The Reading / Listening - Boris Johnson - Level 5

The United Kingdom has a new leader. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson became the UK's new Prime Minister yesterday after Theresa May resigned in June. Mr Johnson, commonly known as Boris, realized a childhood dream of becoming leader of the UK. As a child, he told his parents he wanted to be king of the world. He now has the lesser role of Prime Minister. He has a tough task ahead. The most important thing is to deliver Brexit and make sure Britain comes out of the European Union. Mr Johnson vowed to get this done by October 31st. His political future depends on this.

Boris Johnson went to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth before becoming the UK's 77th Prime Minister. Traditionally, the Queen asks a new appointee to form a government. Johnson then drove to 10 Downing Street - the official residence of the British leader. His first job is to fill his Cabinet with people who will be in key decision-making roles. Johnson said: "I will take personal responsibility for the change I want to see." In his first speech to the nation as Prime Minister, he promised to spend more money on the police, education and social welfare.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Boris Johnson - Level 4 or  Boris Johnson - Level 6

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49102466
  • https://www.foxnews.com/world/boris-johnson-queen-officially-prime-minister-britain-brexit-theresa-may
  • https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/24/boris-johnson-no-ifs-buts-europe-october-31-10452137/


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 United Kingdom has
  2. Theresa May
  3. Boris realized a
  4. He has a tough
  5. The most important thing is
  6. make sure Britain
  7. Johnson vowed to get this done
  8. His political future depends
  1. task ahead
  2. by October 31st
  3. resigned in June
  4. on this
  5. childhood dream
  6. to deliver Brexit
  7. a new leader
  8. comes out

Paragraph 2

  1. becoming the UK's
  2. form a
  3. the official residence
  4. people who will be in key decision-
  5. I will take personal
  6. In his first speech to
  7. spend more money
  8. education and social
  1. making roles
  2. on the police
  3. 77th Prime Minister
  4. welfare
  5. government
  6. responsibility
  7. of the British leader
  8. the nation

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The United Kingdom (1) ___________________ leader. Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson became the UK's new Prime Minister yesterday after Theresa May resigned in June. Mr Johnson, (2) ___________________ Boris, realized a childhood (3) ___________________ leader of the UK. As a child, he told his parents he wanted to be king of the world. He now has (4) ___________________ of Prime Minister. He has a tough task ahead. The most important thing (5) ___________________ Brexit and make sure Britain comes out of the European Union. Mr Johnson vowed to get this done by October 31st. His political future (6) ___________________.

Boris Johnson went to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth (7) ___________________ UK's 77th Prime Minister. Traditionally, the Queen asks (8) ___________________ to form a government. Johnson then drove to 10 Downing Street - (9) ___________________ of the British leader. His first job is to fill his Cabinet with people who will (10) ___________________ decision-making roles. Johnson said: "I will take personal responsibility for the change I want to see." In (11) ___________________ to the nation as Prime Minister, he promised to spend more money on the police, education (12) ___________________.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

TheUnitedKingdomhasanewleader.AlexanderBorisdePfeffelJohnson
becametheUK'snewPrimeMinisteryesterdayafterTheresaMayresign
edinJune.MrJohnson,commonlyknownasBoris,realizedachildhooddr
eamofbecomingleaderoftheUK.Asachild,hetoldhisparentshewanted
tobekingoftheworld.HenowhasthelesserroleofPrimeMinister.Hehas
atoughtaskahead.ThemostimportantthingistodeliverBrexitandmak
esureBritaincomesoutoftheEuropeanUnion.MrJohnsonvowedtogett
hisdonebyOctober31st.Hispoliticalfuturedependsonthis.BorisJohns
onwenttoBuckinghamPalacetomeetQueenElizabethbeforebecomin
gtheUK's77thPrimeMinister.Traditionally,theQueenasksanewappoi
nteetoformagovernment.Johnsonthendroveto10DowningStreet-th
eofficialresidenceoftheBritishleader.HisfirstjobistofillhisCabinetwith
peoplewhowillbeinkeydecision-makingroles.Johnsonsaid:"Iwilltak
epersonalresponsibilityforthechangeIwanttosee."Inhisfirstspeecht
othenationasPrimeMinister,hepromisedtospendmoremoneyonthep
olice,educationandsocialwelfare.

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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