The Reading / Listening - Level 5

Thailand has a new king. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, accepted an invitation from parliament and succeeds his father 50 days after the widely loved and revered King Bhumibol died in October. The new King Maha Vajiralongkorn will also be known as Rama X, or the 10th king of Thailand's Chakri dynasty. He told people in a televised statement on Thursday: "I would like to accept the invitation for the benefit of the Thai people." Thailand's Prime Minister said: "May all the Thai people unite to pray that…he may long reign as an idol and guardian of the Thai people."

The coronation of the new king will not take place until after King Bhumibol's cremation. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was born in 1952. He went to schools in Australia and the UK and did military training in Australia. He has been to many different countries and has a home in Germany. Over the past few years, he has done more of his father's ceremonial duties when the late king needed medical treatment. He also organized and participated in high-profile charity events in the Thai capital Bangkok. One of his first acts will be to endorse Thailand's new constitution.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://mobile.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSKBN13Q4YS
  • http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/crown-prince-ascends-the-throne-in-thailand
  • http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1149219/crown-prince-becomes-king


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 :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. accepted an invitation
  2. the widely loved and
  3. in a televised
  4. I would like to accept
  5. for the
  6. people unite
  7. long
  8. guardian
  1. benefit of the Thai people
  2. statement
  3. from parliament
  4. of the Thai people
  5. revered King
  6. reign
  7. the invitation
  8. to pray

Paragraph 2

  1. The coronation
  2. military
  3. Over the
  4. medical
  5. participated in high-
  6. in the Thai
  7. One of his first
  8. endorse Thailand's new
  1. treatment
  2. capital Bangkok
  3. constitution
  4. training
  5. of the new king
  6. acts
  7. past few years
  8. profile charity events

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Thailand has a new king. Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, accepted (1) ___________________ parliament and succeeds his father 50 days after the (2) ___________________ revered King Bhumibol died in October. The new King Maha Vajiralongkorn will (3) ___________________ Rama X, or the 10th king of Thailand's Chakri dynasty. He told people in a televised statement on Thursday: "I would (4) ___________________ the invitation for the benefit of the Thai people." Thailand's Prime Minister said: "May all the Thai people (5) ___________________ that…he may long reign as an idol and (6) ___________________ Thai people."

The coronation of the new king will not (7) ___________________ after King Bhumibol's cremation. King Maha Vajiralongkorn was born in 1952. He went to schools in Australia and the UK and did (8) ___________________ in Australia. He (9) ___________________ different countries and has a home in Germany. Over (10) ___________________ years, he has done more of his father's ceremonial duties when the late king needed medical treatment. He also organized and participated (11) ___________________ charity events in the Thai capital Bangkok. One of his first acts (12) ___________________ Thailand's new constitution.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thailandhasanewking.CrownPrinceMahaVajiralongkorn,64,accepte
daninvitationfromparliamentandsucceedshisfather50daysafterthe
widelylovedandreveredKingBhumiboldiedinOctober.ThenewKingMa
haVajiralongkornwillalsobeknownasRamaX,orthe10thkingofThailan
d'sChakridynasty.HetoldpeopleinatelevisedstatementonThursday:"
IwouldliketoaccepttheinvitationforthebenefitoftheThaipeople."Thail
and'sPrimeMinistersaid:"MayalltheThaipeopleunitetopraythat…he
maylongreignasanidolandguardianoftheThaipeople."Thecoronation
ofthenewkingwillnottakeplaceuntilafterKingBhumibol'scremation.K
ingMahaVajiralongkornwasbornin1952.HewenttoschoolsinAustralia
andtheUKanddidmilitarytraininginAustralia.Hehasbeentomanydiffe
rent countriesandhasahomeinGermany.Overthepastfewyears,heha
sdoemoreofhisfather'sceremonialdutieswhenthelatekingneededme
dicaltreatment.Healsoorganizedandparticipatedinhigh-profilecha
rityeventsintheThaicapitalBangkok.Oneofhisfirstactswillbetoend
orseThailand'snewconstitution.

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic 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.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

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

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

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

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic 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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