The Reading / Listening - Macedonia - Level 1

The Republic of Macedonia will change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia. The country became independent in 1991 after Yugoslavia broke up. It became a member of the United Nations in 1993. Greece's largest region is also called Macedonia and Greece said it owned the name "Macedonia". Greece blocked Macedonia from joining the EU because of this. Macedonia's Prime Minister said the name change would, "open the doors to the future".

Macedonia and Greece talked for ten years. Just over 67 per cent of Macedonia's parliament voted for the change. Opposition politicians did not vote. Hundreds of people protested in front of Macedonia's parliament. An opposition leader was angry. He said: "Look how publicly, how openly, this trade is going on with Macedonia's name and identity - just like at a market stall." The next step is for Greece to agree to the change.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Macedonia - Level 0,  Macedonia - Level 2   or  Macedonia - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.reuters.com/article/us-macedonia-name-parliament/macedonian-parliament-agrees-to-change-countrys-name-idUSKCN1P5238
  • https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/11/macedonia-paves-way-eu-membership-agreeing-north-macedonia-name/
  • https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/macedonian-pm-struggles-secure-majority-change-60288809


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 country became
  2. after Yugoslavia
  3. It became a member of the
  4. Greece's largest
  5. Greece said it owned the
  6. Greece blocked Macedonia
  7. Macedonia's
  8. open the doors
  1. Prime Minister
  2. region
  3. broke up
  4. to the future
  5. from joining
  6. independent in 1991
  7. name "Macedonia"
  8. United Nations

Paragraph 2

  1. Macedonia and Greece talked
  2. parliament voted
  3. An opposition leader
  4. how openly this trade is
  5. Macedonia's name and
  6. just like at a market
  7. The next
  8. agree
  1. step
  2. was angry
  3. stall
  4. to the change
  5. for the change
  6. identity
  7. for ten years
  8. going on

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The Republic of Macedonia (1) ___________________ name to the Republic of North Macedonia. (2) ___________________ independent in 1991 after Yugoslavia broke up. It became a (3) ___________________ United Nations in 1993. Greece's largest (4) ___________________ called Macedonia and Greece said it owned the name "Macedonia". Greece blocked Macedonia from joining the EU (5) ___________________. Macedonia's Prime Minister said the name change would, "(6) ___________________ to the future".

Macedonia and Greece (7) ___________________ years. Just over 67 per cent of Macedonia's parliament (8) ___________________ change. Opposition politicians (9) ___________________. Hundreds of people protested in front of Macedonia's parliament. An opposition (10) ___________________. He said: "Look how publicly, how openly, this trade is (11) ___________________ Macedonia's name and identity - just like at (12) ___________________." The next step is for Greece to agree to the change.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheRepublicofMacedoniawillchangeitsnametotheRepublicofNorthM
acedonia.Thecountrybecameindependentin1991afterYugoslaviabro
keup.ItbecameamemberoftheUnitedNationsin1993.Greece'slarges
tregionisalsocalledMacedoniaandGreecesaiditownedthename"Mace
donia".GreeceblockedMacedoniafromjoiningtheEUbecauseofthis.M
acedonia'sPrimeMinistersaidthenamechangewould,"openthedoorst
othefuture".MacedoniaandGreecetalkedfortenyears.Justover67per
centofMacedonia'sparliamentvotedforthechange.Oppositionpolitici
ansdidnotvote.HundredsofpeopleprotestedinfrontofMacedonia'spar
liament.Anoppositionleaderwasangry.Hesaid:"Lookhowpublicly,ho
wopenly,thistradeisgoingonwithMacedonia'snameandidentity-jus
tlikeatamarketstall."ThenextstepisfortheGreecetoagreetothechang
e.

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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