The Reading / Listening - Level 5

The wife of Oman's foreign minister is suing a high-class London casino for losing money. Nora Al-Daher lost nearly $3.5-million in London's exclusive The Ritz hotel. She blew the cash in a few hours and then blamed casino staff for not stopping her. The 50-year-old multi-millionaire insisted it was the casino's fault that she lost as they knew she had a gambling problem. She told the judge in court: "I needed someone that night to tell me to stop playing and bring me to my senses. If I had been told to stop, of course I would have done so immediately, but no one ever told me."

Ms Al-Daher said she arrived at The Ritz that evening already having lost a "significant" amount of money at other casinos. The Ritz sued Ms Al-Daher for almost $1.5 million after her cheques were not honoured. Al-Daher said she realised she was a gambling addict in 1999. She lost more than $10 million at The Ritz over the next three years. Her lawyer said casino staff urged her to lose money, saying: "Staff positively encouraged her when she was losing, saying, 'Anything for you….We trust you. No problem. Relax. Don’t worry....The next time you will get your money back'."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/gambling-addict-wife-omani-politician-3806320#ixzz36RXC9iOp
  • http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/omani-politicians-wife-sues-the-ritz-after-losing-millions-in-a-single-evening-9581127.html
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-28149325


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.

The wife of Oman's foreign

a.

cash in a few hours

2.

a high-

b.

millionaire

3.

She blew the

c.

problem

4.

blamed casino staff for

d.

class London casino

5.

multi-

e.

my senses

6.

they knew she had a gambling

f.

minister

7.

bring me to

g.

so immediately

8.

I would have done

h.

not stopping her

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.

lost a "significant"

a.

not honoured

2.

her cheques were

b.

your money back

3.

she realised she was a gambling

c.

at The Ritz

4.

She lost more than $10 million

d.

next three years

5.

over the

e.

amount of money

6.

staff urged her

f.

encouraged her

7.

Staff positively

g.

addict

8.

you will get

h.

to lose money

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The wife of Oman's foreign minister (1) ___________________ London casino for losing money. Nora Al-Daher lost nearly $3.5-million in London's exclusive The Ritz hotel. She (2) ___________________ few hours and then blamed casino staff (3) ___________________. The 50-year-old multi-millionaire insisted it was the (4) ___________________ lost as they knew she had a gambling problem. She told the judge in court: "I needed someone that night (5) ___________________ playing and bring me to my senses. If I had been told to stop, of course I would have done so immediately, but (6) ___________________."

Ms Al-Daher said she arrived at The Ritz that (7) ___________________ lost a "significant" amount of money at other casinos. The Ritz sued Ms Al-Daher for almost $1.5 million after her cheques (8) ___________________. Al-Daher said she realised she (9) ___________________ in 1999. She lost more than $10 million at The Ritz (10) ___________________. Her lawyer said casino staff urged her to lose money, saying: "Staff positively (11) ___________________ she was losing, saying, 'Anything for you….We trust you. No problem. Relax. Don't worry....The (12) ___________________ get your money back'."

GAMBLING SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about gambling 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.

 

 

 

 

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

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

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

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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