The Reading / Listening - London Subway - Level 1

Police said a man who bombed a London subway train bought the parts online. Police think an 18-year-old refugee left the bomb on a packed commuter train during the rush hour. It exploded at Parsons Green station at 8.20am. About 30 passengers had burns to their face and body. Police said the bomb didn't work properly and that more people could have been hurt. The bomb had knives, screws, glass and other dangerous things inside it.



The bomber bought many of the ingredients from Amazon. One ingredient was an explosive called TATP. It is called "Mother of Satan" because of its power. Police said the bomber wanted "maximum destruction". Reporters were shocked that Amazon's site directed visitors to other things that could make bombs. Amazon said it would stop this happening. It is reviewing its website to make sure its products are presented in a better way.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    London Subway - Level 0 London Subway - Level 2   or  London Subway - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-amazon-bomber-teenager-accused-11222035
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/london-subway-bombing-suspect-key-ingredients-amazon-article-1.3514039
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4528410/court-hears-parsons-green-accused-ahmed-hassan-bought-bomb-ingredients-on-amazon/


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. a man who bombed a London
  2. bought the parts
  3. on a packed commuter
  4. during the rush
  5. About 30 passengers had burns
  6. the bomb didn't work
  7. more people could
  8. screws, glass and other
  1. hour
  2. have been hurt
  3. subway train
  4. dangerous things
  5. train
  6. to their face
  7. online
  8. properly

Paragraph 2

  1. The bomber bought many
  2. One ingredient was an explosive
  3. called "Mother of Satan" because
  4. the bomber wanted maximum
  5. other things that
  6. Amazon said it would stop
  7. It is reviewing its website to
  8. its products are presented
  1. of its power
  2. make sure
  3. destruction
  4. in a better way
  5. called TATP
  6. could make bombs
  7. of the ingredients
  8. this happening

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Police said a man (1) ___________________ London subway train bought (2) ___________________. Police think an 18-year-old refugee left the bomb (3) ___________________ commuter train during the rush hour. It exploded at Parsons Green station at 8.20am. About 30 passengers (4) ___________________ their face and body. Police said the bomb didn't work properly and that more people could (5) ___________________. The bomb had knives, screws, glass and other dangerous (6) ___________________.

The bomber bought (7) ___________________ ingredients from Amazon. One ingredient (8) ___________________ called TATP. It is called "Mother of Satan" because of its power. Police said the bomber wanted "(9) ___________________". Reporters were shocked that Amazon's site directed visitors (10) ___________________ that could make bombs. Amazon said it would stop this happening. (11) ___________________ its website to make sure its products are presented (12) ___________________ way.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

PolicesaidamanwhobombedaLondonsubwaytrainboughtthepartsonl
ine.Policethinkan18-year-oldrefugeeleftthebombonapackedcomm
utertrainduringtherushhour.ItexplodedatParsonsGreenstationat8.2
0am.About30passengershadburnstotheirfaceandbody.Policesaidth
ebombdidn'tworkproperlyandthatmorepeoplecouldhavebeenhurt.T
hebombhadknives,screws,glassandotherdangerousthingsinsideit.T
hebomberboughtmanyoftheingredientsfromAmazon.Oneingredient
wasanexplosivecalledTATP.Itiscalled"MotherofSatan"becauseofits
power.Policesaidthebomberwanted"maximumdestruction".Reporte
rswereshockedthatAmazon'ssitedirectedvisitorstootherthingsthatc
ouldmakebombs.Amazonsaiditwouldstopthishappening.Itisreviewi
ngitswebsitetomakesureitsproductsarepresentedinabetterway.

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.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

Help Support This Web Site

  • Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

Thank You