The Reading / Listening - Greenland - Level 1

Donald Trump is interested in buying Greenland. He said it would be like buying property and was, "a large real estate deal". He added: "They've got a lot of valuable minerals." Mr Trump said: "Denmark owns it....We protect Denmark....So the concept came up and I said, 'Certainly I'd be [interested].' He said buying Greenland was not his top priority at the moment. He said: "It's not number one on the burner."

Greenland is a territory of Denmark. Denmark's leader said: "Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I strongly hope that this is not meant seriously." Greenland's leader also made it clear that Greenland is not for sale. The USA has been interested in Greenland before. In 1946, President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million for the island but Denmark said no.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Greenland - Level 0,  Greenland - Level 2   or  Greenland - Level 3

Sources
  • https://www.bbc.com/news/world/middle_east
  • https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/18/politics/us-buy-greenland-danish-prime-minister/index.html
  • https://www.thelocal.dk/20190816/does-donald-trump-really-want-to-buy-greenland-from-denmark


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. it would be like
  2. a large real
  3. They've got a lot of valuable
  4. the concept came
  5. Certainly I'd
  6. Greenland was not his top
  7. at the
  8. It's not number one
  1. up
  2. priority
  3. estate deal
  4. on the burner
  5. moment
  6. minerals
  7. buying property
  8. be interested

Paragraph 2

  1. Greenland is a territory
  2. Greenland belongs
  3. this is not meant
  4. Greenland's leader also
  5. Greenland is not
  6. The USA has been interested
  7. offered Denmark $100 million
  8. Denmark said
  1. made it clear
  2. for the island
  3. to Greenland
  4. no
  5. in Greenland
  6. seriously
  7. for sale
  8. of Denmark

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Donald Trump (1) ___________________ buying Greenland. He said it would be (2) ___________________ and was, "a large real estate deal". He added: "They've got a (3) ___________________ minerals." Mr Trump said: "Denmark owns it....We protect Denmark....So (4) ___________________ up and I said, 'Certainly I'd be [interested].' He said buying Greenland was not (5) ___________________ at the moment. He said: "It's not number one (6) ___________________."

Greenland (7) ___________________ of Denmark. Denmark's leader said: "Greenland (8) ___________________ sale. Greenland is not Danish. Greenland belongs to Greenland. I (9) ___________________ this is not meant seriously." Greenland's leader also (10) ___________________ that Greenland is not for sale. The USA (11) ___________________ in Greenland before. In 1946, President Harry Truman offered Denmark $100 million for (12) ___________________ Denmark said no.

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

DonaldTrumpisinterestedinbuyingGreenland.Hesaiditwouldbelikeb
uyingpropertyandwas,"alargerealestatedeal".Headded:"They'vego
talotofvaluableminerals."MrTrumpsaid:"Denmarkownsit....Weprot
ectDenmark....SotheconceptcameupandIsaid,'CertainlyI'dbe[inter
ested].'HesaidbuyingGreenlandwasnothistoppriorityatthemoment.
Hesaid:"It'snotnumberoneontheburner."GreenlandisaterritoryofDe
nmark.Denmark'sleadersaid:"Greenlandisnotforsale.Greenlandisn
otDanish.GreenlandbelongstoGreenland.Istronglyhopethatthisisno
tmeantseriously."Greenland'sleaderalsomadeitclearthatGreenlandi
snotforsale.TheUSAhasbeeninterestedinGreenlandbefore.In1946,P
residentHarryTrumanofferedDenmark$100millionfortheislandbutD
enmarksaidno.

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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