The Reading / Listening - Finland - Level 0

Finland's government resigned. It couldn't make changes to welfare and healthcare. Politicians voted against the changes. Finland's leader was very disappointed. He will stay in power until elections in April. Finland's population is aging. It needs a lot of money. The planned changes could save $3.4 billion over ten years.

Politicians think the government is making a mistake. It should stay in power until the elections. Mr Sipila said it had no support and had to resign. Sipila said he takes responsibility. One of Sipila's colleagues said resigning was a good example of "political responsibility".

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Finland - Level 1,  Finland - Level 2   or  Finland - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-47496326
  • https://www.foxnews.com/world/finlands-entire-government-resigns-after-breakdown-of-agreement-on-welfare-state-reform
  • http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/16248-finnish-government-hands-in-resignation-after-collapse-of-care-reform.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. make changes to welfare
  2. Finland's leader was very
  3. He will stay
  4. Finland's population
  5. It needs a
  6. planned
  7. save
  8. over
  1. $3.4 billion
  2. is aging
  3. ten years
  4. disappointed
  5. changes
  6. and healthcare
  7. lot of money
  8. in power

Paragraph 2

  1. the government is
  2. It should stay in
  3. until the
  4. it had no
  5. had to
  6. One of Sipila's
  7. a good
  8. political
  1. colleagues
  2. resign
  3. responsibility
  4. support
  5. example
  6. power
  7. making a mistake
  8. elections

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Finland's government resigned. (1) ___________________ changes to welfare and healthcare. Politicians (2) ___________________ changes. Finland's leader (3) ___________________. He will stay in power (4) ___________________ April. Finland's population is aging. It (5) ___________________ of money. The planned changes could save $3.4 billion (6) ___________________.

Politicians (7) ___________________ is making a mistake. It should (8) ___________________ until the elections. Mr Sipila said (9) ___________________ support and had to resign. Sipila said (10) ___________________. One of Sipila's colleagues (11) ___________________ a good example (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Finland'sgovernmentresigned.Itcouldn'tmakechangestowelfareand
healthcare.Politiciansvotedagainstthechanges.Finland'sleaderwasv
erydisappointed.HewillstayinpoweruntilelectionsinApril.Finland'spo
pulationisaging.Itneedsalotofmoney.Theplannedchangescouldsave
$3.4billionovertenyears.Politiciansthinkthegovernmentismakinga
mistake.Itshouldstayinpoweruntiltheelections.MrSipilasaidithadno
supportandhadtoresign.Sipilasaidhetakesresponinsibility.OneofSipi
la'scolleaguessaidresigningwasagoodexampleof"politicalresponsibility".

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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