The Reading / Listening - Jerusalem - Level 5

The President of the USA, Donald Trump, has announced that the USA officially recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This comes ahead of its embassy moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The decision overturns decades of America having its embassy in Tel Aviv. Mr Trump explained the rationale for his decision. He said he, "judged this course of action to be in the best interests of the USA, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians". He added that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital was, "nothing more or less than a recognition of reality".

The UN called the decision "a moment of great anxiety". It said: "There is no alternative to the two-state solution." Israel's Prime Minister said it was "a historic day". He was "profoundly grateful" to Mr Trump. Palestinian leader, Ismail Haniya, described the decision as a "flagrant aggression," and "the official announcement of the end of the peace process". A Palestinian diplomat said Mr Trump, "is declaring war in the Middle East and against 1.5 billion Muslims". Israel's Haaretz newspaper said it would give Iran and its allies "a wonderful rallying cry" and could help organizations like ISIS.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Jerusalem - Level 4 or  Jerusalem - Level 6

Sources
  • http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42259443
  • https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/1.827053
  • http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/palestinian-days-rage-trump-jerusalem-plan-171206103433314.html
  • https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-informs-leaders-of-plan-to-recognize-jerusalem-as-israeli-capital/4150167.html


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 capital
  2. its embassy moving
  3. Mr Trump explained the rationale
  4. course of
  5. in the best interests
  6. the pursuit of
  7. more or
  8. a recognition
  1. of the USA
  2. less
  3. from Tel Aviv
  4. of reality
  5. peace
  6. of Israel
  7. for his decision
  8. action

Paragraph 2

  1. a moment of great
  2. There is no
  3. the two-state
  4. He was profoundly
  5. the end of the peace
  6. declaring
  7. a wonderful rallying
  8. help organizations
  1. cry
  2. solution
  3. grateful to Mr Trump
  4. like ISIS
  5. anxiety
  6. process
  7. war
  8. alternative

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The President of the USA, Donald Trump, (1) ___________________ the USA officially recognizes Jerusalem as (2) ___________________ Israel. This comes ahead of its embassy moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The decision (3) ___________________ America having its embassy in Tel Aviv. Mr Trump explained (4) ___________________ his decision. He said he, "judged this course of action to be in the (5) ___________________ the USA, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians". He added that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital was, "nothing more or less than (6) ___________________ reality".

The UN called the decision "a moment (7) ___________________". It said: "There is no alternative to the (8) ___________________." Israel's Prime Minister said it was "a historic day". He was (9) ___________________ Mr Trump. Palestinian leader, Ismail Haniya, described the decision as a "flagrant aggression," and "the official announcement of the end of (10) ___________________". A Palestinian diplomat said Mr Trump, "is declaring war in the Middle East and against 1.5 billion Muslims". Israel's Haaretz newspaper said it would give Iran (11) ___________________ "a wonderful rallying (12) ___________________ help organizations like ISIS.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

ThePresidentoftheUSA,DonaldTrump,hasannouncedthattheUSAoffi
ciallyrecognizesJerusalemasthecapitalofIsrael.Thiscomesaheadofit
sembassymovingfromTelAvivtoJerusalem.Thedecisionoverturnsde
cadesofAmericahavingitsembassyinTelAviv.MrTrumpexplainedther
ationaleforhisdecision.Hesaidhe,"judgedthiscourseofactiontobeinth
ebestinterestsoftheUSA,andthepursuitofpeacebetweenIsraelandth
ePalestinians".HeaddedthatrecognizingJerusalemasIsrael'scapital
was,"nothingmoreorlessthanarecognitionofreality".TheUNcalledthe
decision"amomentofgreatanxiety".Itsaid:"Thereisnoalternativetot
hetwo-statesolution."Israel'sPrimeMinistersaiditwas"ahistoricda
y".Hewas"profoundlygrateful"toMrTrump.Palestinianleader,Ismail
Haniya,describedthedecisionasa"flagrantaggression,"and"theoffici
alannouncementoftheendofthepeaceprocess".APalestiniandiplomat
saidMrTrump,"isdeclaringwarintheMiddleEastandagainst1.5billion
Muslims".Israel'sHaaretznewspapersaiditwouldgiveIrananditsallies
"awonderfulrallyingcry"andcouldhelporganizationslikeISIS.

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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