The Reading / Listening - United Kingdom - Level 1

An ex-UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, warned that the union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is in danger. He warned of economic disaster after the UK leaves the European Union on October 31st. Mr Brown believes that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the UK will be in trouble. He said this is because many people in the UK want independence for their country. He said the United Kingdom is no longer a united kingdom.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is four countries - the three nations of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. Most people in Scotland want to stay in the EU and voted against Brexit. There are now talks of Scottish independence. There are also worries about a physical border in Ireland. People are talking about a possible reunited Ireland. Brown said: "Nationalism is now driving British politics."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    United Kingdom - Level 0 United Kingdom - Level 2   or  United Kingdom - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49309113
  • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7345459/Growing-nationalism-pulling-UK-apart-sleepwalks-oblivion-Gordon-Brown-warns.html
  • https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/aug/10/gordon-brown-says-no-deal-brexit-would-be-calamity-for-united-kingdom


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. An ex-UK
  2. He warned of economic
  3. after the UK leaves the
  4. if the UK leaves the EU
  5. the UK will be in
  6. many people
  7. independence
  8. the United Kingdom is no longer
  1. without a deal
  2. for their country
  3. in the UK
  4. a united kingdom
  5. European Union
  6. prime minister
  7. trouble
  8. disaster

Paragraph 2

  1. the three nations of
  2. England, Scotland
  3. Most people
  4. voted against
  5. talks of Scottish
  6. worries about a physical
  7. a possible reunited
  8. Nationalism is now driving
  1. British politics
  2. independence
  3. border in Ireland
  4. Ireland
  5. Brexit
  6. Great Britain
  7. and Wales
  8. in Scotland

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

An ex-UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, (1) ___________________ union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (2) ___________________. He warned of economic disaster (3) ___________________ leaves the European Union on October 31st. Mr Brown (4) ___________________ the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the UK will (5) ___________________. He said this is because many people in the UK want independence for their country. He said the United Kingdom (6) ___________________ a united kingdom.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is four countries - (7) ___________________ of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and Northern Ireland. (8) ___________________ Scotland want to stay in the EU and voted against Brexit. There are (9) ___________________ Scottish independence. There (10) ___________________ about a physical border in Ireland. People are talking (11) ___________________ reunited Ireland. Brown said: "Nationalism (12) ___________________ British politics."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Anex-UKprimeminister,GordonBrown,warnedthattheunionofEngl
and,Scotland,WalesandNorthernIrelandisindanger.Hewarnedofeco
nomicdisasteraftertheUKleavestheEuropeanUniononOctober31st.M
rBrownbelievesthatiftheUKleavestheEUwithoutadeal,theUKwillbein
trouble.HesaidthisisbecausemanypeopleintheUKwantindependenc
efortheircountry.HesaidtheUnitedKingdomisnolongeraunitedkingd
om.TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIrelandisfourcou
ntries-thethreenationsofGreatBritain(England,ScotlandandWale
s)andNorthernIreland.MostpeopleinScotlandwanttostayintheEUan
dvotedagainstBrexit.TherearenowtalksofScottishindependence.Th
erearealsoworriesaboutaphysicalborderinIreland.Peoplearetalking
aboutapossiblereunitedIreland.Brownsaid:"Nationalismisnowdrivin
gBritishpolitics."

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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