The Reading / Listening - Global Catastrophe - Level 1

Vladimir Putin warned that the North Korean crisis could cause a "planetary catastrophe". He said war would cause a huge loss of life. He told reporters that talking was the only answer. He warned the USA and North Korea that military action was very dangerous. Mr Putin said North Korea would never stop its nuclear programme. He said: "They will eat grass instead of stopping their nuclear programme, as long as they do not feel safe."

Tensions in Korea are at dangerous levels because North Korea carried out its biggest ever nuclear test. The UN told North Korea to stop its testing. Many countries want strong sanctions against North Korea. Mr Putin said sanctions would never work and they would be useless. A US ambassador said North Korea was "begging for war". She said: "War is never something the US wants. We don't want it now. But our…patience is not unlimited. We will defend our allies."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Global Catastrophe - Level 0 Global Catastrophe - Level 2   or  Global Catastrophe - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/05/south-korea-minister-redeploying-us-nuclear-weapons-tensions-with-north
  • http://www.nation.co.ke/news/world/Putin-global-catastrophe-North-Korea/1068-4083486-w4xj8cz/index.html
  • https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0905/902328-korea/


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. the North Korean
  2. cause a planetary
  3. cause a huge loss
  4. military
  5. North Korea would never stop its
  6. They will eat grass
  7. stopping their nuclear
  8. as long as they do not
  1. nuclear programme
  2. programme
  3. crisis
  4. feel safe
  5. instead
  6. of life
  7. catastrophe
  8. action

Paragraph 2

  1. Tensions in Korea are at
  2. carried out its biggest ever
  3. strong sanctions
  4. sanctions would never
  5. A US ambassador said North Korea was
  6. War is never something
  7. our patience is not
  8. We will defend
  1. the US wants
  2. work
  3. our allies
  4. dangerous levels
  5. unlimited
  6. against North Korea
  7. "begging for war"
  8. nuclear test

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Vladimir Putin warned that the North Korean (1) ___________________ a "planetary catastrophe". He said war would (2) ___________________ loss of life. He told reporters that talking was (3) ___________________. He warned the USA and North Korea that (4) __________________ very dangerous. Mr Putin said North Korea would never stop its nuclear programme. He said: "They (5) ___________________ instead of stopping their nuclear programme, as long as they (6) ___________________."

Tensions in Korea (7) ___________________ levels because North Korea (8) ___________________ biggest ever nuclear test. The UN told North Korea (9) ___________________ testing. Many countries want strong (10) ___________________ North Korea. Mr Putin said sanctions would never work and they would be useless. A US ambassador said North Korea was "(11) ___________________". She said: "War is never something the US wants. We don't want it now. But our…patience is not unlimited. We will (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

VladimirPutinwarnedthattheNorthKoreancrisiscouldcausea"planeta
rycatastrophe".Hesaidwarwouldcauseahugelossoflife.Hetoldreport
ersthattalkingwastheonlyanswer.HewarnedtheUSAandNorthKoreat
hatmilitaryactionwasverydangerous.MrPutinsaidNorthKoreawouldn
everstopitsnuclearprogramme.Hesaid:"Theywilleatgrassinsteadofs
toppingtheirnuclearprogramme,aslongastheydonotfeelsafe."Tensio
nsinKoreaareatdangerouslevelsbecauseNorthKoreacarriedoutitsbig
gestevernucleartest.TheUNtoldNorthKoreatostopitstesting.Manyco
untrieswantstrongsanctionsagainstNorthKorea.MrPutinsaidsanctio
nswouldneverworkandtheywouldbeuseless.AUSambassadorsaidNo
rthKoreawas"beggingforwar".Shesaid:"WarisneversomethingtheU
Swants.Wedon'twantitnow.Butour…patienceisnotunlimited.Wewilld
efendourallies."

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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