Europe under fire for refugee policy

The Reading / Listening - Level 4

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the European Union (EU) to stop refugee deaths in the Mediterranean. Another 700 migrants died trying to flee their homelands to reach Europe. Over 1,000 have died this week. HRW said: "The EU is standing by with arms crossed while hundreds die….These deaths might well have been prevented if the EU had launched a genuine search-and-rescue effort." Italy's leader said no refugee boats should leave Libya.

People are angry with the EU because it cut its search-and-rescue budget by two-thirds. The president of the European Parliament, said: "Europe can do more and Europe must do more. It is a shame…how many countries run away from responsibility." Malta's leader said people would judge Europe in the same way that history judged it when "it turned a blind eye to the genocide of the last century". Spain's leader said: "Words won't do any more."

Try the same news story at these levels:

Level 5 or Level 6

Sources

http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/19/eu-mediterranean-deaths-warrant-crisis-response
http://www.dw.de/eu-refugee-policies-come-under-fire-amid-mediterranean-migrant-disaster/a-18392848
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32376082

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.	stop refugee	a.	rescue effort
2.	trying to flee	b.	deaths
3.	Over 1,000 have died	c.	crossed
4.	standing by with arms	d.	their homelands
5.	These deaths might well have	e.	leave Libya
6.	a genuine search-and-	f.	this week
7.	Italy's	g.	been prevented
8.	no refugee boats should	h.	leader

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.	People are angry	a.	from responsibility
2.	two-	b.	European Parliament
3.	The president of the	c.	with the EU
4.	Europe must	d.	eye
5.	run away	e.	do more
6.	people would judge Europe	f.	thirds
7.	it turned a blind	g.	of the last century
8.	the genocide	h.	in the same way

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Human Rights Watch (HRW) (1) ___________________ European Union (EU) to stop refugee deaths in the Mediterranean. Another 700 migrants died (2) ___________________ their homelands to reach Europe. Over 1,000 have died this week. HRW said: "The EU (3) ___________________ with arms crossed while hundreds die….These deaths (4) ___________________ been prevented if the EU had launched (5) ___________________-and-rescue effort." Italy's leader said (6) ___________________ should leave Libya.

People are angry with the EU because it (7) ___________________-and-rescue budget (8) ___________________. The president of the European Parliament, said: "Europe can do more and Europe must do more. It is a shame…how many countries (9) ___________________ responsibility." Malta's leader said (10) ___________________ Europe in the same way that history judged it when "it turned (11) ___________________ the genocide of the last century". Spain's leader said: "Words (12) ___________________."

REFUGEES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about refugees 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.

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

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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