The Reading / Listening - Robert Mugabe - Level 2

Zimbabwe is changing. Thousands of people are in the streets. They want President Robert Mugabe to resign. The army removed him from power on Wednesday. People said Mr Mugabe wanted his wife, Grace Mugabe, to be the next president. Mugabe fired his deputy, so the army took control of the capital city. The army wanted to remove the "criminals" around Mr Mugabe. Members of Mr Mugabe's ruling party asked Mr Mugabe to step down. Veterans of Zimbabwe's war for independence said Mr Mugabe should quit. They were among Mugabe's most loyal supporters.

Robert Mugabe is 93 years old. He is the oldest leader of any country in the world. He became the leader of Zimbabwe in 1980. He has been in power for 37 years. Mr Mugabe fought in Zimbabwe's war for independence against British rule. Zimbabwe used to be called Rhodesia. In 1980 there were elections. Robert Mugabe and the Zanu party won the elections. Many people are now happy his time as leader is coming to an end. One 34-year-old street protestor said: "I've been waiting all my life for this day. Free at last. We are free at last."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Robert Mugabe - Level 0 Robert Mugabe - Level 1   or  Robert Mugabe - Level 3

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42035981
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-zimbabwe-politics-harare/party-set-to-sack-mugabe-zimbabweans-celebrate-expected-downfall-idUSKBN1DI08B
  • https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/11/18/565050178/thousands-march-through-zimbabwes-capital-to-urge-mugabe-to-step-down


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. Thousands of people are
  2. The army removed him
  3. the army took
  4. The army wanted to remove
  5. Members of Mr Mugabe's ruling
  6. asked Mr Mugabe to step
  7. Zimbabwe's war
  8. among Mugabe's most loyal
  1. for independence
  2. control
  3. party
  4. supporters
  5. in the streets
  6. the "criminals"
  7. down
  8. from power

Paragraph 2

  1. the oldest leader of any
  2. He has been in
  3. war for
  4. Zimbabwe used to be
  5. won the
  6. his time as leader is
  7. I've been waiting all my
  8. We are free at
  1. independence
  2. coming to an end
  3. last
  4. life for this day
  5. power
  6. country in the world
  7. called Rhodesia
  8. elections

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Zimbabwe is changing. (1) ___________________ are in the streets. They want President Robert Mugabe to resign. The (2) ___________________ from power on Wednesday. People said Mr Mugabe wanted his wife, Grace Mugabe, to be the next president. Mugabe (3) ___________________, so the army took control of the capital city. The army wanted to (4) ___________________ around Mr Mugabe. Members of Mr Mugabe's ruling party asked Mr Mugabe (5) ___________________. Veterans of Zimbabwe's war for independence said Mr Mugabe should quit. They were among Mugabe's (6) ___________________.

Robert Mugabe is 93 years old. He is (7) ___________________ of any country in the world. He became the leader of Zimbabwe in 1980. He has (8) ___________________ for 37 years. Mr Mugabe fought in Zimbabwe's war for independence (9) ___________________. Zimbabwe used to be called Rhodesia. In 1980 there were elections. Robert Mugabe and the Zanu party (10) ___________________. Many people are now happy his time as leader is coming to an end. One 34-year-old (11) ___________________: "I've been waiting all my life for this day. Free at last. We are (12) ___________________."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Zimbabweischanging.Thousandsofpeopleareinthestreets.Theywant
PresidentRobertMugabetoresign.Thearmyremovedhimfrompowero
nWednesday.PeoplesaidMrMugabewantedhiswife,GraceMugabe,to
bethenextpresident.Mugabefiredhisdeputy,sothearmytookcontrolo
fthecapitalcity.Thearmywantedtoremovethe"criminals"aroundMrM
ugabe.MembersofMrMugabe'srulingpartyaskedMrMugabetostepdo
wn.VeteransofZimbabwe'swarforindependencesaidMrMugabeshoul
dquit.TheywereamongMugabe'smostloyalsupporters.RobertMugab
eis93yearsold.Heistheoldestleaderofanycountryintheworld.Hebeca
metheleaderofZimbabwein1980.Hehasbeeninpowerfor37years.Mr
MugabefoughtinZimbabwe'swarforindependenceagainstBritishrule.
ZimbabweusedtobecalledRhodesia.In1980therewereelections.Rob
ertMugabeandtheZanupartywontheelections.Manypeoplearenowha
ppyhistimeasleaderiscomingtoanend.One34-year-oldstreetprote
storsaid:"I'vebeenwaitingallmylifeforthisday.Freeatlast.Wearefree
atlast."

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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