The Reading / Listening - Level 2

Pope Francis is more popular than political leaders. A poll carried out by WIN/Gallup International found that 54 per cent of people around the world have a favourable opinion of the Pope. Researchers asked 1,000 people in 64 countries about who was the world's best leader. Pope Francis was most popular with Roman Catholics. Around 85 per cent of Catholics in the poll said they had a favourable opinion of him. Most of the people who did not believe in any god had a favourable opinion of the Pope. The researchers said: "Pope Francis is a leader who transcends his own religion."

It was predictable that Pope Francis, 79, was most popular in Catholic countries. Portugal and the Philippines were the most enthusiastic, with ratings of 94% and 93%. Francis's lowest ratings were in Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey. These were the only countries to give Francis a negative rating. Most people in Azerbaijan said they did not know much about him. The Pope beat other world leaders like Barack Obama and Angela Merkel. The BBC said Francis has, "enormous goodwill and won the hearts and minds not just of Roman Catholics but also of people from other religions".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 0 Level 1   or  Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.newsweek.com/popular-pope-francis-gets-better-ratings-obama-and-merkel-says-poll-440262
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-35888289
  • http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/03/24/pope-francis-most-popular-among-global-rich-says-study/


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.

more popular

a.

leader

2.

54 per cent of people

b.

in any god

3.

Researchers

c.

than political leaders

4.

the world's best

d.

asked 1,000 people

5.

Around 85 per cent

e.

own religion

6.

they had a favourable opinion

f.

around the world

7.

people who did not believe

g.

of him

8.

a leader who transcends his

h.

of Catholics in the poll



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.

Portugal and the Philippines were

a.

goodwill

2.

Francis's lowest

b.

much about him

3.

give Francis a negative

c.

and minds

4.

they did not know

d.

ratings were in Algeria

5.

The Pope beat other world leaders

e.

other religions

6.

Francis has enormous

f.

rating

7.

hearts

g.

like Barack Obama

8.

people from

h.

the most enthusiastic

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

Pope Francis is (1) ___________________ political leaders. A poll carried out by WIN/Gallup International found that 54 per cent of people around (2) ___________________ a favourable opinion of the Pope. Researchers asked 1,000 people in 64 countries about  (3) ___________________ world's best leader. Pope Francis was most popular with Roman Catholics. Around 85 per cent of Catholics in the poll (4) ___________________ a favourable opinion of him. Most of the people who (5) ___________________ in any god had a favourable opinion of the Pope. The researchers said: "Pope Francis is a leader who transcends (6) ___________________."

It (7) ___________________ that Pope Francis, 79, was most popular in Catholic countries. Portugal and the Philippines were the (8) ___________________, with ratings of 94% and 93%. Francis's (9) ___________________ were in Algeria, Tunisia and Turkey. These were the only countries to give Francis (10) ___________________. Most people in Azerbaijan said they did not know much about him. The Pope beat other world leaders like Barack Obama and Angela Merkel. The BBC said Francis has, "(11) ___________________ and won the hearts and minds not just of Roman Catholics but also (12) ___________________ other religions".

PUT A SLASH ( / ) WHERE THE SPACES ARE

PopeFrancisismorepopularthanpoliticalleaders.ApollcarriedoutbyW
IN/GallupInternationalfoundthat54percentofpeoplearoundtheworld
haveafavourableopinionofthePope.Researchersasked1,000peoplei
n64countriesaboutwhowastheworld'sbestleader.PopeFranciswasm
ostpopularwithRomanCatholics.Around85percentofCatholicsinthep
ollsaidtheyhadafavourableopinionofhim.Mostofthepeoplewhodidno
tbelieveinanygodhadafavourableopinionofthePope.Theresearchers
said:"PopeFrancisisaleaderwhotranscendshisownreligion."Itwaspre
dictablethatPopeFrancis,79,wasmostpopularinCatholiccountries.Po
rtugalandthePhilippineswerethemostenthusiastic,withratingsof94
%and93%.Francis'slowestratingswereinAlgeria,TunisiaandTurkey.
TheseweretheonlycountriestogiveFrancisanegativerating.Mostpeop
leinAzerbaijansaidtheydidnotknowmuchabouthim.ThePopebeatoth
erworldleaderslikeBarackObamaandAngelaMerkel.TheBBCsaidFran
cishas,"enormousgoodwillandwontheheartsandmindsnotjustofRom
anCatholicsbutalsoofpeoplefromotherreligions".

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)

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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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WRITING

Write about world leaders 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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