The Reading / Listening - Citizenship - Level 1

Britain has taken away the citizenship of a woman who joined ISIS. Shamima Begum, 19, left London when she was 15 to live in the Islamic State. The U.K. said any ISIS member could not have a U.K. passport. British journalists found Begum in a Syrian refugee camp. She said she wants to go home to London. She had her third child a few days ago. Her first two babies died. She married an ISIS fighter soon after reaching Syria. She said she enjoyed life in the IS.

International law says the U.K. cannot make anyone stateless. The U.K. said Begum is a citizen of Bangladesh because her mother was born there. Bangladesh said there is "no question" of her being allowed into the country. Bangladesh is angry that the U.K. called her Bangladeshi. Begum said she has "one citizenship". She said: "I wasn't born in Bangladesh, I've never seen Bangladesh." Ms Begum's baby could still be British.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Citizenship - Level 0 Citizenship - Level 2   or  Citizenship - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8463591/isis-bride-shamima-begum-stripped-british-citizenship/
  • http://www.arabnews.com/node/1455196/world
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-47312207


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. Britain has taken away the
  2. left London
  3. a Syrian refugee
  4. she wants
  5. She had her third child
  6. She married an
  7. soon after
  8. She said she enjoyed life
  1. a few days ago
  2. in the IS
  3. citizenship
  4. reaching Syria
  5. camp
  6. to go home
  7. when she was 15
  8. ISIS fighter

Paragraph 2

  1. International
  2. the U.K. cannot make anyone
  3. Begum is a citizen
  4. there is "no question" of her
  5. Bangladesh is
  6. the U.K. called her
  7. I wasn't
  8. Ms Begum's baby could still
  1. of Bangladesh
  2. Bangladeshi
  3. be British
  4. stateless
  5. born in Bangladesh
  6. law
  7. angry
  8. being allowed

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Britain has (1) ___________________ citizenship of a woman who joined ISIS. Shamima Begum, 19, left London (2) ___________________ 15 to live in the Islamic State. The U.K. said any ISIS member (3) ___________________ a U.K. passport. British journalists found Begum in a Syrian refugee camp. She said she (4) ___________________ home to London. She had her third child a (5) ___________________. Her first two babies died. She married an ISIS fighter (6) ___________________ Syria. She said she enjoyed life in the IS.

International law says the U.K. (7) ___________________ stateless. The U.K. said Begum (8) ___________________ of Bangladesh because her mother (9) ___________________. Bangladesh said there (10) ___________________ of her being allowed into the country. Bangladesh (11) ___________________ the U.K. called her Bangladeshi. Begum said she has "one citizenship". She said: "I (12) ___________________ Bangladesh, I've never seen Bangladesh." Ms Begum's baby could still be British.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

BritainhastakenawaythecitizenshipofawomanwhojoinedISIS.Shami
maBegum,19,leftLondonwhenshewas15toliveintheIslamicState.Th
eU.K.saidanyISISmembercouldnothaveaU.K.passport.Britishjourn
alistsfoundBeguminaSyrianrefugeecamp.Shesaidshewantstogoho
metoLondon.Shehadherthirdchildafewdaysago.Herfirsttwobabiesdi
ed.ShemarriedanISISfightersoonafterreachingSyria.Shesaidsheenj
oyedlifeintheIS.InternationallawsaystheU.K.cannotmakeanyonesta
teless.TheU.K.saidBegumisacitizenofBangladeshbecausehermothe
rwasbornthere.Bangladeshsaidthereis"noquestion"ofherbeingallow
edintothecountry.BangladeshisangrythattheU.K.calledherBanglade
shi.Begumsaidshehas"onecitizenship".Shesaid:"Iwasn'tborninBan
gladesh,I'veneverseenBangladesh."MsBegum'sbabycouldstillbeBrit
sish.

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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