)

prop

(d)

firm

2.

(a)

extremely

(b)

extreme

(c)

extremism

(d)

extremity

3.

(a)

localise

(b)

locale

(c)

location

(d)

locate

4.

(a)

outpouring

(b)

outrageous

(c)

outboard

(d)

outing

5.

(a)

assurance

(b)

promised

(c)

insured

(d)

vowed

6.

(a)

harmless

(b)

harmful

(c)

harming

(d)

harmed

7.

(a)

as

(b)

an

(c)

at

(d)

ad

8.

(a)

forgetting

(b)

mislay

(c)

lose

(d)

upset

9.

(a)

contested

(b)

pared

(c)

comparison

(d)

compared

10.

(a)

suffering

(b)

buffering

(c)

puffing

(d)

huffing

11.

(a)

abducted

(b)

rejected

(c)

ejected

(d)

treated

12.

(a)

terrified

(b)

terrifying

(c)

terrorist

(d)

terrorism

SPELLING

Paragraph 1

1.

offering Nigeria their otupspr

2.

an eetremx Islamist group

3.

do what they can to tcaeol the missing girls

4.

the kidnapping was "aaekgebrhnitr"

5.

China has promised computer itpquneme

6.

completely dicttcnoasr the teachings of Islam

Paragraph 2

7.

pxerseesd her shock at the kidnappings

8.

Malala compared the uoiasintt

9.

In Swat we were enigufsrf

10.

Girls were nnebad from going to school

11.

people came and tduaebcd them

12.

another kind of eosrirtrm

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

told Nigeria's government they will do what they can to locate the missing girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapped the

(    )

her shock at the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am feeling very sad." She had a special

(    )

message for the girls, saying: "Never lose hope because we are with you." Malala compared the situation

(    )

girls and said it would sell them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" and

(    )

suffering. Girls were banned from going to school and banned from going to

(    )

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for going to school, expressed

(    )

promised computer equipment and special software to help find them. One of Egypt's top Islamic

(    )

"outrageous". American military experts are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has

(    )

to what was happening in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as well. In Swat, we were

1  )

More countries are offering Nigeria their support to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were

(    )

then suddenly some people came and abducted them." She called it "another kind of terrorism".

(    )

universities said harming the girls "completely contradicts the teachings of Islam".

(    )

kidnapped last week by an extreme Islamist group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all

(    )

market." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their future, and

PUT THE WORDS IN THE RIGHT ORDER

1.

are    countries    More    support    their    Nigeria    offering.   

2.

extreme    last    Islamist    week    group    by    an    Kidnapped.   

3.

do    will    They    girls    missing    the   locate   to   can   they    what.   

4.

them    special    find    and    help    Equipment    to    software.   

5.

of    girls    Islam    contradicts    the    Harming    teachings    the.   

6.

Pakistani    in    by    The    shot   head   Taliban   schoolgirl   the    the.   

7.

special    message    She    for    had    the    a    girls.   

8.

we    Never    are    lose    with    hope    you    because.   

9.

school    to    going    from    banned    were    Girls.   

10.

of    it    terrorism"    .    "another    She    kind    called

CIRCLE THE CORRECT WORD (20 PAIRS)

More countries are offering / offered Nigeria their support / supportive to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week by an extremity / extreme Islamist group. The USA, China, France, Britain and Canada have all told Nigeria's government they will do what they can to location / locate the missing girls. The group Boko Haram kidnapping / kidnapped the girls and said it would sell / selling them. U.S. president Barack Obama said the kidnapping was all / both "heartbreaking" and "outrageous". American military experts / expertise are now in Nigeria to hunt for the children. China has promised computer equipment and specially / special software to help find them. One of Egypt's top / topping Islamic universities said harming the girls "completely contradicts the teachings / teaches of Islam".

Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot on / in the head by the Taliban in 2012 for / from going to school, expressed her / she shock at the kidnappings. She said: "These girls are my sisters, and I am felt / feeling very sad." She had a special message for the girls, saying: "Never lose hopeful / hope because we are with you." Malala compared the situation to what was happening / happened in her hometown of Swat, Pakistan. She said: "It is what happened in Swat as good / well. In Swat, we were suffering. Girls were banned from going to school and banned from going to market / marketing." She added: "They were in schools trying to study, thinking about their future, and then sudden / suddenly some people came and abducted them." She called it "another kind / kinds of terrorism".

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct.

INSERT THE VOWELS (a, e, i, o, u)

M_r_ c__ntr__s _r_ _ff_r_ng N_g_r__ th__r s_pp_rt t_ h_lp f_nd _v_r 220 sch__lg_rls wh_ w_r_ k_dn_pp_d l_st w__k by _n _xtr_m_ _sl_m_st gr__p. Th_ _S_, Ch_n_, Fr_nc_, Br_t__n _nd C_n_d_ h_v_ _ll t_ld N_g_r__'s g_v_rnm_nt th_y w_ll d_ wh_t th_y c_n t_ l_c_t_ th_ m_ss_ng g_rls. Th_ gr__p B_k_ H_r_m k_dn_pp_d th_ g_rls _nd s__d _t w__ld s_ll th_m. _.S. pr_s_d_nt B_r_ck _b_m_ s__d th_ k_dn_pp_ng w_s b_th "h__rtbr__k_ng" _nd "__tr_g___s". _m_r_c_n m_l_t_ry _xp_rts _r_ n_w _n N_g_r__ t_ h_nt f_r th_ ch_ldr_n. Ch_n_ h_s pr_m_s_d c_mp_t_r _q__pm_nt _nd sp_c__l s_ftw_r_ t_ h_lp f_nd th_m. _n_ _f _gypt's t_p _sl_m_c _n_v_rs_t__s s__d h_rm_ng th_ g_rls "c_mpl_t_ly c_ntr_d_cts th_ t__ch_ngs _f _sl_m".

M_l_l_ Y__s_fz__, th_ P_k_st_n_ sch__lg_rl sh_t _n th_ h__d by th_ T_l_b_n _n 2012 f_r g__ng t_ sch__l, _xpr_ss_d h_r sh_ck _t th_ k_dn_pp_ngs. Sh_ s__d: "Th_s_ g_rls _r_ my s_st_rs, _nd _ _m f__l_ng v_ry s_d." Sh_ h_d _ sp_c__l m_ss_g_ f_r th_ g_rls, s_y_ng: "N_v_r l_s_ h_p_ b_c__s_ w_ _r_ w_th y__." M_l_l_ c_mp_r_d th_ s_t__t__n t_ wh_t w_s h_pp_n_ng _n h_r h_m_t_wn _f Sw_t, P_k_st_n. Sh_ s__d: "_t _s wh_t h_pp_n_d _n Sw_t _s w_ll. _n Sw_t, w_ w_r_ s_ff_r_ng. G_rls w_r_ b_nn_d fr_m g__ng t_ sch__l _nd b_nn_d fr_m g__ng t_ m_rk_t." Sh_ _dd_d: "Th_y w_r_ _n sch__ls try_ng t_ st_dy, th_nk_ng _b__t th__r f_t_r_, _nd th_n s_dd_nly s_m_ p__pl_ c_m_ _nd _bd_ct_d th_m." Sh_ c_ll_d _t "_n_th_r k_nd _f t_rr_r_sm".

PUNCTUATE THE TEXT AND ADD CAPITALS

more countries are offering nigeria their support to help find over 220 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last week by an extreme islamist group the usa china france britain and canada have all told nigeria's government they will do what they can to locate the missing girls the group boko haram kidnapped the girls and said it would sell them us president barack obama said the kidnapping was both "heartbreaking" and "outrageous" american military experts are now in nigeria to hunt for the children china has promised computer equipment and special software to help find them one of egypt's top islamic universities said harming the girls "completely contradicts the teachings of islam"

malala yousafzai the pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the taliban in 2012 for going to school expressed her shock at the kidnappings she said "these girls are my sisters and i am feeling very sad" she had a special message for the girls saying "never lose hope because we are with you" malala compared the situation to what was happening in her hometown of swat pakistan she said "it is what happened in swat as well in swat we were suffering girls were banned from going to school and banned from going to market" she added "they were in schools trying to study thinking about their future and then suddenly some people came and abducted them" she called it "another kind of terrorism"

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

MorecountriesareofferingNigeriatheirsupporttohelpfindover220
schoolgirlswhowerekidnappedlastweekbyanextremeIslamistgro
up.TheUSA,China,France,BritainandCanadahavealltoldNigeria's
governmenttheywilldowhattheycantolocatethemissinggirls.The
groupBokoHaramkidnappedthegirlsandsaiditwouldsellthem.U.S
.presidentBarackObamasaidthekidnappingwasboth"heartbreaki
ng"and"outrageous".AmericanmilitaryexpertsarenowinNigeriato
huntforthechildren.Chinahaspromisedcomputerequipmentands
pecialsoftwaretohelpfindthem.OneofEgypt'stopIslamicuniversiti
essaidharmingthegirls"completelycontradictstheteachingsofIsla
m".MalalaYousafzai,thePakistanischoolgirlshotintheheadbytheT
alibanin2012forgoingtoschool,expressedhershockatthekidnappi
ngs.Shesaid:"Thesegirlsaremysisters,andIamfeelingverysad."S
hehadaspecialmessageforthegirls,saying:"Neverlosehopebecau
sewearewithyou."Malalacomparedthesituationtowhatwashappe
ninginherhometownofSwat,Pakistan.Shesaid:"Itiswhathappene
dinSwataswell.InSwat,weweresuffering.Girlswerebannedfromg
oingtoschoolandbannedfromgoingtomarket."Sheadded:"Theyw
ereinschoolstryingtostudy,thinkingabouttheirfuture,andthensud
denlysomepeoplecameandabductedthem."Shecalledit"another
indofterrorism".

FREE WRITING

Write about kidnapping for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

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ACADEMIC WRITING

The world is becoming more dangerous for children.  Discuss.

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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 out more about the kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. KIDNAPPING: Make a poster about kidnapping. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things?

4. TRACKING SOFTWARE: Write a magazine article about schoolchildren having to wear tracking software so people can find them. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this.

Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s).

5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on kidnapping. Ask him/her three questions about kidnapping. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to free hostages. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Also...

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

  • News
  • Warm ups
  • Pre-reading / Post-reading
  • Using headlines
  • Working with words
  • While-reading / While-listening
  • Moving from text to speech
  • Post-reading / Post-listening
  • Discussions
  • Using opinions
  • Plans
  • Language
  • Using lists
  • Using quotes
  • Task-based activities
  • Role plays
  • Using the central characters in the article
  • Using themes from the news
  • Homework

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ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE (p.4)

a

F

b

T

c

F

d

F

e

F

f

T

g

T

h

T

SYNONYM MATCH (p.4)

1.

countries

a.

nations

2.

support

b.

help

3.

locate

c.

find

4.

outrageous

d.

shocking

5.

completely

e.

totally

6.

expressed

f.

communicated

7.

compared

g.

likened

8.

banned

h.

prohibited

9.

suddenly

i.

without warning

10.

abducted

j.

kidnapped

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS (p.8)

1.

Support to find the girls

2.

It would do all it could to locate the girls

3.

Heartbreaking

4.

Military experts

5.

Harming the girls

6.

2012

7.

Her sisters

8.

Hope

9.

Malala's hometown

10.

Terrorism

MULTIPLE CHOICE - QUIZ (p.9)

1.

b

2.

d

3.

a

4.

c

5.

b

6.

c

7.

d

8.

a

9.

a

10.

b

ALL OTHER EXERCISES

Please check for yourself by looking at the Article on page 2.
(It's good for your English ;-)

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