The Reading / Listening - UK-USA Relations - Level 4

UK-US relations soured after the diplomatic e-mails from the UK ambassador leaked. The mails were in a UK newspaper. They were very negative and critical of President Trump's White House. The ambassador wrote he believed the administration would not be normal. He called it dysfunctional, unpredictable, faction riven, clumsy and inept. He called the policy on Iran "incoherent" and "chaotic". A British official said the leak was an act of treachery.

The USA and the UK have a "special relationship". The UK also needs a trade deal with the USA after it leaves the European Union. The UK's Prime Minister has "full faith" in the ambassador but did not agree with his comments. A spokesman said the leak was "absolutely unacceptable". Donald Trump said the ambassador "has not served the UK well." He tweeted: "He is not liked or well thought of within the US. We will no longer deal with him."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    UK-USA Relations - Level 5 or  UK-USA Relations - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/07/07/uks-ambassador-to-the-us-criticizes-trump-in-leaked-memos/23765073/
  • https://www.yahoo.com/news/top-uk-diplomat-usa-criticizes-103329034.html
  • https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/donald-trump-hits-back-at-leaked-memos-calling-white-house-inept-a4184331.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. UK-US relations
  2. The mails were in
  3. They were very negative
  4. the administration would
  5. He called
  6. clumsy and
  7. on Iran "incoherent"
  8. the leak was an
  1. inept
  2. not be normal
  3. act of treachery
  4. a UK newspaper
  5. and "chaotic"
  6. and critical
  7. soured
  8. it dysfunctional

Paragraph 2

  1. The USA and the UK have a
  2. The UK also needs
  3. after it leaves
  4. did not agree
  5. the leak was absolutely
  6. the ambassador has not
  7. He is not liked or well
  8. We will no longer
  1. thought of
  2. the European Union
  3. deal with him
  4. a trade deal
  5. served the UK well
  6. "special relationship"
  7. unacceptable
  8. with his comments

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

UK-US relations (1) ___________________ diplomatic e-mails from the UK ambassador leaked. The mails were in a UK newspaper. They were very (2) ___________________ of President Trump's White House. The ambassador (3) ___________________ the administration would not be normal. He called it dysfunctional, unpredictable, (4) ___________________ and inept. He called (5) ___________________ Iran "incoherent" and "chaotic". A British official said the leak was an (6) ___________________.

The USA and the UK have a "special relationship". The UK also (7) ___________________ deal with the USA after it leaves the European Union. The UK's Prime Minister (8) ___________________ in the ambassador but did (9) ___________________ his comments. A spokesman said the (10) ___________________ unacceptable". Donald Trump said the ambassador "has (11) ___________________ UK well." He tweeted: "He is not liked or well thought of within the US. We will no (12) ___________________ him."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

UK-USrelationssouredafterthediplomatice-mailsfromtheUKamba
ssadorleaked.ThemailswereinaUKnewspaper.Theywereverynegativ
eandcriticalofPresidentTrump'sWhiteHouse.Theambassadorwroteh
ebelievedtheadministrationwouldnotbenormal.Hecalleditdysfunctio
nal,unpredictable,factionriven,clumsyandinept.Hecalledthepolicyo
nIran"incoherent"and"chaotic".ABritishofficialsaidtheleakwasanact
oftreachery.TheUSAandtheUKhavea"specialrelationship".TheUKals
oneedsatradedealwiththeUSAafteritleavestheEuropeanUnion.TheU
K'sPrimeMinisterhas"fullfaith"intheambassadorbutdidnotagreewith
hiscomments.Aspokesmansaidtheleakwas"absolutelyunacceptable
".DonaldTrumpsaidtheambassador"hasnotservedtheUKwell."Hetw
eeted:"HeisnotlikedorwellthoughtofwithintheUS.Wewillnolongerde
alwithhim."

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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