The Reading / Listening - Level 1

The USA and Cuba may soon have better relations. The leaders of the two countries shook hands at the Summit of the Americas in Panama. This is a meeting for North, Central and South America to discuss a better future together. The historic handshake is important. The two countries have spoken very little for 50 years. America stopped its citizens from visiting Cuba and banned most Cuban exports to the USA. The USA said Cuba sponsored terrorism.

The leaders will discuss the future together. It will be the highest-level talks since 1959. A US security advisor said: "The President strongly believes that an approach that was focused…totally on seeking to cut off the Cuban people from the USA had failed." President Obama thinks the Cuban people are "extraordinary" and have "huge potential". He said most Cubans want to move forward. Cuba and the USA are just 151 km apart.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0,  Level 2   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/10/politics/obama-raul-castro-panama-cuba/index.html
  • http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article18102170.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.

better

a.

hands

2.

shook

b.

to the USA

3.

discuss a better

c.

little for 50 years

4.

The historic handshake

d.

terrorism

5.

spoken very

e.

relations

6.

stopped its citizens from

f.

future together

7.

banned most Cuban exports

g.

visiting Cuba

8.

The USA said Cuba sponsored

h.

is important

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.

The leaders will discuss the

a.

people are "extraordinary"

2.

the highest-level talks

b.

forward

3.

A US security

c.

apart

4.

seeking to cut

d.

since 1959.

5.

Obama thinks the Cuban

e.

future together

6.

huge

f.

advisor

7.

most Cubans want to move

g.

off the Cuban people

8.

just 151 km

h.

potential

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

The USA and Cuba (1) ___________________ better relations. The leaders of the two countries (2) ___________________ the Summit of the Americas in Panama. This (3) ___________________ North, Central and South America to discuss (4) ___________________ together. The historic handshake is important. The two countries (5) ___________________ little for 50 years. America stopped its citizens from visiting Cuba and banned most Cuban exports to the USA. The USA said Cuba (6) ___________________.

The leaders will discuss (7) ___________________. It will be the highest-level (8) ___________________. A US security advisor said: "The President strongly believes (9) ___________________  that was focused…totally on (10) ___________________ off the Cuban people from the USA had failed." President Obama thinks the Cuban people are "extraordinary" and (11) ___________________ ". He said most Cubans want to move forward. Cuba and the USA are (12) ___________________.

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

TheUSAandCubamaysoonhavebetterrelations.Theleadersofthetwo
countriesshookhandsattheSummitoftheAmericasinPanama.Thisisa
meetingforNorth,CentralandSouthAmericatodiscussabetterfuturet
ogether.Thehistorichandshakeisimportant.Thetwocountrieshavesp
okenverylittlefor50years.AmericastoppeditscitizensfromvisitingCu
baandbannedmostCubanexportstotheUSA.TheUSAsaidCubasponso
redterrorism.Theleaderswilldiscussthefuturetogether.Itwillbethehi
ghest-leveltalkssince1959.AUSsecurityadvisorsaid:"ThePresiden
tstronglybelievesthatanapproachthatwasfocused…totallyonseeking
tocutofftheCubanpeoplefromtheUSAhadfailed."PresidentObamathi
nkstheCubanpeopleare"extraordinary"andhave"hugepotential".He
saidmostCubanswanttomoveforward.CubaandtheUSAarejust151k
mapart.

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)

________________________________________________________

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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 Cuba for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

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_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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