The Reading / Listening - the Burka - Level 1

The UK's ex-Foreign Minister Boris Johnson has made comments about women wearing the burka. He said women who wear burkas "look like letter boxes". He also suggested that women who wear burkas "look like a bank robber". He would ask her to remove it so that he "could talk to her properly". He also said women who wore burkas "look absolutely ridiculous". Johnson wrote that full-face veils should not be banned in the UK.



The UK's prime minister asked Mr Johnson to apologize. She said "We all have to be very careful about...language and...some of the terms Boris used...have offended." A senior British politician asked Mr Johnson to resign. Other politicians said the comments were Islamophobic, racist and a hate crime. They say he knew his comments would offend Muslims because he was London's mayor and the UK Foreign Minister. He met thousands of Muslims.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    the Burka - Level 0 the Burka - Level 2   or  the Burka - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-45096519
  • https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/boris-johnson-burqa-wearers-look-like-bank-robbers-letter-boxes/news-story/
  • https://www.thenational.ae/world/europe/boris-johnson-allies-say-he-won-t-apologise-for-islamophobic-burqa-comments-1.757866


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. Johnson has made comments
  2. look like letter
  3. women who
  4. look like
  5. He would ask her to
  6. he could talk
  7. burkas look absolutely
  8. full-face veils should not
  1. wear burkas
  2. to her properly
  3. ridiculous
  4. boxes
  5. be banned
  6. a bank robber
  7. remove it
  8. about women

Paragraph 2

  1. She said we
  2. be very careful
  3. some of the terms
  4. A senior British politician asked
  5. a hate
  6. his comments would
  7. he was London's
  8. He met thousands
  1. mayor
  2. Boris used
  3. offend Muslims
  4. about language
  5. of Muslims
  6. crime
  7. Mr Johnson to resign
  8. all have

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The UK's ex-Foreign Minister Boris Johnson (1) ___________________ about women wearing the burka. He said (2) ___________________ burkas "look like letter boxes". He also suggested that women who wear burkas "(3) ___________________ bank robber". He would ask her to remove it so that he "could talk (4) ___________________". He also said women who wore (5) ___________________ ridiculous". Johnson wrote that full-face veils should (6) ___________________ in the UK.

The UK's prime minister asked Mr Johnson (7) ___________________ said "We all have (8) ___________________ careful about...language and...some of the terms Boris used... (9) ___________________ senior British politician asked Mr Johnson (10) ___________________ politicians said the comments were Islamophobic, racist (11) ___________________ crime. They say he knew his comments would offend Muslims because he was London's mayor and the UK Foreign Minister. He (12) ___________________ Muslims.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUK'sex-ForeignMinisterBorisJohnsonhasmadecommentsabou
twomenwearingtheburka.Hesaidwomenwhowearburkas"looklikelet
terboxes".Healsosuggestedthatwomenwhowearburkas"looklikeaba
nkrobber".Hewouldaskhertoremoveitsothathe"couldtalktoherprope
rly".Healsosaidwomenwhoworeburkas"lookabsolutelyridiculous".Jo
hnsonwrotethatfull-faceveilsshouldnotbebannedintheUK.TheUK'sp
rimeministeraskedMrJohnsontoapologize.Shesaid"Weallhavetobev
erycarefulabout...languageand...someofthetermsBorisused...have
offended."AseniorBritishpoliticianaskedMrJohnsontoresign.Otherpo
liticianssaidthecommentswereIslamophobic,racistandahatecrime.T
heysayheknewhiscommentswouldoffendMuslimsbecausehewasLon
don'smayorandtheUKForeignMinister.HemetthousandsofMuslims.

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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